Blog de John : VO et VF

Ce topic sera destiné à recevoir les différents posts de John sur son blog (que vous pouvez trouver sur le MySpace de Nizlopi), avec leur traduction effectuée, selon les jours, par Mylène, Amandine, Souad, ou moi-même!

Pour vos réactions sur leurs messages, c'est direction le topic "Blog de John: vos réactions" Wink

Citation :: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

JOHN'S BLOG, 18TH SEPTEMBER

Blog 11 18/09/06

Hello there, sorry I'm a bit behind and maybe a little out of date but it's been so damn busy, this touring lark, not so good for keeping up with everything.

Well where do I start, I could start saying that I'm listening Diana Krall's new album. It's great, i've always loved big band music and it's got John Clayton (double bassist) on it and it swings like a Ray Brown and Ella record, it's so good. Also, it being Monday late night I've just watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, it's a film by Hayao Miyazaki who made spirited away (animation) and I just love them. It's a great thoughtful story about the perils of not looking after our environment and forgetting the knowledge our great grandparents (or parents even) know, about how to look after nature and what it can teach us.

So we've just completed our 2nd week of touring. Me, Luke, Josh
(driver) Katie B (mum), Ashley (sound weapons), Bradley (talented
musician) and we're a hell of a team when we get it right, it really is a family and the shows just wouldn't happen without them. We've played Manchester academy 2, Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton, The Rescue Rooms Nottingham, Leeds Cockpit, Glasgow ABC and the Academy 2 in Newcastle. For me the Leeds and Newcastle shows just rocked, the sound was great the crowds were full and up for rocking and listening with us. They were such a joy to play, Manchester and Notts weren't too bad either, but I blew the monitors in the first beat of beat box so they just made farting noises at me.

I have been in a strange way on stage lately. In notts I said nothing at all and generally wasn't very present, still grooved, but it meant Luke had to do a lot, the shows just aren't the same if we don't go on as a team. Wolves is the first gig I foolishly drank before, during and after (very mature). Its funny but the smaller gigs are the ones that have done it for me, Glasgow was just too damn big, I think I prefer to get out in the audience, where the place is so full that when one person dances everyone kinda has to.

It's been a great laugh though, I have really enjoyed the last three shows and now we only have Cardiff to go, which will have a beat box and drum face off so I hope Ash you've been practising. Declan and Derrick have been so great to have on tour with us, they are just such wicked people. We had a real laugh in Glasgow after the show, getting an Indian at a place called the Karma Sutra, a very cool Indian restaurant, and I had my first almost groupie experience, was very funny. In the end we all went back to the hotel and a music session with Rory Mcleod and Declan and a whole load of musicians and crawled to bed sober but tired at 4 in the morn.

I've finally got back to running, makes me feel so much better have run 4 days in a row, it's amazing how much clearer you see things after running. Its almost like it clears you out of negative thoughts.

On the double bass front, Catherine hasn't been too well and has finally been taken off the tour, I did Newcastle with my travel bass, a wicked Czech ease bass made by David Gage. It's funny looking but so responsive, Catherine needs some tlc and a good clean and set up, am sad not to be playing her but it was getting impossible.

Looks like I'm going away on holiday for two weeks at my request (shock horror). Am crap at holidays and always book loads of stuff to do but this time I've been so close to not enjoying what I love that I need to get away and clear myself out and go walking across another country. No real idea where to go, am typically English and find it hard going anywhere they don't speak better English than me, we'll see. Am looking forward to the break, think everyone is looking forward to it too, so much has gone on this year and I need to take stock of it all. Means I'll come back to writing with Luke fresh and inspired and clear.

Cool, well I'm relaxed now and am going to hit the pillows and do some reading, Night Night. X

Jpxxx

Traduction by Souad :

Citation :: Blog de John, le 18 septembre.
Blog n°11: 18/09/06

Bonjour, désolé je suis un peu en retard mais nous sommes occupés, beaucoup de rigolade, pas terrible pour être à temps pour tout.

Bien par où commencer, je pourrais commencer en disant que je suis en train d’ecouter le nouvel album de Diana Krall. C’est génial j’ai toujours adoré les grands groupes de musique et il y a John Clayton (joueur de contrebasse) et ça swingue comme un enregistrement de Ray Brown et Ella, c’est tellement bon. Aussi, j’ai regardé lundi soir « Nausicaa de la vallée du vent», c’est un des films d'animation qui font réfléchir de Hayao Miyazaki et je les adore tous. C’est une histoire pensive vraiment géniale au sujet des dangers entraînés par le manque de soin que nous apportons à notre environnement, en oubliant les connaissances de nos grands parents (ou même parents) pour comment prendre soin de la nature et ce qu’elle peut nous apprendre.

Nous venons juste d’achever notre seconde semaine de tournée. Moi, Luke, Josh (chauffeur), Katie B (maman), Lashley (son), Bradley (musicien talentueux), nous avons une superbe équipe c’est vraiment une famille et les concerts ne pourraient simplement pas avoir lieu sans eux. Nous avons joué à Manchester Academy 2, Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton, The Rescue Room Nottingham, Leeds Cockpit, Glasgow ABC et à la Newcastle Academy 2. Pour moi, les concerts de Leeds et Newcastle étaient géniaux, et la foule était à bloc pour déchirer et nous écouter. Ce fut un plaisir de jouer, Manchester et Notts n’étaient pas mauvais non plus, mais jai soufflé les moniteurs lors du premier beat de beatbox, alors ils m’ont juste fait des bruits pétants.

Dernièrement, je me suis comporté étrangement sur scène. En fait, je ne parlais pas aux autres et je n’étais pas vraiment présent, toujours amusé mais cela signifié que Luke devait se donner plus encore, un concert n’est pas pareil si on n’y va pas comme étant une équipe. Wolves fut le premier concert où j’ai stupidement bu avant, pendant et après (très mature). C’est amusant mais les petits concerts sont les seuls qui m’ont fait ça. Glasgow etait franchement grand, je pense que je préfère aller dans le public, où la place est tellement grande que lorsque une personne danse, tout le monde se met à danser.

Ce fut un grand moment très amusant quand même, j’ai vraiment apprécié les 3 derniers shows et maintenant nous n’avons plus que le concert de Cardiff, durant lequel il y aura du beat box et de la batterie alors j’espére que Ash s’est entraîné. Declan et Derrick ont été tellement géniaux en tournée avec nous, ils sont tellement malicieux. Nous avons eu un gros fou rire a Glasgow après le show, nous avons trouvé un restaurant indien appelé Karma Sutra, un restaurant indien vraiment cool, et j’ai eu ma premiere expérience presque de groupie, c’en très amusant. A la fin, nous sommes tous retournés à l’hôtel et avons fait une « music session » avec Rory Mcleod et Declan et des tas de musiciens qui ont rampé vers leur lits sobres mais fatigués à 4 heures du matin.

J’ai finalement recommencé à courir, ça me fait me sentir tellement mieux, c’est amusant comme tu vois plus clairement les choses après avoir couru. C’est comme si ça te nettoyait de toutes tes pensées négatives.

Pour ce qui est des contrebasses, Catherine n’est pas très bien et a donc été finalement retirée de la tournée, j’ai fait Newcastle avec ma contrebasse « de voyage », une bass Czech d’une facilité déconcertante faite par David Cage. Elle est amusante au premier regard mais réagit bien, Catherine à besoin de quelques soins, je suis triste de ne pas avoir joué avec elle mais c’est tout simplement impossible.

On dirait que je pars en vacances pour 2 semaines à ma demande (horrifié). J’ai toujours plein de choses à faire même en vacances mais ces temps-ci, j’ai été si près de ne pas apprécier ce que j’aime que j’ai besoin d’aller ailleurs, me vider l’esprit et marcher à travers un autre pays. Je n’ai pas vraiment d’idée où aller, je suis typiquement anglais et en trouver autre part est vraiment dur car ils ne parlent pas mieux anglais que moi, on verra. Je regarde loin pour faire un break, je pense que tout le monde recherche le repos plus loin que chez soi, il est arrivé tant de choses cette année et j’ai besoin de m’en détacher quelques temps. Ceci veut donc dire que je reviendrai frais, inspiré et lavé pour écrire avec Luke.

Cool, je suis détendu maintenant alors je vais bien taper mon oreiller et lire un petit peu. Bonne nuit X

Citation :: Monday, October 02, 2006

John's Blog 2nd October

(YOU CAN NOW READ BOTH LUKE AND JOHN'S BLOGS HERE ON NIZLOPI'S MYSPACE, JOHN'S WEEKLY, AND LUKE'S FORTNIGHTLY)

Blog 12

Well hello, am in a good mood as just been very kindly asked to play my good friends' Laura and Kos's wedding, wasn't expecting it to be honest so will have to think of something appropriate. Mmm any suggestions?

Sorry my blog is late, after the tour it seemed as if my life needed to be put on hold for a while, everything and nearly everyone was kinda going weird so am trying to rest and sift through everything.

We ended the tour in style on Tuesday (last week) in a lovely venue called The Point. It's a converted church and we had a killer line up. Vijay opened the night and the audience hung off every note he sang, that man don't need no pa, he has such a strong voice, had me very close to tears. Declan was given free reign to sing what he wanted and for any length he pleased, it meant we got to hear one of the songs he's written about the Irish famine, was very moving, especially what he was saying about famine still blighting human existence in parts of Africa. Me and Luke even got to get up on 'Your World', couldn't hear anything on stage but we had a real laugh and it's been such a pleasure to have Declan and the coolest tour manager (except KB) Derrick with us, you guys rocked. Derrick even got up with us during 'ExtraOrdinary' and gave us some raga / reggae MC-ing, he's a legend and a top musician to boot.

Nizlopi had a great set, we gave all we had left and the audience were so cool, singing, dancing, rocking, it was a great night, one of the highlights of the tour for me, especially the drum and beatbox battle between me and Ashley. Ash had been making us sound nice and loud, twiddling the sound desk, but he's a great musician and a fine drummer. We hadn't played together for a long time so he got up and went for it. I had to try and meet his explosive drumming and thought I did alright, but I have to concede that Ash was the winner. Just couldn't compete with that full sound and rhythmic freedom, but Ash, I challenge you on the next tour, when I'm rested I'm going to kick your arse. All of FDM got up with us, even Katie to her embarrassment had to get up and shake her thing. Sadly Josh was unwell and greatly missed, but he doesn't escape that easily, we'll just get him up in front of thousands instead of hundreds with the Jamie tour.

After the show I think both me and Luke sadly were burning out and decided to have a break for a little bit and come back and as U2 said dream it all up again. So that's where we're at at the mo, taking time to eat well, rest, and not play double bass (shock horror). Funnily enough though I did manage to take all three of my double basses out of action during the tour so they're all getting things done on them at the mo.

Well apart from that what else? Have just finished The Christmas Mysteries by Jostein Gaarder, he's a genius, loved the book, total escapism and also a bit like The Little Prince it reminds you of the possibility of magic, still even as adults, and how important that is.

U2 have just re-released Live In Sydney, was a video me and Luke watched to death when we were younger and have to say it's lost none of its magic.

Ok, am heading off on holiday for a few days get my head straight before Nizlopi meet and decide what we're doing. Just want to thank everyone who has supported us over the years and believed in us even when others don't always.

My love and respect

Jpx

Citation :: Monday, October 23, 2006
JP's blog 13 - 07.10.2006

Well hello, it's been a long and strange time away.

Nizlopi are back at work, we've been away writing in Wales and talking about how we want the future of Nizlopi and, more importantly, our friendship to be. They are tough questions. We've had a hell of a year, working hard and taking our music round the world causing as much trouble as possible.

As it's been such a long time I'll briefly fill y'all in with what's been going on: I played a beautiful wedding, Ben and Jo's, very special. Had a lovely time with some lovely people. Me and Luke played as they walked into their service and then played a full set, followed by a great fun set by The Quiet Men, the Irish band we get to play with every now and again. It rocked and Terry made the Guinness book of records for the length of the set and energy given, rock on.

After that had lots of personal stuff to sort out as I've been kinda living my life at breakneck speed and stopped really paying attention to what has been going on with me. So after that, and some tough but very humbling conversations (one that ended with me stranded at London Waterloo drunk and in need of a friendly face, so thank you Ann, you saved my life or at least my embarrassment of having to sleep at the station, look forward to going to a meal with you and Jo soon).

Then I headed to Brussels, loved it, think it's such a beautiful place where the culture seems to be about quality food and drink, had probably the best weekend away ever.

Sadly I'd stopped practicing my double bass after the tour, the first real time where I just so needed a break. So I took (Catherine) into Thwaites to sort out for me and as I write she's still there so I've set Stephanie up. She is more of a classical bass and therefore sounds lovely with the bow and a little less growly than Catherine.

Moved my sister Emma to her new home in Derby, hope that it brings her happiness and lots of funny memories. We had a real laugh together spending the whole day in Ikea buying furniture. That's the beauty of finally earning some money, means you can do good things with it.

Started full day double bass practice on Saturday the 7th and have been loving getting back to music. Even during the festival season I started to practice less and got caught up with the lifestyle rather than what gives me life.

Saw Jaffa Rose at the Jug and Jester and they were wicked. Nick rocks, he was an intern at FDM records for 6 weeks and was really hard working and quite quiet, and then when he picks up the saxophone he just flips into someone totally different. Was a real fun gig, keep going guys.

Me and Luke had a long meeting to sort where we're going and to set into motion a few changes that we both need so we can bring some kicking newly energised Nizlopi tunes to you next year.

After that we headed to Wales where we write most of our songs, its a beautiful cottage in a valley I can't say and has to many Y's S's and H's in it. Have been really needing to get away, I always find it hard to not have a working mobile, internet access and a clear phone line but I can get over myself. We've been taking it very relaxed, just getting to know each other as friends, but we've been really waiting to write songs and so have written quite a few and have loads of ideas. For me, we're changing the way we write. I'm basically writing with the guitar instead of double bass, so that we write more melodic and harmonically complete songs. Often if we write with the double bass they tend to be more jam based.

Have recently started using and bringing a camera with me and I'm loving it, have always felt that you have to be specially gifted to take good photos and I'm doing my best to prove that opinion right.

On Saturday I went to two house concerts, both going on in Leamington Spa, how bizarre. The line ups were both wicked and totally varied, the first one I went to was at Luke's which starred George Chopping (poetry) Finn (Master singer/songwriter) and the amazing Jimmy and the Pigs fronted by the celebrity-shy Merrick Angle. I caught George Chopping's set and having never really dug poetry was sure it was going to be a challenge, but I fucking loved it, his delivery is really engaging and a good proportion of the poems you really can relate to.
After George's set I needed to head to house concert 2 at G's house, there she had Lewis Garland with his all-star band featuring Bradley on double bass and Drew on Mandolin. Headlining was the legendary Gary Dunne, sadly I missed Lewis Garland's set but everyone said how good it was. With Gary Dunne's set I ended up playing most of it with him on Bradley's very growly double bass was a real joy and those new songs are deadly, looking forward to album 2 in Feb hopefully I'l be playing on it. After G's show had finished those who weren't passed out or had pulled joined in a great session with Nizlopi, Gary Dunne, George Chopping and Jimmy and the Pigs. It was here that at last I got to hear Merrick perform as a singer/songwriter and I was hugely impressed. At times his lyrics move you and others just make you laugh, both me and Gary couldn't relate to the one about mixing whisky and anti-depressants and not being able to perform with your lady. Was a top night got home quite late feeling a little knackered really.

Next day FDM and Nizlopi had a meeting, was good to see Sue and Kieron so well after their holiday in Australia and went away with even more to think about.

Then we headed off to Wales to continue our 2nd week of writing. We divide our time so we get a lot of personal practice in the morning then write together in the afternoon and then (as there is nothing to do here) we just go to bed and read, very rock n roll. One afternoon we hit the local pub and as we walked through the dark and murky entrance we were asked in a Welsh accent "do you like the king?" Luckily, we said yes and were then treated to watching Elvis - The Comeback Special on a home cinema in the pub. They took us, sat us down and shushed us, was very unreal.

In the weekend between writing I got back home and was sadly struck by just how many people are struggling at the mo in all sorts of ways. I too have had a bit of a rough time but all I can think of suggesting is that we sort out our community of friends and do stuff, lets get movie nights on the go, trips to the Indian, lets build that café, book and music culture we want in Leam. There is an art gallery just started up, a good friend took me round. Its on Regent Street opposite the best coffee shop, which is Italian and not a chain, so pop down, lets make it happen, peoples happiness affects our own.

Am still listening to K-os - Exit, such wicked catchy-but-deep tunes, me and Luke had a Wayne's World moment in the van grooving to it. I also bought the Be Good Tanya's new album, tis like listening to honey, such a sweet sound and I love the Prince cover, he's a hell of a writer. Reading wise am devouring loads of Jostein Gaarder books. love it when a special person recommends you read something, so I've read nearly all of them now. My fave was "The Orange Girl", a beautiful story of love at first sight and believing that the world can be magical and doesn't have to be so damn hard. In it the father who's died leaves a letter to his son to read many years after he has died, wish mine had done that.

Cool, well I hope you are all well.

Love to you. Jpx

Traduction by Ramla effectuée dans un post à part (toujours par problème de longueur... )

Dernière édition par le Mar 2 Jan 2007 - 21:50, édité 3 fois

Citation :: Tuesday, October 31, 2006

JP's blog - 29th October
Blog 14 29/10/06

Good evening all, I write this after going to Hill-Top farm for a lovely Sunday roast with Luke, Kieron and Sue. Tis a beautiful place out in the countryside, thoroughly recommend it, even go use my super bike which I bought originally to cycle to Hebdon Bridge to see my friends up there but as yet haven't made it, but I keep threatening.

Well, what's been going on, hmmm we played the Virtual Festivals award ceremony at the Islington Academy, was our first gig in ages and in some ways reminded us of our secondary school's big gigs. It also reminded me of Craigstock that was run at our school Dormer before they knocked it down and made everyone wear uniforms. Kinda sad really, Bishop Bright (BB) was great for people like me who probably would have been kicked out of mainstream school cause all I wanted to do was play the bass and didn't think much to anything else, but learning happens later for some and I think BB recognised that. It had a great art department and a lot of the work we saw when we played the closing down concert there far exceeded a lot of the college work I had seen.

Anyway, sorry, wandered off a bit there. The gig was a challenge as it was full of industry types and media and they seem to think that they can turn up and talk over all the acts. Well we kept focused, did our three songs and won them over, its funny cause quite often the gigs where it seems no one is listening are the ones where everyone comes up to you and says how great they thought you were, very strange. But we got a lot of positive feedback and asked to play a few main stages next year so that's great news.

Next day, tired and emotional from another layer of hell, I fell in love. Yes I seem to say that a lot but this time its for real, I fell in love with broadband, it's amazing. I spend my evenings looking for rare double bass stuff on Youtube, I found Richard Thompson stuff, Dave Holland stuff, Lamb, you name it ,its there. I also started to download from the iTunes music store, got so much stuff, Damien Rice live and his new single, both great. He does a cracking version of Volcano. I got a new Tom Waits track, Duke Special's song which is great, it's about time he got treated right. I also downloaded Kenny Garrett's new album and Branford Marseli's as well as a really rare Dave Holland album with Kevin Eubanks, beautiful. So as you can tell I love it.

That night I went for an Indian in Kenilworth with a good friend Laura and had a top time (god, almost put 'top laugh', ahhhh). That weekend I had to really get on my bass as I was doing some recording with Ben Clempson. He's a very talented singer/songwriter and a great guitarist in the John Martyn, Richard Thompson vain, so i spent Saturday daytime coaxing a bigger sound out of my bass. Sunday, had a great day recording 6 or so songs, my prep really paid off, I practiced the pieces in more difficult keys than which they were played in meaning I could fly around the more open keys. Also I've been spending 15-20 mins just picking a note on one string (say e on the d string) and singing intervals and finding them on that same string, this has really helped make my playing lyrical and weirdly open me and the instrument up to all sorts of creative ideas.

Will keep you posted on Ben's progress, we recorded at Noisegate studios in Leam and got great results there, thanks Ben 2 for making my bass sound like a bass.

Monday, me and Luke had a reflection together, (no nothing to do with
mirrors) it's really a conversation where we check out how each of us is doing with the work and with each other, tis very useful and has probably got us through the craziness of the last year.

We then hit another Indian, The Bombay for Ryan's birthday. Ryan if you don't know is a key member of our label FDM records, if you go to www.fdmrecords.com you can check him out. Was a top night and we all ended up in Wilde's, a very cool bar, which I think would be great for a jazz trio to play. In fact I ended up in there twice this week, both times had a lovely time. Ryan is our tour manager for the Jamie tour which starts on wed so we wish him luck and hope he has a good sense of humour or at least works on the one he has now.

Then really the week has been song development as i've been listening to so much music the ideas have just flowed, it's been real nice to get into the songs.

On Thursday night I went to see Little Miss Sunshine with my friend Jane, and god did I laugh out load, it's a must see. I saw it at the Warwick Arts Centre, its such a cool place to see a film.

This weekend Nizlopi and FDM have been planning the year and years ahead and really touched on a lot of key issues, but we got kinda stuck on releasing a single off the 2nd album, mainly cause we're trying to figure out creative ways of getting it on the radio or tv and news worthy stories. Also, knowing the internet is so powerful wondering how best to use its power to get the track heard. Any ideas please drop us a line, we want to keep our sound and our integrity but also get heard or at least get the same chances as the acts that have millions of pounds thrown at them. We, the music loving people, need to take radio to a time where all music can get equally heard. Music isn't about hairstyles as me and Luke have proved and we need to challenge the mainstream to start being brave and bold in what it promotes / puts into the world.

Ok Ok, rant over. Just quickly, been reading Global Warming : The Last Chance For Change. We need to rethink the way we lead our lives, we've got to avoid the tipping point. Am trying to cycle rather than drive anywhere but I know that's not enough, but it's certainly made me think and look further into an issue that will affect us and our children.

Right, well, am going to fall asleep whilst reading Sophie's World again. Got loads to look forward to as the Jamie tour is just round the corner.

Take care

Jpx

Traduction (by Ramla) :
Mardi 31/10/06
Blog de JP - 29 Octobre 2006
Blog n°14

Bonsoir à tous, j'écris ceci après être rentré de la ferme Hill-Top où j'ai mangé un très bon rôti du Dimanche avec Luke, Kieron et Su. C'est un bel endroit à la campagne, que je vous recommande en passant, j'ai même utilisé mon super vélo, que j'avais à l'origine acheté pour aller à vélo à Hebdon Bridge voir des amis, chose que je n'ai toujours pas faite, mais je continue à me dire qu'il le faut.

Bon, qu'est-ce qu'il y a eu, hmmm, nous avons joué à l'Islington Academy lors de la cérémonie des Virtual Festivals Awards, c'était notre premier concert depuis des lustres et, d'une certaine manière, cela nous a rappelé nos gros concerts du lycée. Cela m'a aussi rappelé Craigstock qui était inscrit dans notre école Dormer avant qu'il ne soit viré et que l'uniforme ne devienne obligatoire. A vrai dire, c'est plutôt triste, l'Evêque Bright (BB) était généreux pour les gens comme moi qui se seraient probablement fait virés des écoles conventionnelles car tout ce que je voulais faire, c'était jouer de la contrebasse et je ne pensais pas à grand chose d'autre, mais l'apprentissage arrive plus tard pour certains et je pense que BB s'en rend compte. Il y avait une superbe classe d'art et une grande partie du travail que nous avons vu lorsque nous avons joué au concert de clôture d'épassait de loin la majorité des travaux faits dans les établissements d'enseignement supérieur que j'ai vus.

Enfin bon, désolé, j'ai quelque peu dérivé là. Le concert était un défi car il y avait plein de gars de l'industrie du disque et des médias, et ils avaient l'air de penser qu'ils pouvaient débarquer et discuter sur tout. Mais bon, nous sommes restés concentrés, nous avons fait nos 3 chansons et nous les avons battus. C'est drôle car assez souvent, les concerts où l'on a l'impression que personne n'écoute sont ceux où tout le monde vient vous voir et vous dire combien ils pensent que ce que vous faites est génial, très étrange. Mais nous avons eu beaucoup de retours positifs et on nous a demandé de jouer quelques grosses scènes l'année prochaine donc ce sont de trop bonnes nouvelles.

Le lendemain, fatigué et émotionnellement dans une autre strate de l'enfer, je suis tombé amoureux. Oui, on dirait que je le dis souvent, mais cette fois c'est pour de bon, je suis tombé amoureux d'une large bande, c'est surprenant. J'ai passé mes soirées à chercher un morceau rare de contrebasse sur YouTube, j'ai trouvé un truc de Richard Thompson, un truc de Dave Holland, "Lamb", tu tapes le nom et c'est là. J'ai aussi commencé à télécharger à partir de Itunes, j'ai tellement de trucs, le live de Damien Rice et son nouveau single, tous les deux géniaux. Il fait une version épatante de "Volcano". J'ai un nouveau morceau de Tom Waits, "Duke Special's Song", qui est bien, ça parle du temps et il en parle bien. J'ai aussi téléchargé le nouvel album de Kenny Garrett et Brandford Marseli, ainsi qu'un album vraiment rare de Dave Holland avec Kevin Eubanks, joli. Comme vous pouvez donc le constater, j'aime ça.

Cette nuit, je suis allée dans un restaurant indien de Kenilworth avec une bonne amie Laura, et nous avons passé un super moment (mon Dieu, j'ai failli écrire 'un super fou rire', ahhhh). Ce week-end, j'ai vraiment dû travailler ma contrebasse car j'ai commencé un enregistrement avec Ben Clempson. C'est un auteur/compositeur très talentueux et un grand guitariste dans la lignée d'un John Martyn ou d'un Richard Thomson. Du coup, j'ai passé mon Samedi à cajoler ma contrebasse pour en tirer un son plus gros. Dimanche a été un jour faste, nous avons enregistré 6 chansons ou quelque chose comme ça, ma préparation a vraiment servi, j'ai travaillé les morceaux dans des clefs plus difficiles que celles dans lesquelles ils sont écrits, de sorte que je peux voler entre plus de clefs. J'ai donc passé 15-20 minutes à juste piquer une note sur une corde (par exemple mi sur la core de ré), à chanter les intervalles et à les trouver sur la même corde; ça m'a vraiment aidé à rendre mon jeu chantant et nous a bizarrement ouverts, l'instrument et moi, à toutes sortes d'idées créatrices.

Je continuerai à vous tenir au courant des progrès de Ben, nous avons enregistré aux Studios Noisegate à Leamington et nous y avons eu de bons résultats, merci à Ben 2 pour avoir fait sonner ma contrebasse comme une contrebasse.
Lundi, Luke et moi avons eu une réflexion ensemble (rien à voir avec les miroirs), c'est réellement une conversation où nous vérifions comment chacun d'entre nous fait avec le travail et avec l'autre, c'est très utile et nous a probablement permis de traverser la folie de cette dernière année.

Nous sommes ensuite allés dans un autre resto indien, le Bombay, pour l'anniversaire de Ryan. Si vous ne le savez pas, Ryan est un membre clé de notre label FDM Records, si vous allez sur www.fdmrecords.com, vous pourrez le voir. C'était une super soirée et nous avons tous fini au Wilde, un bar très chouette, qui serait selon moi super pour faire jouer un trio de jazz.
En fati j'ai terminé deux fois dans ce bar cette semaine, les deux fois ce fut un charmant moment. Ryan est notre tour manager pour la tournée avec Jamie, qui débute mercredi, donc nous lui souhaitons de la chance et espérons qu'il a un bon sens de l'humour, ou au moins que celui qu'il a en ce moment fonctionne.

En conséquence, la semaine a vraiment été un développement de chansons vu que j'ai écouté tellement de musique, les idées on déferlé, c'était vraiment bien de rentrer dans les chansons.

Jeudi soir, je suis allée voir "Little Miss Sunshine' avec mon amie Jane, et mon Dieu j'ai ri à n'en plus pouvoir, c'est un film à voir. Je l'ai vu au Warwick Arts Centre, c'est un lieu tellement chouette pour voir un film.

Ce week-end, Nizlopi e FDM ont plannifié l'année prochaine et les années à venir, et ont parlé de beaucoup de points clé, mais nous avons une sorte d'obsession concernant la sortie d'un single du second album, principalement car nous essayons d'imaginer des manières originales de le sortir à la radio ou à la télévision, et de nouvelles histoires qui en vaillent la peine. On s'est aussi demandés, sachant la puissance d'Internet, comment utiliser au mieux cette puissance pour que le morceau soit entendu. Toutes les idées nous aident, nous voulons conserver notre son et notre intégrité mais aussi être entendus, ou du moins avoir les mêmes chances que ceux qui reçoivent des millions de pounds. Nous, personnes qui aimont la musique, avons besoin d'amener la radio à une ère où toutes les musiques peuvent être entendues de manière égale. La musique n'est pas une question de coupe de cheveux, comme Luke et moi l'avons pvouré, et nous avons besoin de défier la masse pour commencer à être courageux et confiants dans ce que nous promouvons/apportons au monde.

Ok, ok, j'arrête. Juste vite fait, j'ai lu "Réchauffement planétaire : la dernière chance de changer". Nous devons réfléchir à la manière dont nous vivons, nous devons éviter d'atteindre le point de non-retour. J'essaye de faire du vélo plutôt que de conduire pour aller au moindre endroit, mais je sais que ce n'est pas assez, mais cela me fait sûrement réfléchir et continuer à réfléchir à un problème qui nous concernera nous et nos enfants.

Bon, c'est bien, je vais aller m'endormir en relisant "le Monde de Sophie". J'ai des tas de trucs à faire car la tournée avec Jamie est toute proche.

Prenez soin de vous.

JPx

Dernière édition par le Mar 2 Jan 2007 - 21:48, édité 1 fois

Citation :: Monday, November 06, 2006

JP'S TOUR BLOG - 6/11/06
Blog 14 06/11/06 (written in bits over the last few days)

God, it's November, where does the time go?

We're on our way to Belgium to play our first ever show there, we're playing Eeklo can't wait. Well this week has really been getting our lives ready for the longest time away from home so far for Nizlopi, in fact for me really. I've never not been home for a month it's very exciting.

We had Monday and Tuesday off to sort stuff out, see loved ones and generally rest so that when we hit the Jamie tour we do it to the best of our ability. On Wednesday we met our producer for the 2nd album, his name is Phil Brown and it was really good. We as a band/label have been trying to work out what to do about getting radio play and one idea was to perhaps either write a single or record a song that sounds more radio friendly. None of us were very happy about doing any of those but we got to put beans on the table too. Its funny cause we said this to Phil and he was very clear: just record your album your way and the way we want to hear it, he put faith back in a business which is just that, a business, and seems to have forgotten that its about music and music is the soundtrack to life and the expression of the soul. So we said fuck pandering to radio, they all said JCB was too weird for radio and then everyone played it. We all (musicians, music lovers) have got to believe that good music will out, it's like light in a dark world or love in a loveless one. So yes that was really positive and now we're just hearing melodies and songs all the time and are both dead excited about the record which will be recorded in Konk studios in January.

After that me, Luke, Kate, Ryan (tour manager) and Josh (rock star, driver and legend) got everything together and headed to Folkstone and headed across to Paris for our first show with Jamie Cullum. We played the Zenith which is a 5-6 thousand capacity venue and looks like a giant circus tent/football stadium. It was great, I got a few hours to warm up and to get familiar with the venue, the people, sound etc. Was good to catch up with Jamie, he's been on tour since November last year and he looks and sounds real good.

The catering is amazing at these venues and when we arrived it was so damn cold and waiting for us was a lovely hot and spicy soup so we were all happy.

The gig itself rocked, it sounded great and the audience were just so lovely, it seems that every time we've played in france the audience really get what we do. I think they like passion and musicality and we do our best to supply as much of that as we can. They danced and sang, and screamed when we finished what more can two egos with bad hairdo's want.

After the gig I headed back early with Josh to get some rest have a bath etc (not with josh). Next morning got to run first time in ages, felt great. Then we drove to Belgium for the Eeklo show, we were playing with a band from Scotland called Hobbo Talk they were great, lovely bunch of guys and beautiful songs, check em out. The venue we played was called N9 and has had so many great acts playing there, I have to say the sound was the best I've had on the double bass for a long time. Its a venue made out of the love of music and not really about making a profit. Sadly, they didn't make one out of us but next time we'll repay the wonderful hospitality, food and great spirit everyone who worked there had.

The gig itself was good and I think we played musically really well, I'd had loads of time to practice and was working on scale fragments in the third octave and really loving playing the bass. I love it when you find something new and really have to work at it to be able to play it. So yes another enjoyable night was had, ending with Belgium fries with mayo, great.

The motel we stayed at was full of character it had a long white corridor where all the rooms led off and it so reminded you of The Shining or something. The whole motel was very unique to say the least but we weren't killed in our beds so I can't complain. The people who ran the place were so nice to us and we had a great breakfast so sorry if I sound ungrateful.

The next day, tired and weary, we headed out to Montpellier, apparently an 8 hour drive. We were stopping in a place called Sete saving Josh having to drive all the way to Barcelona, which is the next Jamie show, but it ended up being a 12 hour drive with breaks and at least 10 for Josh at the wheel, that man is made of stern stuff. At one point we all went slightly crazy in a services, none of us really can speak French and did the English thing of pointing at something we recognised and hoping that it was familiar.

This morning I write this in an amazing hotel in Sete after going for a run in the beautiful sunshine, God I'd forgotten what it was like to abroad.

Listening to loads of stuff, still downloading like the internet will be wiped soon. Just got some dead old Nat King Cole 1943-47, so good the tape hiss is almost as loud as the instruments. Also u2 and Green Day have a song together and I think it's great, Bono, you're sounding so good and it's funny to hear them all rock out.

Reading For One More Day by Mitch Albom, think it's a beautiful book. He wrote Tuesdays With Morrie and I honestly can't get enough.

Well we're heading to Barcelona now, well, after breakfast in the sun, tis a hard life. Miss all my friends and family and loved ones.

My love to you all.
Jpxxxxx

Traduction (by Ramla) :
Blog de JP en tournée - 06/11/2006 - Blog n°15
(écrit par morceaux durant les quelques derniers jours)

Mon Dieu, nous sommes en Novembre, où passe le temps?
Nous sommes en route pour la Belgique où nous allons jouer pour la toute première fois, nous allons jouer à Eeklo et je suis impatient. Cette semaine nous a vraiment préparés à vivre pour la première fois aussi longtemps loin de chez nous depuis les débuts de Nizlopi, en fait pour moi c'est la première fois tout court. Je n'ai jamais quitté la maison plus d'un moins, donc c'est très excitant.

Nous avons eu nos Lundi et Mardi libres pour régler nos diverses affaires, voir nos proches et plus généralement nous reposer de sorte que lorsque nous rejoindrons la tournée de Jamie, nous serons au meilleur de notre forme. Mercredi, nous avons rencontré le producteur de notre second album, il s'appelle Phil Brown et c'était vraiment chouette. En tant que groupe et label, nous avons essayé de voir comment faire pour avoir des passages radio et une idée était de peut-être écrire une chanson ou un album qui semblerait plus diffusable à la radio. Aucun d'entre nous n'était très content de à l'idée de faire quelque chose comme ça mais il faut bien vivre aussi. C'est drôle car nous l'avons dit à Phil et il a été très clair : enregistrez simplement votre album à votre façon et à la manière dont nous voulons l'entendre. Il n'a plus confiance en un business qui est juste cice, un business, et semble avoir oublié qu'il concerne la musique et que la musique est la bande sonore de la vie et l'expression de l'âme. Nous avons donc dit m...e aux exigences des radios, elles disaient toutes que "JCB" était trop bizarre pour passer à l'antenne et finalement elles l'ont toutes passé. Nous autres (musiciens et amateurs de musique) devons croire que la bonne musique triomphera, c'est comme la lumière dans un monde obscur, ou l'amour dans un monde sans amour. Donc oui, ce fut vraiment positif et maintenant, nous passons simplement notre temps à écouter des mélodies et des chansons, et nous sommes tous les 2 excités à mort à l'idée de l'enregistrement qui aura lieu aux Studios Konk en Janvier.

Après ça, Luke, Kate, Ryan (tour manager), Josh (Rock Star, chauffeur et légende) et moi nous sommes retrouvés puis sommes allés à Folkstone, et ensuite à Paris pour notre première date avec Jamie Cullum. Nous avons joué au Zénith, un lieu avec une capacité d'accueil de 5000-6000 personnes, et qui ressemble à une tente de cirque géante/un stade de foot. C'était génial, j'ai eu quelques heures pour m'échauffer et me familiariser avec les lieux, les gens, les sons, etc. ... C'était bien d'être avec Jamie, il est en tournée depuis Novembre de l'année dernière et il joue et fait le spectacle vraiment bien.

La nourriture est épatante dans ces endroits, et quand nous sommes arrivés, il faisait horriblement froid mais une délicieuse soupe chaude et épicée nous attendait donc nous fûmes tous contents.

Le concert en lui même a déchiré, cela sonnait merveilleusement bien et le public était simplement si charmant, on dirait qu'à chaque fois que nous avons joué en France, le public aimait réellement ce que nous faisions. Je pense qu'ils aiment la passion et la musicalité, et nous faisons de notre mieux pour leur en fournir autant que possible. Ils ont dansé et chanté, et ont crié quand nous avons terminé, que peuvent demander de plus deux pretentieux mal coiffés.

Après le concert, je suis rentré tôt avec Josh pour me reposer un peu et prendre un bain, etc. (pas avec Josh) Le lendemain matin, je suis allé courir pour la première fois depuis des lustres, je me suis senti super bien. Nous sommes ensuite partis en Belgique pour le concert de Eeklo, nous avons joué avec un groupe écossais nommé Hobbo Talk. Ils étaient supers, une bande de gars bien sympathiques et de belles chansons, allez les écouter. Le lieu où nous avons joué s'appelle N9 et a vu se jouer tant de superbes pièces, je dois dire que je n'avais pas eu d'aussi bon son avec ma contrebasse depuis longtemps. C'est un endroit fait pour l'amoure de la musique et pas vraiment pour gagner der sous. Malheureusement, ils ne nous avaient d'abord pas comptés, mais la prochaine fois, nous leur rendrons la magnifique hospitalité, nourriture, et le bel esprit que tous ceux qui travaillent là-bas ont eu.

Le concert en lui même était bien et je pense que nous avons vraiment bien joué musicalement parlant, j'ai eu un paquet de temps pour m'entraîner et j'ai travaillé par morceaux en troisième octave, et j'ai vraiment aimé jouer de la contrebasse. J'aime quand on trouve quelque chose de nouveau et que l'on est obligé de vraiment le travailler pour être capables de le jouer. Donc oui, nous avons eu une autre superbe soirée, qui s'est terminée avec des frites belges et de la mayonnaise, génial.

Le motel dans lequel nous logions était plein de caractère, il avait un long couloir blanc dans lequel toutes les chambres donnaient, ce qui rappelait aussi "Shining" ou quelque chose comme ça. Il était complètement isolé, c'est le moins que l'on puisse dire, mais nous n'avons pas été tués dans nos lits donc je n'ai pas à me plaindre. Les gens qui le tiennent furent très gentils avec nous et nous avons eu un excellent petit déjeuner, donc mes excuses si j'ai l'air ingrat.

Le lendemain, fatigués et las, nous nous sommes rendus à Montpellier, apparemment à 8 heures de route. Nous nous sommes arrêtés dans une ville appelée Sète, permettant à Josh d'éviter d'avoir à conduire tout le temps jusque Barcelone, où a lieu le prochain concert de Jamie, mais au final, nous en avons eu pour 12 heures de route en comptant les pauses, donc au moins 10 heures au volant pour Josh, cet homme est d'une autre trempe. A un moment, nous sommes tous devenus un peu dingues dans une boutique, aucun d'entre nous ne parlait vraiment français et nous avons fait le truc anglais qui consiste à pointer du doigt quelque chose que l'on reconnait en espérant que ce soit familier.

Ce matin, j'écris installé dans un hôtel épatant de Sète, après être allé courir par ce beau soleil, mon Dieu j'avais oublié ce que c'était qu'être dehors.

J'écoute des tas de trucs, je télécharge encore car Internet va bientôt être coupé. Juste eu quelques morceaux du vieux et mort Nat King Cole 1943-47, tellement bon, les parasites s'entendent presqu'autant que les instruments. Et aussi U2 et GreenDay ont fait un duo ensemble et je trouve ça génial, Bono tu chantes tellement bien et c'est drôle de tous les entendre te descendre.

Je lis "Pour un jour de plus" de Mitch Albom, je trouve que c'est un beau livre. Il a écrit "Les mardi avec Morrie" et honnêtement, je suis fan.

Bon, maintenant on part à Barcelone, après un petit déjeuner au soleil, c'est une dure vie. Tous mes amis, ma famille et ceux que j'aime me manquent.

Bisous à vous tous.

Jpxxxxx

Pour cause de longueur cumulée trop importante, je poste ma traduction dans un message à part.... Embarassed

Citation :: Monday, November 13, 2006
John's blog - 12th November
Blog 15 12:11:06
>From the Front line, Jamie tour.

Well hello, am traveling from San Sebastian to Marseille listening to John Coltrane's Ballads album. This tour is wicked, it really is living the dream, we get to travel around Europe playing amazing venues all of them sold out, trying to remember what day it is, which country we are in, and which we are not allowed to mention, it's great fun.

Last Sunday we drove from Montpellier (Sete) to Barcelona, was a beautiful journey that we took at leisurely speed, and arrived in Barcelona whilst it was turning dark. I'd never been to Barcelona and was just loving it, think Gaudi is a genius and I love the fact that he was given the freedom to create these buildings which are just so fairy story like. It really is like a Philip Pullmans novel or Jonathon Strange, as well as Hans Christian Anderson all mixed up, wonderful.

Been getting the chance to get to the gigs really early so I can get to practice, it's been so good for me, means that I've written a lot on this tour already and when I get up on stage I feel I've earned it.

We played the Auditori in Barcelona, a very cool classical venue. They loved what we were trying to do, Kate caught it on camera which is great, a lot of the gigs have been caught on camera so when we get time we'll be getting them posted on some of the many Nizlopi sites, in fact this is one of the most well documented tours we've ever been on. I've fallen for my digital camera and Ryan is very kindly teaching me about shutter speed etc and I'm having a laugh with it but also driving everyone mad, always stopping or spinning around with the camera.

The next gig was in Madrid. A lot of the journeys have been very long and Josh is, as Tina Turner would say, "as solid as a rock", getting us through Europe as if he's driving a rally car. We played the La Riviera in Madrid which is very rock, as in a standing audience, but is still very cool. It's nice to be so loud that you can do internal organ damage to the audience aka Jon thorne (Glastonbury). Ryan reckoned it was the best one so far but that was yet to come.

Then the next day we woke early and headed to Lisbon. Now I've never really been round Europe before and only been to Paris and Brussels so this tour has been great in getting to meet people and see how these other countries operate. For me, Lisbon is amazing, the weather, the people, our record label (2dance) out there and Flavio who treated us to a lovely meal where Kate's uncle sang Fado (Portuguese folk song). Everything was set for us to have a good gig, the venue (The Coliseum) was incredible, a mini Royal Albert Hall (and I think at one point was a bull ring) it was just the right vibe. Also, me and Luke were having intense emotional conversation earlier in the day and that usually means we're going to rock and boy did we, we wrote a song in the sound check called "love is" and even Jamie thought it was a hit, so we threw caution to the wind and opened the gig with it. Just double-bass, beat box and soul singing (Sam Cooke, none of that shit they call soul nowadays) and they went mad for us. I think we only got to do 5 songs but they were with us all the way. After the show we did a meet and greet with the audience and sold so many cds. I even sold a t-shirt (who says I don't work for my living?). Was just a top night. After we packed out Luke and Kate did the rock star thing and hung out with Jamie and the legendary fado folk singer Marisa whilst me, Josh and Ryan parked the venue and hit the hotel. Me and Ryan went to this very cool American diner which was also a kinda gay bar to, was dead cool, and Ryan fell for the desserts so badly, I'm not sure where he puts them.

The next morning I rose too early after getting to sleep round 4 and headed round Lisbon. Josh and me had been out and about in the eve before show, but it was nice to see the place in the daylight, will definitely come back here.

After Lisbon we headed to Salamanca in Spain which was another very long journey. Tis funny, when I was younger I hated travel and hated large groups of people and yet I choose a job which means I do a shed load of travel, often when tired, and get up on stage in front quite a lot of people, mmmm.

The Salamanca show was cancelled because it was a logistical nightmare, so we stayed there as a half way house cause on Saturday we had to be in San Sebastian (Northern Spain) and then the next day an 8 hour drive to Marseille (France) so we needed to be sensible, cause at the end of the day it's about doing a good show and throwing everything at it for half an hour. Kursaal in San Sebastian was wicked, we really messed with our set, did a far out intro and played two new songs "Feel Inside" and "Love is". They both went down really well, the audience were really with us, singing harmony parts in both English, Basque and Luke language. The Basque country is very beautiful and we found the people really nice, they've had a tough history from what I could gather and they seem to have worn it well. One thing that made this gig extra special was that we were all very tired and had had a few down points on the way there and at the venue before the show but we all, me, Luke, Josh, Ryan and Kate all worked so well as a team it meant that we sold more cds and felt assured that everything was being done and we all could do it. Sometimes you can have people put so much pressure or expectation on you to be perfect and when you stop yourself and go 'well why am I doing that?' then you realise that it takes the life, fun, and depth out of everything. So we are now rocking as a fully fledged team, but KB we still miss you.

On the touring player we've been listening to Mingus, Talib Kweli, Jon Butler Trio and The Roots. Also on this tour we have a DVD player installed (very grand) and have watched music DVDs and The Chorus. We're so rock and roll, you can just see Oasis sitting watching a film in French all with tears in their eyes.

Reading "So Many Ways To Begin" by Jon McGregor. He wrote "If Nobody Speaks Of Remarkable Things", a wonderful book. "Begin" is great, has really made me appreciate what people must have gone through during war time and how relationships must have had to have been so strong to survive. Also, especially as it's Remembrance Sunday it made me think of the people who never made it back to families etc., and now as well with all the fighting across the world and recently what's just happened in Gaza, will the fighting never end. Good news that the Republicans have lost their majority in both the house of congress and the senate about bloody time.

Well enough, I know very little about politics apart from what feels right and wrong to me, maybe it's not as complicated as we think?

All my love, from on tour with the little guy.

Jpx

PS Just watched the Amnesty International DVD which you get when you join the organisation, fucking hell it's moving. There are some bad things that go on in the world and it's great that Amnesty International gives hope to those that desperately are in need of it.

Please join, go to www.amnesty.org.uk or just stop injustice whenever you come across it, you only have to open your eyes to see that it's very much on the surface.

Traduction du post du 13 Novembre : (désolée si le français n'est pas limpide.. n'hésitez pas à me corriger s'il y a des fautes! Smile

)

Citation :: Dimanche 12 Novembre 2006 (posté le 13):

Des nouvelles du front (tournée de Jamie):

Et ben salut, je suis en train de faire le trajet de San Sebastien à Marseille en écoutant l'album de balades de John Coltrane. Cette tournée est méchamment bien, c'est véritablement comme de vivre un rêve, nous faisons le tour de l'Europe en jouant dans des endroits étonnants avec une salle toujours pleine, en essayant de se rappeler quel jour nous sommes, dans quel pays nous sommes et ce dont nous n'avons pas le droit de parler, c'est vraiment chouette.

Dimanche dernier, nous avons roulé de Montpellier (Sète) à Barcelone, ce fut un joli voyage que nous fîmes tranquillement, et nous sommes arrivés à Barcelone alors que le soir tombait. Je n'avais jamais été à Barcelone et j'ai tout simplement adoré, je pense que Gaudi est un génie et j'ai eu l'occasion d'aller aux concerts très tôt donc de pouvoir m'entraîner.
Ce fut si bon pour moi, cela signifie que j'ai déjà écrit beaucoup sur cette tournée et quand je monte sur scène, j'ai l'impression de l'avoir mérité.

Nous avons joué à l'Auditori de Barcelone, une salle classique de concert très chouette. Ils ont aimé ce que nous avons essayé de faire, Kate a pris des photos, ce qui est bien, de nombreux concerts ont été photographiés, du coup lorsque nous aurons le temps, nous les posterons sur certains des nombreux sites sur Nizlopi, en fait c'est l'une des tournées les plus
documentées que nous ayons jamais faites. Je suis accro de mon appareil photo numérique, et Ryan est très gentiment en train de m'apprendre ce qui concerne la vitesse d'obturation etc. ... et je rigole avec mais je rends aussi tout le monde fou, toujours en train de m'arrêter ou de tourner avec l'appareil.[sous-entendu : pour prendre des photos]

Le concert suivant eu lieu à Madrid. Beaucoup de voyages furent très long et Josh est, comme dirait Tina Turner, "aussi solide qu'un roc", nous emmenant à travers l'Europe comme s'il était en train de conduire une voiture de courses. Nous avons joué à La Riviera à Madrid, qui est très rock, comme s'il y avait un public permanent, mais est encore très chouette. C'est chouette de jouer si fort que l'on peut faire des dégâts aux organes internes du public, dixit Jon Thorne (Glastonbury). Ryan a reconnu que c'était le meilleur jusqu'à présent mais qu'il en attendait encore plus à l'avenir...

Puis le jour suivant nous nous sommes levés tôt et sommes partis direction Lisbonne. Je n'avais jamais réellement fait le tour de l'Europe avant, j'avais seulement été à Paris et Bruxelles, donc cette tournée a été bien en ce qui concerne la rencontre avec les gens et pour voir comment fonctionnent les autres pays. Pour moi, Lisbonne est étonnante : le temps,
les gens, notre label d'enregistrement là-bas (2dance) et Flavio qui nous a convié à un délicieux repas où l'oncle de Kate a chanté du Fado (des chansons du peuple portugais). Tout était prévu pour que nous ayons un bon concert, le lieu (Le Coliseum) était incroyable, un mini Royal Albert Hall (à un moment j'ai pensé à une arène) c'était juste la bonne sensation. Aussi, Luke et moi avons eu plus tôt dans la journée une conversation emotionnellement intense, et cela signifie généralement que
nous allons tout déchirer et nous l'avons fait, nous avons écrit une chanson pendant les balances appelée "Love is", et même Jamie pense que ça va être un tube, donc nous avons mis de côté toute prudence et avons débuté le concert avec. Juste la contrebasse, la beat-box et le chant de l'âme (Sam Cooke, pas l'une de ces m***es qu'ils appellent âme de nos jours) et ils étaient fous de nous. Je pense que nous avons seulement fait 5 chansons mais ils étaient avec nous tout le temps.
Après le concert nous avons fait une rencontre et une séance de dédicaces avec le public et nous avons vendu des tas de cd. J'ai même vendu un T-shirt (qui a dit que je ne travaillais pas pour ma pitance?). Ce fut tout simplement une nuit superbe.

Après cela, nous avons fait nos bagages et Luke et Kate ont fait des trucs de rock star et ont traîné avec Jamie et la légendaire chanteuse de fado Marisa, tandis que Josh, Ryan et moi quittons le lieu du concert et rejoignions l'hôtel.
Ryan et moi sommes allés à ce diner américain très chouette, qui était aussi une sorte de bar gay, c'était mortel, et Ryan s'est jeté sur les desserts, je ne suis pas certain de savoir où il les a mis.

Le matin suivant, je me suis levé trop tôt après être allé me coucher aux alentours de 4 heures [du matin] et nous sommes allés dans Lisbonne. Josh et moi sommes allés un peu partout la veille du concert, mais ce fut joli de voir la place dans la lumière du jour, je vais obligatoirement revenir ici.

Après Lisbonne, nous sommes allés à Salamanca en Espagne, ce qui fut un autre très long voyage. C'est drôle, quand j'étais plus jeune je détestais voyager et je détestais les grands groupes de personnes, mais j'ai choisi un travail qui implique que je dois effectuer un paquet de voyages, souvent quand je suis fatigué, et aller sur scène devant un paquet de gens, mmmm...

Le concert de Salamanca a été annulé car ce fut un cauchemar logistique, donc nous sommes restés là-bas, comme à mi-chemin de notre destination, car le Samedi nous devions être à San Sebastian (Nord de l'Espagne) et après, le jour suivant, nous devions effectuer un trajet de 8 heures pour aller à Marseille, donc nous avions besoin de sens pratique, car à la fin de la journée nous voulions faire un bon concert et tout lui consacrer pendant une demi-heure. Kursaal à San Sebastian était affreuse, nous avons vraiment foiré notre passage, fait une longue intro et joué deux nouvelles chansons: "Feel Inside" et "Love is". Les deux sont vraiment bien passées, le public était avec nous, chantant les choeurs à la fois en anglais, en basque et dans le langage de Luke.

Le pays basque est très beau, et nous avons trouvé les gens vraiment gentils, ils ont eu une histoire difficile d'après ce que j'ai pu en entendre et ils ont l'air de l'avoir bien supporté. Une chose qui a rendu ce concert hyper spécial fut que nous étions tous très fatigués et il y a eu quelques petits problèmes sur la route et sur le lieu du concert avant qu'il ne commence, mais nous tous, Luke, Josh, Ryan et Kate, avons tous si bien travaillé, comme une équipe , c'est-à-dire que nous avons vendu plus de CD et nous nous sommes senti rassurés sur le fait que tout avait été fait et que nous pouvions tous le faire. Parfois tu peux avoir tellement de pression de la part des gens, qui attendent que tu soies parfait, et
quand tu t'arrêtes et que tu te demandes "bon, qu'est-ce que je suis en train de faire?",alors tu réalises que ça prend le pas sur la vie, le plaisir et tout le reste. Du coup, nous sommes maintenant une équipe totalement rôdée, mais KB tu nous manques encore.

Sur le lecteur CD, nous avons écouté Mingus, Talib Kweli, Jon Buttler Trio et The Roots. Sur la tournée, on nous a aussi installé un lecteur de DVD (génial) et nous avons regardé des DVD musicaux et "The Chorus". Nous étions si rock and roll, vous pouvez juste voir Oasis assis regardant un film en français et tous avec les larmes aux yeux.

Je lis "So Many Ways To Begin"["Tellement de façons de commencer"] de Jon McGregor. Il a écrit "If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things" ["Si personne ne parle des choses remarquables"], un livre magnifique.
"Begin" est vraiment bien, il m'a réellement fait mesurer ce que les gens ont dû vivre en temps de guerre et à quel point les relations doivent avoir été fortes pour survivre. Aussi, et particulièrement parce que c'est le Dimanche du souvenir, cela me fait penser aux gens qui
ne sont jamais rentrés dans leurs familles etc.., et maintenant, avec toutes ces batailles à travers le monde, et ce qui s'est récemment passé à Gaza, j'ai l'impression que le combat ne finira jamais. La bonne nouvelle est que les Républicains ont perdu la majorité à la fois au Congrès et au Sénat, il était temps.

Bon, assez, je sais très peu de choses sur la politique si ce n'est que ce qui me parait juste et faut, peut être que ce n'est pas aussi compliqué que ce que l'on pense?

Tout mon amour, en provenance de la tournée avec les p'tits gars.

Jpx

PS : regardez juste le DVD d'Amnesty International que vous recevez lorsque vous rejoingnez l'association, bon sang, c'est émouvant. Il y a des mauvaises choses qui se passent dans le monde et c'est vraiment bien qu'Amnesty International apporte de l'espoir à ceux qui en ont terriblement besoin.

S'il vous plait, rejoignez-les, allez sur www.amnesty.org.uk, ou arrêtez simplement l'injustice lorsque vous la croisez, vous avez juste à ouvrir les yeux pour voir qu'il y en a tellement sur Terre..

Dernière édition par le Mar 2 Jan 2007 - 22:26, édité 1 fois

Citation :: Tuesday, November 21, 2006

John's blog, 21st November
Blog 16 20/11/06

Back to Blog heaven.

Listening to Duke Special, traveling from Stuttgart to Munich, slightly tired from throwing myself into practice, gigs, and being on tour.

Well last blog I was writing whilst traveling to Marseille. Marseille is an unusual place, it's not been given much financial support from the French government and has a lot of very poor areas. It's a very multi-cultural place as well and I think there was fear from the French government that this is where a lot of unrest would come from but then what do you expect if you suppress people. The show in Marseille was great, we enjoyed it a lot, it seems that every show is kicking for us at the mo, I guess we know we have a short time so we just get on stage and throw ourselves at it. After the show Jamie was racing around on a little motorbike and motorised scooter, so Luke, Ryan and Kate had a go. Me and Josh were just laughing at them and just felt we'd either kill ourselves or someone else and Kate nearly did, picking up the scooter and holding the accelerator and just spinning it around in the air unable to let go and eventually it flying out of her hands and into the van, bus and then the motorbike. Legendary, me and Josh felt vindicated.

Next show was St Etienne in France at the Le Palais De Spectacles, another great show and great audience. Then the long trip to Strasbourg. Sadly on this journey we received some real bad news about a good friend who's very unwell so me and Luke were very upset meaning that we were contemplating heading back home to see her, but in the end after reading the e-mail again she was saying that she wanted some time, so instead our good friend Merrick sent some flowers and we continued on to Strasbourg with a real heavy heart. The show itself was very intense the crew said it was perhaps their favourite show. I remember little of it, was just very sad.

The next day we spent chilling in Strasbourg, it's a great city and we discovered their Fopp which is called Fnack and Kieron you'd have a field day. It not only sells CDs and books it also sells laptops and it had a Mac widescreen for television, we all know where that would go.

Then the next day a short journey to Freiberg. We stayed at the coolest hotel "Central Hotel" and we loved it, after the show we spent a good few hours sampling the good German beer with our new friends Kai and Larissa, who were just so nice, in fact everyone we met in Germany has been great and very kind to us, am so very glad to have had this opportunity to see Europe as it changes you and your perceptions of other nations.

The gig in Freiberg was one of my faves, it's up there with Lisbon, we were just on fire. It was a beautiful venue, the sound was great and Freiberg is such a beautiful place. The slight hangover the next day was not so good might have had something to do with Jagermeister and the amount I consumed, mmmm.

Then we headed to Stuttgart, staying in yet another nice hotel, best breakfast yet I have to say. It was a day off which we spent walking around Stuttgart, was a little like London shop-wise. We went for a fantastic meal where Josh was there smoking his pipe, doing his best Tony Benn impression, got some great photos. In fact I've got totally carried away with the photos, think I've taken over a thousand and every gig has been filmed either by Ryan or Kate.

Ryan has been giving me IT lessons and so now I know how to store the live footage on my laptop and then put it on my external drive, he may well make a nerd out of me but don't worry Finn you'll always be chief nerd.

The other news whilst traveling is that we're supporting Christina Aguilera at two London Wembley gigs, how funny is that? It's going to rock. Be so good to play and we're very thankful to Christina for giving us this opportunity, since finding out I've been overwhelmed by text's from my male friends wanting to come to the show, funny that.

Last night we played the Theaterhaus in Stuttgart and we did a Nizlopi festival set, very up-beat playing Helen and Clear for the first in ages, "Love is" is getting the biggest round of applause dwarfing JCB that followed, we're all loving that song. After show sat up in catering, who I have to say cook the best food, Saucery is their name and they're great, we had roast beef with all the trimmings it's like having two mums on tour, fantastic.

We got in late as we left the guitars at the venue, duh.

It's Munich tonight and I can't wait, think I may have to write a little bit of my blogs everyday as there is just so much going on it's so hard to remember it all.

We're working Freedom with Jamie today, as later in the tour we will be performing it together should be great. This tour has been so good and such an adventure, we love it, and are dead thankful to Jamie for having us when no one else would, you're a star.

Still reading Jon McGregor and I'm loving it, such a writer. </SPAN>Albums, bought a Mark Copland album with Gary Peacock on and a Clash album London's Burning, you know I'd never heard it before and Roger who drives the lorry kept taking the piss, he wants me to fit a ticker timer to my bass so I can limit my amount of practicing to fit in with EU regulations, these are the kind of people I have to put up with.

Well I'm tired and almost at the hotel so must go, thank you for all your feedback I do read it just don't get much time to respond.

Cool all the best

Jpx

Traduction (by Ramla)

Blog de John, 21 Novembre 2006
Blog n°16 20/11/2006

De retour au paradis du blog

J'écoute en ce moment "Duke Special", je pars de Stuttgart pour aller à Munich, un peu fatigué car je m'oblige à m'entraîner, faire les concerts et être présent sur la tournée.

Bon, la dernière fois j'écrivais alors que nous faisions route vers Marseille. Marseille est une ville inhabituelle, elle ne reçoit pas beaucoup d'aides financières de la part du gouvernement français et possède donc beaucoup de quartiers très pauvres. C'est aussi un lieu très multiculturel et je pense que le gouvernement français a peur que cela entraîne beaucoup de troubles mais après, à quoi s'attendre si l'on retire les gens? Le concert à Marseille était génial, nous l'avons beaucoup aimé, on dirait que chaque concert nous frappe en ce moment ,e jcrois que comme nous savons que nous avons peu de temps à passer sur scène, nous y allons simplement et nous nous y donnons à fond. Après le spectacle, Jamie a fait la course dans le coin sur une petite moto et sur un scooter, donc Luke, Ryan et Kate se sont joints à lui. Josh et moi riions justement d'eux et disions que nous nous tuerions ou que nous tuerions quelqu'un avec, et Kate a failli le faire, elle est montée sur le scooter, a acceléré et a juste tourné autour dans les airs, incapable de le lâcher, et finalement il lui a quitté les mains et est rentré dans le van, le bus, et enfin la moto. Comme toujours, cela nous a donné raison à Josh et moi.

Le concert suivant eu lieu au Palais des Spectacles de St Etienne, en France, un autre grand concert et grand public. Puis un long voyage jusque Strasbourg. Malheureusement, pendant ce trajet, nous avons reçu de très mauvaises nouvelles d'une bonne amie qui est vraiment malade, donc Luke et moi étions très tristes, ce qui signifie que nous songions à rentrer pour la voir, mais finalement, après avoir relu le mail, elle disait vouloir un peu de temps, donc à la place notre bon ami Merrick a envoyé des fleurs et nous avons continué vers Strasbourg avec le coeur vraiment lourd. Le concert en lui-même était très intense, l'équipe a dit que c'était peut-être leur préféré. Je me souviens de peu de choses, j'étais juste très triste.

Le lendemain, nous nous sommes détendus dans Strasbourg, c'est une super ville, et nous avons découvert leur Fopp, qui s'appelle Fnack (sic) et Kieron, tu t'en serais donné à coeur joie. Ils ne vendent pas seulement des CD et des livres, mais aussi des portables, et ils ont un Mac grand écran pour télévision, on sait tous où ça aurait atteri.

Puis le jour suivant, un court voyage pour aller à Freiberg. Nous sommes descendus au "Central Hotel", l'hôtel le plus cool, et nous avons aimé, après le concert nous avons passé quelques heures agréables à gôuter des échantillons de la bonne bière allemande avec nos nouveaux amis Kai et Larissa, qui étaient simplement si gentils, en fait tous les gens que nous avons rencontrés en Allemagne furent géniaux et très gentils avec nous, je suis si heureux d'avoir eu l'occasion de voir l'Europe car cela te change ainsi que ta perception des autres pays.

Le concert à Freiberg fut un de mes préférés, c'est chaud ici comme à Lisbonne, nous étions tout simplement en feu. C'est un bel endroit, le son était grandiose et Freiberg est une si jolie ville. La légère gueule de bois du lendemain n'étais pas aussi agréable, cela doit avoir quelque chose à voir avec la Jagermeister et la quantité que j'ai bue, mmmm.

Puis nous sommes partis en direction de Stuttgart, nous logions encore dans un bel hôtel, meilleur petit déjeuner que j'aie jamais eu. C'était une journée libre que nous avons passée à nous promener dans les environs, c'est un peu comme Londres au niveau des magasins. Nous avons eu un repas fantastique où Josh a fumé sa pipe, faisant sa meilleure impression à Tonny Benn, nous avons quelques superbes photos. En fait, je me suis totalement laissé emporté par la photographie, je pensse que j'ai pris plus de 1000 photos et chaque concert a été filmé soit par Ryan, soit par Kate.

Ryan m'a donné des cours d'informatique, donc maintenant je sais comment stocker des séquences live dans mon portable et les mettre ensuite dans mon disque externe, il pourrait bien faire un geek de plus mais ne t'inquiètes pas Finn, tu seras toujours le roi des geeks.

Une autre nouvelle reçue pendant le voyage est que nous allonrs faire la première partie de Christina Aguilera lors de ses deux concerts à Wembley (Londres), ce que j'en pense? Ca va déchirer. Ca va être bien à jouer, et nous sommes très reconnaissants envers Christina qui nous offre cette occasion, depuis nous sommes noyés sous les messages de nos amis mâles qui veulent tous venir au concert, comme c'est drôle.

La nuit dernière, nous avons joué à la Theaterhaus de Stuttgart et nous avons fait une playlist de Nizlopi en festival, très enlevée, nous avons joué "Helen" et "Clear" pour la première fois depuis des siècles, "Love is" a eu le plus d'applaudissements, écrasant "JCB" qui a suivi, nous aimons tellement cette chanson. Après le concert nous sommes allés dans un restaurant qui cuisine la meilleure nourriture, ça s'appelle Saucery et ils sont géniaux, nous avons eu du rosbeef avec toutes les garnitures, c'est comme avoir nos deux mamans pendant la tournée, fantastique.

Nous sommes partis tard car nous avions laissé les guitares sur le lieu du concert, oups.

Ce soir c'est Munich, je suis impatient, je crois que je devrais écrire un petit bout de blog tous les jours car là, il se passe tellement de choses que c'est dur de se rappeler de tout.

Nous avons travaillé "Freedom" avec Jamie aujourd'hui, car nous allons la jouer ensemble plus tard dans la tournée, ça devrait être grandiose. Cette tournée a été si belle et une telle aventure, nous adorons, et sommes reconnaissants à vie à Jamie pour nous avoir pris alors que personne d'autre ne l'aurait fait, t'es une star.

Je lis toujours Jon Mc Gregor et j'adore ça, c'est un tel écrivain. Niveau albums, j'ai acheté un album de Mark Copland avec Gary Peacock dessus, et l'album "London's burning" des Clash, vous savez, je ne l'avais jamais entendu avant et Roger, qui conduit le camion, s'est foutu de moi, il voulait que je mette un chronomètre sur ma contrebasse pour limiter mon temps d'entraînement pour être en accord avec la règlementation européenne, voilà le genre de personne dont je dois m'accomoder.

Bon, je suis fatigué et presque arrivé à l'hôtel alors je dois y aller, merci pour tous les retours, je les lis vraiment mais je n'ai juste pas beaucoup de temps pour pouvoir y répondre.

Toutes mes meilleures pensées

Jpx

Citation :: Blog 17

20/11/06

Hey Ya'll, thought I'd write stuff as I went along, a kinda diary.

PART 1

Tonight was Munich, was the toughest show for us, mainly sound wise. I had Luke's monitor very loud in my ear. I was also a little tired from not really resting properly and the day's travel, which funnily seems to just pass me by now. We played a great version of "find me"

and "love is" was great again but, with the audience being so far away from us, it was so hard to gauge how well it was being received. Saying that though in the signing afterwards we were mobbed and sold a lot of CDs, so we did something right.

Josh and Ryan have made sure that we got home early (I mean hotel early) so we should get some rest as tomorrow is a long 6 hour drive.

PART 2

A long drive, yes it sure is, not sure I'll get 6 hours practice in today. Been watching a DVD by John Patitucci who is a great double bassist, he's released a double bass DVD through the David Gage shop in new York. Its great to hear how he approaches music and what he feels is the best way to practice and move further as a musician.

PART 3

We played Köln last night, was another good show, a standing audience so more of a hip hop than folk set. Am having bass probs, have had a low action and it sounded great, raised the action and it sounds pretty dead but yet again the bridge had moved or been knocked meaning I had to reset my bass, making it a lot harder to play but I got through it.

In sound check we rehearsed "Freedom" with Jamie, it sounds good so we'll play it at the Berlin show. Sadly now with Berlin I need to practice and get used to my bass's new set up so I can give my best at the show.

At the mo am on the way to Berlin, my first time can't wait. We've just played BFBS which is a radio station that goes out to all the men and women serving with the British army, it airs to places like Iraq, Bosnia etc… Brian, John and Jamie, dead nice people there and we had a great time, next time we'll get a go on a tank. Its important to not forget the people caught up in the various conflicts doing a thankless task and not really having a say which war they're fighting and why. Hope you all return home safely.

PART 4

Berlin Rocks, me, Luke, Kate, Ryan and Josh all hit the city for something to eat upon arrival, being slightly delayed by the fact that we had to walk past a Christmas fair which had a massive and potentially dangerous sledging slope. Luke and Ryan couldn't resist so up they went and down they went, traveling at horrendous speed. It all ended with Ryan sitting outside his sledge at the bottom of the hill looking a bit confused as to where he was (tour managers).

Berlin is a very interesting place, it's the place on the tour that I've been most excited about coming to and the place with so much history and I realise how little of it I know. I mean, I remember the wall coming down (mainly cause of the Scorpions hit at the time " Wind of Change" but today I'll get to go to check point Charlie and the Brandenburg gate etc….

PART 5

The day of the gig Thursday was mixed. I slept real bad and had to force myself out of bed to breakfast but once fed and watered I'm cool. Had to practice and get used to my new double bass set up which is taking time, and also work on my amp settings. Still not sure I've got it right yet.

Me and Luke did our classic thing of having a deep and meaningful conversation whilst walking and even though we walked in a straight direction we got totally lost in the pouring rain. In the end we had to hail a cab to get to the venue, what a pair of geniuses.

On arrival we were presented with a lovely cake from three girls who've probably been to more Jamie concerts than is healthy, they're lovely and we hope we get to see them in less rainy conditions, thanks for the cake.

Gig was great, audience were cool and we had a real laugh backstage with Kieron and Jo one of Josh's friends. After Jamie's show we headed to our hotel and did the rock 'n' roll thing of having hot chocolate with brandy and then hit the sack, whilst Luke and Kate did the rock star couple thing with Jamie and his crew as it was Geoff's birthday. They got in at 4 and ended up staying in bed all the day the next day.

Me Josh and Jo hit Berlin and did checkpoint Charlie and it's museum and also the open top bus tour of the city, so much history and how beautiful is the statue of the Goddess of Victory? Was sad that there wasn't more wall but I guess that's the point of pulling it down, although we did manage to find some still standing, ironically protected by a tall fence with barbed wire round it. Thoroughly recommend going to Berlin and checking both the old east and west. It's a good way of appreciating history and seeing it at first hand.

Then the long long drive to Offenbach.

PART 6

This tour has thrown up loads of different things, some good and some very sad really. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who are going through some very hard to understand (let alone contemplate) life experiences.

Tonight, Offenbach, bring it on. Am going to set my bass up so it sounds good rather than just being hard to play.

PART 7

Offenbach was great fun, a lovely venue and an up for it crowd. Sadly, Ben the stage manager and damn nice guy lost the top of his finger in an accident with a flight case so he was rushed off to hospital to have it put back together. This changed a lot of things cause he is such an important part of the Jamie team, so everyone clubbed together and worked out how to set things up etc… Sadly he wont be able to do the rest of the tour and will be missed. The gig itself was a very emotional one and I just attacked my bass all the way through, think it was one of the most intense gigs for me. That night I had my heart broken.

Feeling knackered after a night of no sleep and heavy conversations I traveled with everyone else to Luxembourg which is where I'm writing from now. Jill in the FDM office would be proud of this hotel cause its in the dodgiest areas, full of pimps etc.. Luke and me tried not to get involved in card games but that can be difficult when you don't speak the language. Luke and I are sorting out what plans work for us best, and it looks like after recording the new album we'll get 2 months off and I think I'll spend them in Berlin and get a good double bass tutor out there and practice learn German and have a great time.

After the meet with Luke we all hit a pizzeria and got very drunk, mixing many different kinds of spirits with beer, mmm very clever. Was great cause Ryan has been a rock and sat with me in the bar just making sure I didn't start singing God Save The Queen again.

This morning, woke up feeling like someone had hit me over the head and I knew what I had to do, so I picked myself up and drank half a litre of water and went running for an hour. Had been a long time since I'd run like that, it felt dead good. Came back and had a good breakfast with both Ryan and Josh, now two very close friends, which has been the great thing about this tour.

At the mo, listening to Snow Patrol's "Eyes Open" love the Chasing Cars song. Also just bought Arvo Part Lamentate, not heard it yet but it was on Kate's recommendation.

Am going to change my bass strings and it should all sound great.

Well, Wembley here we come,

Thank you to all my good friends who have supported me in these very challenging last few months, my best to you.

Jpx

Citation :: John's blog - 5/12/06

Blog 19 04/12/06

It's a funny day today. I lost my dad 14 years ago, the weather always feels the same, that bright sunshine but bitterly cold at the same time. My dad taught me my first guitar chord (E major) and then showed me how to tune by ear, for that I'll always be thankful.

Anyway, I've actually had some sleep and of course that makes me feel even more tired, I guess my body has worked overtime this last year so when it stops it goes into shut down.

Well, we've had a hell of a week. We ended our fantastic tour with Jamie in Lille on Tuesday and it rocked, has been such a pleasure to hangout with those guys and hear their music. I really miss it, wish we'd gone to Japan to finish off the tour though.

The night before, we were in Luxembourg, probably our least favourite place mainly due to where we were staying, a dreadful area. There were nice parts too but we couldn't wait to leave, it had definitely got to that Diva stage were I was demanding and sulking for a bath everywhere we stayed, what has become of me?

When we arrived in Lille me, Luke, Kate and Josh hit the local bars looking for food. We eventually found one that was still serving food as we'd missed their lunch time, the only problem was my French was appalling and so ordering a small glass of wine got me a jug of it instead and so, being polite, I thought be best to drink it all. Of course this made soundcheck an unusual experience but it was the last gig and I'd not really had many blow-outs on tour so like Luke said I needed to earn some rock points as I was trailing massively behind.

Later on that night I made up those points, and more in fact, even Jamie thought I was a dark horse. I may joke about it now but I'd drunk so much that I was eventually carried out of the venue by security and poor Luke had to carry Stephanie and make sure I didn't try and sleep in the lift in the hotel. I'd like to take this time to apologize to Jamie for opening and drinking the £330 pound bottle of champagne, one day I'll buy you one back. That night we met the lovely ladies from our French site, so nice, they bought us all presents. I got chocolates and a gremlin (well actually the creature before it turns to a gremlin. Anyone know what that's called? They bought it me cause they'd heard that 'if you mix lager and chocolate in John you get a gremlin'. Its name had to be JP, I'll go back to John and it's my music mascot on stage, thankyou.

So all this, then the next morning with no sleep and a body that was rejecting me, I had to get to London to play the biggest indoor show of my musical life, god what a mess. Well, with the thanks of fizzy drinks, mints, and a bucket of water, I managed to get there. Thankyou to all the team for being so understanding where I'd probably have bollocked ya.

What can I say about the Wembley shows, apart from we had a real good time. It sounded great thanks to Ash on the sound and Bradley tuning and setting up all the instruments (yes ladies, he was the attractive looking one before we got on stage)

We played well both nights, and was such a thrill to be playing Wembley Arena, never really thought I'd get the chance, glad we all had the right attitude about it which was to grab the opportunity but not take it all too seriously. After the first night we were surrounded by loads of Christina's band all saying things like "man that shit's wired", felt like we were finally cool. But the second night was even better, it was louder and we were more comfortable, almost like we should be there, with Luke doing his "no more" Bono-style, minus flag at the audience. Glad we got the opportunity to do the show. Sadly we didn't get to meet Christina, rumour had obviously reached her security that we were too dangerous and so they kept us confined to our rooms with plastic cutlery and calming lift music.

After the Thursday Wembley show me, Josh and Bradley hit the motorway, finally homeward bound. Has been the longest time away for me, so was relieved that Josh wanted to set a land speed record in an old Mercedes sprinter van.

The next day was hard for so many people I love and care about, I went to a funeral and a wedding reception, both mixed with sadness but was so glad that I was able to attend both, thanks Ki and Sue. Not much else I can say accept my thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time, it feels like so many people are suffering at the mo and it's just so hard to understand why.

On Saturday night I got invited to my neighbour's party, Diana, was great fun. Probably drank a wee bit too much but this time it was about having fun not anything else. Diana has it right, there was a real community feel to the party with people all talking probably for the first time and getting on so well, with reggae and curry. At the end of the party, 3am, I was being humiliated for not knowing about dancing around handbags, I don't know!

Spent most of Sunday sleeping and finally seeing my family where we had a roast and watched a Midsomer Murder, god I love Sundays.

Listening to Snow Patrol, "it's beginning to get to me" is my fave song at the mo.

Still reading Jon McGregor but if you spend the best part of the week drunk or hung-over you don't get much time to read or discover new music.

Hope all's well and that you've all started your Christmas shopping cause I ain't.

My best

Jpx

Traduction du post du 5 Décembre (Blog n°19) (le jour où il écrira un peu moins, je pourrai peut être mettre le post et la traduction à la suite... Wink

)

Citation :: Blog n°19 - 04 Decembre 2006

Aujourd'hui est un drôle de jour. J'ai perdu mon père il y a 14 ans, et le temps est toujours le même, avec à la fois ce soleil lumineux et ce froid de canard. Mon père m'a appris mon premier accord de guitare (Mi Majeur) et m'a ensuite montré comment accorder à l'oreille son instrument, je lui en serai toujours reconnaissant.

Quoi qu'il en soit, j'ai enfin pu dormir et, bien entendu, cela m'a donné l'impression d'être encore plus fatigué. Je crois que mon corps a trop travaillé cette année, et donc que quand il arrête, il est complètement hors service.

Nous avons eu une semaine de folie. Mardi, nous avon terminé à Lille notre fantastique tournée avec Jamie, et c'était génial, ça a été un tel plaisir de traîner avec ces gens et d'entendre leur musique. Ca me manque vraiment, j'aurais quand même aimé aller avec eux au Japon pour terminer la tournée.

La nuit précédente, nous étions au Luxembourd, peut-être l'endroit que nous avons le moins aimé, principalement à cause du lieu où nous étions, un coin affreux. Il y avait aussi de jolis endroits, mais nous étions pressés de partir. J'ai clairement attint le niveau d'une diva : j'exigeais et boudais pour avoir un bain partout où nous allions.... Que m'est-il arrivé?

Quand nous sommes arrivés à Lille, Luke, Kate, Josh et moi avons parcouru les bars du coin à la recherche de nourriture. Nous en avons enfin trouvé un qui servait encore à manger - vu que nous avions dépassé l'heure du déjeuner. Le seul problème était que mon français est horrible, et qu'en commandant un petit verre de vin, j'ai eu un pichet à la place. Du coup, pour être poli, j'ai pensé que le mieux était de le boire en entier. Bien sûr, cela a transformé les balances en une expérience inhabituelle, mais c'était le dernier concert et je n'avais pas vraiment fait beaucoup d'excès pendant le tournée. Comme j'étais complètement à la traîne, Luke a dit qu'il fallait que je m'entraîne encore.

Plus tard dans la nuit, j'ai rattrapé mon retard dans ce domaine, et pire encore, même Jamie croyait que j'avais l'habitude de boire. [NDLT : pour votre culture, "a dark horse" = un outsider] J'en plaisante maintenant, mais j'avais tellement bu que j'ai finalement dû être porté dehors par la sécurité et que le pauvre Luke a dû porter Stéphanie [NDLT : la contrebasse de John] et vérifier que je n'essayais pas de le faire, ou de dormir dans l'ascenseur de l'hôtel. Je voudrais en profiter pour présenter mes excuses à Jamie pour avoir ouvert et bu les 330£ de bouteilles de champagne, un jour je te les rachèterai. Cette nuit, nous avons rencontré les charmantes demoiselles de notre site français [NDLT : c'est nous!! ], si gentilles, elles nous ont apporté des cadeaux à tous. J'ai eu des chocolats et un Gremlin (euh, en fait, la créature avant qu'elle ne devienne un Gremlin. Quelqu'un sait comment ça s'appelle? Elles me l'ont acheté car elles ont entendu dire que si l'on mélangeait du chocolat et de la bière blonde dans John, on obtenait un Gremlin). Il devait s'appeler JP, je l'ai raccourci en John et c'est ma mascotte musicale sur scène, merci.

Donc, avec tout ça, je devais aller à Londres le lendemain matin, sans sommeil et avec un corps qui me rejetait, pour jouer le plus gros concert en salle de ma vie musicale, mon Dieu quelle pagaille. Bon, à l'aide de boissons gazeuses, de bonbons à la menthe et d'un seau d'eau, j'ai réussi à être là. Merci à tous les membres de l'équipe pour avoir été si compréhensifs alors que je vous ai probablement tous engueulé.

Que puis-je dire des concerts à Wembley, si ce n'est que nous avons passé un vraiment bon moment. Grâce à Ash au son et à Bradley (oui les filles, c'était le beau garçon qui était là avant que nous ne montions sur scène) à l'entretien et l'accord des instruments, cela sonnait vraiment bien.

Nous avons bien joué les deux soirs, et c'était un tel pied de jouer à la Wembley Arena, je n'avais jamais vraiment pensé que j'en aurais l'occasion, je suis contente que nous ayons eu la bonne attitude à ce sujet, à savoir saisir l'occasion mais ne pas la prendre trop au sérieux. Après la première soirée, nous étions entourés par les gars de l'équipe de Christina, qui disaient tous des trucs du genre "mon gars, c'est sacrément tendu", et qui ont senti finalement comme nous étions tranquilles. Mais la deuxième nuit fut encore meilleure, le son était plus fort, et nous étions encore plus à l'aise, presque comme si nous devions être là, avec Luke qui a fait son "pas plus" à la Bono, le signe au public en moins. Je suis heureux que nous ayons eu l'occasion de faire ce spectacle. Malheureusement nous n'avons pas rencontré Christina, les rumeurs selon lesquelles nous étions trop dangeureux sont visiblement arrivées aux oreilles des membres de la sécurité, qui nous ont donc enfermés dans nos chambres avec des couverts en plastique et de la musique d'ascenseur calmante.

Après le concert de Jeudi à Wembley, Josh, Bradley et moi avons pris l'autoroute pour enfin rentrer à la maison. Cela a été pour moi la plus longue période passée loin de chez moi, donc j'étais soulagé que Josh veuille établir un record de vitesse dans un vieux van Mercedes.

Le jour suivant fut difficile pour beaucoup de personnes que j'aime et dont je me soucie, je suis allé à un enterrement et à un mariage, les deux mélangés avec la tristesse, mais aussi la joie d'avoir pu être présent aux deux cérémonies, merci Ki et Sue [NDLT : les parents de Luke]. Je ne peux pas dire grand chose, acceptez que mes pensées et prières soient en ce moment avec vous tous, on dirait que tant de personnes souffrent actuellement et qu'il est juste si difficile de comprendre pourquoi.

Samedi soir, j'étais invité à la fête de ma voisine Diana, c'était très chouette. J'ai peut-être bu un tout petit peu trop, mais cette fois c'était juste pour m'amuser et rien d'autre. Diana a raison, il y a un véritable sentiment communautaire dans une fête où les gens se parlent tous probablement pour la première fois, et tout allait si bien, avec le reggae et le curry. A la fin de la fête, à 3 heures du matin, j'ai été humilié parce que je ne connaissais rien à la danse autour des sacs à main, je n'en sais rien!!

J'ai passé la plupart de mon dimanche à dormir, et j'ai enfin vu ma famille. Nous avons mangé un rôti et regardé un polar, Dieu que j'aime les Dimanche.

En ce moment, j'écoute "It's beginning to get to me" de Snow Patrol, c'est ma chanson préférée du moment.

Je suis encore en train de lire Jon McGregor, mais quand on passe la majeure partie de la semaine à boire ou à traîner, il ne reste plus beaucoup de temps pour lire ou découvrir de nouvelles musiques.

J'espère que tout va bien et que vous avez commencé vos courses de Noel, car moi non.

Mes meilleures pensées,

Jpx

Citation :: Tuesday, December 12, 2006

John's Blog - 12th November 2006

My god it's nearly Christmas, where does the time go? It's definitely
that time of year where you run around like a headless chicken trying
not to forget all those important people in your life and then you
realise you didn't get your mum anything, damn.

It's been an odd week of deep-routed tiredness where it feels like the
year is catching up on ya and I know I can't let it, not yet. I'm
definitely one of those people who spends holidays working or ill so looks like ill this season, cause I ain't working.

Last night we played the Hackney Empire with Billy Bragg, not Cinderella. He has got to be one of the nicest blokes, I was as ever going into the gig with my eyes firmly closed and heavily prejudiced but on meeting him, he is a top bloke, so friendly and so into everything that goes on with and around him. It was a solo Billy gig and we were invited guests so we played a supporting set which was quite a tired Nizlopi set. We have definitely arrived at the bottom of the barrel, slightly annoying as we're demoing the whole of the second album tomorrow, but hey, we normally do our best work against all odds. Billy invited us to play a song with him so we played "Way Over Yonder" off the Billy Bragg and Wilco album with lyrics written by Woody Guthrie. Was a gem moment, he reminds me of Luke's uncle Terry, he really throws himself at it and must have played so many variations on the chorus that when he asked me to solo I soloed very freely, some would say out of tune but it's all perception. Billy gave us box sets of all his albums, t-shirts, a mug, a tea towel and his book. He is a very generous and good guy and I'm looking forward to reading his book very much. He kept cracking jokes about my bass being a tree thing and asking me why they're always painted brown which at first I didn't get at all, when I quizzed him on it he said he got it all from working with Danny Thompson. How cool, thanks Danny. Check out www.billybragg.co.uk , catch him live, he's wicked.

Took the day off today, just feeling rough and a bit down and so
borrowed G's car and drove to Bushy and picked up Catherine (double
bass). She's had a lot of work done on her by Thwaites, its playing
beautifully and that seems to have broken my mood. Am looking forward
to ripping it up tomorrow.

In the week, really we've had meetings and tried writing a new song but
nothing much flowing. Met up with some of my friends who've I've not
seen much this year so that was real nice, so hard to stay in contact
but when we do get in contact tis probably more special.

I can't help but think back to how crazy and fun last year was, we'd
have done Top Of The Pops on the Sunday just gone and were about to
out sell Westlife in the UK as we were already no 1 in Ireland. How
crazy huh, feels like a long time ago and I remember so little of it
now, feel I've let things slip a lot since then and have not really
led the life I'd have chosen to, but next year is a new year, we'll have a great record out midway through the year and then we're going to take it to the people and I can wait but am excited about it all to.

Well I usually go on so I won't, just want to recommend a couple of
things I'm listening to: The new K-os album Atlantis, it's wicked, it's another change in direction. Check www.k-osmusic.com , we'd love Kevin to guest on album, hint hint. Also listening to Newton Faulkner's new EP available from his MySpace site, it's great, loving what he's doing and if he ever wants a double bass player, not that he needs one. Check out www.myspace.com/officialnewtonfaulkner , hope that works.

Cool, just want to say thankyou to Jamie Cullum, have been watching a
DVD of a song we improvised for our friend Sandra and it's class,
you're a star.

Well I'll go, just want to wish you all a merry Christmas and if there
is someone who needs a friendly face be that for them. All my best.

John xx

Traduction by Ramla

Blog de John, 12 Décembre 2006

Mon Dieu, c'est déjà presque Noel, où passe le temps? C'est sûrement ce moment de l'année où l'on court partout comme un poulet sans tête, en essayant de ne pas oublier toutes les personnes importantes de sa vie, et où l'on réalise après que l'on n'a pas acheté de cadeau à sa maman, zut.

C'a été une semaine bizarre de profonde fatigue, où l'on a l'impression que l'année rattrape son retard sur nous, mas je sais que je ne peux pas la laisser faire, vraiment pas. Je suis sûrement l'une de ces personnes qui passent leurs vacances à travailler ou à être malade, il semble donc que je sois malade cette saison, puisque je ne travaille pas.

La nuit dernière, nous avons joué au Hackney Empire avec Billy Bragg, pas Cendrillon. Il doit être un des gars les plus gentils. Comme toujours je suis allé au concert les yeux bien fermés, et avec plein de préjugés, mais à la rencontre, c'est un type super, si amical et si au courant de tout ce qui le concerne, de près ou de loin. C'était un concert juste de Billy, et nous étions invités donc nous avons joué une première partie qui était un peu comme un concert de Nizlopi fatigué. Nous sommes vraiment au bout du rouleau, légèrement embêtant car nous devons faire une maquette de l'ensemble de notre second album demain, mais bon, nous faisons normalement notre meilleur boulot envers et contre toutes les bizarreries. Billy nous a invité à jouer une chanson avec lui, donc nous avons joué sur "Way Over Younder", l'album de Billy Bragg et Wilco, sur des paroles écrites par Woody Guthrie. Ce fut un moment précieux; Billy me rappelle Terry, l'oncle de Luke, il s'est réellement investi, et a dû jouer tant de variations sur le refrain que lorsqu'il m'a demandé de faire un solo, j'ai joué très librement, certains diront faux, mais tout est question de point de vue. Billy nous a donné un coffret de tous ses albums, des t-shirts, un
mug, un torchon, et son livre. C'est un garçon très généreux et très bien, et j'ai très envie de lire son livre. Il n'a pas arrêté de faire des blagues sur ma contrebasse, comme quoi c'était un morceau d'arbre, et m'a demandé pourquoi elles sont toujours peintes en marron, question à laquelle je ne savais pas du tout répondre de prime abord. Quand je lui ai demandé d'où il les tenait, il m'a dit qu'il les avait toutes eues en travaillant avec Danny Thompson. C'est cool, merci Danny. Allez faire un tour sur www.billybragg.co.uk, regardez-le en live, il est impressionant.

Aujourd'hui c'est jour de congé, je me sens juste un peu patraque et fatigué, donc j'ai emprunté la voiture de G et je suis allé à Bushy, et j'ai récupéré Catherine (ma contrebasse). Il y avait du boulot à faire sur elle par Thwaties, maintenant elle sonne joliment, et cela semble avoir bousillé mon humeur. Je pense la casser demain.

Dans la semaine, nous nous sommes pas mal revu et nous avons essayé d'écrire une nouvelle chanson mais rien de bien concluant. J'ai rencontré certains de mes amis que je n'avais pas vu beaucoup cette année, donc c'était vraiment bien, c'est si difficile de rester en contact, mais peut être
que du coup c'est encore plus spécial quand nous reprenons contact.

Je ne peux pas m'empêcher de repenser combien l'année passée était folle et géniale, nous avons fait Top Of the Pops Dimanche dernier, et nous étions sur le point de passer devant Westlife au Royaume-Uni, car nous sommes déjà numéro 1 en Irlande. C'est fou, c'est comme si cela
faisait longtemps déjà, et je me souviens de si peu de choses maintenant, comme si je les avais laissées dormir longtemps depuis qu'elles ont eu lieu, et que je n'ai pas vraiment mené la vie que j'ai choisie, mais l'année prochaine est une nouvelle année, nous aurons un bel enregistrement à amener aux gens tout au long de l'année, et je peux attendre mais je suis
impatient que tout cela arrive.

Bon, d'habitude je continue donc je ne vais pas le faire cette fois, je vais juste vous recommander quelques petites choses que j'écoute en ce moment : le nouvel album de K-os "Atlantis", c'est impressionnant, c'est un autre changement de direction. Allez sur www.k-osmusic.com, nous aimerions inviter Kevin sur notre album, petit allusion... J'écoute aussi
le nouvel enregistrement de Newton Faulkner, disponible sur son MySpace, il est bien, j'aime ce qu'il fait et si jamais il veut un contrebassiste.. non pas qu'il en aie besoin d'un. Allez voir sur www.myspace.com/officialnewtonfaulkner, j'espère que ca va marcher.

C'est cool, je voulais juste dire merci à Jamie Cullum, j'ai regardé le DVD d'une chanson que nous avons improvisé pour notre amie Sandra et c'est classe, tu es une star.

Bon, j'y vais, je veux juste vous souhaiter à tous un joyeux Noel et si quelqu'un a besoin d'un visage amical, soyez la pour lui.

Mes meilleurs voeux

John xx

Traduction by Ramla du post du 23 Octobre (écrit le 07)
(désolée pour le décousu des posts, mais j'ai pas assez de place pour l'écrire juste en dessous, j'espère que ça ira quand même... Embarassed

)

Citation :: Le 23 Octobre 2006.
Blog n°13 de JP - 07.10.2006

Eh ben salut, cela fait un bon et drôle de moment.
Nizlopi est de retour au travail; nous étions partis au Pays de Galles écrire et parler de ce que nous voulions comme futur pour Nizlopi et, plus important, pour notre amitié. Il y a des questions dures. Nous avons eu une année de folie: nous avons beaucoup travaillé et apporté notre musique de par le monde, créant le plus de problèmes possible.

Comme cela fait longtemps [que je n'ai pas écrit], je vais rapidement raconté ce qui s'est passé.
J'ai joué pour un beau mariage, celui de Ben et Jo, très particulier. J'ai passé un moment charmant, avec quelques personnes charmantes. Luke et moi avons joué tandis qu'ils allaient à leur cérémonie, du coup nous avons joué un concert entier, suivi d'un concert très cool de The Quiet Men, le groupe irlandais avec lequel nous jouons de temps en temps. C'était formidable, et Terry est entré dans le Guiness Book des records pour la longueur du concert et l'énergie dépensée, c'était génial.

Après ça, j'avais pas mal de trucs personnels à mettre en ordre, vu que je vivais ma vie plus ou moins à une vitesse folle, et j'ai arrêté et prêté réellement attention à ce qui m'était arrivé. Du coup, après ça, et quelques discussions très humiliantes (dont une qui a terminé avec moi bourré, en rade à London Waterloo [NDLR : une gare de Londres], et dans le besoin d'un visage amical, donc merci Ann, tu m'as sauvé la vie, ou du moins de la gêne d'avoir à dormir dans la gare, je regarde quand nous pourrions manger ensemble avec toi et Jo)...

Ensuite, je suis allé à Bruxelles, j'ai aimé, je pense que c'est un endroit si joli, où la culture semble être basée sur la nourriture et la boisson de qualité, ç'a probablement été le meilleur week end à l'étranger que j'ai jamais passé.

Malheureusement, j'ai dû arrêter de travailler ma contrebasse après la tournée, c'était la première fois que j'avais à ce point besoin d'une coupure. Du coup, j'ai emmené Catherine chez Thwaites pour qu'il la contrôle, et au moment où je vous écris, elle y est encore, donc j'ai dû sortir Stéphanie. Elle ressemble plus à une contrebasse classique, donc elle sonne jolimenet avec l'archet et gronde un peu moins que Catherine.

J'ai aidé ma soeur Emma à déménager dans sa nouvelle maison de Derby, j'espère que ça lui apportera du bonheur et plein de chouettes souvenirs. Nous avons eu un sacré fou rire ensemble, on a passé toute la journée chez Ikea à acheter des meubles. C'est finalement là la beauté de gagner de l'argent, cela permet de faire de bonnes choses avec.

J'ai commencé une journée pleine de travail à la contrebasse le Samedi 7, et j'ai aimé ce retour à la musique. Même pendant la saison des festivals, j'avais commencé à moins m'entraîner, et j'ai été pris par ce mode de vie, plutôt que par ce que me donnait la vie.

J'ai vu Jaffa Rose au Jug&Jester, c'était impressionnant. Nick est formidable, il a travaillé pendant 6 semaines à FDM Records, et il travaillait véritablement très dur et assez tranquillement, et après quand il a pris le saxophone, il est juste devenu quelqu'un de totalement différent. C'était vraiment un concert chouette, continuez comme ça les gars.

Luke et moi avons eu une longue discussion pour décider de où nous allions et, en même temps, des quelques changements dont nous avions tous les deux besoin pour pouvoir vous apporter l'an prochain quelques nouvelles chansons de Nizlopi, pêchues et pleines d'énergie.

après ça, nous sommes allés au pays de Galles où nous avons écrit la plupart de nos chansons, dans une belle petite propriété dans une vallée dont je ne peux vous donner le nom, je sais juste qu'il y a beaucoup de 'h', 's' et 'y' dedans. Nous avions réellement besoin de partir, je trouve toujours cela difficile de ne pas avoir une accès internet sans fil qui fonctionne et une ligne téléphonique sans grésillement, mais je peux surmonter ça. Nous avons vécu de manière très détendue, nous avons juste réappris à nous connaître l'un l'autre en tant qu'amis, mais nous avons vraiment attendu pour écrire des chansons, donc nous en avons écrit quelques unes et avons des tas d'idées. Selon moi, nous sommes en train de changer notre façon d'écrire. Je commence par écrire avec la guitare au lieu de la conterbasse, du coup nous composons des chansons plus mélodiques et harmoniquement plus complètes. Souvent, lorsque l'on compose avec la contrebasse, elles ont tendance à être plus rythmiques.

Il y a peu, j'ai commencé à utiliser et à emmener avec moi un appareil photo, et j'aime bien ça. J'ai toujours eu l'impression qu'il fallait être particulièrement doué pour faire de belles photos, et je fais de mon mieux pour prouver la justesse de mon point de vue.

Samedi, j'ai été à deux concerts privés, tous les deux à Leamington Spa, comme c'était bizarre. Les deux étaient impressionnants et très variés, le premier auquel j'ai été se passait chez Luke. Ca a commencé par George Chopping (un poète), Finn (Maitre chanteur/compositeur) et les étonnants Jimmy&The Pigs, emmenés par le célèbre et timide Merrick Angle. Je susi arrivé pendant la prestation de George Chopping, et je ne m'étais jamais vraiment intéressé profondément à la poésie, persuadé que cela allait être un challenge, mais j'ai sacrément aimé, sa prononciation était vraiment engageante, et est une bonne partie des poèmes que l'on peut du coup relier à quelque chose.

Après la prestation de George, j'ai dû aller au second concert, chez G., où elle avait réuni Lewis Garland avec sa bande de stars : Bradley à la contrebasse et Drew à la mandoline. La tête d'affiche était le légendaire Gary Dunne, malheureusement j'ai loupé le concert de Lewis Garland, mais tout le monde m'a dit comme c'était bien. J'ai fini par jouer la majeure partie du concert de Gary Dunne avec lui, sur la contrebasse de Bradley - très grondante - c'était une vraie joie. Ces nouvelles chansons sont mortelles, j'attends son deuxième album en Février, et j'espère que je jouerai dessus. Une fois le concert de G terminé, ceux qui n'étaient pas lassés et qui étaient motivés se sont réunis pour une grande session avec Nizlopi, Gary Dunne, George Chopping et Jimmy&The Pigs. C'est ici que j'avais entendu pour la dernière fois Merrick se produire comme chanteur/compositeur, et j'avais été hautement impressionné. Parfois, ses paroles te touchent, et d'autres te font rire. Gary et moi n'arrivions pas à faire le lien entre celui qui mélange whisky et anti-dépresseurs, et le fait de ne pas pouvoir assurer avec sa copine. C'était une nuit super, je suis rentrée à la maison assez tard et un peu crevé, vraiment.

Le lendemain, FDM et Nizlopi se sont rencontrés, c'était cool de voir Sue et Kieron aussi biens après leurs vacances en Australie, et ils sont repartis avec plein de choses auxquelles réfléchir.

Après, nous sommes retournés au Pays de Gales pour continuer notre seconde semaine d'écriture. Nous avons partagé notre temps de sorte à pouvoir beaucoup travailler tout seul nos instruments dans la matinée, puis à écrire ensemble dans l'après midi et puis (car il n'y a rien à faire ici) nous allions tout simplement au lit pour lire, très rock'n'roll. Une après-midi nous sommes allés au pub du coin, et, tandis que nous marchions à travers le sombre et obscur vestibule, on nous a demandé avec un accent gallois : "vous aimez Elvis [NDLT : surnommé The King, d'où la traduction]?" Heureusement que nous avons répondu oui, et nous avons alors été autorisés à regarder "Elvis - le retour" sur un home cinéma dans le pub. Ils nous ont emmené, nous ont fait asseoir, et nous fait taire, c'était très irréel.

Dans le week end, entre deux sessions d'écriture, je suis retourné à la maison et j'ai été tristement frappé par le nombre de personnes qui vivent péniblement en ce moment, de toutes les manières possibles. Moi aussi j'ai eu quelques moments difficiles, mais tout ce que je peux donner comme conseil est de faire le tri parmi son cercle d'amis, et e faire des trucs, aller au ciné, au resto indien, construire cette culture de musique, de lecture et de café que nous voulons à Leamington. Il y a une galerie d'art qui vient juste d'ouvrir, un bon ami m'a emmené y faire un tour. C'est sur Regent Street, en face du meilleur coffee shop - un italien indépendant - alors faites-y un saut, laissez arriver ce qui doit, le bonheur des gens affecte souvent le sien propre.

J'écoute toujours K-Os - [s]Exit[/s] - une chanson si étonnante, prenante mais profonde, Luke et moi avons eu un moment digne de "Wayne's World" en dansant dessus dans le van. J'ai ausi acheté le nouvel album de Tanya, [s]Be Good[/s], c'est comme d'écouter du miel, un son si doux, et j'aime [s]The Prince cover[/s], c'est un écrivain d'enfer. Dans les lectures sages, je dévore des tas de livre de Jostein Gaarder. J'aime bien quand quelqu'un de particulier vous recommande de lire quelque chose, du coup je les ai maintenant presque tous lus. Mon préféré est "La fille orange", une belle histoire de coup de foudre, où l'on peut croire que le monde peut être magique et n'a pas à être aussi fichtrement dur. Dans le livre, le père mourant laisse une lettre à son fils, à lire de nombreuses années après sa mort, j'aurais souhaité que le mien ait fait pareil.

C'est cool, j'espère que vous allez tous bien.

Bisous à tous

Jpx

Citation :: Tuesday, July 24, 2007

JP blog - 24th July 2007

Well, well, well, well, its been a long time since i've written. Its strange, so much has changed but yet many things stay the same. One constant is me being tired. Nizlopi had a very busy weekend playing three shows in two days, all of which were wicked.

We started at the Redhill festival, we opened it on the Saturday. It sounded great and was really well organised even though it was in its first year. Sadly, it seems a resident spent a lot of money trying to stop it from happening. People are strange. I don't know why he didn't go on holiday and give the money to charity. Am looking forward to Redhill being the full weekend next year.

After that was Sheep Music which was a seven hour drive through massive floods where Josh earned many points with his driving stunts (shall say no more). We headlined both Saturday nd Sunday, both shows were really good, Sunday being the most full on. After that i was very kindly driven home to London where I now live.

So, changes in this year: well, I have a new, very old double-bass made by "Paul Claudet" made in 1860. I bought it from Tony @ The contra-bass shopper, tis a beautiful sounding instrument. At the moment its name is "Nanny" but i'm looking for a nice old-lady name, French preferably.

Other changes is that I now live in London in Stoke Newington with some very lovely and cool people. The house has a very community based vibe and is different to anywhere i've lived before. London is good for me, it means I get to play and see lots of music and i get to see a lot of my friends and loved ones more.

The second album is being finished, I know we said it'd be out by now but we want to get it sounding and feeling right so we go back into the studio 30th and 31st and re-record two songs which i believe are probably singles off this record. We're also going to try and write a couple more for recording in September.

Anyway, its good to be back, feels so long since i've written.

Loving at the mo: Feist's new album, Regina Spektor's new album, Damien Dempsey's new album.

Cool, my love to you all

JPx

Citation :: Tuesday, July 31, 2007

JPs Blog - 31st July 2007

Where does all the time go?

God, do you find yourself wondering why you're chasing your tail always? I know that sounds like an opening to one of those naff self-help books, but i do wonder, even though this is a quieter year for Nizlopi, why is there still no time to practice or rest or even call friends (Sorry HB)? I guess its just cause I just fill it full of quite pointless things, so in the next few weeks I shall be doing my best to make it all fit together better, wish me luck.

Nizlopi have been busy preparing strings for recording ""Love Is". Me and Luke spent hours coming up with ideas then I scored them out, but in the rush to get to London to rehearse with Jonnie (violin) and Martin (cello) I left the music in the studio. Doh. Luckily for me and Luke, Martin and Jonnie seemed to know exactly what we wanted and to be honest it sounded a damn site better than any of the parts we wrote. We had a great rehearsal which luckily for us Ryan caught on camera which i'm sure will appear in a future podcast. Apart from that we've been writing new songs which are sounding real good.

The sad news is that we had to cancel recording "Love Is" and re-doing the vocal on "Part Of Me" as Phil, our producer (no one elses) has been really unwell. Hopefully with a lot of bullying we'll get him running soon and then finish the second album sometime in September. As a working title for the album we've got "Make It Happen", what d'you reckon? I'm getting my brain round it, i think it sums up what we do and what we must never lose sight of.

Anyway, i'm going away for a break and a wedding so I wish you all the best for the week ahead.

Reading at the mo: "Before I Die" by Jenny Downham. Never have teenagers. A great book

Studying: Double-bass exercises from The Jazz Book by John Goldsby. The chapter on playing in tune is pure gold.

Listening to: "The Complete Africa Brass Sessions" by John Coltrane, the man's a genius.

My Love, JPx

PS Thankyou so much for all the old French bass names, my faves are Edith, Marianne, Anne Laure and I found Nanette very funny. Keep them coming.

Citation :: JP’s Blog (From 6th August)

Bonjour. Thankyou all for your double bass name ideas, I name everything so I'm about to collect a very cool hard case being made specially for me from the contrabass shoppe,( www.contrabass.co.uk ) can't wait, so that'll probably need a name too. I seem to spend my time asking for things from you guys and I'm not sure what you get from me in return. So on that note I'm looking for a double bass player/electric bassist in the London area to join a band I played with called Tom McKean and the Emperors, they're a great band and lovely people with quality songs. Please check out www.myspace.com/tommckeanandtheemperors . This band will, I'm sure, go on to great things. Reply via this blog and I will forward your details etc….

On a double bass note, I will be selling both Stephanie and Catherine in the next month or so and will keep you posted, I need to be a one bass man, gonna try and sell them on ebay.

Tomorrow is the Millennium Dome gig, can't wait , should be a rocking show. Feels ages (too long) since Nizlopi played London so we're well up for it, will let you know how it goes, I think Prince is in the big room, might get to meet the wee fella.

This last week has been great, had a wicked time in Ireland and the wedding was a success (as in both people turned up and got married). The party was good fun afterwards apart from my dancing which left many wandering what disability I had or if this was a new dance craze in the uk. Sorry.

Spent some time in Dublin which, to my relief, hasn't changed that much at all. Like Ethan said the people are just so welcoming. My mum's from Dublin so in a way it's like going home, I think me and Rebecca are going to try to get her over at some point.

Got back Saturday late, then up early to learn to play again and head to the Big Green Gathering where I played with Tom McKean and the Emperors. Was a long drive but the gig was great, think we all played well. Would have been nice to have played to a bigger audience or at least one that wasn't so festied out. Although the guy talking through our gig was very funny.

The journey home was a long but enjoyable one and ended up in a services on the m4. I'd never been in before, which I tell you is very rare.

Had to cancel Monday due to being absolutely knackered, which is a hard thing for me to do as I never really think what's best/safe for me to do and just felt I had to make that call.

Cool, well all that's left for me to say is that I've not really managed to listen to anything new, been digging a track by Bjork called "wonderlust" I think and it's off her new album. Also a track by Regina Spektor about Samson with a beautiful chorus "you are my sweetest downfall, I loved you first" Great tune. Reading Oliver Sacks' "the man who mistook his wife for a hat". Enjoying with the help of a dictionary.

My love Jpx

Citation :: JPs Blog - 22nd August 2007

(Written 21/08/07)

Hello all.

Sorry I've been out of the loop recently, there's been so much going on and having to be in so many places at once is tricky and a wee bit stressful. But it's time to slow down and reflect on things and take time to get back to fighting fitness, there's been just too many tired jp shows recently so I've been going to bed at 10. Scary, definitely not rock n roll.

As mentioned, a tired gig was the O2 show at the millenium dome. We had one of the best soundchecks, it rocked, in fact we started writing straight away and experimenting with sliding harmonics and things. But the gig was a little all over the place, me and Luke almost started in different places (Luke on the stage and me out in the crowd). Also the sound had gremlins which is a real pity cause if that had gone well I think it may have boosted flagging energy levels. But I'm not going to be too hard on myself as I gave everything I could and more.

The whole Prince-superstar thing is crap, he might play he might not, how do people get away with that?

After that it was Lukes birthday on the 9th , can you believe it, 29 (nearly the big 30). We had a surprise party for him at his and my only job was to keep him occupied before hand and it was a nightmare. In the end me and Rebecca had to take him to see my mum for a cup of tea and an intense chat about relgion but we did it and he hadn't a clue, although I think he thought many very strange things about me until the party.

The next day was an all-day journey to play the World Fleadh in Portlaoise, Ireland on the Sunday. We had a very quiet drive to the ferry due to the amount of cocktails we had the night before, even though I had a good night's sleep. I guess it was the drive from London to Surrey and then to Leamington done in one day to pick up my amazing double bass case (which I may well move into) that tired me out.

Anyway the gig sounded so good even though they blew my amp up in the soundcheck but sadly there wasn't that many people there. But those that did brave the weather were wicked, thankyou. Looking forward to playing Ireland properly with Damien Dempsey in Novemember.

I flew back from Shannon airport that night (which is the funniest airport I've flown from) but I got loads of reading done and was dead pleased to have been able to get back as I was spending the week coming cleaning the house I live in, which I don't think had been given a proper clean since it was built. So yes, that's what I did last week: clean, scrub, and graft. Was very hard work but so essential.

I had Wednesday off as me and Luke were playing the Bath Songwriters Festival where we did a great workshop with some very lovely and gifted songwriters , thankyou for making us feel so welcome. It's hard cause everyone has their own way of writing so we all learnt from each other and it felt strange to be talking as if we know anything about the mysteries of writing songs.

That night we played a rocking show at Bath's Moles club. It was so vibeing we played an extra 40 mins and I was totally unsure of who I was after the show, I felt the bass was really singing and I had plenty to say, both me and luke threw everything at it and it made up for maybe a few of the more tired Nizlopi performances, what a night.. I got home with Josh at 4.30 in the morning and had to get up early the next morning to start cleaning again (madness), although saying that, Josh drove back to leam after dropping me off.

Went to Bournmouth on Friday and it rained, horrible. Came back Saturday.

Sunday and Monday were spent finishing off Finn Daniel's record with Chris, sounds so good, got some wonderful string players on it (Jonnie and Martin) and I'm dead chuffed at my first attempt at producing.

This week is about writing new songs for Nizlopi. Today we were very creative, putting some good new sections to three new tracks of which one we've already started playing live ("England Uprise"). And they're all sounding so good, very exciting. We've got three weeks put aside for writing and like I said earlier to get life sorted, finally got to get some decent practising in and the world just feels so much better for it.

Anyway this is turning into a crazy long one.

All that's left for me to say is click on the demand button at the top left of our MySpace page and tell us where you'd like us to play near you (or not if you don't like us. mmmm never thought of that). But yeah we'd love to come to interesting places venues etc… let us know.

All my best

Jpx

Sujet: Re: Blog de John : VO et VF Lun 3 Sep 2007 - 19:03

Citation :: 02 sept. 2007

JP’s Blog - 3rd September 2007

Gigs glorious gigs

Hello

Nizlopi have been rocking some great shows to some even greater audiences, god I love playing live. Thankyou to all that came and sang, danced, and generally gave us some love back. I'm not sure you all realise what an important part of the band you are, there's only me and Luke and at our fullest and best we sound as a four piece so we need more voices and interaction, something to play off and against I think a lot of artists forget just how important audiences are, they get on stage and believe it's their God given right to be admired etc… well no, that sure aint why we do it.

I've been loving the shows recently definitely been over-playing (sorry) but been digging my practise so much. Managing to get three hours in every morning and then me and Luke have been writing all afternoon, we have three new songs in the bag at the mo and we're going to be putting them through some live paces at these next shows so we can know which ones will complete the well-overdue but worth the wait 2nd album. At the mo, round my head, I have a song called 'Last Night in Dakar, which Luke wrote on his African journeys earlier this year. The falsetto at the beginning is so hookey as well as the chorus.

So yep, anyway, the gigs: we played the Shambala festival on the friday night, what a great show. Sean of Marr's Bar fame was on the sound and we played his tent, and the feedback we got was he did a wicked job, you could hear every note and that's what we like to hear.

It's a wonderful festival and everyone on the team wished we could have stayed the weekend if not the whole month, a truly nice vibe. Our set was full on I have been working on switching my self off before gigs and getting myself mentally ready to give my self over fully and this was the first show I did that, it was great and over so quick.

Afterwards, tired and emotional, we had a lovely Thai curry and all hung out together. Sometimes you forget what a good team we (me and Luke) have around us and Friday was made especially lovely by the fact that Ryan was there getting on down and in great sprits. Have a great break.

Next day was a trip down to Southampton, we were playing the Talking Heads venue and boy what a show, was wicked. We played for an extra 30 mins and sweated too much, feel we're defiantly getting there now, you forget sometimes what it's like to do gigs when you're up for it and well practised, done far to many with no sleep and so little practise but now lets bring it on. The set was really varied, old, new and totally improvised. We started in the crowd and me and Luke went round and round in circles while playing, was great fun. Had to be steadied and pointed towards the stage. This is definitely the hottest gig for a while, so much so that my finger tips were soft after the show, like being in the bath.

After the show we wanted to get a cuppa and could find nowhere open so Katie (tour manager/mum) got us into a casino. We all became members and sat in this very strange place which was great fun if not a little surreal. So we got home damn late which meant that Sunday was a fight to stay awake and on it, failed in both areas.

On Monday I went to Tunbridge Wells, lovely part of the world, and visited Phil and his lovely wife. It was great to see them both and I was looked after really well, Phil is our producer and has been really unwell recently but he was looking good and definitely on Phil form.

Tuesday and the rest of this week is Nizlopi writing and getting some brand new songs sounding sweet, we've been digging a song called "My Only Love" it's got a kinda Michael Jackson feel to it, make of that what you will.

October tour is taking shape and the mo it's all confirmed then we'll let you know, it's going to be called the Up Rise tour after a song we've just written about all the great things in this land.

We've got the Moseley folk festival coming up and I can't wait, it's with Kate Rusby and Rory McLeod and it's going to rock so come on down and it's pretty local too.

Listening to K'naan and The Roots last album so the hip hop vibe is getting a good injection.

Reading "If This Is A Man" by Primo Levi, think everyone should read this it's an incredibly well written book and really makes you think about the state of the world and no matter how shit life can get it's survivable, no, more than that its damn worth living and fighting for.

Cool right take care

My best

Jpx

Sujet: Re: Blog de John : VO et VF Ven 14 Sep 2007 - 18:13

Citation :: Friday, September 14, 2007

JP’s blog - 14th September 2007

Struggling with bass.

As the title may well suggest this last week I have been struggling with my bass, will explain later but luckily for me am through the other side now.

Well, it's been a few weeks since my last confession so here goes: me and Luke have spent time writing and polishing new songs for the 2nd album, all sounding pretty damn good if you ask me.

We then played the Moseley folk festival which was ace, Kate Rusby and Rory McLeod were on the same bill so it was a real pleasure to be alongside them both and an added bonus for us was that Rory got up with us on Flooded Quarry and it rocked.

The following week was demoing the new material and an alt-version of Drop Your Guard which is sounding like an Otis track. Demoing was tough on me as ive been struggling a lot recently with panic attacks which can wipe me out for days on end and also mean I doubt my own abilities and as playing double-bass has a massive amount to do with confidence. Then I just couldn't play and that's when the fiddling with the set up of the bass starts and then you know you're fighting a losing battle. So although we got loads of good work done it was tough. Good things were having Chris engineer the sessions and Martyn coming up to play drums and percussion which sound so damn good. Martyn is all over the 2nd album and it has been really interesting working the beatbox with the drums cause obviously I'm doing what you'd expect drums to do so it means he has to find different ways of approaching the way he plays. He does this by tuning things different, hitting snares after I've sung creating a crazy echo affect and allowing himself to play some off the wall bits of percussion. On England Uprise we've gone for straight hip-hop drumming and it sounds so cool it's like being in The Roots.

On the Sunday we played the Birmingham Academy with Gary Dunne and Damien Dempsey and man what a gig. Damien was amazing, he made us look really tame, it was so good to be kicked up the arse like that. I guess it's so easy to be complacent sometimes. This show was where I realised what some the bass probs were and it was a cleaning product I'd been using and not wiping off, clogging the strings. Doh. I only realised this after using boiling water to clean the strings then suddenly they came to life, it meant I was all over the bass. I'd been giving myself such a hard time about not being able to play that when the obsticle was removed I was flying, I think I played three or 4 db solos, was great fun.

So yes, that's roughly been the last couple of weeks. This week coming Nizlopi are busy getting the 2nd album finished and then building up to our October up rise tour which is going to be a fantastic time, we get to play lots of intimate shows so a little like old-school Nizlopi, book tickets now as they will go damn quick like hot donuts.

Cool well I'm on a strict diet of the five essential things for me to get back to being me, sleep, excersise, eating well, a strict diary and practise.

Listening to Jo Cocker with a little help from my friends and that really sums up out touring party and record lable thanks guys and gal's

X

Jpx zzzzzzz

Sujet: Re: Blog de John : VO et VF Lun 8 Oct 2007 - 17:39

Citation :: JP’S Blog - 8th October 2007

(NOTE: We had a few email problems so this blog dates back about a week and a half, apologies folks)

So much to tell...

Well hello there. Firstly, thankyou to all who sent me kind messages
wishing me well, am grand, getting on with things and fighting stuff.
Am in the studio in Brixton and have finished recording my parts and
all that's left to do is a couple of vocals and then to mix.

Sadly, Luke got punched whilst buying a card for his girlfriend so he's
got a puffed up cheek and is feeling pretty rotten. He was very dazed
when he got back to the studio but hopefully he'll be cool to finish
recording on schedule.

The recording is going really well and "Last Night In Dakar" is
sounding so damn good, we've loads of percussion on it, in fact at
times it feels like a percussion orchestra and that's thanks to the
wonderful Martyn Barker. Also we've put some amazing kora all over the
track, Kadialy Kollyate brought pure sunshine to the track. It's
strange really as his first gig in the uk was a healthy concert with
us and when we went looking for a kora player he was the one that was
brought to our attention, what a joy. The track uses the most
channels on the album and is so exciting to hear, Martyns" been
showing me some south African rythms so am gonna be practising that.

We also recorded England Uprise, and this is sounding so sweet, we have
the great Benjamin Zephania doing a phone call intro to the track, and
there's some cool beatboxing vs drums going on.

Tomorrow we have Martyn and Jonnie (string section to the stars) and
we'll be putting the finishing touches to a much more rocking version
of "Love Is". So now our only dilemma is which tracks get on the album
and which don't, a tough one. We now have 17 tracks, I'm sure if me and
Luke had our way we'd put them all on but that may make for a very
long album, so we'll see, be nice to give some away for free etc.

Apart from being in the studio we played one of my favourite gigs so
far, we played a small church in London called St Barnibus, it's our
first gig acoustically for ages and it was so so special. We both
played well but this was so influenced by the great space and acoustic
as well as a wonderful audience who sang so beautifully. We played a
really interesting bunch of songs, mainly songs off the new record but
also Wash Away which we'd not played in ages and "Yesterday", which we
don't get to play much but I feel is one of our stronger songs. This
gig was filmed and hopefully the footage will be used for part of our
viral campaign and will also feature in some of our podcasts. Talking
of podcasts one idea floating around is to do a kind of tuition video
like the guitar part in Worry or the bass line to Find Me. I was just
wondering what people would want from us, let me know, I think it's
something I'd really like to do.

Before I go I'd like to mention a very cool and happening festival we
played in castle Douglas, Scotland. It was wicked, the audience were
so so good they showed us how to have a good time and how Scotland
dances and rocks. We're heading to Durness next week so we're heading
back am very excited about it.

Cool, well, that's it really, we've had a lot of meetings and time to
think about our future direction as a band and as a label and I think
it's great, always so much to learn and to do. I'd like to thank Toke
for his help and guidance in the work he did with us, feel it really
shifted things.

Am listening to a live Jo Cocker album Mad Dogs and Englishmen, wicked
and absoloutly tons of Avishai Cohen, so cool

.
Well, bye for now Jpx

Citation :: Tuesday, February 12, 2008

JP’s Blog - 12th February 2008

Here goes

Sometimes writing a blog can feel like being a contestant on Just a Minute where the speaker (or in this case blogger) has to fit in as much information, keep it funny and also relatively interesting without hesitation, deviation, or repetition in just a short space of time. As i've not blogged in what feels like a mini-ice age i'm likely to deviate, hesitate and repeat everything. Mmmm, I think i'm proving the little point i was making.

Anyway it's Tuesday morning after getting in late from playing on BBC Wales. This is a great show and everyone there (Alan Thompson, Spencer, and the really friendly guy i can't remember the name of) are great. We got to play 4 new songs off the new record, the single Start Beginning, I'm Alive Again, Last Night in Dakar and a slightly crazy version of Drop Your Guard. A really nice night and was great to be back out on the Nizlopi road again with Luke and KB who was tour managing and driving for this one, go Katie.

Whilst we were learning how to play, the lovely Stuart Maconie (who was standing in for the lovely Chris Evans) played Start Beginning and it was a hit. Yippee, thankyou to everyone who phoned txted e-mailed or just sat there going 'it's alright, can't be bothered to change station'. Even my mum listened and when i got in at half 12 she gave me a loving critique of the song which included her saying 'it started a bit slow but when there were other voices it was really quite ok, so me and luke have won over another one.

At present we're juggling so, SO much getting ready for the preview show on Wednesday and the iTunes special we're playing with the great Soweto Kinch. Also being offered some lovely lovely projects like a possible soundtrack to a film in America and a tour of Canada, so the madness is back. Yes i've missed it, was getting a little bored. Now though I wished i'd practised more but hey ho.

Just on a friends note, I foolishly tore up my sim card to prove a silly point and now it means i've no numbers of any of my friends so if you could text me your numbers that'd be great, there aren't many of you so you know who i mean.

To catch up over the last months, we got back off tour from Ireland with Damien Dempsey at the end of November. He and his band are great and I think me, Luke, Ryan, Josh and Katie all own all of his albums and he just goes from strength to strength, go Damo. Then we went into business overload, we also shot a cool video in the Bedford for Last Night in Dakar (filmed by Dave Motion and Ollie Walker, from what i've seen all the footage is superb). Thankyou to everyone who came along and put up with us playing that song over and over and over and over again.

Sadly, after that show my uncle Des, who only a month before had been at the Vortex show, passed away. He had stomach cancer and he and his wife showed such tremendous courage and strength during what was a really tough couple of months. Des will be missed greatly, a man that was always interested in what me and every one of us kids were doing, he was very proud and was always someone who understood how hard it can be to do what you love in the way you want to do it and stick to it. An inspiration.

Now the new year, a new album, tour, single, wonderful videos, a new team. It's all change. In fact today I need to buy a new pair of running shoes as i've lost mine. I know, how can you lose running shoes, but i have, far too much time spent on the M40.

Anyway, album of the year for me so far is the Radiohead album, just think it's wicked, never thought i'd say that about Radiohead but there you go. Also reading We Need To Talk About Kevin, there's a book that'll put you off becoming a parent.

All the best from me, please say hello and i'll do my very best to stay blogging regularly.

Heres to a new beginning

My best, Jpx

Sujet: Re: Blog de John : VO et VF Mar 4 Mar 2008 - 13:04

Citation :: 03 mars 2008, 08:00

JP’s Blog - 3rd March

(WRITTEN LAST FRIDAY - SOZ FOR LATE POSTING FOLKS)

How do.

Just finished warming up for today's iTunes show with Soweto Kinch, am very excited about it cause musically it's going to rock. Soweto is a great muscian and has an amazing band which i'm really looking forward to hearing. Also, me and Luke wrote two rough sketches of music with Soweto which somehow we're going to put together on the mic tonight.

Also, just been playing dolls houses just to put it all in perspective.
Have caught two great films this week: Juno which i really enjoyed (loved the soundtrack and thoughbt it handled teenage pregnancy with respect and humour, very rarely done), and also I caught La Vie En Rose, a film about the tragic life of Edith Piaf. A wonderful film which left me close to tears, that woman suffered and had such an immense gift, just loved that she went at life regardless of all the shit that was thrown at her.

Nizlopi played a great gig in Leominster organised by Emily Davis for a meningitis charity. Really enjoyed the gig which saw us playing with Gary Dunne, had been a long time since we'd both played together he's on form and was definatly rocking out. Gary has a new album coming out soon and has an interesting video idea which he'd like people to get involved with, check out his website www.garydunne.com for more details.

We played really well and I have to say it was the first gig where i felt really comfortable on the bass, sometimes in can take quite a while to warm up when you're not gigging as much as you normally do. Yesterday sounded great and thanks to a couple from Glasgow i learnt Disarm which i'd forgotten how much i liked.

Two albums i'm listening to and enjoying very much: The Blessing - All Is Yes, the band is made up of the Portishead rhythm section and feels quite like a band from the seventies called Backdoor where the bass takes the centre stage and plays chords and melodies, well worth checking out. The second CD is on the same label as The Blessing (Candid), its the Tom Richards Jazz Orchestra, the album Smoke and Mirrors, which has a guest appearence by Jamie Cullum. This is a well crafted and beautifully arranged big band record and it's great to hear a modern big band. We're very lucky to have them play the Union Chapel gig with us in April and Tom is hopefully going to be putting together an arrangment or two of a nizlopi track which will be amazing. Although also a little nerve wracking having 1) such a great band and 2) possibly having Richard Pryce playing double bass. Check out www.tomrichards.com, album artwork is great too.

Just quickly, was very kindly taken to a gig at the Warwick Arts Centre as a birthday present from Ryan to see African Soul Rebels. Was a great night out and i especially loved Awadi who rocked the show and Salif Keita who has a sublime voice.

Cool well i best get myself ready for iTunes.

All the best

Jpx

Sujet: Re: Blog de John : VO et VF Mer 19 Mar 2008 - 18:25

Citation :: JP’s Blog - 19th March 2008

Hey everyone

Hope you’re all well.

I’ve had a good day. Started with a run then a few hours practice, which was very enjoyable, am working on descending 3 octave scales and trying to get them sounding smooth and natural, no mean task. After that i went to St Luke’s to see the Rosamunde quartet, they played a beautiful piece by Haydn which i’d never heard before, his string quartet in D major and in such a wonderful setting, i will certainly be going to more lunchtime concerts there. This is what i really love about London.

So what’s been happening: well our album has been manufactured and looks wicked, I have my first few copies and I’m just so pleased with it, i can’t wait for it to be released, that’s when me and Luke really start to go to work. Louise Yates who did the artwork did an amazing job, well done you and Ryan as ever overseeing it all.

We played on Smooth radio and choose some tracks from their playlist which included Tracy Chapman, U2 and Jo Cocker, was a really good laugh.

Talking of U2, saw there film in 3D at the iMax at the weekend and loved it, really reminded me of why me and Luke started this crazy journey, well worth checking out.

About from that really it’s buckling down to self practice (not being rude) and Nizlopi rehearsal. We’re learning every song we’ve ever written which includes Love Rage On and tracks like Disarm and a few that didn’t make it on "Make It Happen". Has been a very interesting process, amazing how hard it can be to rediscover the emotion of a song and get the feel right. We’re also trying different kinds of ways of playing them, stripping some down and adding other instrumentation on others. Am looking for some looping/effects unit for double bass that doesn’t kill the sound. Also looking at getting a nylon string guitar, think Love Rage On and Without You really could benefit from it, it’s subtle differences such as this that can make a song suddenly come to life.

At present listening to a lot of different music, it’s quite often the forgotten fuel of any musician so me and Luke have been downloading tracks and buying cd’s as if it’s going out of fashion. Firstly Steve Earle’s latest record Washington Square Serenade sees Steve experimenting with a DJ and different sounds than his previous few records, it comes off really well, the songs are so strong. What Steve does great is simple, very memorable melodies both on vocal and guitar. A record for the head and heart.

Downloaded Foy Vance’s Hope, what a debut album, it’s wicked. He’s a hell of a guitarist and vocalist, i can’t recommend it enough. Other album is Regina Spektor’s Mary Ann Meets The Gravediggers, it’s so beautiful in places and the melodies are amazing, as well as a voice of a fallen angel. Love it, can’t wait till she next tours.

Cool, apart from that have finished reading Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach. I found it a very sad book about making a regretful decision. And i’m reading Love’s Executioner which although sounds quite bitter isn’t at all and is a book sharing real life stories of psychotherapy, am getting alot out of this book.

Well i think thats all from me, we’ve just been booked to play the Steve Merchant show on BBC6 which is dead exciting. Start Begining came out on Monday, our first single in forever, and if you want to help us out you can get it at www.nizlopi.com/shop , am looking forward to hearing what people have to say about it.

X Jpx

Citation :: JP’s blog - 5th August 2008

Hello, bonjour ola etc…

How you all doing? Am grand, my nipples are very sore but that's not as exciting as it may well sound. I have just begun training for the Dublin marathon which takes place in October mid-way through our 'Last Nights On Tour' tour. So anyway yes I ran 12 miles on Hampstead heath and have split both my nipples, oh the joys.

So yes, Nizlopi are stopping for a while as I'm sure you know. We need a break and now feels the right time to take that break being as it's the end of Make It Happen. Mixed feelings about it mainly cause I'm crap on my own and obviously you worry about lots of things like money, will I miss being so busy? Knowing me I'll be busier next year than ever, just broker.

Talking of other projects, I've been recording with the very talented Liam bailey we recorded three tracks and they sound sweet so watch out for him. Also I've been playing with Tom McKean and The Emperors and there's even a cool video on their MySpace page filmed on top of a 5-story building in Islington, was a laugh except getting Nanny up the small, thin and rusty ladder up to the top with a nice drop on one side and I hate heights so was an interesting tense affair. Check out www.myspace.com/tommckeanandtheemperors

At present I'm reading two books: one called "This Book Will Save Your Life" by A.M.Homes. Only just started it but I'm already enjoying the first 50 or so pages so I recommend that. Also a book by M.Scott Peck "A Road Less Traveled". This is very engaging, it's a psychology book concerning relationships, upon many things and just really makes you stop and look at your life and question your behaviour or reactions to certain things. S tough gem but then life is tough too, it's just facing up to it, accepting it and going through it.

Music wise I've bought so many records since I last blogged. At present I'm listening to the Kronos quartet play Henryk Gorecki's String quartet no 3. So beautifully played, but before that was listening to the Esbjorn Svensson Trio. Very sadly Esbjorn passed away very recently, such a talent and he will be so missed, his music introduced so many people to jazz through a different door, less Charlie parker more Pearl Jam. I saw them play a number of times and they were amazing every time , luckily me and Rebecca saw them at the Warwick Arts Centre the last time they played. Rest in peace, Esbjorn.

Well it's almost time for me to stop typing aggressively and say goodbye but first I just want to say a big thankyou to everyone who has come to a Nizlopi show, be it right at the beginning, during the JCB success or perhaps more recently during the amazing Make It Happen tour. Really, without you it just wouldn't have happened, please come along to our last tour and come say hi and goodbye for now, maybe we could have cake.

I'm going to be writing regularly from now on so if you want to get in touch please do and I will do my best to respond as quickly as I can.

All the best Jpx

Citation :: JP’s Blog - 15th August 2008

Hey there, thankyou to everyone who took the time and the trouble to post on my mumbled attempt at a regular blog, much appreciated.

Well it's been a productive day: got 4 hours double bass practice in, which i kinda wanna do everyday if poss but never seems to be realised. Am working on my classical side of my playing, my reading is always a wee bit scrappy so am working away at various pieces written for 10 year olds and still struggling. But hey. Also working on some bass parts for a group called Me and Bobby, am very excited about this album so it's been great fun trying different ideas, some not always tasteful to the song.

Well, in the last week i've been mostly on holiday. Me and my lady friend went to Cornwall, the lizard point, and it was so beautiful. Got to do loads of running up big muddy hills overlooking the sea and we were dead lucky with the weather too, almost turning my ultra pasty body a degree darker (which is still Ghostly white). The training is going well and I seem to thrive on running up hill rather than down or on flat, i think i just like the challenge really.

On the Nizlopi front: well sadly Pickering folk festival was cancelled due to bad weather, which was really gutting as it would have been the first Nizlopi gig in what feels like ages. The weather must have been real bad as we got told days in advance, normally they call it off on the day if the weather has been bad but lets hope next year for the festival will be a good one, although it will be a Nizlopi free one.

We've got some shows coming up: The Croissant Neuf festival on Sat, a charity show for MS at the 100 club in London on Tues and Cox's yard on the Thursday so we can't complain, be good to strut our stuff again. God, that sounds like we're going to do Nizlopi glam rock. Well you never know.

Anyway apart from holiday I baked my first apple pie which was great fun and as yet no one has died due to the eating of it. Listening to Damien Dempsey's To Hell or Barbados which gets put on repeat when ever the kids are in the car, there's a song called Teachers and it gets sung all the time, it's great real music.

Apart from that there's not much else to say, Luke may well be under arrest at the climate change camp and so the forthcoming shows may be solo, god help us.

Hope you're all well and I look forward to hearing from ya.

Jpx

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