New Gig, New Songs

So friday night was the second gig with the new line up, with new songs thrown in for good measure.

2 of us got there on time, the 3rd member only just making it in time to sound check due to the typical friday night traffic in Cambridge.

As we were on first there was not a great deal of time to hang around before the gig.

We rolled on stage and kicked into the set playing confident and tight versions of our existing songs, before taking a chance and playing our 2 new songs back to back towards the end of the set.

Once again we went down well with the Portland crowd, and even managed to shift a few free CD's which i have spent the past month mixing and mastering.

A good show considering this is a the second with the line up, and we are looking forward to confirming a few more over the next few months.

Line up

Paper Soldiers
This Broken Empire
We Are Godzilla

Set List

Sleepy Eyes
Take Me Out
Over Me
Burn Forever
Marvin Gaye
Summer Sun
Right Where I Belong

Back to the Portland...

so this blog hasnt been updated for over a year, mainly because nothing has happened, but last night was the culmination of several months hard work when paper soldiers returned to the stage for the first time since mid 2010.

the line up has gone through a number of changes in this time and has finally settled into a 3 piece who have been tucked away in a practice room putting together the set.

we got to the gig at the familiar portland arms, unloaded and did a quick sound check before chilling out and watching the opening band outbound.

we went on second and kicked into the first song, brushing off any nerves we had before charging into the next songs.

whilst the set was short and sweet, our cover of buck rogers was incredibly well recieved and the set itself felt tight and the crowd enjoyed it.

we will be looking to record an ep/demo in january before doing more gigs next year.

line up:

outbound
paper soldiers
the stand-ins

set:

sleepy eyes
take me out
over me
burn forever
buck rogers
right where i belong

Sleeping with the light on......

we entered wyton again last night to the sound a of a spitfire doing laps above our heads, an interesting start to the evening.

short one guitarist, the 3 of us got into the room and burned through the 2 songs we have been writing, before out of the blue writing a brand new one, with lyrics and everything (which is currently known as "charlie busted").

we started work learning some of the demo's that id written prior to the band and putting them together.

its starting to feel a bit more like a band now, the banter is building up and we are relaxing and throwing ideas around at a fair pace.

in the next couple of weeks we will be starting 2 sessions a week, which should get us tight and productive.

Brand new start...

in the words of alter bridge we will make a brand new start..

i headed down to the practice rooms again with a new group this week.

we ran through cover versions of "come to life" by alter bridge and "paint your target" by fightstar before running through some demo's i have been writing over the past few weeks.

we spent some time jamming new ideas and getting to know each other.

overall the time spent was productive, it was relaxed and most important it was enjoyable.

we are looking to work hard and really put effort into this band, with multiple practices a week and outside recording and writing etc.

we get together again tuesday with a potential guitarist to add to the line up.

things are looking good

life moves on...

so once again i find myself back at the start again.

unlike before where i have rushed straight into putting a band together almost immediately this time i am taking some time off.

i admit, i have had a jam or two with a couple of musicians, and have done an acoustic gig with dave, but i'm taking it easy.

mainly i am spending time getting to fall in love with music again, cos i had lost that love, and was playing to be part of a band, not cos i wanted to.

i am currently going back and finding space to listen to albums from my past to regenerate me. bands including switchfoot, crowded house (who's new album is a cracker) and feeder (again another cracking new album).

many ideas are popping into my head, and i'm writing them down as i go, and they are certainly going to be used when i begin putting paper soldiers back together, which is my next challenge.

stay tuned..

So what's new..

well since we decided to call a time out on the band i have occupied myself with writing and practicing.

i have a couple of small projects in the pipeline which should keep me occupied for the time being. as ever i shall keep everyone informed

Have a break, have a kit-kat...

so for the past few weeks we have been dealing with the loss of a guitarist. it turns out that we miss his input more than we thought we would, and despite trying out a replacement, things feel empty and the band feels loose...

morale last night was at a low, we are back where dave and i started a year or more ago. after a 3rd unproductive practice, we have decided to step back from this band for a couple of months.

with having to get a new guitarist up to speed, by the time we are there and have written new songs, del will be lording it up in thailand for a couple of months so we have decided for now, that the band is on a hiatus.

we do plan to come back when del has finished his trip to thailand and won the heart of a thai bride, but for now, other projects will take place.

check back here for updates on what myself and the band get up to