Nashville Part I

28 Feb 2010. 0 comments

So what are you doing right now?

Something good I hope.

Me, I'm just relaxing after a huge feed at a friend's house. David is his name, and oh boy is cooking his game! It was a trout affair with a glorious dressing, all cooked on a bed of potatoes. Then a salad with beetroot and pomegranates and some sort of home made hummus-ish type thing.

You'd think I was running some sort of foodie blog here.... it's not relevant at all to the music but it was so good I just had to tell somebody.

While we're on it, Joanne made the desert, which was also great; Strawberries, Raspberries, broken up meringue, Greek Yoghurt and grated chocolate.  Can you imagine having this sort of thing in our parents generation?  Summer fruits in Winter... what's that all about? how times have changed.  I like eating seasonally, but if I want Strawberries in winter and couldn't get them, I'd be pissed off...what's happening to us?

In a couple of generations from now I reckon all food will be puréed cardboard with all the appropriate flavours so you can just have your daily meals in some sort of milkshake.  Or like that three course meal chewing gum from Charlie and the Chocolate factory (the original one, just for the record).

Right, enough food nonsense, let's just get into the general nonsense.

I was in Nashville a couple of weeks back for a week of writing.  It all came about when I met Mike and Julie Farris on a cruise in January. Mike and I were both invited to play on this cruise set up by Delbert McClinton (just a bout the coolest man alive).  Anyway, everyone I talked to said "have you seen Mike Farris yet?" and when I said I hadn't, they smiled from ear to ear, clearly feeling privy to an experience that everyone gets when the see him live. "You have to see him" they would say. My word, were they right! They guy (and his band) tore strips off me, by the end of his set I was in ribbons. Not only does he sing like one of the old soul greats but he creates a vibe like some sort of shaman of the shivers. I'm gonna try and get him over here at some point if I can find a way to swing it.

The point here, is that we met and were instantly friends. It's like Jonny Cash said in his autobiography, that there's a sort of brotherhood with musicians.  Sometimes you can meet someone for the first time and it fell like you've always known each other; I can't figure it out myself, but I know it happens.

So, team Farris gave an open invitation for us to come and stay with them anytime we were out that way and before the last syllable hung in the air I'd decided I would go to Nashville a week or so after the cruise, and I'm glad I did.

I was given the run the of the studio just outside the house, so I'd go down there everyday and just sit writing and thinking and often scratching my arse waiting for something to happen.  At around 10pm there'd come a knock at the door, and it would be Mike.... "how y'all gettin' on brother? ...wanna play me something?"..... the next four hours would then be spent just handing the guitar to one another playing songs.  It was really beautiful and good for the soul.

We went to the Station Inn one night to see Jim Lauderdale.  I'd never heard him before but knew he'd written some well known songs.  so I'm standing there, at the end of a table and Mike leans over and tells me to have a closer look.  Turns out, Jim had a cameo in a movie and some of the people involved were there to see him play.  Chris Martin, Faith hill, Gwyneth Paltrow, and a guy from the Kings of Leon where all sat there in this dingy little club.  There was nothing odd about the music folk being there but there was something about seeing Gwyneth there that looked a bit surreal. 

This post is getting too long.... I'll bring you part II soon...

In the meantime, here's something I saw in Hillsborough Tennessee.  Just good marketing!!??

Belated Happy New Year

25 Jan 2010. 9 comments

A very completely awfully frightfully horrendously stupendously belated Happy New Year to you all...

I know we're nearing the end of the first month, but like all things in life, I never see moments from anywhere but behind.  Which reminds me, got this new album the other day by an up and coming band called Blur, have you heard of them?  Jolly good what what...

Too much has happened to put in this post, and too much ensues for my fingers to type it, so here's a brief run down of past, present and future.

Past
The last gig of my tour last year was 20th Dec in Manchester, leaving me 3 days to get everything sorted for Christmas.  All I really wanted to do was shimmy around the house in a worn out dressing gown eating cheese and mumbling to myself until I regained my equilibrium.  Between Sept and Dec 09 I must have driven over 20,000 miles what with the Tori tour then my own tour and Joanne's show in Aberfeldy and weddings in Ireland etc etc.... by the 21st Dec I was in a bag!  I didn't want to think about traveling for at least a month, but alas I had a mere 4 days...

We hopped a plane headed for the green green grass of home on Boxing Day, followed by a blur of Guinness, open fires, turkey dinners, hellos - farwells, more Guinness, another wedding, games of pool, even more Guinness and some Bushmills.

We arrived back in London on the 4th Jan 2010 (do you say 2000 and 10 or twenty ten? ...I think the latter is far superior, don't you!) and again I was reaching for my dressing gown and again, to no avail....4 days till blast off.  We went stateside for a music cruise, organised by Delbert Mcclinton.

Tired or not, nothing was keeping away from this!

I used to be in a soul band in Belfast and we would cover Delbert tunes.  One time his Austin city limits gig was shown on a late night TV slot, or else someone had the video, I can't remember, either way we all were knocked sideways by it at the time.  He'd start singing like it was 9 in the morning after a heavy night of whiskey and marlboro, and we'd be thinking 'how on earth is he gonna hit that high note before the chorus...and then...whooop....out she'd pop clear as a bell and full of force. 

He still has that effect on me. 

Undoubtedly one of the coolest men I've ever met.  Not only that, but he'd call our room to see if we had everything we needed... "anythang ah can getch y'all?"
"Bit low on towels Delbert" says I
"Am onna get'em faw ya... y'all sit tight..."

That last bit didn't happen...but it could have....

I also hung out with some other really great people and musicians (there's a distinct difference), but those stories will have to wait for another post...

Present
Well... I'm writing this ampta-nat*

*Norn Iron-epedia Definition

Amptanat -double negative

/Original form - Aren't I not/

1 to assure someone that this is the case
2 a superlative bolt on to the end of any sentence

See Also:
Won't I not - don't I not and didn't I not

Origin
Fudsey 1903



Future

I'm playing in Glasgow on Wednesday.  I'm sorry you're only hearing about it now, details are up on the site...there...look...just there...can you see it? You should be able to, for I'm only after putting up there amptanat....

I'm also playing a gig in London on Friday at the IndigO2 at the O2 arena for Tony Moore from the Bedford.  It's a fund raiser to help him with a musical showcase at SXSW in Austin Texas (South by South West) this March.  There are a load of artists on the bill, all there to support a guy who endlessly supports us and anyone trying to make music.  He's got a real knack for putting on great events so it'll be a very worthwhile night for those of you that can come along.

Get your tickets here...roll up roll up...

I'm gonna be in the studio (which is where I am now) solidly working on songs for my upcoming records.

I'm taking a break from my own studio in a few weeks to head out to the states again. This time it's solely to write.  I want to find an old shack somewhere in Nashville or Austin, lock myself away and just write.  There's something about changing your surroundings that opens doors you didn't know where closed.  The air feels different and smells different, people talk different, drive, cook, eat, curse different.... it may not help some people but it sure helps me.

Maybe it's an Irish thing with me.  Over the centuries it seems that all the best songs and poetry regarding Ireland were writing by Irishmen that had long left Irish shores. It's easier to write about the things you love when they're not sat there in front of you...well it is for me anyway. So, I think getting away and getting lonely for a week will do me the world of good.

Well, from a song point of view at least.

Right, I reckon that's enough for now don't you?  Good... now brush your teeth, say your prayers and get into bed, tomorrow's gonna be a long and eventful day....good night John Boy!

Happy New Year!!!

07 Jan 2010. 6 comments

Hope you all had a good Christmas and new year!?

Mine was bliss!!!

The last gig was in Manchester on the 20th, which was the end of what seemed like an endless run on the road.  how these big bands go on the road for a year plus is quite beyond me!  Where do they wash their socks? Or do they just throw them out and buy new ones? I just wear the same ones for the whole tour period myself.  It's not that I'm dirty, it just keeps me grounded.  You see when you perform in front of people you always get praise. Even if you're not that good at least one person will tell you that you're the best thing they've ever heard, don't ask why; it just is.... so I wear the same socks so that whilst I'm being smothered in compliments I'm kicking off a right pong!!

aaah, if only that were true... think I might adapt that approach.

I'm off to the US tomorrow for a 'bus man's holiday' on a cruise.  It's set up by Delbert McClinton, a great singer and songwriter from Nashville (I used to cover his songs in my old Soul Band in Belfast).  I met him at a friends house early last year and he invited me on the cruise on the condition that I played a set... seemed like a win win scenario to me.

I get back on the 22nd at which point I start work in earnest on the new album which should be ready by the end of June(ish).... I'll be coupled up in my studio here for the first couple of weeks, just getting things in order, before booking into a studio somewhere else in the world and chipping away at the marble till it reveals something worth sharing.  I'm also working on this album with David Holmes so I'll be in his studio in February getting that in shape for release later on in the year.  We're only a few days in but already this year is shaping up to be a busy one.  Twenty Ten has a lot of work to do to live up to 2009 though.... I saw Poland for the first time, met the original Pearl Jam Drummer Played with Snow Patrol and broke Duke Special's thumb.... I look forward to seeing what unfolds... who know's, maybe I'll get to hospitilise David Bowie?  That's be great, cause then I'd have an excuse to visit him every day and pick (or pickle) his brains....

Well, enough of this mumbo jumbo... I just wanted to come on here and wish you all a happy new year and let you know I haven't forgotten you... if fact why don't you all come round for some poached eggs, soda bread and taddy farls on the 22nd Jan around 11am... be good to see you!!!

!!!Happy New Year!!!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Meanings (just in case)

auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl't - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou'd - pulled
twa - two

Union Chapel !!SOLD OUT!!

08 Dec 2009. 4 comments

Well there you have it..tonight is sold out... however, they've recently opened the balcony area too so they could be releasing a few more tickets on the door (for those of you that were gonna do it that way), if that' the case I'll stick it up on twitter so as to save you a potentially wasted journey. my twitter address is: http://www.twitter.com/foyvance

Better go now and get myself up there for sound check...see you later.

PS I've arranged a DJ for the public bar after the show for those of you that fancy a post show pint.....whoop, there it is....

Derby tonight - Postponed!!!!

28 Nov 2009. 5 comments

Sorry to announce it but tonight's show in Derby has had to be canceled.

It seems that I need to give myself a bit more space to recover, instead of trying to go out and brave gigs when I'm not quite right.  I thought I was OK in Nottingham and then the next day in Portsmouth I feel asleep in the dressing room floor and woke up cold and stuffy with a few minutes to spare before stage time... not good.

We don't have a date for the rescheduled Derby gig but the second we do, I'll let you know.

Really sorry to do this to you guys that have bought tickets and made all the arrangements for a night out.  I promise I'll make it up to you when I'm feeling better.

Also, I'm thinking tomorrow night is looking unlikely to happen but I (or some one else) will let you know as soon as the decision is made.  I HATE canceling gigs... It makes me feel awful!

Speak soon... till then I'll be here on the couch in a sleeping bag, very rock and roll eh.....

Feeling better(ish)

25 Nov 2009. 4 comments

hey all... sorry to those of you in Cardiff and Oxford!

The shows have been rescheduled for 15th Cardiff and 17th Oxford (at least I'm pretty sure that's the case...I'll confirm later).

I've done nothing for the last few days aside from lie on the sofa watching films, reading books and taking a concoction of pills and hot drinks.  I find being ill the single most frustrating thing.  My issue is trying to allow the time to recover.  The second I feel slightly better I want to get up and do something, anything, I just hate sitting on my rear end doing nothing.  I've had to resist the temptation though.  And I'm glad I did.  After three days of nothing I still don't feel 100% but it's hard to know if that's a lingering illness or just the results of three days lying flat.  I'm hoping that as soon as I get on the road to Nottingham, this lethargy will leave me and be replaced with va va voom...

Right, I need to go and get my gear together and then hit the road...see you in Nottingham (well, presumably you won't all be there...)...

Speak later...f

Cardiff & Oxford shows postponed!!!

22 Nov 2009. 2 comments

Foy has had to postpone the Cardiff and Oxford shows due to illness! We're very sorry about the late notice but rest assured you'll get a great show when he's back to good health! I think Foy's gonna post here later when he gets home to let you know what's happening. In the meantime we're rescheduling the dates and as soon as we get them in the diary we'll let you know. Thanks for your patience. GET WELL SOON FOY!!

York postponed to 16th Dec!!

18 Nov 2009. 7 comments

Sorry to all York folk but I've had to pull tonight's show. I had a doctor tell me I shouldn't have done last night's show but I disregarded her advice thinking I'd be ok; how wrong was I!? I woke up this morning feeling like someone had filled my lungs with cement and replaced my brain with a waterlogged leather football.... I HATE cancelling gigs!! I always feel like I should at least turn up and do something, but in this instance I think resting for a couple of days is the best thing. I hope to be ok for the gig in Leeds... The York gig is rescheduled for 16th Dec and I'll try to make it up to you then! Speak soon...f p.s. If you're driving on the M1 today, watch out for the sickly Irish man trying to stay between the lines :-/

Tour and nostalgia

10 Nov 2009. 5 comments

The new EP of my live concert with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast will be available from the tour! (and then later from the website for those unable to make it)

It's strange to be getting ready for a tour at this time of year.  A voice within me is saying "what are you doing going out there at this time of year....let's just light the fire and hibernate". To which I reply "sorry little voice, no can do...duty calls. Cleaners are still cleaning, drivers are still driving, road workers are still working on roads, baristas are still making coffee and those of us that aren't good at anything normal in life are going on tour". I've often wondered, if I was good at anything else would I be as committed to music?  I don't know that I would.  Early last year I genuinely considered studying carpentry and having that as my main stay and letting music be my hobby.  A hobby that needn't pay the rent. I think I considered it for about a week before realising it would be the death of me. I can be so fickle sometimes.  I spent my life thinking how great it would be to make music for a living and do nothing else and then the second it happened I began to think how great it would be to do something else for a living and make music on the side.  I don't feel like that now though.  I've found my place in the whole affair.  The peaks and troughs of the music industry are part of it's challenging charm.  I did a gig a the weekend in Belfast for ATL.  It was nick named the 'recession sessions', all about hard times.  Playing there really made sense.  In every recession the one thing you can rely on, as being important to the people, is music.  Music always does well in recession.  I don't mean that in the mercenary sense, like there's a killing to be made or anything.  What I mean is, it can somehow re-establish the importance of music.  The power of music.  There's real solace in music.  Healing qualities; redemptive qualities, if you will.

I can't imagine that there is anyone out there reading this that doesn't have a record that you put on when you're feeling down and need a lift, feeling nostalgic and want to go somewhere through a song.  Or when you a record comes on somewhere, and you're instantly somewhere else... another place, another time;  breaking up with a partner, meeting a new one, saying goodbye to college friends and so on.  I don't hear this song often, but anytime I do hear 'Get out of My Dreams, get into my car' by Billy Ocean, I'm instantly 15 years old, drunk on a shared bottle of cider, in the Matinee Club in Bangor and dancing with Louise Edgar.  I even get that sickly feeling in the stomach that you got when you first started engaging with members of the opposite sex (or the same sex, depending on how your cookie crumbles).

Anyway, enough reminiscing...although  if you fancy doing a bit of that yourself then feel free to tell all in the comments section; what song and why.... this is turning into a sort of radio show phone in eh!

If you want to hear the 'Recession Sessions on ATL' then click the link. 

There are a few dates missing from the advert above, namely:
26th Portsmouth
4th Limerick
5th Cork
6th Dublin
9th Belfast - with Snow Patrol (not doing my own set, just playing with the guys....at least I thnk that's the case...come and find out...assuming there are tickets left)


See you somewhere on the road...f

p.s. I'm using a street team for selling CDs and T-Shirts on this tour and if you want to be involved and get free entry for you plus one and some free stuff then, speak to Paul by clicking here.

Since last we spoke...

03 Nov 2009. 8 comments

First let me say I'm really looking forward to going out on tour next week... I'm getting myself prepared as we speak...thrashing the punch bag, doing sitting ups and kicking trees with my bare shins: you guys don't even stand a chance!!

I'll also be doing a song as part of a live webcast gig from Belfast this Friday (6th), for which there are 10 tickets to give away.  Simply answer the following -TV like - question and email it to info@foysnoise.com along with the two names for the tickets:  Is the colour orange...
a) orange
b) magenta with a splash a cyan
or
c) burnt sienna with a hint of mint
????? 

Tough innit......


I've been home for 3 weeks today.  Well, I say home but a week of that time was spent in the the autumn hues of Aberfeldy, right in the heart of Scotland.  If Scotland was an archer's target, bulls eye would be Aberfeldy.  Driving over the hills from Crieff before entering the village is one of the most breathtaking sights you're ever likely to see.  There's nowhere quite like Scotland in Autumn, it's sort of magical.  Or maybe mystical would be more accurate.

Team Vance drove up there from London in our camper van (full to the brim with paintings, which was an experience) for Joanne's exhibition in the Temple Gallery.  It was sort of a 'Hope & Homeless' affair again.  There was the work from my album and then the portraits she did of the homeless folk she'd befriended whilst working at Crisis.  I played a few songs related to the paintings that have inspired me and Joanne talked about her process.  It's funny how I've been around her work and heard her thoughts but when she spoke on the night of the exhibition it was like I was hearing it afresh... it was very touching actually.

The week was great.  We met some great people, ate some great food and drank great amounts of OK wine.  The Sunday night before our departure was spent having a full on dance off in the living room of Eric and Naomi, with themselves, Joanne and I and Ryan the gallery owner.  It was great cráic.  I tried to slide across the floor on my belly in an effort to take the dance moves to a new level, but to no avail. I stopped dead the second I hit the floor, so instead up upping the game, the result was simply seeing a grown man belly flop onto a wooden floor.  Not good.

There are a few things to tell you about but rather than write everything here I'll stick it in the newsletter (you can sign up on the home page here if you're not already signed up).

So...to the matter of the Tori Tour.  The last time I spoke with you was on the day of the last gig which was in Warsaw.  It was great to see Poland, not that I got to see too much of it but it was a real experience nonetheless.  En route to Warsaw we pulled in for a toilet break at this sort of wooden shack on the side of the road.  The closer we got to it the more we noticed all the wooden sculptures around it.  I should just clarify that this place was in the middle of nowhere! Nothing for miles around but cold air and fields split in two by a road; then this.  We opened the door to the most glorious smell of barbeque and spices not to mention the welcome waft of heat and the smell of wood burning on an open fire.  It was an oasis.  A strange little oasis, but an oasis all the same.  It was like walking into a scene from Lord of the Rings.  All the waitresses were dressed in ancient Polish garb and the interior was like the inside of an enchanted giant oak tree.  They served beer in goblets, and cut meat from a spit over the fire. It was dimly lit and the foot of every table had it's own wooden sculpture of a goblin.  I reckon they came alive to serve the undead after the place closed to the public, assuming the place closed at all.  I wouldn't be surprised if it never closed; just existed there in the middle of nowhere suspended in time.  A surreal and wonderful place!

The last night of the tour was great, although I think I maybe celebrated a little too much.  They had a post gig ritual where Marcel (one of Tori's sound guys) would disappear for a while then reappear with trays and trays full of sea breezes (cranberry, orange juice and vodka)... it would have been rude not to eh..... I fear that I got a bit over excited on the last night and the breeze blew me right into the sea where I was well and truly drowned (see what I did there).

Right, I'm off for a 6 mile sprint with a weighted ruck-sack.....or maybe I'll just eat biscuits with fervor...yeah, that's it...

Speak soon
f

p.s.  Get on that mailing list will ye! I've got more to tell you.....


Various stages of Tour Mole beard-ness throughout the tour
No beard


Craig David beard


mid life crisis beard


full on back broke mountain beard :)


wee wee instructions in Denmark... in case you thought the grass was the toilet(?)


a wonderful sight at Auswitch 


Polish Time Warp Tavern


Wooden sculptures


View from our hot tub in Aberfeldy (The White Tower)


The Birks of Aberfeldy
Now simmer blinks on flowery braes,
And o'er the crystal streamlets plays;
Come let us spend the lightsome days,
In the birks of Aberfeldy
Rabbie Burns