Pic:  Me recording Like John Lennon Said on tour at the end of last year

Hi All,

Just a note to let you know that I have put up for free download the original take of Like John Lennon Said off the new album.  It was recorded with one microphone stuffed on top of the piano lid in our room backstage at Royal Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool last year before my set on the Alison Moyet tour.  I had literally just written it, finished the lyrics in my notepad and sang it there and then.  Hope you like it.  It’s much better than the album version – raw.

Don’t forget to snap up those tour tickets.  Lots of promo coming up on the new record in the next few weeks (including a song being included on the Word Magazine covermount CD (Sept. issue) out in August). 

Anyway, good weekends one and all.  I am taking it a little easy this weekend as the last two involved too many gigs and too much driving…

DOWNLOAD HERE: http://alexcornish.com/?page_id=67 (RIGHT CLICK AND ‘SAVE AS’ TO DOWNLOAD)

Alex

Here are some pics of my guitar being made. It’s being done by a luthier called Steve Agnew, and they are very very beautiful instruments. I will link to his website later and talk about what he does so you can admire his fine work.

Pic: This is the one side of the guitar which has already been bent. The sides are put into the mold and the guitar is built within that.

Pic: This is one side of the guitar being bent into shape by hand. The metal thing is a very hot heater. The wood, once hot can be manipulated, against it’s will…, into any shape.

If you’re interested here is my interview from Computer Music Magazine which has been made available on Music Radar.

http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/how-to-make-it-as-a-singersongwriter-242131

In other news I am literally crawling to the finishing line with this new album, I reckon this time next week it’ll be in the can. What a monumental pain in the arse finishing these things is. The lesson to be learned is this – do not try to mix your own album, it is painful…that said, it makes it personal, and it is done properly, so it will, I am sure, be worth it.

Hope you all have good Easters and get lots of Easter Eggs. I want a dairy milk one, although I am not really a big chocolate eater, prefer cheese sandwiches to be honest.

Alex

New single out today – for those of you that have the album the download is the radio edit as heard on the, erm, radio.  The download bundle also includes the new song, Won’t be Found with Iain Morrison on small pipes, which will also appear in a different form on my new album, plus an acoustic version of Scotland the Brave with Mary Ann Kennedy on harp.

 Still mixing the new album, bit of a pain to do, but it’ll be worth it I promise.

Onweards,
Alex

The new edition of Computer Music (issue 149 I think) has an interview with me in it, about how I made my album, how I got it out there. It’s in my humble opinion good advice for any of you budding bands or singer songwriters out there. Lots of good guidance is also available on the Tom Robinson website too.

Finished vocal recordings for the new record on Monday / Tuesday at Watercolour and now putting all together. Can’t wait to finish it.

By the way the single is still on the Radio 2 playlist so keep texting in and requesting it! Radcliffe and Maconie Chris Evans and Dermot O Leary have supported it so target some of the other DJs and get ‘em onside!

Onwards,
Alex

So, it’s been a great few days. On Wednesday we headed to Celtic Connections in Glasgow supporting Sandi Thom and The Herald ran a good interview beforehand. We played:

The Shame
You’re Not the One That I Love Anymore
Untied
Like John Lennon Said
Scotland the Brave
Counting Chimney Pots

After the show we loaded our gear really quickly, apologised to Sandi Thom’s band for not being able to hang around, and headed over to the Royal Concert Hall to do a late night session. We quickly legged it over the road for some food then got on stage at 10pm and played a short set. We all wanted to hang around and have some beers with Findaly Napier and co  but we had to get up early to drive to Ardgour  to track the new record the next morning. We were focusing mainly on making sure piano and drums were nailed, but we recorded Call Back (which will be on the new record) and ‘Like John Lennon Said’ live, the latter me sat at the grand piano, very fcking hungover having drunk red wine, white wine, beer and gin and sprite the night before – tip – they don’t mix). Anyway, there’s nothing better than a single live take, warts and all, to get the right performance. It’s always tempting to keep revisiting things, but I’m not doing it this time around. The place is beautiful as you can see from the photo above (a massive stag walked up the path as I had a coffee on the Saturday morning too – I scared it off though by manly shuffling my feet, coffee on the ground ready to run back into the house and hide if necessary). Anyway, I was dead keen to get a pure and natural piano sound (which we did) and a flat and big drum sound (which we also did) and listening back to the tracks now I think the ideas of the sound I want in my head will, for this record, be realised. A massive thanks to Nick Turner for recording it all so well and for having us stay in their amazing studio, and of course to Simon and Bevis for getting down some great takes. I can’t wait for you to hear it.

On the Sunday (Iain Morrison came up too -  he played pipes for me on “Won’t be Found”) we did a session for Radio Scotland in front of about 30 people. We got some video footage which we’ll put up asap. It was a great atmosphere. Iain played a few of his beautiful tunes, I played some of my classics and we covered Van Morrison’s into the mystic with me on bass duties. Mary Ann Kennedy also played harp on Scotland the Brave and it sounded like it has never sounded before – v nice. It was then back to Edinburgh for string recording. In stepped the legend Gavla, who sorted out a selection of quality mics and we recorded the ace string quartet in my studio. There wasn’t much space and my tent still smells from the festivals last summer but I think it has worked out. Again, there is a bit of a theme here, I am letting go a bit with this album (last time I played all the string parts – not this time). I also asked my sister Jane to do the arrangements, and they came to life with the players.

Tomorrow I am going to lay down a couple more guide vocals to three of the tracks (’Shudder Like You’re Freezing’, ‘Ride the Storm’ and ‘Don’t Hold Me Back’) and emailing them to management to make sure they are all cool with what’s going on. Then on 9th and 10th Feb it’s vocal recording back at Argour, followed by mixing and it’ll be in the can. So far this has been a pretty easy process, I don’t know why. I guess I have some experience now, I know what to do and what not to do, and I have a clear idea of what I’m trying to achieve, fingers crossed things continue to go as they have been.

Onwards,
Alex

Well, this new record is definitely going to be a far cry from Until the Traffic Stops. It’s not really the songs, it’s obvious it’s me, it’s really the way I am putting it together. I have decided this time around to let go a little bit more, to allow other musicians to bring their skills to the record. Therefore, we have Bevis doing all the piano, we have Simon on drums, we have a string quartet adding some strings to a few of the tracks (next week), and rather than do the string arrangements like before, me and Bevis working together, I decided to ask my sister to do them, because she will bring something entirely new to the process. The songs are more direct, the album will have a balance perhaps missing from the first, and it will be much simpler, for example on Traffic there were layers of guitars, layers of violins, I practically created a Symphony Orchestra in my box room with Traffic, not that there is anything wrong with that, but there will be little of that this time around. We have big big tunes and some little stripped back ones, just me on piano and singing. That track in particular, ‘Like John Lennon Said’ I will record live on Friday night, we’ll video me recording it and get it up on the site next week so you can see / hear it. There’s another called ‘Shudder Like You’re Freezing’. Anyway, the tracks are all mapped out and after the Celtic Connections show tomorrow we are heading up to Watercolour Studios, owned by Nick Turner and Mary Ann Kennedy and putting the rest of it together. Next week I’ll add the string quartet, then finish my vocals, which I will probably do at my studio, because I can relax there. And then it comes to mixing. I may mix it myself but I am hoping someone else will be able to do it. We shall see. These things are never straightforward.

Once the record is done, it comes down to promo. If any of you think you have skills in certain areas where you might be able to help the cause e.g. blogs, photos, contacts with people in the press or at radio then let me know. I also mean for Europe too, if any of you have contacts at radio or press in France or Germany and would be willing to mail out some CDs and follow up by email then drop me a line. Do any of you know any ‘celebrities’? Maybe you could bung a promo CD on their laps and see if they’ll endorse it? I am thinking it would be good to get as many people as possible on board to help with this release. The more of us working on it the more likely it will be the success it deserves. In return I’ll give you free tickets, promo CDs in advance, the album in advance etc. Email me at bellevuerecords [at] hotmail.co.uk

Let me know,
Alex

Well it actually turned into a bit of an anti-climax to be honest. A man came and changed the tyre. I drove her to my studio, sat at a piano in the dark all day producing very little of any musical merit whatsoever, then drove home and went to the pub, that was that. Need some power steering fluid though. And a new spare wheel I ordered off ebay is arriving today. I can’t wait. And to top it all off I received a new M to F XLR lead in the post today as well. I live the dream.

This week I am putting together guide tracks for recording next week and I’m doing an interview for Glasgow Herald on Friday. I am also working to earn money. Sleeping a bit. I watched Wallender the other day on tele – very good. Missed the first one. Oh, I listened to the demo of the whole album this morning for the first time today. I put it on my ipod. Good songs. Next week it’s Celtic Connections on the Wednesday evening then on Thursday we’re up stupidly early to drive up to Watercolour Studios Ardgour, nr Fort William. It’s a beatutiful studio and I can’t wait to record there. Bevis will be laying down some piano and Simon some drums. I will be drinking wine and giving directions. On the Sunday we’re finishing up by giving a concert at the studio with Mary Ann Kennedy and Iain Morrison joining on harp and small pipes respectively. I’ll video it all so you can see when I get back. Yeeah.

Alex

Happy New Year. First up, watch this:

So, mark your cards, 2010 begins and as your odds on favourites (the BBC’s Sounds of 2010) gallop down the first furlong, the unfancied outsider is making a steady start on the right side. Ignore the form, this horse is no novice and whilst everyone gets excited on the leaders keep your eyes peeled to the middle back of the pack. Tomorrow I start to record in my little room, the demos are done, the tracks are ready, all I need to do is record them all by 21 January when, after the Sandi Thom gig, I will record the drums and the piano and then mix it. Oh yeahh.

So, have good years everyone and see you in the paddock in December. I will be the one with the sandy coloured fur (do horses have fur? is it fur?) with a big rosette on my head with “1″ written on it.

Alex

Another year passes, lots happened. And for the first time I actually need to thank people. Normally at this time of year I look back at the year before, pat msyelf on the back and crawl back into my cave to create more miserable music and to get drunk. It’s been a weird one, because my album was re-released and so there was no real new material coming out, other than a few free downloads and The King of Hearts being added to the album at the expense of Beginning Middle or End. It’s also been weird because I have been punching way above my weight – territory usually unchartered by people like me, namely the Radio 2 playlist, was claimed, twice, both for My Word What a Mess and Untied, which is a massive achievement, bearing in mind what we are fighting here (major label power and the X Factor etc.). For the first time for me a coherant plan was coming together (thanks to Charlie and Geoff), and for the first time I have actually had help in a lot of areas. The support from people in high places has been incredible and to them I am massively indebted, Dermot O’ Leary and his team have continued to be awesome supporters, Terry Wogan and his producer, Alan Boyd, we then have Radcliffe and Maconie who picked up Until the Traffic Stops as their single of the week and subsequently backed both playlisted singles. On 6 Music Tom Robinson has contuinued to back me, and his former producer who now works on other 6 Music shows. Vic Galloway and Jim Gellatly at BBC Radio Scotland have been immense (as have their production teams), and it was a huge pleasure to be able to do sessions for Vic in Glasgow with a string section and my band, and for Jim and Martel at Rockness. Tom Morton continues to help me out at every turn too, and it was great to do a session for them earlier in the year. I had my first TV appearance on STV, with a string section, which was fucking fantastic. We had my music for the first time being played out in Cafe Neros, cinemas and shops thanks to Rob and Pablo. On the live front thank you to all those who booked me to play, whether on tour or for festivals. We played a load of festivals this summer and enjoyed them a great deal. Then there was the tour supporting Alison Moyet, which was mind-bendingly joyous. We worked really hard on that tour and hope that those that do like my sort of music enjoyed it. I certainly sold a shitload of CDs – always a good sign. And finally, there are those of you that come to loads of my gigs and have been for ages, those of you that take photos and now I know you as my friends, and to you, thank you, I hope next year to deliver even better live performances and to repay your faith by becoming mega successful and giving you all free tickets to the Grammys. Final word of thanks to Bevis, Chris, Simon and Gav, without whom I wouldn’t be able to bring the songs to life live, true dedication to the cause which I will repay handsomely.

Anyway, enough already. Sickening Oscar type acceptance speech going on here. And for fuck’s sake, I haven’t even got anywhere…yet…so, moving forward to next year, what is the plan? Well, I am currently finishing demos for album no. 2, which I will be recording properly in January and which will be released asap next year. The idea was for some of the tracks to come out on an EP, or to be released via twitter, but I am afraid we have decided to hold onto them for the album, because some of these songs are a bit too good to just throw away, if you like, or not to give them the chance they deserve. But I’ll put them up on myspace soon anyway, as soon as the final recordings are done. In terms of the recording process, I will be doing it the way I have produced all my stuff so far, drums in a real studio and the rest in my studio. I’ll do a video blog of the process this time so you can see how it works. I am looking forward to it and I hope it all turns out okay. In terms of live shows we have the Celtic Conections show with Sandi Thom on 21 January, a session at the Watercolour studios in Scotland end January, which may go out on BBC Radio Scotland, then Scotland the Brave is being released in a bundle of 3 tracks which include a radio edit of Scotland the Brave, an acoustic version featuring BBC Radio Scotland’s Mary Ann Kennedy on harp, and a new track called “Won’t be Found” with Ian Morrison (formerly of Crash My Model Car) on small pipes. Once that is out we’ll be in full album campaign, starting with a show in London and a show in Glasgow. Then a full UK tour, all dates soon to be announced. And you lot all need to learn the words to the new songs.

And that is pretty much that. I’ve achieved a lot this year, but I am still yet to appear on the front of OK! Magazine buying a tuna crunch from Greggs in my pyjamas, so next year is the year. And with that, happy Christmas to you all. I am going to get very drunk and during the January hangover, produce a record which will hopefully give me the break I frankly fucking derserve. Yeahh.

Onwards,
Alex

Hello,

In Brighton waiting for soundtrack and doing some mixing. I am starting to make the new tracks from my EP available for download. These are unmastered, so the final mastered, polished versions will be available as a download in the New Year. There will also be some collectible versions, vinyl etc. so watch out for that. I just wanted you all to hear the new stuff sooner rather than later, which is why I am putting it out now.

How do you get the new tracks? All you need to do is to click on this link: http://trkurl.com/sH05RY #TFAT and it’s yours…

More to follow.

Alex