It's been a great summer for the band. Sadly Lurex's commitments forced her to leave and we are missing our backing vocalist, but Belinda is filling some of the gaps and there is a full replacement on the horizon.
All our gigs went well and we are learning live work as a band.
We did Brighton Bandstand for Busking for Cancer in August. This was our first big public audience and it went extremely well. The day wasn't without disaster, our bassist Julz had to do the whole gig while her husband Dave 'Boogum', the bassist with Dolly Dagger, languished in A&E having come off his motorbike just before the gig. What a trouper she was, it couldn't have been easy.
We also had two videos of the event.
We played a private minifest at Alan Rae's Glass-Tonbury by his organic nursery in Newick, and also provided some entertainment at the Brighton Earthship Open Day.
We're developing new material and have shot the band inserts for our storytelling video of our song: Visitation.
Wynd will play the Hydrant, Brighton on October 13. This is our first proper gig and we are very excited.
For me, the band seems to be finally gelling as a unit, and we are growing in confidence weekly.
We've also been showing up in various combinations to jams and open mics and the material is going down well.
We've applied to be included in an all-women rock Fest in Wales next year and have been invited back to take part in the Summer 2011 Rocking Horse charity event in Brighton which we did in 2009.
We now have a better PA and no longer need the backing tracks but we haven't yet worked on including the FX that go with some of the songs live.
We're still not sure where our performing niche will really lie but we are meeting other musicans and networking all the time.
Wynd now has around 80 members in our Facebook Group and it's nice to have that kind of support.
There's never been a moment when I've considered quitting, taking as my motto: It's not a problem, it's a situation.
And overall, we are having fun, so looking forward to 2011 and whatever it brings.
Tuesday 5 October 2010
Sunday 4 July 2010
The Beat Goes On
Synchronicity......just at the point when Al had a computer disaster and lost all our recorded material, the band started to sound like a band without the backing trax. Two finished mixes are still available on Facebook, but we'll probably redo them eventually.
He has retrieved some of it, and we'll probably keep the sound fx bits once we've figured out how to kick them in live, but we don't really need bass and drums on backing trax at all.
We now have a third summer 'gig' a private festie at Alan Rae's place in Newick in July.
We are also looking into just busking a bit around Brighton but really suitable places to play for us are definitely the outdoor gig and the benefit gig for now.
The video still needs shooting, hoping for some live videos and pix from this summer's crop of performances.
I am still working up new material, one new song finished since the last blog, just starting to put some music to a brand new lyric, but teaching Alispark and Joogum the set means we haven't been able to develop many new ones recently but that's ok, rehearsing with the 'new' members raises everyone's game.
I bought a gorgeous new 12-string which will enrich two or three of the songs enormously and I'm getting more confident on the Strat all the time.
Feel more enthusiastic about the band since the rhythm section appeared, the challenge of using backing trax live is really daunting and to be honest the two or three times we've used them, mostly last summer, was stressful, it was so tricky!
Have started also to think about trying to get some gigs on the alternative circuit which would seem to be our natural home, in a few months I plan to apply to the Mind Body Spirit guys for a spot at some of their shows.
He has retrieved some of it, and we'll probably keep the sound fx bits once we've figured out how to kick them in live, but we don't really need bass and drums on backing trax at all.
We now have a third summer 'gig' a private festie at Alan Rae's place in Newick in July.
We are also looking into just busking a bit around Brighton but really suitable places to play for us are definitely the outdoor gig and the benefit gig for now.
The video still needs shooting, hoping for some live videos and pix from this summer's crop of performances.
I am still working up new material, one new song finished since the last blog, just starting to put some music to a brand new lyric, but teaching Alispark and Joogum the set means we haven't been able to develop many new ones recently but that's ok, rehearsing with the 'new' members raises everyone's game.
I bought a gorgeous new 12-string which will enrich two or three of the songs enormously and I'm getting more confident on the Strat all the time.
Feel more enthusiastic about the band since the rhythm section appeared, the challenge of using backing trax live is really daunting and to be honest the two or three times we've used them, mostly last summer, was stressful, it was so tricky!
Have started also to think about trying to get some gigs on the alternative circuit which would seem to be our natural home, in a few months I plan to apply to the Mind Body Spirit guys for a spot at some of their shows.
Friday 23 April 2010
Finally, A Rhythm Section!
AliSpark showed up a couple of months ago and has fitted in really well with us, we love her personality her percussion and drumming skills are great, she's using a djembe, a banana shaker, a shimmery tingly wind chimey thingy (what's is called again Ali?) and a Roland electronic kit. We're still using the backing trax as they have FX on them but once she has the whole set down we can strip the drum track off.
Joogum started playing a bit of bass at the electric jam, coached of course by Boogum or Mr Joogum. She got a new bass for her birthday and has been to our first rehearsal to get a feel for what we're doing. I liked her energy immediately, she is practical, down to earth and seems mad keen to learn the instrument, I feel glad she's giving us a try!
With live drums and bass the band can now get rockier and heavier which I will certainly enjoy because the tendency will be to brand us as prog rock or electric folk and that's not What She Wrote!
So, that prompts the question, what ARE we doing?
Well, we've got up at the Kendal jam which Al and Wicca run on a Wednesday and done various configurations of Wynd songs.
There was a hilarious episode at Frank's Lectern jam on AliSpark's birthday where she played Visitation for the first time on a kit drum, it, er, sounded weird, but no matter.
We now have six backing trax and two numbers which do not need backing trax so are ready to deliver about 45 minutes of music, due to the fact that a lot of the songs are pretty long, up to 8min. It's an eclectic band, we can have songs as long as we like! Two of the songs are now fully available on Facebook and the Wynd Group there grows weekly.
Better, warmer weather means that we will be able to film our first Rock Video since all the storyboarding is outside.
We have two gigs so far this summer, one at the Earthship Open Day in Stanmer Park on July 18 and one to raise money for Busking for Cancer at Brighton Bandstand on August 8, can't wait.
Lurex is muttering about various other local outdoor gigs, it seems this is Wynd's destiny, to play outside, I personally am a Leo gal so of course sun on my face, wind in my hair, perfect!
We've also acquired a much bigger PA and some more gear in general, so we will be louder, clearer, and more confident from now on.
Joogum started playing a bit of bass at the electric jam, coached of course by Boogum or Mr Joogum. She got a new bass for her birthday and has been to our first rehearsal to get a feel for what we're doing. I liked her energy immediately, she is practical, down to earth and seems mad keen to learn the instrument, I feel glad she's giving us a try!
With live drums and bass the band can now get rockier and heavier which I will certainly enjoy because the tendency will be to brand us as prog rock or electric folk and that's not What She Wrote!
So, that prompts the question, what ARE we doing?
Well, we've got up at the Kendal jam which Al and Wicca run on a Wednesday and done various configurations of Wynd songs.
There was a hilarious episode at Frank's Lectern jam on AliSpark's birthday where she played Visitation for the first time on a kit drum, it, er, sounded weird, but no matter.
We now have six backing trax and two numbers which do not need backing trax so are ready to deliver about 45 minutes of music, due to the fact that a lot of the songs are pretty long, up to 8min. It's an eclectic band, we can have songs as long as we like! Two of the songs are now fully available on Facebook and the Wynd Group there grows weekly.
Better, warmer weather means that we will be able to film our first Rock Video since all the storyboarding is outside.
We have two gigs so far this summer, one at the Earthship Open Day in Stanmer Park on July 18 and one to raise money for Busking for Cancer at Brighton Bandstand on August 8, can't wait.
Lurex is muttering about various other local outdoor gigs, it seems this is Wynd's destiny, to play outside, I personally am a Leo gal so of course sun on my face, wind in my hair, perfect!
We've also acquired a much bigger PA and some more gear in general, so we will be louder, clearer, and more confident from now on.
Friday 5 February 2010
Well we've definitely been together for more than a year and feeling smug that while people have come and gone, the core of the band has stayed together. Karen had to withdraw, it's just not viable for her to be in the band but that's ok.
More importantly, we haven't had any problem conflicts.
That's not to say we haven't had disagreements or concerns but so far things have seemed to be resolved pretty easily.
We've set aside a provisional date for our first self promo gig at The Sanctuary, Hove, end of March, more on this nearer the time.
We're trying out a woman drummer, Alison, who we've known about for a while but couldn't contact, she showed up at a jam at The Lectern, Brighton last Sunday so I spoke to her, since then she showed up at the acoustic jam that Scott is running with Al at the Kendal on Wednesdays and played with us, which went well and was fun.
The Portland as a music venue is dead and gone now, sadly, but in a way it's opened things up, it's been replaced by four other jams, the two mentioned above, a new acoustic jam in Shoreham, also on Wednesdays and an intermittent electric jam for Tuesdays and Thursdays which has been happening at the Hove Park Tavern.
This means lots of chances for Wyndgirls to get out and strut our stuff but we can't use the backing trax at most jams so so far we haven't given a Full On Performance!
Meanwhile the recording moves forwards slowly, we now have several finished trax and have just loaded Visitation on to MySpace: www.myspace.com/wyndmusic profile page.
Next task is to try again to find a bass player, especially as we may now have a drummer, but we can still use the backing trax in the meantime.
Where is Wynd going for 2010?
Follow the blog and see because we sure as hell don't know. What we do know is that if we put the same amount of work in this year we should double the outcome.
2009 was the year we came together and formed something to work with.
2010 will be the Year of the Gig hopefully.
WTS!
More importantly, we haven't had any problem conflicts.
That's not to say we haven't had disagreements or concerns but so far things have seemed to be resolved pretty easily.
We've set aside a provisional date for our first self promo gig at The Sanctuary, Hove, end of March, more on this nearer the time.
We're trying out a woman drummer, Alison, who we've known about for a while but couldn't contact, she showed up at a jam at The Lectern, Brighton last Sunday so I spoke to her, since then she showed up at the acoustic jam that Scott is running with Al at the Kendal on Wednesdays and played with us, which went well and was fun.
The Portland as a music venue is dead and gone now, sadly, but in a way it's opened things up, it's been replaced by four other jams, the two mentioned above, a new acoustic jam in Shoreham, also on Wednesdays and an intermittent electric jam for Tuesdays and Thursdays which has been happening at the Hove Park Tavern.
This means lots of chances for Wyndgirls to get out and strut our stuff but we can't use the backing trax at most jams so so far we haven't given a Full On Performance!
Meanwhile the recording moves forwards slowly, we now have several finished trax and have just loaded Visitation on to MySpace: www.myspace.com/wyndmusic profile page.
Next task is to try again to find a bass player, especially as we may now have a drummer, but we can still use the backing trax in the meantime.
Where is Wynd going for 2010?
Follow the blog and see because we sure as hell don't know. What we do know is that if we put the same amount of work in this year we should double the outcome.
2009 was the year we came together and formed something to work with.
2010 will be the Year of the Gig hopefully.
WTS!
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