haribomort - a lif

Long Time No Blog!

2011-06-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

Is it really 2006 since I last updated this blog thingy? Must be as that what the thingy says.

Whats new?

1. I've given up alcohol - last drink was 27th Feb 2009 the day I was with Steve Lukather in Ultrecht in the Netherlands.

2. Started writing PROPER songs - got about 100 now - only 1 in standard guitar tuning. I use two tuning now - Drop D usually capoed 2nd & C/G/D.G/B/E Capoed 4th - sometimes drop the low G down to an F & get some really jazzy chords.

3.Got a few new guitars, a couple of Breedloves (gifts from my bros Nel/Shel/Stevie-Boy and a Republic Resonator guitar. Still need to get the Action sorted on that one as its crippling my left hand. Richard Thompson was kind enough to sign the smaller of my two Breedloves for me - talk about touched by the hand of God!

Theres loads more to update but will do this later.

The Wholigans - Who Convention 01/04/06

2006-04-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

The thing with being a Who fan is you get pretty precious about The Who. If a Who tribute band don't deliver you owe it to your 'Whoism' to let them know about it loudly and profainley. No danger of that here. The Wholigans were absolutely stunning - the closest you will get to the real thing in their 1969/70 peak.

As a guitar player I was watching 'Townshend' pretty closley and he had Big T's style off to a T.

I've never seen a 'Moon' hit the drums so hard and 'Young Ox' was a credit to himself & The Ox.

Rog or Barry was the buisiness - I'd love to know what he said to Rog when he met him earlier in the day.

The Wholigans - Top notch Who blokes!!

Casbah Club at The Who Convention Shepherds Bush 01/04/06

2006-04-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

Simon Townshend
Bruce Foxton
Mark Brzezicki

The Casbah Club.

Go and see them - they are a fookin top band!!

They blew an audience of Who fanatics away at this gig. Which is about as easy as selling out of bacon butties outside a mosque on a busy friday afternoon.

This band will be big!!

The Fall Club Nirvana Wigan 18/01/06

2006-01-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

Violence!!
Boorishness
Drunkenness
Belligerence
Harshness

The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall!!

Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Royal Court Theatre Liverpool 16/02/05

2006-01-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

The Beloved Entertainer!!!

The amazing thing about young Declan is that he's never shit. He's different at times but never shit. This gig was stunning from the start - he opened with 'Blue Chair' which had me grinning like a wanking Jap and it never dipped from there. He played most of his new album 'The Delivery Man' which is easily in the list of his best 5 albums.

He played some great looking guitars - think my fave was the blonde Telecaster - I love the sound of a slightly distorted Telecaster!!

He played 2.5 hours straight then off, no encore. The last 1/2 hour was like being pummelled as hit followed hit after hit. Look at this for a setlist!!!

Blue Chair
Uncomplicated
The Name Of This Thing is Not Love
Mystery Dance
Everyday I Write The Book
Button My Lip
Country Darkness
Needle Time
Hidden Shame
Blame It On Cain
Either Side Of The Same Town
(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
Good Year For The Roses
Heart Shaped Bruise
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
Our Little Angel
Kinder Murder
In The Darkest Place
You Turned To Me
When I Was Cruel No. 2
Watching The Detectives
The Delivery Man
Monkey To Man
Hidden Charms
There's A Story In Your Voice
I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
High Fidelity
Pump It Up
Nothing Clings Like Ivy
Shipbuilding
Bedlam
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
Oliver's Army
The Scarlet Tide

Absolutely fookin amazing!!!

There is a happy land

2005-12-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

I lived in Africa when I was a kid. Between the ages of 09 - 12 I lived in a town called Ndola in Zambia. Apart from school term times but that's another story.

I'm haunted by the times I spent there, the smell of the bush after the rain, the liberation of the swiming pool from the heat, the smoke of the bri BBQ pit, the sunsets that broke my heart and the realisation that my life was oohhhh so diferent from my friends I'd left in Little Lever were the Headmaster of my school called me out at my last assembly and shook my hand before all the school and wished me luck on my travels.

From what I've seen on the net the place looks like a ghost town nowadays - in my heart I'd love to go back but my head tells me I still wouldn't find what I'm looking for....

More Basement Jam 04/12/05

2005-12-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

More pics from Basement Jam - my only regret it that I was at the wrong angle to get any shots of Rachel playing - her face would have been obscured by mic/stand.

The piano is the one that Pete said he wrote 'Love Reign O'er Me' on!!!!!

Such a great night and many thanks to Pieter and his friend for giving me a lift back to my hotel in Kew Bridge - it was very much appreciated & will be recompensed by a few beers at the convention!!

Basement Jam 04/12/05

2005-12-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

Well it doesn't get much better than this.

I'm not saying anything - the pictures speak for themselves!!!

New Order - Manchester Apollo 14th November 2005

2005-11-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

Seeing New Order in their hometown is always special. Forgotten is the miserabilism of early 80's Manchester when all was grey and the city was overshadowed by the cloud of the suicide of Ian Curtis.

Instead we come to celibrate the glorious sound and spectacle of Barneys mong dancing, Hooky strutting about and throwing shapes like own the place. Nobody doubts that on the Apollo stage is our band playing our music of our faded youth.

They even played some Joy Division songs, Love Will Tear us Apart, Shadowplay, She's Lost Control and Atmosphere - as Barney said - probably the most beautiful song Joy Division ever wrote.

The only place to be at a New Order gig is in front of Hooky - it turned out that I was next to Barney's Missus for most of the night - she was bopping away like a good 'un!!

An affirmation that falling in love with this band all over again is just like the first time.

The Smiths Manchester Free Trade Hall 1984

2005-09-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

I had my Beatle boots and Wanky Student Overcoat. I was 20 years old and guitar player with local legends (well in Bolton anyway) Rythmic Figures. I was a bedroom poet with a wounded heart and a savage soul and the most exciting local band in years whom I was devoted to were playing the Free Trade Hall!!

I had to meet them to get my records signed - Johnny Marr & I laughed & joked - Morrissey was shy & miserable & the other two were on wages. Not that we knew that at the time.

Here's the pics from that day.

A Few Concert pics

2005-09-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

Bruce Springsteen The Point Dublin 24/05/05.

My flight from Manchester was delayed by 3 hours so got to the venue 10 mins before Bruce took the stage. He was getting pissed off with people flashing away at him so he said if they would stop they could come down the front for the last few numbers and take as many shots as they wanted.

So I did!!