Mr. Sifter's column 2011

15th March

Re-inventing yourself? Does it help? Does it actually happen? I would argue that it doesn't. We hear a lot about Musicians and Bands reinventing themselves and coming back with something new. But it is a good thing if it's new?

No. It isn't. You look at the ACTUAL stellar acts from the UK such as Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Morrisey, Oasis and yes, even U2 ... they've all remained true to their own influences and their own sound. All an artist does to 're-invent' themselves is to get a new producer, new clothes and maybe a few new musicians here and there.

You are liked by who likes you, you can't change it, you can't influence it. I hear a certain Leicester band have had an image change, new name and all that in order to appeal to older people and not 14 year olds at the Shed on a Saturday. Does the fact you're now wearing a silver wig make you acceptable amongst adults?

No, not if you look a dick and your tunes are still the same. Now there are bands I have massive respect for who have, over the years, point blankly refused to change their sound and image, often to the detriment of their careers, because what they do is them, they trust it, they feel it.

Take a bow Ocean Colour Scene, The Charlatans, Proud Mary, David Gray, Travis. But you can bet your life they feel more comfortable in their own skins than the likes of Radiohead. I'd never re-invent myself. I can't be bothered for one, and secondly why would you all of a sudden want to dismiss the songs you've been playing for years?

When are we going to see an end to these Performing Arts kids who swamp our already turgid TV schedules with their throw-away pop? Jessie J? I hate the bitch. She sings about it not being about the money. Her massive and expensive marketing team would disagree. If it's not about the money then fuck off and do it where i can't see or hear you.

On a much lighter note, The Darkness have reformed! Ha ha!! Get in! Yeah I know they're a bit silly but fucking hell we don't half need something a bit tongue in cheek. If Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen was in a band he'd be in either mine or The Darkness. I might see about reforming my old band Kinky Vicar ... then again ... probably not eh?!

Got lots of gigs coming up, supporting Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets) on Friday, then shooting straight off to play my own headline gig.

9th March

Apparently a band's life is a 'journey' .. .is it i ask you? I can only go on the bands i've been in. The first couple were definitely not journeys, more an inconvenience.

The Eaves, however, I would say 'yes, it has been.' I still remember the exact starting point. A sweaty summer night at The Shed, four of us all having taken the best laxative known to man - an audience.

For me, it was my lead vocal debut, it was alright for the others, all they had to do was play the right bits in the right order. For me now singing is something that just happens when there's a few people about wanting a song, it's very natural these days.

I listened to our very first soundboard recording from back then a few days ago. Doesn't sound like the same band I'm in today, my vocals are wildly different, the song's different and the playing was almost primitive.

Every band starts at the same point yet every band finishes in a different manner. For me the line-up changes over the years have been nothing short of absolutely necessary, the scraps that have occured every now and again have however been a bit pointless.

All bands start wanting the same thing - success, fame, whatever you call it ... and believe me, we were hungry for it, starving in fact. But you know, over time and as age starts to influence you, your thinking changes. Fame becomes less important, it becomes more about being comfortable with who you are, what you're playing, who you're playing with.

This has it's merits and it's downfalls. I have often told people of the naivity and lack of craftmanship in The Eaves original line up, but what I DO miss is that original buzz, that new feeling of being in a new gang, that feeling that you're playing for your supper.

The first time you play a really great set you feel like you can take on the world and win. I wouldn't swap my knowledge and experience for anything though, as I like to think I have a massive advantage over all the young pretenders coming through now. You see my band have more or less been there, done it, sold some t-shirts. Being in a band for the long term teaches you so much. You can't always get what you want, as Jagger sings.

My band now are musically superior to, I believe, most bands about in Leicester. My Bass player and drummer 'feel' their instruments, they know them, they improvise, they produce class moments that you can't produce in the beginning.

Had i stuck with the original line up i have no doubt we'd have imploded. I guess the journey of being in a band teaches you when to step back, to ease up, to not expect too much and to enjoy what comes along in unexpected moments.

I looked around lately at who was about? Who was still going from back when we started? Not many are left from those glory days, just The Manhattan Project, Calder, Skam remain. But those guys are comfortable with what they do and who they do it with, they're happy to be on the level they're at now (with the exception of Calder maybe).

We can't always have what we desire, folks, but unless we take a shot at it then we'll never know if it can be achieved or not.

2nd March

Now where are the best gigs in Leicester? Well, myself and my outfit of musicians played at O-Bar for a Melting Pot night last week. Couldn't stick about too long after, but it was a good gig. Well organised, well publicised and well respected.

If you have that mix, it generally pans out to be the right sort of evening. Having read Calder McLaughlin's piece, I have to say I disagree with his attack on covers gigs and songs people know. Let's put this into context. Sitting in an office talking corporate drivel to a silly cow with an over-inflated opinion of their own self-importance, or standing in front of an attentive crowd who cheer every song and sing it back at you, despite it being a cover? I know which one I choose every time.

I think at times it's easy to get caught up in our own bad feelings towards the local scene, but it really doesn't matter what we play as long as we put our souls into it, people will believe in it. I for one would rather be encouraging people to listen to old classic tunes though my versions of them rather than them listening to Tinie Tempah and all the garbage that infests the charts these days.

If there was any justice then this year would be about Beady Eye and not about Jessie J, but we know which way it'll go. I have to also draw attention to local music shops and the poor quality instruments on offer. They all seem to sell sub-standard poor quality rubbish. While I appreciate money is tight for most, it would be more beneficial to hold off getting a new guitar for a bit longer and buy a better one rather than buy cheap.

But the shops churn out chinese rubbish by the bucketload. Buying instruments is easy - if it ain't made in the U.S.A or over here, then leave it well alone. Save up and buy Gibson, Fender, Rickenbacker or pre-2002 Epiphone, leave the Westfield, Italia, 'Vintage' and such other brands well alone.

Every day is a school day as they say!

Mr Sifter

Other pages you might like

Mr Sifter's column 2012

The Editor's column on live music in Leicester

Our gig chat page where local musicians talk about music