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Aug
31stGetting There…
I’m writing this from Unit Studios in Letchworth where I’m putting what are hopefully the finishing touches to my first spoken word CD, Light Made Solid, which will accompany my first published collection of the same title. It’s taking a bit longer than I’d expected as we’re making original music and soundscapes for each poem and I’m reliant on finding time to come down south when my friend and producer, Adam Menczykowski (Mench) is about. He tours the world engineering monitors for a band called Phoenix the rest of the time so it’s a bit tricky. I’m also working with Dan Steele, my technician/designer for Voices of Dissent, who is also stupidly talented and busy and is in London designing sound for a theatre production at the moment. Anyway, best to take the time in getting it right I suppose, it just means the launch is going to be put back a bit. When we know the date and venue I will announce it from the rooftops though, so don’t fret. Of course I’ve been pretty busy myself this summer, with gigs at Sunrise, Secret Garden Party and Shambala Festivals, as well as two dates in Wales with The Absurd. We also had our first official gig outside of Manchester with Pen-ultimate’s street theatre adaptation of A Night On The Tiles, imaginatively titled A Day On The Tiles, at Stockton International Riverside Festival. Then of course there was the Edinburgh Fringe, where I was performing in a show called Three [...]
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Aug
7thAugust NewsI’m kicking off this site by doing something for which it was set up to avoid: letting people know about gigs on the day they’re going to happen. Fortunately this time it’s the start of a 10-day run, so you still have time to get along, if you happen to be in the vicinity of Edinburgh. The show is called 3 Slam Champs and is a ‘high octane, satirical, spoken-word comedy showcase’ featuring me, Pete The Temp and Steve Larkin, for free! Bargain. I’ll also be doing a guest slot at the Hammer & Tongue Open Slam too, and appearing at Tim Clare’s Poetry Takeaway at some point this week, serving up ballad kebabs… or something. Being up in Edinburgh I should probably have some merchandise to sell, but unfortunately my book and CD won’t be out until September 13th, so maybe I’ll have to ask people to sign direct debit forms. The book is a collection of my poetic scribblings from the last few years, and the CD is some of those poems read out and set to some of that modern music that all the kids like these days. Both the book and the CD are called Light Made Solid and when they’re ready you’ll be able to buy them from Flapjack Press, and other outlets, such as my gigs. There will be a launch in mid September too, date and venue to follow. And special guest announcements of course. I’ll be posting free MP3s of some of [...]