DOGMAN LOOKS BACK
2011 THE YEAR OF THE CAT
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
LAUNCHING THE ‘DOGMAN ALBUM’
[RELEASED BY
EXPAT RECORDS ON I-TUNES IN MAY]
‘THE CAT THAT SOLVED THE STRING
THEORY’
BEING MADE
SOUNDCLOUD ARTIST OF THE DAY
This came right
out of the blue and it was only when I received a congratulation email from the
Song(s) that I realised this had happened. I was as happy as a ‘sandboy’ [rather
apt Northern expression]. Then I found out Soundcloud had tweeted the
announcement and I immediately joined Twitter which has been a major
distraction ever since.
PLAYING INTIMATE GIG AT JIM’S CAFÉ COLNE
I had wanted to play at this famous music venue (and famed vegetarian restaurant) ever since my son, Johnny, played there in 2005. One of my (now) music friends even bought one of his CDs. I remember watching Johnny play and wishing was me without realising it would be my turn. Teaspoon and Matt Pawson (Queen and Country) and Ghost Radio played as support with Pat Gaffney (from Ghost Radio) playing mandolin with me and Mr Smith on bass. It turned out to be a great gig with Teaspoon and Rob Fielding (Ghost Radio) both telling me afterwards that it was my best gig ever for them.
Rob said, “Galileo
is not my favourite Dogman song but it sounded awesome tonight”.
The picture below was taken on the night by I-Phone Girl.
IT’S A LOVE THING PLAYED ON BBC6 MUSIC
Tom Robinson played Dogman for the second time (Home Fire was played in 2010) and ‘It’s a love thing’ was included in the show podcast. We nearly missed it because I got mixed up with the days. Cheers Tom.
SEEING RYAN ADAMS LIVE AT BRIDGEWATER HALL
I went to
this gig with Teaspoon, Matt Pawson and a mutual friend Clinton.
I thought Ryan
was awesome. It was so intimate and Ryan chatted a little between songs – flicking
through his songbook like an open mic artist. He tuned up for every song which
I didn’t mind even though my pals did. I asked him how he was doing and he
snapped that he was busy in the middle of a gig.
Near the end
he looked up at the balcony where we sat and apologised. He said he ‘loved me’.
That was enough for me. I took this picture:
TEASPOON COVERING ‘HOME FIRE’ ON HIS
ALBUM CARNIVAL
Anthony Brown recording of my song ‘Home Fire’ on his latest album Carnival is a great compliment. I am most proud of the fact that I have also taken the photographs for his cover and back cover. Many people do not know me as a photographer but for over 30 years my pictures have appeared in books and on television
RECORDING ACOUSTIC ‘UNPLUGGED’
DOGMAN AND MATT PAWSON
‘ALIVE AT THE HOUSE OF TEASPOON’ EP
Teaspoon filmed me on two recording occasions at his home in Higgin Street, Colne.
A live Home Fire and Happiness by the Blue Nile.
DOGMAN SINGS HOME FIRE LIVE FILMED BY TEASPOON
I enjoyed a series
of recording sessions at the home of Teaspoon in Colne which have been
extremely rewarding. In a relaxed atmosphere, Anthony has managed to capture my
unplugged side; as I sing and play guitar for three new Dogman songs, Avalanche,
Pre-Raphaelite Girl and The Trouble I’m in, together with new acoustic versions
of Spitfire and Valentine Light (both from The Cat That Solved The String
Theory).
Matt Pawson proved
to be brilliant again on guitars and banjo and his sensitivity to the Dogman sound
enhances these songs. I had fun with backing vocals too. Lois came down to
record a beautiful mini harp track for Avalanche and Roy Taylor in Canada provided
a blues harmonica for Trouble I’m in.
Mikans (Matt
Baker) who worked with me on my first Dogman album The Whisperer, added a
lovely synth and piano for Pre-Raphaelite Girl
It is hoped
to release the ‘unplugged’ Dogman and Matt pawson ‘alive at the house of teaspoon’
ep in 2012. (Matt can be seen here playing my Martin whilst I play my Guild on Avalanche).
BLOG DISCUSSION AT BBC RADIO LANCASHIRE
DOGMAN AND RAY
We are pictured here at a James Walsh gig in Blackburn - we went as guests and Dogman and James go back many years from early band days.
Ray Irvine and I visited the Radio Lancashire studios and learned we must tag ‘Lancashire’ and ‘New music Lancashire’ which I never knew. I briefly learned about Creative Lancashire, met a couple of cool dudes from Quenched Music, Manchester QUENCHED MUSIC and Ex radio plugger PR man
NEW MUSIC
and Joe Sparrow A NEW BAND A DAY
and enjoyed Louis Barabbas SINGING and doing high kicks.
I spoke to
Sean McGinty about the lack of income possibilities from music unless very
pretty girlie or Coldplay and Radiohead with massive fan base.
BBC INTRODUCING RADIO LANCASHIRE
Too negative of me.
BBC INTRODUCING RADIO LANCASHIRE
Too negative of me.
Lois is here asking Sean if he can 'Pull out?'
It must be a popular phrase in the world of sex drugs and rock and roll.
SOME OF THE VERY FEW DOWNSIDES
THE REALISATION THAT BEING AHEAD IN A
GOOGLE SEARCH
Does not
mean anything in terms of commercial success. However, key in the ‘English Neil
Young’ or ‘The Cat that solved the String Theory’ and I am there on the first
page.
BEING ‘POPULAR’ DOES
NOT EQUATE TO COMMERCIAL SUCCESS
Even though I love having thousands of plays and over 5000 followers I wish it meant that I could build on that for a fan base.
If 10% of the 5000 bought my album or subscribed to my next recordings I could fund my musical creativity without taking away from my family budget.
PUBS ARE BEING KEPT OPEN BY OPEN MIC
NIGHTS AND FOOD
However, the music is cheap for the landlords and some great musicians are not getting even a beer in return for their talent.
THE CELEBRITY CHANT
It has
always been the way I suppose. But, X Factor, old bands reforming and TV and
Film starts coming onto the scene means it’s much harder to get played on
National Radio and impossible to get on big Festivals and Later Jools Holland.
Still, Kevin
Costner followed me on Twitter when he was touring with his band. I get tweet
replied from Eddi Reader, Neil Finn, Tom Robinson, Edith Bowman, Cerys Matthews…..
Oh, and there are some beautiful, lovely, exciting, weird, sexy erotic, fascinating,
moaning, insane, deluded or just down right opinionated people on Twitter.
Brilliant waste of my hours and I love it.
HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY - I HOPE YOUR CREATIVITY ABOUNDS IN THE NEW YEAR. LOVE DOGMAN
HAVE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY - I HOPE YOUR CREATIVITY ABOUNDS IN THE NEW YEAR. LOVE DOGMAN
