New Video

This is the video for my new single, You Want It Both Ways which is available for download from the 1st of June. Hope you enjoy!

Monday 13th May was a great day. I was lucky enough to play before Eric Clapton in the Forum Live of the LG Arena in Birmingham. I’ve played there a couple of times before and both previous occasions were good fun but this one was a bit special.

The doors opened at 5, and by 6 it was busy so I started playing. The lull that I was expecting didn’t take place and the majority of people stayed and carried on listening. The initial group was bolstered by later arrivals and soon I was performing not just to people gathered around the tables and chairs directly in front of me but people standing all around the stage. I ended playing for an hour and twenty minutes because the crowd were so nice.

I had quite a few people take cards and join my mailing list, and after I’d finished playing I was approached by a number of friends who happened to be attending the gig (my friends have impeccable taste, naturally.)

Best of all was seeing Eric play, of course. This was the second time I’ve been to a Clapton concert and I loved every minute of it. I’ve written about some of my idols in the past but I’m scared of trying to explain the importance of this man and his music on me. So I’m not going to try. Suffice to say he is a musical giant who has recorded with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, in fact he’s played with just about everyone. He’s my favourite guitar player and a criminally underrated singer and songwriter. I know some diehards might not agree but I loved the fact that he played a lot of the set strumming acoustic guitar and concentrating on his singing, which was excellent. Made it all the more exciting when he did strap on his strat and play some solos, particular highlights being I Shot The Sherriff and Badge, a song which I was thrilled to hear live.

Travis

How exciting it was to hear Travis playing a live session on the Radio yesterday.

When I was 12 Travis released The Man Who and that album and it’s follow up The Invisible Band were a hugely important part of the soundtrack to my adolescence. I can so clearly remember sitting in the back of Mum and Dad’s car on the way to Pembrokeshire listening to them on my CD Walkman. The landscape was often either wet and grey or beautifully green and sunlit. Travis seemed to fit the mood either way.  At one point in the journey, near Port Talbot, the motorway has been carved through a hillside creating a valley through great sections of rock with strange arched bridges over it. If I’m ever doing the journey now I think about The Man Who at that point.

I devoured the albums completely and loved every song on them. Many of the tracks seemed to reflect how I felt, a particular example being As You Are which completely summed up an unrequited crush with a girl who knew I fancied her and even kissed me once, but would also be perfectly happy to be a bit mean and embarrass me at any opportunity. The angry middle section really helped when she did that.

The Invisible Band had many great songs on it including what I think is one of the best songs anyone has ever written, Flowers in the Window. I loved the more angry and political direction they took around the time of 12 Memories but unfortunately that was one of a handful of albums I left on a train (with my CD Walkman) and I was never able to get into that album as much.

Sometimes when I’m writing songs I worry that there isn’t enough “clever shit” going on. I wonder if it would be better to make the guitar part more showy or complicated, of if a chord sequence is too simple. Thinking about this recently I’ve realised that most of the music that inspired me was “real” and that the song should really be the most important thing. I think Travis have a similar attitude, their best songs are wonderful songs, Fran has a beautiful and wonderfully controlled voice and only uses it to serve the song, the guitar parts sound superb but again never try and take away from the overall effect of the track. If it’s simple but it works that really is the best of all, I’d say. I met a songwriter recently and thought he was great but struggled to tell him why. In the end I just said “it’s songs, isn’t it?.”

Here’s the new video from Travis, so glad they’re back!

Recent stuff

It was a treat to be invited along to The Nursery Tavern in Coventry on the 10^th of April. Having not been there before I was very happy to find a very traditional pub filled with interesting curios like cigarette cards in display cases all over the walls.

The monthly music night is organised and hosted by a lady called Elaine who puts together a very fine evening. The event takes places in an intimate space the back of the pub with a lovely audience crammed in; some sitting on wooden chairs, others standing at the back or peeking through from the adjacent room.  Elaine explained that usually she would have one singer songwriter appearing amongst a line that could include a 40 piece choir, Harp players and full bands. On this occasional I was playing alongside three other singer songwriters. Jay Leighton, whose vocals and strongly melodic songs reminded me of Fran Healey and Ron Sexsmith (a very very good thing) Jess Morgan who impressed everyone with her finely crafted folk songs and Dan Wilde whose exceptional story telling songs featured subjects as diverse as job interviews, parking tickets and life lessons from drunken strangers in pubs.

It was cool to meet these guys and chat with them a bit before and after the gig. The audience was very nice indeed and Dan, Jess and Jay play all over the UK and you should go and see them when they play near you.

The next night I was performing at the lovely Spark Café in Lichfield. The audience, whilst fairly small in number, where particularly lovely and I really enjoyed playing. Thanks to the team there and Steve Walters for his opening set. I hope to go back sometime in the summer.

I’ve recently caught up with Matty Pinfield and Mick Jeynes to practice for our set at The Crossroads Blues Club on the 9^th of May which will be my first gig with the band for 12 months. We will be playing some new songs in what will obviously be a pretty Blues heavy set.

I’m booking new gigs all the time at the moment, so look out for new dates coming soon...

Nell Bryden Support Gig 03/06/2013

I'm beyond thrilled to announce that I'll be supporting Nell Bryden again, this time at The Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton on the 3rd of June.

Tickets are £10 and the link to get them is http://www.wolvescivic.co.uk/-/show-details/102239

You can find more information about Nell on her website

I've got 2 gigs coming up this week.

Wednesday 10th April
Nursery Tavern 
Coventry
Lord Street  
CV5 8DA 
Doors at 8.30pm, free entry

Also appearing are Dan Wilde, Jess Morgan and Jay Leighton.

Thursday 11th April 
Spark Cafe Bar
19 Tamworth St
Lichfield
WS13 6JP
8.00pm 

Support set from Steve Walters followed by a headline set by Robert.  

Gig updates

Back in February I returned to the Yardbird in Birmingham. Also playing were my old mate Brains For Breakfast who continues to write really engaging story songs and Nottingham band Siblings, who have some really super catchy harmony driven songs. Have a look at their video for Colours;

 

Cheesy Grins with Siblings at The Yardbird

Thanks to David, Francesca and Jack for making the trip down to film the gig.

I had a lovely time at The Ebrington Arms near Chipping Camden on the 17th of March. Really lovely old pub in a tiny little village. They fed me, I played and then there was a pub quiz! Thanks to the staff for looking after me and to Sue and Kevin for letting me join their Quiz team. (We came fourth)

Rather nice room at Ebrington Arms