Practicing, playing, writing

As soon as I have a moment alone in the flat, that's what I've been up to. I really hope something is going to come out of it this time!

Recording

Here are some pre-recording pictures. I left during the proper drum/guitar/bass recording and was back only for the vocals. Too much pressure in standing perfectly still without making a noise. So meanwhile I went to play with the chickens, more pictures to come.

Tom now knows how to record in a cheap way and we can't wait to install something in the basement in France and start recording together. Exciting!

Oh and we also took this opportunity to have Tom's paperwork signed by a witness and we now both have changed to our marital name. Better later than never!

To listen to the song, check the previous post! Enjoy.

Novella + Toy at the Scala

Last night we went to see Novella opening for Toy at the Scala in London. We tried to smuggle our cameras in but it didn't work, we were quite gutted. Still the gig was good and we took a few iphone pictures. We went more for Novella than for Toy, even if they are good they are kind of a less good version of The Horrors. Still worth a listen.

All the pictures are of Novella.

A fall and a gig

It's been quiet around here for a few days, I was planning on posting on Monday, but on my way to work I fell and hurt myself quite a bit. I was running late and hurried, the problem is that we live on top of a hill and it's currently covered with dead soggy leaves. I fell just as I got to the train station. Luckily for my ego there weren't many people, just a nice lady who helped me out. When I fell I got really scared I hurt my coccyx bone. If there is one bone you don't want to break it's this one. I saw the doctor, it was a big shock for my body but no major damage done. For two days I couldn't really walk or sit. I obviously couldn't go to work and I'm off for the rest of the week. I've been laying in pain pathetically on my coach until today, I feel a bit better and thought I should finish what I started on Monday!

It's a bit out of date now but never mind. On Saturday evening we went to see The Kills opening for Jack White at Alexandra Palace. To give you an idea of what it meant for me: I only listen to three current bands: The Horrors, Jack White and The Kills, and Alexandra Palace is the closest venue to our flat. Let's say it sounded like a perfect night. There was still a no photo policy, hence the phone pictures.

The venue itself - I had never seen it before, I just go to the park usually like here - isn't great. It's really big and not meant for gigs. We still managed to be fairly close for The Kills. Ah! I had missed them. They are my first proper band crush, and after quite a few years I still love them as much. I kind of want to be Alison Mosshart. With black hair, not pink. Though this time it was blond, still better than pink. They were great, I love their songs live and they are entertaining. And as much as I love seeing some bands live, they are still special to me.

Jack White played with his girl band and as I said here, I much prefer it this way. It was great, the set list was brilliant and he played more songs I never heard live before. Every single gig is different with him - that's the downside of the Kills, it's always the same set list. It was quite good to enjoy the supporting act as much as the main one and be excited all the way rather than have to go through a long boring wait.

Third Man Records

Here is the real reason why we ended up in Tennessee. Tom and I are both Jack White fans and when we were friends we joked about going to Nashville together to go to Third Man Records. We joked, but we were actually quite serious but as our friendship was more and more ambiguous, we never made any serious plans. Then we got together and we knew it would be one of our next trips, as soon as we could afford it. One day, Tom saw an add for cheap flights to America with British Airways, and we "needed" a honeymoon, no need to think twice. So we built our trip around that, we knew we wanted to see Memphis and spend a few days in New-York. We looked at a map to see what else was on the way in Tennessee.

Back to Third Man Records. I was so excited on the way there. And you need to be motivated if you are walking. It was sunny, boiling hot, far away and in, let's say, not the nicest part of town. And did I say it was boiling hot!? But we made it and behaved like two kids on Christmas morning. We had to buzz for someone to let us in. A minute later a pretty young girl wearing a yellow and black (the shop's colours) dress opened the door for us. The shop is tiny but it is what we were expecting. Suddenly four other people came in. We couldn't move anymore, and we were annoyed, let us enjoy the shop! So we pretended to look more than you normally would need to and waited until everyone else was gone. We picked quite a few records, since we knew we were coming, we hadn't bought any of Jack White new records. We had a chat with the girl - people in Tennessee have all been so friendly and nice to us, we felt very welcomed - and we shyly asked if we could take pictures. I think she is used to it. We left the shop with a smile on our face and records under our arm. Oh and we went back. Twice. In two days. Might as well make the most of it!

Sun Studio

On our first day in Memphis - our first proper day after sleeping a few hours for the first time in 26 hours - we went to Sun Studio. We walked there from our hotel near Beale Street. If you've ever been to Memphis in the summer, you can understand it was silly. But we didn't have a car, there is no public transportation and we couldn't afford a taxi. So we walked. Like everywhere else. It didn't look too far on the map - and it wasn't that far - but when it's sunny and 35 degrees, everything seems further. It gave us also our first look at empty Memphis. I loved Memphis, there is such a strange atmosphere, and feeling coming from it for me. I felt stuck in time, it seems that the city has been forgotten in the 70's and now everything is slowly falling apart from lack of attention. It can also make you feel a little uneasy when you are walking in the middle of nowhere, alone, surrounded by abandoned buildings. I found the architecture very interesting there, a lot of old buildings with Art Deco feeling to them and I'd love to know more about them. But that's not the point here, so Sun Studio.

Tom is a big Elvis fan, I'm a big Johnny Cash fan. It was quite cool to see where they started recording on their spare time for a few dollars. We did the tour, it starts above what is the shop now - it used to be a restaurant not linked to Sun Studio back then - where you can see old recording equipments and learn more about the whole story. It's quite small, only a few people at the time and quite interactive since you also listen to recordings, including Elvis' first recording ever for his mum's birthday. Then, back downstairs, in the actual recording studio that is still in use. You can see the "reception" and the recording booth. If you've seen Walk the Line, that's where Johnny Cash records for the first time, his gospel song and then sings what would be Folsom Prison. In there you have an old microphone that supposedly Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and the likes recorded with. And you can play with it and take a picture.

We bought a few souvenirs, for us and friends: guitar picks, matches, cards to send... The records there are originals and cost a small fortune. And then we had to face the heat again and walk all the way back.

Bristol

On the weekend we drove to Bristol with two friends for a gig. We met up with a real Bristol... How do you call someone from Bristol actually? Anyway, born and raised there, who showed us around and took us to a cafe for lunch. Apparently fries are big in Bristol, including for breakfast. After a bite, we went for a walk, it's actually a quite nice looking town centre. And you can walk, a nice change from London. It's not so great at night, like everywhere it gets a bit chavy with drunk people shouting on the streets.

A friend of us was releasing his first solo project single and Tom was also playing. I had a bit of a sing with Tom, sharing a microphone, it was quite fun. I think the fact that I know no one in Bristol and that I'll probably never go back there again helped. I always wanted to do it, I'm glad Tom pushed me a bit.

On the way back we stopped at our friends house and I had a play with the chickens and the cat. I can't wait to have chickens and animals again, I miss it too much. I was offered to go horse ridding, but it wasn't the best timing. Can't wait to go back.

Fun weekend in the end, but I was glad to have my bed back on Sunday. Then up at 6.30 on Monday to go running. We are starting our good resolutions a bit later than most people. It sounds insane to get up that early to go running - to me at least - specially since I only need to leave home at 10am to go to work, but Tom starts earlier. But it feels so good. I use to run and then stopped, I felt like doing it again and Tom was all up for it. I forgot how good you feel afterwards (I still feel like dying while I'm running).