Frailing Banjos

After toying with the banjo for the last couple of years, i recently decided to get into a bit further and bought a Gold Tone frailing banjo at palm guitars in Amsterdam. This decision was taken while I was on a recent Dutch tour playing guitar for singer-songwriter, davie Lawson. I found myself in Amsterdam with a day off, and what better way to spend a day off in Amsterdam than to have a few beers at Mulligans Bar. Whilst in Mulligans, I got talking to fiddle player, Siard De Jong, who was getting a tenor banjo imported fro him by Palm guitars so I went over the canal to have a look and buoyed on by half a dozen pints of continental strength beer felt the courage of my banjo convictions like never before and bought a Gold Tone OT-800.

Anyway, the point of this isnt to boast about a new instrument but mention the best music instruction site i've ever found on the web. I often look around at other peoples instructional sites (as I have one of my own!) and found a site run by banjo player Tony Spadarro called Rocket Science Banjo. On Tony's site, you can download a 300 odd page PDF of very detailed instruction on all points of playing clawhammer banjo, which is enhanced by audio and video tutorials. And the charge for all this...nothing... There is a button to donate $20 to the site at the side of the page which I decided to do as everything is of such a high standard, and in return for this I got a personal email from Tony and several hundred more tunes and instructional notes. I'm just trying spread the Rocket Science banjo word...

Potted Heid

So it all ended in tears on Sunday night for the Netherlands, our Dutch friends and by default us too. You couldnt help but get dragged into the final watching with Dutch friends, particularly when they've bought you orange T-shirts and matching sun glasses, and when Spain scored, I really felt it at least for a few minutes anyway. Interestingly it seemed that most Scots had adopted a team for the final, with the majority supporting Spain, perhaps proving that there is no real thing as neutrailty in football or perhaps proving that a quick trip to Ladbrokes or William Hills gives watching a game a little bit extra.
Speaking of the World Cup and sporting events in general theres been a few more cuts to arts funding in Scotland, probably not unrelated to the impending Commonwealth Games....I like sports and big sporting events. A lot, but there has to be a balance and unless I have this uttelry wrong, which can never be discounted, there is more to a balanced society than just high end sporting events. I've read a lot of things before the World Cup started on a similar subject given how much South Africa had to spend to get its stadiums and everything else up to Scratch, and here's an article on the subject from a new online magazine, Aberdeen Voice focussing on the North East, of which our friend and North-east music legend Fred Wilkinson is involved. I played in a couple of bands with Fred when i lived in Aberdeen, not least the eclectic and off the wall Potted Heid, named after a north east delicacy of potted sheeps brains...almost makes deep fried mars bars seem haut-cuisine

BBC 6 Music

Its a little bit old news by now, but the BBC have decided not to get rid of BBC6 music (hypebot Music Blog). The decision to axe a popular and innovative radio station seemed very strange at the time, especially when you consider that the vast bulk of the BBC televisions programming seems to be endless soaps and reality shows. So there we go...a rare vote for common sense, and if Scotland could just get it together to qualify for the next world cup things would be looking good. We at Doghouse Roses HQ can't help but be a bit jealous of the scenes from the Netherlands last night as they reached they're first world cup final in over 30 years, but its a bit gaulling to think thats its highly unlikely that we as Scottish supporters are hugely unlikely to know what it feels like to progress to the latter stages of the world cup. We will, however be watching the final on Sunday with our Dutch friends, Matthijs and Rachelle, which is pretty close and if the BBC can make a U-turn on axeing radio 6, then perhaps hell can freeze over and Scotland qualify for the World Cup finals or even (maybe pushing a little bit too much here) for the knock-out stages. We await the weather forecast patiently

Skerryvore

Went to see traditional / rock/ country band Skerryvore last night, as the O2 Abc in Glasgow. They are a young band who run their own record label, book their own shows and very nearly sold out the 1250 capacity venue. Normally a six piece of guitar, accordion, fiddle, pipes, drums and bass, they were joined on keys by Alan Scobie who recorded and produced the new Skerryvore album (and the new Doghouse Roses record too!) as well as a brass section and a bit of a pipe band. I heard a bit of the Heartbreakers (tom Petty's band) in the way they play and a really lazy comparison is an early runrig but you can check them out at the Skeryyvore Website, and more about Alan's studio at the Blue Productions website. As of today (Friday 2nd July), Skerryvore's next few gigs are Dunoon, Scotland tonight, The Isle of arran, Scotland (3rd), Shanghai (China!!!!) 5th, before T in the Park festival next week....who says bands don't work like they used to...

The Traditionals

The Traditionals project is a collaboration between In a cabin with, who record Dutch musicians collaborating with local musicians in exotic locations, and Onder Invloed who record Dutch and visiting musician playing their influences.  Heres how In a Cabin describe theTraditionals.

his week we are recording and filming a session in collaboration with Onder Invloed. It takes place in an ice skate ring cantina in Hagestein (NL). Every day different artists drop by to record one or two ‘American traditional songs’. Artists are: Anne Soldaat, Odilo Girod, Lea, Arn Kortooms, Bram Hakkens, Vincent Beijer, Djurre de Haan, Frank Schalkwijk, Nick Schuit, Marlies Kroon, Davie Lawson, Paul Tasker, Iona Macdonald, Ralph Mulder, Tim Knol, Maurits Westerik, Ian Annesson, Lilian Hak, Bertolf, Adrien Jeanjean, Michiel Flamman, Marien Dorleijn, Stan Vreeken, Ro Halfhide, Bauke Bakker, Koen-Willem Toering, Nicki Hustinx, Jesse Beuker and Anne Broekman. Every day ends with  BBQ & beers on a nearby trailer park for maximum inspiration.

I can confirm that BBQ and beer does lead to maximumu inspiration, as does gettting to jump in a lake at the end of a days recording.

 

On Monday, we went to Amsterdam where our friends The Cosmic carnival were recording a session for Amsterdam Acoustics.  As their guitarist Frank was busy on trumpet duties for this, they asked me to play the guitar on the session, and not being one to turn the chance of a tune, i was very pleased to be asked and to play along. The Cosmic Carnival were playing in the Paradiso that night too, and they put on one of the best gig i'd been to in a long while

 As we were there, we got to play an Amsterdam Acoutics session too:

(photo by Matthijs van der ven)

 

 

 

 

 

Amsterdam Acoustics - Doghouse Roses : The Thunder Of The Dawn from Mokummercials on Vimeo.

So, as expected the blog a day during the tour proved a little bit ambitious. I think i'd need to get one of those little computers that are smaller than laptops to have a good chance of blogging that often when were away. Something to think about.

From Slovenian Tour

A Slovenian marzipan hedgehog, yesterday

We had a great time on Slovenia where we played a good assortment of shows. Our first one was in the Metropolitan Library in Ljubljana which was the first time we'd played anywhere like that. It was part of a Scottish day which also featured a talk from our tour manger Katarina Juvancic who worked really hard to make the tour happen. One of the things i like the most is when after a gig somewhere new and a few beers after, you get taken to the best kebab shop in a new town as 1. I like kebabs, and 2. Its what i do when im showing people around unless its in the borders where kebab shops are a bit thin on the ground. Not to labour the point, but its a never ending source of interest to me how kebabs differ from country to country. I was thinking of writing a book about kebabs or starting a web site at one point but i think that projects shelved for the time being.

So, after a really good gig in the libarary hosted by Matjaz who curates the music dept of the library we headed to Kranj to play in an arts centre called Creinativa. Our host for this, Iztok offered to pick us up from the station and while we were waiting we thought we might have a quick beer as you do. In slovenia there are 2 beers, Union or Lasko and most people seem to be a supporter of one or the other. We kind of found that Union is better a bit earlier in the day but Lasko seems to be the thing to drink as the afternoon gives way to evening. Anyway the gig again was great and Iztok recorded the show. Speaking of which, all the shows were recorded so given a little bit of luck we may be able to get something out of it. im going to try and put up some of the stuff ive recorded in the next week or so and then see how the rest of the recordings sound as we get them.

From Slovenian Tour

After the show at Creinativa we went around the corner to the opening of a new gallery in the town which was a sort of street party with a DJ playing in the gallery and people drinking and having a good time until, predictably, the police came along and pressed the off button. After Schnapps for breakfast (and an omlette if truth be told, but its not as rock and roll to mention that) Iztok and Tina took us to the cruch of St. Markus in Verba where we were allowed to record a few songs in the amazing acoustic inside. There had been a church on that spot for hundreds of years and although the church had been rebuilt at least once the ruins of previous buildings were visible through glass panels in the floor.

From Slovenian Tour

St. Markus church, Verba

From Slovenian Tour

in the church

Rdeca Ostriga is a student squat club on the site of a former Yogoslav army barrcks in Skofja Loka. It had been quite a long time since we had played somewhere that was primarily set up for rock bands but we had a reinforcement in the shape of Dejan Lapanja, a massively talented guitarist, who had just released his first CD. We jammed out some blues which was pretty cool and then enjoyed the absence of any closing curfew which feels a bit strange when your not used to it.

From Slovenian Tour

Onstage on Ostriga, Skofja Loka (gallery.kss.si)

From Slovenian Tour

Rdeca Ostriga (gallery.kss.si)

Saturday the 6th saw us play at Kantfest near Ruse. Kantfest is a travelling festival that takes in many Slovenian towns and occasional forays in to Austria and Italy. For me, anyway, this was one of those all too rare nights when i felt i could play anything i wanted and it was recorded too which is even better. Iona had one these nights the next night at Pilskovica where i didnt quite have the same feeling, so now i guess the trick is to coordinate this sort of thing. We were again met at the train staion by the festival coordinator, Peter Andrej who along with organising this festival is a noted singer-songwriter in his own right, and who took care of everything for us. We had a few drinks after with Peter and some other guys including Slovenian songwriter Adi Smolar who went drinking with a couple of days afterwards in Ljubljana.

From Slovenian Tour

Singing the night away with Adi

Pilskovica Hostel was an acoustic show with no amplification at all. The hostel itself is a renovated building typical of this part of Slovenia. to preserve the building you had to take your shoes off before going upstairs which isnt a huge sacrifice. To get to the hostel, we had to get a taxi from the train station in Sezana about 15km form the hotel. Marjetka, who runs the hostel had booked a taxi to meet us at the station, and although i don't think we were difficult to spot, the taxi driver was holding a sign up for us while looking like he wanted the ground to swallow him for doing so! He was a very friendly guy though and turned the meter off when it got to the price he had quoted us which is a nice trait in a taxi driver. We met Marjetka who is lovely, and is working very hard to try and bring entertainment to the hostel and to the village in general and i hope she succeeds. We really enjoy playing without amplification as it kind of removes a barrier when you play without it. Marjetkas friend, Spela Volcic was also there to help out and she took some amazing pictures of the night, and next day she took the whole day to show us around the area including some big caves. Please check out her website to see some work of this very talented and original photographer and we plan to work with her in the future which we are looking forward to very much.

From Slovenian Tour

Flaggons of wine before the show(photograph by Spela Volcic)

From Slovenian Tour

Iona makes apoint at Pilskovica(photograph by Spela Volcic)

So, the last gig of this tour found us in Ljubljana at the Celica hostel. the hostel is again a in another former Yogoslav army barracks comprised of several buildings, with the hostel itself the former prison. the hostel was been redesigned by architect Janko Rozic who is also responsible for the programme of music every Tuesday which is an gig (on tihs occasion, us) followed by an open session. This was also our second ever outdoor gig and our longest continous set without a break at an hour and 40 mnutes. The whole thing was fantastic with a lot of very nice people, and again everything we needed was taken care of by Janko. The week previouly when we had just arrived in slovenia, myself and Iona were chatting on a bus, when the guy next to me asked where we from and told us he was from Helensburgh (nr. Glasgow) and had moved to Slovenia a decade before. Naturally, we plugged our gig, and it was really nice to see him there the week after. We also really enjoyed the jamming between some well known musicians after our gig, but those Balkan rhythms were mangling my brain a bit much to allow me to join in.

From Slovenian Tour

Celica Hostel show(photograph by Katarina Juvancic)

From Slovenian Tour

Photograph by Katarina Juvancic

From Slovenian Tour

One of the rooms in Celica Hostel

From Slovenian Tour

scary Celica

I think i forgot to say in our last blog, about a couple of gigs we played the week before we went to Slovenia. We played at Montrose music festival, but also the week before we played 2 gigs at Dumnfries and Galloway Arts Festival. We really enjoy these sorts of gigs which in towns which are a bit off the usuual gigging track, so to speak and we played in Wanlochhead, Scotlands highest village, and Kirkpatrick Durham

From Slovenian Tour

Kirkpatrick Durham

From Slovenian Tour

A session in between Dumfries and Galloway festival shows with Wing & A Prayer and Hugh Taylor

From Slovenian Tour

kazoo you

These we played with our Friends, Wing & a Prayer, organised by Hugh Taylor of Moniaive Festivals fame, and cracking sound provided by John Wetherby of soundsense. I don't wany this blog to read like the end credits of Star Wars, but i think its very important that people organise events which benefits both people like us, and, hopefully, people in the area. There wasn't a whole load of music in Selkirk when i was growing up, and i think i can remember all the people who came to play in the borders while i was there, particlarly a bluesman called Philip Walker who played in a hall in Galashiels when i was about 15 and he seemed like a door to another world. Not that im claiming to be a door to another world or anything like that, but hopefully its clear where im going with this, so thanks again to everyone above.

Slovenia

Well, so much for a blog a day. Turns out the internet is quite popular and theres a high demand for computers in internet cafes. Who knew! The frustration of waiting can turn a person to drink and i find after a few beers my typing capabilities are reduced enough to make paying money to use a computer akin to backing Hibs to win the premier league.

We had our first gig in Slovenia last night at the Metropolitan library in Slovenia, the first time we´ve played in such a place. Really nice though as it was in the music department of the library which had loads of obscure folk and blues CDs courtesy of curator Matjez. We enjoyed the gig a lot and as hopefully everybody in the full room did. We play in Kranj tonight which is 30 mins or so by train from Ljubljana where weve stayed the last few nights. The hostel is in an old Yugoslav army barracks and is very bright, clean and modern but what makes it great is that its surrounded by squatted buildings which are turned into little bars and clubs and even music venues with pa´s and stuff



Celica hostel, Ljubljana, yesterday



On another blisteringly hot day (for Scotland) we played at Montrose music festival on Sunday. We only caught the last bit of the weekend but it was still going strong and it looks like everybody involved in the organising (all volunteers) are moving it from strength to strength. It seems to invlove the whole community with young bands getting the chance to play alongside established names so heres to next years festival.


Montrose beach, Sunday