2015 and England is calling...

I thought I'd escaped, but, it looks like the UK has me on a long bungee...

I will be on tour in the UK for 6 weeks in March and April and back again in December 2015 until 2016!  Talk about planning ahead...

So, my schedule for this year is as follows (I am writing this as much for myself as for anyone else wishing to catch up with me - I forget things...):


15th Jan 2015 - more radio shenanigans with Frog Baseball

24th Jan 2015 - RECORDING; starting work on the new album with Zeki Min

14th Feb 2015 - SHOW:Fever Creek Festival, Marie Antoinette, Holzmarktstrasse 15-18, Berlin with Nadav Meir

15th Feb 2015 - RECORDING:at The Funkhaus in Berlin with Mr Flemming Borby for his forthcoming album

Tour with Eban Brown:
6th March 2015 - SHOW:The Broadway Theatre, Barking, UK
7th March 2015 - Radio interview, Solar Radio, UK
8th March 2015 - SHOW:Lomax Theatre, Liverpool, UK
13th March 2015 - SHOW:The Harlington Theatre, Fleet, UK
14th March 2015 - SHOW:Bakewell Town Hall, Derby, UK
17th March 2015 - SHOW:The Glee Club, Birmingham, UK
18th March 2015 - SHOW:The Bierkeller, Bristol, UK
27th March 2015 - SHOW:The Hub, Southampton, UK
6th April 2015 - SHOW:Towngate Theatre, Basildon, UK

17th April 2015 - SHOW:Jugendtreff Hinterhoff, Arpke, Germany with FlyCatFly

29th May 2015 (Date TBC) - SHOW:Record Release @ Privat Club, Berlin, Germany with Le-Thanh Ho

6th June 2015 - FESTIVAL: Secret Chord Records; UK Record Label all-day-event at KAOS, Berlin, Germany with FlyCatFly, Zeki Min + maybe one or two more...?!

15th June 2015 - I have to cancel my mobile contract as I really need a new phone

12th Dec 2015 - SHOW:12 Bands of Xmas, Swindon, UK joining various fools on stage...


Other projects (both live and recording) I am involved with this year include:
Mr Dog The Bear (Italy)
Strangers By Day (Germany)
Acaurio Cósmico (Germany)
Charlotte Giers (Germany) - Legato Sound Studio session

There's me then:

Back again...?

I flew back from England on Monday after spending 70 hours in the studio with some truly amazing musicians...

If being asked to attend a song-writing and recording session by the UK's "next biggest producer" wasn't enough, the fact that it was for Josh Kumra made it an extra special honour.  If you don't know who Josh Kumra is, you should definitely have a listen...  His songs are beautiful, his lyrics connect and his voice, well, that's something else entirely...

Mr Sam Bates

I've been lucky enough to play for some outstanding bands and musicians in my career and Josh has to be right up at the top of the list; Witnessing the magic when an artist can play a tune with perfect emotion and intent is something that always gets me, but to see it done in one take, the sun shining through the window shining off the guitar and with the fire crackling in the background, that is a moment I don't think I'll forget in a long time...

Hopefully this past weeks session won't be the last time I get to work with Josh and the team.







I am very excited about 2014.  It has obviously started extremely well, not only with the session last week, but also having already played a couple of shows with Strangers By Day.

There will definitely be more shows, not only from Strangers, but also from other projects and bands I am working with:

FlyCatFly are playing a show in Arpke, Germany in July (7th) along with some Swindoners!  I am hoping this won't be a one off!

On the same bill, and also with some stand-alone shows, I have been working with Zeki Min on his solo album (mixing in progress).  I can't wait to hear the finished product...

The extremely intense - (I think that's probably the most apt adjective) - "Frog Baseball", also have an album in the mixing stages and will be ready to explode live soon.

Dr Paradiddles WonderDrumporium is getting busier too, but still I want more!  I get bored when I don't have a million things to do!  So, if you need some drums recorded (anywhere!), or if you are in Berlin and want some drum lessons, please get in touch!

Touring 2013

It's been very infrequent that I post anymore.  Probably because I like to leave it until I have a decent amount to talk about each time...
So, the last post was all about remote recording from my custom drum studio in Berlin.  I am happy to say, since that post I have been very busy indeed...  A very interesting job being the most recent:  Recording the official (tbc) song for Eintracht Brauschweig FC (currently pushing for promotion to the German 1st division!)  If the song is chosen and confirmed as the official team song for 2012/2013 (which is looking pretty likely!), then I will have the pleasure of playing the song live at their last home game of the season!  Let's hope they get promoted :-)

So, that is one of a few live shows I am doing in 2013.  Most of the other touring is with the amazing Berlin based band, The Driftwood Fairytales.  They have a fantastic full time drummer, Jan, but due to other commitments Jan is unable to play and so I have been asked to tour across Europe this year with the band.  A full list of live dates are below.

The first shows of this year are actually this weekend in Germany where we will be joined on tour by Plummie Racket.  I might even raid the stage (along with Benni from The Driftwood Fairytales) and play a couple of tunes with him too!

As for everything else, I hope to remain as busy as possible.  I would love to keep the constant stream of recordings coming, I am still happily available to travel worldwide for any recording or live work and I may even have some University teaching soon in Berlin for dBs Music...

Maybe I'll see you soon at a show...???

Rich


TOUR DATES 2013:

GERMANY
1st Feb: Jugendtreff Hinterhof - Arpke, Germany - with The Driftwood Fairytales & Plummie Racket
2nd Feb: Baracke - Munster, Germany - with The Driftwood Fairytales & Plummie Racket 
3rd Feb: ??somewhere in?? Hanover, Germany - with The Driftwood Fairytales & Plummie Racket

UK
22nd March The Swan, Wantage - with The Driftwood Fairytales
23rd March The Bear, Marlborough - with The Driftwood Fairytales
24th March The Beehive, Swindon, (afternoon kickoff) - with The Driftwood Fairytales
25th March The Dublin Castle, Camden, London - with The Driftwood Fairytales

ITALY - Driftwood Fairytales Tour
18.07.13 Southern Germany,
19.07.13 LÖRRACH
20.07.13 MILANO / BOLOGNA
21.07.13 ROMA
22.07.13 (TBC)
23.07.13 (TBC)
24.07.13 PALERMO / SIZILIEN ROCKET BAR
25.07.13 PALERMO / SIZILIEN WATERSHIP DOWN VEG CAFE
26.07.13 RAVANUSA / SIZILIEN FESTA CON LA FAMIGLIA
27.07.13 RAVANUSA / SIZILIEN PIZZERIA
28.07.13 RAVANUSA URLAUB
29.07.13 RAVANUSA URLAUB