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Eliza Carthy



Last Updated: 11/27/2009

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Status: Single
City: York/Edinburgh
State: Northeast
Country: UK
Signup Date: 6/8/2006

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Friday, June 05, 2009 
ELIZA CARTHY - DIARY – April 2009     
 
           When I started writing this diary my four-month-old daughter was lying on a towel and changing mat on the floor of the dressing room in Surrey, arse out to the wind to save her chapping, little feet in the air. Being as it was a small room and we were sharing with the rest of the band she was already surrounded by the detritus of a tour: trainers, discarded bits of weekend newspapers, suit bags, bottles of once sparkling mineral water now flat from the van, things like that. Anyway, it's very timely being asked to write a journal entry now, especially as her new life is very much on my mind and the decision we've made to travel as a family while I go back to work.  
 
                When folk and traditional music became more to me than just something my parents did, I used to get hot under the collar about how little the average man on the street appeared to know about old English culture. I still do, I believe our lack of common music is a sadness in us that we don't always recognise, and very much hold the view that most traditional music is worth anyone’s time but these days, I like to concentrate on what is worthy and authentic alongside music which fuels the best human impulses in my opinion: what makes us cry and what makes us want to dance and have sex!
 
                When I see my child’s little body among these things, these bits of life I've been used to seeing every day for more than 20 years, with this new person suddenly in the midst of it all and her bright eyes looking up at me, I do often think about the suitability of this job, especially as it's probably a lot like the life I had growing up. People keep reassuring me that babies are adaptable and will live anywhere, that she is with us which is what counts and as long as there's love and boobs she'll be fine, but there's the new mother guilt building in me, the guilt that will no doubt grow into normal everyday mother guilt as time goes on. Hooray for that. The turning into my own mother continues with new and improved intensity, like a familiar washing powder rebranded!
              So, we recently made her first trip to London, where she rode in a black cab, went up and down in a lift, charmed the waitresses at the hotel and had her picture taken, onstage before the Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Royal Albert Hall. Our next trip to the big city was a few days later, by which time of course she was an old hand at this sort of thing, when we performed at the St George’s Day party in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 25 April. She loved the lions, and watched the set from the steps of the National Portrait Gallery, watching her mammy underneath Nelson's Column. How odd, having been part of the last underground music for so long, shooting my mouth off to anyone that would listen, that it's time the establishment celebrated our hidden national music. How wonderful. I was never going to be dissuaded from doing this concert. Apart from the foreign tourists, what with all the other musicians like Kathryn Tickell and Jim Moray taking part and the big crowds, it was much like appearing at any other folk festival without that gated community feeling you sometimes get from playing to the converted. It was good to be there; I had been looking forward to showing my little girl, should any members of any far-right groups show their faces to co-opt the day as certain people from the folk scene worried, how it is possible to celebrate being 'English’ without being an ignorant little Englander. Big difference. On stage at 12.30pm we opened the day to sunshine and singing though as we were working in Hampshire that night we missed the opportunity to see her Granddad and Uncle Billy Bragg take part in the Tolpuddle Martyrs gig just round the corner, before we continued on our UK (and little bit of Ireland) tour.

                      Those first journeys to London were a handy experience to get out of the way. The van doesn't have the same hypnotising effect that the car does so she's awake for much longer, and frustrated because she has to be in the seat for much of the trip. All of this new regimen felt strange at first, from changing her on the table that, not so long before, we would have played cards and made cocktails on, to carrying her into a service station for the first time. As part of my job I put up with these places but why should her pure little life be marred so early on by the strip lighting and revolting scooped-out, warmed-up food, so expensive the receipts may as well have "ha ha ha" printed on them? I am a lifelong feminist, but over the last week I have suddenly appreciated why women give up work! I was sitting in a plastic chair in Burger King playing flying baby; nearly flew her into a trucker walking behind me, suddenly felt very unprepared and exposed and wanted to run back to my safe, safe sofa, where at least the beautiful, painful chaos that a new baby brings has, 4 months in, formed into something that almost makes sense.
               So after two weeks on the road, this is what I've learned, for anyone new to motherhood or new to being a touring musician for that matter, who might need the advice. Make a mental checklist for tomorrow and try really hard to make a mental checklist for the day after, too. 

The next part of our journey from Northumberland to Suffolk involves four days away before we can go home and catch our breath and all sleep in our house again. We must set off early every day so that we can find a place to breastfeed, take her out and give her fresh air, sunshine and a change of scenery and chance to kick about and play the standing up game and risk her having slightly bandy legs when she’s 17, just like her father! Car is better than van, she'll sleep better. The car seat she stares at is black and must be covered with colourful things, perhaps her own little mirror. Musn't forget feeding pillow. Hotel pillows are small  and flat and they rarely can give you any more than a couple extra. Her own bedding and bed so she sees the same things when she wakes up in the morning and wonders where she is. Small furry mates to talk to and put in her mouth, usually at the same time...
            We were both tired and grumpy for the first few nights but things are already much better for all three of us and wherever we travel to now, with stuff and planning and what we’ve learned, is hopefully as like a home as we can make it. Definitely want to get some of those little baby sound-cancelling earmuffs so that she and my boyfriend can hang out at the gig, not be trapped in the hotel together without dinner or mates. Went for a long walk in a conservation park the other day before the Winchester gig: this making extra time thing turns out to be good for everybody, although she couldn't tell the difference between the big giraffe that moved me to tears and the little one in her car seat.
 
            Just now as I write this she looks like a little angel in a grotto with the sun shining through the travel cot mesh. That's it really. Efficiency and home comforts are creeping back in to life. I think we may be alright. This is the family business after all.
 
11:58 AM 
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Wednesday, March 25, 2009 
Eliza will be performing at a free, pre-tour mini set at Foyles bookshop in central London next Tuesday!

In a marked contrast from tonight's Teenage Cancer Trust Show at the Royal Albert Hall (Click here for last minute tickets, still a few left), the Foyles set will be an extra-special chance to catch an intimate acoustic set at the informal setting of Ray's Jazz Cafe in the world famous bookshop.

ELIZA CARTHY
Free gig at Foyles Bookshop
Lunchtime show - 1pm
Tuesday 31st March
Rays Jazz Cafe
First Floor, Foyles Bookshop
113 - 119 Caring Cross Road
London
WC2H 0EB



Click here for more information on the gig

Click here for the Facebook event page.

5:35 PM 
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Tuesday, March 03, 2009 
Eliza Carthy will perform at Teenage Cancer Trust’s Gala folk night at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 25 March 2009

She will be joined on Wednesday 25 March by Fairport Convention, Seth Lakeman and Kate Rusby.

Ticketing information is as follows:

Tuesday 24 March 2009
Antony and the Johnsons with Florence + the Machine and V V Brown

Wednesday 25 March 2009
Fairport Convention, Seth Lakeman, Kate Rusby and Eliza Carthy

Thursday 26 March 2009
Stereophonics plus special guests

Friday 27 March 2009
Kasabian plus special guests

Saturday 28 March 2009
Bullet for My Valentine with The Blackout and Fightstar

Sunday 29 March 2009
An evening of comedy hosted by Mathew Horne and James Corden



More acts to be announced – check www.teenagecancertrust.org for details.

Tickets are available from the following outlets:
 Teenage Cancer Trust: www.teenagecancertrust.org 0871 231 0836
 The Royal Albert Hall: www.royalalberthall.com 0845 401 5030
 Gigs and Tours – www.gigsandtours.com
 Q The Music – www.qthemusic.com
 Absolute - www.absoluteradio.co.uk/tickets
 

11:31 AM 
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Saturday, February 14, 2009 

Category: Music
Drink!
Available VALENTINE DAY SPECIAL - FEBRUARY 14TH - 'cos we love you!

A special bonus track from the DREAMS album sessions.'DRINK' never made it onto the album, even though it was always one of the favourite tracks (these things just happen!!) but so many people asked where to buy it after hearing the track live - so here it is!!NEW BONUS TRACK 'DRINK' AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON www.eliza-carthy.com

Happy Valentines Day!! Enjoy!

NEW TOUR DATES ADDED
Go to www.eliza-carthy.com/eliza/tour-dates.cfm
5:09 PM 
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Thursday, November 06, 2008 

Current mood:Poorly

After much consideration and soul-searching I sincerely regret to announce that I am unable to finish my November tour.


I've been suffering from difficulties with singing and speaking caused by a cyst in my throat and for the last couple of months have been attending Ear, Nose and Throat clinics both on the NHS and last week in Harley Street.

I have begun voice therapy and physiotherapy but have been told that the cyst is being exacerbated by water retention and swelling caused by my pregnancy, and while the normal treatment for this includes anti-inflammatory drugs this is not possible at the moment and the only thing that will drastically improve my vocal health is to have my child and rest, and see the specialists again in the Spring.

The physical effort of trying to sing past this obstruction is just too much for me at the moment and what I am able to produce as a sound is alarming and inconsistent and leaves me exhausted and in pain after every show.

I am assured that I will return to full vocal health after my daughter is born, and would love to have the opportunity to honour my commitments then.


My apologies to everyone.
Eliza

4:47 PM 
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Monday, September 29, 2008 

Current mood:  busy
It is official - ELIZA CARTHY will be in London to record for JOOLS HOLLAND on the 13th and 14th October – BROADCASTING DATE is yet to be announced!!
-

ELIZA CARTHY TO HEADLINE VIVA LA PASIONARIA
Tuesday 28 October ELIZA CARTHY headlines the Philosophy Football event, Viva La Pasionaria! organised in association with the TUC and Unison, supported by The International Brigade Memorial Trust.

TUC,23-28 Great Russell Street, London WC1
Tickets £9.99 Advance booking essential : 020 8802 3499 / www.philosophyfootball.com

-

TOBY VENABLES reports on ELIZA CARTHY   -    Cambridge Folk Festival
To read more go to: http://www.movingtone.com/reviews/toby-venables-reports-eliza-carthy-cambridge-folk-festival-1-aug-2008

-

STOP PRESS!!!!
ELIZA will be recording with PAUL WELLER for his BBC FOUR SPECIAL details TBA
9:30 PM 
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Wednesday, September 10, 2008 
The Dreams Of Breathing Underwater tour is underway!

To co-incide with some dates, Eliza will be appearing in-store to sign records at several independent music shops accross the UK.

If any of these are in your area, why not skip work for the afternoon, come down and say hi?

Thursday 11th September, 2.30pm
BRIGHTON - Borderline Records 41 Gardner Street, Brighton, BN1 1UP
(Playing at the Komedia that night)

Monday 15th September, 2.30pm
LEEDS - Jumbo Records 5/6 St John's Centre, Leeds, LS2 8LQ
(Playing at the City Variety that night)

Saturday 20th September, 2.30pm
BURY - Vibes Records 3 Princess Parade, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0QL
(Playing at the Met that night)

Wednesday 24th September, 2.30pm
EDINBURGH - Coda 12, Bank Street, On The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 2LN
(Playing at the Voodoo Rooms that night)

Saturday 8th November, 2.30pm
GODALMING - Record Corner Pound Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1BX
(Playing at Farnham Maltings that night)

Tickets are still available for some of the September and November gigs.
CLICK HERE to see a list of the full tour dates.

STOP PRESS!!
!!Attention Citizens Of Edinburgh!! 
How would you like free tickets to Eliza's gig at The Voodoo Rooms on September 24th?
Proper Music Distribution have 5 pairs of tickets for the show up for grabs on their competition page.

All you need to do for a chance to win is CLICK HERE and answer one simple question!
5:02 PM 
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Saturday, August 30, 2008 

Current mood:  fascinated
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural
 dreamed that my baby stuck her head out through my belly last night...freaky alien baby, she's an alien girl...
  Anyhoo, how are you? Off on the road in the next week to start the new Autumn tour, should be damn fine time had by all. If I can fit in the van.
  We're doing Jools Holland. Cool. Doing. Look out for us in the next series. Got some other press stuff coming up also, and the radio single thing-whatever one of those is-will be Oranges and Seasalt, so mind your ears and your showers in the morning. Come on superstardom, the only thing standing between me and superstardom now is actual superstardom...not far now then. Are we nearly there yet?
  More fascinating blog facts on the other site. No pictures though, because my hard drive died with everything I ever loved but not enough to back up in it. Does anyone out there know how to help? Four years' photos and the start of my book's in there...gulp...will it teach me...? Can anyone help?
  sigh
new tour yay
x e
 
Currently listening:
The Magic Position
By Patrick Wolf
Release date: 2007-05-01
10:04 PM 
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Friday, July 25, 2008 

Current mood:  busy
Category: Blogging
So, I haven't blogged here for a while; I've been blogging on the new main site, www.eliza-carthy.com. I'm fairly lazy as a rule with these things, so if you like something a bit more regular, go there as well as here.
General news: the album came out, and off the top of my head the reaction was something like this: Mojo 4 stars, Guardian 4 stars, Observer 4 stars, The Sun (!) 5 stars, Daily Mail 4 stars, Independent 2 stars (boo!), Independent on Sunday 4 stars (hooray!), Uncut, the Word, fRoots very good, Songlines Top of the World (ma), BBC Online very good, The Scotsman 4 stars, Times Online very good, The Australian newspaper very good.
We were in the general national charts briefly, in at somewhere around 60, got to about 38 or so; Amazon registered us at no.2 in the country/folk charts where we're still very high, somewhere around no. 6 for the World music category and the highest we placed in Pop in the first few weeks was no.28. So perhaps me and Ben can expect some royalties at some point. Yee!
The new band is going really well. Please come and see us, it's a beautiful thing and lots of fun. We have a name now, Eliza Carthy and the Bearded Ladies. Please don't ask us to change it as there has been heated arguments and near bloodshed of Willy in his sleep...
Starting on some new material very soon, some of which we'll bring out in September, some of which we'll save for the winter as Phil can't do the Autumn due to being on the Trans-Siberian Express for a month, the jammy, jammy bugger man. The lovely and more than qualified Chris Parkinson will be taking his place after the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Last Rogue's Gallery show is at the Barbican on Monday. Come and see Tim Robbins going "yaaarrr!" a lot, and don't ask me if Johnny Depp is going to be there because I do not know. Tim Robbins is really tall.
xxx e
Currently listening:
My Mother's Children My Mothers Children
Release date: 2008-08-05
11:53 PM 
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Monday, May 12, 2008 

Current mood:  aroused
Category: Games
Ok, so we have decided this is a legitimate form of poetry that we want to promulgate (is that a word? Now I look at it, I don't think so...). The poetic form we have invented is called "Doodah"
It's like Haiku. Its' form is composed of nine syllables. Any everyday phrase can make this work, but it must be a working sentence of nine syllables, so that the suffix "doo-dah,doo-dah" can be added to nicely complete it, thus:

"I followed
this bloke
to work today" (doo-da, doo-dah)

"My granddad
thinks I'm
a psychopath" (doo-dah, doo-dah)

"Oh, would you
like some
jellied pigs' feet?"

Just some that spring to mind. Road signs and newspaper headlines are really good. Soon you'll be walking down the street composing these all the time. Quite frankly, I don't want to be the only one in the world any more.
x e
10:03 PM 
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