I spy, with my Beady Eye (do read, music to imagery!)

February 2011, Beady Eye are due to release their debut record on the 28^th.

According to the members of Beady Eye, the ‘new’ band formed the night Oasis split up, the story being very simple “Oasis ended, we had a beer and a think, and started a new band”

And apparently a French website leaked the Beady Eye album, I have already purchased it about 3 months in advance, and I decided to have a listen.

On first impressions it seems underwhelming, nothing too special, I need to connect with songs to enjoy them, I won’t listen to something that won’t move me etc. Then listening to the songs individually, or at the ‘right time’ you really feel something. And I mean something.

“The Beat Goes On” and “The Morning Son” both heartbreaking in a word.

The opening lyrics from “The Beat Goes On” really hit me, especially with Gallagher’s vocals...

“Thought that I died today

Walked off the stage

Faded away into the clouds

To the gig in the sky

And when I arrived

The angels were singing a song

Yeah, you know the one

Are you singing along?”

It really hit home, it makes you beckon also, and emotionally break out into the last line “are you singing along?”

On the album, “The Morning Son” follows “The Beat Goes On” and continues with the “we’ve got your emotions, now hear this!”

“you’ll never know

Unless you try

I stand alone

Nobody knows

The morning son has rose”

In between the lyrics there is a chord change (music changes..) and the guitar, somehow, offers a wave of hope and optimism, and the lyrics, a sense of loss, vast space, and again hope and optimism, telling you to ‘rise’ and for some reason I pictured myself at the Albert Dock staring into the River Mersey. It’s strange how lyrics, imagery and emotion can work together...

Other imagery hit me today in work, during the song “Kill For A Dream” which I had heard a number of times due to the 30 second preview that was released, these lyrics hit me most:

“I’m here if you wanna call

staring at the spot on the wall

it’s a beautiful world when you know who you are

moving too fast in the back of a car

and you say to the driver just drive

cause you never felt so alive”

Suddenly a rush of memory reminding me of the time I was dressed as a banana in London, in the back of a taxi, it was like something out of a film, the outside world didn’t matter, there’s wars waging, money issues, but all is at peace in the back of this taxi, life has it’s moments of sheer beauty, if only you could ‘record’ memories or show someone else what you saw with your own two eyes, through the looking glass.

I heard the song in my dream also, I was ‘lost’ and I was trying on sunglasses and shouting at some female figure who was telling me to “please, would you hurry up?” as I try on a number of different pairs of sunglasses.

Which links to a quote I always remember about Oasis, Noel once saying Liam is always in sunglasses, which says a lot as “if the eyes are a window to the soul, and he’s always wearing sunglasses, then he’s blocking out his soul isn’t he?”

Is my subconscious trying to say “I am the morning son” or “my soul is dark” or am I just going mad. (personally I think I’m going mad..)

I’m half expecting to cry at the Beady Eye gig, especially when those three songs are played, but it’s better to feel something, than nothing at all, right?

the 'pool of life

Had one of those 'life defining' moments on Friday night I think, when you are seemingly overwhelmed by everything around you (or maybe intoxication after a few drinks or the fact I had been awake for 42 hours straight...)


This occurred while I was walking up the steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral (the pointy silver one) and the sheer view of it towering over me, it's light creating a sort of mystic shadow, then all of a sudden, the lights dim, then go off, alone, in the dark, vastness surrounding me, feeling so sure and unsure,  I was making my way home from the city centre while listening to my headphones, Oasis' "Champagne Supernova" being a favourite, the defining lyrics of "how many special people change...", followed by "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd.


I hit random and the song and it's opening lyrics lyrics that forever play upon my mind opens up, 


"Is it cruel or kind, not to speak my mind, and to lie to you, rather than hurt you?"


Not admitting something, which would change the world for maybe the better? 


but in doing so you could possibly make things 10x worse and cause upset rather than joy?


I brought this up with my friend who had returned from the south for the weekend, he told me to take control, be shot down rather than never taking flight, well easier said than done, fellow.


my final words on the subject were simple and to the point, and would make some great lyrics...


"I wouldn't ever close the book on it, maybe this is just the end of a chapter, the book may not be finished"

rock n' roll & soul

"Do you blame rock n' roll?" 


was the question that we heard from our friend, whom was writing the story on our band. We'd just played The Picket, and we had agreed to do a little feature for the school paper. 


I think it was just after April Fool's Day. 


Me and my closest pal (at the time..) coming off the back of something we worked so hard for to be taken away in a swift move.


We we're in the garden of a pub, The Bear & Staff, not a bad place, quite up scale for us rocknrolla's, full of retired couples living off their pension, being snotty at our look.


We were in sunglasses, downing pint after pint, smoking endless cigarettes and flicking our lighters at the menu's, setting them a light. In a word, being tossers.


We 'evaluated' our time in the band, we'd taken stuff we shouldn't have, we drank our livers to a shrivel, stayed out late, sometimes never came home (we once snook into the Hilton hotel and slept in the games room...) and we were, well, out of control, but we loved every minute of it.


Looking back, we were rude, irritating, loud mouthed, dis-respectful, vandals, liars, cheats, thieves, you name it, we were probably it. All trying to be what we idolise, soundtracked by "Cigarettes & Alcohol", "Rock N Roll Star", "Up The Bracket", "My Generation", "The Drugs Don't Work" and "Comfortably Numb". 


This whole post being inspired by a Liam Gallagher lyric, "you're blinded by what you idolise..."


We certainly were. I decided after a female friend, who was once dear to me, accused me of being on drugs around my godson, I can't remember but I may have cried at the thought.


I'd rather die than do that.


And because of that accusation, I haven't spoken to her since, and she still doesn't believe me, so why bother if someone doesn't believe your words? 


It still dawned upon me..


Is that how I was seen?


There and then, I cut certain 'undesirables' out of my life, avoided them, knowing what it would lead to, the lager became soft drinks, the smoking stopped, I put my temptations into work and music.


This is nine months ago, and still, this 'reputation' of being an alcoholic/drug taking rocker, is still bestowed upon me. 


My teachers assume I am out every night, 'poisoning' those around me, some friends passing me in town, asking if I have any 'gear' and my family think I have a 'problem'. And that hurts. 


So, to answer that question, yes, I do blame rock n' roll. It's cast a shadow to big to get from under.  


But maybe I'm not trying hard enough, and I'm just a "Liam Gallagher" copy. 


I always end with a quote, so again I shall, one from Noel Gallagher, and my favourite song since I was six years old...


"Please don't put your life in the hands, of a rock n' roll band...who'll throw it all away..."

I Would Like To Leave This City

"I would like to leave this city 

This old town don't smell too pretty and 

I can feel the warning signs running around my mind 

And when I leave this island I'll book myself into a soul asylum 

And I can feel the warning signs running around my mind"

- Noel Gallagher (Oasis' Half The World Away)

I was out last night, 'Half The World Away' popped on the speakers, ironic?

Maybe leaving 'home' for a new place, the talk of last night, "will 'home' still be 'home' when I return?" judging from people I know, upon their return to 'home', they don't seem phased by coming home. Odd. In my drunken haze of last night, I spotted the cathedral, it was lit up in it's dazzling beauty, why was there a lump in my throat?

More talk led onto the fact, the people who I've been around the past three years, through the highs, the lows, the to's and frow's, we know each other's in's and out's, and despite promises and their word, I doubt to see them again. 

Also, think of someone in your head, who say, means a lot, a friend, the world's a small place when it wants to be, would you remember if you had sat next to them on the bus? never glanced at them twice and now they mean the world, it's odd, a stranger can become pretty much anything, a friend or a foe, (or could hold the keys to the shrine, in another Oasis reference)

But moving has it's up's. A new life of sorts, new interests and joys to be found, new strangers, to fill that gap. I guess it depends on how lucky you are.

If I move, I'm putting my prized possessions in a box, bit stupid relying on materialistic items but, everyone's different, one man's trash is another man's treasure...

Again in my drunken haze, one of my favourite films, "Lost In Translation" was playing on the screens in Bumper, yet again, ironic. It's magic, in a word. Despite Sofia Coppola ruining The Godfather Part III with wooden acting, she makes up for it here, and Bill Murray is perfect, he's playing himself I think...and also he's an all time hero of mine, when I was about 7 thinking I was a Ghostbuster, we've all been there. It was my favourite childhood film, so give me a break.

Happier thoughts and times later that night, my choice of jukebox though was as always 'There She Goes' by The La's, followed by the barrage of "you look just like him, la!" and "grow your hair like him!" in reference to Lee Mavers. 

Do I like the comparison? yes and no. 

The musical genius side, yes. The similarities to the (rumoured..)smackhead side, no.

I get enough hassle from my teachers claiming I am a drunk, and I am "out on the lash" at least 4 times a week. But if that's how people see me, so be it. All it takes is one person to spread everything and nothing. 

Also, with leaving and returning home, it makes me wonder if I was to knock on someone's door in what we call the future, would they welcome with open arms or slam the door in your face or question your name and what you want?

I'll have to try, if they question who I am, I'll claim to be a salesman.

I think in every blog I've done, and if another, I've somehow, in some way, quoted The La's, today is no different...

"Lazarus. La-zarus. La's. He directed light. The light comes from the water. It keeps you alive, la. And the 'pool is where we have to be the Liver-Pool, the Mississippi, the Mersey-sippi"

Lee Mavers

Please Don’t Put Your Life, In The Hands, Of A Rock ‘N’ Roll Band

It was mid December, I had just quit my band “The Babblin’ Mondays” and had embarked on a new band in a similar set up to The La’s (acoustic-four piece) which I then formed and named “The Carnations” (the ‘album’ is on youtube!)

My band didn’t pick up, I auditioned and played with more musicians than Lee Mavers. Some good, some bad, some ugly (jokes).

I gave up playing music, and looked to make some money on my guitars. Pretty much the day before I was on my way to cash converters with my bass guitar, I was in college, had a quick glance at my phone and an unknown number had rang several times.

For whatever reason, I panicked. Don’t ask why, I just ‘did’. It rang again in the college lunch hour, so like a flash I answer it.

“Parrrrrkkkksssyyyy?!! Is that you la??!”

Some people have an instantly recognizable voice, this was one of them.

(For purpose of not disclosing details via the internet I will refer to my friend as ‘Pete’)

‘Pete’ was the maddest person I knew, he was like my brother, (though we hardly ever spoke outside of the Maths class!) he did everything usual teenagers do, but he’d done it three or four years earlier, he was also the only musician I really knew, he had a band and I was too late in joining, I didn’t care what music it was, I just knew he could play the guitar into to “There She Goes” so I thought he was fucking great.

So he goes on that the bass player has left and they need someone and am I up for it. I say yes, and head for an audition.

The next day we meet outside a pub (how British!) before venturing to the rehearsal rooms, the band was great, like pro musicians, like trained, taught, not in the same way me and ‘Pete’ were, we were the ‘poor man’s version’ of everything we played. Or as 'Pete' said "the scouse version"

We raised our game and the band was solid. We had our first gig, my first on a stage, within a month, and  there was a lot of talk about us for a number of reasons, for our talent, a possible record label interest (any band with a female singer cause of Paramore) and me and ‘Pete’s’ antics off stage, showing up to practice drunk infront of a number of people.

We had our 2^nd gig at the prestigious Liverpool venue ‘The Picket’ where I was taken aback by the people who had graced the stage before us, more so, The La’s, the venue had tributes to the band dotted around the place.

Before the gig, we had called it off and me and ‘Pete’ had been replaced by two other people for the gig, so we were having none of it, and we got together the day before the gig and wrote a song in about 10 minutes, and it was amazing.

Backstage all was great, it was no Las Vegas and nothing bad was going on. We played the gig, I was a shambles onstage and messed up a few times, and to this day I don’t know why I did. Our own song was the highlight. Me and Pete headed off to celebrate but the other band members we had our quarrel's with the night before simply left with just a half arsed wave. I thought nothing of it.

Shortly after I heard nothing from any of the band members, me thinking we were taking a time out, let things cool off, writing new songs. That weekend I bump into ‘Pete’ on a night out, he seems a little bit off edge, I ask about the band “ahhh split up la, they’ve called it and he won’t do it without him, so we’ve lost our rehearsal space and best members”

Like 99% of bands we split up in an explosion of drink, drugs, women and ego’s. I’m not here to bitch and moan (I did my fair share of seeing the band fall apart) about what could have happened with the band, but it was a great time and I’m playing acoustically soon with two of the former members, who I haven’t seen since the band imploded.

And with the thought of university on my head, like a tonne of bricks, I wonder what setting up a band would be like in a different city. Different scene, different thoughts, they’ve probably never ever heard of The La’s. 

Great British Music

So, like many people, I have a Youtube account. Which, I use to upload my own songs and of course view all sorts of videos such as stand up comedy to live performances to interviews.


I was asked by a Greek fellow through Youtube, to make a compilation of 'the best of British music' and to choose around 10-12 tracks. Simple. The list ran as so:


1. Town Called Malice (The Jam)
2. My Generation (The Who)
3. Jumpin' Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones)
4. Live Forever (Oasis)
5. There She Goes (The La's)
6. I Am The Resurrection (The Stone Roses)
7. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths)
8. London Calling (The Clash)
9. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
10. Days (The Kinks)
11. Walkaway (Cast)
12. Common People (Pulp)


personally, this is my opinion, that these songs pretty much sum up the Great British music. Funny how the "youngest" song on the list is from 1994 and some tracks coming from 1964. 


Of course, there's no Beatles tracks and one track I decided to leave off was Time For Heroes by The Libertines, it's bound to be a future classic.


Unfortunately, music today seems to be falling as money is now the biggest issue over talent. Though, some bands out there are still making quality music, though not in the limelight, and have chosen not to "sell out" and make more mainstream music, such as scousers, The Coral. Their biggest hits being "In The Morning" pretty much the song of 2005, and "Dreaming Of You" for its appearance in Scrubs. 


Perhaps, a new wave of bands will come through and change music once again, and I hope I'm there to see it! But for now, I'll go back to The La's and Oasis' B-Sides....

L-i-v-e-r-p-double-o-l

My home city of Liverpool, to me, of course, is the best place on the earth. 


Sometimes it baffles me that some people come from far and wide to Liverpool, for many a reasons. But mostly seem to be because of Football and music. 


Which reminds me of a quote from an interview with The La's (the interviewer being from Belgium or some other exotic European country):


"Is it true that coming from Liverpool, you either become a footballer or a musician?"


"yeah....or a criminal. So kick the ball in the net and hit the right notes...or don't get caught!"


So, the point of this post, is while walking in the city centre, an Italian man and woman (obvious tourists from the oversized camera's and sticking-out-of-the-crowd look about them), well these tourists approached and said something along the lines of "Gavin Grub" 


So, mid street, totally baffled, these two are looking to me as if I am a tour guide with all the answers. They point to my head...this startled me a little to be honest, and then it hits me, I'm wearing my Lennon cap (See The Beatles album cover "Help") and I realise "Gavin Grub" isn't some blokes Cafe, she's looking for the "Cavern Club". I repeat Cavern Club much to her joy and send them on their way. 


Being from a certain city or place, you sort of take things for granted, we know no different.


Doesn't everywhere have two Cathedrals? A Lime Street? A Radio Tower? The Beatles? The Mersey? Football teams? 


I guess it's just what we are on the map for and that the 'pool are just more famous and special to the outside world and maybe those living here don't seem to appreciate just what we got in the city. 


As the possibility of university and moving away looms, I wonder how much I'd miss Liverpool....which reminds me of some Libertines lyrics...


"Well I'll go back to Liverpool, oh, oh, oh, yes, I know I'll be loved there..."