I'm back in Cambridge, it's a sunny day but I've had hardly any sleep so I'll try and crank something out while my eyeball still has steam in it! However, three days in Cambridge is enough to do as much un-doing as the Gods of Non require!

Hamburg - I love the place, yow. Third visit this year, all my black and white visions of Beatles and beer battles have been replaced, in coloUr, by the amazing musicians and friends I've met. It's a city that has a shaping vibe, no question, but it's too vibrant, too alive for me to be able to lean back on the jukebox and tell you how it is, tell you what's going on. IT's going on, way faster than I can see!

Played three dates/stayed three days with Alaska, one of Hamburg's finest. Sweet guys, and a pleasure to travel, stay and play with. They're a great band, excellent songs and full, colourful and rocking arrangements. I felt a bit like I was spying on them each night, sneaking around the room to catch different angels of their set.

First night was in Kiel - small crowd, but fun gig. We watched some of "Woodstock" before showtime, and it was funny to go on after Richie Havens. The ride home to Hamburg featured Kraftwerk on the stereo as we rolled the autobanh. Of course!

Second day was in Hamburg, and I snuck off with Dan and Karsten to their rehearsal room for a few hours of run-through. I'd come to Germany with a slight cold, and I wrried during rehearsal that I was getting chills and fever until I saw that Daniel had turned on the fan. Ok! Had a blast with the lads, innit, and off to Indian before the gig. There's a little place that Lorna and I found on our first visit, and I was sure I could easily take the guys there no prob. And so I got us lost! Did finally find, ate, and off to soundcheck. Nice venue - Silber - but then to me, anything with a proper stage and more than three lightbulbs is fancy! I bashed through a good rockin' set with Daniel and Karsten, aka xrfarflight. Really great vibe, heavy on the eye contact, something I don't always find here in merrie olde! I know I'm an odd dude onstage, but given that I rarely have a rehearsed band, I always rely on visual cues. Having a band that knows how to read the eye is a blessing! We re-discovered "Went All Wrong," from "The Automatic Door." I hadn't played this song since the peak of the Su year(s), and even then we only did it a few times. But the xr gang were keen to try it and it really worked well! Hell, I don't even have to write new songs, just find old lost classics!

Early drive next morning with Alaska, the 6 of us divided tween 2 cars for the long road to Grevenbroich, the "capital of energy." Funny, as the town itself seemed well-sleepy, VERY Catholic. I'll just add that in the midst of all this how much I was digging the Alaska vibe. I'm so much always on my own, so it was important for me to feel like I was part of something, and I greatly enjoyed the company of the guys. I met Bjorn at my first gigs in Hamburg, via a connection through Pat Fish. Anyway, the only downside of our hanging out was my increasing addiction to second-hand smoke. We'd all stop to get petrol and take a break, they'd all circle up for a smoke and I'd stand amongst. Next I know, I'm breathing deep, trying to get my fix. I'm handling it ok, and now that I'm home, my housemate has been kind enough to let me use his Nicoderm patches after he's had his moment with them. But I digress!

The venue in Grevenbroich was some sort of Catholic youth centre cafe, something of that nature. Very home-y, quite odd and VERY drug free. One of the members of Dharma Bums, sharing the bill with us that night, works at the venue and provided all of the gear. Handy! Soundcheck seemed maybe too long, little wobbly, and at first all I could hear of Alaska was the drums, which were mic'd up. They took the mics off, turned up the bass (yay!) and the Alaska sound took a much more righteous shape. It was a while before we actually had to play, but not much to do in the meantime. I took a walk, got some gum and ordered some food in a mix of French and German. Uh...

Gig time, and I was happy to jump up and play. Didn't realise how shot my voice was, however, until I opened my head to sing! Not much other than a not-at-all sexy rasp came out. Fair enough! It was one of my fave solo sets in a while, me remembering how to enjoy my own solo set. Bit of stomping, hassling the crowd, awkward handclaps... it works! Alaska joined me for the final three songs and that sounded so good. I mean, they're a five piece - Torben and Carsten on electrics, Patrick on drums, Christoph on bass and Bjorn on keys. Stick me in the middle and that's a big sound! Gorgeous, and much fun. "Ring Never Bell," "Keep My Face Clean" and "Drug Free."

Their set was a blast again, maybe my fave as I'd gotten well into the songs and
now knew when to move close to the drums to catch Patrick's freak-fills etc. Dharma Bums also did a fine job, mixing a sort of American sound with some trippery, and closing their set with a musical saw solo!

We had a time afterwards, flopped out in this odd venue, the band all set to sleep on the dormitory floor upstairs. The lads was all a bit drunk, laughing and laughing. It was good, almost made me wish I was a drinker! Would have settled for just the slightest touch of tea, but it was such not a tea-drinky scene, in a '64, not '65 kinda way. We suffer for our art in so many ways!

After lovely breakfast next morning in the cafe, soundtrack was the "new" Prefab Sprout (made me get weepy, I can tell ya!), we hit the forever road back to Hamburg. I said my goo-byes, and headed across town to Daniel's. We went to eat, then caught a couple bands. I can't go into it here, a whole other story, but just know that my own musical head has been troubled and filled with frustrations for a while now. Seeing the two bands we caught, really tripped me, but in a forward-falling way. Hmmm. Maybe another time I'll tell.

Next day it was off to the xrfarflight bunker where we recorded a pair of songs. A remake of "Went All Wrong" and a new one called "Skunk Hungarian." I'm so used to doing one-take, trying to get in and out of studio quick, so it was a delight to have Daniel saying, no, let's try it again. We pushed and pulled the new song into various shapes. It was basically finished when I presented it, but structurally a little loose, and we were able to find places to really play with it. We got good takes of the songs, but when Karsten arrived from work, it was decided we should re-do the new tune with all of us playing, rather just overdubbing his bass. Oh, yes - a BAND! See how far gone I've gotten, stuck in this Cambridge corner, cursing latency issues and struggling with cheap borrowed gear? But making music with real people, and excellent people... yarp! So we did a few takes, finally settling on a good one. The song is so new to me that I'm not even sure how it's supposed to go, but I'm thrilled with where it's at. Might even post it here! So, 12 hours in the studio - that's how I used to do it allll the time! That's how "Splendid Tray" and "Village" got made! We got out of there around 2am, crashed at Dan's then up in the morning for a round of tight-voiced Ant vocal overdubs. Just messing about, trying out circular singings. I think the song could turn out to be a good one, yeah. From there we headed out to hit some music stores, Daniel looking for a new compressor. I tried out the xr loopstation, and am keen to dig into some sorts of new gear, something to shake up my ancient "I Am A Folksinger" mindset. Cos I ain't a folksinger! Anyway, it was coffee, pastries and then off to the train to the bus to the airport and home to merrie olde. Poor Lorn had lost the headlights and arrived at the airport a bit panicked, but thanks to miracle of fog lights, we shone light the sun and made it to Cambridge.

It's good to have no heavy travels ahead for a bit. End of Nov we head to Berlin and
Hamburg, then I fly to SF. But meantime it's nothing freakier than Swindon. I've got to do something about my musical life in Cambridge, though. All the heavy and good energy of my Hamburg head so quickly gets pushed deep into the pit of the pocket of blank depression. Everyone's got ideas - a side-project, join someone else's band, and my own 3am fantasy was a a Velvet's 3rd cover band. Etc! But focus seems to be at heart here, and my focus is all over the place. Maybe an Oxford band, as that seems to be my true musical home in the UK. But playing with Alaska and xrfarflight really drove home how much I need to play with people, and how much my songs are served. We'll see - there's not much time now before I head towards the Bag of Kittens zone, so that's a whole other thang anyway. Still, at the end of this particular line, I'll say how lucky I feel to have these experiences, to have these wonderful people to connect to and play music with and talk to. All my smoking jokes aside, to spend a week feeling like I was part of something so good, that we were all connected through our love and lust for music, yeah, I'll take it!

"Six white horses, that you did promise..."

Bonjour. That's how the French people of Paris say hello. And they also let you lick them on both sides of the face. I like this part, usually, except when it's Basil and he hasn't shaved.

I'm back from a few days/couple gigs in fair Paris. A tricky trip this time... I was on me own for the first time, no Lorn to orchestrate coffees and trains, so I had to be a big boy and open all doors meself. That stuff was fine, but it can be depressing to travel alone. And on a profound budget as mine, things like the cost of a cafe creme has to be balanced with how long it might take to drink said coffee and how long I want to sit looking at the head of the guy who's obviously already wired into the philosophical mainframe.

Uh, the gigs - UFO on the first night. Same set-up as last time, which was me standing in a mildewy basement, singing unamplified. Oliver Rodriguez, Olivier LeBeau, Charlotte and a couple friends of theirs. Plus the loud people at the back of the room. So, me sing some same songs. I ain't King Crimson, this ain't no disco, there ain't no God on the ground. Just my nasal thing, and that midget guitar. All pretty standard though to make peace and battle with the background clubbers, I drifted to the back of the room where they's was sat and played with my back to them. Seemed fair - they were making noise and ignoring me, so I done thee same for them. Victory is hard won, but always worth it. Or not.

I crashed at Charlotte's first night, then moved to the Casa de Christophe and Basil et al. They were squatting a former record company building, and had filled it right up with multiple studios and performance spaces. Freak scene when I arrived, everyone off their heads. Lots of screaming out windows, and every time a dish would get broken, howls of laughter. Someone handed me some "really good weed, mannnn" which turned out to be really nasty tobacco with the slightest hint of hash hidden in. Salim was one of my roomies, and Basil explained that Salim "only speaks on the Second Level." Of course. The second level seemed to have much to do with getting completely fucked on rum and celery or something. I went up early, met another room mate. Flaco Nunez, Cuban rapper. Sweet guy, and his music is great, but at first we were all suspicious of each other. Everyone keeping an eye on their respective bags and junk. I think there ended up being 6 or 7 sleeping in the top room, and half of those peeps had faces in the morning they didn't have the night before. Anyway, Salim did mange to steal my sleeping bag from the couch I was on, before he made his way to the table where he vomited into my water glass for a few minutes. You know, I'm well aware of how completely groovy and rock I am, yes, but dude - I'm 42 and my career, no matter how Glam, is going close to nowhere. Using my rain-damp coat as a pillow, I lay meself down to sleep off the effects of not much forward motion in the universe of Antmusic.

Morning made all a bit better, cos these were indeed super sweet peeps. Christophe and Basil - both creative monsters, and in the sober light of day, Salim was cool and quite pleasant. I suppose that's a charm of drinking I'll never know - you can get away with so much and never even know it!

My gig that night was with a band called Grupetto. Again, a sweet bunch of folks. I liked the Bowie vibe of their set, but the venue itself was creepy. Run either by fascists or by Yugoslav Mafia, depending on who you ask. Sets the vibe though, no? My set was super quick - I was happy to do 25 minutes and get off stage. I wasn't wanted or needed, this made clear by the third act, a covers band that didn't know we were on the bill. They'd intended to do three hours that night and i didn't want to trouble them more than they deserved. I did stick "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" in the set, as it was John Lennon's birthday. But otherwise, my vibe was wasted on the crowd. I didn't know there were un-beautiful non-hipsters in Paris, but they do exist and this is where they go to rock! I mean, cliche or not, French women are the most beautiful in the world. But why is it so hard for them to dance? Thankfully, the clever ones know it don't work, and they just kinda twitch a little to the left. But middle-class meat market, Paris-stylee - bizarre!

I got back to the crash pad and was surprised to find everyone in a much quieter mood than the previous night. Different drugs, and a peaceful night. If I sound cynical or such, I'm sorry - I need to mention that this world of theirs is amazing to me, feels like it's all part of a magic, surreal film, Godard meets Jesus el Pifco, and I have deep admiration for the gang. I went to sleep listening to Christophe in his studio working on some new tracks - just such wonderful music. Basil had gone to London to see some former bandmates at the Royal Albert. We all roam in weird, wide circles sometimes. Yesh, these are good and great people in a world so far from my Sacto upbringy.

I'm now back in Cambridge with a head cold, trying to get a few stray cats spayed and nonsensed before I piss off to Hamburg. It's a mad life sometimes and I'm grateful for quiet times and for noise, but I can tell I'm looking for "the new sound" again, isn't it. Huh and grunt grunt! How can Beefheart be as holy without me knowing it enough???

Also - so yeah, there's ANOTHER version of "Banana Song" out in the world, courtesy of the new Ant disk. I've felt a little defensive about this, knowing that the song isn't as fresh for ye Yankees etc. In a recent email I tried to explain that I wanted the song out in the UK/Europe, and I felt that a version featuring Su Jordan on harmonies was a good thing in this world. It's turned out to be a wise move, as it's the song that's selling albums for me at gigs. But it struck me just yesterday that the sentiment STILL rings very true for me, after all these years! The sense of working and working, always hoping and sometimes begging for a damn reward. In many ways I do feel very rewarded - I'm playing with amazing musicians and playing music in groovy cities in groovy countries, I have much to be thankful for. But sometimes it's all aching body parts on stage and baffled faces in the crowd, and no traces of Beatlemania in my bag! The original version of "Banana Song," from 1999, is a massively confident track, all monolithic T-Rex guitars and a forward-facing vocal that said "Yes we can!" The new take is much more subtle, with Su and I singing our way through a touch of the titters, and my electric guitars laid a little flat on the floor. But i think this one has as much truth as any other version of the song. I wouldn't trade it, and I don't regret it, but I do hope you'll buy it!

Is there something that I done wrong?
Did I ruin your favourite song?
If I did, well, you know that I'm sorry like I always am
And if you want me to shut up, I will...

But not today!

Yes. Many motions towards the door, coming and going!

The new album is out - yesterday was the official release for "Plastic Guitar" here in the UK. I don't have a clue what people will think of this one - We've already gotten the Stewart Lee/Sunday Times review and he gives it 3 stars, compared to the 4 he gave "Drug Free." So, this new disk is one star less good maybe! I don't live for reviews, but obviously they can come in handy, especially in my eternally-unknown position in this world. But I like the songs on the album, even if I forget what they are! Hope the kids flip some wigs!

I've been mad busy with gigs all over. This is a good thing, a great thing even, in the scheme of it all.

Berlin concert got canceled, but we had a great time in the city anyway. Caught an Argentinian band called Onda Vaga - wow! Walked into a bar, they were gathered at the front, singing with no mics, filling the room with gorgeous harmonies. Their album is excellent, must add.

Hamburg was lovely, the first gig being at Hasenschaukel. Look it up - great website! Packed house this time, very satisfying. We were meant to stay at the band apartment, but when we got there at 3:30am, the key didn't work. We wandered back through St. Pauli at 4am and crashed at the club. Rather sweet, and Anya's mother gave us wee rabbit cookies for breakfast.

We crashed next night with Daniel and Nadja of xrfarflight and Binoculars respecively. Both are amazing musicians doing inspiring things, far as I can tell! Sat around in the kitchen and played a few songs, much good fun. They were off to Berlin, so Lorna and I roamed the city some more, headed towards Pony Bar for the next concert. It was ok, but felt a bit less special, like the audience was just there. They paid some attention, but I'm not sure it was a proper music crowd. Still, forward march!

Off to Bremen to do a few songs during Simon Felton's set. He was touring as part of the Songs and Whispers scene, and we agreed it would be good for me to meet Heiko, the fellow behind the curtain. The audience was more subdued than I was sure about, but I'm glad I played, I think! And "Banana Song" seems to be doing the trick - that's the track that's selling the new album. Yum. Wasn't very keen on Bremen otherwise, and I felt like I was dragging Lorna through some sort of job interview. She's very patient, and we make the best of things, but a Weds night in Bremen, crashed at a Youff Hostel wasn't our idea of fab!

After many trains and stations, we arrived in Holland. Wow! Beautiful! Amsterdam itself was a bit much to absorb, and my massive headache didn't help. I'm convinced the Dutch are fuckers! They really seem to poke at tourists, to play with the delicate minds of those new to their fair dream land! Ha! Ho! We managed our way to the first of several coffee shops, and were suitably impressed. Once we regained the ability to walk again, that is. Did I mention what a beautiful city it is???? Everything there is to be looked at. And the sounds all around are wild - the magic bells, the freaks screaming on bikes... so much. I played an open mic at Skek. This went down well, and I sold loads of cds. Yeah, I HAD to do "Drug Free" there, didn't I?! A blast, to be dull about it.

Home to Cambridge for the night, then on the bus again to Oxford for a spastic set with Schnauser. We trashed a few tunes, but many were gold. Rusty, hand-slicing gold, but gold nonetheless! Best bit might have been the "everybody play a solo now please" spot in "Banana." We had joy, we had fun!

Brighton was next, supporting Kevin Seconds who BARELY made it from Germany! They'd missed a ferry and we thought the show wasn't gonna happen. Instead, Sam Russo and meself plus a few other folks decided to just start playing, make something happen. So, we passed the guitar around for a couple hours. I'm so not punk rock, I don't relate stylistically or thematically, but it was funny how my songs still fit in to the mix. But Kevin DID make it! Around 11pm he staggered through the door, completely wiped out from what sounds like a hell journey. He put on a great show, though I know he was teetering. I'm delighted to hear songs from "Rise Up Insomniacs," his recent solo record, gotta say.

I'm back in Cambridge now. It's gray outside and in, Autumn crawling all over the airwaves. Saw two deer in the garden. Never seen more than one at once, so a thrill. I'm off in a few days to Prague for a gig, then Paris for two more, then Germany again. I love all the travels, but can admit to feeling a bit lost in all of this. Is this computer my proper home right now? God knows! And I've got so much recording to take care of. Working on two records, "The Psychedelic Mynde of Moses" and the "Introducing..." disk. Rather overwhelmed and under-inspired. I don't have anyone to work with here, and it's hard to get it up for hours of tambourine edits much of the time. I've always preferred recording to gigs, but making albums in solitary confinement isn't thrilling anymore. Gotta get out of this town!!!! Berlin, have you got a room?!

Hey - it's been AGES, innit, since I wroted, but seems like a rather NOW time to check in.
My song "Automatic Door" was used in a youtube clip of a poor fellow smashing himself through an... automatic door. Maybe the glow is finally starting to fade, but we're clinging to life at over a million hits, which, as many of you might guess, is about a million more people than I usually have listening to my songs during these long summer months.
So, wow and weird!

But here's the bit for all ye new peeps trying to figure out how what and where...

The track "Automatic Door" should be up around the world on iTunes by this coming Monday, maybe sooner. The album will follow quick on the heels, so if you're hoping to purchase, it's within reach. 'Course, maybe by next week you'll all have moved on to "The Animated Window" or the "Anti-matter Armchair," but I'm hoping you'll still wanna grab my track all the way down the line.

I do want to say thank you to everyone who's written in to say nice things about the song - kindness and custard make the world spin 'round, somewhat!

And I'll try to start writing here again a little bit more regularly, I've been having a hard time keeping track of my pencils and ink, but here I am somehow. And here you are!

And here we go...

Cheers,

Ant of Birdwoodhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w60Sxop5I38

Mostly wanted to write this as a reminder to meself that yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Uh, except my name's not Virginia, and didn't the Santa Claus myth evolve from tales of Siberian mushroom-mania?

The point of my soft-serve cone is this...

Both the London 12 Bar gig and the Magic Cafe Oxford lunchhour were really lovely gigs. Reminded me that I do like playing solo gigs sometimes! 12 Bar felt like a proper showcase gig - this is the Anton Solo gig I'd show the Proper People, innit. New songs, Ant classics and crap in-between. Humourous without flailing, succinct enough to stop when too much is simply not enough. And I had fun! Maybe everyone did - seemed like it. So, thanks to any of you readers who were there.

Magic cafe in Ox yesterday also a winner. Great crowd, including some kindly travellers and likeable locals. The cafe has new owners, sweet crew. No change in a certain regard - Hafiz ran a great ship too. But in this world where we musicians are always begging for shitty gigs, oh please let me do 20 minutes in front of some lousy band, PLEASE - it matter much to be appreciated! And the Magic Cafe was good for my soul yesterday. And that piano! It gets better sounding with age. Wonder if I'll sound as good when I'm 150... A few rare tunes were de-bagged.. "Up On The Moon," "Christina Box" and "King of Missouri 2," amongst. The "Banana" singalong was angelic. The kids were alright. It's great to play unplugged in a place like that, feels very suited. Sorta! I mean, trying to project to the back of the building was a challenge, but my voice can easily bear the strain with no strain. I sound like that allll the time! "Hound dog howling, bullfrog croakin'... everything is broken!" I was happy to be there playing songs, thrilled that so many people wanted to hear 'em. Sold some cds, shook some hands and got some lovely Beatles/George bootlegs to boot. Not that you heard that from me...

"Everyone has choice, when to and not to raise their voices... it's you who decides..."

Hare Krishna and Merry Christmas!

To chime quickly like a tiny Swiss bell, last Saturday's gig in Oxford at the Jericho with Stornoway was fab, gear and gearfab. I mean, those guys are just gonna pop soon - too much good greatness crammed into one magic band. A sold-out show, the room was crammmmmmed with folks. Except my opening set, with Jon, Ollie and Rob from Storn was hardly folk, I guess! Somehow we became Monstuh uv Rawk. Well, by some gentle standard! Much, much fun on stage and I think the crowd was pleased, maybe. Good, clean sloppy/tight rock and roll. No more rehearsal than a ten-minute soundcheck, but we managed new songs like "On a Sunny Day" and "Swindon." I think there was some serious pent-up dog crawling 'round my soul, and the gig was of the catharthis variety. Did I mention it was fun, too?

And Stornoway, as ever, were pitch-perfect. This was the first Storn gig since Brian returned from Ecuador. They only write great songs, they only play beautifully. They are nothing but inspiration and the sound of life. A good band is what I'm trying to say, a really, really good band. As in magic and transcendant. Highlight was them unplugged, standing on tables across from each other in the midst of the huge room of people, singing "We Are The Battery Human." There are certain moments in life, and this was one of them.

A week ago tomorrow marks the one-week anniversary of my gig in Paris at Le China. My second Paris gig, this one stood in stark contrast to last summer's psychedelic smoke-filled liquid-light porn-on-the-wall freakscene happening I did with Allyson. Le China is a slick-ass nightclub, as Paris as it gets. A piano bar, though way too chic for me to play up my Truffaut fantasy. I went on after Polo, former French punk hero, now singer of traditional songs. The room was filled and everyone was listening closely to his songs. His guitarist, Nicolas, was great - it was lovely stuff. But we'd been at the venue since 5, and Polo's set, with multiple encores really wore on me. I went on later than scheduled and of course many people had cleared off. Those that remained seemed happy to talk through my set. Now this is not weird for my by now, sadly! So many gigs are like this. The "cult hero's unknown clown companion" needs to be inserted somewhere. But I had Volvox boss Olivier Lebeau's words in my head from an earlier conversation. A combination of "I think you will do very well in France" and "Be crazy, more crazy, like the hair." Well there ya go! After almost losing my voice during the first few tunes, I drifted towards more of a rock set, at least by wimpy/weird acoustic hobo standards. Ah! Of course - the French can't rock and they need me to do it for them! All the cliches come true and in an instant I'm a national hero! Not quite, but there was a shift in attention from the crowd once I started to play with a bit of sticky juice. In typical Ant fashion, just as I started to get somewhere, I switched gears and moved to the piano for a few tunes. I'm doing more piano songs these days, as it makes me feel a bit more like I'm actually a musician as opposed to being a monkey in a flea circus, mannnnn. "Tie My Laces" was good, don't remember the other tunes I did, but there was a nice hush come down, innit. Back to guitar to finish up and I could tell I'd pulled some people in. My attempts at humour mostly failed. I found myself explaining that no, I really DIDN'T vote for Bush once OR twice! I dig a hole, then hit myself in the head with the shovel. The best comedy bit involved my red bag. Specifically, me holding up my red bag and saying "Red bag" or something. Jerry Lewis loved it. SPEAK SLOWLY DUDE - THEY'RE ALL FOREIGNERS. They sang "Drug Free" in French, they didn't know why I kept saying "mercredi" in such an appreciative tone after each song. "Banana" went well, and they helped me finish "Crucifixion." It was great to see the Volvox gang, and photo god Olivier Rodriguez. My dear friend Michal was at the gig and Lorna and I had fun crashing about with her. I was in moody "coulda been a..." rockstar mode much of the time, but bless anyone who enjoys my scarecrow antics! More please, mercredi!

No sooner had I bespoked the words to the wrong song again, I were off on the Megabus to Ox for a mad 2-day recording session at Shonk. Quick rehearse with Jon, Ollie and Rob, then to studio to rock it wiff Stuart for Goldfilling ep. We knocked click-trackless through "Swindon" and "On A Sunny Day (in Bb!)," then stuck the click onto a remake of "She Wears A Green Leaf." We hadn't planned to record this tune, but the session moved so quickly and the Stornoguys are, well, godly, so it made sense to go and keep going. Mang, monsta, it was good good meat on the vine we were swinging! They're such a brilliant band, and each of 'em super-talented on they own. Late night session, almost til 2am. Then up next morn for allllllllll day more. Stuart is a sweetie, and a breeze to work with. "What's this thing do?" "Don't know - let's record it and find out!" We moved through vocal overdubs, Solina strings (the real deal, in big lumpy/grindy machine form!), guitars and guitars, hand-played foot pedal bass. Now, I'm not making no big money, not on the cover of Q like Jesus said I'd be by now, but sessions like this, and the session at the Hangar in Sacto for Luxery Wafers - these things are handed to me and I'm out of my mind with joy. The recording studio is my favourite stage, and the people I'm working with are always heroes. I'm blown away by this. It's my pay for all the gruntery for years and years. The best, sweetest and most talented folks and we just get to hang out making sound and playing. I pause here to say wow and thanks. And now moving back along... the studio reunion of Ant/Su. We only did two gigs together last year, and one session. Not enough by many people's standards, but life is shaped funny. So, I'm happy to say this thing the other night went so well! Gotta admit that the slo-mo pre/post-German disco machine remake of "You can Move A Mountain" was an awkward place to begin, but once we hit "Green Leaf," yow! She stand there, I stand there, we sing. That's all it is, and it's perfect. And it was fun. Lots of fun. Su hadn't heard "Swindon" before, as the mp3 of the demo I'd sent had been lost in the post, but she seemd to quite enjoy it, bursting into hysterics throughout. That's our Su! And our Su also picks things up so quickly that "on the spot" is the same as "an hour's rehearsal." It was good, all of it. Rob came back to add drum fills and bits for loops for "Mountain." A kick (hey... a drum pun! Genius.) to ask him for "fills that go on too long and drift in and out of time." Find me anyone of the bunch of us at Shonk who didn't have a grand time and I'll find you all the seashells I lost in the back yard of 2928 Highland Avenue.

Sue from 125 Records wrote me a while back asking if I'd mention that the label is doing some pre-Spring cleaning, and are going to be giving certain CDs away for free, including the second disk in the Antology series, "The Golden Boot." You'll need to cover the cost of postage, but still, not a bad deal.

Check it out here: http://www.125records.com/shop.html#

HIGH BIAS

by Michael Toland

Sacramento's Anton Barbeau has been
quietly producing superb pop music for a decade now. Despite ringing
endorsements from critics (not to mention Nick Saloman of the Bevis
Frond) he's yet to reach the wider audience he deserves, even within
the pop underground. Still, he's prolific enough to release his second
album of odds and ends. Due to his brilliant consistency, The Golden Boot
is as good as anything in his catalog. Barbeau has a gift for combining
eccentric lyrics and subject matter with winning melodies and indelible
hooks. Great tunes like "Helen Mirren," "Banana2000" and "Sula 2"
resonate far longer than their superficial novelty value might
indicate. And while his words are always quirky, he knows when to
switch from zany to heartfelt in damn catchy tunes like "Octagon,"
"Third Eye" and "C'mon Girl." Want insight into Barbeau's character?
This is a guy who thinks, in the irresistible "The Horny Old Ballad of
Tracy Shellac," that all he has to do to get Tracy in the sack is
"light a little candle/And spin a little Bevis Frond." He's a power pop
geek of the first order, but he'll get luckier if he plays a
prospective date his own marvelous material.

There are worse things in the world than a rainy Sunday afternoon in Cambridge with the Incredible String Band singing away about puppies and Krishna.

 Istanbul was amazing, in all its ancient and modern glory. Hard to think clearly about it, as it was full-on and overwhelming in so many ways. The gig came at the end of almost a week there, and I felt comfortable enough, in a nervous and smoke-choked way. So, "banana" translates as "muz." Good to know! I dodn't know if my pop songs were gonna sound out of place in Istanbul, but really, pretty much all I heard all week was Gang of Four, Can, Beyonce and Madonna. Simon Johns from Stereolab, now living in Istanbul, DJ'd at Arcoada the night before I played. We heard lots of traditional Turkish music being played by buskers, but it was so cold at night that we never stopped long to listen. This is my only regret, not getting to hear more Turkish music. But I'm invited back and we're already planning the trip, so I'll be sure to save space on my mental hard drive.

Oxford was a few days later, the Bullingdon on Cowley Road. previous gig there was a strange one with Allyson and Su in front of about 6 people. This time it was just me infront of maybe 12! But Ox usually vibes me up in such a way, and I swear I was getting the full force of the Golden Light that flops around that town. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Lewis Carroll, Radiohead, Stornoway - there's something good in the oxford water. Anyway, I'm kinda finding my feets again as solo performer, and in Ox, as much as I miss singing with Su, I have an audience that seems keen to give me a bit of room to move. I've been bringing out all sorts of songs that ain't before been played in town, and in so doing, I make peace with my my back pages.

Speaking of, we saw "I'm Not There," the Dylan-y film with various actors doing the Man in various stages of his glory. The mid-60s stuff is brilliant, with Cate Blanchett doing a genius job. A lot of the movie just felt like a movie, floppy and stiff and so-what. Digital and clean and dull, but every time a few notes of music came on, Yeah!

Cambridge this week at the Portland Arms, after a fun trip to the BBC for a radio spot. Now, I played on Thursday, after seeing my hero Don McGlashan in London the night before. What a gig he put on. I mean, I never got to see the Mutton Birds, and he coulda come out in a grumpy mood singing songs about wheat germ and I still woulda been thrilled to see him. But he put on the best, most loveable show, and I'm still buzzing. "Anchor Me," "Pulled Along By Love," "A Thing Well Made" - I mean, pick any single one, but the show went on forever in the best way. But I was supposed to be writing about Cambridge and the Portland Arms. It was a benefit for Strawberry Fair, always a good cause. But a slow night, and I've been really done with Cambridge for a while. I see Kim every so often, and he's delightful. Being able to work with him is still shocking, have to say. But otherwise, I don't have many strong musical connections here, and I struggle to find gigs. So I wasn't holding much hope Thursday. Started the set with "Give it to the Soft Boys," a song it seemed nobody had ever heard. Uh, that's a little bit of a let-down in my mind. And then Heather NAILED  me with a banana. Yum! I know she meant it with affection, and she ain't the only one in Cambridge to ever offer  said fruit in such a manner, but it was a hard moment, it took much effort for me to not lose it. I mean, I'd just started my set, with the "Banana Song" scribbled in at the end, so I hadn't come near it. She explained, when I gently asked what the fuck was she thinking, that she was already drunk and if she waited any longer, her aim would be shit. Ok, thanks! But in true "show must go on" spirit, I carried forward with the rock, saying nothing about this being my last ever gig in Cambridge boo-hoo etc. It turned into a bit of a spit and snarl fest, probably as much to do with the Dylan flick as the fruit hit, to be honest, but all I wanted was to get through my set and get off stage. It was a really charged night, but I think maybe it turned out better than it seemed. I met a guitarist who, at least on paper, sounds quite right for what I'm doing, so we'll see where that goes. And we met a girl from Istanbul who had just barely missed my set there. She's friends with the folks who own Arcoada. Even cooler in the 2.3 degrees of... way, she's going to be doing some studying with a friend from California who teaches in Cambridge. Small world shrinking all the time. So, we've got potential guitarist and new friends and the Incredible String Band on a rainy afternoon. Another cup of tea and I think I'm sorted!