Barry Peak....Genius

Barry Peak is a mate of mine. I first met him in Belfast when he played for a band called BACKWATER but he has since played solo and for a band called
TORGAS VALLEY REDS



If any of you saw Sonovagun play at Beautiful Days in 2006, he was the guy on lead guitar. Anyway in 2004 or so he came on holiday to New York and came to visit me one afternoon. We were both in a similar state of mind and predicament at the time so decided to make some music as a form of collective therapy. He laid down some songs that he had written recently and I concocted backing tracks with Reason on the computer. This is the only one that survived my computer crashing.
GENIUS

It's a rough and ready demo but I love it!!

Barry has his own Blog that heavily features veggieburgers, it's in my mates sites section.

Barry's Burger Blog

Yearning A Living

Live in NYC

Last week I did a live show in Rockwood Music Hall in New York. It's a tiny little place that only holds about 30 people but has grand piano. So Roy came down and tinkled the Ivories with me. He also bought along an accordion for good measure and we knocked out a bunch of tunes.


A fellow blogger was there, his name is Wes and I have known him ever since rescued him from my Dad at a bluegrass Jam some time ago. Any way he has included a pretty slapdash version of Diamonds in the Road with a gypsy ending on his blog.......thanks Wes!!

Wes's Blog

A gig from my bedroom

When I usually record my stuff for release on CD I add bells and whistles, drums and bass, kitchen and sink e.t.c. Yet I only gig with my band once a month at most here in New York and we very rarely travel. Mainly due to the cost of these musical outings. So what most people hear on CD rarely matches what most people see when they see me play solo. So I thought I'd set up a guitar and mic in my bedroom and play a few tunes that are yours to download for free here!!
(oh and sorry about the mess in my room....it's the maids day off!!)

HERE'S THE SET LIST!!!

CLICK HERE FOR CIGARETTE

CLICK HERE FOR LONELY STILL

CLICK HERE FOR BROOKLYN SONG

CLICK HERE FOR SHINE

break up song

This is a break up song I wrote years ago when I had my hands on a piano. It pretty much depicts the end of a relationship. Quite a departure from my usual optimistic self. It was a B side on the Fallen e.p. in 2003. See the link below.


IF YER BROKEN HEARTED CLICK HERE

Song For George

As I mentioned before I have just played a tour with
THE OYSTERBAND

As part of the tour we played in ST. GEORGE'S HALL in LIVERPOOL. It was a beautiful old building with ornate columns, statues and marble all over the place which meant the acoustics were amazing!!! Given the name of the building and the fact that we were in Liverpool I decided to play a little thing I wrote the night George Harrison died. It's not really even a full song just something that came out in the bar SOLAS in New York when I heard the news. Chopper from the Oysters got up and joined me on cello and I was really glad not just because it makes the song but also because my loop pedal died the night before. Thanks Chop!!
Heres the tune!!!
SONG FOR GEORGE

Lazy Love

In the 90's, before I moved to New York, I had a bit of space! I lived in an old farmhouse outside Poratferry on Strangford Lough. There was a music room with a piano, drums, trumpets, trombones and many many other musical instruments that myself and my housemate Ursula owned ( she's a great harpist, pianist and accordion player). Anyway I used to tool around in there and write musical doodles when I was bored or drunk or both. This is one of them. It's called "Lazy Love" and its basically about sex. It was never good enough to release proper but I found a copy of it the other day and thought I'd share it with the blogging world
LAZY LOVE

Remember Watercess?

Last night I dreamed of my old band Watercress. In the dream we reformed and were playing a tour and were really broke just like in the old days. I woke up and was really happy I can now actually make money by playing my music. Then lo and behold I had 2 messages from people that had seen our old vids on you tube asking what we were up to these days.
There is one for CANDLEMAKER

And one for TRIPPED UP

If any of you remember our live shows we used to do this big stoned dub jam with loads of didge and double bass called TROUBLE. Well here's a version that we recorded way back then in 811 studios with our mate GLOVER who has since gone on to record THE KOOKS and THE ORDINARY BOYS. The quality is not great but you will get the idea.
TROUBLE
And if you like that kinda thing here's and even more dubbed out version where Glover strapped on his mad professor headphones!!! Enjoy.

CRESS Vs GLOVER DEEP TROUBLE

another chance

Well I guess we all lived through another year. This means we have another spin of the wheel in 2008 and for that I am really thankful. I have another album in the pipeline that I will hopefully record this year but I warn you....it's kinda country!!
I had a lot of fun touring last year and it was great to meet so many of y'all and have a few pints and sing for you in person.

In a world where music is so readily pinched turning up and singing the songs is the one area where we the artists who can really sing and play can stick it to the monopolizing music industry that is slowly losing its grip on what we do!!
Speaking of which....heres some free music!! have a great '08!!
Cigarette (alternative version)