August 02, 2007 \\ Happy Birthday To Us, Happy Birthday To Us...
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It seems only 15 years ago that Pellethead played their first gig downstairs in Doc Browns in the Boro, and that is cos it was. Because of my bad memory I'm not sure when exactly, but it was near as damnit 15 years ago in September.
We were very nervous, though Shauno said he wasn't due to his thespian training - then when we started playing he froze in one spot for the entire gig, he he. We had been practising for months and months in Studio 64, mainly because when we started we couldn't actually play our instruments. Well, Richie had been tinkering on keyboard for a while, writing songs for Shrug, and I had been teaching myself guitar. But Nick and Shauno were chosen for their personalities alone (plus we thought Shauno would be good for lyrics seeing as how he was a poet).
It had taken us months just to pick a name. "Flowers in the Fridge" was one option that didn't last long; "Rocky Zero Zero" almost happened; "Bundy" was quickly rejected. In the end "Pellethead" came from Shauno's brother who had it as a nickname due to being shot in the head with an airgun in his youth.
So anyway, the day came, it was actually an afternoon. We were playing with a fellow by the name of John McGee. It was his first gig too, but he was on his lonesome and so was suffering even more. To the point where he did songs twice because "I know I can do it better"!
So then the time came, we had suitably dosed up on the Rocky Zero Zero to calm our nerves and on we went in front of a reasonable sized crowd with a lot of friends: Sarah and Catherine were there of course and also luminaries such as Nicky Peacock and Anthony, Rob Shrug and of course, the one, the only Lord Kevin Wall.
We stumbled, we played too slow, we made a ton of mistakes, we said bugger-all between songs, but people clapped and afterwards they said they really enjoyed it. Of course they could have been (probably were) lying. But as a result we got the buzz and we still get the same buzz to this day which is why we continue too inflict ourselves on unsuspecting audiences to this day. We continue to do it – with not any 'proper' success – because we have such a good laugh. We meet people who are sound, in places we would possibly never venture to otherwise, and we just have a laugh. How else would we have met characters like: Bob Mince, Daniel Bibby, Goober Patrol, Evan Knauer, Alycia, Brian Dean Richmond, Pete Dale, Lauren Laverne, Emperor Ming, Brian Stephenson, Oli, FYRers, Henry DARTZ! etc etc?
So on September the 8th in another venerable venue – the upstairs room at The Tavern nee Empire in Middlesbrough - we will celebrate our longevity. We will be giving away CD's of our latest release "Sleepwank" and we have other surprises in the pipeline. And cos we are running the gig we are even going to do a set where we aren't cut short – possibly for the first time in our history! So get yourselves down cos it will be an outstanding evening. And like the legendary Music Collectiive gigs that took place in the same room back in the 80's, the line-up will have 3 bands that sound absolutely, bloody nowt like each other. And that is how we like it! We have special guests and good friends Idiot Savant in their newish expanded luxurious line-up and the brand new power packed, punchy, The Plague to bring us hardcore goodness and ensure that the bottom and top-ends of the spectrum are catered for.
It'll be good, so miss it only if you are a bloody-minded, masochistic fool.
Cheers,
Al P-head- posted by :: pellethead ::
April 13, 2007 \\ Finally Gillham Shall Be Heard!
Now then.
Since I last wrote we have partaken in the first ever De Whippet Club down at the Captain Cook pub in t'Boro. And just like our last gig there it was truly top-notch, funtasticness. There was free beer for the bands and free food for all thanks to Olwyn. The place was fairly packed out with revellers, who revelled. And the bands were super-excellent, of course – although I totally blanked on Paddy Badway during our set and had to hide behind a pillar until I finally remembered how to play it about 10 seconds before it finished tee hee.
But it is like a proper private party at the Cook, in a part of town that is nice and quiet and relaxed, with the beautiful Transporter right next door. The reputation of these gigs is starting to build. So thankyou for everybody who came down, and make sure you all come back for the next one.
Richie is talking about doing it every 2 months and is hoping to line up Pete Dale (of Slampt, Red Monkey, Milky Wimpshakefame) with his new band Chronicity for this one. He is trying to line up some more top-notch bands.
Now the headline of this blog is that Gillham will be heard. This is because we did a day in the company of Nobby from SoulFire Sounds. We set up all our equipment in the updstairs room in The Tavern and recorded everything live, instruments and vocals. We managed to get 14 songs in about 4 and-a-half hours, and now we are waiting for Nobby to recover from his current ear-blocking cold so he can finish the mixing. The man was an absolute delight to work with and extreeeemly good value. So go look at his myspace if you are looking to record.
Once those songs are mixed we will be putting songs up on here (maybe keep rotating the songs) and our website. So let us know what you think once they are up…
Then the next step is to do some studio recording with the great Nathan Stephenson, possibly for a vinyl e.p.
The greatest hits double-CD is still in the pipeline, awaiting the funding gap to close at Don't Tell Clare Records….
In more news we have lined up to play the Mocker night in Yarm at The Keys in the High Street on the 5th of July. We are also in the pipeline of lining up gigs in Liverpool, London and hopefully Manchester as well as a Boro gig or two along the way.
OK cheerio for now.
- posted by :: pellethead ::
March 15, 2007 \\ Whippet, Whippet Good
Why hello there!
After the fabulous success of the 'tester' a new night is now starting up at The Captain Cook pub called "De Whippet Club" operated by the legendary, whippet-owning Richie O'Brien. He is planning to run it on a roughly monthly basis, and quirk rather than quo will be the guide to the bands. No run-of-the-mill, band-wagonesque rubbish at the Whippet.
For the opening night it is going to be a recreation of the 'tester' gig, because it was such a fantastic line-up and to encourage more of you's to come down cos it isn't scary. It is only a couple of quid in a taxi from the town if you don't fancy the walk, or I will be operating an ad-hoc ferrying service from town in my van - details to follow nearer the time.
Anyroad the date is: FRIDAY 30th MARCH
and the line up is:
The High Plane Drifters - extraordinary psychedelic, garage blues. http://www.myspace.com/highplanedrifters
The Ideal Husbands - debut of a Junior Elvision type line-up as far as I can make out fronted by the sock-less, one-legged dancer known as Brain.
Shrug – the best band from Teesside, ever http://www.myspace.com/robshrug
Pellethead – That’s us, you either love us or hate us and so far everybody loves us! Actually that’s a lie. http://www.myspace.com/pellethead
It's in The Captain Cook pub, 7-9 Durham Street right near the Transporter bridge.
Its free entry. It’ll all kick off at like 7:30.
Sound is courtesy of the one, the only, Marcus "Don't called me H..." Styles
Last time everybody got free food (curry, chips, onion rings, samosas etc.), so that might happen again. It will be an excellent night, so get your arses down or regret it at your leisure.- posted by :: pellethead ::
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