Slightly drunk...

...so probably shouldn't be updating this, but anyway, I am, so yeah. It's been a long day, there was that whole royal wedding thing, which looked nice enough - went to a party to 'celebrate' this event, a party that had so many nuggets of emotional complexities it would probably make a good stage play for someone (oh okay then, if you insist), followed by a nice little interview on the newly-launched Huntingdon Community Radio about my Hunts Post stuff, about my bands, and about the play. And then I find out that 'Oscar Pike...' has finally completely sold out for the CB2 performances (both of them). I really need to get my lines nailed at some point, it's in like 13 days or something. I still think it could be the production that 'makes me', but equally I'm trying to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on myself. But still, this could make me. I need to get this right.

Tomorrow (well, today, kind of) I'm up early to rehearse with Eureka Stockade ahead of Sunday's festival appearance (on the same stage as The Boomtown Rats!), followed by Oscar Pike rehearsals, and then watching Cambridge United lose their last home game of their season. But first I need to finish watching this 'Heroes Of Comedy' documentary about why Bernard Manning is a genius. I'm not convinced, to be honest.

Recording with Bryan Shore

Did a little recording tonight with my good friend Bryan Shore. I really like Bryan's stuff - he's well regarded as a top-notch guitarist/bassist (with John Peel favourites The Mutts and also with The Shivers) and his two solo albums as The Prisoner Of Mars are absolutely brilliant. His latest project is to ambitiously recreate the whole of The Rolling Stones album, 'Their Satanic Majesties Request', he's got a few guests on it but like most of these talented musos I have the pleasure of coming across he's playing a majority of it himself. I was asked to play congas on three tracks that would benefit from a bit of manic percussion - ended up doing four as we realised another one needed it too (can't remember the name but it had a nice Latin vibe to it), and it was one of those nice easy sessions - one take stuff on three of them, and two takes on the other, whole thing wrapped up in 45 minutes. Not that it's about how quick you can do things, of course, but in my impatient little world I was really happy with tonight.

Easter

I've enjoyed having a few days off from work for 4 days of Easter stuff, but there's been a couple instances this weekend where I've not really been at my best to be honest. Friday was great - visited Audley End, sat in the sun, and then off to Gamlingay for drinks with close friends. But instance of me not fulfilling potential number one: Saturday afternoon for the 'Oscar Pike...' rehearsals - those damn lines just aren't going in, despite my many learning sessions (three lunchtimes with Jessica, one with Dan, an evening working on monologues with Michelle and several hours just spent in the flat reading the script over and over again) - look, the show is getting a bit close, I should know these fucking words by now. Yes, I'm swearing because I'm angry with myself, I thought I had these nailed, clearly I don't, I can't not get this right - the rest of the team are outstanding, this could be brilliant. Saturday evening was great though - the gig with Jon was a proper good work out in front of a very nice audience in a friendly venue, was just what I needed. Got back late and then up early on Sunday to record two political hip-hop tracks written by my old chum from Siskin, Michelle Bessant, with producer Rob Toulson (who I work with constantly in various projects) and my chosen bassist for this one - the excellent Gav Sirsena from Dowsing For Sound. This was instance of me not fulfilling potential number two: I drummed terribly all day. I'd like to think there was an element of me not being a natural hip-hop drummer, but I'm supposed to be an experienced session musician, this one should have been a doddle. I'd like to think tiredness may have played a part in it. Or perhaps (which has been kindly suggested) it's just a case of my own standards being so high and I just expect the best every time. Either way, I just felt like it was taking a lifetime for me to nail those takes. We did in the end, of course, and it'll sound great - Michelle B's a brilliant songwriter, Rob's one of the best producers I've worked with, and Gav is such a natural musician, we couldn't really go wrong, and the drums sounded great. Eventually. But where has cheeky old 'one take Richards' gone? Hhhmmm. I need some time chill, calm down a bit. I've had that today, luckily enough, everything will be fine.

Currently watching: TV! After two years I've finally managed to get a signal in Shepreth! Hurrah! The digital switch over has worked out nicely for me.
Currently eating: Easter eggs, loads of them.
Currently reading: My own script (constantly), Dawn French - A Tiny Bit Marvelous
Currently listening to: Guillemots - Walk The River, Julian Velard - Mr Saturday Night

Gig report: Jon Orchard @ The Mad Cat, Pidley

Band: Jon Orchard (with myself on percussion)
Venue: The Mad Cat, Pidley
Date: 23/03/11
Audience: Packed, supportive
Set: Not sure - lots of covers and a couple of Jon's originals
Notes: It's good to be playing grooves with Jon again - this was fairly last minute and the first time since September I've had the pleasure of adding congas to Jon's brilliantly radio-friendly tunes, both covers and originals. The Mad Cat was vibrant on Saturday night - the crowd were so up for it, and there was plenty of them. A really nice gig this one - Jon was in good voice, I felt very comfortable with the material, the and lively crowd added to what felt like a real party vibe, calling for several encores. It was probably the most knackered I've been after a gig for a long time and my hands were red raw by the end of it - but when the audience are that into it it's almost rude not to give 100% in return. A thoroughly top night, that was.

The slight frustration of ol' 'One Project Richards'

I'm trying to focus on just the one big project as a writer - I know it's the right thing to do, it has to be the right thing to do if I am ever going to move on from being somebody who has potential but never fully fulfills it. But there's just so much else I'm yearning to do...like write new material - I've got at least three new plays itching to blast out (plus the musical I need to write with Andrea Cockerton by September for Lodestar called 'Relationships, Eh?' and also the stage version of 'Awkward Christmas...' for December, obviously), and I've also penned the lyrics to a whole album's worth of material which I'm sourcing collaborators for - a dark, acoustic, beautiful album that will be called 'High Casualty Route' - if I really worked on it we could have that done before I turn 30 as I'm sure I know enough people who would be up for it. But no, stop it Paul, need to focus.

And it is the right thing to do - because our play, 'Is It Too Late To Save Oscar Pike?' is slowly, somewhat unpredictably, growing into something rather special. It was written as something I just needed to get off my chest, it was more for selfish little me more than anything. But things have moved quickly, from a first informal reading with Kev and Izzy, and then CB2 being booked up for a tiny little 'before I'm 30' performance with a little jaunt at the Edinburgh Fringe booked in just for our own amusement. Then suddenly Michelle agrees to direct and has taken it to a new level, with a set design and a real sense of proper professionalism, bringing in Kate to take the role of Tessa, and she's excellent (they all are). And then the little show at CB2 becomes a bigger event as it's for Teenage Cancer Trust and, within less than a week of going on sale both performances are getting dangerously close to selling out already, so we've tonight confirmed two nights at a bigger venue in Cambridge for the end of May/early June, and there will probably be more dates out of town after that I imagine. And now there's industry sniffing around it (even after I write this I have to quickly answer a load of questions for a Fringe website who want to cover the show), and press...this little play which I stressed about - but wouldn't have minded putting aside after one performance, it's all lovely madness. But it is a really good show - I've realised now it is the best thing I've ever written simply because it's the most honest piece I've done, so honest some of it might even be painful. And because Michelle does things properly - either we do this to the best it can possibly be, or we don't do it at all. It's all very exciting.

Playing the title role is both thrilling and terrifying me in litterally equal measures. I'm playing myself on stage, and there's some lovely moments there which I'm really proud of. But equally - it's a lot of words. I know I've said this before but seriously, this is a lot of words - big rambling monologues, all of which feels important to the piece. And there's no hiding place either - I'm on stage for pretty much the whole hour as the action and other characters move around me, there's a scene where I have to show geniuene emotion, there's a scene where I'm just in my underpants for about 5 minutes on stage in front of a full audience. Out of my comfort zone? Hell yeah. Out of my depth? I'm not sure I am, anymore - okay so Saturday's rehearsal was a bit tired, but it's going well. I am putting everything into this, and it does feel strange, my brain is used to being dragged around different projects, but having to focus on all this dialogue and then performing it naturally is probably my biggest challenge yet. People are helping me though - even people who aren't actually in it - this week on Monday I rehearsed my lines with Jessica, Tuesday with Dan (followed by a couple hours later on rehearsing just the monologues with Michelle), today Jessica again, tomorrow not sure, Friday Juliette, Saturday the full cast...I'm putting the hours in, not all the lines are going in just yet, but progress is being made I think. Would just like progress to be made a bit quicker, if possible please.

Currently reading: the script, over and over again
Currently listening to: Randy Newman - Songbook, Revere - Hey Selim
Currently watching: White Van Man, various football programmes
Currently eating: Jacket Potato with melted cheese and salami (try it! it works!)

Promo videos, plays and stuff

Yesterday we filmed the promotional video for the new Eureka Stockade single, Through Every Darkness. I say 'we', all 'we' as a band did was turn up at a local university and play the song endless times, as the clever camera people got shots of us from every possible angle. They worked hard, I'm rubbish with names, but there was four of them and they were fantastically professional, it was such a nice set-up and eye-opening for me to see what goes into these things. We've released a few singles this year with videos already but this will be the first one to actually have us on camera. I'm glad we're going bigger scale for this one as I've long thought this is the strongest track on the album. Sadly, I'm completely amateurish and couldn't physically do the whole moody thing, so I smiled like a goon throughout. There's one in every band, and for the bands that I'm in, it's often me. A good day though, it was long, but will be worthwhile.

Tomorrow night, after a week off, we resume rehearsals for 'Is It Too Late To Save Oscar Pike?' (or as a friend named it in her diary, 'Paul's crisis play'). A lot has changed since the last rehearsal, sadly we've lost Alice due to other committments, but Kate Madison has stepped in and I'm very happy to be working with her again - she has the kind of life the role of Tessa needs. Also, we've now got a director, Michelle Golder, who is an incredible addition to the team. I've worked with Michelle loads over the years and generally she makes things good - she's driven and organised, and with her now in charge I'm feeling all the more confident about it. Tomorrow however is exactly 4 weeks until the opening show in Cambridge. Have I learnt my lines yet? Of course I haven't. And now I'm panicking, I've got 32 pages of dialogue to learn, sharpish. This could be touch and go, you know.

Currently watching: Friday Night Dinner (best sitcom in 4 years on TV? Possibly, it's brilliant), White Van Man

Currently reading: Danny Wallace - Friends Like These (yes, I know, I'm a slow reader, let it go)

Currently listening to: Stevie Wonder live album, Revere - Hey! Selim, Slow Club - Yeah So, Julian Velard - Mr. Saturday Night

Gig report: Eureka Stockade @ Evolution Dome, St. Ives

Band: Eureka Stockade
Venue: Evolution Dome @ St. Ives Rugby Club, St. Ives, Cambs
Date: 09/04/11
Audience: Plenty of them entering as we started playing
Set: She Got Good, Erotomania, Violence, Without You, Heroes Fall, I've Been There Before, Caught In A Fire, Through Every Darkness, All Alone
Notes: Make no mistake about it - this was a big event, a proper black-tie charity ball with food, bands, and an extremely worthy cause. The venue - a massive white dome, always excites me - such a brilliant concept and perfect for such parties. We were the first on so whilst we didn't have the biggest audience of the night at first by the end of our 45 minute set we felt extremely welcome. Played well I think - and debuted two new songs (I've Been There Before and Caught In A Fire) both of which worked nicely and could become set highlights I think. All in all a good night, good music and very good food too, we were well looked after. Big credit to the mighty Jon Orchard and Ash for organising such a mighty show.

Gig report: Trevor Jones @ The Corn Exchange, Bedford

Band: Trevor Jones (with full band)
Venue: The Corn Exchange, Bedford
Date: 02/04/11
Audience: Hundreds of them, seated
Set: Badman/All The Young Dudes (medley)
Notes: So, on paper rehearsing for three hours on a Thursday night, and then again on the day itself, all just for one song, may have seemed a little over the top. But no - because that's the professionalism of Trevor and his band. Saturday's show was the Regional Final of a national band competition. I don't like competitions, music isn't a competition, but Trevor needed a drummer and he's a good friend so it was something I didn't hesitate to help out with. I'm glad I did, because he's an excellent songwriter and his band are absolute top notch - Bill, Tony and Adam are some of the best musicians I've had the pleasure of working with recently. Got up early (after a late night in London before - the Flaming June gig followed by an old friend's 40th and then missing my train), rehearsed with Trevor and band in a nice little studio in Bedford, before registering at the venue, lunch, soundcheck and then gig. The gig itself was over an hour a half long, our set was three and a half minutes - Trevor's superb original tune, 'Bad Man', interspersed with a cover of 'All The Young Dudes'. Either side of our set there was bands - another 17 of them I think, all doing their best to impress the judges. We played well - tight, with energy, very clean, it was a pleasure. Of course we didn't go through to the next round - we're too old for starters, that was evident when looking around everybody else backstage. I didn't particularly mind in all honesty, the competition aspect of it was the only bit of the day I didn't enjoy. But otherwise I had a great day, it was a long day, but the banter was enjoyable, the music was good, and I spent many hours in the company of really nice people who I didn't know very well but fully plan to keep in touch with. It was also a beautiful venue, and a really big audience, which is also a bonus. Trevor has asked a couple times now if I'd be interested in being his drummer on a regular basis, I'm flattered yet knackered with all these things going on. I'll see what I can do.

Gig report: Flaming June @ The Good Ship, Kilburn, London

Band: Flaming June
Venue: The Good Ship, Kilburn, London
Date: 01/04/10
Audience: A nice bunch of people at the front into what we do, and plenty of others chatting at the bar
Set: Rejoice, Under My Skin, Rumplestiltskin, You Do Moody So Well, The Insane Ex-Girlfriend Parade, Nerves Of Steel, The Wizard, Wednesdays And Weekends
Notes: Strange venue this one - the band is below a majority of the audience in a little box, and as a result the acoustics struggle a touch with anything loud - like drums. Lucky then that I was playing congas, and we had a decent soundguy who really seemed to care. There was a nice bunch of people at the front who seemed to be really into it, and performance wise it was another goodun from the ever-consistent Flaming June, it was a fast gig, it was pretty hot down there in our little performance space and a likable evening.