May-
- In May, if you remember, i decided to go back to Disney for a month, and while I was there I finished of module two and made some contacts back in Aylesbury so I had something to do when I got back.
- So when I got back from France, I joined 'Dreamchaser'. Within a couple of weeks I was helping them set up on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and singing at the open mic night weekly, covers with my new musical partner, Paul. *our duo title: Little Bird*
June-
- At the beginning of June, I started co-hosting the Jam Jar at Shoot Pool with Paul, and started helping Steve in the studio while he recorded music for other artists and sometimes recording bits of my music I had written at Disney. Here I started learning about the equipment set up and how to record. I then started going to Pinewood studios with DreamChaser to help them as they network and set up the artists (they take a different one each month). I started having guitar lessons once a week with Seb, a fantastic local musician. I started co-hosting the music nights on Friday and Saturday nights at shoot pool.
- In mid June I visited Stoke Mandeville hospital radio fairly regularly to promote the shoot pool events and Paul and I sang live on the show.
- Kept working in the studio with Paul and Steve and helping them record Kristian, the soundtechy and new artist.
July-
- At the beginning of July I started writing with Kristian. At this point I was working with Paul and Kristian, they both have very different styles of guitar. I found myself to be a bit of a top line writer, as in - I was given the guitar music and I would write the melody and lyrics. I was getting very different results from working with them both. We started put a half and half set together where I would swap guitarists half way through a set to perform both styles of music. I was asked to sing at a wedding in Bicester. I performed a couple of slower songs with Steve on the piano and then Paul and I performed covers for the rest of the evening. I performed with Paul and Mick Davenport in Wendover for a private party.
August-
- Performed with Paul at a wedding in Aylesbury. We then did a 3 hour set at the Green Man in Aylesbury.
- Still hosting and setting up at shoot pool for Thursday Friday and Saturday nights.
- We trialled 'The G Spot', an internet interview show, for local original musicians
- Every week we were writing and performing the originals.
- Helped co write some lyrics for one of Steve's originals
- Sang at open mic night at Starz bar in Aylesbury
- Played again at Stoke Mandeville radio, was interviewed about pending hobble on the cobbles gig and the hobble off the cobbles gig later at shoot pool.
- Paul and I supported SinFiction in Tetsworth
- Paul and I played as original and covers duo- 'Little Bird' at Aylesbury's biggest music festival, 'Hobble on the cobbles' in the town centre. We later hosted and performed at 'Hobble off the cobbles' which went on til 3am at shoot pool aylesbury.
- Interviewed by Bucks TV after Hobble on the Cobbles
- I I'd been learning how to work the sound deck and hear what was right and wrong with the sound techies at Dreamchaser, I then worked the sound for Sinfiction's gig at the Dashwood Arms in Piddignton.
September-
- Seb had been flown to florida previously for cancer treatment, he was out there for 2 and bit months. To help keep Seb and his mum going, Kristian (who is also Seb's brother as well as a soundtechie) and I decided to go over to Florida to visit them for a week. Whilst in Jacksonville, we spent a lot of time in the massive music shops and I bought 'Luna'. My beautiful new guitar. I was only right that Luna performed her debut in Florida, and because it would be a great experience for me and Kristian, we decided to get up and play a few of our original tracks at an open mic night in Jacksonville. We were really well received. Buying my new guitar, which has such a nice sound revitalised my love of playing (though I was still a beginner) and a began writing on my own, guitar and topline.
- When we got back to England, I started a full time job, after a month of working there (over the course of which I had started writing with the lead guitarist of Sinfiction, and my work with DreamChaser was coming to a inevitable break due to my change in musical approach,) I decided that the job just wasn't worth the paycheque. It made me lifeless and dull, I had no get up and go left. As soon as I quit the job, I was back to my old self.
- I decided to leave DreamChaser as the double act 'Little Bird' was getting fairly well known, and I decided that it would be best for me to start a fresh on my own now before it got to big.
October-
- After practising and practising on Luna, I'd started writing a lot, and before I knew it, within a couple of weeks I had three original tracks ready to go.
- By this point, Dave from Sinfiction had become somewhat of a mentor to me. Giving me tips on how to promote myself and when I had doubts, reassuring me. I think he's had a huge impact on my progress over the last months or so. As Seb has been very busy with his band and recovering from his treatment, Dave has also started giving me the odd tips on the guitar.
- I got into the studio with Steve one evening and left with 3 recordings of original tracks. These were by no means perfect but they are good enough for content on the website and for use on soundcloud.
- Dave set me up on soundcloud and helped me set up my own website. I set up a new facebook page to redirect fans away from the Little Bird site and we then linked twitter up with the account.
- I needed content for the website, so I arranged a photo shoot with a local connection, photographer Alex Chadwick.
November-
- Me and Paul played a covers and originals set at Stone Beer festival, as this was already booked for us as a duo.
- November so far has been a big mush of uni and tweaking of my performance. I started the month eager but nervous about doing a full set on my own. (Previously I had always been accompanied by a guitarist). By this point my guitar ability is just about good enough to get by, and I performed my first fully solo set at Shoot Pool on Saturday Night.
- Now I know I'm ready and the only way to get better is to keep putting myself out there, I have arranged to play sets at The Drawing Room, Chesham, on november 16th and at the prestigious, 'Bedford' at Balham in March 2014. (home to performance from the likes of Ed Sheeran, Gabriella Cilmi and The Feeling.
- Paul and I were booked in September to play at the Ambie awards coming up at the end of this month
- And tonight I will be recording my new track in steves studio, (potentially the one to be used for the final artefact) and hopefully I can upload that onto soundcloud, my website and facebook tomorrow.
- I also have a short set and interview with Carol Jenkins in the new Oakhouse Bar, Aylesbury on November 25th.
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