Katie Sutherland at the Oran Mor

I took photos of Katie Sutherland at the Oran Mor Glasgow in April 2012. She was with a band called Pearl and the Puppets who played several big support slots and had songs picked up with commercials and films. I've taken photos of Pearl since 2009 and she is fun to take photos of with her expressive doe eyes.

I took photos of Katie Sutherland last week at the Oran Mor Glasgow in April 2012. She was with a band called Pearl and the Puppets who played several big support slots and had songs picked up with commercials and films. I've taken photos of Pearl since 2009 and she is fun to take photos of with her expressive voice.

Katie and her band gave us an entertaining set of quality songs. Singer songwriter Katie Sutherland introduced her band as now simply her ‘band’ and not the ‘Puppets’ anymore – they consist of Blair McMillan (drums), Gordon Turner (guitar), Scott Clark (bass) and Michael Abubakar (keyboard).
 
Set List: I hope you like It, I Can Drive, Complicated, I Love You So Much, I Do Like You, This Is What Its all About, How lucky I Am, Sinner, Let It In, 

Katie supplies the lead vocal and also plays guitar and mandolin. Her voice is engaging, natural and soothing.
She thanked all those who have pledged for her new album – and she sang several songs from the album including Sinner, That’s What It’s all About and more, and she said she would be recording the album in June. Several of her songs have positive themes with titles such as "Because I Do" and "Make Me Smile"
In 2009 she drew attention for her music and was signed by Universal. She played some big gigs that included the BBC One Scotland Hogmanay Live, supporting Elton John and The Hoosiers and main stages at music festivals Rockness and Wickerman. 

Pearl and the Puppets were a band led by singer songwriter Katie Sutherland (vocals/guitar), Blair McMillan (drums), Gordon Turner (guitar), Scott Clark (bass) and Michael Abubakar (keyboard). In 2008, the band's song "Because I Do" was featured on a Vodaphone advertisement. Their song "Make Me Smile" was featured in a Victoria Secret advertisement in the USA and an Orange advertisement in Romania. 

*The LA sound - The Byrds to The Eagles

Crosby, Stills and Nash; Neil Young; Joni Mitchell; David Geffen. And The Laid back acoustic sound of Laurel Canyon - All about the SONG

In the early 70s LA became the centre of the music business as young artists moved there rather than to New York city. Artists came to play the well renowned LA Troubadour venue.

The artist was the centre of the business, which was driven by the songwriter and by self publishing singer songwriters. Crosby, Stills and Nash were known for their beautiful 3 part harmonies and exquisitely roving melodies. Then we had flower power and hippies.

Carole King and James Taylor moved there from New York and King’s Tapestry album spent15 weeks at no 1. 

Ambition and idealism ‘counter culture' was the name of the game.

However.....eventually the business men moved in and it became more about managers and lawyers - more about business and less about the music. The Corporation of Rock.

Recently I thought... where are the great songs of today? 

And so I begin to wonder about the cheap club nights and that's what ears get used to.... and that it is it simply not about THE SONG anymore?

In my view the cheapening of music has led to some kind of diluted commodity with no thought about quality anymore.

Unbelievable clip  -

John Lennon and Paul Simon present the Best Song Award 1975 at the Grammy's when Olivia Newton John beats icons - Elton John, Joni Mitchell and Roberta Flack!!

The Industry never ceases to amaze me! 

  

 Most amazing CLIP of Judy Blue Eyes ( Joni mitchell) 

Keyboard player Michael Abubakar

PHOTOS OF musician Michael Abubakar playing keys with Katie Sutherland’s band at the Oran Mor Glasgow.

Jo Nesbo's 'Headhunters'

I saw Jo Nesbo's 'Headhunters' movie last night. I thought it was a very good thriller - well written with good pacing. Good cinematography and photography too. I recommend the film.

Kevin Barry wins short story award

I took this photo of Barry at Edinburgh Book Festival 2011. Some of the characters there are so strong and simply wonderful for photographing. It is as if they express their stories through the lens.  Barry was certainly one of them and he fixed you with his Irish eyes.

Barry won the Sunday Times Short Story Award 2012 for his story Beer Trip to Llandudno.

He says that he writes best early in the morning when he is ‘half asleep and half awake. You are less self conscious and your not afraid to embarrass yourself, and that’s the good stuff.‘ He writes the first draft longhand, ‘It’s to slow down the rate at which the sentences are emerging. It is easy to mistake fluency for inspiration.’

‘If you can get how a character speaks, you get their soul.’ ..For me the imperative is to get characters speaking and to listen to what they are not saying as much as what they are.’

His literary heroes include VS Prichard ; ‘He worked form the ear, from the way people speak and I felt an affinity with that.’ 

Barry advocates keeping it real, ‘I’m old school. Never in my life have I attended a creative writing class, I kind of react against it. I think it’s a bit of an industry.’

‘I write 10 or so a year and only one or two that will be any cop at all.’  It’s an art form that takes a lot of work and a lot go practice. ‘    

Everything Everything

*George Harrison his Songs Brought the Sun and the Stars

‘Sense never gratified/ Only swelling like a tide/ That could drown me in the material world.’ 

' George didn’t see black and white, up and down as different things. He didn’t compartmentalize his moods or his life. People think he was this or that or really extreme, But these extremes are all within one circle.’ Olivia Harrison

Harrison, the often overlooked Beatle, wrote some of the most loved Beatles songs - 'Something', 'All Things Must Pass' and 'Here Comes the Sun'. His guitar playing was highly expressive and admired by other guitarists. He added more to the Beatles sound than many realized. And my guitar gently weeps.....

I’ve been curious about Harrison since my twenties when this rhythm guitarist to my surprise said he was the most talented of the Beatles. After all it was always Paul and John in the spotlight. I watched Scorsese’s documentary ‘Living in the Material World’ recently and I enjoyed the way he is able to get under the skin of artists that he portrays, as he did in his  documentary on Bob Dylan entitled 'No Direction Home'. 

From the start George was the little brother, brought in by John and Paul to play the guitar riffs. He didn’t enjoy the teen worship and out of control screaming hoards of girls swooning for the band, and after a bit it became over whelming to him.

However anyone who studies the Beatles back catalogue will discover that some of their best songs were written by Harrison. He gave the Beatles a ‘lyrical’ style of playing. He is listed at number 11 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarist of All Time". He drew from the records of Carl Perkins, Duanne Eddy, Chat Atkins, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. There was his prominent rhythm guitar on 1966 Taxman, Love You Too on Revolver; This Is Love, When We Was Fab on Cloud Nine. Eventually Harrison developed his own skills and he submitted his songs for Let It Be and Abbey Road albums – songs such as All Things Must Pass. Then he wrote one of the best love songs ever written ‘Something’ which was Harrison's first Beatles single (a double A side with Come Together). 

           

George the Innovator.  He was an innovator, an observer who was endlessly curious.  He was a free agent and he didn’t like the rules yet he was also very much a team player.

Concert for Bangladesh(1971) – Held at Madison Square this was the first large scale concert by pop musicians to support a charity and led to Geldof's Live Aid. Even today sales of the CD raise money for UNICEF.

George the Mystic. His spiritual journey meant everything. He had money at an early age yet there was still something missing for him.  He married blond model Patti Boyd after filming Hard Days Night and she led him to an interest in Eastern philosophies.  Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar  became his mentor and he believed you needed to have direct experience of god in whatever form to believe. ‘ Look we’re not these bodies lets not get hung up on that.’  Patti inspired two of the greatest love songs ever written - Something by Harrison and Layla by Eric Clapton.  She later married Clapton and Harrison married Mexican Olivia Arias. 

 Post Beatles. All Things must Pass is considered to be the best post Beatles solo record with songs such as – Isn’t It a Pity, Beware of Darkness, My Sweet Lord, I’d Have You Anytime (co-written with Dylan) and the Dylan cover If Not for You.

George The Filmmaker. Handmade Films. He paid the largest price ever for a movie ticket when he had his house mortgaged to fund Monty Python’s The Life of Brian.

The Traveling Wilburys (1988). When recording for his album Cloud Nine Harrison so enjoyed  working with Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lyne and Tom Petty(no less!) that he later got them together to tour and record as a super group. 

 Songs. I Gave My Heart To You, If I Needed Someone, All Things Must Pass, Something, Here Comes the Sun, My Guitar Gently Weeps, Isn’t It A Pity, Within You Without You, What Is Life, 

Harrison had a compassionate, spiritual and caring voice that seemed to come from a deep sense of belief and certainly of love. His friend Eric Clapton told of them sitting in the garden at Friar Park one morning when the sun started to come out and suddenly inspired the song .. like a miracle..The Beatles were different they were the first big band of the early 60s and those years 1963 to 1966 transformed the musical landscape forever. 

‘Create and preserve the image of your choice.’
 

‘’You don’t build a garden for yourself right now – you build a garden for future generations.’

 He had both grace and humour. He searched for inner light and inner peace …and yes Harrison did make the sunset with his songs. 

 All Things Must Pass, Concert for Bangladesh, Living in the Material World, Handmade Films, Cloud Nine, Travelling Willburys. 
It has been a joy reading about Harrison for this blog and listening to his music.

http://thehamburgbeatles.blogspot.com/

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Concert for Bangladesh

Music Industry Night - City Halls Glasgow March 2012

Hear Glasgow!'s Music Industry Panel.  Thanks to Yvonne McLellan (Host), Dougie Souness (No Half Measures Ltd.,), Jen Hunter (Musicians' Union), Duncan McCrone (MCPS-PRS Alliance), Stephen Hume (SMIA) & Dave Corbet (Dfc Scotland) for an enlightening & inspiring evening.

Bands.  Do research. Managers – ask are they trustworthy, honest, enthusiastic. Represent you to PRS, fix amplifiers. Contacts.

Maintain contact with fanbase. Direct to fanbase, and build a community outside of friends.

Make your audience find you. Re-connect.

Have a Plan,

Songs are the most important. 

Be professional, appreciate the Backstage,

It is about 95% Creativity, 5% Business

PRS – Song Royalties for live gigs.

Song royalties copyright. Band copyright for lyrics and tune. Arrangement for drums and bass.

The Song Share Agreement. Share money but not the Rights.

Musicians Union. £20 for students. Ask Us First List.

New Business Models.

Record deal less relevant.

Get music out there. The Record labels do nothing – and there are many bands that get stuck on deals for years that do nothing for them.

Radio play is important. Different genres need different deals.

Build to 2 or 3 thousand people.

Creative grants.

PR person and plugger. 3% goes to PRS.

Have control.

Right person as plugger – to get Radio One, Jools Holland.

Major Labels have changed, no longer their own repertories.  

Distribution Partner - for marketing, promoting, iTunes, Spotify, Physical Goods, Signed Items.

Distribution Costs,

Press campaign promoter.

Licensing Deals for album. Pay royalty of every record sold 50/50.

Pledge Music.

Creative Scotland.

Record Label advance – it’s a loan that you have to pay back.  

Right deal, Right people. In your time and your style.

Labels? Do you understand the band.

Less advance and money for tour and marketing.

Re-register every song.

Watch and network with other fans.

Entrance pathways.

X factor is only a small path into industry.  It is simply a different channel.

T Break tent costs money to put on. It needs to be the right time for a band. Ask for feedback.

Radio is key.

Viking Galaxy 13th Note gig

Viking Galaxy played their gig at the 13^th Note Glasgow to an enthusiastic crowd!  They were so much fun and I Ioved the vibrant orange and their Viking space outfits! !  Their sound is packed with fantasy, high energy and drama. They are a band of Viking explorers from outer space who plunder, pillage and raid far away planets! 

William Hill is such a cool front man - my son Ross Keightley is the bass player, Mathew Brown on keys, Mike Parkin on guitar, Andrew Scott on drums. The band has played successful shows at Bannermans Edinburgh where fans turned up in Viking gear! Three of the members are long time school mates and they have all played in  other bands.

Music Unites Us

My Musicfootnotes blog is about art and music but I also occasionally post letters about politics and social concerns. I was thinking of the issues around Scottish Independence and about what is ‘Britishness’?  This then led me to thinking how music offers one voice and brings us together.

As the debate heats up around Scottish Independence, it led me to wondering what ‘Britishness’ means for me. English people, or rather those in London, should realise Scottish people don’t support the English teams at sporting events – why? Well the great rivalry is as strong as ever. However Scottish independence would offer many mutual benefits, a better partnership and renewed respect I feel. 

There are globalization fears as gigantic business conglomerates attempt to take over control. 

(Europe tried this one size fits all Euro which I always wondered seemed a half baked idea.)

I’m not enthused by a ‘one size fits all’ homogenised, faceless worldwide culture – where every city has its corner Big Mac and Nike trainers on display no matter where I travel, 

While I do believe in freedom of thought and speech – in One Young World and in voices of truth such as the Dalai Lama…and I don’t believe in tribalism or religious divides. People have advised that we shouldn’t speak of religious or political thoughts, this seems a terrible thing and I believe in good, healthy and informed debate…I believe in democracy whatever that means in today's world? 

It is more important than ever to keep our divergent heritages alive. I believe strongly that Scotland needs to move on now and to feel a renewed sense of confidence over it’s own 'identity' and not to feel 'dependent' on the decisions of a few in London. London is interested in its financial institutions, civil servants, media and more – and it is not interested in business opportunities elsewhere.

Today more than ever the individual voice matters. I believe in de-centralized government above all as I saw first hand in America - where each State runs its own affairs and the federal government runs the roads and military. Scotland has its own education system and Scots Law.

Scottish independence is a ‘positive’ debate and it is not about ‘divides’ or about old rivalries, but about a healthy and respectful ‘partnership’ in which Scotland no longer feels second-rate but able to stand on its own two feet as many other small countries do. 

When I wandered abroad many years sometimes I would hear the pipes of Scotland call me back home.  So I include a haunting Gaelic song that finished with those pipes - '' Crucan na bpaiste' and the 'Drummers of England'. I was born in England to Irish parents and grew up in Scotland - so yes I believe in Irish and English heritage too!  I had a songbook of National songs and we sang Irish and Welsh songs too. That's why I love the Celtic festival here in Glasgow - it is one big melting pot that celebrates many cultures through the medium of music.Celtic celebrates our differences while the music also brings us together.
MY SCOTTISH PORTRAITS  -  http://www.pkimage/scottishportraits

This blog has become also about music! 

Even In our world of mass communications it is harder and harder to get heard amid all the large corporate controls. Therefore it is important to maintain our heritage even more than it ever was. 

We must never believe that our voice cannot be heard.  

*Emeli Sande photos 2007 to 2012

Emeli Sande Royal Albert Hall

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2007

Emeli Sande King Tuts 2010

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2011

I first took photos of Emeli Sande at her ep launch gig at the Oran Mor Glasgow in December 2006, where she sang her own songs and a Nina Simone song. Some of these images were later used for her promotions in press and flyers in 2007 and 2008. I saw her gig four years later at King Tuts in 2010 and also again at the Oran Mor in November 2011. She has a warm smile and loads of energy onstage, as well has having the gift of a soul voice that stirs with honey tones.  

She has had a busy time since then working with her Publishing deal in both London and America. In 2011 she had The Mobos and her debut single Heaven which reached No 2 in the UK charts. Then her debut album Our Version of Events reach No 1 UK Charts in February 2012. Her music is soul rock and sits on the edge of our joys and sorrows while they are also full of hopes and a caring voice - soul with a questioning edge. Her hair has gone from big and brown to a trendy peroxide quiff. 
Emeli spoke of how wonderful the past year has been for her and of her No 1 hit song with Professor Green titled Read all about It. I had a chat with Emeli backstage at King Tuts in December 2010 where she kindly signed prints for me and where she said her music was influenced by the likes of Portishead, Massive Attack and Joni Mitchell. Emeli supported Coldplay on their 2011 tour and she has won the Brits Critics' Choice award.  
http://www.emelisande.com/ 

Emeli Sande Old Fruitmarket Glasgow 2012

Emeli Sande Olympic Torch Relay Glasgow 2012

PHOTOS -  http://pkimage.co.uk/emelisande

Emeli Sande BLOGS  -
*Emeli Sande Olympic Torch Relay - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/emeli-sande-olympic-torch-relay
 *Emeli Sande Old Fruitmarket Glasgow 2012 -http://www.musicfootnotes.com/emelisandeoldfruitmarket
*Emeli Sande Oran Glasgow 2011 - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/emeli-sande-oran-mor
*Emeli Sande wins the Brits Critics' Choice award -  http://www.musicfootnotes.com/emeli-sande-wins-brits-critics-choice.html
*Emeli Sande King Tuts 15th November 2010 - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/emeli-sande-king-tuts
* New Artists 2011 - http://www.musicfootnotes.com//new-artists-2011

Scottish Bands South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) 2012 Austin, Texas

The Scottish Music Industry Association are taking 11 Scottish bands, DJs and producers to showcase as part of South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) 2012 in Austin, Texas.
The Scottish artists showcasing at SXSW are -
French Wives, Hudson Mohawke, Django Django, Jackmaster, Tango in the Attic, Three Blind Wolves, The Twilight Sad, Twin Atlantic, We Were Promised Jetpacjs, Woodenbox, The Xcerts. 

The 2012 SXSW music festival will take place in Austin from March 13th to March 18th.
http://sxsw.com/ 
The invitation by SXSW is the first step in getting to play the festival. Bands then aaply for sponsorship from Creative Scotland and have to raise funds to cover the costs of flights. Visa applications also need to be  sorted in the short time frame between official confirmation and the festival.

*Composers 'The Bee Gees'

Quotes from the brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice. 

'We have two careers as composers and artists, the two go together but are separate as well. We are composers firstly. There is no greater thrill than to write a song for someone you love in mind and then to hear them sing it. Pop and country are very close – Islands in the Stream became a country record.'

For me Islands in the Stream is one of the greatest love songs ever – along with Massachusetts which holds special memories for me. 

'People are lazy – harmony and melodies require work!.'

Harmony and melody is a big part of their music, when siblings sing together there is such a special subtle blend. 

The Bee Gees are a musical group which originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. The trio were successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s and as prominent performers of the disco music era in the late 1970s. The group sang three-part tight harmonies that were instantly recognisable; Robin's clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the late 1970s and 1980s. The brothers co-wrote all of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists.
It has been estimated that the Bee Gees' career record sales total more than 220 million, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Only Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Paul McCarney have outsold the Bee Gees.

Jim Byrne and the Blackwoods and Dinny at Bar Brel Feb 2012

On a wet Glasgow night Jim Byrne and his band brought colour to the dull February days with enriching and soothing sounds..

The Bar Brel was full and cosy and I took a seat near the front in the hope of getting some good shots. This was the CD launch for Jim’s new set of tunes for his album The Innocent and he was accompanied by the Blackwood’s which consisted of Graham MacKintosh (banjo, violin), Elanor Gunn (violin) Dinny (guitar, harp and vocals), and Peter Bryne (bass, percussion, backing vocals). The band all did a very good job of backing Jim’s deep soothing bluesman vocals.

Stand out songs were requested - Two Empty Chairs, Sand in Our Shoes, and cover song Thirteen. I enjoyed the gypsy guitar vibe of Down by the Wildwood, after which Bryne took the temperature down with the comforting Sweeter than a Rose and the earthy Sand in Our Shoes.  He sang the covers Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes, Satisfied Mind ( Joe "Red" Hayes), There Stands The Glass (Russ Hull, Mary Jean Shurtz and Audrey Greisham) and a fun Make Me a Pallet on the Floor. His cover songs are well thought out as are his own songs which show his obvious love of music.

Jim’s music has a warm nostalgic feel and their set was very much in Jim’s chilled out late night groove style.

I am impressed with the way Jim maintains his Scottishness while taking on his American folk and blues influences. His sound draws on diverse influences such as Johnny Cash and Tom Waits, as well as other lesser known folk artists. Jim Byrne is a singer songwriter influenced by Americana, folk, alt-country and blues music. 

Byrne has an expressive voice and slightly eccentric songs making for a distinctive sound. He steered a calm ship with his quiet relaxed manner and smile which filters through his mellow country tunes and quality guitar playing. 

His new album has a cover by Susanne McGreevy and is called The Innocent. It has more atmosphere and is a step on from his well received previous album "Every Day is Sunshine.” The Innocent has an earthy sound and his songs have quirky and unexpected lyrics. The backing musicians play a wide variety of instruments on the record which adds a rootsy sound with a richer depth and with more fluid soundscapes.

A highly enjoyable night and I recommend checking out Jim's latest offerings.

Dinny sang a few of her own songs as the support slot and she has a very good voice with a pure quality to it as well as being a talented guitarist.  http://songsbyjimbyrne.com/

 As on Jim's previous album, he's joined by some of Glasgow's best musicians, notably Yvonne Lyon (delicate piano on Sleepy Head) and virtuoso guitarist and banjo picker Graham Mackintosh (Satisfied Mind, Thirteen). Jim’s brother, Peter Byrne, adds harmonic richness on backing vocals (check the chorus on Sand in your Shoes) as does Glasgow singer songwriter Dinny (Two Empty Chairs, You Are A Good Friend Of Mine).   

Set List Fancy Wooden Box
Tell Me You Love Me Again
Down By The Wildwood
Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes
Satisfied Mind (cover song by Joe "Red" Hayes)
Thirteen
Sweeter Than A Rose
Sand In Our Shoes
II
You Dont know
There Stands The Glass
Two Empty Chairs
When You Bit Into That Apple
Make Me down A Pallette On Your Floor
The Handle's Broken On my Cup
Daddy's Car