April.
The weather.
What is all that about?!
I returned to Berlin at the start of this month to a
mix of hail, snow, rain and wind, but now, at least, it is sunny and getting warmer...
This is good.
There are lots of other good things about April 2015:
This month sees the official release of the
FlyCatFly album "Pocket Full Of Pain".
This is a special album for me as, not only did I play the drums, I also feature on the album playing a little bass guitar, keys, singing some backing and I also am proud to say that it is my first official mixing and production project, having recorded a lot of it at my own studio. It was a fantastic learning curve and I really got excited about creating string and song arrangements along with the beautiful Cord and Sina.
I am looking forward to the second album already - we already have 7 songs halfway finished, so I am hoping this one takes a lot less time to finish!
We officially release the album
this Friday in Arpke at a show we will play with a good friend of mine,
Gaz Brookfield who is currently on tour across Europe. I cannot wait.
As for the rest of this year so far; well... where to begin...?
I guess with the ill-fated "tour" of the UK in March. I was looking forward to playing a fairly big tour in March with
Eban Brown, lead singer of The Stylistics. However, due to unfortunate circumstances we only got to play one show together. It was a good one though, and so I hope that there will be another chance to play with Mr Brown next year.
However, spending a month in the UK without a tour wasn't a total loss... I got myself busy! I ended up teaching at
The Academy Of Music And Sound for a couple of weeks, including some extremely successful workshops - so successful in fact that I plan on returning to the UK in December to do some more! Details to come...
I also had the extreme honour of being asked to record with song-writed and producer Sam Bates for his current project,
"The Incredible Disappearing Boy". Three days in the studio to record 4 songs for the debut EP with some of the finest musicians in the area.
One of the quickest turnarounds ever, the EP is already out, and to make the entire experience even better, I got to work with some of the most amazing and talented guys in the business! One of the tracks on the EP is not only one of the best songs I've ever been a part of, but it is in fact probably one of the best songs I've ever heard.
Sam - you are a musical genius.
The UK aside, I also completed recording an album and music video for
Flemming Borby, which sees the video release party and concert happen in Berlin tomorrow night (15th April) at
The Monarch in Kreuzberg.
Flemmings album is another album I am excited about being released later this year.
The Blowbacks have now started posting songs to their
soundcloud and I am sure this is yet another album which will be officially released soon.
Zeki Min keeps the videos for his last album coming. This keeps my appetite up for the recording of the new album which is booked for May this year.
I finished recording an EP with the üer-talented
Nadav Meir at
Legato Sound Studios recently. The release is due soooooon! (I've already heard it and it's bloody beautiful!)
Idan Altman has given me some new tunes to work on - extremely mellow and laid back, this will be nothing if not some of the most beautiful music he's produced so far... Keep a look out for this in the summer...
I also have my first paid producer job coming up! So, I guess now I can officially also call myself a music producer!
So, if anyone wants any recording time in my studio, mixing, or music production, please let me know. My rates are good and my tea is better :-)
The other avenue of work I am keen to push right now is my
teaching. After such successful workshops in the UK, I realised how much I really enjoy teaching.
Basically, I want to be busier.
So, anyone wanting drums recorded or anyone wanting to learn more about drums, drumming or the music business, please get in touch.
And finally...
belarus.
Not the country. The band. We broke up 8 years ago! A lifetime. And I miss it still.
But, we have some incredible news. I think I have to wait for the official broadcast before I can tell you all what's going on, but, it is bloomin' cool! I cannot wait to share with you all... :-)
Look out for the updates
Go and buy good music
Employ me as a
drummer,
teacher,
producer, mixer or
tea boy
Enjoy the sun
