• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Bands & Projects
    • Marty Willson-Piper
    • Marty & Olivia
    • Noctorum
    • MOAT
    • Atlantæum Flood
    • Anekdoten
      • How I Joined Anekdoten
    • The Church
      • Sleeve Notes
    • All About Eve
  • Discography
  • Gear
  • Talking
  • Lyrics
    • SOLO ALBUMS
      • In Reflection
      • Art Attack
      • Rhyme
      • Spirit Level
      • Hanging Out In Heaven
      • Nightjar
    • NOCTORUM
      • Sparks Lane
      • Offer The Light
      • Honey Mink Forever
      • The Afterlife
    • MOAT
      • Moat
      • Poison Stream
    • Seeing Stars
  • Sleeve Notes
    • Of Skins And Heart
    • The Blurred Crusade
    • Seance
    • Heyday
    • Starfish
    • Gold Afternoon Fix
    • Priest = Aura
  • Bandcamp

Marty Willson-Piper

The official home of Marty Willson-Piper

  • News
  • Blog
  • Shows
  • Songwriting & Guitar Guidance
  • In Deep Music Archive
  • Contact

Mar 19 2023

TO WHERE I AM NOW

It doesn’t matter where you are, what the weather is, the season, or the planet, even on Mars, Sunday always feels different to every other day of the week. After our house concert at Martin and Deb’s place we had a very short drive to Birmingham or was it Wolverhampton, Bilston or Dudley or Hollywood or Solihull or The Black Country or the Midlands, I know it’s the bit between London and Manchester, super folk and one of the most intimate gigs you can play. It’s not that dissimilar to Martin and Deb’s house except there’s no book, DVD and comic collection. It’s an L-shaped room so you have to face two directions at once as does the PA. The audience is very close to you so if you slip off your G string, they’ll know – that’s why I often begin the set by telling everyone not to be nervous (haha).

So with time to kill before we had to be at the soundcheck, we pulled into a motorway services and had a coffee or two, did some emailing and writing. There’s a limit to staying so we had to move on after two hours and found another coffee shop on the motorway, we pulled in, sat down looked out of the window and there was our hotel across the road. It looked like it had seen better days, boarded-up shops below it, a chicken place and a subway, a lot of water-stained outer walls, and as you often find in a place like this super friendly staff. We checked into our room, the smell was free and the burn marks on the carpet added a nice turn to the pattern. The internet didn’t work and when I opened the curtain to let in some fresh air I was greeted with a busy roundabout with constant traffic and the grey edifice of Sainsbury’s, across from the roundabout was a road and a sign: Welcome to Worcestershire, with rolling hills and green fields, the planet transformed in a few steps.

At the venue, a very helpful and cool sound guy, Mike, set us up and we had a long soundcheck trying to get it right in such a sonically challenging, naked, and intimate setting. Finding the balance between monitor box tone and PA positioning, figuring out where the sweet spot was for optimum sound, and where we might be the most comfortably able to deliver our best. By the time we were done, we were only half an hour away from the show start and as usual, had been unable to fit dinner in. Three doors down, an Indian restaurant, a nice man (Ali) agreed to take the order and delivery it to us at the venue at 10.45. Perfect, show, curry, pack up, back to the hotel.

The staff were great here, Maya and another young lad on the bar, Mike and the other staff sound guy Rob who was here last time we played. The two of them helped us load out and my thumbs were most grateful. The merch released another two Marty & Olivia shirts which means we now need to sell eleven more to break even. We have sold out of the MOAT – Poison Stream vinyl but have vinyl covers and CDs, I guess people are digging our version of Helpless You from that album. We only have four vinyl copies of the first MOAT album (it comes with a free CD), that’s the last of them in the world. Other vinyl and CDs are selling fast and we have eight more shows, sorry Edinburgh.

Music today has been Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972), of course it has.

Music Of The Daze

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

  • spotify
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • youtube

Liking the blog?

Tour Dates

Instagram

Fabulous Poodle Bob and his Poodle Bentley droppin Fabulous Poodle Bob and his Poodle Bentley dropping by the studio today 🐩

📷 @salimnourallah 

More about what Bob's doing in Dallas: https://rb.gy/o86gi
Amplify Me! ...is a brilliant song by sessioneer @ Amplify Me! ...is a brilliant song by sessioneer @blueburstmusic and makes for a fitting caption as we are currently recording sessioneer projects in fabulous studios in Minneapolis & Dallas. What's a sessioneer? Well,... https://www.songwritingandguitarguidance.com

#theterrariumstudio #marshallamps #fenderamps #fredargir #blueburstmusic #thesessioneerseries #songwritingandguitarguidance #moatband
Arno Sojo of @sweetgumtreemusic fame has a fabulou Arno Sojo of @sweetgumtreemusic fame has a fabulous son, Tim. Meet Tim.
And another two. Thanks, Anna at @nocturnaphotogra And another two. Thanks, Anna at @nocturnaphotography 

www.nocturnaphotography.com
www.post-punk.co.uk (in-depth interview coming soon ⭐)
Great one of Olivia - by Denis Copeland 🖖 #UKto Great one of Olivia - by Denis Copeland 🖖 #UKtour2023
Here's a snapshot from our recent UK tour, courtes Here's a snapshot from our recent UK tour, courtesy of @nocturnaphotography 

www.nocturnaphotography.com
www.post-punk.co.uk (in-depth interview coming soon ⭐)
Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower disco 🕺🏻 #heyday
Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th Fe Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th February, 2001. All About Eve supporting Fairport Convention.

📷 by @derektimbrell
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

#danelectro #danelectrobass #redeyerecords #pleasantrylane #pleasantrylanestudio
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Mailing List

In Deep Music Archive

Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
ORDER HERE

"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

MARTY WILLSON-PIPER © 2023 - Front Page Images by Hajo Müller