Reflecting on Bristow

Simply put, the Dirty Bristow launch party & fete fookin’ rocked!

That about sums it up and no surprise when you have a beautiful new boutique publication launching, brought to us by a pair of amazing gentlemen, a room full of lovely people and a bonkers idea set in the perfect venue. Everything from the cross-dressed door man, Danny’s dad with his face painted like a dart board for the retarded, the various games and stalls, and the broad selection of entertainment made this a really wonderful and memorable event! It was a lovely thing that left me feeling warm and hopeful for the future.

Of course this is about a magazine at the end of the day. One I hope to see flourish. A brave/stupid venture, brought to you by two very brave/stupid individuals and their band of willing supporters. Respec’!

Ooh, and for my part I pulled some silly faces…


Thanks to Pete Ashton for the great photo

Glatze, live and thrice live

Last weekend I played a thoroughly enjoyable gig at the Frog and Fiddle in Cheltenham. It wasn’t as well attended as I’d like but the room was ace, the sound system was storming and everyone who was there was there was lovely and seemed to really enjoy it! BINGO!

Having been concentrating on other things for a while I now find myself with three gigs in three weekends. Following on from Cheltenham I will be playing at the Dirty Bristow Fete this Saturday and the Whales EP launch party on the 5th of September. I’m really chuffed to have been asked (!) but I also have my concerns…

Apart from the usual nerves and self-doubts I am also a little worried about both gigs, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I worry that people who have heard my EP will expect me to sound like that. In fact I am billed as a “Romany Surf Step Supremo” by Bad Egg (see flyer below), which is cool / true but I only do one tune from my EP in my liveset. Secondly, I might be a bit of an odd act for the Dirty Bristow bill. I am particularly concerned what the Dirty Bristow lot are going to make of my raucous antics at 9:30pm…ho hum! Both of these might be non-issues and I will give it my all regardless but I just wanted to get these thoughts out in the open. Either way Glatze does what he does, so nehhhh!

Event flyers below (click each flyer for more info):

Glatze News

Just a quick update from the world of Glatze.

Despite keeping a low profile for a while, to allow my other selves to flourish, I have been asked to play a gig on the 20th of August in Cheltenham, which I was very happy to accept! Callie who saw me play at Supersonic last year has sorted out a night for me to play in place of the July Supersonic this year. The only problem is Cheltenham didn’t seem to have its act together for a July date, so she has lined me up an August date instead. As ever, it’ll be balls-out live fun from me…come along if you can!

Also, I have been putting the finishing touches to my new, self-titled “Glatze” EP. Never one to do things half-heartedly I am producing some lush demo CDs (mock-up below – I’m loving my black faced CDRs) and sending this out to some people I want to sign me. Mike Patton, if you are reading this, that means you! :) I hope the world is ready for my new Romany Surf Step genre. The mighty Centrifuge certainly are, and I am happy to announce that they plan to release it soon, thanks Wassim!

I have two “reviews” in already. I sent it to BJ Cole, who I’d like to work with if anyone gives me an album deal, and he said “I have had a listen to your tracks, and think they are great! You have a very original direction“. Also, the chap who mastered it said “It’s great stuff! I’ve never really heard anything like it. Sure, it’s music, and it sounds like a lot of stuff, but there is a unique voice, and it’s good!“.

As they are the only two people that have heard it entirely so far, I am pretty chuffed with the response. I’ll keep you posted on what the wider world makes of it…


Thanks to Ben Waddington for the main artwork.