Not sure if anyone’s reading updates on this site anymore because - along with all of my online concerns - I’ve let this one slip really badly. Anyhoo, in case anyone IS still out there and checking this blog I just wanted to post a quick update re the new Big Ray tracks. Things are actually progressing pretty well given the lack of time and money that anyone involved in the recordings has. Some of the collaborations I’d hoped would happen haven’t panned out so far, but I’ve ended up getting different/new people involved instead, so it’s all good.
We are working on 13 songs; all of which are currently in different stages of readiness.
Rich Matthews is holding the whole thing together on the magic typewriter and contributing some lovely guitar and helping with arrangements.Without him, this whole project falls on its arse.
Marc Maitland, my mate from Blocko and the original You Disgust Me drummer, has been the go-to geezer from skin bashing and has been wonderfully supportive and enthusiastic as well as turning out some excellent performances. It’s really weird working on songs with people who you’re rarely (if ever) in the same room as, but Marc’s been great despite not having spent more than 30 minutes face-to-face going over the songs.
Bass Master General, Paul Duncan, seems to be back in the fold after a mystery disappearance a couple of months ago. We were getting worried about not having a bassist after Paul went AWOL and a couple of replacement types failed to deliver, but now that he’s back the main concern is that he’s toting a ukelele instead of a bass. Yep; a uke. Not that I have a problem with the uke (see “Blue, Red & Grey” by The Who for precedent in that sphere which can’t be fucked with)…..I guess we’ll be having some of that on the album then :-)
Our very good friend, Pete Woodward, formerly of K-Line’s American brothers, The Unknown, has been a hero and a half and has managed to get his band, the Restless Habs (with Eric and Ken) to record the backing for two songs (“All Fired Up” and “Layers”). I’m really hoping Pete can add some guitar to other songs at some point too.
Finally, Rupert Coulson, the man who has engineered and produced 90% of everything I’ve recorded in any band since about 1990 is helping out too. This means a lot to me because Roop’s been a one of the few ever-presents on the Big Ray albums and the fact that he’s willing to get involved again makes me very happy. He was in the studio yesterday working on the back for one of the tracks and I can’t wait to here what he’s come up with.
OK, that’s it for now. I’ll post more when there’s something to crow about.
We’re just finalising the details, but it looks very much like Billy No Mates will be playing at the awesome Blitz club in Oslo on Friday 16th September. It would have been Saturday the 17th, but once again a Billy gig clashes with a Milloy gig, so we have to be back in time for Wes to play with his other band. Never mind; I’m sure the Friday will be better anyway :-)
We’ve just been confirmed as support for Samiam at The Garage, London on Sunday October 2nd. Nice!
I posted something here over a year ago about how work had started on a new Big Ray ‘album’. Well, after a few false starts it seems that we’re now finally making some progress thanks to the efforts of some really very beautiful individuals who are helping me square the “how to record a decent-sounding album for nothing” circle. Take a bow Rich Matthews, Mates and our buddies the Restless Habs.
There’s not a lot to show for it at the moment, but things are definitely falling into place and when Rich sent me this work-in-progress version of “Shimmy” last night, I thought I’d stick it up here for people to get an earful of. Lots left to do on the song (lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion etc.), but it’s off to a good start.
I played guitar and sang. Rich played bass and Mates is on drums. Right click here if you want to download the song, or just stream it using the player above. Boo ya!!
The final batch of tourist snaps from the Mighty Sounds festival 2011. I’ll get these sorted properly as a gallery with music etc. at some point.
Second batch of Billy photos from the Mighty Sounds Festival.
First installment of photos from the Billy No Mates gig in the Czech Republic this weekend.
Billy have bagged a one-off festival date in the Czech Republic on Friday 15th July. Some more info available on the festival website.
April 11th, 2011 by Ed
The new Billy 7″ is out later this week on Household Name Records and I thought I’d knock up a little promo video with material shot by me and two lovely people on YouTube during the recent UK tour (if 5 dates in a row constitute a tour). Hope you like it.
Heave Ho Britain! from Ed Wenn on Vimeo.
The new single by Billy No Mates. Song written by Duncan Redmonds. Edited and filmed by me with the vast majority of the footage taken from iunsane and koatudi’s YouTube channels.
February 8th, 2011 by Ed
Billy is playing a few UK dates from the end of March. Nice! We’ll have copies of the latest album, Duck, Duck Goose on sale at the gigs. So far it’s only been released in Japan, so if you need a copy (and you know you do) then this is your chance.
Wed 30th March -London, The Garage (supporting Chixdiggit)
Thursday 31st March -Cambridge, Portland Arms
Friday 1st April -Bournemouth, Ibar
Saturday 2nd April -Pontypridd, Clwb Y Bont
Sunday 3rd April -Bristol, The Croft
November 7th, 2010 by Ed
Some snaps taken by Jacqui at the Ippo gig a few weeks ago.
September 20th, 2010 by Ed
Billy is playing some gigs around the UK next month to promote the new album Duck, Duck, Goose which is out now on No Idea. Try and make it along…it’s always a good time.
14 Oct 2010: The Gaff, Islington
15 Oct 2010: The Carpenter’s Arms, Canterbury
16 Oct 2010: The Wildman Pub, Norwich
17 Oct 2010: The Royal Oak, Ipswich
22 Oct 2010: Kudos aka Dr Thirty’s, King’s Lynn
23 Oct 2010: Harry’s Bar, Stoke on Trent CANCELLED 
May 19th, 2010 by Ed
I’m pleased to announce that Liquidman will be supporting Leatherface at The Portland Arms in Cambridge on Thursday 24th June. Sweet.
May 17th, 2010 by Ed
I’ve not posted anything here for a while and I haven’t got any gigs coming up, but I have been reasonably busy. In the interests of brevity, here’s a quick roundup of what’s happened so far in 2010.
- I played guitar on a couple of tracks from the new Billy No Mates album, which I think is going to be called “Duck, Duck, Goose“. The album’s not mixed yet, but I’ve heard a rough mix of all the songs and it’s really good. Definitely one to look out for. I’ll update here when it’s finally released.
- Unfortunately the planned Billy No Mates tour in Germany fell victim to a bit of punk rock organisation and is no more.
- My new punk band, Liquidman, had a couple of really good reherasals with our new bassist, Damion Rice (formerly of The Killerest Expression). Rich switched from bass to lead guitar and it’s sounding great. We had a few potentials on the gig front, but they all faded away…then we all got busy and now it’s mid-May. Hmmm. Maybe things will pick up later in the year? Maybe I should schmooze more and go to gigs?
- The biggest news though is the fact that I’ve started work on a new Big Ray album. Yep, you heard that correctly. Let’s face it….the history of rock’n’roll is littered with pointless gestures, so what’s the problem with one more? The idea is to plug away and get it all finished by the end of the year. Over and above that there are no plans, but hopefully the process will get me off my arse and out there playing more acoustic gigs in 2011. I’m recording the acoustic guitar & vocal backing tracks with Rich Matthews in his studio in London and will then get the rest of the cast to add their material on top either in person or via the wonders of the Internet. So far lined up to play on the songs are Big Ray regulars Reado (drums), Paul Duncan (bass) and possibly John Ruscoe (guitar). In addition two of my favourite musicians, Michael Hampton and Dave Derby, both from New York will be continuing their Big Ray associations by sprinkling their own brands of fairy dust over the music from their respective home studios in the Big Apple. Michael in particular had a huge impact on “Business Class” so expect more of the same from him. Additionally I hope to rope in Mickey Trenter, Clive Watling, Li’l Lost Lou, James Allen and possibly some others to round things off. I’ll probably post odds and sods from the recordings as we go along before making the final thing available here for free as always once it’s done. In that spirit here’s a very ‘early days’ version of one of the new songs, “Shimmy“. Check it out now and then wait to compare it with the finished version in early 2011.
Shimmy (work in progress)
January 10th, 2010 by Ed
Down Around
Concert footage from a K-Line gig at Dingwalls, London edited by Matt & Sophie Elmy to fit reasonably closely with the audio of “Down Around” taken from the 2nd K-Line EP. Filmed by Matt Elmy & Graham Pryor.
Link in case the embed code fails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1t4ak0Ml1Y
Stay Poor
A very low-fi video of “Stay Poor” a song taken from K-Line’s first E.P. “In The Red”. Filmed and edited by Roop Coulson (who also recorded & mixed the song).
Link in case the embed code fails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAp_qiHSrV4
Bikini Black Alpha (instrumental version)
Filmed by a load of different people. There’s a version of this somewhere with vocals on it.Link in case the embed code fails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxffK19GKKQ
