Once in a while a gig comes along that exceeds all expectations and for me my appearance @ The Sound Lounge on 28 January 2024 was just that. Having been booked to support US singer songwriter RJ Chesney I was all prepared, harmonicas and guitar in hand to blast out a few of my songs that over the years have become favourites amongst my little loyal band of mates. I had also decided to throw in a new song for good measure. The end of 2023 had been a difficult time with serious family illness, albeit thankfully with a happy ending, so I was well up for a gig. So imagine my delight when my dear friends Keiron Marshall and Lars Hammersland announced that they’d love to join me. ‘Over the moon’ hardly does my feelings or the moment justice. The gig was captured by Setmixer, who work closely with the Sound Lounge, and subsequently I mixed and mastered the tracks. The resulting ‘live album’ is available now.
Lars Hammersland plays Piano and Hammond Organ – sometimes at the same time! Keiron Marshall plays lead guitar and adds backing vocals. I’m in there on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica. The result is magic. Spontaneous, joyous, melancholy and mad. The tracks:
- Pacific Coast Highway on which Lars improvises Organ accompaniment akin to Morgan Fisher and Mott The Hoople.
- Arlington the second number is where Keiron leaves the mixing desk and joins us on the stage, adding lead guitar and backing vocals to one the first songs I ever wrote almost 25 years ago.
- The Strength of A Woman my salute to Hannah White.
- Mercy Mercy My took on a life of its own and has since been featured by Setmixer “awesome live recording”. It truly is awesome.
- So long to Baghdad. Keiron added a bit of slide on this one – a sort of desert whale song – hard to imagine I agree but tremendous to hear.
- Reflections is the new song. A moment of reflective calm amongst all the end of year trauma.
- The Demon Inside is performed in all its melodramatic glory with piano and guitar dueling between Keiron and Lars.
- What I need is your love. We almost went jazzy on this one towards the end. We could have played all evening but alas It wasn’t my gig!
Looking forward to the next time. Its available all over the place including a few cd’s from me.