A S L O W S E C R E T

LONDON TIMES

2009-04-15T22:35:00.002+01:00

I'VE GOT RESERVATIONS.....

2009-04-08T21:43:00.006+01:00

....about so many things but not about you.

Wilco all day today. This band are amazing and strangely seem to be soundtracking my life right now.
The day goes fast, a little too fast. Friday creeps closer.

HOW FAR IS NOT FAR ENOUGH?

2009-04-07T22:56:00.003+01:00

TODAYS WORK - AND A LITTLE HELPER

2009-04-07T22:19:00.000+01:00

PROMO CITY

Sleepingdog Tour pt5

2009-03-26T12:43:00.000Z

EDINBURGH

Shit. I just realized I didn't finish the tour diary.
Well Edinburgh was a hoot... man I love that place. I've played the Wee Red Bar like 4 times in a year now, the people there are so nice and friendly and the task is set to make it 4 out of 4 in terms of Edinburgh being the best night of every tour.

Chantal is tired from driving and disappears off for a walk while Christophe and I set up. Alex (the sound guy) is always so good in getting exactly the sound you want in there - quiet or loud. Every time.

It's great to see Euan again, we've made a really nice friendship over the past year or so and tonight I play on a song by his band The Kays Lavelle. I am a band whore.

Esperi is up first tonight - Chris is clearly mega-talented just from watching him soundcheck and he plays are really great set, Chantal is in love with him as he is cute and sings about dogs. He's in Leeds in a couple of weeks so it will be nice to hook up again.

Heidi and Ally are here! Two of my good Scottish friends who always turn up to shows, its so nice to see familiar faces when you are on the road.

The Kays Lavelle play a nice stripped back set and I join them on the last song 'December'.

There is a nice vibe about the venue and everyone is sat quietly and listening intently. We have some sadness for the last show of the tour but we all seem in good spirits and really focused tonight. Again the show is emotional I feel and really intense, total silence again from the crowd. It's the best we played all tour and such a good atmosphere in the room. The best show goes to Edinburgh again.

We have to drive back to Leeds and I try to stay awake with Chantal by drinking a lot of red wine but we end up talking some real shit and I trade the front seat with Christophe after passing through Newcastle so I can sleep in the back!

The next morning is sad goodbyes. I have felt something new on this tour and learned a lot about myself and about playing music. It's been a really emotional week for a lot of reasons but one I will hold dear for a long time to come.

Sleepingdog Tour pt4

2009-03-21T21:26:00.000Z

NEWCASTLE

Hangover.
The lovely English weather continues and Newcastle arrives in a sunny haze. John and Narbi greet us and look after us well. John plays a really nice set and the crowd are very polite and quiet. Today I feel ill and the whole show is a massive struggle for me, I'm almost sick while we play and I feel bad that this is the only show that I haven't enjoyed.
We take in some beers at the Head of Steam after the show and the Pulled Apart By Horses guys are in the bar which is a pleasant suprise! We head to John's place and attempt to play various Low songs whilst polishing off the previous nights whiskey.

Sleepingdog Tour pt3

2009-03-21T16:01:00.000Z

LONDON

Our new friend Antony (of Konntinent) and his lovely housemates make us feel so warm and welcome... we really have met some beautiful people on this tour.
Today Christophe joins us from Belgium to play the rest of the dates with us, the three of us have never played together before so more interesting times ahead!
Most of the day is spent chilling around, catching up on work and drinking too much tea and coffee.

My last experience of playing the Macbeth wasn't very pleasant. this time however is quite the opposite. My old friend Tony is here and my beautiful new friend Faye. It's an emotional evening and we are drained after playing - Chantal especially. The three of us seem to gel on stage straight away which is a relief.

LEEDS

Today is one of the hardest days I've known. Faye leaves for Paris, goodbyes are so difficult sometimes. I can't really put into words the emotions of today. Much staring and pondering is done on the journey north to Leeds. Chantal didn't sleep last night (not on purpose) and so the drive is hard work.

The amazing people of 1 Moorland Avenue greet us with such warmth. Rebecca cooks a huge meal for everyone and as people arrive for the house show it's a really wonderful atmosphere. Everyone eats together and then we move to the basement to watch Eric Chenaux who I have got to play with us tonight. Eric is a sweet guy and his music is whispered and heartfelt.

To play in a basement with 30+ people crammed on the floor in front of you is a special feeling, especially with so many good friends here. Again playing the songs is a real joy. Sophie joins us on Prophets with some lovely violin. The rest of the evening is somewhat blurred as red wine and whiskey take hold. Kind folks put me to bed!

Sleepingdog Tour pt2

2009-03-17T12:32:00.000Z

BRIGHTON

The last time I came to Brighton with Glissando in February it snowed like a motherfucker. Today there is no snow so already an improvement. Tonight we play the Prince Albert which is a really beautiful venue and it also has a piano which makes Chantal a happy girl.
The crowd is so silent when we play we could really have been playing to an empty room. The songs tonight took on a whole new form for me and an intensity which is very different from playing in Glissando. I feel so peaceful and calm playing these songs.

We have no where to stay tonight so after surveying the room there is more girls than guys so I have to ask the audience and hope someone is kind. It works and we stay with a lovely lesbian couple who look after us well.

Sleepingdog Tour pt1

2009-03-16T14:13:00.000Z

CHICHESTER

Having lived in Leeds all my adult life the prospect of walking through town at 7am for a 4 and a half hour coach journey to London isn't a great one. This morning however is a cold but rather pleasant one and the city is quiet.
My journey today is to Chichester to play the first of a week of shows as part of Sleepingdog. National Express coaches are generally not much fun but today is an exception. Nice old ladies feed me hard boiled sweets and I pass the time watching the new Her Name is Calla DVD and listening to Neil Young.

At the moment this feels like the Glissando tour we did back in May, purely on trains and coaches, but without Elly asleep on my shoulder and telling me where to go.

I get to London in time to watch the Man Utd / Liverpool game which is indeed a grand affair.

Trains that split in two half way into the journey are all well and good providing that all the stops are read out so you know which half of the train to be on. i take a chance and stay on the one to Littlehampton, only because it's the only place I've ever heard of before on the list.
The man opposite me appears to be about to die. I hope he doesn't. He's also lost his ticket and doesn't know where the fuck he's going. I feel bad writing about him when he's staring right at me.

I meet Chantal at the venue and seeing as we have had no rehearsals at all for the shows a long soundcheck is most welcome. Tonight is a free show so the usual crowd divide happens but the people seem to enjoy it and we suprisingly play without fucking up.
Chris the promoter and his sister take care of us after traveling for 10 hours each to get here, sleep is very much needed.

Euro Tour Diary

2008-10-30T20:46:00.000Z

BRUSSELS
Last night we played a show in Leeds with Port O'Brien. It's rare that we play and it seems to pass everyone by. It's by far the loudest Glissando has ever played. Now we have to lose Tim for the trip which is sad.
So it's up at 6am and off at 7 to catch the bus to London. I get interviewed by the BBC in St Pancras station about the exchange rate which seemed to amuse Sophie and Elly as they throw food down themselves while I have a massive thrust in my face.

The tiredness is kicking in round as we arrive via Eurostar into Brussels to meet Chantal from Sleepingdog who we are playing some shows with. We head off to find much needed alcohol and food and meet Adam from Stars of the Lid. Wine, Ricard and pizza are all consumed at Adam's place and we get on the wrong train to Leuven to meet Chantal's partner Mark in the bar he works at.
We're all in various forms of drunkeness by now and head off to Chantal and Mark's beautiful house in the countryside.

Elly's new favorite shop

Chantal and Adam

Sophie's new favorite shop

EINDHOVEN
We all awake with various forms of hangovers but Darko the dog is friendly now and he helps us feel better. We eat sugar for breakfast and then Sophie and I take a short ride on Chantal's Icelandic pony before packing the car for Eindhoven.
We meet Christophe and Nick along the way who are playing in Sleepingdog at the moment. The traffic is not so great and we arrive a little late. Tonight is a matinée show so we play at 5pm. The venue is a huge arts centre, right opposite the PSV Eindhoven stadium! The show is bad for us and Sleepingdog, the sound was awful and the general atmosphere was pretty difficult. We eat some insane food you have to boil in a pan (in the venue) and to Gent with Nick.
MALDEGEM
After a rather needed sleep in, Sophie and I tuck into the lovely food Nick has bought for us and listen to the Bon Iver record before planning on walking into Gent but then not bothering. Nick picks us up and we head off to get on the bus to Maldegem.... some illegal driving/parking later we just make the bus and arrive in Maldegem to be greeted by the lovely Deiter who is promoting the show tonight.
Soundcheck is awesome, we get fed some home-made spaghetti, do an interview for Belgian webzine DaMusic and watch Cecillia::Eyes who are opening for us tonight.
The crowd is really nice and we play as well as we have done in a while. Some people at the show have traveled across Belgium to see us which is very humbling to say the least. Pretty much the perfect show tonight. We buy wine and more Salt n Pepper crisps (which are now a tour favorite) and head back to Nick's place again.

ANTWERP
Today we go for a walk into Gent - a really beautiful place. We freeze our balls off as the hail-stones come down and we have to take shelter under a bridge for ages. God damn it. Then it's off to a cafe for the worlds smallest cup of coffee before wondering aimlessly around the town looking for food/hats/bags/postcards. Elly seems to have put grease on the bottom of her boots and struggles to even walk 20 yards without almost falling down.

Lots of crisps
The hail and Elly's burp in Gent
Beautiful Gent

The truth

Back to Nick's and off to Antwerp for a living room show with Sleepingdog. The traffic is heavy and Sophie is bored yet again and takes pictures of everything including two army trucks which you don't see very often according to Nick. The show tonight is in a beautiful apartment, we have to change what we do a little as there are no microphones etc... so we mess around in soundcheck and I end up playing percussion and a little guitar. It sounds great and the audience is so quiet. Good times. Sleepingdog play a really moving set and everyone is happy.
Tonight we go to Leuven. We head to venue called Stuk to meet Geert who runs Sleepingdog's label in Belgium. More drinks later and it's really late so bed time as it's home tomorrow.

HOME
Breakfast in Leuven is good and I spend my last Euro's on records in a cool little independent shop. I was doing so well with money on the tour and blew it all in the last half hour. Balls. We say sad goodbyes to Chantal and Christophe drops us at the station in Leuven. The journey is pretty good until we get to London and see chavs (they dont seem to exist in Belglium) and the coach to Leeds and it's delayed by an hour. We get to Leeds at midnight, tired, weary and cold but happy.

Gizeh advert for Rock A Rolla magazine

2008-10-22T21:18:00.001+01:00

Port O'Brien and Euroland

2008-10-22T21:13:00.000+01:00

So a busy week goes into overdrive now. Tomorrow is Mogwai in Manchester - which is exciting. I think they are possibly my most seen band ever. Maybe.

Then on Friday we open for Port O'Brien at the Brudenell in Leeds before shooting off to London early on Saturday to catch the Eurostar to Brussels to play a show in Eindhoven and two shows in Belgium.

If there is net access I will update the blog as often as possible.

We are all super excited (well me, Elly and Sophie are). There is only three of us on this little tour as we have to leave Tim behind (his choice not mine!!). We will pull some shapes for him though and maybe have a few drinks.

We play a coupe of shows with Sleepingdog and hopefully get to see Daniel Johnston after our Eindhoven show.

Be good.
R
x

Why I love Mogwai

2008-10-22T21:10:00.000+01:00

there are many reasons but I recently read a Fuck Buttons tour diary in Plan B and they said that Mogwai guitarist John Cummings offered to do sound for them (and did) on their US tour (supporting Mogwai) so that they could afford to go out there and play. How awesome is that? Two soundchecks and two shows every night. I tip my hat.

Nottingham and The Hockley Hustle

2008-10-08T20:04:00.000+01:00

So to Nottingham to play the Hockley Hustle, a large 'In the City' type event. A kind Mr Chris Woolford of I Concur gives us a ride down as those boys were playing too.

I saw I Concur the previous night in Leeds for their single launch and they sounded awesome so it's cool to play with them tonight.
We are playing the Drowned In Sound stage and as a few of our friends are also playing across town we have planned the evening as to catch everyone else play at some point. This is clearly not going to happen from the moment we arrive as everything is running late and so we're pushed back by an hour or so.

Tonight we are playing as a duo for the first time in about 7 or 8 shows so things feel a little sparse but it's also kind of nice in that it's back to the old days. Having only a line check always bothers me but somehow we make it work and we are both pretty happy with how we play... the now usual bottle of wine is consumed, Concur play a strong set and it's off back to Leeds with a pint of the worst lager ever invented... we didn't see any other bands.

This post is a few days late.

Last night I saw the Melvins. Mint.

Tour Diary pt3

2008-09-28T18:24:00.000+01:00

MANCHESTER
Last night we had a house show in Elly's basement which was pretty cute. Chantal played a cover of dEUS's Hotel Lounge which was beautiful and I played guitar on Your Eyes after 1 minutes practice. It worked though.

Chantal and Mark are staying at Elly's for the week so it's a nice opportunity to hang out and get to know each other a bit.

A pretty uneventful drive to Manchester (mainly because there are no places on the way called Cock) and we are greeted by Phil the promoter and Owain from Spokes which is always a pleasure. Phil smokes like a beast which makes me smile. Last time we played the Dry Bar it smelled like someone had shit themselves and then died. This time Phil makes it smell better.

We get to play with Spokes and Arficiden tonight - both awesome bands. The sound is good, a nice quiet crowd for Sleepingdog and i repeat my appearance on Your Eyes again while Sophie play on Prophets and The Sun Sinks in the Sea. Both are amazing.

Tonight is a good atmosphere and we are all getting along just perfect.

BRISTOL
An early start and back on the road properly again for a long drive. Which isn't anywhere near as long as I thought. We stop for health food at a Marks and Spencer service station, apart from Tim who buys drinks that make him feel sick.
Now we realise that we are going to be really early so I find a place before Bristol called Slimbridge which has some kind of Wildlife Centre there. We would have educated ourselves in the Wildlife Centre if it didn't cost the earth to get in. Instead we find Slimbridge. It is exactly that. A bridge. Over a canal. Not so exciting but we manage to find some hideous amusement from somewhere as we drink tea by the canal. Well we all drink tea apart from Sophie who managed to spray hers everywhere after I make a comment about the Slimbridge Bridge.

And off we go to Bristol again. Slow going into the city and we nearly burn out the clutch on the car but we make it in one piece and park right outside the venue. Sweet.
The Folkhouse is pretty cool, we play in what looks like a dinner hall or something. Tonight is very difficult for me for a few reasons. Sleepingdog's set is gorgeous again. Chantal gets to play the big piano in the room which makes her happy.
Our set feels incredibly intense tonight. I continue my bottle of red wine a night pattern of the tour and we decide to try drive home after the show.

Toby - the promoter is a great guy and my old friend James comes to see us too. The guys take care of me and we head home. Sleep is needed for me so I trade seats in the car with Sophie who drinks her body weight in caffeine to keep Tim awake. It works.

LEEDS
By now our friendship with Chantal and Mark is really great and we are getting on so well. We share the same humor and love for swearing.
We're all looking forward to tonights show in Leeds, lots a good bands in a tiny venue. It's a little stressful as I'm organising the show with Paul from Forest of Sound but things move pretty smoothly. Pete does a great job with the sound.
Tim is playing a show with Hub across the road before he plays with us and things get hectic but it works. The place is rammed full and in keeping with all the other shows you could hear a pin drop.
It's sad to see Sleepingdog for the last time this week and goodbyes are hard. We will meet again soon as we go to Belgium in a few weeks.

This week has been really awesome. We have made lots of new friends, met old friends and become better friends with people we already knew. We all look to the same stars in the same sky.x

Tour Diary pt2

2008-09-27T11:40:00.000+01:00

EDINBURGH
A sleep in is much needed but unfortunately not possible due the hostels 10.30am kick out time. At least we are up and out.
We make a quick dash to the same cafe Elly and I ate at last time we played Edinburgh, buying postcards like true tourists along the way. Disappointment looms when the vegetarian breakfast has no vegetarian haggis. This is soon forgotten though as everyone is soooo hungry and in need of a brew. Elly takes about 4 days to write 3 postcards in the cafe and we head off around the city. Tim and Sophie have never been here before so there is excitement in the air.

Elly buys an owl in a Christmas shop that is maybe a little too expensive but actually is quite cute and will spend the rest of the tour sharing the stage with us.

I'm in need of more football and it's Man Utd v Chelsea today so a pub is found. The others get bored after about 10 minutes and go for a walk.

The genius road system of Edinburgh fucks us in the ass again as we try to get about a mile down the road to the venue. We have 2 maps and GPS on Elly's phone and we still screw it up.

It's good to see Euan again... he's putting the show on tonight in this cool venue in the Art College which was probably our best show on the May tour. The French Quarter are already here and we all laugh about the previous nights nonsense in Perth. Alex the sound engineer made us sound great last time we were here so I'm excited about how we will sound tonight.

Phil is here too! Opening up tonight and he plays a beauty. The French Quarter sound sweet and play their hearts out. Ace band.

Our set is about as good as it can be. Visuals of fox walking nowhere to not meet it's death accompany the sounds and it feels huge tonight. Like a proper band or something.
http://www.audioscribbler.co.uk/reviews/live/4727

We stay at Ally's house and I fall asleep sat up in the chair and wake up in pitch black not knowing what the fuck is going on. I curl up on the floor. I hurt bad in the morning.
Being able to chill at Ally's in the morning is a welcome relief as we can check emails and drink tea until a lunch time load out and off to Newcastle.

NEWCASTLE
We pass a place called Cocklaw which is pretty funny don't you think?
We are very early so stop off in Berwick-upon-Tweed. A lovely town on the coast. Tim and I demand Fish and Chips be eaten by the sea. I nearly pass out from not eating very much at all and drinking far too much the previous day. Everyone in Berwick owns a ridiculous whipet-type of dog with unnecessarily long legs. Weird. We eventually find Fish and Chips and a hill where we can see the sea and a massive seagull. It's freezing and my food is cold in about 3 minutes. Elly goes on another postcard writing mission and we head on our way to Newcastle.

Today is exciting for me as I finally get to meet Chantal (Sleepingdog) who's record I am releasing. She has traveled from Belgium to tour with us for the remainder of the week. We arrive and Chantal and Mark are already here. We greet John the promoter again - a lovely chap who has put us on a few times this year.
The show tonight is really nice. Sleepingdog's set is mesmerizing and the room is silent. A beautiful moment. We seem to go down well and plenty of merch is shifted. Our friend Stephen is here (he has designed our new t-shirt/poster) and he enjoys the new fuller sound we are pushing.

A drive back to Leeds is on the cards. It feels like we're really on it now after 4 shows in a row.

Tour Diary pt1

2008-09-25T15:54:00.000+01:00

ABERDEEN
So we hit the road for a few shows with our new crew Tim and Sophie. Tim is driving the whole tour we have to be especially nice to him.
Saying that the first show is in Aberdeen so that's not so nice. A good 7 hour drive from Leeds but we make it in good time and good spirits.
We're excited to see our friend Phil again who is putting on the show tonight. Beautiful guy.

The show is kind of quiet but it beds us in I guess, we play pretty good considering we have had 2 hours practice as a full band. Then it is time to get drunk and ruin ourselves on the first night. This always happens on Glissando tours. I don't know why. We sit up late with Aberdeen folk after everyone help carry all our gear from the venue to Phil's flat through Aberdeen on a Saturday night.

PERTH
Hangover time. How predictable. At least we get to sleep in for a good while before eating some good pub food and watching Aberdeen lose to Dundee Utd on TV. Phil is sad.

There are a lot of places in Scotland with the word Cock in them. Cockburnspath for instance. I could go on but you get the idea. My Mum bought my a bookmark to take on tour with an Owl on it. This is now Owlnav and points us where we need to go. Sophie named him Cockmouth. Sorry Mum. Owl's and becoming a focal point of the tour so far. Ace.

However unsure we were about playing Perth - non of us thought this would happen.
We meet the lovely French Quarter gentlemen who have arranged the show tonight. Set-up, soundcheck, drink, eat. All is fine.
Some dude downstairs in the bar gets a little rowdy and throws a steel bin through the window. All is not fine. The show is off, the police are here, everyone is pissed off.

We drink some more and decide to play to ourselves which is kind of fun and a good practice.

Everyone is happy again and we set off to Edinburgh and to our hostel.

This journey is one of my favorite ever. Sophie has now learn how to swear like i do which is cool. Tim is a little poor on using the horn on the car so this is now my job. We pass Quality Street which is quite possibly the funniest thing ever and that required a beep on the horn. Que hysterics from all and Tim crying so much we nearly crash and die because he can't see for tears. I'm nearly sick out the window and face hurts bad.

OWLNAV has gone. What the fuck. The tour is over. Fuck this.
Sophie has become mischievous in her first few days with us, I think maybe her and Elly being squeezed in the back of a car together for so long is driving them mad.
Owlnav is back, but he's confused and miss about 4 turnings we should make. This is Sophie's fault.

Edinburgh is a fucking joke, the road system is insane and we drive for ages trying to find our hostel before lugging all the gear up 7 flights of stairs at 2 in the morning. Balls.

September Tour Poster

2008-08-25T18:22:00.000+01:00

Aberdeen is now confirmed for The Tunnels, we've played there before with Stars of the Lid and it's a really great venue.
There has also been a date added in Perth at Mucky Mulligans on the 20th with a wonderful band called The French Quarter

this weekend it's off to the Woods of the Lake District for our first show as a band. Good times.

Glissando September tour and other notes

2008-08-10T20:23:00.000+01:00

Alright... we head out on the road again soooon. With new members and bigger sounds.
Our good friends Tim Hay (Hub) and Sophie Green (The Amber Sleep) are coming on the road with us to spice up the sound and give you peeps what I've been wanting to give you for time.

We play a wonderful little festival in the Lake District on August 30th (the festival starts on the 29th so you definitely come for both days).

We are also planning our first trip into Europe... keep em peeled.

Here are all the forthcoming dates:
August
30th Fell Foot Woods, Lake Windimere. (on stage at 7.45pm)
Forest of Sound weekender www.myspace.com/forestofsound for details

September
20th Aberdeen (venue tbc)
21st Edinburgh (Wee Red Bar)
22nd Newcastle (Head of Steam)
24th Manchester (Dry Bar)
26th Bristol (Folkhouse)
27th Leeds (Packhorse)

October
5th Nottingham (Bunkers Hill - The Hockley Hustle)
27th Maldagem, Belgium (Cafe Maison)

There is so much happening right now... exciting times.
I'm working the press for Gizeh's new signing Sleepingdog www.myspace.com/sleepingdogmusic - Chantal is a beautiful human, you should have a listen for sure.

We are rehearsing up for the shows, it's so nice to be able to play with more musicians, sometimes it's difficult to play the album stripped down when it needs all it's glory. Sophie and Tim will bring the glory.

I'm sorry, so where are you going? Oh ok.

B U S Y

2008-06-25T23:11:00.000+01:00

Times are hectic but it's been a good week. Glissando got in the NME... pretty interesting considering, and we've had a load of other wonderful reviews through.

I've just done a spot of recording for a beautiful band called The Amber Sleep www.myspace.com/theambersleep - they opened for Glissando in Leeds in May and have some quite amazing songs. We have only recorded some string parts this week so it's all in rough form but beautiful all the same.

We had our first rehearsal since the May tour this week which brought some interesting sounds and some potential new songs. Not yet though.

Elly is at Glastonbury and I'm attempting to arrange the last bits and pieces for the tour next week wishing I had some kind of alcohol to at least make this post more interesting.
Sorry.

Too many shows, not enough dollar

2008-06-16T20:48:00.000+01:00

This sucks.
Probably the best run of shows in a week I've ever seen in Leeds.
How to choose between (well i missed Fleet Foxes last night already) Deerhunter, Melt Banana, Rival Schools, Twilight Sad + Her Name is Calla (this is a must), I Concur, iLiKETRAiNS, Held By Hands... god damn it.

So the Glissando record is out in a week.... yeah!

The July tour is just around the corner and the September tour is coming together too.

Glissando interviews

2008-05-29T23:57:00.000+01:00

So we have a couple of new interviews up if anyone is interested in how we feel about the state of things:
www.sandmanmagazine.co.uk or pick up a paper copy
http://theambientinterviews.blogspot.com

The new record gets closer..... also we have kindly had some very good bootlegs recorded of some of the shows on the May tour. Luckily we seem to get sent such things rather than them being leaked for all and sundry. If they come out as well as I hope they will we might make them available for release after the album comes out... we'll see.

Aberdeen

2008-05-24T19:54:00.000+01:00

This is the show I've been most looking forward to the whole tour. We get to play with Stars of the Lid again and also Remember Remember, who from the track I've heard sound awesome. I get to hook up with some friends I met when I came up to Scotland with Her name is Calla in March which is pretty exciting.
The beautiful Phil meets us at the station and we head for a beer before soundcheck. We get a lovely meal from the grand folk at IMP who are putting on the show.
The atmosphere in Tunnels before we play is amazing, dark and lit by candles and fairy lights. It's the first hint of nerves I've had all tour. The room is hushed and you can hear every breath.

Remember Remember make loops and rhythms from such things as lighters and scissors and build huge trance-like movements which go down a treat. They have just signed to Mogwai's Rock Action label... good work.

Stars of the Lid battle over the Whitesnake covers next door to almost shake the Tunnels down. Amazing show once again. We get drunk, the Futureheads DJ some generic indie and we head away from the last show.

Phil is a truly great host, we eat lunch, say our goodbyes to sunny Aberdeen and sit on a train for 6 hours back to Leeds.

Glasgow

2008-05-23T13:59:00.000+01:00

I'm sitting in a cafe/bar called Stereo where last night Stars of the Lid played. Tonight we support them and I'm a little nervous. If only we could have played with them last night.
Instead we had the worst night of the tour, a noisy unattentive crowd that showed absolutely no regard for any of the bands and their art.
My pedals break, we can't even hear ourselves play and it's a frustration I haven't felt for some time. Some people must have enjoyed it as we sold a few records but I hated every minute of it from arriving at the venue to leaving.
However we meet old friends and new friends and Heidi brings us some home-made Glissando badges which brightens the mood.
Celtic won the Scottish championship at the expense of Rangers, someone is shot in town as a result, the atmosphere is dark as we trudge through the city to our hostel and some bastard steals my lighter.

Edinburgh

2008-05-23T13:52:00.000+01:00

The train journey is wonderful, beautiful scenery all around, Edinburgh is equally beautiful, one of the nicest cities I've visited, it reminds me of a larger scale version of York - which ain't a bad thing!

We meet Euan - our new friend and he looks after us with much kindness. We sound really good tonight, a large room but we fill it with unusual ease. The crowd is silent and there is an amazing intensity to us that we've struggled to hit in previous shows. Edinburgh is one of the tour highlights for sure - despite missing the supposed epic Champions League final. Another breakfast of kings and on to Glasgow....

Nottingham

2008-05-23T13:47:00.000+01:00

Instead of playing Derby we sit in the garden of the Exploits of Elaine around a nice fire, drinking while the night closes in. Sunday is slow and I'm not happy. The show is good - in a delightful little tea room in Nottingham city centre. I hate writing about shows and how they are - it's too difficult to put into words. We have a few travelers from afar tonight which makes us happy.

Derby

2008-05-18T11:07:00.000+01:00

Is canceled - but thats cool as we're fucking loaded and we can afford the extra train fares and not getting paid for a day. Wicked.

We rock to Nottingham a day early.

Our Chichester to London train is slightly delayed which means a stupidly mad dash across London for our connection. I find myself wedged in the train door, forcing it back to try and pull Elly and our cases onto the train as its setting off.

Man, I feel like Harrison Ford.

Chichester

2008-05-18T11:02:00.000+01:00

There are 3 hours to kill before our train takes us to Chichester, we drink coffee and accidently steal a fully awesome veggie breakfast. True story.

La Havana is comprised of 3 tiny tunnels which suits us just fine. We meet some beautiful people, Up C Down C slay again and hopefully deafen the fuck pigs who talk through our set.

Tonight's accommodation is provided by Chris from Flies Are Spies From Hell and his unbelievably kind family who make us very welcome and we drink whiskey and wine into the early hours.

The Great Escape

2008-05-18T10:57:00.000+01:00

What a great idea to create a festival where you pay £20 and then can't get to see the bands you want to see unless you feel like queuing for four hours.

We meet Paul Marshall for a beverage before before he plays to a handful of people in the middle of nowhere.

At least we get some rock action in the form of Sunset Rubdown and Okkervil River before standing in a queue of about 700 people trying to get to see Yeasayer who are probably playing in someone's basement. Good planning that.

However there is hope as we get into Komedia to see the hideously good Elizabeth Walling and Jacob's Stories whilst getting far too drunk for far too much money. Ah well.

Brighton

2008-05-18T10:53:00.000+01:00

Having not been to Brighton for about 6 years it is indeed quite pleasing to be back, I'd forgotten how beautiful it is and lacking in corporate exposure.

Tonight we play with Up C Down C who are crushingly loud.

It doesn't feel right tonight, for various reasons.

Leeds

2008-05-18T10:51:00.000+01:00

...and we'll all float on ok.

It's nice to be home for a little while and we get to see Oscar for the first time in a week!

Old friends and new friends are at the show and we have a blast. It feels like we've hit some sort of form now and thanks to Tim we sound about as good as we can.

Newcastle

2008-05-13T08:35:00.000+01:00

Hangover.
Hangover. Everyone has a hangover. Jonny Spokes makes a wonderful breakfast and things slowly look up. the aim is to get to Newcastle in time watch the final Premiership game of the season. We make the second half.

The Newcastle natives are friendly and the Head of Steam venue is lovely.

d_rradio are beautiful, Spokes slay, Lanterns on the Lake are splendid.

The room is deadly silent when we play, its perfect, we play almost perfect.

John and Daz make us very welcome, I do my usual trick of attracting gays, we listen to records and fall asleep.

Manchester

2008-05-13T08:26:00.000+01:00

Today we meet our new friends for the weekend - Spokes. The venue smells of sewage. The sound engineers... well... maybe I'm missing something but randomly muting various channels whist a band is playing doesn't seem quite right to me, especially the vocals. Balls.

We stay in the house that Spokes built and play voodoo mind tricks and drink our weight in alcohol. Good times.

Sowerby Bridge

2008-05-10T10:44:00.000+01:00

"Hi - I live in Sowerby Bridge - I'm a twat. I can't seem to find a seat to sit on, I know I'll sit on the merch." Not on a chair next to the merch - no - actually on the merch.
Last night was the weirdest show we've done in a long while.
It seems our new record is too expensive for some folk in Sowerby Bridge at £8. "I'll go buy it from Woolworths". Good luck Dickface.
We play well and shift some records and hang with Worriedaboutsatan which is always a pleasure.

Tamworth

2008-05-10T10:40:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure we've played a show that's gone over so many people's heads before. Are we really so confusing?
The good people of Structures are very kind to us and most of the evening is spent rocking to some of the quality music that Colin is spinning, including Mogwai Fear Satan - loud.

Tunbridge Wells

2008-05-10T10:30:00.000+01:00

Having never been to this quaint, peaceful town before we're excited but drained from the rare English sun and trying to get across London with our lives in cases.
The wonderful Bob meets us and greets us with pasta and beer and we head to soundcheck with sweat on our cheeks.
The show is quiet but we play with our balls out and it's one of the most intense performances we've pulled out in a while and for once we sound huge. Yes huge, like an empty ocean trying not to be so.
We stay with Lawrence of Shit and Shine in his spectacular Orange amp infested flat most of which will today travel to ATP. Bastard.

Some photos from the Leicester show last night.

2008-05-06T16:00:00.000+01:00

...and so it begins

2008-05-06T15:36:00.000+01:00

Our tour kicked off on Saturday in Sheffield, I'll do my best to keep a tour diary updated as best I can.

Train travel can be tiresome at the best of times but carrying tons of equipment which weighs the world is not easy - nevertheless we are on the road and this is it for a few weeks now so we better get used to it.

Also keeping an eye on equipment on trains so any chancing robbing bastards don't ruin us is not much fun but here we go.....

Sheffield goes well - a lovely little venue called The Redhouse and a perfect intimate setting for us, some nice folk from Corleone help us out and we stay on Quiet Lane which no doubt will be used in a song at some point.

We already have a day off due to having tickets to see Bjork but she's ill and cancels the show, however I'm not feeling so amazing myself and the extra few hours sleep is massively needed at this point.

And so to Leicester - we're excited to be hooking up with Her Name is Calla and hanging out and playing some rock music. We are a family now you see, there's no going back. Another tiny show and a nice reception - and the first time we haven't played Floods live in as long as I can remember which is actually quite nice. Most of my time on stage now is spent enjoying my new reverb pedal and last night trying in vain to keep in time with Elly due to the incredible double-kick-drum heaviness that was in the venue downstairs and vibrating through my body whilst we were playing.

'Calla were on form, Tom's Marshall amp head found itself airborne and lands perfectly across Adam's drum kit, balancing with Olympic greatness while chaos ensues at the end of New England once more. Good times.

It was also pretty exciting to have Foals open for us - not quite sure how that happened.

London today is canceled - maybe the venue owner doesn't like ambient post-wankery too much - I don't know... these things happen.

Edinburgh show added to tour!

2008-04-09T10:31:00.000+01:00

Our Scottish jaunt just got bigger!
May 21st
Edinburgh - Wee Red Bar.

We're looking forward to heading to Scotland, I always have a great time up there....

Driver needed for our May tour!!

2008-03-16T20:46:00.000Z

We are in need of a driver/car for our tour in May.

We do have the means to do it on public transport and we will if we have to but we'd like to take some extra equipment that we simply cannot carry ourselves.

Basically we just need someone to drive us around for 2 weeks... we are nice and we don't smell so bad.

Obviously there is money involved so if you are interested drop me an email rich@slowsecret.com

Ta!

In other news we have been asked to support the lovely Youthmovies at their Leeds show on April 5th. It's at The Library which is a pretty cool venue and it's being organised by the rather ace Brainwash Promotions.

The new Gizeh Records site is now up! www.gizehrecords.com

Rock.

Surprise Leeds show on Monday!

2008-03-06T22:35:00.000Z

The lovely chaps at The Deku Tree have askd us to support Casiotone For The Painfully Alone on Monday at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds.

We weren't planning on playing any shows until May but we are nice and we like to help!

We are the main support so I believe we'll be on around 8.45

More info here: www.myspace.com/thedekutree

Our Flags Wave....

2008-02-28T22:59:00.000Z

Shit... the album has gone to be mastered! I'm pretty nervous to give something I've poured my heart and soul into away but away it must go.

The artwork is nearly there I'm told so hopefully we can go to press in around 7-10 days.

We have confirmed a Glasgow show at Bar Bloc the night before our opening for Stars of the Lid.

Stars of the Lid support

2008-02-24T12:49:00.000Z

We have kindly been offered the Stars of the Lid opening in Aberdeen on May 23rd.

It's a hell of a way so we're working on a couple more Scottish shows, hopefully we'll some confirmations this week.

The SOTL show is at a cool venue called Tunnels that I visited whist on tour with iLiKETRAiNS and Her Name is Calla last year, we met some nice folk at that show too so hopefully we'll see some familiar faces.

Glissando recording

2008-02-14T21:32:00.000Z

Just thought I'd give little update regarding the recording of the new Glissando record....

It's been stupidly hard work over the past few weeks, I've spent hours I never thought even existed working on this thing.

It is however making great progress, I really hope it's going make some people happy when they hear it, even though the songs are sad, it's honestly a beautiful record.

The artwork is going to match the music.. you'll see.

x

The truth about RyanAir

2008-02-12T22:00:00.000Z

This months Plan B magazine, while I've only skimmed it after having it a day, has once again brought tears of joy into my life.
The regular tour diary section is one of my favourite reads and this month doesn't let me down.

Here's a cutting from Dan Deacon's tour of the UK, he's traveling from Ireland to Manchester:

"Upon arriving at the airport, we were welcomed with a power outage, causing all the computers to go down and a massive crowd to grow, since no one could get checked into their flights. Ryanair handled the situation like a rapist with his dick cut off - what a fucking horrible company of cowards and liars. And so, somehow, despite showing up two hours early - and having our flight delayed an additional two hours - we missed it because none of their employees had any idea what was going on. On top of that, security wouldn't allow me to carry on my bag of patch cables and power supplies, stating that I could tie up the people on the plane.
It took me an hour to explain to them they were insane and that if I wanted to hijack a plane I wouldn't bring a mesh bag full of colorful, heavy musical equipment and put it in my backpack, I would bring plastic ties and hide them in my pants. This reasoning made them think that I was even more of a crazy asshole."

Everyone should buy Plan B.

Home?

2008-02-11T23:43:00.000Z

My extremely brief and turbulent affairs with various web design programs has led me to the world of the blog.

Hopefully this will serve me well enough to keep this thing going for a while.

This is going to be an attempt to keep you in touch with all things Glissando and whatever else I may find amusing on a regular basis.....

Todays listenings:
Songs: Ohia - Didn't It Rain
Michael Cashmore - The Snow Abides
The National - Alligator
This Town Needs guns - Split with Cats and Cats and Cats