#stonewiresunday
Friday 19 January 2018
Monday 4 April 2016
Where do we go from here…….
When I first started thinking of writing this blog I was in a bit of a negative mind set. It was the beginning of February in a grey and cold England and so many musical greats have died over the last month. It started with losing Lemmy (although considering his lifestyle it was a miracle he made it to 70 I guess). He was the true essence of Rock ‘n’ Roll, he lived his life the way he saw fit and didn’t give two shits what others thought. We had only just gotten over the news when the death of David Bowie was announced and it sent a shock wave through the music world especially to those who looked deeper into the meaning of his last album Blackstar and the very dark but oh so poignant video for Lazarus. Only 8 days later Glenn Fry’s untimely passing was announced and all I thought was, I wish I would have gone to the last gig to hear those sweet harmonies one last time. Many more have left since then and it seemed 2016 was fast becoming the blackest year for music history and with every passing a new wave of cries that we are losing all our Legends, and they just don’t make ‘em like that anymore erupted.
This got me thinking, not just as a musician myself but on the music scene as a whole. People were upset of losing their childhood heroes, the rebels they grew up with and who wrote the soundtrack to their lives. Is it really true that we are losing them all and that the new generation of musicians is just not cutting it or is there something else going on? I think the clue lies in these words “they don’t MAKE ‘em like this anymore” Make is the correct word here. Legends are not born, they are made.
When we look at the greats who have now passed on or are at an age where they start to slow down, what they all have in common is the fact that they had many, many years of artistic freedom to explore new sounds, new ideas and they were allowed to develop themselves as artists and entertainers. They started out in a time where once they were signed they had one job and one job only, to be a musician. Two years ago I went to Clapham Calling and Aerosmith was headlining. Although still one of my favourite bands of all time, you could tell they are getting a little tired. I asked the question then, in 10 years who will headline these festivals and the same principle applies, festival headliners are made not born. In order to become a well-developed and experienced musician you need to be able to work on your craft, on your sound on your persona as a band or solo artist. This takes time and, here comes the crux of the matter – money. I know that many artists in the 70’s or 80’s were screwed by their managers, labels or whoever thought they can take a slice of the pie they still all were full time musicians.
Fast forward 40 years the world of a musician looks very different. The internet has taken over our lives and with it came Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, Spotify and countless other platforms. It is a new world and at your fingertips it also seems this very world wants everything, instantly and preferably for free. We have come to a point in history where the demand on a musician is to be everything at all times. A new artist now doesn’t just have to worry about if his or her songs are any good, no we need to be social media experts, photographers and videographers, booking agents, web designer, PR marketing buffs, Record labels….the list goes on and all these things cost time and money which means even artists who are more established need to have a full time job away from music.
A bigger label who has a spending budget or a booking agent will not look at a band that has less than 7.5-10k likes on FB, if their YouTube channel isn’t developed like that of a pro band, has their music on all the digital platforms and plays gigs to min. 300-500 people every single show. All this is now the responsibility of the artist and these additional everyday jobs will take time away from the one thing we should be doing, writing. Writing new songs is what makes a musician eventually great, you develop your craft and become (hopefully) good in the process. All the old bands had that time, they played the small venues over and over, they spent a year in the studio, they wrote dozens of mediocre songs until something amazing emerged.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not begrudging the new ways and what they bring. I just wanted to show people what it takes to be a musician these days. I also believe that each era brings new opportunities but it will have to be a collaboration of musicians and fans. I believe we need to get back to what music means to each of us. What is it that grabs hold of your heart and makes you smile for days. Many would say a live show, so here lies our chance. Next time you go to a bigger gig go a bit earlier, check out the support band (don’t get me started on what it takes to become a support band, the word buy-on is a clue). Or once a month instead of watching another overproduced episode of X Factor check the papers and go to a small venue and support an original gig. Yes, listen to bands on Spotify (I do and have discovered many new bands on it) but then go follow up, go check if they are playing and go see them, buy their album, their T-shirts. Not only will it be cheaper than a ticket for Wembley you will be part of a bands way to becoming something and you never know, maybe one day that very band will be the next Queen, Led Zeppelin….
So I think the answer is simple, don’t lament that the good old days are over, if you want original live music to continue be part of the solution.
This got me thinking, not just as a musician myself but on the music scene as a whole. People were upset of losing their childhood heroes, the rebels they grew up with and who wrote the soundtrack to their lives. Is it really true that we are losing them all and that the new generation of musicians is just not cutting it or is there something else going on? I think the clue lies in these words “they don’t MAKE ‘em like this anymore” Make is the correct word here. Legends are not born, they are made.
When we look at the greats who have now passed on or are at an age where they start to slow down, what they all have in common is the fact that they had many, many years of artistic freedom to explore new sounds, new ideas and they were allowed to develop themselves as artists and entertainers. They started out in a time where once they were signed they had one job and one job only, to be a musician. Two years ago I went to Clapham Calling and Aerosmith was headlining. Although still one of my favourite bands of all time, you could tell they are getting a little tired. I asked the question then, in 10 years who will headline these festivals and the same principle applies, festival headliners are made not born. In order to become a well-developed and experienced musician you need to be able to work on your craft, on your sound on your persona as a band or solo artist. This takes time and, here comes the crux of the matter – money. I know that many artists in the 70’s or 80’s were screwed by their managers, labels or whoever thought they can take a slice of the pie they still all were full time musicians.
Fast forward 40 years the world of a musician looks very different. The internet has taken over our lives and with it came Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, Spotify and countless other platforms. It is a new world and at your fingertips it also seems this very world wants everything, instantly and preferably for free. We have come to a point in history where the demand on a musician is to be everything at all times. A new artist now doesn’t just have to worry about if his or her songs are any good, no we need to be social media experts, photographers and videographers, booking agents, web designer, PR marketing buffs, Record labels….the list goes on and all these things cost time and money which means even artists who are more established need to have a full time job away from music.
A bigger label who has a spending budget or a booking agent will not look at a band that has less than 7.5-10k likes on FB, if their YouTube channel isn’t developed like that of a pro band, has their music on all the digital platforms and plays gigs to min. 300-500 people every single show. All this is now the responsibility of the artist and these additional everyday jobs will take time away from the one thing we should be doing, writing. Writing new songs is what makes a musician eventually great, you develop your craft and become (hopefully) good in the process. All the old bands had that time, they played the small venues over and over, they spent a year in the studio, they wrote dozens of mediocre songs until something amazing emerged.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not begrudging the new ways and what they bring. I just wanted to show people what it takes to be a musician these days. I also believe that each era brings new opportunities but it will have to be a collaboration of musicians and fans. I believe we need to get back to what music means to each of us. What is it that grabs hold of your heart and makes you smile for days. Many would say a live show, so here lies our chance. Next time you go to a bigger gig go a bit earlier, check out the support band (don’t get me started on what it takes to become a support band, the word buy-on is a clue). Or once a month instead of watching another overproduced episode of X Factor check the papers and go to a small venue and support an original gig. Yes, listen to bands on Spotify (I do and have discovered many new bands on it) but then go follow up, go check if they are playing and go see them, buy their album, their T-shirts. Not only will it be cheaper than a ticket for Wembley you will be part of a bands way to becoming something and you never know, maybe one day that very band will be the next Queen, Led Zeppelin….
So I think the answer is simple, don’t lament that the good old days are over, if you want original live music to continue be part of the solution.
Saturday 2 January 2016
Happy New Year!
I too want to wish all our friends a very happy New Year filled with love, health and happiness but as I write this, I realise that it is we who are responsible for our experiences. We can not foresee what tomorrow brings but we can decide how we will react to it. So I'm wishing us all
COURAGE to stay true to what ignites our soul and even when we have lost the path to have the courage to take another step.
STRENGTH to speak our truth even in the face of criticism or being ridiculed. It is our souls we need to take care of, not the other persons.
GENTLENESS, to not be so hard on ourselves. To allow us to be fallible and human and in doing so we allow others their humanity too.
LOVE for all things especially the ones who are the hardest to love, remembering they probably need it the most.
FUN to play and dance and connect with the magic of life. We are not here to be all serious, all business and to fit into someone else's mould we are here to shine our own light.
Have an amazing 2016 and I'm looking forward to seeing some of you along the road.
Sky XX
COURAGE to stay true to what ignites our soul and even when we have lost the path to have the courage to take another step.
STRENGTH to speak our truth even in the face of criticism or being ridiculed. It is our souls we need to take care of, not the other persons.
GENTLENESS, to not be so hard on ourselves. To allow us to be fallible and human and in doing so we allow others their humanity too.
LOVE for all things especially the ones who are the hardest to love, remembering they probably need it the most.
FUN to play and dance and connect with the magic of life. We are not here to be all serious, all business and to fit into someone else's mould we are here to shine our own light.
Have an amazing 2016 and I'm looking forward to seeing some of you along the road.
Sky XX
Thursday 5 November 2015
O2 Academy Islington
London here we come……….. it is Friday afternoon, it’s Gaz’s birthday and the whole StoneWire family is excited that we are on our way to play the O2 Academy in Islington.
We only just received the go ahead a week before; I was waiting during sound check in Altrincham when the email came in, we have been confirmed to support Swiss Rockers Gotthard, yay! Rob and I know the band from way back when we were still in Germany. They have a great following all across Europe and Japan so I was surprised that no one else in the band knew them. It’s always interesting how some bands break in a certain market and some don’t (they did headline Rockingham at Rock City the next day though, so they must be known a bit here)
Friday 30 October 2015
Tour Diary Update
Right... Northampton here we come.
We had a small race against the rain whilst the StoneWire van was being loaded up. All morning the weather had been pretty decent for this time of year and right as we were halfway through loading up to get on the road, the weather turned... There were a few more bits of gear to go on this run of gigs and it really did feel like a giant game of Tetris! It was a case of close the back door and don't open it again until we arrive - otherwise we'll get an avalanche of gear burying us!!
20 minutes on the road and all of a sudden a couple of us (me included) are as hungry as hell all of a sudden, not gonna stop yet though, a chewing gum will have to do for the next couple of hours as we've got places to be and traffic to beat!!! This time I've bought my favourite cushion to relax with, very nice indeed - Gaz has bought a towel(?)! - I guess it does the trick. We have a chuckle at something that we notice on the back of a hi-vis vest that a guy on a motorbike is wearing that says 'polite' but in the font that would normally read 'police', can't quite remember what it was about, other than that it was a very clever way of quickly grabbing the attention of motorists. We're making good time and Sky is currently choking as someone mentions a story about 'Gaz's Night Time Sunglasses'...
We had a small race against the rain whilst the StoneWire van was being loaded up. All morning the weather had been pretty decent for this time of year and right as we were halfway through loading up to get on the road, the weather turned... There were a few more bits of gear to go on this run of gigs and it really did feel like a giant game of Tetris! It was a case of close the back door and don't open it again until we arrive - otherwise we'll get an avalanche of gear burying us!!
20 minutes on the road and all of a sudden a couple of us (me included) are as hungry as hell all of a sudden, not gonna stop yet though, a chewing gum will have to do for the next couple of hours as we've got places to be and traffic to beat!!! This time I've bought my favourite cushion to relax with, very nice indeed - Gaz has bought a towel(?)! - I guess it does the trick. We have a chuckle at something that we notice on the back of a hi-vis vest that a guy on a motorbike is wearing that says 'polite' but in the font that would normally read 'police', can't quite remember what it was about, other than that it was a very clever way of quickly grabbing the attention of motorists. We're making good time and Sky is currently choking as someone mentions a story about 'Gaz's Night Time Sunglasses'...
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