As I sat down to write a new post here, I looked at the last post noticing it was all about the video launch for my new band with Danny Ansell. So much has happened in the last 3 months there’s been little chance to think. (see pics below)
I had forgotten a little about the complexities of being in a decent working band but working with Danny has seen more happen in around 6 months than any band I’ve been in before. I worked out recently that it’s the 9th band I have played in, but we have gone through way more in this band already.
It was in March that I met up with Danny and we recorded a rough demo to Lemonade Wage. Danny’s cousin Steve had recommended that I contact Danny earlier in the year and that there may be potential there to work together. Soon after this initial meeting I introduced Danny to Paddy the Bass and we put some backing to the track. When Steve heard the track he was chuffed and soon added his electric guitar parts. It was Steve who had originally written the track about 20 years ago and it’s been a favourite song of mine since I first heard it sometime in 2004. A band was born - nobody knows quite how, but things started to roll quickly after this and we began rehearsing hard as Danny announced he had loads of festival gigs lined up. Game on.
Sometime soon after this we were hit with the news that Steve had cancer and would be receiving treatment and I think this probably drove the band to be even more determined. We had a set rehearsed good enough for support slots and we made the video to Police at the Door as a promo insight to the band.
Sadly Steve didn’t make it through the Summer and on August 31st passed away quietly in hospital. We shared the stage at many great festival slots that Danny was getting asked back to every time, with headline gigs being offered. So, the following month leading to Steves funeral was a turbulent time for us all. The funeral itself was an amazing day with a massive turnout as Steve was so well known in the local music scene.
So this is why there’s been no new posts on here recently. RIP Steve Madden - a local legend & great friend.
October has come around fast and we have been rehearsing and recording quite a bit when we have had the chance. There’s 9 great songs recorded already with most mixed/mastered. I’m confident that by the end of next week we will have the complete album and this will be made available asap.
On Friday 25th October we are headlining the Empire in Coventry which is arguably Coventry’s biggest venue and hope to play a couple of new tunes at this event for the local fans.
Info about this gig best checked here: DannyAnsellMusic
To those that don’t know about songwriting and recording, it takes a lot more time than most think - especially when the material is sensitive. Dan writes the songs and brings them to rehearsals and we play them till they feel right, then record. I’m lucky I can spend the time on the recordings and believe me they are all really well written songs with purpose to them all. I take my hat off to Danny!! The album is looking to be a collection of old and new material, some with Steve on of course. Big shout to Paddy the Bass who has knitted the band together nicely with his solid bass-lines and endless patience! The stone rolls on, but it’s gone through some bumps and corners.
Below are some pics taken with Steve from local gigs/soundcheck moments.
