Occasionally Ralph strays from the musical path and dabbles in other arts related forms and on this occasion it's Hitting The Black Wall, a book of poetry by respected Louder Than War writer and fellow music blogger extraodinaire (under the nom-de-plume of Hiapop) Paul Scott-Bates.
Originally a Burnley Lad, he's now based in Lanchashire's Rossendale Valley where he enjoys 'The Good Life' with his family. This book though examines quite the opposite, delving at times almost painfully into the frailties of man's existence. There's longing, suffering and death alongside love, regret and malice.
Release Me
I'm Sorry For being quiet today. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way. But sometimes, I need my solitude That's not to say I don't need you. Release me (from the pain of thinking I may not love you enough) Release me (from the pain of thinking I cannot return your love) Release me (from the shadow which I try to hide behind) heaven knows,God knows, I know, I try. Is this book of poems by Paul Scott-Bates retrospective? Probably. Cathartic? Hopefully. Enjoyable? Uncomfortably. Unmissable? Definitely. Hitting The Black Wall by Paul Scott-Bates is available now on Amazon. It wouldn't be a blog by Ralph without music, so I thought 'Love And Regret' by Deacon Blue would be apt. Enjoy.
Ralph is delighted to be featuring the new Scott Dean single Lucky Seven on the blog this week. It's taken from his highly impressive Neon album and it doesn't dissapoint with deliciously reverb-laden guitar and his atmospheric vocal giving the track an anthemic feel.
It'll be getting a spin on Ralph's Radio KC Indie Show on Sunday the 19th of June and Scott will be playing shows in support of the single and album this summer. The lyrics of Lucky Seven were inspired by a brief period working as a croupier and explore the effects of obsession & addiction in society. This hard-hitting subject matter is paired with soaring guitar riffs, evocative soundscapes and a soaring chorus that display the range of influences and abilities of Scott Dean.
London-based,Scott Deanhas been a musician since picking up his first guitar at ten years old, his early musical development was heavily influenced by virtuoso guitarists Joe Satriani & Gary Moore which led to him recording his first songs at the tender age of fifteen.
Following this, he expanded his musical toolkit with spells in various grunge & rock-influenced bands before moving to London in his early twenties. Working as a professional composer for TV & the video game industry & finding fresh inspiration in the city’s vibrant open mic scene, Scott decided to refocus on his solo work as a vocalist and singer-songwriter able to craft hook-laden songs across guitar, piano & keyboards. The album Neon is his first official release, and is a strong set of diverse songs from a versatile musician.
Earlier this year New York Tourists began recording their debut album which was funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign. In June they played their biggest gig to date in front of 12,000 people as the main support to Status Quo. Well the good news is the kickstarter was successful and the You + Me album will be officially released on April 8th. The You + Me album is composed of 10 tracks of anthemic Indie rock music which should seem them propelled from the local North West music scene to the headier hights of regular national radio play and the bigger festivals in 2017. Speaking of anthemic Indie music, the album kicks of with the impressive and addictive Colours before moving into the choppier and more pop-like Fear. Following on Fools gets meaner and moodier, with a gritty vocal overlaid on driving guitar, what's not to like. It's Call after that with a dirty bass and sleazy vocal which made it a perfect pick as a single previously. Then Adrenaline kicks in before getting heavier again with Two Heartbeats. Then it's the eponymous and aggressive You + Me, and it's got to be a live favourite. On an album of continually strong tracks Lost Love is for me the weakest, but that's me being picky and it's OK as they quickly step it up a gear with the in-your-face A Kick In The Teeth before rounding off with the dreamy and extremely radio-friendly Sirens. With this album Blackburn's favourite sons New York Tourists are making themselves heard and certainly not to be missed live. Speaking of which, check out their gig listings below... New York Tourists Live Dates:
Having listened to an almost insurmountable amount of music this year both for the blog and to playlist for Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC, it would be very easy to just close the kennel's jukebox on 2015 without looking back and doing any kind of 'Best Of' as is the norm for your day-to-day music blogger. However this year has seen some wonderful contributions to the musical soundscape that is Ralph's Life, and as Ralph's no day-to-day muso, here's a but few more than honourable mentions.
One highlight in Ralph's Life this year was the release of SAMA nominated The Ballads Of Peckham Rye by Blue Rose Code. With this album Ross Wilson has signed his name firmly on the musical songwriting firmament with this almost painfully introverted lyrically, and yet musically delightful insight into the man himself.
The oncoming year will see great things from this truly gifted young man both in further releases and live performances, I can hardly wait!
It's been a year for introverted delights and another notable mention was the release of the single, Black Tie by Glasgow band Nievesis a wonderfully honest, seemingly introverted and extremely emotional piece whichexplores the turmoil within a family who are faced with making the decision to turn off a loved ones life support machine.
The narrative comes from the perspective of the oldest son, who finds himself unable to cope with the lingering doubt in the aftermath of the choice he has made.
The year couldn't end without mentioning another supremely talented singer/songwriter David Logan who goes under the nom de plume of Officer. Mid 2015 saw the release of his album Myriads. It's a complex collection of songs that traps your heart and mind with thoughtful lyrics and comforting melodies.
Having him perform live at an event I organised in July was one of the highlights of this year and I feel more than privileged to now count this gifted young man as a friend. He's as skilful in his manipulation of a live audience as he is in putting pen to paper.
So there you briefly have it, a snippet of Ralph's musical life that will remain forever etched on the vinyl that is my heart. Following on there are videos from some other notable mentions by ladies that have helped make this year special. Don't be upset if you're not included...it's been a long year and there's only so much time left before New Years Eve! Happy New Year everyone...see you in 2016! Fiona Soe Paing
Ralph's been spinning tracks on his Radio KC Indie Show on a regular basis by Blackburn band New York Tourists who interestingly described as QOTSA meets Foals. Their debut EP received rave reviews from some of the UK's most respected music media outlets and Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out was selected as one of BBC Intro's top 10 tracks of 2013. Hugely coveted support slots followed, with the band bagging appearances alongside the likes of The Subways, The View, The Sunshine Underground and The Buzzcocks plus a headline slot on the Alt Stage at Blackburn Festival.
Earlier this year New York Tourists began recording their debut album which was funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign. In June they played their biggest gig to date in front of 12,000 people as the main support to Status Quo. Well the good news is the kickstarter was successful and the You + Me album will be officially released on April 8th. The You + Me album is composed of 10 tracks of varying degrees of anthemic Indie rock music which should seem them propelled from the local North West music scene to the headier hights of regular national radio play and the bigger festivals in 2017. Speaking of anthemic Indie music, the album kicks of with the impressive and addictive Colours before moving into the choppier and more pop-like Fear. Following on Fools gets meaner and moodier, with a gritty vocal overlaid on driving guitar, what's not to like. It's Call after that with a dirty bass and sleazy vocal which made it a perfect pick as a single previously. Then Adrenaline kicks in before getting heavier again with Two Heartbeats. It's the eponymous and aggressive You + Me after that, and it's got to be a live favourite. On an album of continually strong tracks Lost Love is for me the weakest, but that's me being picky and it's OK as they quickly step it up a gear with the in-your-face A Kick In The Teeth before rounding off with the dreamy and extremely radio-friendly Sirens. With this album Blackburn's favourite sons New York Tourists are making themselves heard and certainly not to be missed live. Speaking of which, check out their gig listings below... New York Tourists Live Dates:
Ralph sent his roving reporter Ella Godbold-Holmes off to Nexus Arts Cafe to review the Greater Manchester Fringe debut by spoken word poet and writer Lynn Gerrard. The show is a mix of comedy and poetry from her new book Darkness and Decadence. It's the first of a four book deal with London's Wallace Publishing, the remaining three books to be released over a four year period. The exciting thing about Lynn Gerrard's unique work is her ability to bring her words to life in her one woman shows. Next year she intends to expand on her performances taking in some of the other Fringe Festivals throughout the country as well as working on a play and a novel!
On Friday 24th July, I had the pleasure of being in the audience whilst filming Lynn Gerrard's poetry reading at the Nexus Cafe. It's an art cafe located in Manchester, and was the perfect venue for this comedic yet deep genre of poetry. As I entered the setting, I was greeted with a sense of warmth and friendliness, reinforced by the fact that Lynn herself was sat in the cafe, talking to her family members and the sound technician.
As the cafe closed it's business and audience members began to file in, we realised the variety of people who had come to listen to her. Ranging from an older couple to a boy of about 13, the age difference in the audience would generally have affected the pieces read by the poet. But not with Lynn, which had not only a positive affect on the audience, but helped us view her pieces with a genuine air, as we knew it had not been censored for the audience.
Lynn with Elijah Blackmore and Ella Godbold-Holmes
Lynn Gerrard read poems from her book whilst throwing in anecdotes of her family and life, giving reasons behind the poems and comedy to relieve any dark themes in the pieces. This constant stream of audience interaction and humour made for a comfortable atmosphere during her poetry reading, something which I found unique out of the poetry readings I had been to in the past. The first poem she read was entitled The Lovers and gave us a unique view of romance, as we listen to the relationship between Alice and Martin as it develops and eventually tumbles. The quick rhyme and sharp insults directed towards Martin give this generally angst filled theme a humorous twist, allowing us to see the comedic side of an altogether negative breakup.
Lynn carried on with this theme, of taking negative situations and giving them a comedic twist, all whilst interjecting with anecdotes of her humorous family members.
Therefore, it was clear to me that none of us expected the hilarious twist at the end, stating that it was not, as you'd expect, a dirty poem, but a poem about a dirty task. The relief and humour was clear for everyone in the audience, as Lynn Gerrard once again stimulates a variety of responses from her audience, the overwhelming one being awe at this woman's writing.
The night was wrapped up perfectly as she thanked the audience for staying and listening to her, staying behind to sell and sign copies of her book and get a picture with a few of the audience members, including myself. After this evening, I think it's safe to say that I not only feel privileged for the opportunity to film this performance, but for the fact that I got to meet such a talented poet. I would definitely recommend seeing one of her shows or buying her book!
It's not often you get an invitation to go and listen to a gargoyle grumble as well as listen to live music, so Ralph sent out his roving reporter to cover the Lynn Gerrard (aka The Grumbling Gargoyle) live book launch in The Citadel St Helens recently. To celebrate signing a four book deal with Wallace Publishing to produce her poetry she took over her local theatre for an evening of music, comedy and spoken word. First on the bill was local singer Amber Heyes who had won the St Helens Got Talent competition the previous year at the tender age of just 16 and this year was a Teen Star UK Finalist. She performed a short but stunning set of covers that had the audience shouting for more. Over the summer she's performing at more local venues and the Rainhill Festival. It was Lynn Gerrard's night though and she took to the stage unassumingly, almost apologetically approaching the microphone before taking the audience by surprise with tales of her Mother's chest stubble and nasal hair, her Gran's affection for Custard Creams and crematoriums plus her own children's effect on her ability to breast feed only under the influence of alcohol and view them through tinted glass incubators.
Despite her protestations otherwise, with the use of humour and poignancy alike, Lynn Gerrard is the consummate storyteller and is as at ease with a comedy routine as she is in availing the listener with her spoken word poetry which ranges from the introspective and thoughtful to hilarious and scary!
Her rendition of The Lovers was funny and insightful as it took a sideswipe at Asda 'chav life' with it's 'hero' Martin getting his comeuppance for 'dissing' his girlfriend Alice with Chantal - Alice "Drop-kicked him right up his thick posterior - He landed with the words 'Unwanted Item in bagging area'." Other poems were surprisingly poignant, none more so than Removal and Dark Skies which both kept the audience in respectful silence. The ability of Lynn Gerrard to make me laugh before tearing at my heart-strings and making me cry then making me laugh again is a tribute to her writing as much as it is to the care with which she tells her tales. Leaving to thunderous applause, she was reluctantly dragged back onstage (she even forgot to plug her book) to take another bow. She's performing at Greater Manchester Fringe on July 24th and by invitation in Central Library in St Helens on October 15th for World Poetry Day.
Lee Wylding and Adele Halsall from Runcorn band The Fireflys took to the stage next to perform an all too short acoustic set from their 'Storyteller' Show (which was sold out and two nights hence in The Brindley Theatre) to celebrate the release of their Branches album.
Their intimate, soul searching brand of Americana was perfectly suited to the evening and it was only the time constraints of the show that prevented them from complying with the audiences request for more! If you get a chance go and see them live as Lee's honest vocals are ably backed by Adele and with the full band in attendance they're not to be missed. Another musical gem presented itself next in the form of London singer/songwriter Officer who had graciously offered to travel up to St Helens just to perform at Lynn's launch night. He's as magnetic in his stage performance as his music is to listen to. Playing a selection of numbers from his upcoming Myriad album, he held the audience spellbound.
His rendition of My Darling Defibrillator (his latest single release) meant he had the audience (especially the ladies) in the palm of his hand and he kept them there with some excellent crowd participation prior to closing the show to rapturous applause.
Do take the chance to catch Lynn Gerrard live as she expands on her Darkness and Decadence show for Manchester Fringe and Central Library, St Helens in March as I'm certain the tickets for her inevitable Edinburgh Fringe Show will set you back a bit - although it will most definitely be worth it! Top news is the new book Musings & Mischief was launched on March 3rd 2016 for World Book Day in St Helens Central Library, where Lynn performed her poetry to a sold-out audience.
