Really, who has the time or patience to bother with long songs? Life should mirror The Ramones' It's Alive album - no song longer than 2' 40".
Taking this approach down a slightly more extreme avenue will be Attention Deficit Disorder, a new one off project in which I will play 30 numbers in 15 minutes (that's 30 seconds per tune for those of you struggle with maths).
It'll be at SCALEDOWN, The King & Queen, 1 Foley St. London W1 on Fri 25th Nov. Admission is free, the evening kicks off at about half 7, and other acts include the mighty Don Tempi, Foulkestone and a bunch of other oddball acts.
Dan Whaley
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Folk By The Fireside - 3rd Weds of each month at The Woolpack, Burgess Hill
Next Folk By The Fireside session at the Woolpack, Burgess Hill will be on Weds 18th Jan, tune up and chinwag from 8.30, music from 9. All singers, musicans and those who want to come along and listen will be most welcome:
Monday, 31 October 2011
Movember a go go
Tomorrow is the first day of Movember, the month formerly known as November, now dedicated to growing moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health; specifically prostate and testicular cancer. This is a subject close to my heart, or close to my scrote to be more precise, as I had testicular cancer back in 1994. Happily it was found in good time and I was able to successfully confront it and whup it.
But hang on a doggone moment - you already have a 'tache!
Indeed I do, but I will shortly be digging out my rusty ol' razor and whipping off my 'tache and beard - first time my chin and top lip have been bare since 2008. My chops will remain though - they've been there since 1987 and I'm not about to whip them off, no matter how good the cause.
If you'd like to donate (or even join in) please click on http://mobro.co/eviljack where you can find full details of the 'Tache Team I have joined - Mr Mark Braby's Fancy Ticklers.
If you're wary of donating via electrickery you can write a cheque payable to “Movember”, reference my name and Registration Number 1861136 and send it to: Movember Europe, PO Box 68600, London, EC1P 1EF
Funds raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others. Through the Movember Foundation and our men’s health partners, The Prostate Cancer Charity and The Institute of Cancer Research, Movember is funding world class awareness, research, educational and support programs which would otherwise not be possible.
Thank you in advance for helping me change the face of men's health.
Dan Whaley
Freshly shorn of 'tache and beard, 31st Oct, 2011...
But hang on a doggone moment - you already have a 'tache!
Indeed I do, but I will shortly be digging out my rusty ol' razor and whipping off my 'tache and beard - first time my chin and top lip have been bare since 2008. My chops will remain though - they've been there since 1987 and I'm not about to whip them off, no matter how good the cause.
If you'd like to donate (or even join in) please click on http://mobro.co/eviljack where you can find full details of the 'Tache Team I have joined - Mr Mark Braby's Fancy Ticklers.
If you're wary of donating via electrickery you can write a cheque payable to “Movember”, reference my name and Registration Number 1861136 and send it to: Movember Europe, PO Box 68600, London, EC1P 1EF
Funds raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others. Through the Movember Foundation and our men’s health partners, The Prostate Cancer Charity and The Institute of Cancer Research, Movember is funding world class awareness, research, educational and support programs which would otherwise not be possible.
Thank you in advance for helping me change the face of men's health.
Dan Whaley
Freshly shorn of 'tache and beard, 31st Oct, 2011...
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Charles Napier R.I.P.
So the sad news came through this morning that Charles Napier has died. I liked him enough to name a band and a couple of songs after him. About 10 years ago he heard about the Napiers, got in contact and told me how chuffed he was to have a band named in his honour. A fine fellow.
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Other Bands
The Shockwaves (1984-88)
Mark Ashdown - Vocals, Guitar
Dave "Stick" Carroll - Guitar 84-86
Clive Pearman - Guitar 86-88
Dan Whaley - Bass
Jon Delafons - Drums
Dave "Stick" Carroll - Guitar 84-86
Clive Pearman - Guitar 86-88
Dan Whaley - Bass
Jon Delafons - Drums
A bunch of teenagers with little or no interest in the music of their generation, instead brought up on a diet of punk rock, psychobilly, garage and noise. Highlights of their "career" include playing gigs at the mighty Hammersmith Clarendon & Sir George Robey in Finsbury Park, and recording 8 tracks with late, legendary producer Dave Goodman for a split LP on Mike Spenser's Hit Records that alas never saw the light of day. Shame really, as 20 years down the line the 8 tracks recorded still sound great (in my humble opinion)
After we ground to a halt in 1988, Jon went on to join The Shamen and has been drumming in The Alabama 3 since 1995. Clive and I have been playing on and off together ever since in The Napiers, The McDeath Trio, etc.
The Orange World (1986-87)
Matt Branton - Vocals
John Lambie - Guitar
Dan Whaley - Bass
Phil Jones - Drums
John Lambie - Guitar
Dan Whaley - Bass
Phil Jones - Drums
Probably the least said about this combo the better. Matt went on to be a celebrated novelist with a bunch of books out on Bloomsbury. Phil moved to NZ. John is now a University Lecturer in Cambridge.
The Insects (1989-91)
| Gaius de Smidt - Vocals, Keyboards Dan Whaley - Guitar, Vocals John Skittles - Bass Paul Rollins - Drums The first band following my switch from bass to guitar, and the beginning of a 16 year partnership with John Skittles which carried on right up to the demise of the Napiers in 2005. The Insects' music was a folk/punk hybrid, occasionally veering dangerously too far to the folk side of the fence for my tastes at that time. Oh the irony that I now run a folk club... The Million Lira Quartet (1998-99)
|
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Laszlo Klemke - renowned late Czechoslovakian composer (of Hungarian descent)
For many years it was assumed that the entire repertoire of late lamented Czechoslovakian film composer Laszlo Klemke had been lost (his grandmother was Hungarian if you're wondering about his first name...)
However, now, many years after his death, some of his magnificent film soundtracks are finally starting to see the light. Selected highlights from his scores to zany spy capers "The Spyral Suitcase" and "The Danube Affair" have been released on Pumf Records' Godspunk Volumes 9 & 10.
And as if that wasn't exciting enough, Klemke's theme tune to arty French film "Le Treizieme" has just been redicovered.
All 3 can be heard here:
The Spyral Suitcase
The Danube Affair
Le Treizieme
However, now, many years after his death, some of his magnificent film soundtracks are finally starting to see the light. Selected highlights from his scores to zany spy capers "The Spyral Suitcase" and "The Danube Affair" have been released on Pumf Records' Godspunk Volumes 9 & 10.
And as if that wasn't exciting enough, Klemke's theme tune to arty French film "Le Treizieme" has just been redicovered.
All 3 can be heard here:
The Spyral Suitcase
The Danube Affair
Le Treizieme
Saturday, 23 July 2011
The McDeath Trio
Sinister, Stripped Down Instrumental Combo
The McDeath Trio started life in July 2005, shortly after the end of The Napiers, and was initially a studio-only project consisting of me on guitar, bass and drums. However, I then booked myself a gig, and realising I wouldn't be able to play all 3 instruments live at the same time, I elected to play git and enlisted old pals Clive and Danny on bass and drums.
Not exactly the hardest working band in showbusiness, we play every now and then, if someone asks us nicely.
On a couple of occasions it has been our absolute pleasure to back up the mightily talented Stephanie O'Brien (out of The Puppini Sisters)
The McDeath Trio started life in July 2005, shortly after the end of The Napiers, and was initially a studio-only project consisting of me on guitar, bass and drums. However, I then booked myself a gig, and realising I wouldn't be able to play all 3 instruments live at the same time, I elected to play git and enlisted old pals Clive and Danny on bass and drums.
Not exactly the hardest working band in showbusiness, we play every now and then, if someone asks us nicely.
On a couple of occasions it has been our absolute pleasure to back up the mightily talented Stephanie O'Brien (out of The Puppini Sisters)
What'd They Say
"a guitar, a bass and half a drumkit...what more do you need?" - Me "The McDeath Trio were great, they confirm my formerly stated theory that 'the smaller the drum kit, the better the band'...and they're the sort of band I'd like playing at my wedding. " - Skitster, commenting on our first gig at Scaledown on 25th Nov 2005 "Please could you play 'Too Drunk To Fuck' at my wedding?" - Skitster, a couple of days before we did indeed play at his wedding "...the embers of 'Mondo Wray' band The Charles Napiers reborn as a hyper stripped down instrumental bar band ... just bass, guitar, snare and cymbal. The punky, crunchy knowingness of the Napiers has been replaced by a nervy reverb-twang cool. And I, like most others of those present, loved it. Of course it seemed a fitting tribute to Link Wray too." - Richard Sanderson, commenting on our first gig at Scaledown on "Could you play 'Rawhide' for Frankie Valli?" - Polite elderly gent at Oval Tavern gig. I think he meant Frankie Laine "This is certainly a band that believes in placing its own stamp firmly on whatever tune they play…. All are delivered at pretty high volume, but in beautifully laid-back way (the words "sinister" and "stripped down" do indeed spring to mind) that makes the McDeath Trio a pleasure to observe." - Hang Nine "That's a great guitar sound, that." "Yeah, what sort of guitar sound is it then?" "Err, well, it's, err, a guitar sound" - Two punters overhead chatting at the bar at Sunday Swingin' "They asked me if I wanted to play with them on their version of Harlem Nocturne tonight, but as I'm doing it in my set I told them to piss off" - Terry Edwards, shortly before playing a blistering Harlem Nocturne at the Orchestra Pit 26th Sept, 2008 "Red Right Hand makes a damned good surf guitar tune" - The Afterwardsness, having just watched us play a damned good sinister stripped down instrumental, not surf, version of RRH "The other half of the drumkit?" - Nifty Eagu, in response to the tagline of "a guitar, a bass and half a drumkit...what more do you need?" "Rock Veterans" - Time Out, in the preview of the 14th July, 2010 What's Cookin' gig with Steph. Veterans I can just about understand, but "Rock"? I don't think so. |
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