Illness: Tour & Recording Write-up

Hi blog-readers,

I have been desperate to tell you all about our touring and recording experience....

We went on tour and had a good time. We went with Shield Your Eyes and NOPE. Both bands are really good, I highly recommend that you check them out. It was really satisfying to watch them both play every night for about ten days. We also played with a couple of other really good bands, one in Glasgow called Eternal Fags and one in Leeds called Ultimate Thrush, both of whom are part of a Glasgow based DIY collective called Winning Sperm Party who put on shows and do free digital releases or genuinely cheap CD's - truly independent! So check all that stuff out. I spent a lot of time worrying about my thumb in which I believe I'm developing arthritis, and at one point we had to change the brake pads on the van like true lads, a task undertaken primarily by Stef from Shield Your Eyes, but with at least some input from everyone along the way, even Spencer who found the cap of the copper rubbing right at the last minute. Everyone we came across along the way was so genuine and generous, and it was a completely conflict free experience - YES to humanity!

We then went straight to Derry (NI) to do some recording and had a good time. We recorded twelve tracks with Andrew Ferris (Lord STA) and Chris Cassidy, who were the best recording team we possibly could have hoped for. It all went swimmingly well and is looking due for release as an album around February time. Ash Pocock made a special guest appearance and took us out for an all you can eat Chinese meal, which I came away from feeling kind of hyper and with a pounding heart.


Later in the week Spencer and I went to see Toy Story 3. I tried not to cry during the film but was ecstatic about the ticket price: £4.50! And on a Saturday night to boot! That's what the cinema should cost... in Brighton it's at least £7.50 a pop. Anyway... again, all parties involved went above and beyond the call of duty in accommodating us and in making sure that we made the best of the recording experience. We can't thank Andrew and Chris enough for their enthusiasm and generosity. They are both bastions of a moral disposition which finds its foundations in empathy, benevolence and supreme good will - YES to humanity!

Thanks for reading,

Andrew Ferris Co-Presents After Midnight on BBC Radio Ulster

Listen again to Andrew co-hosting After Midnight with Stephen MacCauley on BBC Radio Ulster discussing Derry's successful 2013 City Of Culture bid and future plans for Smalltown America.

ASIWYFA Launch New Northern Irish Music Intiative

Northern Ireland’s musical grass roots is due a boost with the establishment of a new programme called FFWD. Set up to provide a range of seminars and masterclasses for artists and music businesses, it launched last Thursday with a FFWD Mentoring Clinic at the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Belfast.

The first session saw music industry bods Andrew Ferris and Charlene Hegarty (Smalltown America Records), Fran Cotton (legal and business affairs specialist), Rocky O’Reilly (Start Together studios/Oppenheimer/Malibu Shark Attack!), Mark Gordon (Score Draw Music/Skibunny) and Linley Hamilton (leading NI session musician, composer, performer) all offering advice and guidance.

Ross Graham, FFWD Programme manager, says, “Northern Ireland continues to produce world class creative musical talent and is now developing a strong entrepreneurial base and a growing infrastructure for the sector. This programme is designed to help local artists to add business skills to their creative skills, enhance the expertise of music entrepreneurs and help promote the N.I. music sector to key music and media industry players.”

Music Managers Forum - Dublin Sat 28th November

"Record Companies & Agreements 2009" Saturday 28th November 2009 11.30am - 6.00pm

What does a record company do? What does a recording contract look like? What’s the future of the recorded music industry in the digital age?

In fact are record companies still really record companies at all?

Our 3rd training session is on Saturday 28th November and will answer these questions and many more. This session is not to be missed whether you’re a music manager, self-managed artist or industry watcher.

There will be expert discussion and advice from some of the industry’s most respected professionals. MMF’s training guru, STUART WORTHINGTON will be joined by a panel of four varied and experienced industry voices:

SAFTA JAFFERY AIM board member & MD of Taste Music and a veteran of the industry - from A&R at Decca and Magnet Records through producer management to artist development most notably with the worldwide success of MUSE.

ALAN COFFEY Head of Sales at UNIVERSAL IRELAND with over 18 years of experience in Ireland and the US at award winning record company Six Degrees Records, HMV New York, Warner Music Ireland and now Universal – the biggest record company in the world.

ANDREW FERRIS the tireless champion of Independent music in Northern Ireland – boss of SMALLTOWN AMERICA – an Indie label and management company synonymous with a truly modern approach to the industry and most notably a key player in the development of two of Northern Ireland’s hottest new acts, Fighting With Wire and …And So I Watch You From Afar.

RUPERT SPRAWSON a solicitor joining the panel for a second time to share a wealth of experience gathered over 10 years at UK ENTERTAINMENT LAW PRACTICE DAVENPORT LYONS. Rupert now runs his own outfit specialising in advice to a wide range of clients in the music, live, distribution, retail and games software sectors.

The record company has for decades been the driving force in the music industry and the cornerstone of most artists' career development – but the business reality for recorded music has changed more in the last ten years than anyone could have ever imagined. From the basic building blocks of this crucial part of the music industry - such as RECORD COMPANY STRUCTURES & DEPARTMENTS, INCOME STREAMS, RECORDING CONTRACTS, SETTING UP AND RUNNING A LABEL - to the burning questions facing the future of recorded music, the session is indispensable to artists, those wishing to release music independently, and of course those seeking record deals and collaborations with record companies big and small.

THIS EVENT IS A MUST FOR ANYONE WITH A SERIOUS INTEREST OR INVOLVEMENT IN THE IRISH MUSIC INDUSTRY!

TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE €32 FOR MEMBERS AND €70 FOR NON-MEMBERS – TICKETS ARE LIMITED SO REGISTER EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT... Venue: Offices of Irish Music Rights Organisation, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2

Public Service Blogcast Episode 50

The musical event of the Bank Holiday weekend is of course This Ain't No Picnic Derry - 10 acts including The Dangerfields, Panama Kings, LaFaro, Black Bear Saloon and - with offers of suitcases of Mean Fiddler money falling on deaf ears - now headlined by what I'm going to call Fighting With Ferris as Andrew Ferris takes to the stage with Fighting With Wire for a full live set of Jetplane Landing classics and over-ambitious covers for just £8 at St Columb's Hall. Andrew and Fighting With Wire's Cahir O'Doherty took time out from the TANP'D propaganda whirlwind of interviews and PR to showcase some of the bands playing on Saturday and also rocking the STA office with 2 exclusive acoustic Backlash Cop favourites.

Public Service Blogcast Episode 50
26 minutes 9 seconds
Recorded 27/08/09
Tracklisting
00.26 Spectator - On Deaf Ears
04.31 LaFaro - Tuppeny Nudger (from self-titled EP - Field Records)
09.25 Black Bear Saloon - First Against The Wall (from forthcoming debut album)
14.54 Stereo War Favourites - Sleeping Rooms
20.58 Andrew Ferris/Cahir O'Doherty - Sam Cooke (live acoustic version)
23.17 Andrew Ferris/Cahir O'Doherty - Song For Sonia Sanchez (live acoustic version)

If you have any suggestions for future takeovers or want to submit your demo for our forthcoming podcast series, get in touch - email blogcast@smalltownamerica.co.uk

SMALLTOWN AMERICA ALL DAYER 'THIS AINT NO PICNIC' - SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST 2009

Future Of The Left have had to cancel their Irish tour because of a late selection for Reading/Leeds Festival. We heard about this yesterday - and our apologies to those who have purchased tickets in advance. No problem with refunds at the point of purchase or at the door on production of your WGT confirmation number. As I'M IN CHARGE of the label I've promoted our set to the HEADLINERS... 10 acts £8... looking forward to seeing you all at St. Columb's its going to be an awesome night. Thanks to all the bands for helping to make this happen!

SMALLTOWN AMERICA ALL DAYER 'THIS AINT NO PICNIC'

DATE: SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST 2009

VENUE: ST COLUMBS HALL DERRY

ADDRESS: ORCHARD STREET BT48 6EG

LINEUP: ANDREW FERRIS (JETPLANE LANDING) / LAFARO / THE PANAMA KINGS / BLACK BEAR SALOON / THE DANGERFIELDS / SPECTATOR / STEREO WAR FAVOURITES / A.E.R / EVE's IPOD DISCO

DOORS: 3PM

MATINEE SHOW: 3:00 – 7:00 (+14)

EVENING SHOW: 7:00 – 01:30 (18+)

IPOD DJ SET - EVE – 3:15 – 3:55
Local sensation Eve kicks off the matinee party with her interactive, thumping indie, electro, hardcore and pop -

A.E.R 4:00 – 4:30
Gorgeous melodies and front-man star-in-the-making, A.E.R. have consistently impressed throughout 2009 - this is their biggest local show so far and deservedly so.

STEREO WAR FAVOURITES 4:45 – 5:15
See below

THE DANGERFIELDS 5:30 – 6:00
The Dangerfields play two types of music: rock AND roll. DIY heroes and touring junkies The Dangerfields' brand of no-bullshit, Ramones-pop is as infectious as it is legendary. This is their first live performance after extended hiatus.

LAFARO 6:15 – 7:00

DOORS CLOSE 7:00

DOORS RE-OPEN 7:15 (18+)

STEREO WAR FAVOURITES 7:45 – 8:15
Co. Derry contenders, SWF have impressed NI's taste-makers with their brand of ATD-I tinged emo-pop. Youthful swagger and scissor-kicking stage antics kick off our evening showcase.

SPECTATOR 8:30– 9:00
Fugazi-inspired, progressive math-rock trio - and possessors of the most insanely complex drummer in NI; Spectator are a Derry three-piece that have just completed work on their debut album.

BLACK BEAR SALOON – 9:15 – 9:45
Leading the NI Hardcore revivial ex-members of Throat and Element combine to produce accessible Bronx-esque muscle-core. Straight up, 4/4 and no fucking about with riffs to burn. Bring it!

PANAMA KINGS 10:00 – 10:30
Fresh from the UK festival circuit and darlings of the mainstream radiowaves, The Panama Kings are Les Savy Fav if they decided to be pop stars for a year. Taut, wriggly, slinky and sexy - with riffs as tight as their jeans.

LAFARO 10:45 – 11:30
Officially, the most exciting band in Ireland right now. Jesus Lizard, Pixies-infused Garage-Core. LaFaro have just completed their debut album - set for release on STA in 2010, we've heard it and it slays - come and see them live.

ANDREW FERRIS (FULL BAND SET) 12:00 – 01:00
Andrew is joined onstage by his good friends Fighting With Wire for a set covering eight years of Jetplane Landing tunes and favorite cover versions - worth the ticket price alone to watch Cahir attempt the guitar solo from 'Know Your Enemy' and fuck it up - again...

Future Of The Left to Headline This Ain't No Picnic - Derry Version

The last time I saw FOTL was in a Mexican restaurant in Texas - even more oblique will seeing them play at St. Columb's Hall in Orchard Street in Derry at the end of the month (August 29th to be precise) - regional press release here. St. Columb's Hall is where little kids go to perform Irish Dances and sing Gregorian Chants in a competion called The Feis every Easter in Derry. The irony of FOTL ripping seven shades of shit out of such a pastoral setting is not lost on me.

Kudos to Brian and Charlene for pulling this lineup together - it's so good that I told them that I wanted to play as well. I can do things like that because I'M IN CHARGE. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Spectator, Black Bear Saloon and LaFaro - who are leading the current NIHXC revival. This really is a cheap ticket and it would be great if you could all buy in advance from WeGotTickets - Kelson's rider alone is costing a bomb.

If you don't have 'Curses' or 'Travels With Myself And Another' yet - then you're missing something integral in your musical life. Records so strong in fact that Brian Magill bought real ACTUAL COPIES WITH PAPER INSERTS AND EVERYTHING. If MCPS got hold of this man's computer they'd take him to the cleaners. Perhaps he's fearful of the wrath of Falco and rightly so, so irate was he over the leakage of the new record - "'Buy' such a dirty word...perhaps I should come to an arrangement with my landlord, through the musician-rent-waiver programme" - the man is a legend.

Full lineup is: LaFaro (Main Support), Panama Kings, Black Bear Saloon, Andrew Ferris, Dangerfields, Stereo War Favourites, Spectator, AER and The Beat Poets.

Our show kicks of at 3pm on Saturday August 29th at St Columb's Hall in Derry and admission is a bargain £8.

Tickets are available in advance from We Got Tickets - Right Now!

Smalltown Feature on 'An Sceal Nua' - Beware Foreign Language Alert!

Rare glimpse of STA Towers - thanks to Chrissie McGlinchey and the team for coming to talk to us

Truck 2009

Last weekend was an STA-heavy one for the lucky 5,000 Truckers on lovely Hill Farm in Steventon on the outskirts of Oxford. Much doffing of caps go to Darren, Tim and the rest of the team at Rock Sound for curating the immense barn of rock on the Sunday which saw shred from Calories and also - one of only a couple of bands who aren't called Sky Larkin or who included members of Supergrass in the line-up that still had folks queuing up outside to get in the oversubscribed barn - ASIWYFA, both of whom played new material that went down predictably well, alongside powerhouse sets from Pulled Apart By Horses (at last new songs! one of 'em sounds like Nirvana!) and The Joy Formidable.

Swerving off roster for a moment, anyone who hasn't seen Glasweigan post-electro glitchgroovers Errors on Mogwai's Rock Action imprint are strongly advised to check them out; incredible!

And let's not forget a too-brief Backlash Cop heavy laprock set from Andrew Ferris. Check out the video if it's on YouTube yet to see why a few hundred people left the Village Pub stage wondering if they'd really just witnessed what they thought they had.

A bit late I know but here's the pre-Truck feature that ran in the August issue of Rock Sound.

Ferris @ Love Music, Hate Racism festival - 5th July, 2009

Love Music, Hate Racism, in conjunction with SEEDS anti-racism network, have organised a two day music festival at the One World Centre in Derry to promote opposition to racism, following the attacks on Roma families in Belfast. I'll be playing among many others (including Johnny Black from LaFaro) - Johnny is lethal, and not to be missed. I better start practising.

David McAuley, from LMHR, said “We wanted to get this festival together at short notice to send a message that people are opposed to the sort of racist attacks we saw against the Roma people in Belfast in recent weeks. There is an undercurrent of racism in this town as well, and attacks on people and their homes are on the increase, as they are across Northern Ireland."

“We have been taken aback at the enthusiasm of all the musicians we contacted who agreed to play at short notice and there is a fantastic line-up for both the electric sessions on Saturday and the acoustic sessions on Sunday.”

Admission to the festival is free, and it is an alcohol free event. The Love Music Hate Racism Festival is also supported by Derry City Council and Homely Planet.

Saturday 4th July 1-5pm
Our Krypton Son
Future Chaser
Chipzel
Inexistence
Connor Kelly
The Free Radicals
Under Stars and Gutters
Sullem Voe
DJ Stephen McCauley & Dee Dee McAuley
DJ Singh Bangla and DJ Elly

Sunday 5th July 1-5pm
Andrew Ferris
Jonny Black (LaFaro)
Skruff
Junior Johnson
Tim Pot Operation
Jonny Nixon
Paddy Nash
Christopher Norby
plus poets and spoken word

Get Free Beer When Your Friends Buy Truck Tickets

As if the promise of Andrew Ferris' acoustic set was tempting enough, the Truck organisers have announced a beery promotion...

"We're guessing you love Truck, as you've bought a ticket, so you'd probably like your friends to come with you - why not keep your bar bill as low as possible by recommending us to your friends and earning yourself FREE BEER?

Here's how it works - for every person you recommend we'll buy you and your friend a cold pint of Truck lager at the festival. Just forward the link (http://www.wegottickets.com/af/60/truck) to all your friends and, provided they buy a ticket and enter your name, we'll buy both of you a pint. There is a maximum of 10 pints per person, for health reasons! So, ten friends buying tickets = ten pints for you, and a pint for each of your friends.

When your friend is buying their ticket they'll be asked 'How did you hear about this year's Truck festival?' - simply instruct them to select 'A friend told me about it' when answering and to enter your name in the box below that option. Bingo - free pint for you both!

As an added bonus, if you get 5 friends to come, we'll throw in a free Truck T-shirt, and if you can persuade 10 to come, we'll let you in to next year's TRUCK for free!

* All beer is provided by Cotswold Brewery Co. and is brewed just a few miles from the TRUCK site.

* Beer can lead to having fun so please drink responsibly.

See you there,
The TRUCKERS"

Calories, ASIWYFA & Ferris @ Truck 12 - Steventon 25th and 26th July

Lineup just announced (are we looking forward to Yacht in the Barn on Sunday? - oh yes!):

TRUCK STAGE: SATURDAY
ASH
Damo Suzuki
Red Light Company
Vieux Farka Touré
Wintersleep
Fanfarlo
Hjaltalin
Detroit Social Club
Panama Kings

TRUCK STAGE SUNDAY: 'OXFORD DAY'
SUPERGRASS
The Candyskins
Dive Dive
The Long Insiders
The Epstein
Jali Fily Cissokho
Alphabet Backwards
The Relationships

BARN SATURDAY: Y!M!D! PRESENTS
Wild Beasts
A Place To Bury Strangers
Grammatics
We Were Promised Jet Packs
Data Select Party
White Belt Yellow Tag
Dear Reader
Colour

BARN SUNDAY: ROCK SOUND PRESENTS
Yacht
The Ghost Of A Thousand
Pulled Apart By Horses
The Joy Formidable
Skylarkin
The Xcerts
And So I Watch You From Afar
Calories
Telegraphs

NONCLASSICAL PRESENTS:

Gabriel Prokofiev (DJ)
The Elysian Quartet
John Matthias & Nick Ryan
Joby Burgess
John Kameel Farah

BARN SATURDAY NIGHT: FRESH OUT THE BOX PRESENTS the Cowshed Rave

DJ FOOD & DK (Ninja Tune) 4 Deck DJ/AV set
Lee Mortimer & Foamo (Wearhouse/Dubsided) Back to Back DJ set
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
Total Science (C.I.A) 15 Years Of Drum n Bass DJ Set


MARKET STAGE: SATURDAY
Sad Day For Puppets
Broken Records
Little Sister
Luke Smith
Co Pilgrim
Cat Martino
House Of Brothers
Holton's Opulent Oog
Rachael Dadd
Linda Rose Moody
KTB
Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou

MARKET STAGE: SUNDAY - BOB HARRIS PRESENTS…
Gary Louris & Mark Olson (The Jayhawks)
Pete Molinari
Mike Heron & Georgia Seddon
Neil Halstead
Angie Palmer
Danny the champ
Eliza Gilkyson & Band
Oxygen Ponies

THE BEATHIVE:
Errors
The XX
Mr Shaodow
Two Door Cinema Club
Thomas Truax
Heloise & the Savoir Faire
Nervous Testpilot
Chew Lips
Detachments
We Are Enfant Terrible
Sportsday Megaphone

BBC INTRODUCING with BETHAN ELFYN:
Euros Childs
Truckers of Husk
Fredrick Stanley Starr
+more TBC

VILLAGE PUB:
The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band
Treetop Flyers
This Town Needs Guns
Andrew Ferris
Jason Sebastian Russo
Ute

Tickets are priced £70, available from local shops, Rough Trade East,
www.wegottickets.com / www.gigantic.com / www.seetickets.com

Truck twitter
Truck website