The Sky Is Blue

Three months...

2008-07-06T13:03:00.003Z

since the last post. Maybe I'll give up on the blog. There seems little point. Or maybe I'll actually do it properly. Or maybe I'll go to sleep.

Since the last post we have both gained and lost a member. Which is a shame. Rhim joined to provide extra guitar, backing vocal and keyboards and was a spendid and talented musician to work with. Sadly for us, but marvellously for her, she has landed a job just outside London - the commute to band practice and gigs would frankly be a bit of a shitter.

We wish her all the best and send her on her way with much band love.

We've been playing gigs quite a lot, and writing new stuff. I'm really happy with the work we're doing on new material - striking just the right balance between despair and hopeless optimism for me. I've just finished my PGCE course and am moving up to Cheltenham to be a music teacher. But the band will carry on. We've worked too hard to let a small commute ruin stuff.

Next gig is at the end of July at Mothers' Ruin in Bristol; we've had a couple of cancellations - one due to the council in Bath cracking down on noise-levels at Invention Studios, and one due to a venue being a twat. Gig had been booked since January - got cancelled last month, haven't had a reason. Drummer Mark unable to play any other dates in August due to not being in country.

But it's not all doom and gloom. It's just MOSTLY doom and gloom.

No, not really. Everything will be fine.

Millions upon millions

2008-04-07T10:26:00.003Z

Ok, then, so what have we been up to? Well, since the last post we've played at The Fleece and The Cooler - both in Bristol - debuted some new songs, argued a bit, had a 'meeting', found a photographer, booked more gigs. So lots of stuff.

Here's a video of us playing at The Fleece.

We've just been asked to do a night called Under The Influence at the Thekla in Bristol, which sounds fun. We get to be really self indulgent and do a DJ set consisting of our influences, then play an unplugged set of our own stuff. Not all properly confirmed yet, but will be in May if it happens - keep an eye on our live page on the website.

The Sky Is Blue Is Behind The Times

2008-02-08T16:28:00.000Z

We've just got some videos up on YouTube.

One:

In which you get to see us recording the Antarctica EP. FUN!

Two:

In which you get to see two of us playing 'Creatures' at a small acoustic gig in 2006 with beautiful backing vocals from our friend Sofie Overgaard. Please note, I no longer have the mullet.

In other news, we're playing at the Fleece on March 11 (free entry), and Espionage at The Cooler on April 4 - this last one is with The Robin Allender Band which is nice because we like them.

In further other news we have quite a few new songs.

In extra further other news we might go and do some more recording this year.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-18T20:49:00.000Z

Hope you've all had a good year. Ours has been fun in places and rubbish in other places. 2008 is going to be amusingly fabulous. You'll see. YOU'LL AAAAALLLLL SEE.

The Dust Settles Over The Deserted Town

2007-09-19T16:16:00.000Z

I really haven't got the hang of this 'blogging' lark have I? I thought it might be a better idea than having a 'news' page on the website, and it probably would be if I ever posted anything. What an arse. The Sky Is Blue is still alive, people. STILL ALIVE.

We've gigged. We're playing again for some Bristol University thing on October 3rd. We've had a couple of weeks off for various reasons. We're reconvening this evening in our room The Padded Cell. From here we will make lots of noise. We began working on a new song a few weeks ago, which we will have forgotten by now, so we will rediscover it this evening. You'll see. Or at least, I will. And so will Mark, and the other Jon.

Blimey...

2007-07-23T20:36:00.000Z

I really am cack at updating this thing. Ah well. We sound bloody great at the moment, we thoroughly enjoyed the Angel Tech gig (what lovely people) and then we thoroughly enjoyed doing a special gentle set with Elliot Hall at the Lansdown in Clifton. We're playing at The Croft on Friday (27th).

We're feeling really good. Everything sounds right. G'night.

Tumpty tumpty tum

2007-06-13T16:34:00.000Z

I'm right tired, innit. We're practicing tonight. The Old Nick's gig got cancelled at ludicrously short notice, which was a shitter. Venue closed down.

I'm doing extracurricular stuff at the moment for Falling Dan. Stuff like producing recordings and playing some guitar and piano. It's sounding good so far. He's a talented thing.

Soooo next TSIB outing would be the Angel Tech gig I've been banging on about. Yes.

AND I KNOW THAT TIME IS ROLLING ON

2007-05-22T19:08:00.000Z

Quoting your own songs is bad form, yes? I don't care. Tonight I'm conscious that time is running away from me. Is there a word in English to describe that? I don't think there is. Please let me know if there is and I will use it. Repeatedly. Actually, is there a word in Swedish? I want to go to Sweden.

The gig on 30th June is confirmed, with Angel Tech (who I admire and who I remember listening to 10 years ago, see what I mean about time...) and You & The Atom Bomb. Should be a corker. We're on first so here's hoping people can tear themselves away from the bar/their friends/their enemies to take in some cautiously melancholy odes to being in places that feel subtly wrong.

Summer is in the air.

Next gig Old Nick's 1st June. No idea what it's like there.

Keep thinking I should redevelop our website, then look at it and think 'how? I can't do web design'. Any suggestions, throw them in my direction.

Love ya!

We're Not Dead

2007-05-05T10:13:00.000Z

What's been happening? Well, Mark broke his foot for one thing, which put a little hold on our progress. Only little, though - he's all recovered now, you'll be pleased to hear! Can't have broken-footed drummers, it's not right.

He's in Ukraine at the moment until mid May, so this is why gigs haven't been happening much. We've had a few plays on the radio which is a good thing. Inbetween foot accidents and trips to far flung places we've been working on some new material as a band, particularly a song called 'Success' which we're pretty excited about...really enjoying playing that one. I've been putting some demos together at home on my tod too, so plenty of stuff in development.

Next gig will be at Old Nick's in Bristol on 1 June - haven't ever been there so have no idea what it'll be like! Looking forward to playing again, last time was in February, shockingly. Potentially have a really good gig coming up at the end of June too with one of my favourite ever Bristol bands, will let you know more about it if it happens. Can't confirm while Mark's in the Ukrainian countryside!

Right.

2007-03-05T15:24:00.000Z

This is a blog I've just posted on our MySpace. It kind of goes over old ground a bit, but makes a nice little summary of our recording adventures. For these adventures are now complete for the time being. Yes that's right, the new EP is finally finished. CHEERS OF JUBILATION ALL ROUND, PLEASE!

"Right. Ok. Since marktristan is spending a good deal less time near a computer at the moment, I am taking over the MySpace blog. For better or for worse. I, singing and guitaring Jon shall attempt to update this with some degree of regularity.

As the more perceptive among you will have noticed, we've finished our latest EP and you can now hear it on this very page. A loud 'hurrah!' from me, because frankly it's taken bloody ages and has driven me slightly insane.

We recorded the drums and bass with Mat Sampson at Bink Bonk studios in Bristol mid December. Then I took the tracks away and started adding guitars and vocals in the Sky Is Blue home studio extraordinaire. Then I got the sodding flu. So couldn't do vocals for ages and ages because my chest and throat were all wrong. Wrong!

Still, managed to finish the mixes eventually. Probably sometime in late January/early February, I can't really remember, it's all merged into one protracted nightmare in my head.

Then got Murray Benjamin (a film-composing man with very good ears) to master it for us. And he did a good job, but we weren't 100% happy for a variety of boring technical reasons...so got Mat Sampson to master it as he'd recorded the drums and bass in such a lovely way. Then Mat got the sodding flu so couldn't do it for a while.

SO! Lots of delays. But I'm really pleased with the finished article. Copies on CD with proper artwork and stuff will be available at our gigs for the time being. Let us know what you reckon!

Jon"

2007-02-17T13:26:00.000Z

Played a benefit gig last night for The Junction - a mainly punk and hardcore venue in Bristol that's been having some financial difficulties. Enjoyed the set, thought we played pretty well - was vocal PA only which was fun. Reminded me of when I went to Los Angeles with my old band - no faffing around soundchecking, you go up, you switch on your amp and you play. Quite refreshing.

The new EP is being remastered at the moment by Mat Sampson. There are a couple of tracks from it on our MySpace that aren't mastered quite the way we want, but they're giving people an idea of where we're going at least...

2007-01-24T17:45:00.000Z

Mmmmm The Croft gig was gooooood. We played well. I really enjoyed myself...would recommend you check out Benjamin & The Sirens too, their set was very very enjoyable.

Next one is 16th Feb 2007 at the Junction - it's a fundraiser to save the venue, so a worthy cause. Recordings are in the final stages of mixing - will be mastering them at the beginning of February and then unleashing them on unsuspecting ears...pretty proud of the work we've done, I think people are going to be impressed.

2007-01-07T11:10:00.000Z

2006-12-22T08:29:00.000Z

I've been hunkered down in my studio for the last week and a bit on and off, playing guitars, fiddling with dials and faders, shouting into microphones. Am exhausted and thoroughly looking forward to the Christmas break.

I have some rough mixes to listen to over Christmas, then it'll be back to the grindstone...all sounding good, though. Recording with Mat Sampson last Wednesday was a great experience - top guy, top studio. Very relaxed.

So anyway, happy Christmas to all from The Sky Is Blue. Look forward to seeing you in 2007.

2006-12-14T20:29:00.000Z

Our rescheduled, hastily rearranged and relocated recording session happened yesterday and was a great experience from start to finish!

We kicked through the four tracks we'd planned to do and are reasonably happy with the results (so far... i.e, we only did bass and drums. All the rest will be added at home). Mat Sampson is a great guy to work with for drums, I've concluded. Anyway, something funny: I took a CD home with a rough mix of the rhthym tracks to pore over in my own time. When I put it into iTunes these are the matches it suggested for the CD I'd inserted:

Toxicity -- System Of A Down
She Don't Use Jelly -- The Flaming Lips
Bring It All Back -- S Club 7
Do You Wanna Have Sex With Me -- Dirty Stevie
Subsidiary:Excerpts From The Other World -- Another World
Be My Twin (Single) -- Brother Beyond

and about 6 more.

2006-11-23T20:14:00.000Z

So yeah...into the studio on December 7th to record drums and bass. Then I'm hiding for a bit and recording guitars and vocals by myself, possibly out in the countryside. We've decided what we're going to record, which was no mean feat...took a while!

Thrashed it out in rehearsal on Tuesday gone. It's probably a good sign that we really want to record all our songs! Not very practical though, for a few hours in a studio...so we're doing Brazil, The Fifties and Centrepoint. I think we've got Millions and Antarctica as backups if we're doing ok for time.

So I'm doing this solo gig on the December 3rd with Elliot Hall - should be fun. David Sanders and (I think) Suzy Condrad are also playing, so a really good bill - one of those gigs where I'll enjoy watching the other acts as much as playing myself!

Then the next time we're playing as a three piece is on December 18th when we're the opening act on a bill with 2hrsTEN and The Child Fourana. I've not done an opening slot for ages, so am looking forward to it - kickstarting a gig can be lots of fun. In many ways I prefer opening and middle slots to headlining - the audience tends to be less aurally knackered!

Have a pic of the gig at The Croft.

2006-11-16T17:31:00.000Z

Tuesday's gig was good. We're definitely getting more confident - not that we haven't still got stuff to work on (every band should always have something to work on somewhere - if you've reached perfection then there's something wrong), but we seem to be improving with each gig, so that's good.

Since we were playing at The Croft I was able to try out some projected visuals, as they have an inhouse DVD projector set up. I thought it worked pretty well - the closet prog fan in me has always had a taste for moody visual stuff. I went for a theme of snow this time round. I like snow, we don't see enough of it in the West Country.

The next things on The Sky Is Blue's menu are a solo performance from me in the front bar of The Croft with the majestic Elliot Hall on Dec 3rd. Then we're in the studio on Dec 7th laying down some bass and drums. New recordings are in the pipeline. Watch this space...

2006-11-13T20:06:00.000Z

waiting for Louisiana...

2006-10-09T17:52:00.000Z

I'm sure they said 5pm soundcheck!

We made lots of mistakes, but judging by reactions appear to have compensated with enough passion...

JR has done another song which he is only calling 'Slow One' for now. He is reluctant that it goes public. So you should join me in nagging him to finish it and put up on MySpace.

We are breaking the Louisiana-cycle and appearing at The Croft on November 14th :) Further details as we discover them ourselves... ;)

2006-10-02T20:42:00.000Z

I played a solo acoustic set at The Croft in Bristol last night. It was very short notice, the original support for Daisy Chapman had pulled out due to illness so I stepped in, thinking it'd be a bit of exposure and a chance to promote the upcoming Oct 8th Louisiana gig. Which it was.

Not sure if the promotion will come to much as the audience was pretty sparse and incredibly unresponsive. It was weird! Never really experienced an audience that quiet before. I mean, they clapped and everything and I think they generally enjoyed it...it might have been because they were mostly at the other end of the room and I couldn't see their faces all that well. Difficult to judge how my amusingly feeble banter was going down. "This one's for all those who don't want to go to work tomorrow!" I cannot belieeeeeeve I said that! What a twat! Goodbye moody art-pop bloke, hello village hall cabaret arse. Cabararse, possibly. Thanks very much to those people who came to support me anyway, without you lot I'd have felt a bit lost.

Playing solo was a bit odd, I haven't done that in a while. Didn't not enjoy it exactly, but I still like having Mark and Jon on stage adding their inimitable stuff. And there's comfort in hiding behind noisy amplifiers! Not that I ever make mistakes. No. Not me.

2006-09-22T20:52:00.000Z

Jon says:

oh yeah, news: i think Suzy is playing with us again on the 8th. That's what it says on her MySpace. David Sanders replied and said he's playing solo with no drums. So i guess we'll be headlining.

MarkC says:

whoa. no drums. what a shaeaeame.

Jon says:

yes, tricky... i'm going to put a flyer and poster together this weekend if I can

MarkC says:

do you have anything else pencilled in for next Tuesday after all

Jon says:

nope, except for Loney, Dear!

MarkC says:

do you know it's sold out

Jon says:

arse

MarkC says:

but keep it free anyway in case we get to go. i am up to shenanigans.

Jon says:

ah good stuff

MarkC says:

if not, we will meet up and spend the evening productively

MarkC says:

bring a noose.

Jon says:

MarkC says:

was just thinking we could hang ourselves off the balcony at the Louie, while lots of ticket-clutching happyfaces file through the door

Jon says:

hahaha cunning plan!

MarkC says:

haha was only joking anyway i made myself laugh out loud in the office. If we can't go to the gig we should at least have a few flyers or engraved lemons or stained The Sky Is Blue y-fronts to give out.

Jon says:

yeah, i shall get some done over weekendy

Jon says:

i shall enjoy producing the pants

MarkC says:

why not? and engraved fruit of some kind?

Jon says:

hurrah!

2006-08-16T19:54:00.000Z

Hmmmm. It just took me about about a thousand years to remember my blog username, which is probably a sign that I don't update this enough.

The last Louisiana gig went very well, we're definitely playing better than we have in any previous incarnation. I'm really enjoying myself, particularly in relation to the greater dynamic range that's available to me now I'm not confined to the old acoustic. Positive reactions abound, which leads to the classic "so...have you got any recordings of the new stuff?" questions, to which I have to reply "erm...no, sorry" which I hate.

I really like the last two demo EPs I did, but that's the point - I did them. Self produced, self recorded - although the material is still valid (and the songs are certainly crop up live), the approach isn't really. And it could definitely be argued that what we've got recorded doesn't represent the full range of what we do. And it would be a good argument. I couldn't argue back, I'd lose.

So, I really want to get some full band stuff recorded. So someone offer me cheap studio time, cos I'm broke...

Mark's just gone off to Sweden for a couple of weeks (during which he'll hopefully be on the lookout for some promoters/venues for our sort-of-planned December trip), then it's a month of rehearsing/thinking about recording, then back to gigging in October hopefully. We want to work some more songs into the set, some old and some brand new, so we can alter the setlist as much as we feel like each time we play.

2006-08-03T16:52:00.000Z

il se jouera un gigue du ciel bleu le prochain mardi au louisiana

nous jouerons avec La Vue Tombee et Mlle. Suzy Condrad

il y aura beaucoup d'amusement sonique pour tous :)

I am looking forward to the musical soup, (..gumbo?) as we simmer alongside a female solo songwriter and an avant-garde texture-pop quartet

Meanwhile
i have discovered that you should all join me in listening to Don Caballero "World Class Listening Problem". If you have one of these things where you can preview whole albums online, treat yourself to a listen!

I emailed Jon today to ask, why do we not (yet?) have a song called "Take Me To The Killer Wasp Lair"... It came into my head with such clarity I felt the urgent need to communicate. But he hasn't replied yet. Maybe he is busy writing the song as I type :)

finally I have most graciously snaffled an advance copy of Bronze Age Fox's forthcoming album "Impossible!" It's an absolute peach! Hmmm we need to go and make these bristol secret nuggets of goodness much more public. Buy when it comes out! don't know when. Or I will play it at Salt Open Mic on Sunday.

2006-07-21T10:38:00.000Z

"Spurning acoustica, The Sky Is Blue stamped deliciously crunchy riffage, though after [Rachael] Dadd their verse-chorus-bridge shapes had machine-cut outlines, and the lyrical metaphors were six-inch-nail brutes."

Last Wednesday according to Venue!

2006-07-13T19:45:00.000Z

Well, that was really good fun. A really enjoyable gig all round. Our set went down well, and so I'm feeling rather confident. Funny how one mid week gig can banish fears and doubts. At least for now!

Others on the bill were cool - Smith opened, didn't get a chance to see much of him unfortunately, but liked what I heard.

Next on was Rachael Dadd - I loved her set last night, much preferred it to when we played on the same bill at the Folk House in January. Back then she played with an ensemble including harp and cello and things but last night she was solo - I reckon her stuff works best simple and unadorned. Well, I say simple - it's not. It's deceptively complex music. Great stuff.

Elliot's headline album launch slot was very assured and accomplished - definitely the most confident I've seen him. And well done to our Mark for providing some sterling work on the bass! Elliot's lyrics get me every time. He has a way of looking at things and transforming what he sees into these lovely, slightly disturbing songs. Observational post-folk pop folk pop post-drone pop folk. Or something. Am listening to the album now, is sounding good to me.

Anyway, we were pleased with the reactions we got to our set - and the newer songs seemed to go down the best which is heartening. Onwards and upwards, as they say.