Guess who's stocking my record?

Forgive my language but FUDGING YES! Best news ever. That is all.

Why am I doing this at all?

I need to stop writing after the nights where things don't go to plan but last night was plops. Proper shite. Particularly gutting when people come to see me at these things and they're terrible and I feel guilty as hell for them coming. They could have stayed in and done some basket weaving or something instead. Still, you're gonna have them I guess. I just need to get them to be less and less. Having said that it's not cos I can't play or I have terrible songs, some nights I'm playing are just awful and at the minute it's very much a case of good night followed by a bad night. Still, chin up Andy.

Still, lets remain positive. I got on this awesome blog called Burning World. Go check it out. The word "recommended" was used. Awesome.

I had my first forray into the world of youtube the other day, and although the lighting leaves A LOT to be desired, you get the general impression that I'm not a talentless ten thumbed noise polluter. Hopefully. Ha.



I may have a gig at Notting Hill Arts Center on the 1st November too, which would be great.

Oh and make sure you pre-order the EP from recordstore.co.uk

It's just all a bit much sometimes if I'm honest. I also seem hellbent on not accepting any help either despite the fact that realistically I need someone to book my gigs and someone to help with releasing my records. But for now I'm in a position where I have neither of those things so I just have to get on with it. I'm sure soon there will come a time where I can sit, sides splitting, thinking about this point in time and how I've moved on from it. Right now though, days are pretty up and down. Nevermind, can't be any worse than working in Curry's, can it?!

Back home

I've been back home in London for a few days, which has been really enjoyable. This week has been alright so far with two gigs which were both good and I've managed to meet some nice new people, get some demos out there and catch up with some friends. Thanks to everyone who's come to see me so far.

This afternoon I'm going to write some songs. Wow. Effort concentrated on actually writing new stuff. Amazing. It's likely to be slightly more interesting than emailing people in some way to do with my record. Also, I'm hoping some of these one's turn out a little more optimistic sounding cos the set has a pretty bleak sound to it at the moment. I've got no problem with that but I don't want audiences thinking I'm some sort of manic depressive moron. We'll see if these new songs dispel or exacerbate this myth.

You can now pre-order the EP from recordstore.co.uk here. Please do cos it'll be reassuring to know that there's orders which have come in before it's out. You don't want me writing more morbid songs, this time about how no-one's bought my record.

I'm looking forward to playing London & Luton. They're both free entry shows so please make it down if you can.

Graphs

So then, the first week-ish back gigging had various degrees of success. I'm keeping tabs of everything in a little diary thing I'll probably post up at the end of October but there have been some obvious high and low points of the last week, which led me to try and explain to a friend how my week had been in the form of a graph last night.

The graph (courtesy of Google Images as I don't have a scanner so I can't put the one I drew in here, sorry) starts off very low down from the first one in Leeds last Sunday where I snapped a string after three and a half songs. No spares. Bad Andy. The one at the Primrose on the Wednesday was great, met some lovely people, played really well and was given free whiskey. Highlight of the week that gig and it's the point of this graph that's at 200000, just in case you were wondering. The next day is probably best left without saying anything, so I won't. Fridays gig there was confusion over the date so that didn't go ahead and ditto Sunday. So we're not doing too well thus far, the graph needs to improve over the next few days because it's not going to plan.

I've sorted some of the stockists of the record which you can see in full in the 'Buy' section of the website. You'll notice Jacks Records in there, score. I was informed the other day though that they have re-re-moved and now aren't where I state in 'Division Street Blues'. Bum. Still, a bit late in the day to be re-tracking vocals, re-mixing that song and then re-sending it off to iTunes people and the manufacturers. I guess it'd only be the same as me having to go back and change my age in 'Five Year Plan' as I'm now older than that recording states.

There's a very good chance that I will be reviewed in the last issue of Amelia's Magazine, which is pretty darn cool.

Really looking forward to this weeks gigs, looking to improve the graph and get to do some Dave Gorman-esque "let's see what that's done at the graph" amendments. Thanks to everyone who has come to see me, given me a sofa or bed to sleep on and apologies to anyone who's been left disappointed by the cancelled shows. After Thursday I really needed to end last week on a high and it kind of didn't happen so I'll have to sort that out this week and make them all great shows for me and everyone there.

One day all this WILL work out. It's just sometimes it seems further away than I'd like it to be. Still, just keep working hard, playing as much as I can and write better songs. Mind you, I did see a man doing some vulgar yet hilarious poetry about a girl and an ice cream this week so it's not all been bad.