One day, I hope that Adam Boucher & The Dead Set manage this level of brilliance...

My current favourite interweb find. Allison Weiss is ace.

Listen here:

allisonweiss.bandcamp.com/album/was-right-all-along

Read here  - allisonw.com:

Howdy folks,

So tour plans are going well. But we still need some shows to fill it up. If anyone has any ideas of places we could play/promoters who might be able to put us on, please get in touch (adam-at-adamboucher.com). The tour is with my three piece electric band 'Adam Boucher & The Dead Set' and Dave Hughes playing acoustic (with backing vocalist and maybe others - not sure yet!). Any help to fill the dates is hugely appreciated.

Adam Boucher & The Dead Set / Dave Hughes UK Tour type thing...

Monday March 8th - nothing booked, any ideas?
Tuesday March 9th -London TBC
Wednesday March 10th - nothing booked, any ideas?
Thursday - Hornby - TBC
Friday - nothnig booked, any ideas?
Saturday - Birmingham - TBC

I'm starting to try book a UK tour with Dave Hughes and myself (plus my ace band The Dead Set) for March of 2010.

Dave Hughes plays folky punk music, influences from Mischief Brew, The Clash, and Phil Ocs.
www.myspace.com/davehughesmusic

We've got a rough idea of travelling through the following places (city names are rough approximations of the area of the country we want to be in on those days):

Mon 8th : London
Tue 9th : Cardiff/Birmingham
Wed 10th : Manchester
Thurs 11th: Bradford
Friday 12th : Glasgow
Saturday 13th: Newcastle/Durham
Sunday 14th: Nottingham/or somewhere else further south

If anyone can put us on on or knows a decent promoter please email adam-at-adamboucher.com or dave-at-davehughesmusic.co.uk if you think you can help. Thanks.

Ladies and Gentlemen of Interweb land, I present the future of music. The band to watch next year:

When I was 14 or 15 I discovered rock music. There's nothing quite like that youthful discovery. I was a huge fan of a band called Skin. No, not the singer from Skunk Anansie. Skin were a four piece British rock band, of the same era as Thunder and Little Angels. In other words, they exisited just when hard rock was dying in the mainstream.

The very first gig I ever went to was Thunder, Skin and b.l.o.w. (featuring various members of Little Angels, but decidely more bluesy) at the Poole Arts Centre. Thanks must go to my parents, who showed they loved me by not allowing me to go and see Vanilla Ice when I was a nipper, thus meaning my first gig was a life changing experience. Oh, how different it could all have been. It was the best gig I've probably ever seen (and I've since seen Coldplay... no really! tee hee. I'm not proud of it... Idlewild were the support act).

Anyway, Skin started off a bit cock-rock (but really fucking good cock-rock not Gun) and got progressively heavier, and better and better with each album. Sadly they split up in 1998. I was gutted but at least they went out on a high musically.

Skin and more specifcally their guitarist and main songwriter Myke Gray, were the main reason I picked up a guitar. Myke always wrote great songs, while having the annoying ability to play the living shit out of the guitar. Myke, you are a total bastard!

So, times change and people move on. I've never stopped being a fan. The songs mean as much to me today as they did back then. I listen to way more different types of music these days, but Skin remain.

Anyhoo, earlier in the year Skin got back together to play Download. They played a few warm up shows and I went to both London warm ups at the 100 club. Despite the horror of the tube strike being at the same bloody time, they were easily the best gigs I've seen in all the time that's passed between that first gig and now. Unbelievable. Even a stupid Warriors-esque journey home to West London couldn't ruin such a perfect night.

After those gigs all signs pointed to Skin carrying on. I secretly hoped they wouldn't 'do a Thunder' and shit all over their past (slightly over the top, as Thunder did some good stuff when they reunited, but never lived up to their old self). I wasn't too concerned, but you know, this is the band that defined my teenage years.

I needn't have worried of course. They announced a tour and CD/DVD. I ordered my DVD and CD to collect on their recent tour and headed off to Leamington Spa to see them for the third time this year. They played a flawless set. I was like a pig in shit. Seriously good. The four new songs on the CD are all excellent and the DVD is suitably ace.

I guess this blog post is hinting at passion and inspiration. I sometimes wonder why I play music, or why I'm not doing it more professionally or why I can't do this or that. I sometimes get pissy when nobody's listening to me when I play... but listening to Skin reminds me of the pure joy of music. Thanks must go to Myke, Neville, Andy and Dickie for providing that. So much of who I am revolves around music. Christ knows where I'd be without Skin.

So all you people out there talking about buying this or that song to stop the X Factor pleb from getting to number one, please save your money and support a real band by buying some of their merch. Skin have self financed and there's a million talented bands out there doing the same. Get inspired.

Skin are on Spotify. You should check them out. I recommend Experience Electric as a starting point:

open.spotify.com/album/7FdZ6ANds3JfS7nFfwnWPT

then check out their site and buy their new acoustic CD: skinfreak.co.uk

Videos from Saturday's 12 Bar gig:

Adam Boucher & The Dead Set - Argh! I'm A Numpty - 12 Bar 21/11/09

Adam Boucher & The Dead Set - Exceptions - The 12 Bar - 21/11/09

A big thanks to everyone who came out to see us and to the afuk peeps for having us play. We had a fucking great time.

On Monday my band 'Adam Boucher & The Dead Set' played our first gig. It was a last minute gig at The Water Rats. Rather than posting the usual 'Our set went well' dribble, I thought I'd post my observations instead:

- The promoter at the Water Rats and most of the people we encountered there are complete cock munchers

- It's not very sensible to put the two smallest drawing acts on last (duh mr promoter!)

- Don't bitch at the two smallest drawing acts about this situation as it was of your making you prick

- Don't do said bitching directly before both acts take to the stage

- Don't be such a cock that you have to summon the acts to you for you to decree this on high. Have the decency to at least go find them yourself.

- When a band turn up for soundcheck, don't leave them waiting for an hour and a half and then, as the doors open tell them they won't be soundchecking.

- Maybe it's only polite to introduce yourself to the bands at some point in the evening, not when you're panicking about turn out

- As the promoter, maybe consider the promotion part and at least put all the bands on the website, posters etc

- If you're going to play 'The Breakfast Club' on the tv in the bar, please have decency to not drown it out with god awful dance music shit, as watching it would have greatly improved my evening.

- I am totally rubbish at blokey sports - in this case, pool. Jon & Steve were very kind to not wipe the floor with me entirely.

- My band are fucking ace 

- When soundchecking, don't complain to the soundguy when the volume jumps drastically between tracks on your unmastered backing cd

- If you have a drummer, guitarist and keyboard player, why the fuck do you need a backing cd? Learn how to play your songs better

-  You can't copyright a setlist (duh!)

- Jon & Steve's friends who came to see us are ace

- During our set, the stage lights were such that I couldn't shake the feeling we were playing a school disco. Weird.



In case you didn't spot the subliminal message in that, both bands and artsits should avoid anything booked by The Monto. Piss up and brewery spring to mind.

Onwards and upwards, the Antifolk Festival at the 12 Bar beckons very soon.  Even if we're appalling that night, it's going to be a great night. Come and say hi.

My ace new band (Still yet to be named, but we're almost there!) is playing its first gigs this month. Pretty please do come along if you can and show your support. Here's the info:

Monday 9th November - The Water Rats, London

This is our very first show ever! Woo! This is quite last minute as we were asked to play the other day. It's £4 to get in if you're on the guestlist. It's silly money if you're not! So if you want to come, email me at adam-at-adamboucher.com and I'll add your name to the list.

At the moment we're on at 10.30 but that no doubt could change. The guestlist entry is until 9.45 so best get there early anyway.

more info: themonto.com

Saturday 21st November - The 12 Bar, London

Gig number two for the band. This is day two of a two day Antifolk Festival. Always a good night out. The music starts at about 7.30 and we're due on at about 8.30ish. Entry is £6 for the Saturday, or £10 if you go to both nights.

more info: antifolk.co.uk

Obligatory band shot:

In case you missed the updates elsewhere on the site, here's some videos of my new band rehearsing. They're fucking ace. First band gig is 21st November at the 12 Bar. More info soon.

Adam Boucher - A Farewell To Harrington - 08/10/09

 

Adam Boucher - Growing Up And Getting Out - 08/10/09