I was asked yesterday how all the members of 'The Empty Vessel' actually came together. 'A lot easier than they all fell apart' I quipped. But for the record, this is my recollection of what happened.
Graham and I were actually friends from school, mainly because of our shared interest in deeply unfashionable music. When Pink Floyd toured 'The Wall', somehow we managed to get some tickets. He always said he knew some relative of Nick Mason but frankly I doubt that.
Next to us at the gig were two girls, and we got talking to them. It turned out that they were studying at music college in London. One was a cellist and one was studying composition. But what they really wanted to do was be in a band. They were of course Jen and Beth.
So it didn't take a great deal of effort to put two and two together to get four (literally - do you see what I did there?). For the first few months we spent rather more time discussing potential band names and drinking than we did making music, but eventually we got down to writing some material. I think the first song we ever wrote together was 'Flying' but I'm not sure. Before long, we'd started gigging.
I remember we had this 25-minute prog epic based on Shakespeare's Macbeth (yes, I know). Graham was always banging on about Shakespeare. When he came up with the name we knew immediately that it was right. But then we had already been through 'Whirligig' (urgh!), 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (really) and when we had become really desperate 'Small Green Hut'. The last resulted from a train journey into London where we closed our eyes and said the next thing we saw would be the name of the band.
So after a year or so of gigging, we were approached by this guy we'd seen several times at our shows. He had this ridiculous multicoloured hat which kept falling off and a red Fender Stratocaster. He wanted to join the band. It was Zed.
Tuesday 17 April 2007
Friday 13 April 2007
That dinner date
Why haven't you told us what happened on the dinner date, Rob?
Well, the main reason is that it doesn't make for much of an interesting blog. It went fine and we didn't end the evening by having a row. We also didn't end the evening at the opposite extreme, before you think of suggesting it. A nice, pleasant time was had by all. Well, was had by me, obviously I can't speak for Jen.
It was really nice to catch up, though, and it's got me thinking about Graham - we were friends for a long time, after all, way back beyond the band. I've been trying to track him down, so far without success. He hasn't even put anything on Friends Reunited. Neither have I, to be honest. Perhaps I should.
The one thing that I really, really can't do without Graham is a short monologue he did for 'Will I See You Again?' on 'The Face In The Crowd'. There's this bit where normally we would have put a guitar solo, so instead we put Graham whingeing about us not having a guitarist any more. It was quite witty, and the song wouldn't be the same without it.
Note to Graham: no, of course I can't do without your drumming either, but I can make drums more realistically than I can synthesise your voice. Get in touch, mate.
Well, the main reason is that it doesn't make for much of an interesting blog. It went fine and we didn't end the evening by having a row. We also didn't end the evening at the opposite extreme, before you think of suggesting it. A nice, pleasant time was had by all. Well, was had by me, obviously I can't speak for Jen.
It was really nice to catch up, though, and it's got me thinking about Graham - we were friends for a long time, after all, way back beyond the band. I've been trying to track him down, so far without success. He hasn't even put anything on Friends Reunited. Neither have I, to be honest. Perhaps I should.
The one thing that I really, really can't do without Graham is a short monologue he did for 'Will I See You Again?' on 'The Face In The Crowd'. There's this bit where normally we would have put a guitar solo, so instead we put Graham whingeing about us not having a guitarist any more. It was quite witty, and the song wouldn't be the same without it.
Note to Graham: no, of course I can't do without your drumming either, but I can make drums more realistically than I can synthesise your voice. Get in touch, mate.
Sunday 8 April 2007
Website
The website is now live. You can find it at www.fournotes.co.uk.
The only music on there at present is something that Neal's done for a science museum project. However, I shall be mixing something down this week to give you a taster.
The only music on there at present is something that Neal's done for a science museum project. However, I shall be mixing something down this week to give you a taster.
Friday 6 April 2007
Progress
OK, so no posts for a long time. But I've been making lots of progress on the music, in fact more progress than I would have thought only a few months into the project.
The website stuff goes live very soon now. I'll hold off for just a few more days before I let you know, but I'm very excited. I'm going to post some initial sound files up there so you can hear something because up until now, let's face it it's just words and I could just be some sad bloke with as much musical talent as a lobster.
Slightly weird stuff keeps happening. I was going to a gig in Brighton a couple of weeks ago and happened to walk past Penny Lane music shop. And there in the window was what was undoubtedly Zed's famous (!) red strat. Same dodgy paint job, everything. The only thing that was different was that they'd replaced the two tuning peg thingummies that looked completely different from all the others. The shop was closed, so I decided to go back the next day and see if I could find out any history.
I was there pretty early: the shop must have been open half an hour. The guitar had gone. I asked the bloke about it and he denied all knowledge of its existence. I told him I'd seen it the night before and he just shrugged his shoulders. After a brief exchange of words I was asked to leave the shop. I think it's fair to say I won't be buying anything from them in the near future!
The website stuff goes live very soon now. I'll hold off for just a few more days before I let you know, but I'm very excited. I'm going to post some initial sound files up there so you can hear something because up until now, let's face it it's just words and I could just be some sad bloke with as much musical talent as a lobster.
Slightly weird stuff keeps happening. I was going to a gig in Brighton a couple of weeks ago and happened to walk past Penny Lane music shop. And there in the window was what was undoubtedly Zed's famous (!) red strat. Same dodgy paint job, everything. The only thing that was different was that they'd replaced the two tuning peg thingummies that looked completely different from all the others. The shop was closed, so I decided to go back the next day and see if I could find out any history.
I was there pretty early: the shop must have been open half an hour. The guitar had gone. I asked the bloke about it and he denied all knowledge of its existence. I told him I'd seen it the night before and he just shrugged his shoulders. After a brief exchange of words I was asked to leave the shop. I think it's fair to say I won't be buying anything from them in the near future!
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