The Re-Invention of Andy

New YouTube video talking about and reflecting on 3 years of change, new ventures and recent tough decisions.

Another Radio Show To Listen To.

As you may have seen already, I have posted my Local Music Shows for the 2013 Hastings Rock broadcast onto the radio stations own Mixcloud site and may well end up posting them on my own Mixcloud site as well.

But, I have now also decided to post a couple of my 'normal' Hastings Rock shows onto my personal Mixcloud site.

This is the first one and it was originally broadcast on Monday 27th May between midday and 3pm.

I hope you enjoy the show and I will post another one in due course.

Hastings Rock 2013 - 27th May 2013: 12 - 3pm by Andy Gunton 

on Mixcloud

Hastings Rock on Mixcloud

I know that I may well have mentioned this before, but Hastings Rock radio station now has it's very own Mixcloud account and we've now started to upload some programmes to the site.

So far, we've only uploaded the four Local Music Shows that I presented during this years broadcast, two shows from the final night of the broadcast and also one of the Progressive Rock shows presented by Tony Bell. But, more may well follow.

You can find the Hastings Rock Mixcloud site here: Hastings Rock on Mixcloud

We chose to use Mixcloud, as opposed to another site such as Soundcloud, because Mixcloud pay PRS royalties. Therefore you can upload copyrighted music, knowing that you are doing so legally and that the artists will get royalties because of it.
The service is also free and has no upload limit.

Happy listening.

It's Not As Easy As It Looks

New YouTube video and my first one for 6 months!

Talking about another month of Hastings Rock radio and how so many people just don't realise just what happens behind the scenes to get the station on the air and then keep it there for 28 days.

Bland

A bit of a rant after listening to Danny Baker's last show for BBC Radio London.

AudioBoo - Radio Rental.

listen to ‘Radio Rental.’ on Audioboo

I've been decorating and have been listening to the radio. But, it's been a frustrating experience.

Mixcloud

I've discovered yet another website to use!

Here's my page: http://www.mixcloud.com/AndyGunton/

My last video, which was also about radio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAbf5K0hvnU

There is a link in the border, to the right of this vodeo, where you can follow my Mixcloud account.

AudioBoo - It's Good To Read.

To DJ, Or Not To DJ.

That is the question.

Just some thoughts about DJing & why some people take to it easier than others.

Hastings Rock:
http://www.hastingsrock.co.uk/

Times Change.

Priorities change & other things come along to take your time.
That's life.

For the video playlists i mentioned in this video.
Go to my channel page on YT, click "Playlists" & the 'Scenic Walks' & 'Vloggers Caravan 2010' links are in there.

Hastings Rock can be heard via the Internet, from Saturday April 30th until Friday May 27th.
Follow the link on the website at:
http://www.hastingsrock.co.uk/
The "Listen Live" link will not appear until we start broadcasting.

2 Songs.

The rpomised follow up to my recent "The Songs That Changed The World" Video.

Let me know what yours are.

Hastings Rock MySpace blog post.

For those who may be interested, here is the link to a blog post that i recently posted onto the MySpace page of Hastings Rock:

Hastings Rock - MySpace blog

It concerns the "Not The End Of The Pier" CD, which i have been involved with compiling and co-producing.

AudioBoo - Radio Radio.

This is Hastings calling.

Not The End Of The Pier CD.

Below, is a blog post that i recently wrote for the Hastings Rock MySpace page. I realise that it might not be of interest to all you may visit this blog. But, it does help to explain something that i've been heavily involved with recently.

"As some of you may already be aware, i have recently been helping to put together a CD of local bands and musicians, in aid of HPWRT (Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust).
Well, that CD has now been compiled & mastered & is now in the process of being produced, ready for release.

For some more details about this project, you might be interested in this article from our local newspaper, the Hastings Observer:
http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/local-news/not_the_end_of_the_pier_cd_showcases_local_talent_1_1665410

We are hoping to get the physical CD's back within two weeks and will then be able to start selling them and helping to raise some much needed money for the restoration of Hastings Pier.

Further details about where the CD's will be available for sale locally will be given nearer the time. But, i can tell you that the CD will have 15 tracks and will sell for £8.

For those of you who live futher afield, we are planning to sell this CD by mail order. We are currently looking at the costs of postage and packing. There will be a dedidcated CD website for PayPal payments etc and the information about this will also be given at a later date.

But, in the meantime i thought i'd give you a rundown of the track listing for the CD, to whet your appetite.
1: Keith Foster - On The Pier
2: The Vindickers - I Wanna Be Geek
3: King Bathmat - Warrior Square
4: Logan Wilson Band - All The Losers
5: Ian Edwards - True
6: Claire Hamill - Oregon Inlet
7: The Possessed - Beautiful White Moon
8: Dr Fonda - Son
9: Arivmia - Sinners Myth
10: O'Donnell & Bell - Deck Chair
11: Rich Lown - Starting From Now
12: Mick Mepham - Driftwood
13: Soul Sanctuary - Gone Away
14: The Cajun Dawgs - Flammes d'Enfer
15: Red Diesel - Rise

For anyone who knows about music from the Hastings area, you can see that this a nice eclectic mix of styles, genres and ages. This is exactly what i wanted to see when i started to compile the CD.
All of the 15 tracks are original compositions, apart from one traditional song. The CD even includes 2 brand new tracks.

Here is a sneak preview of the CD's front cover:

I will be writing a further blog post when the CD is finally available.
So, hold off buying your Christmas presents for just a little bit longer.

Thanks and keep on rockin'

Andy Gunton"

Rock Nights - The Next Event. - Hastings Rock's Myspace Blog |

Rock Nights - The Next Event. - Hastings Rock's Myspace Blog |

This is a blog post from a blog i run on the Hastings Rock MySpace page.
Hastings Rock is a local rock music radio station, of which i'm the Chairman.

I thought i would start posting some of my blog posts, from there, to here.
I realise it won't be to everyone's taste.

AudioBoo: The Way We Were - Sex Pistols & Me

Some thoughts about those heady days & my own experiences.

AudioBoo - Startings The Process.

And i didn't even get around to mentioning my job interview on Thursday.

Tribute?

Tribute bands eh? Don't you just love them?
Or not, as the case may be.

I've been having some discussions recently, with a musician friend of mine, about tribute bands and their worth. And, because of my involvement, as a compere, at an upcoming local gig, headlined by an AC/DC tribute band, i posted a blog post on the Hastings Rock MySpace site, advertising the event and subsequent gigs as well.

But, after further discussions, since that recent blog post, i decided to share my own personal thoughts about this whole topic and this seemed like the best place to do it.

Anyone who knows me, knows that i am a big music fan and through my involvement as a DJ with Hastings Rock, i've developed a huge appreciation of local music and local musicians generally. But, as a DJ, i've only tended to play original music by those local musicians, rather than any cover versions and that is where my real interest lies.

Like anyone else, i go to pubs and watch the local covers bands doing their stuff and very good the vast majority of them are too. They provide a great service to those who just want to go out, have a few drinks and generally have a good time. And with that i have absolutely no problem at all.

My problem, if that is what it is, is with the, seemingly, ever increasing amount of tribute bands that do the rounds and have probably visited your own town recently.
These are the bands that are effectively a carbon copy version of the real thing. Often going as far as having members who look like the original members and certainly dressing the same as them.  They try to use the same instruments and also copy the stage acts and mannerisms of the original artists.
They also charge you quite a lot of money for the priviledge of seeing them too (I wonder if they have to pay any royalties to the original act? And if not, why not?)

The first band that i remember who fitted into this category, were The Bootleg Beatles. No prizes for guessing who they were copying. I did see them, many years ago and enjoyed them. They even split their set into two parts, to cover different periods of The Beatles career. Complete with a costume change.
Since then, the whole tribute band scene has developed and is now a pretty lucrative business. There are tribute bands to all of the major acts, both from the rock and pop world. These acts can be seen touring all over the UK and beyond. I've even seen whole festivals devoted to rtibute bands.

So, there is obviously a big market for this type of entertainment. But, that doesn't mean that i have to like it.
It's not that iwsh to stop people going out and enjoying themselves. My own problem with all of this is the effect that it might have on the nurturing of up and coming local, original, talent.
The whole world has gone copy cat mad and there is just no room left for new and original music.
I realise that this can be seen a a bit of an exaggeration. But, i do think it does have a noticable effect at a local level.

Local musicians, that i know, speak of their inability to get gigs when showcasing their own, original, music. All of the gigs seem to be taken up by bands doing those crowd pleasing cover versions. And, maybe, that's where, ultimately, the problem lies? People are voting with their feet and with their wallets and saying, "we want to hear familar music".
And, if you're the owner of a venue, the customer is always right. Aren't they?

So, maybe we've only got ourselves to blame for this situation? The problem is, where is all of the future original music going to come from?
And, is this yet another effect of the "X Factor" etc?
Yes, i know that tribute bands have been aroung longer that the "Pop Idol" type of shows. But, maybe those shows have had an effect on the popularity of the many tribute bands around and actually helped to increase their number?

Years ago the tribute bands that were around, like The Bootleg Beatles, seemed to only copy those acts that you just could not see. Whether that be The Beatles, The Doors, or Led Zeppelin etc, who had split up and therefore could not tour anymore. Or, maybe, some of those really big bands who toured infrequently and often only in huge arenas, miles from home and who were, quite frankly, past their prime anyway.

These days, just about everyone seems to have a tribute band based on them. It's probably become almost a badge of honour amongst acts, to have your own tribute band.

And that brings up another aspect to this whole topic.
I can understand why people might want to go and see a good tribute band, for an act like Led Zeppelin, or The Beatles. Those acts, as i said before, that it's just not possible to see live anymore, for whatever reason.
But, i can't see the same attraction in going to see a tribute of an act that is stil going strong, still in their prime and still available to see. For example, a local venue in my hometown recently booked a tribute act to the Kings Of Leon. I have no idea how many people turned up on the night. But, i wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a roaring success.

I suppose that it could be argued that by going to see the tribute act, of an existing band, that you are getting an approximation of the original band and at least you don't have to sit through all of those boring new album tracks, that you've never heard before! But, personally i'd rather save up and make the effort to go and see the real thing.

As for those bands who are no longer in their prime, or who just don't exist anymore. Maybe, those good tribute bands are a worthy substitute?
After all, what you get to see is a re-creation of whichever band, in their prime and playing a greatest hits set. A band that you quite possibly never had the chance to see in their heyday.

I was lucky enough to see Led Zeppelin in their prime, The Who with Keith Moon, AC/DC with Bon Scott and Lynyrd Skynyrd before the plane crash and i would not wish to spoil those good memories, by paying to see a re-creation of those days.
And maybe, that is at the heart of my objections?

Having said that, is a tribute band any worse than a band using the original name, but having very few, if any, original members in the existing line up? To me, that is just plain wrong.

I've just read that Big Country are re-forming. Despite the fact the band's founder, singer, songwriter and main guitarist, Stuart Adamson, died 9 years ago. WTF?
To me that is just as ridiculous as The Jam without Paul Weller, Thin Lizzy without Phil Lynott, The Doors without Jim Morrison and just in case they get any ideas, Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant.

Just don't get me started on that one!