Oops, haven't updated this thing for a while, my bad.

My son has been ill, so I missed the Blue Note gig unfortunately but I have played the open-mics a few times and had a great time Sunday at the Splash. Did 'Sold', Volcano (Damien Rice) and If I could (Jason Mraz), Sail Away (David Gray) Cold Water (Damien Rice) and The Remedy (Jason Mraz).

I go to New Zealand next Saturday, I can't believe it... I have some rehearsing to do, especially as I will be playing more originals than I do over here.

Also been playing around with some new covers, I wanted to work on my own versions of popular tunes so have come up with a cool version of 'Sweet Child Of Mine' by G'n Roses and also 'Jeremy' by Pearl Jam (actually this was one of the first songs I ever learned to play many many years ago) but I will have to wait a few weeks to unleash them at the Splash. Also worked out 'Good Souls' by Starsailor which is fun to play.

I have loads of new originals that are half finished, a lot more up-beat than my usual stuff, sort of Jason Mraz meets Damien Rice with a bit of Goo Goo Dolls chucked in for a harder edge... So far I have written:

Don't we just make fools of ourselves
4 days
Sunburn (which is cool to play)
Pickin up (very funky in a Mraz sort of way)

I need to rough demo them before I forget them and then get Simon from Le Music Room to polish them up and get them recorded.

See Ya

JT

Playing at Bonds on Sunday night from 9pm...

I think I am playing a joint gig at the Blue Note Bar on Saturday 24th with Phil & Gareth. That should be cool, the guys play originals, Jack Johnson and Ben Harper stuff.

Hopefully I can catch a few open mic slots over the next few weeks and I will be rehearsing my set for NZ, only three weeks away!!! WOOHOO...

I've hyped Garageband many times, but it is such a great site for musicians, just ask Simon from Le Music Room who is kicking ass with a 4.9 star rating at the moment for one of his electronic tunes. Anyway, I got a detailed review of an old Curses tune 'Coockoo' by Braden Merrick, Northwest Regional A&R Rep for Warner Bros. Records, and it was very useful. I may post snippets of the review here over the next few weeks, overall, he thinks the song was 7/10, that it sounds like Del Amitri and that I am too clever for my own good...

He gave me some good ideas and a few leads, including Nic from KCRW.org, which aired one of my fave Damien Rice sessions by the way, awesome. Braden came across as genuine, knowledgeable and eager to help, which did surprise and delight me.

I may submit 'Sold' for a similar review.

Set list for Bond's GIG available below:

Bonds_Set2004.doc