23.04.08-This past weekend, Norton Money played at the Power's Acoustic Room in Kilburn. The night was called "The High Chaparral" and Sterling Roswell and D-66 also played. The place sorta reminds me of a place you'd find in San Francisco or New York, so that was a nice little escape. My string-breaking session has easily beaten my previous records. 5 strings in 3 gigs (3 Ds, 1 G and 1 A for the notetakers)! Maybe I'm just spoiled because when busking, I can hear my guitar so clearly since I crank it. Oh well. After the gig, we played at a party (which we may or may not have been invited to) for about 7 minutes until the guy who actually lived there made us stop playing. Anyway, it was fun while it lasted. Then Jeremy and I played at Filthy McNasty's on Sunday. What a great little spot to play! The walls were full of posters of "punk gods" and I was surprised to learn that while there was a poster price list above the urinals in the gents', the ladies room had no such thing. I should also point out that I didn't check first-hand about the ladies' room, but rather it came up naturally in conversation (with a woman). Anyway, Jeremy and I got to play a lot of the tunes we don't usually play as a full band. Good fun. Oh, they also make a tasty pie and mash potatoes.
Grace Solero was interview and performance filmed for the Unsigned Chart UK tv show last Thursday. It's gonna air in June. We were interviewed in the early morning by Plum, a lovely woman from Cornwall who's also from a large family. She had some very original questions for us which was a welcome change from the normal interview 101 banter. Then about 13 hours after our interview, we played 4 songs acoustically with the help of a fog machine. Met a singer from San Francisco called Doana who now lives in Cannes. Life is good. Nice to have someone to talk taquerias with. She and her guitarist Chris were only in London for a day but I imagine they'll be back soon.
What else? Just doing the usual busking, learning lyrics, struggling with my own and sorting out this line of Norton Money gigs in California this summer. Hope you're well.
10.04.08-I'm back on the blogging train after a few months of looking at the map upside-down. Norton Money had a real fun gig at Honky Tonkin' Sunday this past weekend. It was jam packed and everyone there was so attentive we all got kinda jittery and excited. Thanks to Tina for having us and to Dave for sorting us out with sound! The house band, Too Country, was really good and had beautiful instruments. Jeremy and I played the Abbey last Tuesday to try out some of our newer songs, "40 Days", "Half Hearted", and "Maybelline", along with a cover of the Beach Boys' "In My Room". Also enjoyed sets from Jonny Berliner, Thanking the Ladies and Paul Garry. Before that, we opened up for the Blockheads at the Union Chapel on Leap Day. It was so nice to sing and play AND hear yourself. Really one of the those gigs that makes you wanna live on a big stage and never get off.
What else has been going on? Grace Solero has had a few gigs including one at Metro where we opened up for Sons of Albion. Robert Plant's son Damien is the frontman and sometimes you can catch glimpses of his old man in the tone of his voice and his stances. Nice guys too. High Society also played and they have a sorta New York Dolls/Guns N' Roses thing with an incredible drummer. We're releasing "If U Feel" as a single in May and will play some gigs up north in May and June. Oh, and here's a picture from Licca's website of her and a friend watching us play at 12 Bar Club.
Licca is the barbie doll of Japan. I don't know how they did it but I kinda look Japanese in the photo.
Jeremy and I were in California in January and played some gigs there in San Francisco, Fairfax and San Gregorio. We sold out of our limited edition Norton Money t-shirts and had a lot of family and friend support at all the gigs. It'll be nice to get back there this summer! We're gonna be on a compilation album called What's Kickin' 3. Details to follow...
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