Mid-way through 2010, I started writing the batch of songs which has led to my latest album, "Ripples From a Small Pond". The album revists some of the sounds found on the "Ancient Light" album, with a more focused sound than the stylistic patchwork of "Movements in Space". Taking it's percussive cues from 'World Music' and placing the focus back on the acoustic guitar as the main instrument, the new album places the songwriting front and centre. With ambient textures and a careful choice of sympathetic instrumentation, the album has a consistency which some critics said was lacking from "Movements in Space". Again, Crowded House and REM are big influences, this time adding Paul Simon and Brian Eno into the mix.
The first single relase from the album will be "Dripping Away", written about my experience with father as he struggles with the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. All proceeds from the sale of this songs will go directly to the Alzheimer's Society in Cardiff - the organistation that delivered so much support to my family during the 7 years of my father's struggle with the disease. The album, "Ripples From a Small Pond" will be released on the same day.
Early influences
One of my fondest and most enduring memories from my childhood, is the weekly family ritual of gathering around the radio on a Sunday evening and listening to the Top 40 rundown. It didn't take long before I started thinking that I'd like to make the kind of music that I was hearing. I wrote my first song when I was about 12. It was called "U.F.O." and it was about, er, a U.F.O. But in my defence, I was only 12.
As my main exposure to music was through whatever was in the top 40, I soaked up a variety of different styles of music. Early on, I took a particular liking to Rap music and Rock music. I was even a breakdancer for a little while back then. In school, everybody told me that I couldn't possibly like rap and rock because they were too different. Then Run DMC and Aerosmith released "Walk This Way" and proved that I was right all along. In fact, my copy of the Beastie Boys "Liscenced To Ill" went round the whole of my school year after I innocently lent it to one freind thinking he might like it. As I've grown up, I've decided that I like a whole bunch of different types of music. My current favourite artists are Prince, U2, Crowded House and Stevie Wonder, but that can change on a daily basis.
One of my fondest and most enduring memories from my childhood, is the weekly family ritual of gathering around the radio on a Sunday evening and listening to the Top 40 rundown. It didn't take long before I started thinking that I'd like to make the kind of music that I was hearing. I wrote my first song when I was about 12. It was called "U.F.O." and it was about, er, a U.F.O. But in my defence, I was only 12.
As my main exposure to music was through whatever was in the top 40, I soaked up a variety of different styles of music. Early on, I took a particular liking to Rap music and Rock music. I was even a breakdancer for a little while back then. In school, everybody told me that I couldn't possibly like rap and rock because they were too different. Then Run DMC and Aerosmith released "Walk This Way" and proved that I was right all along. In fact, my copy of the Beastie Boys "Liscenced To Ill" went round the whole of my school year after I innocently lent it to one freind thinking he might like it. As I've grown up, I've decided that I like a whole bunch of different types of music. My current favourite artists are Prince, U2, Crowded House and Stevie Wonder, but that can change on a daily basis.
Early songwriting
By the time I started working, I had bought my first guitar, taught myself the basics and started to write songs 'properly'. I have now written quite a few songs, some good and some not so good. And to answer your question, no - I haven't written any more songs about U.F.O.'s - yet!
Recording
I started booking time in local studios and working with friends who were also musicians. The results were made available as a series of demo tapes; "When the Madness Ends", "Set Your Sights", "Demographic", "Fidei Defensor", "Generation Ecstasy" and "Full Circle", which were sent out to magazines, fanzines, record companies and the like. Most of the tapes received a warm reception - comments included; "Wales finest unsigned writer.." (NFN Oct97), "An engaging singer/songwriter who seems to fuse retro and contemporary, to find his own quirky individuality" (Cross Rhythms Dec96/Jan97), "Tuneful and confident" (Repeat fanzine #10), "Refreshingly pleasant, adult style pop" (Snakebite fanzine issue 5). Recording became more expensive though and, due to my inability to hold a band together for long, I rarely got the chance to play live. So I hung up my guitar and wrote songs only if there was something clawing it's way out.
After a hiatus of about 6 years I recorded my first full length album, 'Whispering'. The songs were strong, the experience of recording it was great, but I wasn't really happy with the finished product.
By the time I started working, I had bought my first guitar, taught myself the basics and started to write songs 'properly'. I have now written quite a few songs, some good and some not so good. And to answer your question, no - I haven't written any more songs about U.F.O.'s - yet!
Recording
I started booking time in local studios and working with friends who were also musicians. The results were made available as a series of demo tapes; "When the Madness Ends", "Set Your Sights", "Demographic", "Fidei Defensor", "Generation Ecstasy" and "Full Circle", which were sent out to magazines, fanzines, record companies and the like. Most of the tapes received a warm reception - comments included; "Wales finest unsigned writer.." (NFN Oct97), "An engaging singer/songwriter who seems to fuse retro and contemporary, to find his own quirky individuality" (Cross Rhythms Dec96/Jan97), "Tuneful and confident" (Repeat fanzine #10), "Refreshingly pleasant, adult style pop" (Snakebite fanzine issue 5). Recording became more expensive though and, due to my inability to hold a band together for long, I rarely got the chance to play live. So I hung up my guitar and wrote songs only if there was something clawing it's way out.
After a hiatus of about 6 years I recorded my first full length album, 'Whispering'. The songs were strong, the experience of recording it was great, but I wasn't really happy with the finished product.
Mid-way through 2006, for no apparent reason, I just started writing songs again - and I felt my songwriting abilities had gone up another notch. So I decided to
record them, with the first person I'd ever recorded songs with - Lawson Dando, who had recently returned from a stint as the keyboard player with the Incredible
String Band and was keen to get back into production work. I encouraged my most talented freinds to come along, and together we recorded "Ancient Light". We
were aiming for a blend of U2, REM, James and Crowded House, but I'm sure a few other influences found their way in there as well.
"Ancient Light" received consistently warm reviews. This spurred me on to write some more songs with a commercially mature sound. I contacted my freind Ben (who played much of the guitar on "Ancient Light") and we made arrangements to do some recording. Originally intended to be sparse, acoustic batch of songs, we soon realised that the songs were calling for 'bigger' arrangements. So we ended up with a fully instrumentalised batch of songs, drawing on a wide range of influences which created a stylistically eclectic bunch of tracks.
"Ancient Light" received consistently warm reviews. This spurred me on to write some more songs with a commercially mature sound. I contacted my freind Ben (who played much of the guitar on "Ancient Light") and we made arrangements to do some recording. Originally intended to be sparse, acoustic batch of songs, we soon realised that the songs were calling for 'bigger' arrangements. So we ended up with a fully instrumentalised batch of songs, drawing on a wide range of influences which created a stylistically eclectic bunch of tracks.
Shortly after recording had finished, I released my first single, Just One Kiss. Shortly after that, I was signed by LPW Records, who released "Movements in Space". LPW Records
released 2 more singles from the album during 2009 / 2010 - "Sad" and "New Star". Two songs from the "Movements in Space" album, "Dumb & Stupid" and "Sad", were
semi-finalists in the UK Songwriting Contest.
2010 was something of an annus horribilis for me. It began with the death of my father from Alzheimers Disease on 6th January. Alzheimer's Disease is a physical disease affecting the brain - it's a progressive disease, which means that gradually, over time, more parts of the brain are damaged and the symptoms get more severe (for more information about Alzheimer's, please visit the Alzheimer's Society website). Towards the middle of December 2010, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Throughout the year, I also suffered with a chronic cough which curtailed any promotional activity for the singles released by LPW Records.
2010 was something of an annus horribilis for me. It began with the death of my father from Alzheimers Disease on 6th January. Alzheimer's Disease is a physical disease affecting the brain - it's a progressive disease, which means that gradually, over time, more parts of the brain are damaged and the symptoms get more severe (for more information about Alzheimer's, please visit the Alzheimer's Society website). Towards the middle of December 2010, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Throughout the year, I also suffered with a chronic cough which curtailed any promotional activity for the singles released by LPW Records.