A New Record Label

Well, it had to happen sometime.....

After years of watching from the sidelines, I'm starting my own record label. It's called Small Fish Records, and for now just looks after one very small fish. No physical media, electronic distribution through outlets like Itunes and Amazon only.  Perhaps down the road we'll print vinyl and CDs, but for now the important thing is to get the music moving.

It's doing to take me a few more weeks to get the full website up and running- there's a lot to do. So, for know it's enough to be really back in the music business again.

New songs?

Getting organized to teach the guys the new songs, new CD in the works for fall...

Time to pack...

Ok! The weekend after next, two great shows at the Moorings Bar in Aberdeen. On Friday February 1st  it's a reunion of the old Malpaso Gang- country all the way. And then the Son Henry Band gets back for one gig at the Moorings on Saturday February 2nd.

I can't wait to get home! Started packing today, and trying to decide how best to pack lap steels and guitars into a small suitcase that the airlines can't destroy.

More gigs to follow. I'll be back in the fall for a couple of weeks of gigs in September. In the meantime, get your pirate on at the Moorings with us...

Back in Business...

In case you didn't see the schedule update, I've got three dates boooked the weekend of February 1st in the UK. I've got a couple more dates open and not afraid to drive, so if interested in talking about a gig please give me a shout!

 

See everyone soon-

Schedule update

Ok, gang, here is the current schedule for February:

Friday, February 1st: The Malpaso Gang at the Moorings Bar, Aberdeen

Saturday, February 2nd: The Son Henry Band at the Moorings Bar.

Sunday, February 3rd: TBA

More to follow! See y'all soon.

Friday February 1st at the Moorings Bar, Aberdeen

Wel folks, it's a one-shot deal this spring, a reunion for my old band at the Moorings in Aberdeen. We're part of a three-band billing, probably on about 10 (but check with the venue first, ok?).

Looking forward to getting back to Aberdeen and hanging with some old friends AND getting a chance to play a bit with Dino and Duncan. More gigs coming this summer now that I'm back in action so stay tuned!

Check the bar out here for the latest news: http://www.themooringsbar.co.uk/

 

 

News from the library

Wow, what a great decision. Taking time to study, I mean. In the last week or so I've been going through Willie Brown's M&O Blues in painful detail. Painful. Detail.

Really, I should have done this years ago.

Someone recently hit me with 'but you'll be off everyone's radar screen!" So, what? I got started playing music years ago because I loved the music. Performing is secondary and I know I'll get back to it when the time is right. In the meantime I've got detail to mine in these old songs.

The fun part is translating the detail between guitars. Its great to be able to play this on an old resonator. It's even better knowing that I can take it to a gig on an electric guitar as well- potential band material down the line, or something to play along with my drum set. I like keeping my options open and knowing that the techniques, the nuances, all the detail and an even deeper level of understanding is adaptable as live moves forward.

Peace. Once more Willie Brown side and then it's off to Son House...

And so the Sabbatical begins

Man, I've been at this or 30 or more years without a break. Gigging constantly, and very little time to work on my own playing like I did back when I was a puppy- you know, playing for hours at a time, working on technique, etc.

And so, after agonizing about this, I'm formally taking a sabbatical. Starting today. For a full year.

I'll keep you posted how I do, but I'm going to focus on two very simple things the pre-war blues catalog and my acoustic lap steel playing.

Why the pre-war catalog? Because it's neglected, its music that I love, and it's not often played well. Sure there are players at festivals playing the songs, but the energy, the detail isn't there. Time to see how close to right I can get it.

And then, the acoustic lap steel playing? Yeah, because the pre-war stuff adapts pretty well. So it overlaps.

Goal? Mastery. Mastery of instruments, mastery of a genre. In a year. Oh, and I'm keeping notes that might end up in a book someday, or in the trash, depending.

This means you won't see me much on Facebook, or Myspace or whatever. I'm focused, full stop.

Off we go, time to get started, the first mountain to climb is Robert Johnson's 'Terraplane Blues'. yeah,I've got the basics, but the nuances ain't there....