Just a quickie. I’ve been a bit quiet on this blog, most up to date stuff for music is now at winterof82.com. I’ve also moved spoonie type stuff to my blogspot, because blogspot very much seems to be the place for that sort of thing. Oh yeah.
Bless This House has been very well received. Thank you. It’s the most played/downloaded thing I’ve ever done, which is nice. If you bought it, thank you. BBC Introducing have been playing it too, both in the West Midlands and Coventry & Warwickshire. My friends at TCR have also been giving it regularly spins. All fab stuff. Thank you. We had a lot of fun making the record.
Lee is relieved of WO82 duties for maternity leave, so not sure quite what will happen next, or indeed when. I have a few ideas, hopefully they will be a bit more fully formed by the time he returns.
A few more exciting things going on too, but they’re top secret for just a little bit longer… 
Back soon,
KH
Just a quickie. Let’s say I (or You, doesn’t matter) has a song. A fucking brilliant song. An Oliver’s Army. A Losing My Religion. One of them.
HOW specifically does that translate to earnings, (if at all) in 2013? By this I mean WHERE and WHAT are the specific revenue streams. Let’s take ‘getting signed’ off the list to start with, I’m talking more specifically/realistically.
I’m asking this semi-rhetorically of course; I can think of many answers, but I’d like to hear some of yours…
So, last Friday was big fun. Spent the day at the fantastic Graeae Theatre in That There London for Drake Music’s Laboratory Day. It was a big meet-up and jam session for disabled musicians from all over the UK. Drake Music invited around 15 artists that they keep in contact with (including me, obvs) to see what could happen when we’re all in the same room. It was ace. One of those proper Aren’t-I-A-Lucky-Boy days.
For those unaware, Drake Music is a fantastic charity that works to remove the obstacles that disabled musicians face. They’re a seriously forward-thinking bunch. Drake aim to make light work of unravelling the problems disabled musicians face. From technology to accessibility to furthering creativity, these guys really know the issues affecting disabled musicians.
Perhaps not surprisingly, iPads were everywhere. Y’all know how much I love all things Apple. I’ve talked about my enthusiasm for the iPad as a music making tool before, but the Lab showed the device being used at a whole other level. The iPad is a musical instrument for many of these guys. Garageband especially is a beautifully accessible tool. Musicians with very limited use of there hands are able to play, really play, chord sequences and riffs with the Smart Instruments.
The iPad as all in one music making device is a hell of a thing. I couldn’t help but think how different these musician’s lives would be without the device. I’ve honestly no idea whether anyone at Apple honestly understands what the iPad means to people with disability. Properly revolutionary stuff.
We made much music. Aross iPads, percussion, vocals, loopers; nothing was off limits. It was massively good fun, and I really REALLY hope Drake Music are able to run more projects like this. If you were there, you know how much fun it was. And of course, it was awesome to meet y’all… 
Quick update from the studio. We’ve been in working on a new track. Attempted to get vocals down. Sang horribly. Recording vocals sucks for me.
Really hate my voice at the moment. To be fair, it’s quite out of shape. Can’t expect much. I’m not a singer; I have a hack voice. The more I practise, the better it is. I’m no Dylan either. I can’t just disregard it and think of myself solely as a writer; it needs to be a good vocal performance. Which it never is. At least not to my ears. Ho hum.
Had an idea on the way home from the studio. I think I’m singing it wrong. Wrong kind of voice. We’ll see.
Back shortly…