Halloumi my friends! It’s been a while since the last Newellsletter so let’s get down to business.
Music News: A change of format this year: instead of working on one album then releasing it, there will be a rolling programme of record-and-release from now on. This means that I’ll be releasing three or more EPs over the whole year.
I’m recording four tracks for release in spring now, for instance. I’ll also be recording extra tracks. We’ll be releasing our EPs mainly as downloads. Then towards the autumn we’ll release an album, comprising the best of the EPs plus several other tracks. In other words there will be more releases this year, plus an album (CD ) later in 2023. So expect an EP in spring and a constant flow of stuff thereafter.
One exciting development here. Remember cassettes? They were where we came in! Well we’re planning to start releasing them again. First one up is likely to be a re-release of Going To England the much loved 1987 album. More news when I know more news.
Patreon Plans: For those impatient souls who want it all right now but just really don’t like waiting… After much debate we’ve decided to try a Patreon. For the uninitiated, this is a subscription programme. It won’t cost much. Here’s what you’ll get.
We’re working, initially, on one edition per month. Typically, we’d concentrate on film clips of one song work-in-process, and one old favourite re-examined. We’ll have poems-to-camera. You’ll be able to join me in the kitchen to look at some favourite budget recipes. We can even go up to the bedroom to examine items from my famous dress-up box. Next month, for instance, we’ll be talking about that legendary old top hat of mine. You know? The one from the album covers. In line with most Cleaners/ Newell related stuff, this will not be a normal Patreon. We’ll be tackling and filming clothes, food, music, literature and anything else that takes our fancy. Except of course, cars, politics. sport or anything dull, butch and manly. Watch out for more info soon.
Gigs: What with that broken finger I suffered last autumn, live matters have been somewhat uncertain. However there has been a slow and steady recovery and I’ve even started playing guitar again, if somewhat cautiously
Later this year we’re considering a gig or two in ‘that London’. Obviously I won’t be doing any rock gigs or normal rock venues. I was thinking more along the lines of a theatre maybe or a similar place, where I could wander around between guitar, piano and microphone, doing a cabaret/ theatre mix of my songs, poems and yarns. Serious suggestions for suitable venues are welcome: preferably Central or West-end London for a short residency or run maybe. Let’s see what happens.
I stress that I don’t want to join the lumbering ranks of terrible old rockers playing big festivals or any other bogus foot-up-on-monitor shite. Close-up and intimate will be the code here. I hope to be meeting the audience in the bar afterwards.
New Book: Well I’ve started working on one. The first for some years. This will be called the Home Recording Handbook. It will be published by Dunlin Press. https://dunlinpress.com/
But I stress it’s not exactly a ‘How To’ book. It’s more a collection of many music-related anecdotes and other curiosities. In line with its title however, it will also include some home-recording hints, sprinkled in there like seasoning, for all you music obsessives.