While I was recording the track Baker Boy for my friends Alaska, I taped myself singing my own version of their song as a test to check the mics and stuff were working ok. Later on I added a few bits, it started to snowball and ended up sounding like this. A companion for their excellent single which is out imminently, check their site for details – www.alaskaofficial.com
Here is an amazing film was made by Will Simpson using one of my tracks ‘Searching Graveyards‘ as its soundtrack. It originally featured in the 2009 exhibition to celebrate the release of ‘Pony & Trap‘ along with many other artworks created by brilliant friends from around the UK. I’ve found a few photos of the exhibition here.
Thanks to Will for the film, I absolutely love the changing colours!
Shot on a wet day many weeks ago in Otley, the film of my solo acoustic performance of Diane has been lovingly spliced together by the magic hands of Stuart Ramsay and Nick Thorp, and is now ready to be unleashed on the eyes of the public. The candles and red curtains of Korks provide a certain Twin Peaks feel fitting to this ode to Cooper’s unseen dictaphone pal. The best bit of the film is undoubtedly me trying not to get my beard stuck in the harmonica holder!
Obviously many thanks go out to Shady Lane Films, Roger Armstrong and Nick Thorp for their hard work in creating the film, for more films from Shady Lane keep your eye on www.shadylanefilms.co.uk.
A couple of weeks on from filming a video for my song ‘Diane‘ and I’ve just about recovered.
The shoot itself was not at fault. In fact it was brilliant; Shady Lane Films and Studio LAX were absolutely fantastic filmic folk to work with, and the back room of Korks bar in Otley, the piano lounge, provided us with a great backdrop, full of character, and some lovely red curtains to fan the flames of the Lynchian atmosphere.
The issue was my throat, which to be fair, was playing up before we even shot a single frame, but towards the end of the day declined into a sticky sore pharyngital inflammation, which has only just returned to normality. We recorded the audio for the film live along with the video, so if the vocal turns out to be a bit ropey that’s because I was suffering from a viral infection and not just because my voice is generally a bit ropey. Honest.
I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the day’s filming sometime soon and I’ll let you know when it’s all edited and ready to be watched!
Had a fantastic night at the ALASKA film-showing/gig last night – fabulous set from the North to the Future boys accompanied by massive insects attacking each other, and great film for their new single ‘Girl’.
Really enjoyed playing my guitar and singing, which was helped massively by the super-friendly audience – thank you so much to everyone who was there, you listened and laughed in all the right places! Below is a little film of one of the songs I played for all the people who couldn’t make it last night. Not quite the same as being there but hope you enjoy it anyway.
There were a few people who wanted to buy one of my Twin Peaks CDs but couldn’t do so because the tiny number I had brought had already sold out. Please get in touch with me and I’ll try to get one to you. Or alternatively buy one via the website.
The album inspired by Twin Peaks is now available! It’s called Five Miles South and if you click on the image above you can buy it.
It features all the songs already released: Diane, New Shoes, The Owls are not What They Seem, and Lady of the Log; as well as three new ones: Looking for the Answer, Sheriff Truman and End of a Beautiful Friendship. The finale End of a Beautiful Friendship is only available if you buy the full album, not as a single download.
If you’ve already bought tracks (I know who you are you lovely people!) then get in touch and I’ll let you have the album at a nice price.
In other news…. I’m playing a LIVE SET at the Packhorse in Leeds this Friday. Find out more.
Laura J Martin is a fantastic flute playing, mandolin playing, piano playing, singing, one woman of a band and she’s playing at the Brudenell Social in Leeds on 19th January.
If you enjoy a bit of jazz flute then you’re bound to like this and anyone who needs convincing of how good she is, check this out:
