2023
News from May 2023 to present will be added "shortly" (Only 20 months of stuff to be added at present - CBQ is hopeless!!)...
Meanwhile everything that's happening is in the daily diary on the main page
26 April 2023
This morning David created a new track "Open Him Up" incorporating the soundtrack to a video of a gambler at a race track trying to encourage his horse to win. It also includes samples of two guitarscapes, "The Crucifixion" and "The Appearance of Christ to the People" and comes with two alt mixes. Available for 7 days from today via this link at WeTransfer - we.tl/t-AtIHFuY2yq...
This morning David created a new track "Open Him Up" incorporating the soundtrack to a video of a gambler at a race track trying to encourage his horse to win. It also includes samples of two guitarscapes, "The Crucifixion" and "The Appearance of Christ to the People" and comes with two alt mixes. Available for 7 days from today via this link at WeTransfer - we.tl/t-AtIHFuY2yq...
23 April 2023
Latest rehearsal for Capital Models took place in Roslin today. The boys in the band - Paul, John, Stu and Keith..
22 April 2023
A surprise release today from Cloudland Blue Quartet, which you can find here...
Created for Record Store Day, using the pool of covers demos recorded in February and March...
David has put together the equivalent of a 2CD set, featuring 35 tracks...
Every song is a first take, vocal-wise - indeed he'd never sung many of these songs prior to the performances released here...
For those reasons, listeners will undoubtedly spot fluffs and errors from the very off (e.g. a miscue in "Your Song", the shocking end section of "Quicksand") as he makes his way through the catalogues of David Bowie (11), The Velvet Underground (5), Lou Reed (4), Bryan Ferry (3), The Sweet (2), Elton John (2), T Rex (2), Roxy Music (2), Cockney Rebel (2), Alice Cooper (1) and Mott the Hoople (1) on what he has called, "GLAM!"...
21 April 2023
This morning, David created a remix created for a new Blue Sun Chasing track, "I say your name every day so you will never be forgotten", which BSC has added it to his release...
You can find it here, although you have to download the EP to get access to the CBQ remix, of which there is also a 7" version...
16 April 2023
From the diary:-
"A further attempted performance recorded...
45 minutes of fun..."
12 April 2023
The loop station, bought in August 2005 and used on just one record since then, was once again integrated into the set up but not yet tried out...
9 April 2023
From the diary:-
"Into the back room and fired up the machines for a rehearsal for next year's proposed Newcastle gig..."
"It was recorded and resulted in this which I have offered to the gig organiser to distribute via a QR code in his fanzine..."
"Let's see..."
7 April 2023
This morning saw the release of the latest two recordings from Crispycat...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's "Dissolution III"
You can find it here...
...and Creek's 13th archive release, a set recorded on 17 March 1998...
...which is available here...
In addition to that work, David also ran through the proposed Capital Models Wedding Sets for July...
6 April 2023
Today, David created the third and forth pieces for "The Dark Room" project, with a 12" and 7" mix completed for each...
5 April 2023
From the diary:-
"To work, uploading this Friday's Creek release, the 13th session...
Also created a quick remix of a track from session 14...
Might be an idea to do one for a track from each session...
We'll see..."
4 April 2023
David worked on a "7 Inch" mix of the new track from Sunday and created a second, with both 12" and 7" mixes...
The unreleased works are piling up for the year...
2 April 2023
From the diary:-
"I have accepted an invitation to perform my "non-song" material (it will be the first time I've done this) next year, in Newcastle...
So, I fired up the machines and created something from scratch on the CS5 synth - in a "live concert" stylee..."
"Of course, then I had to make it more complicated by introducing various loops I had on the hard drive..."
"...which I wouldn't do at a performance...
Before I knew it, I had "accidentally" created the first track for what may be yet another new LP, "The Dark Room" (title from Eno's 1995 diary entry for 2 April)..."
1 April 2023
Today, David used the Infinite String Quartet system to produce a second string quartet (the first is on his 2015 CBQ LP, "Four Last Things")...
It sounds somewhat the same (given the use of the same elements) and David is unsure if it will see the light of day...
We'll see...
Good cover created though...
30 March 2023
From the diary:-
"In the afternoon, with Anne out re something or other I can no longer recall, I recorded 6 covers...
On her return, while she prepped a very tasty but unpictured pasta Bolognese, I recorded 12 more...
Takes my covers total up to over 300 (18 hours) since early February..."
29 March 2023
Work this morning to turn the 3 minute "best mix of a new thing" winner, into a full LP...
Done and out on Bandcamp just after 11...
26 March 2023
First Capital Models rehearsal with Vassia on backing vocals...
Old men trying to work things out...
And re CBQ, it turns out the 3 minute track created on 21st March for Tengu God was the winner!
$10 prize...
25 March 2023
David was rehearsing today along with "tapes" of the band...
...preparing for tomorrow...
22 March 2023
From the diary:-
"Oh, and "What did you do this afternoon, Dave?"...
Well, I recorded a further 19 covers (making 285 different songs since 7 February)...
It might be called "There's Been a Murder" but it can never be released!
Today, I killed Paul McCartney, The Who, Gerry Rafferty, Freda Payne, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple, The Sweet, Supertramp, Fats Domino, Steppenwolf, The Doors, Neil Sedaka, Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis Presley, Rush & Led Zeppelin. Ouch!"
21 March 2023
Today, David worked up a new piece based very loosely on a few of a plethora of stems received from Mr Da Tengu God...
"Saturn Sleet Rise Effect", a single, 2 tracks, 6 minutes, with the WAV files available to download from WeTransfer for 7 days - probably gone by the time you read this...
20 March 2023
A third mix of "Circular" was worked on today - this time a quintet - the LP is coming on...
And so David advised the pipeline...
...which, at the rate of one every two months will take things through to October with just "Disquietmusik VII" and the end of year round ups to get "in the can"...
19 March 2023
More work on the saxophone project, with a revision of the trio version of "Circular", adding a different bass line from Tim Webb...
And working on a first mix of a piece based around Joe's third sax solo...
18 March 2023
Today, Blue Sun Chasing released the trio project with Cloudland Blue Quartet and Edward Spark, "Front Porch"...
You can find it here...
In addition to this, David reported more enjoyable further work on the Joe Higham project - today working in an old bass track from Tim Webb...
17 March 2023
No singing today but a second mix of "Circular" completed...
16 March 2023
David worked today on the new project with Brussels based saxophonist Joe Higham, remixing yesterday's "Departure" and creating a new piece, "Circular"...
15 March 2023
Over the course of the afternoon, David recorded two parts of a set of 25 covers, including 5 new ones...
Progress also made on the collaborative piece with Joe Higham," Departure"...
14 March 2023
From the diary:-
"I had a new idea for the "Front Porch" project and set about creating that. Divide the 36 minute piece into 3 minute or so sections and have three series of the trio, Blue Sun Chasing solo, Edward Spark solo, CBQ solo...
It worked very well indeed...
Later, I was able to re-record setlists 2 & 3 of my "top" covers..."
13 March 2023
David was working again today on the "Front Porch" project re his trio with Edward Spark and Blue Sun Chasing...
Having produced two mixes of the trio piece utilising a "Disquietmusik" guitarscape, a further quiet mix and a mix based on Edward Spark's mix but amended to David's liking and, then, a third using a different guitarscape, he decided to record a brand new piano piece to use instead of the guitars and came up with what he called called the "New Trio Version"...
In the late afternoon, he worked on more music elements which, this time, arrived late last night for another project involving saxophone improvs from Brussels based Joe Higham...
A quick first mix done and an MP3 sent back to Joe - reaction and progress to be made on Wednesday...
Very last thing, a request from Joe for the track with no sax, so he could re-record his part...
12 March 2023
From the diary:-
"Upstairs, firstly, I set about recording the first "Covers Set" re my compiling this morning - with 12 songs being given a run through...
And, secondly, I was provided with stems for a new three way project with Edward Spark and Blue Sun Chasing (form York, Pennsylvania) and started work on that...
By midnight, a first draft mix had been set back to Mr Spark..."
8 March 2023
A good part of the day was spent remixing the "Dissolution III" recordings - the first "continuous" mix will now be a bonus - all the tracks were uploaded to Bandcamp today - release date is 7 April...
7 March 2023
From the diary:-
"Elsewhere today, another covers session, 4 songs re-done and 10 new ones added to the fray...
Productive..."
6 March 2023
David worked on "Dissoltion III", follow up to I and II released in April 2021 and 2022 respectively - LPs of piano improvisations and ambience...
Half way through the day, the recording and first mix were done...
4 March 2023
From the diary:-
"Set about locating the lyrics for a further 15 songs and demoed them this morning...
Total recordings since 7 February now come to 311, almost 20 hours of stuff...
We'll see..."
28 February 2023
First demo recordings for four days , as a further 12 songs took the total of songs to almost 300 since 7 February - 18 and a quarter hours of material...
26 February 2023
From the diary:-
"At 11, Vassia arrived and we spent two unphotographed hours on backing vocal ideas for Capital Models playing at her wedding...
Songs covered were "Proud Mary", "Starman", "Satellite of Love", "A Hard Rains-A Gonna Fall", "Stuck in the Middle with You", Make Me Smile" and "Suspicious Minds""...
24 February 2023
David recorded two versions of the entire "Ziggy Stardust" LP by David Bowie - one singing high (often dreadfully) and one singing low (often stupidly)...
Some tracks may see the light of day at some point, you never know...
22 February 2023
Work today by David on backing vocal ideas for Capital Models' guest backing vocalist Vassia, re a performance planned around her wedding in July...
15 February 2023
After some work on the EQ-ing of the vocals for the "Auden" work in progress yesterday, today 27 new recordings were added in the morning and 24 in the afternoon to the ongoing set of covers...
Total number of recordings since 7 Feb now stands at 181!
13 February 2023
From the diary:-
"Listening back to my covers demos recorded over the last week...
Including the new piece from yesterday...
And decided to take things further on that front...
By the end of the morning, I had the beginnings of a new 8 track song-based LP but still with plenty of work to do"...
12 February 2023
This morning, a Google of "Cloudland Blue Bandcamp", led to an offer from Bandcamp to report one of the songs on the Bacharach EP for possible copyright infringement, or, indeed, the whole site - so the EP was taken down and has become a true collector's item!
Following that disappointment, David commenced work on a new idea, using piano tracks and the poetry of W H Auden re two books bought a while back with just such a thing in mind...
A new piece, with synth and rhythm track also included, was created...
"Voltaire at Ferney" is the title, for now anyway...
11 February 2023
The recordings continued today with a further seven piano only covers and nine "full band" items...
Total recorded since 7 February now up to 122...
10 February 2023
From the diary...
"Late last night it was announced that Burt Bacharach had died...
And here I was in the midst of a new project to record "songs I like" - and, so, there are many by Mr B written with Hal David which come into that bracket...
I sourced some tracks last thing and, this morning, I set about recording 8 Bacharach songs - it would have been 9 but I discovered I don't really "know" "The Look of Love" despite loving it...
So it goes...
And so, this morning a new CBQ EP was issued on Bandcamp"...
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In addition to that, further demos of songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan were added to the growing collection...
9 February 2023
From the diary today...
"A veritable "shitload" of Beatles songs were recorded today - hearing the music without the singing led me to more appreciate the writing...
Late on some Elvis joined the fray...
Rough demos recorded so far:-
Tuesday 10
Wednesday 49!!
Thursday 45!!
So, over a hundred songs recorded in three days - because all I need to do is sing them...
And I have sourced loads of tracks that I am "aware" of but don't "know"...
8 February 2023
Despite being under the weather with Covid, David worked again on covers demos, recording an amazing 42 full band songs and, not content with that, a further 7 backed by solo piano......
7 February 2023
Today, David commenced a new project, recording demos of cover versions...
The first session produced 10 songs by the likes of Mott the Hoople, The Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, David Bowie and Alice Cooper...
5 February 2023
Today, Capital models temporarily became a sextet...
An unpictured Vassia Bouchagiar joined, adding vocals - she is a friend of drummer John and the band will play at her wedding in the summer. The hope is she will perform a few songs with them at the wedding and today was the start of moving towards that...
Some considerable time was spent learning/working out new songs and changing keys on old songs to fit Vassia's range.
In all, five new songs were added to the repertoire along with another which this line up has never plated (last played 2014)...
An enjoyable session...
3 February 2023
The first two new releases on Crispycat Recordings were issued today...
Firstly, Creek XIII, comprising the eleventh Creek session, following an almost 3 month break. It was recorded on a Monday evening in February 1998, in the back shop at Reptile Records. For the forst time, the band was a trio as Craig Sutherland could not attend the session...
Find it here...
And, secondly, "Fallentime", a collaboration between Edward Spark and Cloudland Blue Quartet, featuring remixed elements of previous recordings by Mr Spark along with Disquietmusik guitar from Mr Quartet. The download bundle includes two initial 50 minute mixes of Edward Spark music created by Cloudland Blue Quartet in July 2021.
Find it here...
The download bundle includes two 50 minute alternate mixes of the entire work...
28 January 2023
Further Capital Models work was carried out today with preparation being made for the third release, "Maskless", originally released on 5 December1980, after the band had split, comprising 11 tracks taken from rehearsal and live tapes. The release will add one newly discovered bonus track.
"Maskless" will be re-released in December 2023.
In addition, a recording of the band's final concert of its initial era was discovered. Made during the Edinburgh Festival on 26 August 1980.
The 15 song live set will be released for the first time, in August 2023...
Finally, some work was carried out on the tapes from the 2011 reunion of the band but no decision has yest been made on any possible release...
27 January 2023
Work commenced today on the preparation of the second Capital Models release "Breaking Silence", a six track EP originally released in May 1980 - it will be re-released in May 2023...
The release will include six bonus tracks in the form of rough mixes of the main pieces...
26 January 2023
Recorded on 26 January 1980, the debut album of Edinburgh New Wave band Capital Models, contemporaries of the Scars, Josef K and TV21 and led by David Reilly (aka Cloudland Blue Quartet) is released to Bandcamp on its 43rd anniversary.
Click on the cover to go to Bandcamp
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The LP is available to stream for free or to download on a "name your price" basis (which, of course, includes "free")
The download bundle contains two bonus tracks, alternative takes of the live favourites, "Share This Faith" and "Orifix".
If you download the WAV files, you can create your own CD or have them pressed privately to an LP!
The world is your oyster!
This is the first of a few planned archive releases from the band
15 January 2023
Here's an update on Crispycat Recordings' current release schedule for 2023 - all CBQ releases dates are, however, subject to change.
Cloudland Blue Quartet Expected Releases for 2023
Fallentime (with Edward Spark) (completed 30/10/22) - due 3 February
Dissolution III (due to commence March 2023) - due 7 April
Bartok (completed 27/11/22) - due 2 June
The Neu! Variations (completed 13/12/22) - due 4 August
The Slow Cage (commenced 12/09/22 - ongoing) - due 6 October
Disquietmusik VII (due to commence November 2023) - due 1 December
Twentytwentythree: The Originals (Best of 2023) (Due to be compiled December 2023) - due 25 December
Twentytwentythree (2023 Unreleased, remixes etc) (Due to be compiled December 2023) - due 31 December
Creek Releases for 2023
Creek X (1997-11-13) - 2 track single - released 6 January
Creek XI (1998-02-02) - 3 track LP - due 3 February
Creek XII (1998-02-10) - 4 track EP - due 3 March
Creek XIII (1998-02-17) - 4 track LP - due 7 April
Creek XIV (1998-02-24) - 2 track EP - due 5 May
Creek XV (1998-03-03) - 4 track LP - due 2 June
Creek XVI (1998-03-10) - 4 track LP - due 7 July
Creek XVII (1998-03-17) - 4 track LP - due 4 August
Creek XVIII (1998-08-01) - 1 track EP - due 1 September
Creek XIX (1998-11-19) - 6 track LP - due 6 October
Creel XX (1998-11-26) - 4 track LP - due 3 November
Creek XXI (1998-12-01) - 4 track LP - due 1 December
In addition to these, there may be live and archival releases by Capital Models and archive releases from David's pre CBQ noms de plume, Sombre Reptiles and The Heavenly Music Corporation
Finally, the latest update on the long-awaited 12 LP vinyl box set, "British Cassette Culture Vol.2", which will include 2 double LPs by David Reilly under the names DDHR and Sombre Reptiles, is that it has now been pushed back further by Vinyl on Demand to some time in 2024 (it was originally due to be released in 2021).
VOD 183 VARIOUS British Cassette Culture Vol.2 12 LP
Bourbonese Qualk
The Pump (pre Nocturnal Emissions)
Konstruktivists
Robert I Gillham (NCP / Aconite)
Stress 2 LP
DDHR / David Reilly 2 LP
Sombre Reptiles 2 LP
6 January 2023
Today sees the release of the 10th Creek archive session, recorded twenty-five days after session nine, on a Friday evening in November, 1997, in the back shop at Reptile Records, it was the last of that year and, next month we move into 1998 in this ongoing project.
Just two tracks feature on this release, making it a quasi 7" single
1. Thinking About the Movie 06:56
2. Cognitive Tension 05:22
2022
31 December 2022
Crispycat Recordings closes off the year with the final release from Cloudland Blue Quartet, "Twentytwentytwo", a collection of 23 songs, soundscapes, demos, covers and remixes from across the spectrum of music recorded by Cloudland Blue Quartet from January to December 2022, including a selection of collaborations and "integrations" with Edward Spark, Creek, Capital Models and Blue Sun Chasing. Included amongst the tracks are previews of the upcoming 2023 releases "Fallentime", "Bartok" "The Neu! Variations" and "The Slow Cage". The download bundle includes 5 bonus tracks.
25 December 2022
Released on Christmas Day 2022, "Twentytwentytwo: The Originals" is a collection of twelve soundscapes features one track from each of the 12 albums issued by Cloudland Blue Quartet during 2022, all of which, including extensive bonus material for those who download, remain available exclusively on Bandcamp.
Variations on Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" Vol I (February)
The Uncertainty Touch (March)
Dissolution II (April)
Variations on Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" Vol II (May)
Flight665 (June)
Wagner (July)
Variations on Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" Vol III (August)
387 (September)
Gewitter (October)
Variations on Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" Vol IV (November)
Disquietmusik VI (December)
Twentytwentytwo (December)
The album is issued a week before the final record of the year "Twentytwentytwo", due on New Year's Eve, which will close off the year's work, by bringing together an extensive collection of previously unreleased songs, soundscapes, demos and remixes created during the last twelve months.
17 December 2022
A quick catch up on upcoming releases from Crispycat Recordings between now and the end of 2023. From Cloudland Blue Quartet, planned releases comprise the two end of year collections, "Twentytwentytwo: The Originals", out on Xmas Day and "Twentytwentytwo", out on New Year's Eve. Then, throughout 2023, there's a collaborational LP with Edward Spark "Fallentime", an album based on the music of Bela Bartok in the "composer" series, the third in the piano and ambience series "Dissolution", the just announced "Neu! Variations" set, a seventh in the "Disquietmusik" series, and an album based on 1989 synthesiser recordings, currently mooted as "The Slow Cage". And the release of the Creek archive will continue, with a further 12 sets due to be released on a monthly basis throughout 2023.
In all then, 20 new releases over the next year. Much to look forward to!
13 December 2022
David reports in his diary today that he has recorded a new album for release in 2023, a set six of variations on the music of German band, Neu!, who released 3 LPs in the 1970's "Neu!", "Die Zweite Neu!" and "Neu! 75". He described it on Twitter as "the best Neu! album you've never heard (yet)".
4 December 2022
Capital Models convene again today for further rehearsals towards live performances in 2023. Here, in sunnier times, are, L-R, Stu Cobley (Guitar), Keith Apter (Bass), Paul Reynolds (Keyboards).
2 December 2022
Today sees the release of CBQ's, "Disquietmusik VI" LP, comprising more of his signature Guitarscapes, similar to Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics". Volumes I-V (2017-2021) are also available on Bandcamp. In addition, the ninth instalment of Creek's archive improvisational releases "Creek IX 1997-10-19" is also out today on Bandcamp.
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30 November 2022
Saturday 3 December will see the publication of the Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection 2022 Vol 48. Due to new restrictions being introduced by Mixcloud, the number of back catalogue shows available for listening will be reduced from almost 600 to just 10. The shows being removed from the site will become drafts, able to made live again as required. The plan, going forward, is to have the latest broadcast available for listening, plus one broadcast from each year from 2014 to 2021, usually from the same week of the year as the current show.
28 November 2022
Seven new guitar improvisations for the sixth edition of the CBQ series, "Disquietmusik" were recorded today, followed by treatments and production on the raw tracks. The album will be released on Friday 2 December on Bandcamp, with download bundle extras comprising three alternative versions of the LP, "Reversed", "16 RPM" and "16 RPM Reversed".
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24 November 2022
David has revealed in the diary that he has been working on another new project based on a particular composer, this time, Bartok. If this is released, it will not be until 2023.
20 November 2022
Capital Models commenced rehearsals on 20 November, for proposed 2023 performances.
16 November 2022
In what has become an annual event, CBQ's, "Disquietmusik VI" LP, comprising more of his signature Guitarscapes, similar to Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics", will be released on Bandcamp on 2 December, 2022. Volumes I-V (2017-2021) are also available on Bandcamp.
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15 November 2022
Creek IX by Creek, the latest archival improvisation session, dating from 1997, will be released on Bandcamp on 2 December, 2022. Creek I-VIII and the new 2022 remix collection, "Fake Leopard Coat" are all available on Bandcamp.
8 November 2022
An end of year collection of previously unreleased CBQ related recordings and remixes, made during 2022, "Twentytwentytwo", will be made available on New Year's Eve on Bandcamp.
7 November 2022
An end of year CBQ compilation, "Twentytwentytwo: The Originals", comprising tracks from the, by then, eleven 2022 CBQ releases thus far, plus a preview of the final release of the year, will be issued on Bandcamp on Xmas Day.
News from March to November 2022 will be added shortly...
16 March 2022
A picture today on David’s blog revealed a possible schedule of releases for 2022 for Cloudland Blue Quartet, including a further three volumes of his “Metal Machine Music” variations, “The Uncertainty Touch” (originally available as an MP3 album for just 7 days back in November), a new classical set based on the music of Wagner, a second volume of his piano music series “Dissolution”, a sixth set of “Disquietmusik” and an end of year round up “2022”. As to whether all or indeed any of these are released, we’ll wait and see.
11 March 2022
Capital Models – Live, Saturday 14 May
Roslin Masonic Hall, 21 Main St, Roslin, EH25 9LD; Bar 7pm-12am
An Evening of 60’s & 70’s Music; All profits to Roslin & Bilston First Responders
This May sees Capital Models return to the stage for the first time since January 2020 for a performance postponed from last December due to Covid, when they will play a fund raiser for a defibrillator in the town of Roslin, just south of Edinburgh.
The line up (the 15th version of the band since its founding in 1979 – but one which has been constant now for over 3 years) is David Reilly (Cloudland Blue Quartet, Creek) on guitar and vocals, Stu Cobley (Creek) on guitar, Paul Reynolds (ex-Pure Bears) on Keyboards, Keith Apter (Capital Models 2nd Drummer in 1980) on bass and Roslin’s very own Johnny Weitzen on drums.
They’ll play two sets of 60s and 70s covers featuring songs by Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Roxy Music along with crowd pleasers from the likes of Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers and Van Morrison.
The night runs from 7 till midnight but get along early as attendance is limited to just 80.
4 March 2022
David is on record as saying that his album from last March, the piano and ambience based “Dissolution” is one his favourite pieces of work. Today, on the same day that saw new LPs by both Creek and CBQ released, David recorded “Dissolution II”. Comprising ten new piano pieces, again over an ambient bed, this new record is slated for an early March 2022 releas
4 March 2022
Today saw the release of the second CBQ record of 2022. With this release, “The Uncertainty Touch”, Cloudland Blue Quartet accepted a challenge to create a new album utilising material originally created by The Cheeky Girls. He has succeeded! He has made one of the most reviled singles in music history more “listenable”. The main LP is the equivalent of a 2LP set or a single CD. Downloaders receive five bonus tracks (a further 80 minutes or so), giving, in total, the equivalent of two double LPs or 2CD set.
4 March 2022
Today saw the release of the first Creek record since 2004’s “Somewhere Between” as “Fake Leopard Coat” hit Bandcamp this morning. It features two brand new mixes in the 25th anniversary year for Edinburgh Electronic Improvisational Quartet, comprising Cloudland Blue Quartet, Stuart Cobley, Alan Brodie and Edward Spark. For downloaders there’s a whole CD’s worth of music from across the band’s back catalogue, which is set to be re-released throughout 2022 in its entirety via Crispycat – having only previously been very briefly available on cassette or, indeed, never before release
13 February 2022
Following a break of 12 weeks while drummer Johnny Weitzen recovered from Covid, Capital Models returned to rehearsals today. It’s hoped the gig originally planned for 4 December last year will now be able to be rearranged…
5 February 2022
David was interviewed and photographed today for a proposed article in the Daily MAil re his record collection.
4 February 2022
The first of four volumes of “Variations on Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music"" is released today. With this series of releases, Cloudland Blue Quartet has undertaken the difficult task of trying to make one of the most reviled albums in music history more “listenable”. Each of the four sets of variations (this is the first of four “MMM” albums planned for 2022) are the equivalent of a new 2LP set or single CD. Downloaders receive eight bonus tracks (a further 129 minutes), giving the equivalent of a further two double LPs or 2 CDs.
26 January 2022
Today marks the 42nd anniversary of the recording of Capital Models debut album “The Sweet Thrill of Industry”. David is the only remaining member of the band who appeared on those recordings.
22 January 2022
David spent part of the day working on the first of four volumes of his “Variations on Lou Reed’s “Metal Machine Music””. The album is due to be released at the start of February.
17 January 2022
David spent time today working on a remix of a remix as he added some CBQ-ness to an Edward Spark mix of a track by Scottish rapper, Wurrd Jenkins. It’s unclear whether this will ever see the light of day…
15 January 2022
David reported in his diary today that, at last, Capital Models drummer, Johnny Weitzen is back out and about following a prolonged period of being confined to barracks by Covid. The band had to cancel their planned gig on 4 December due to John falling ill. It is hoped rehearsals will start again soon.
12 January 2022
In his early posts of 2022 over on the Cloudland Blue blog, David has revealed he is working on a project re the long deleted back catalogue recordings of Edinburgh electronic improvisational quartet, Creek, the majority of which was only ever available on cassette from Reptile Records back in the late ’90s.
It seems there is a plan, throughout 2022, which will see the 25th anniversary of Creek (their first session took place on 1 June 1997), to make all of the band’s sessions available on Bandcamp, joining their 2004 LP “Somewhere Between” on the platform. That record is, currently, the only available item from the group’s output.
The quartet has never officially disbanded, although its quarter of a century history contains multi-year periods of inactivity.
There has been no fully new material recorded since 2015 – and not all of the four members, David, Craig Sutherland (aka Edward Spark), Stuart Cobley (Capital Models) and Alan Brodie (ex-Disco Complex, Love Parade, Dancers of San Martino, Boom & Crazy Wisdom) have appeared on all the recordings to be re-issued.
An initial introductory release is mooted, tentatively entitled “Fake Leopard Coat”, comprising two new 2022 mixes, featuring elements of a further ten tracks to be included in the collection, one piece recorded or remixed in each of the 10 years in which the group has been active, in one form or another (1997-99, 2003-05, 2011, 2015, 2018-19).
As ever with Creek though, it’s very much a case of “watch this space” as, while David has noted this project to be his “intention”, he has also noted that this undertaking will involve “a shitload of work, so it may not come to fruition”.
2021
31 December 2021
After last week’s quasi “Best of CBQ’s Work in 2021”, here is the final CBQ album of 2021, the 14th album in all and 15th release in what has been an extremely prolific year
“Twentytwentyone” is a 2CD equivalent collection of 29 previously unreleased songs, soundscapes, demos and remixes from across the spectrum of music recorded by Cloudland Blue Quartet from January to December 2021, including a selection of collaborations and “integrations” with Edward Spark, Tim Webb, Stu Cobley and Capital Models
It’s available on Bandcamp to stream for free or to download on a “name your price” basis (which, of course, includes “free”)
For downloaders, there are a further 28 tracks in the bundle, taking the duration up to almost 6 hours. In all, the album is the equivalent of 5CD/9LP set
If you download the WAV files, you can create your own CD box set or have them pressed privately to LPs
The world is your oyster!
We hope you enjoy this last hurrah of 2021 and here’s to 2022
Happy New Year!
25 December 2021
Merry Christmas Everybody (as Slade once famously sang).
For Xmas – and in anticipation of New Year’s Eve’s “Twentytwentyone”, an extensive collection of previously unreleased songs, soundscapes, demos and remixes created over the last twelve months – “Twentytwentyone : The Originals” brings together four songs and eight instrumentals from across the 14 records released by Cloudland Blue Quartet during 2021
All of those releases, including extensive bonus material for those who download, remain available, exclusively on Bandcamp.
We hope you enjoy this snapshot of what Cloudland Blue Quartet’s been doing over the last year.
Thanks to everyone who has played, listened to, talked about, downloaded and supported CBQ music during 2021.
Looking forward to 2022
3 December 2021
Recorded just two days ago, late on Wednesday night, with treatment and production taking place early yesterday morning, the fifth in the guitarscapes/Frippertronics series “Disquietmusik” is released today on Bandcamp.
The five track album has a duration of around 40 minutes but, for those who download, there’s a further 3.5 hours of bonuses, comprising three alternative versions of the album, reversed, 16 RPM and 16RPM reversed, each of which puts a unique slant on the material.
Also today, reversed, 16 RPM and 16RPM reversed versions were added to the original “Disquietmusik” LP from 2017 and to “Disquietmusik II” originally released the following year.
Over the five volumes so far, CBQ has now released around thirty hours of these excellent improvisations and the various treatments thereof.
We’re already looking forward to “Disquietmusik VI” towards the end of 2022.
2 December 2021
Unfortunately, Saturday’s gig by Capital Models has had to be called off due to drummer Johnny Weitzen contracting Covid and becoming too ill to be able to play.
The band hopes to rearrange for late January.
We wish Johnny and, indeed, his wife Moira, speedy recoveries
Watch this space
27 November 2021
Capital Models – Live, Saturday 4 December
Roslin Masonic Hall, 21 Main St, Roslin, EH25 9LD; Bar 7pm-12am
An Evening of 60’s & 70’s Music; All profits to Roslin & Bilston First Responders
Capital Models return to the stage for the first time since January 2020 next weekend when they play a fund raiser for a defibrillator in the town of Roslin, just south of Edinburgh.
The line up (the 18th version of the band since its founding in 1979 – but one which has been constant now for over 3 years) is David on guitar and vocals, Stu Cobley of Creek on guitar, Paul Reynolds (ex-Pure Bears) on Keyboards, Keith Apter (former drummer with the band) on bass and Roslin’s own Johnny Weitzen on drums.
They’ll play two sets of 60s and 70s covers featuring songs by Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Roxy Music and crowd pleasers from the likes of Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell, The Monkees, Kenny Rogers and Van Morrison.
The night runs from 7 till midnight but get along early as attendance is limited to just 80.
Please Note : Johnny Weitzen is currently isolating re contracting Covid but hopes to be well for the performance – if anything changes, it’ll be posted here.
20 November 2021
Following the release of his two Brian Eno projects in October and November, there now look to be at least a further five new projects being lined up for possible future release.
Firstly, the fifth in the “Disquietmusik” Frippertronics series is set for early December and should be followed at the end of the year by a compilation of previously unreleased 2021 recordings.
In addition to those, a classical series project on the music of Wagner appears to be underway.
A third “variations” series release, based on Lou Reed’s “Metal Machine Music” was unveiled in today’s podcast, as was a swift set, “The Uncertainty Touch”, based around the opening of The Cheeky Girls’ biggest hit single (but which thankfully, sounds nothing like The Cheeky Girls).
This last item, 50 minutes, recorded on 19 November, has been made available on a limited basis as a free MP3 download until 26 November here (“The Uncertainty Touch” – Free MP3 Download)
It’s all go at Crispycat recordings!
5 November 2021
CBQ’s “Variation on Brian Eno’s “Music For Airports”” is out now!
Like last month’s companion LP, “Variation on Brian Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon””, it stems from a chance conversation re “the 1st 3 CDs you bought”.
And, like its companion, this almost simultaneously recorded piece is based on replica loops of phrases used by Eno in his original work.
Piano & choir phrases used on “2/1” and “1/2” from his seminal ambient album “Music For Airports” from 1978, are set out in chance formations, along with a new CBQ guitarscape, created by the treatment and manipulation of three pieces from the “Disquietmusik” Frippertronics series.
The three elements are combined to form a new 80 minute variation of “Music For Airports”, available to stream for free or to download on a Name Your Price basis.
Bonuses for downloaders comprise the three separate 80 minute elements:-
“Smiling Reservoir Crucifixion (Guitarscape)”
“Music For Airports Choir Variation”
“Music For Airports Solo Piano”
23 October 2021
Based on what David’s been writing in his blog “Cloudland Blue : A Diary” recently and saying in his “Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection” podcasts, there are at least three new CBQ albums in the offing.
These are, the second of his Brian Eno variations, “Music For Airports”, which appears to be ready for release, a sixth album in his “classical” series, “Wagner”, currently a work in progress and the about to be recorded fifth in his “Disquietmusik” guitarscape/Frippertronics series, “Disquietmusik V”.
In addition to this, a live outing for Capital Models is mooted for late November, with rehearsals in full swing. A date has not yet been confirmed.
Finally, he has been working on further CBQ remixes of Edward Spark’s pieces “The Curse” and “Whatmoved”, the releases or otherwise of which, will be up to Mr Spark to decide.
Watch this space…
1 October 2021
Following on from the preview of a couple of excerpts on David’s podcast last week, Crispycat Recordings today releases the 29th CBQ soundscapes album in the form of the snappily titled “Variation on Brian Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon”.
Stemming from a chance conversation about “the first three CDs you bought” (David’s 1st was Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon” in October 1985), this 62 minute piece uses replicas of the piano, sine wave, drone and shimmer loops used by Eno on the original recording, along with half speed “sky saw” guitar recorded by David in 1997 for the briefly available 2CD set “Flitterkram: The Music of Fripp & Eno” and comes with two hours of bonus material for downloaders.
Listener, Andrew Wilkinson had a good take on it : “It’s like meeting up with an old friend after a very long time and noticing all the ways in which they have changed, and yet in many ways they’re still the same”
Give it a spin, or, better still, download…
25 September 2021
On his podcast this morning, David played excerpts from new CBQ recordings of “variations” based on Eno’s albums, “Music For Airports” and “Thursday Afternoon”, while the artwork for the two new releases was also revealed…
“Variation on Brian Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon””, which contains elements of the 1997 recording of the same piece, which previously appeared on CBQ’s briefly available album, “Flitterkram : The Music of Fripp & Eno”, is set for release on Friday 1 October, while “Variation on Brian Eno’s “Music For Airports”” is advised as being likely to be released in early 2022…
23 September 2021
Over the last couple of weeks, by way of both his online diary and his Twitter feed, David has revealed a number of new projects he’s working on, which include a new song, possibly to be played by Capital Models, new versions of the Capital Models’ original catalogue from 1979/80, new trio music with Edward Spark and Tim Webb and, as of today, a possible new CBQ album for October, based on Brian Eno’s 61 minute, 1985 ambient release, “Thursday Afternoon”.
David has previously recorded a 30 minute version of this back in 1997, featuring a sky saw guitar solo, which was briefly available on the album “Flitterkram: The Music of Fripp & Eno”, which also included covers of Fripp & Eno's “Evening Star” and “Swastika Girls” and Eno's “Discreet Music”.
An initial version of the artwork was posted on Twitter today along with a note that work was underway.
3 September 2021
The new CBQ ambient album “Coldclear” is out today. Here’s what David had to say about it.
“This is a very quiet LP, based on recordings made 1-5 January 1989, three C60 cassettes of guitar and synthesiser through a loop/delay box.
In February this year, I was sending WAV files of my 1977-89 works to the German Record Company Vinyl On Demand, re a vinyl box set due in 2022.
From my diary, “one particular cassette (or rather three), recorded in 1989, of looped guitars & synths, got me thinking and I ended up doing long ambient mixes of the six excerpts I have of those”
I put them to one side and then, in August, on stumbling across them again, I realised that some of the material I’d put together in February, when treating the 1989 tapes, might be used for a new LP.
I compiled 35 minutes of ambience using the opening edits of the six pieces. But I kept finding more short sections in the long works that I thought I could use and so, in the end, twenty six new, relatively short, pieces were created.
The first six ended up being the closing six on the LP – I decided to move them due to their particularly long fade ins, so that, in the context of the whole album, they would be heard post the listener’s attunement to the overall “lack of much happening”
Indeed, many pieces appear to have absolutely nothing going on but far off drones but close listening reveals the almost imperceptible changes created during the treatment process. Of course, others have more obvious elements of change going on too.”
The LP is available from 8am on the Cloudland Blue Quartet Bandcamp Page, free to stream and on a name your price basis to download. Downloaders receive a bonus bundle of the six full tracks, each lasting between 48 and 54 minutes, from which the 26 tracks on the main LP are taken.
Tracklist
Diverging, Vehicles (More Than Flesh Pt II) 4:53
Everything, Looks (And Blood Can Bare Pt II) 5:05
Mobile, Version (To Be As Sovereign Pt II) 5:24
Releasing, Culture (Over Transmuted Ill Pt II) 4:30
Cruel, Working (Like Patience on a Monument Pt II) 2:56
Picture, Frames (Smiling at Grief Pt II) 4:55
Largely, Suspect (More Than Flesh Pt III) 3:04
On, Arrival (To Be As Sovereign Pt III) 5:48
Her, Favourite (Over Transmuted Ill Pt III) 6:48
Talking, Books (Like Patience on a Monument Pt III) 4:49
Clever, Lateral (Smiling at Grief Pt III) 5:38
Same, Room (More Than Flesh Pt IV) 4:22
Some, Letters (To Be As Sovereign Pt IV) 5:35
Write, Code (Over Transmuted Ill Pt IV) 4:21
New, Criterion (Like Patience on a Monument Pt IV) 4:32
Really, Crisp (Smiling at Grief Pt IV) 3:42
Ever, Increasing (To Be As Sovereign Pt V) 7:05
These, Things (Like Patience on a Monument Pt V) 3:07
Freezing, Cold (Smiling at Grief Pt V) 5:49
Wrong, Side (Like Patience on a Monument Pt VI) 4:23
Cold, Clear (More Than Flesh Pt I) 6:34
Heavy, Paper (And Blood Can Bear Pt I) 5:05
Cold, Bright (To Be As Sovereign Pt I) 4:02
Strong, Low (Over Transmuted Ill Pt I) 9:01
It, Transpires (Like Patience on a Monument Pt I) 6:18
Short, Sleep (Smiling At Grief Pt I) 6:56
28 August 2021
David has previewed some new ambient pieces on his recent podcasts and it has now been announced that a new ambient LP, “Coldclear”, containing 26 relatively short pieces, will be released on Friday 3 September. The album will be available from Bandcamp to stream and download (on a name your price basis), with the latter option including several hours of bonus material.
24 August 2021
Journalist and broadcaster on PRP-FM & KRVM-FM Radio, Cynthia Orlando, recently interviewed David and the results were published today on that World Wide Web thing. Some good insights into what makes the Crispycat main man tick. Read it here
21 August 2021
This week, a new collaborative project got underway, involving jazz bassist Tim Webb, from Kittery in Maine, USA, Edward Spark and David. An initial mix of ideas was previewed on David’s podcast (Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection 2021 Vol 34). The 12 minute track features Tim’s bass lines, sent from the States, Mr Spark’s initial work on those, plus three CBQ samples, comprising some of Spark’s work on David’s “Sparklemusik” LP, a track from the 1st volume of CBQ’s “Disquietmusik” series and an ambient piece set to appear next month on CBQ’s new LP, “Coldclear”. It makes for interesting listening and bodes well for the project.
17 August 2021
Electronic Improvisational Quartet Creek are back.
Kind of.
There are plans at Crispycat Recordings to finally release all archive material recorded by the group between 1997 and 2018.
This comprises 3 unreleased LPs, two unreleased compilations (one 2CD set and one 4CD set) and a further 27 individual sessions, improvised between June 1997 and June 2005.
Creek have only ever released one record, “Somewhere Between”, in 2004 and, since their formation, in the summer of 1997, have had long periods of inactivity while still, nominally, remaining in existence.
But all four members, David, Edward Spark, Stu Cobley and Count Brodski are currently discussing the band’s return.
You can listen to “Somewhere Between” over on the music page (which includes a link to the group’s Bandcamp page re downloading).
14 August 2021
Capital Models current line up of David, Keith Apter, Johnny Weitzen, Stu Cobley and Paul Reynolds were back in action last Wednesday, for their seventh session of 2021, with, for the first time for over a year and a half, everyone indoors.
The band ran through four eleven song sets of covers by the likes of David Bowie, Lou Reed and the Velvets, Brian Eno, Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music, Sparks, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Elton John, Eagles, CCR, Springsteen, The Jam, The Monkees, Steve Harley, Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Elvis, John Denver, Status Quo, Van Morrison and Simon & Garfunkel.
No plans yet for live dates but good to know things are moving forward once again.
David features the odd track from these rehearsal sessions in his weekly Eclectic Selection podcasts, most recently Carly Simon’s “Your So Vain” closes out 2021’s Volume 33, released on 14 August
6 August 2021
The new eight song Cloudland Blue Quartet LP, “Fallingsky” is out now on Bandcamp – available to stream for free, or to download on a “name your price” basis. The download bundle includes 170 minutes of bonus material.
Tracklist
Time is Defeated 08:23
The Sky Is Always Falling 06:24
The Expedition 07:53
The Songs He Wants to Sing 07:16
A Day By the Sea 07:32
Lifelong 09:06
Here We Go Again 07:02
All The Things I Did 09:36
5 August 2021
On Friday 6 August, Cloudland Blue Quartet will release “Fallingsky”, the 12th song-based LP by CBQ, comprising 8 new works. The album will be available on Bandcamp to stream and download, with the download bundle including 170 minutes of alternative mixes.
31 July 2021
Work was undertaken this week on remixes of tracks from Edward Spark’s two EPs, “1.9.7.Four” and “1.9.7.4.Two”. It’s uncertain whether these will eventually be released. David commented in his podcast (Eclectic Selection 2021 Volume 31 – available on Mixcloud), in which he included 12 minutes of his work, that his modus operandi was to excise all drums, percussion and melodies from the pieces to make Mr Spark “sound like Tangerine Dream”.
25 July 2021
David has been previewing new CBQ songs on his weekly “Eclectic Selection” podcasts on Mixcloud. “A Day By the Sea” and “Lifelong” opened volume 28, volume 29 kicked off with “The Expedition” and “The Songs He Wants to Sing”, while “Here We Go Again” and “All The Things I Did” headed up volume 30. In volume 31, the opening tracks are likely to be “Time Is Defeated” and “The Sky Is Always Falling”, the last two of the eight new CBQ songs written and recorded post the release of “Sparklemusik” in May and slated for release later in 2021 or in 2022. Pop over to David’s Mixcloud page to check out these exclusive “single mixes”.
18 July 2021
The Limited Edition Record Store Day single of CBQ’s “Underground Like Doug McClure” was deleted at midnight on 17 July 2021, as advised on its release.
Congratulations to everyone who downloaded a copy while available, you have yourselves a true rarity.
17 July 2021
On Saturday 17 July, Cloudland Blue Quartet releases “Underground Like Doug McClure” as a limited edition virtual 7? single for Record Store Day.
It will be deleted at 23:59 on 17 July 2021 – so, if you buy it, please ensure you download the WAV files before the end of the day (UK Time)… [if you accidentally fail to do this, please contact Crispycat – there is a solution!]
Track 1 is the Edward Spark “West End” Remix of this key track from Cloudland Blue Quartet’s 2021 song-based LP, “Sparklemusik”.
Track 2 is a previously unreleased live rehearsal of the song, with extended intro and outro, recorded in August 2019, when live performances of the project were anticipated – in the event, these never happened.
In the true spirit of Record Store Day, the record comes with authentic “vinyl enhancement” and with a price on its head. If you press the WAV files to vinyl, the 7? single should be designed to play at 33RPM.
Cloudland Blue : A Diary
25/03/17
“Wrote a song – “Underground Like Doug McClure” – which was deemed “no bad” – the start of the new LP?
We’ll see…
Finished off the day with more musicking, listening back to the demo and it still sounded “ok”…
Which was good…”
2 July 2021
On Friday 2 July, Crispycat releases the latest in Cloudland Blue Quartet’s “Classical ” series, “Haydn”.
These new recordings follow on from CBQ’s previous LPs “Satie”, “Cage”, “Beethoven” & “Schoenberg Webern Berg”. The inspiration for this new work was, initially, the music of Steve Reich.
The original idea was to phase short phrases from a piano piece, a string quartet and a symphony by manipulating tempi across 5 or 6 loops.
The bonus tracks in the download bundle (virtual 5CD set) allow you to hear how the idea changed as the work progressed.
While the piano piece remains almost the same across the 3 versions, the 1st & 3rd pieces became more ambient than phased.
The LP also features a 54 min field recording, made in Dresden on 19 June 2019.
David has said that he holds the final versions of the 1st & 3rd pieces on this LP to be among some of the best ambient works he’s created over the last 44 years.
We hope you enjoy all three of these new works – on headphones, with the lights out, of course!
29 May 2021
On Friday 4 June, Crispycat will celebrate 25 years since the first release by Cloudland Blue Quartet, “Events One and Two” (still available on Bandcamp).
“Silversongs 1996-2021 (Remakes)” comprises over 30 “band version” (vocal, guitar, keyboards, bass, rhythm bed) re-recordings of some of the best CBQ songs from each of the 10 song based albums released to date.
For downloaders, there are three extra tracks from the sessions, plus a 16 song live acoustic performance, coincidentally recorded ten years to the day prior to these new releases, on 4 June 2011.
Meanwhile, “Silversounds 1996-2021 (Remixes)” takes edits of 30 soundscapes recorded over the last 25 years and applies recent working methods to them to create brand new tracks.
Bonuses for downloaders comprise the 30 edits used as source material for the new recordings.
All in all then, 110 new CBQ tracks being added to the Bandcamp discography.
4 May 2021
We are in the process of fully updating the new Crispycat website. Over the coming weeks, the history of David’s music will be painstakingly imported from the database used to provide the content for the old site. In the meantime, latest news items will be added as they happen.
We look forward to this gradual reinstatement of the story of Crispycat Recordings and its predecessor, David 14 Cassettes to the net.
News from October 2017 to May 2021 will be added shortly...
2017
3 October 2017
Disquietmusik news...
David reports a playback this morning of the upcoming guitarscapes album, "Disquietmusik"...
Contrary to previous reports of a 2 hour 2CD set, it will now be limited to the six pieces (just under 40 minutes) recorded in July.
Four of the previously proposed unreleased bonuses will be included in the "Rubinmusik" retrospective...
The final two tracks previously mentioned will remain bonuses on "Disquietmusik" for download and on limited edition CD but not available to stream...
Disquietmusik (39:22)
The Crucifixion (1515) 6:00
A Mountainous Wooded Landscape with a Torrent (1655) 6:20
The Immaculate Conception of the Escorial (1678) 6:46
The Uncertainty of the Poet (1913) 6:57
Ambush For Flamingoes (1857) 6:06
Composition (1929) 7:13
Bonus Tracks (22:23)
Birdsong 5 am, 2017-03-25 8:35
Judge Not The Errors, Rather How They Are Rectified 13:48
Release date to be finalised but, as with the 8CD 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik", it will be before the end of the year
26 September 2017
CBQ live set project restarted...
David reports a playback this afternoon of the live set recorded a few weeks ago now, advising the time away gives perspective and some of the performances are actually ok...
He also notes some further revisiting of the upcoming 40 year collection...
24 September 2017
Disquietmusik - Further work...
David advised he was listening to the full two hours of the proposed new LP this morning...
Some tweaking required...
The design of the blog has been updated to reflect the upcoming release...
His Twitter feed has been added too to the blog...
The design of the CBQ Bandcamp page too now reflects the imminent new LP...
23 September 2017
Disquietmusik - possible tracklisting revealed...
Current thinking at Crispycat Recordings is that this will be a two hour 2CD set:-
CD One (39:19)
The Crucifixion (1515) 6:00
A Mountainous Wooded Landscape with a Torrent (1655) 6:20
The Immaculate Conception of the Escorial (1678) 6:46
The Uncertainty of the Poet (1913) 6:57
Ambush For Flamingoes (1857) 6:06
Composition (1929) 7:13
Which are the six new guitarscapes recorded in July...
CD Two (77:30)
Birdsong 5 am, 2017-03-25 8:35
Judge Not The Errors, Rather How They Are Rectified 13:48
The Drone Effect 2016 20:10
Landscapes 2016 20:07
Tigris, Birds and Radio 8:29
I Have Lost My Spark (And No-One Listens Anyway) 6:24
Which comprises some very early morning birds around Crispycat Towers back in March; a further improv guitarscape from May 2016; 40th anniversary re-imaginings, also from 2016, of 1977 compositions "The Drone Effect" and "Landscapes"; and the two new pieces recorded in April re slow but ongoing collaborations with Chris Andreas and Edward Spark respectively...
So, ten left field/ambient/noisy pieces and a song...
Sounds like another hit for Mr CBQ!
23 September 2017
Capital Models quartet?
During the course of the day, Creek chum Stu Cobley advised he's been rehearsing the covers Johnny Weizen, Keith Apter and David have been working on.
David too played through all the songs during the course of the day...
21 September 2017
Website update...
Over the last two days, the bringing up to date of the crispycat.co.uk website, in preparation for the release onto Bandcamp of the 40 year retrospective has commenced...
18 September 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 - more work...
David advises much of today was spent listening to and "mucking about with/tweaking" the proposed content of the new collection, which is due onto Bandcamp before the year end...
17 September 2017
Rubinmusik expanded to 8 CDs...
David has been working on "Rubinmusik 1977-2017", expanding the track choices and ensuring all the original WAV files are available for further editing/tweaking...
26 August 2017
Capital Models/CBQ live work...
David has been working on a CD for bassist Keith to rehearse along to, re the trio with drummer Johnny...
26 August 2017
Rubinmusik work...
David has been at work tidying up, editing, mixing etc re the WAV files for Rubinmusik 1977-2017...
Coming soon...
24 August 2017
More Acoustic Creek/Capital Models...
Creek's Stu Cobley visited Crispycat today and some guitaring was undertaken, with a view to musicking together in the future...
21 August 2017
Crispycat set up expansion...
The new mixer re the expanded recording set up has arrived...
20 August 2017
Update from the diary...
"First thing, continuing the listen to the covers...
Finalising the running order re the proposed CBQ live set, reinstating the faster songs, not on the CDs given to JW and Keith...
Then, setting up the system for a more satisfying recording method, monitoring-wise and some silent-ish guitaring (no singing)...
Later, some singing and guitaring over the drums and bass recorded now nearly two weeks ago...
Twenty seven of thirty songs recorded in just under two hours...
I recorded the final three songs then set about editing etc...
The results are very much better than the demos I gave to the boys, with their, at times, comedy vocals"...
19 August 2017
Capital Models first rehearsal of new trio...
From the diary : "Up reasonably early and, with the podcast already up online, listening firstly to my recent demos, which I recorded with a view to playing with Johnny W on drums and Keith A on bass...
Followed by the run through from February with Johnny, over which I'd then dubbed my own bass lines in the absence of Keith...
Then, gathering together guitars, CDs of songs, lyric/music sheets, stands, leads etc and loading up the car...
Out and over to Roslin to Johnny's place...
We were so busy, I forgot to take any pics but the view was mainly the same as our last get together 27 weeks ago - but, this time, Keith was in attendance...
I gave them both CDs of my recent demos, in the hope I can encourage them to consider playing original material...
We then rattled through 22 covers - pretty well too, all things considered...
Johnny's daughter Chloe insisted we were far too loud...
In fairness, she was probably right but it was up to her dad to set the volume levels...
I promised a further CD to Keith of the February sessions, sans my bass, for him to play along to at home...
They enjoyed the covers so much, I am not too hopeful of them wanting to play a large selection of CBQ material...
But we will reconvene in mid-September"..
16 August 2017
New CBQ demos re proposed live set advised to be "not great"...
From the diary today : "Into Wednesday and, yes, the recordings I've just spent a considerable amount of time on are "not great"...
And so, some new stuff is on its way to Crispycat Towers under good skies"...
15 August 2017
Trouble with recordings...
From the diary today : "Post mixing today and listening back, many of the vocals leave much to be desired...
The monitoring system I have at present leaves something to be desired (that's my excuse anyway)...
I have a plan"...
14 August 2017
More singing...
David advises more singing today, all 1st takes
13 August 2017
Bad singing...
David advises more mixing having taken place today along with some "singing badly in the evening"...
11 August 2017
CBQ live project update...
David gave a description today in his diary of exactly how things are going re the proposed CBQ live project...
Quick initial mixes of eight guitar, bass and drum tracks...
So far...
(a) created 30 drum tracks
(b) recorded 30 basslines
(c) mixed 15 bass and drum versions allowing him to
(d) record 15 guitar parts and he has now
(e) mixed 8 guitar, bass and drum versions re adding vocals
...all of which means, he still has to:-
(a) mix 15 more bass and drum versions
(b) record another 15 guitar parts
(c) mix another 22 guitar, bass and drum versions
(d) record 30 vocals
and, finally
(e) fully mix 30 songs
Then...
(a) recreate 30 mixes with just bass and drums with the bass turned up and the drums turned down for drummer Johnny and David to play along to pending word from drummer Keith re his bass participation...
And some of those drum tracks will probably be the basis of a new song-based CBQ LP, the first since 2012...
Of course he still has to write the songs...
9 August 2017
Mixing work..
David advises work today comprised some quick drum/bass mixes on 15 tracks, to which guitar was then added...
8 August 2017
Bass and Drum work...
More drum work reported this morning and, in the evening, the start of some work on basslines...
Apparently there are 30 songs being worked on...
7 August 2017
Drum work...
David reports drum work today re what may turn out to be prep for some live gigs at some point...
6 August 2017
Possible prep for live performances of 20 years of CBQ songs...
On the blog today : "This morning, post a plethora of listening, a new project instigated with texts to drummers John and Keith (who prefers bass at present) with a view to some live CBQ...
Much work today then on drums"...
22 July 2017
CBQ song singing...
From the diary today : "This morning too, some singing of songs - slowing down the fast ones...
Using different chord configurations...
It sounded not bad and may indeed be a plan"...
15 July 2017
New piece featured in this week's podcast...
One of the six new guitar soundscapes recorded last weekend was featured in today's Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection on Mixcloud...
9 July 2017
New CBQ album in production II...
Again from the diary : "Up early again and working on what, tomorrow, would become this ("Disquietmusik")...
The title was changed from "Landscapes" I already produced a collection in 1978 with that name...
Quick recording, manipulation and basics finished...
Titles, like yesterday's piece, chosen by Random Number Generator and an art book...
One track "laid down" before we headed out for breakfast...
Later, more recording and, later on, some playing of actual songs...
Then, more recording...
At the end of the day (literally), five new tracks to join yesterday's one...
Good work...
We'll see...
These items are, of course, an acquired taste and certainly not everyone's proverbial cup of tea"...
8 July 2017
New CBQ album in production, out of the blue...
In the diary today : "Up just after six and to work on a possible new soundscapes album. Titles are being randomly generated re pages in an Art Book...
First title Matthias Grunewald's "The Crucifixion""...
2 July 2017
Back to work perhaps...
After a long hiatus on the music front, mainly due to foreign trips and David'd mother being hospitalised for a couple of months, today he advised "Listening to my music and thinking about a possible CBQ Live Set (pt 342). Acoustic guitar retrieved from the attic and playing and singing for a couple of hours"...
18 April 2017
More Capital Models rehearsals...
This evening, a visit from Keith Apter to Crispycat for some musicking before he heads to Berlin...
"Electric again, this time in the backroom and I let the recordings of me and drummer Johnny do the singing - so, nice and quiet for the Exec Producer downstairs...
We managed all 28 songs"..
17 April 2017
More talk of new CBQ album...
David advises today he bought "a spindle of CD-Rs - in case I end up recording a new LP anytime soon and want to make it available in physical form"...
11 April 2017
More musicking...
Late afternoon, an agreement to musick with chum Keith tonight. The duo tonight moved to electric instruments, which meant bringing back "stuff" from the attic at Crispycat...
David advised in hi blog : "The first 55 minutes or so was recorded and will no doubt be deleted too. Let's just say it wasn't the best ever - not bad though given we've not played for a couple of weeks - plus the amended set up...
We will continue and hope, shortly, to draft in drummer Johnny"...
10 April 2017
More hints of possible live performances...
David advises he is looking at PA options re possible performances later this year perhaps, for one, or all, of the current projects which are progressing slowly...
8 April 2017
Possible acoustic version of new song...
David advised he'd finally worked out the chords for the music to the new CBQ song "I Have Lost My Spark" - given music provider Craig Sutherland did not know what chords he'd used when programming the backing track. For the record, the 8 chords are Am, F, C, Em, F#m, D, A and C#m...
4 April 2017
CBQ/Sutherland collaboration to continue
From the diary today : "A chance meet with Creeker Craig at lunchtime and a long discussion re working on tracks together - he seems much enamoured by the track I did on Saturday - as am I"...
2 April 2017
New CBQ music II...
David reports work today on "soundscapes and short wave radio" but "less fruitful than yesterday"...
1 April 2017
New CBQ music...
David recorded two new pieces today, a new song "I Have Lost My Spark" re music recently sent to him by Creeker Craig Sutherland; and "Tigris Birds and Radio" the first fruits of the ambient collaboration with Christopher Ely of Asylumpiece...
No release date as yet for either piece, though they may be played at some point on David's weekly podcast...
28 March 2017
Session falls through...
A prospective musicking session by David and Keith fell through today so, instead, David played some songs on his own - including the only four written (one with his niece Kitty when she was just 8) since the last CBQ song-based album Starlightnight, in 2012...
25 March 2017
Underground like Doug McClure...
A new song added to the CBQ canon today as David reported writing "Underground Like Doug McClure" - which was deemed "not bad" - the start of the new LP? We'll see...
21 March 2017
Capital Models progress...
Keith Apter popped round to Crispycat Studios today and enjoyed good chat, coffee and chocolate biscuits with David and his Executive Producer before heading upstairs for their first run through for a few weeks...
They played along to David and drummer Johnny and advise "it was good"...
Which was apt, seeing as it is three years today since the very untimely death of David and Keith's young musicking chum Jamie Frain...
18 March 2017
Acoustic Creek perhaps...
A visit today to Crispycat from Creek colleague, Stu Cobley - David advised "good chat, some guitaring on some cover tunes, most enjoyable and some CD picking and commenting upon for next week's podcast"...
27 February 2017
CBQ live set for 2017?
From David's diary "Soundtracked today by a possible CBQ live set for 2017. No doubt it will come to nothing"...
25 February 2017
CBQ sings, in private, yet again...
With no sign of any plans for live performances, David advised on his blog "Today, I also, however, sang through a few songs, many of which had not been sung for a few years"...
23 February 2017
Capital Models inching on...
An evening of musicking for David & Keith, playing along to the recordings of David and Johnny from a couple of weeks back, with Keith pinning down bass lines a plenty apparently...
19 February
Possible new CBQ song album (pt 343)...
This morning, some tentative work on a possible new CBQ song album - David has no songs apparently but was working on some bass lines with drum loops...
18 February 2017
Possible new CBQ song album (pt 342)...
"Back home, I swithered about starting a new song based LP...
Decided against but the germ of a thought is there...
Of course I don't actually have any songs ready at present, which might be seen by some as a slight drawback - but we'll see"...
15 February 2017
Bass done...
All tracks from last Saturday now have added bass mixed for future rehearsal use...
13 February 2017
Listening...
David spent much of the day listening to work with Johnny Weitzen and to Chris Ely (Asylumpeace)'s tracks, on which he hopes to collaborate...
12 February 2017
Bass added...
David ran through the edited set from yesterday with Johnny Weitzen and added bass lines, in one take, to each track and also managed to mix the first few of those to assist Johnny in song learning...
11 February 2017
Capital Models reconstituted perhaps
David convened for the first time with drummer Johnny Weitzen and they reportedly ran through 22 covers and 5 CBQ originals in the course of a couple of hours - having never before played together...
5 February 2017
CBQ sings, in private...
"Also, in the early afternoon, set about reprinting all the lyric sheets I've given away to drummer, now bassist, Keith re our musicking...
And sang through around half the songs"...
2 February 2017
Drummer Johhny consents to join...
Out of the blue after several months of silence, a txt from Johnny Weitzen signalled his readiness to join the party...
1 February 2017
Capital Models or CBQ...
Further work tonight by David and Keith Apter on a few songs, 2/3rds covers, a third CBQ. This involved, at one point, playing along with voice and acoustic recordings made by David two years ago. Keith left with a CD of the 20 covers he chose as a potential setlist...
28 January 2017
Ambient collaboration planned...
David met today with Chris Andreas of Asylumpeace. He advises interesting discussions re possible ambient/drone collaborations took place with an initial agreement re file swapping and solo experimentation. The ultimate goal is to perform this music in a live setting...
28 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 continues...
A fourth track from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" was featured on David's podcast today - "Second Generation" from the 1980 Capital Models release, "The Sweet Thrill of Industry"...
You can find the podcast here...
27 January 2017
Capital Models planning...
After Wednesday night's musing about possible drummer input, drummer Johnny Weitzen has indicated he's up for some playing...
25 January 2017
More Capital Models work...
Another visit this evening to Crispycat Towers by, now bassist, Keith Apter. Songs were played apparently...
2016
30 December 2016
Creek goes acoustic...
Today on the blog : "Creek chum and jingle maestro of 2016, Stu Cobley popped by. Good chat, some music listening and even a couple of strums on the guitars"...
18 December 2016
Capital singing...
Today on the blog : "Some singing of old Capital Models songs - for no particular reason"...
1 December 2016
Possible new music...
Today on the blog : "Into December and it is five years now since I was recording the last CBQ song-based album - it was eventually released in August 2012. I have not performed live as CBQ since March 2012. However, Creek buddy Craig has been working on some music which might well develop into something new on that front. I have jotted down the start of some lyrical ideas re his first piece. And he e-mailed me his second today. So, perhaps next year will see a return to singing my own words"...
20 November 2016
Rubinmusik work continues...
Today on the blog : "Up early and working again...listening to my own music and thinking"...
7 October 2016
Other people's records...
In a reference presumably to his weekly podcasting, today on the blog : "Playing other people's records seems to have become more important to me than making my own music"...
1 October 2016
New but unreleased CBQ...
A brand new track "How Many Times Must I See This Scene" by CBQ appeared on David's podcast this week out of the blue - along with a new track by Creek cohort Edward Spark.. Check out the show here...
28 August 2016
The moment has perhaps passed...
On the blog today : "Buoyed by yesterday's performance, I took to the guitar and sang a few songs. Soon bored myself with that though, perhaps the moment's passed"...
27 August 2016
Impromptu performance from CBQ...
Having not performed a full set for nearly four and a half years, CBQ played an impromptu set of songs at a party in Fife today, hosted by Impossible Songs. Setlist comprised "A Hard Rains-a Gonna Fall", "Sweet Jane", Eno's "Spinning Away" and his own "Skylines Full of Cranes"...
13 August 2016
Song playing - but why?...
30 July 2016
Future in doubt...
On the blog today : "Sang through a few songs, realising my voice is probably shot"...
28 July 2016
Schneewittchen Schwarzmischung on Youtube...
This has been uploaded to Youtube - by Pedantic Pedestrian, who has remixed and collaborated with a goodly number of the tracks of the last CBQ album, "Four Last Things"...
18 June 2016
Eno Covers on the cards II...
David reports today having learned more Eno songs...
12 June 2016
Eno Covers on the cards...
David reports today having sung through "my full set of Eno covers and then 10 or so CBQ songs" - the reason for this remains a mystery - no live performances are on the horizon...
9 June 2016
Pedantic remixes...
Received from Portsmouth today, some reworkings of tracks from "Four Last Things" by musician Pedantic Pedestrian. It is unclear whether these will be released although there has been some leakage onto Youtube and tracks may be featured in David's weekly podcasts...
4 June 2016
Up in the attic...
David spent some time in the rebuilt Crispycat Studio in his attic, , making some impromptu recordings which will probably never see the light of day, including using a drum machine which had not been switched on for over 13 years...
3 June 2016
Ruby Music...
On the blog today, David revealed he has been carrying out further work for a 40th anniversary compilation for late 2017...
2 June 2016
Over before it began...
Capital Models put on hold again as drummer (bassist) Keith Apter advises he cannot commit at present...
28 May 2016
40th Anniversary recordings...
David reports having today recorded new versions of two pieces, "The Drone Effect" and "Landscapes", originally written and recorded back in 1977, in preparation for a new collection due next year re the 40th anniversary of his, ahem, illustrious musical career...
15 May 2016
Eurovision...
Inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest, David advises having written a new song, "Fly Across the World". Apparently there are two different versions, along with a 15 minute soundscape. No release plans though...
14 May 2016
Return of Capital Models yet again...
There appears to be the possibility of a new line up of Capital Models...
27 April 2016
Possible new drummer...
David has mentioned the possibility of getting together with drummer John Weitzen to work on some new material. Keith Apter, also a drummer, would play bass...
17 April 2016
Talk of a new CBQ song-based album...
It's now four years since the last CBQ song-based album, "Starlightnight". Today, David talked about "thinking about" the next one, which he advised he'd like to record "quickly", setting down vocals, guitar, synth, bass and drums with some measure of improv involved. Sounds interesting...
13 April 2016
Possible Collaboration...
David advises the possibility of some fresh collaborational work with Keith Apter...
3 April 2016
CBQ Live rehearsals...
David advises he has started CBQ rehearsals for possible 2016 live dates...
1 April 2016
The new CBQ Album is Out Today...
26 March 2016
CBQ Four Last Things - Out 1 april 2016 - Download includes 87 Bonus Tracks
The new CBQ album will be released on Friday 1 April 2016. This is not an April Fool...
06 March 2016
Disquietmusik news...
David reports a playback this morning of the upcoming guitarscapes album, "Disquietmusik"...
Contrary to previous reports of a 2 hour 2CD set, it will now be limited to the six pieces (just under 40 minutes) recorded in July.
Four of the previously proposed unreleased bonuses will be included in the "Rubinmusik" retrospective...
The final two tracks previously mentioned will remain bonuses on "Disquietmusik" for download and on limited edition CD but not available to stream...
Disquietmusik (39:22)
The Crucifixion (1515) 6:00
A Mountainous Wooded Landscape with a Torrent (1655) 6:20
The Immaculate Conception of the Escorial (1678) 6:46
The Uncertainty of the Poet (1913) 6:57
Ambush For Flamingoes (1857) 6:06
Composition (1929) 7:13
Bonus Tracks (22:23)
Birdsong 5 am, 2017-03-25 8:35
Judge Not The Errors, Rather How They Are Rectified 13:48
Release date to be finalised but, as with the 8CD 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik", it will be before the end of the year
26 September 2017
CBQ live set project restarted...
David reports a playback this afternoon of the live set recorded a few weeks ago now, advising the time away gives perspective and some of the performances are actually ok...
He also notes some further revisiting of the upcoming 40 year collection...
24 September 2017
Disquietmusik - Further work...
David advised he was listening to the full two hours of the proposed new LP this morning...
Some tweaking required...
The design of the blog has been updated to reflect the upcoming release...
His Twitter feed has been added too to the blog...
The design of the CBQ Bandcamp page too now reflects the imminent new LP...
23 September 2017
Disquietmusik - possible tracklisting revealed...
Current thinking at Crispycat Recordings is that this will be a two hour 2CD set:-
CD One (39:19)
The Crucifixion (1515) 6:00
A Mountainous Wooded Landscape with a Torrent (1655) 6:20
The Immaculate Conception of the Escorial (1678) 6:46
The Uncertainty of the Poet (1913) 6:57
Ambush For Flamingoes (1857) 6:06
Composition (1929) 7:13
Which are the six new guitarscapes recorded in July...
CD Two (77:30)
Birdsong 5 am, 2017-03-25 8:35
Judge Not The Errors, Rather How They Are Rectified 13:48
The Drone Effect 2016 20:10
Landscapes 2016 20:07
Tigris, Birds and Radio 8:29
I Have Lost My Spark (And No-One Listens Anyway) 6:24
Which comprises some very early morning birds around Crispycat Towers back in March; a further improv guitarscape from May 2016; 40th anniversary re-imaginings, also from 2016, of 1977 compositions "The Drone Effect" and "Landscapes"; and the two new pieces recorded in April re slow but ongoing collaborations with Chris Andreas and Edward Spark respectively...
So, ten left field/ambient/noisy pieces and a song...
Sounds like another hit for Mr CBQ!
23 September 2017
Capital Models quartet?
During the course of the day, Creek chum Stu Cobley advised he's been rehearsing the covers Johnny Weizen, Keith Apter and David have been working on.
David too played through all the songs during the course of the day...
21 September 2017
Website update...
Over the last two days, the bringing up to date of the crispycat.co.uk website, in preparation for the release onto Bandcamp of the 40 year retrospective has commenced...
18 September 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 - more work...
David advises much of today was spent listening to and "mucking about with/tweaking" the proposed content of the new collection, which is due onto Bandcamp before the year end...
17 September 2017
Rubinmusik expanded to 8 CDs...
David has been working on "Rubinmusik 1977-2017", expanding the track choices and ensuring all the original WAV files are available for further editing/tweaking...
26 August 2017
Capital Models/CBQ live work...
David has been working on a CD for bassist Keith to rehearse along to, re the trio with drummer Johnny...
26 August 2017
Rubinmusik work...
David has been at work tidying up, editing, mixing etc re the WAV files for Rubinmusik 1977-2017...
Coming soon...
24 August 2017
More Acoustic Creek/Capital Models...
Creek's Stu Cobley visited Crispycat today and some guitaring was undertaken, with a view to musicking together in the future...
21 August 2017
Crispycat set up expansion...
The new mixer re the expanded recording set up has arrived...
20 August 2017
Update from the diary...
"First thing, continuing the listen to the covers...
Finalising the running order re the proposed CBQ live set, reinstating the faster songs, not on the CDs given to JW and Keith...
Then, setting up the system for a more satisfying recording method, monitoring-wise and some silent-ish guitaring (no singing)...
Later, some singing and guitaring over the drums and bass recorded now nearly two weeks ago...
Twenty seven of thirty songs recorded in just under two hours...
I recorded the final three songs then set about editing etc...
The results are very much better than the demos I gave to the boys, with their, at times, comedy vocals"...
19 August 2017
Capital Models first rehearsal of new trio...
From the diary : "Up reasonably early and, with the podcast already up online, listening firstly to my recent demos, which I recorded with a view to playing with Johnny W on drums and Keith A on bass...
Followed by the run through from February with Johnny, over which I'd then dubbed my own bass lines in the absence of Keith...
Then, gathering together guitars, CDs of songs, lyric/music sheets, stands, leads etc and loading up the car...
Out and over to Roslin to Johnny's place...
We were so busy, I forgot to take any pics but the view was mainly the same as our last get together 27 weeks ago - but, this time, Keith was in attendance...
I gave them both CDs of my recent demos, in the hope I can encourage them to consider playing original material...
We then rattled through 22 covers - pretty well too, all things considered...
Johnny's daughter Chloe insisted we were far too loud...
In fairness, she was probably right but it was up to her dad to set the volume levels...
I promised a further CD to Keith of the February sessions, sans my bass, for him to play along to at home...
They enjoyed the covers so much, I am not too hopeful of them wanting to play a large selection of CBQ material...
But we will reconvene in mid-September"..
16 August 2017
New CBQ demos re proposed live set advised to be "not great"...
From the diary today : "Into Wednesday and, yes, the recordings I've just spent a considerable amount of time on are "not great"...
And so, some new stuff is on its way to Crispycat Towers under good skies"...
15 August 2017
Trouble with recordings...
From the diary today : "Post mixing today and listening back, many of the vocals leave much to be desired...
The monitoring system I have at present leaves something to be desired (that's my excuse anyway)...
I have a plan"...
14 August 2017
More singing...
David advises more singing today, all 1st takes
13 August 2017
Bad singing...
David advises more mixing having taken place today along with some "singing badly in the evening"...
11 August 2017
CBQ live project update...
David gave a description today in his diary of exactly how things are going re the proposed CBQ live project...
Quick initial mixes of eight guitar, bass and drum tracks...
So far...
(a) created 30 drum tracks
(b) recorded 30 basslines
(c) mixed 15 bass and drum versions allowing him to
(d) record 15 guitar parts and he has now
(e) mixed 8 guitar, bass and drum versions re adding vocals
...all of which means, he still has to:-
(a) mix 15 more bass and drum versions
(b) record another 15 guitar parts
(c) mix another 22 guitar, bass and drum versions
(d) record 30 vocals
and, finally
(e) fully mix 30 songs
Then...
(a) recreate 30 mixes with just bass and drums with the bass turned up and the drums turned down for drummer Johnny and David to play along to pending word from drummer Keith re his bass participation...
And some of those drum tracks will probably be the basis of a new song-based CBQ LP, the first since 2012...
Of course he still has to write the songs...
9 August 2017
Mixing work..
David advises work today comprised some quick drum/bass mixes on 15 tracks, to which guitar was then added...
8 August 2017
Bass and Drum work...
More drum work reported this morning and, in the evening, the start of some work on basslines...
Apparently there are 30 songs being worked on...
7 August 2017
Drum work...
David reports drum work today re what may turn out to be prep for some live gigs at some point...
6 August 2017
Possible prep for live performances of 20 years of CBQ songs...
On the blog today : "This morning, post a plethora of listening, a new project instigated with texts to drummers John and Keith (who prefers bass at present) with a view to some live CBQ...
Much work today then on drums"...
22 July 2017
CBQ song singing...
From the diary today : "This morning too, some singing of songs - slowing down the fast ones...
Using different chord configurations...
It sounded not bad and may indeed be a plan"...
15 July 2017
New piece featured in this week's podcast...
One of the six new guitar soundscapes recorded last weekend was featured in today's Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection on Mixcloud...
9 July 2017
New CBQ album in production II...
Again from the diary : "Up early again and working on what, tomorrow, would become this ("Disquietmusik")...
The title was changed from "Landscapes" I already produced a collection in 1978 with that name...
Quick recording, manipulation and basics finished...
Titles, like yesterday's piece, chosen by Random Number Generator and an art book...
One track "laid down" before we headed out for breakfast...
Later, more recording and, later on, some playing of actual songs...
Then, more recording...
At the end of the day (literally), five new tracks to join yesterday's one...
Good work...
We'll see...
These items are, of course, an acquired taste and certainly not everyone's proverbial cup of tea"...
8 July 2017
New CBQ album in production, out of the blue...
In the diary today : "Up just after six and to work on a possible new soundscapes album. Titles are being randomly generated re pages in an Art Book...
First title Matthias Grunewald's "The Crucifixion""...
2 July 2017
Back to work perhaps...
After a long hiatus on the music front, mainly due to foreign trips and David'd mother being hospitalised for a couple of months, today he advised "Listening to my music and thinking about a possible CBQ Live Set (pt 342). Acoustic guitar retrieved from the attic and playing and singing for a couple of hours"...
18 April 2017
More Capital Models rehearsals...
This evening, a visit from Keith Apter to Crispycat for some musicking before he heads to Berlin...
"Electric again, this time in the backroom and I let the recordings of me and drummer Johnny do the singing - so, nice and quiet for the Exec Producer downstairs...
We managed all 28 songs"..
17 April 2017
More talk of new CBQ album...
David advises today he bought "a spindle of CD-Rs - in case I end up recording a new LP anytime soon and want to make it available in physical form"...
11 April 2017
More musicking...
Late afternoon, an agreement to musick with chum Keith tonight. The duo tonight moved to electric instruments, which meant bringing back "stuff" from the attic at Crispycat...
David advised in hi blog : "The first 55 minutes or so was recorded and will no doubt be deleted too. Let's just say it wasn't the best ever - not bad though given we've not played for a couple of weeks - plus the amended set up...
We will continue and hope, shortly, to draft in drummer Johnny"...
10 April 2017
More hints of possible live performances...
David advises he is looking at PA options re possible performances later this year perhaps, for one, or all, of the current projects which are progressing slowly...
Possible acoustic version of new song...
David advised he'd finally worked out the chords for the music to the new CBQ song "I Have Lost My Spark" - given music provider Craig Sutherland did not know what chords he'd used when programming the backing track. For the record, the 8 chords are Am, F, C, Em, F#m, D, A and C#m...
4 April 2017
CBQ/Sutherland collaboration to continue
From the diary today : "A chance meet with Creeker Craig at lunchtime and a long discussion re working on tracks together - he seems much enamoured by the track I did on Saturday - as am I"...
2 April 2017
New CBQ music II...
David reports work today on "soundscapes and short wave radio" but "less fruitful than yesterday"...
1 April 2017
New CBQ music...
David recorded two new pieces today, a new song "I Have Lost My Spark" re music recently sent to him by Creeker Craig Sutherland; and "Tigris Birds and Radio" the first fruits of the ambient collaboration with Christopher Ely of Asylumpiece...
No release date as yet for either piece, though they may be played at some point on David's weekly podcast...
28 March 2017
Session falls through...
A prospective musicking session by David and Keith fell through today so, instead, David played some songs on his own - including the only four written (one with his niece Kitty when she was just 8) since the last CBQ song-based album Starlightnight, in 2012...
25 March 2017
Underground like Doug McClure...
A new song added to the CBQ canon today as David reported writing "Underground Like Doug McClure" - which was deemed "not bad" - the start of the new LP? We'll see...
21 March 2017
Capital Models progress...
Keith Apter popped round to Crispycat Studios today and enjoyed good chat, coffee and chocolate biscuits with David and his Executive Producer before heading upstairs for their first run through for a few weeks...
They played along to David and drummer Johnny and advise "it was good"...
Which was apt, seeing as it is three years today since the very untimely death of David and Keith's young musicking chum Jamie Frain...
18 March 2017
Acoustic Creek perhaps...
A visit today to Crispycat from Creek colleague, Stu Cobley - David advised "good chat, some guitaring on some cover tunes, most enjoyable and some CD picking and commenting upon for next week's podcast"...
27 February 2017
CBQ live set for 2017?
From David's diary "Soundtracked today by a possible CBQ live set for 2017. No doubt it will come to nothing"...
25 February 2017
CBQ sings, in private, yet again...
With no sign of any plans for live performances, David advised on his blog "Today, I also, however, sang through a few songs, many of which had not been sung for a few years"...
23 February 2017
Capital Models inching on...
An evening of musicking for David & Keith, playing along to the recordings of David and Johnny from a couple of weeks back, with Keith pinning down bass lines a plenty apparently...
19 February
Possible new CBQ song album (pt 343)...
This morning, some tentative work on a possible new CBQ song album - David has no songs apparently but was working on some bass lines with drum loops...
18 February 2017
Possible new CBQ song album (pt 342)...
"Back home, I swithered about starting a new song based LP...
Decided against but the germ of a thought is there...
Of course I don't actually have any songs ready at present, which might be seen by some as a slight drawback - but we'll see"...
15 February 2017
Bass done...
All tracks from last Saturday now have added bass mixed for future rehearsal use...
13 February 2017
Listening...
David spent much of the day listening to work with Johnny Weitzen and to Chris Ely (Asylumpeace)'s tracks, on which he hopes to collaborate...
12 February 2017
Bass added...
David ran through the edited set from yesterday with Johnny Weitzen and added bass lines, in one take, to each track and also managed to mix the first few of those to assist Johnny in song learning...
11 February 2017
Capital Models reconstituted perhaps
David convened for the first time with drummer Johnny Weitzen and they reportedly ran through 22 covers and 5 CBQ originals in the course of a couple of hours - having never before played together...
5 February 2017
CBQ sings, in private...
"Also, in the early afternoon, set about reprinting all the lyric sheets I've given away to drummer, now bassist, Keith re our musicking...
And sang through around half the songs"...
2 February 2017
Drummer Johhny consents to join...
Out of the blue after several months of silence, a txt from Johnny Weitzen signalled his readiness to join the party...
1 February 2017
Capital Models or CBQ...
Further work tonight by David and Keith Apter on a few songs, 2/3rds covers, a third CBQ. This involved, at one point, playing along with voice and acoustic recordings made by David two years ago. Keith left with a CD of the 20 covers he chose as a potential setlist...
28 January 2017
Ambient collaboration planned...
David met today with Chris Andreas of Asylumpeace. He advises interesting discussions re possible ambient/drone collaborations took place with an initial agreement re file swapping and solo experimentation. The ultimate goal is to perform this music in a live setting...
28 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 continues...
A fourth track from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" was featured on David's podcast today - "Second Generation" from the 1980 Capital Models release, "The Sweet Thrill of Industry"...
You can find the podcast here...
27 January 2017
Capital Models planning...
After Wednesday night's musing about possible drummer input, drummer Johnny Weitzen has indicated he's up for some playing...
25 January 2017
More Capital Models work...
Another visit this evening to Crispycat Towers by, now bassist, Keith Apter. Songs were played apparently...
22 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 amendments...
On the blog today : "Compiling next week's podcast and had a thought to amend the tracks to be included in the proposed 40 year anthology for later this year, replacing a few solo tracks with band recordings by Capital Models, Call Me Clive, Crazy Wisdom and Creek"...
21 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 continues...
A third track from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" was featured on David's podcast. Today's track, from 1979, is DDHR's "Munchen Musik II"...
You can find the podcast here...
16 January 2017
Capital Models work...
David commenced work with erstwhile Capital Models drummer, Keith Apter today. Keith now wishes to be the bassist in the group. It is hoped drummer Johnny Weitzen will be the drummer. The duo played through 15 songs according to David's blog...
15 January 2017
Possible 2017 collaborations...
It seems there are five possible collaborations in the offing for 2017 but no details as yet...
14 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 continues...
A second track from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" was featured on David's podcast. Today's track is his 1978 song "I Thought You'd Stay"...
You can find the podcast here...
Also included is a currently out of print track, "El Dar" by The Heavenly Music Corporation, from the 1986 LP "Variations" dedicated to David's dad, who would have been 87 today...
Also today on the blog "an unexpected visit from musicking chum of 37 years' standing, Mr Keith Apter - coffee was enjoyed and good chat too - with plans afoot for further musicking and possible meeting up with other longstanding but not often enough seen chums"...
7 January 2017
The start of Rubinmusik 1977-2017...
From today, one track per week from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" will be featured on David's podcast. Today's track, from 1977, is an edit from DDHR's "The Drone Effect"...
You can find the podcast here...
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 amendments...
On the blog today : "Compiling next week's podcast and had a thought to amend the tracks to be included in the proposed 40 year anthology for later this year, replacing a few solo tracks with band recordings by Capital Models, Call Me Clive, Crazy Wisdom and Creek"...
21 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 continues...
A third track from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" was featured on David's podcast. Today's track, from 1979, is DDHR's "Munchen Musik II"...
You can find the podcast here...
16 January 2017
Capital Models work...
David commenced work with erstwhile Capital Models drummer, Keith Apter today. Keith now wishes to be the bassist in the group. It is hoped drummer Johnny Weitzen will be the drummer. The duo played through 15 songs according to David's blog...
15 January 2017
Possible 2017 collaborations...
It seems there are five possible collaborations in the offing for 2017 but no details as yet...
14 January 2017
Rubinmusik 1977-2017 continues...
A second track from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" was featured on David's podcast. Today's track is his 1978 song "I Thought You'd Stay"...
You can find the podcast here...
Also included is a currently out of print track, "El Dar" by The Heavenly Music Corporation, from the 1986 LP "Variations" dedicated to David's dad, who would have been 87 today...
Also today on the blog "an unexpected visit from musicking chum of 37 years' standing, Mr Keith Apter - coffee was enjoyed and good chat too - with plans afoot for further musicking and possible meeting up with other longstanding but not often enough seen chums"...
7 January 2017
The start of Rubinmusik 1977-2017...
From today, one track per week from the proposed 40 year retrospective "Rubinmusik 1977-2017" will be featured on David's podcast. Today's track, from 1977, is an edit from DDHR's "The Drone Effect"...
You can find the podcast here...
2016
30 December 2016
Creek goes acoustic...
Today on the blog : "Creek chum and jingle maestro of 2016, Stu Cobley popped by. Good chat, some music listening and even a couple of strums on the guitars"...
18 December 2016
Capital singing...
Today on the blog : "Some singing of old Capital Models songs - for no particular reason"...
1 December 2016
Possible new music...
Today on the blog : "Into December and it is five years now since I was recording the last CBQ song-based album - it was eventually released in August 2012. I have not performed live as CBQ since March 2012. However, Creek buddy Craig has been working on some music which might well develop into something new on that front. I have jotted down the start of some lyrical ideas re his first piece. And he e-mailed me his second today. So, perhaps next year will see a return to singing my own words"...
20 November 2016
Rubinmusik work continues...
Today on the blog : "Up early and working again...listening to my own music and thinking"...
7 October 2016
Other people's records...
In a reference presumably to his weekly podcasting, today on the blog : "Playing other people's records seems to have become more important to me than making my own music"...
1 October 2016
New but unreleased CBQ...
A brand new track "How Many Times Must I See This Scene" by CBQ appeared on David's podcast this week out of the blue - along with a new track by Creek cohort Edward Spark.. Check out the show here...
28 August 2016
The moment has perhaps passed...
On the blog today : "Buoyed by yesterday's performance, I took to the guitar and sang a few songs. Soon bored myself with that though, perhaps the moment's passed"...
27 August 2016
Impromptu performance from CBQ...
Having not performed a full set for nearly four and a half years, CBQ played an impromptu set of songs at a party in Fife today, hosted by Impossible Songs. Setlist comprised "A Hard Rains-a Gonna Fall", "Sweet Jane", Eno's "Spinning Away" and his own "Skylines Full of Cranes"...
13 August 2016
Song playing - but why?...
On the blog : "some playing of some very old CBQ songs for the first time in a long time for most, for no particular reason"...
30 July 2016
Future in doubt...
On the blog today : "Sang through a few songs, realising my voice is probably shot"...
28 July 2016
Schneewittchen Schwarzmischung on Youtube...
This has been uploaded to Youtube - by Pedantic Pedestrian, who has remixed and collaborated with a goodly number of the tracks of the last CBQ album, "Four Last Things"...
A release of the project, "Schneewittchen Schwarzmischung" must surely be in the offing...
18 June 2016
Eno Covers on the cards II...
David reports today having learned more Eno songs...
12 June 2016
Eno Covers on the cards...
David reports today having sung through "my full set of Eno covers and then 10 or so CBQ songs" - the reason for this remains a mystery - no live performances are on the horizon...
9 June 2016
Pedantic remixes...
Received from Portsmouth today, some reworkings of tracks from "Four Last Things" by musician Pedantic Pedestrian. It is unclear whether these will be released although there has been some leakage onto Youtube and tracks may be featured in David's weekly podcasts...
4 June 2016
Up in the attic...
David spent some time in the rebuilt Crispycat Studio in his attic, , making some impromptu recordings which will probably never see the light of day, including using a drum machine which had not been switched on for over 13 years...
3 June 2016
Ruby Music...
On the blog today, David revealed he has been carrying out further work for a 40th anniversary compilation for late 2017...
2 June 2016
Over before it began...
Capital Models put on hold again as drummer (bassist) Keith Apter advises he cannot commit at present...
28 May 2016
40th Anniversary recordings...
David reports having today recorded new versions of two pieces, "The Drone Effect" and "Landscapes", originally written and recorded back in 1977, in preparation for a new collection due next year re the 40th anniversary of his, ahem, illustrious musical career...
15 May 2016
Eurovision...
Inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest, David advises having written a new song, "Fly Across the World". Apparently there are two different versions, along with a 15 minute soundscape. No release plans though...
14 May 2016
Return of Capital Models yet again...
There appears to be the possibility of a new line up of Capital Models...
27 April 2016
Possible new drummer...
David has mentioned the possibility of getting together with drummer John Weitzen to work on some new material. Keith Apter, also a drummer, would play bass...
17 April 2016
Talk of a new CBQ song-based album...
It's now four years since the last CBQ song-based album, "Starlightnight". Today, David talked about "thinking about" the next one, which he advised he'd like to record "quickly", setting down vocals, guitar, synth, bass and drums with some measure of improv involved. Sounds interesting...
13 April 2016
Possible Collaboration...
David advises the possibility of some fresh collaborational work with Keith Apter...
3 April 2016
CBQ Live rehearsals...
David advises he has started CBQ rehearsals for possible 2016 live dates...
1 April 2016
The new CBQ Album is Out Today...
CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET
FOUR LAST THINGS
Music For String Quartet, Electric Guitar, Stretched Spoken Word and Environment
First Movement (44:36)
E3314 I / The Fourth Last Thing / The Magic Mirror / SS SQ XIX I / The Poisoned Apple / E3314 II
Second Movement (44:36)
E3314 III / The Third Last Thing / SS SQ XIX II / The Glass Coffin / E3314 IV
Third Movement (53:02)
E3314 V / The Second Last Thing / The Wedding Invitation / SS SQ XIX III / E3314 VI
Fourth Movement (44:34)
E3314 VII / The Last Last Thing / The Fairest of Them All / SS SQ XIX IV / The Hot Iron Shoes
Total Time : 3 hrs 6 mins 48 secs
The Four Last Things Are:-
I. Stretched Spoken word (SS SQ XIX) recorded, stretched and treated by David Reilly, 12 January 2014, with thanks to Sid Smith
II. Environment (E3314) recorded by David Reilly, 6:15 to 7:00 am, 3 March 2014
III. Electric Guitar (Schneewittchen) composed and recorded by David Reilly, 7 March 2015
IV. String Quartet (Four Last Things) arranged and constructed by David Reilly, 2 August 2015
Infinite String Quartet Fragments composed by and © Úlfur Eldjárn 2015
Performed by Una Sveinbjarnardóttir (violin), Pálína Árnadóttir (violin)
Guðrún Hrund Harðardóttir (viola), Hrafnkell Orri Egilsson (cello)
Fragments recorded and mixed by Styrmir Hauksson at Guðríðarkirkja, Reykjavík Iceland. 2013-2015
Portrait by Kitty Gourlay, 13 November, 2015
Produced by David Reilly for Crispycat Recordings
Recorded at Crispycat Studio, Edinburgh, UK, January 2014 to December 2015 (except as noted)
(p) 2016 Crispycat Recordings © David Reilly 2014, 2015, 2016 (except as noted)
Executive Producer : Anne Reilly
Crispycat Recordings 1601
Bonus Material (Download Only)
Elements - Discs V-VIII
SS SQ XIX (12 January 2014) (43:20)
E3314 AM (3 March 2014) (44:37)
Schneewittchen (7 March 2015) (62:56)
The Four Last Things for String Quartet (2 August 2015) (42:29)
Alternatives - Discs IX-XIII
Four Last Things (Single Disc Mix) (28 August 2015) (59:37)
Four Last Things, 1st Movement (Drum Mix) (24 August 2015) (44:38)
E3314 PM (3 March 2014) (65:56)
Betonmusik 2015 Part I (1-18 January 2015) (55:58)
Betonmusik 2015 Part II (19-31 January 2015) (60:07)
Extras - Discs XIV-XX
Early Morning Coffee Pot (11 January 2015) (3:00)
Blitzstein, Marc 1905 (9 & 10 August 2015) (2:38)
55° 57' N: Edinburgh, Scotland - Corstorphine Hill (22 December 2015) (5:17)
The Leonard Cohen EP (22 & 26 September 2015) (26:19)
The Dakota Starman EP (3 October 2015) (9:33)
Acoustic Eno Covers (7 October 2015) (40:30)
Here Again (Acoustic Demo - Mono) (27 July 2014) (3:27)
Bonus Discs : 9 hrs 30 mins 19 secs
Total Time : 12 hrs 37 mins 07 secs
Notes
Four Last Things - Music For String Quartet, Guitar, Stretched Spoken Word & Environments is the 15th soundscapes album from Cloudland Blue Quartet
(Crispycat 1601 - 01 April 2016)
This album is designed as a three hour, four disc set, available to stream or download (the download contains a further sixteen discs of elements, alternatives and extras, the fifteen pieces of cover artwork and a collage of the fifteen covers).
The set comprises an amalgam of four separate projects, "SS SQ XIX" (Music for Stretched Spoken Word), "E3314" (Music for Environments), "Schneewittchen" (Music for Guitar Soundscapes) and "Four Last Things" (Music for String Quartet).
The original intention was to release each of the four source albums separately. Now each is available as one of the sixteen bonus discs in the download version of "Four Last Things".
The first project, "SS SQ XIX" (tracks 4, 9, 14 & 20), was recorded as part of an exercise instigated by writer Sid Smith to sonically illustrate twenty quartets of photographs which he dubbed "string quartets". Cloudland Blue Quartet was chosen to create the soundtrack for set XIX in January 2014.
The second project (tracks 1, 6, 7, 11, 12, 16 &17) features recordings of the environment around the Crispycat Studio on the morning and evening of 3 March 2014. Only the morning recording was used on the main album but the evening recording is available too as one of the bonus discs.
Third (tracks 3, 5, 10, 15, 19 & 21) is a set of guitar soundscapes which was to be released as the album "Schneewittchen". Each piece has a title which references the Brothers Grimm fairytale "Snow White". These were recorded in March 2015.
The last of the projects is a string quartet (tracks 2, 8, 13 & 18) created by Cloudland Blue Quartet using the Infinite String Quartet, an online programme containing fragments of music lasting from a few seconds to around a minute and available to create original works. The four movements were created in early August 2015.
In late August, the four projects were brought together to form the basis of what is presented here.
Editing and mixing took place until the end of 2015. By March 2016, after much listening and consideration of possible further work, it was decided the album was "finished" and should, at last, be released.
The download version comes with the following bonus material, which takes the total track count to 108.
Elements
Discs five to eight contain the original albums "SS SQ XIX" (tracks 22-30 - including the original spoken word texts describing Sid Smith's photographs, some text out-takes and the input of the much missed Meg the Black Cat), "E3314 am" (tracks 31 & 32), "Schneewittchen" (tracks 33-38) and "Four Last Things for String Quartet" (tracks 39-42).
Alternatives
Disc nine (tracks 43-45), from August 2015, is a shorter, single disc length mix of "Four Last Things", with the inclusion of drums.
Disc ten (tracks 46 & 47) comprises the finished version of the first movement of "Four Last Things" with additional drums. This was also created in late August 2015,
Disc eleven (tracks 48-50) contains "E3314 pm", the evening environment from 3 March 2014.
Discs twelve and thirteen (tracks 51-81) contain a fifth, unused project which, by way of Musique Concrète, documents the first 31 days of 2015.
Extras
Discs fourteen to sixteen contain three other projects recorded in 2015, "Early Morning Coffee Pot" (track 82), created for an exhibition in Manchester, "Blitzstein, Marc 1905" (track 83), created for an exhibition in New York and "55° 57' N: Edinburgh, Scotland - Corstorphine Hill" (track 84) recorded for "Solstice Sounds Project December 2015" curated in Arizona.
Disc seventeen (tracks 85-89) contains the first of two EPs released in the Autumn of 2015, "The Leonard Cohen EP" (with two added soundscapes).
Disc eighteen is "The Dakota Starman" EP (tracks 90 & 91), dedicated to Jamie Frain.
Disc nineteen, "Acoustic Eno Covers" presents acoustic demo recordings of sixteen Brian Eno songs (tracks 92-107), learned and recorded on a single day in October 2015.
Finally, disc twenty has the final piece of the project (track 108) a rough acoustic demo in mono, the only existing recording of the last Cloudland Blue Song to date, "Here Again", recorded 27 July 2014.
In all then, we present over twelve and a half hours of Cloudland Blue Quartet recordings for download.
26 March 2016
CBQ Four Last Things - Out 1 april 2016 - Download includes 87 Bonus Tracks
The new CBQ album will be released on Friday 1 April 2016. This is not an April Fool...
06 March 2016
CBQ's "Four Last Things" to be released with 79 Bonus Tracks...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album "Four Last Things is set for release "soon". The album is designed as a three hour, four CD set but will only be available to stream or download (the download will contain a further eleven discs worth of bonus material).
"Four Last Things" comprises an amalgam of four separate projects, "SS SQ XIX" (Music for Stretched Spoken Word), "E3314" (Music for Environments), "Schneewittchen" (Music for Guitar Soundscapes) and "Four Last Things" (Music for String Quartet)"...
The original intention was to release each of the four source albums separately. Now they will be available as four of the eleven bonus discs, with the other seven containing various other material yet to be announced...
In all, it looks like there will be 100 tracks in the full 15 disc version of the release...
05 March 2015
11 Years of Blogging...
Today is the eleventh anniversary of the commencement of the Cloudland Blue Daily Diary...
03 March 2015
Four years gone...
It's now four years since the last full Cloudland Blue Quartet gig....
2015"Four Last Things" comprises an amalgam of four separate projects, "SS SQ XIX" (Music for Stretched Spoken Word), "E3314" (Music for Environments), "Schneewittchen" (Music for Guitar Soundscapes) and "Four Last Things" (Music for String Quartet)"...
The original intention was to release each of the four source albums separately. Now they will be available as four of the eleven bonus discs, with the other seven containing various other material yet to be announced...
In all, it looks like there will be 100 tracks in the full 15 disc version of the release...
05 March 2015
11 Years of Blogging...
Today is the eleventh anniversary of the commencement of the Cloudland Blue Daily Diary...
03 March 2015
Four years gone...
It's now four years since the last full Cloudland Blue Quartet gig....
30 December 2015
Four Last Things delayed till 2016...
With David advising today that he is giving further consideration to adding drums to the "Four Last Things" project, release has definitely now been put back to 2016...
26 December 2015
The Solstice Sound Project released...
Just four days after all the recordings were made, The Solstice Sound Project has been released and you can listen to the results here...
23 December 2015
Winter Solstice Piece uploaded...
Along with 21 other collaborators from around the world, David uploaded the results of his field recording work to The Solstice Sound Project...
22 December 2015
Winter Solstice Project...
A return to recording today after an eight week hiatus saw David working on a field recording for a project in Arizona...
30 November 2015
A return to the Four Last Things...
David returned to the studio today for the first time for over a month, working on editing the proposed new CBQ soundscape album "Four Last Things"...
13 November 2015
CBQ performance cancelled...
Due to recent emergency surgery and required recovery time, David today reluctantly withdrew from the Leonard Cohen night on 20 November...
You are still welcome to enjoy the Cloudland Blue Quartet EP below...
01 November 2015
David discharged from hospital...
David spent a few days extra in hospital following problems with his diaphragm but was eventually released this morning, having been advised he will require a six week recovery period...
26 October 2015
Everything on hold...
David had an open cholecystectomy today to remove his gallbladder. There were no prior symptoms but his situation was serious. The normal "keyhole" procedure proved not to be an option. The operation was successful and a period of recuperation will be required once he is discharged....
25 October 2015
David hospitalised...
David was rushed to hospital today and will undergo emergency surgery tomorrow....
24 October 2015
Even More Rhythm work...
David was back in the studio today working again on "rhythm ideas" and rehearsing Eno songs...
12 October 2015
More Rhythm work...
David worked today on rhythms to be used with the Brian Eno songs...
11 October 2015Rhythm work...
David was in the studio today reportedly working on rhythm beds for a possible new Cloudland Blue Quartet song-based album. Only one song has been written since the release of "Starlightnight" in August 2012...
10 October 2015Brian Eno performances in prospect...
David advises having worked today on learning 16 Brian Eno songs. No note of the reason why though...
08 October 2015Kniokophonograhy Night at Manchester Whitworth Gallery...
David's piece "Early Morning Coffee Pot" was part of a soundscape installation tonight in Manchester. Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, he advised he was "pottering about with chord changes"...
05 October 2015Rehearsals continue...
Further rehearsals of the interpretations sets took place today...
04 October 2015Rehearsal recording editing...
David worked today on editing the recently recorded sets of interpretations. It appears these are for reference purposes only and won't be released...
03 October 2015The Dakota Starman EP recorded and released...
David worked in the studio today on new interpretations of David Bowie's "Starman" and Stereophonics' "Dakota". The resulting EP has been uploaded to Mixcloud and is dedicated to Jamie Frain...
01 October 2015
More interpretations recorded...01 October 2015
David worked in the studio again today, rehearsing and recording further interpretations of others' songs...
30 September 2015
Acoustic Interpretations and Gallery pieces...David worked today on recording three new sets of acoustic interpretations for reference purposes and on the soundscape pieces for galleries in Manchester and New York...
29 September 2015
No return for Capital Models...David opened discussions to bring Capital Models back to the stage once again but, due to other commitments, Jim Park and Keith Apter have declined to participate. Andy Wilson has left the group, having relocated to Yorkshire. As a consequence, there is no prospect of the annual Xmas covers night taking place this year...
27 September 2015
The Leonard Cohen EP released...27 September 2015
David uploaded the Leonard Cohen EP to Mixcloud this morning. You can listen here....
Rehearsals continued and he reports also having run through sets of other covers....
Rehearsals continued and he reports also having run through sets of other covers....
26 September 2015
The Leonard Cohen EP recorded...David spent time in the studio today recording three Leonard Cohen songs - "You Know Who I Am" which he advises was the 1st song he ever heard by Cohen, along with "The Butcher" and "Last Year's Man"...
25 September 2015
Further Cohen song added...A third Cohen song has been added to the repertoire. Two of these will be performed on the night...
23 September 2015
Leonard Cohen rehearsals...Rehearsals continued today...
22 September 2015
Cohen song choices made...Two Leonard Cohen songs have been selected from his extensive catalogue and rehearsals have begun...
21 September 2015
Upcoming CBQ performance...David accepted an invite today to perform two songs at a Leonard Cohen tribute night to take place on 20 November at The Village in Edinburgh...
28 August 2015
The single disc version - plus drums...David worked today on a new mix of a single disc version of the new CBQ album. It appeared all the recording work was done and it was a matter of mixing, collating and fine tuning but nothing seems set in stone as yet as the addition of drums is now being considered...
20 August 2015
Album Re-jigging...David reports some "re-jigging" of the most recent version of the proposed new CBQ LP...
19 August 2015
More Album Work...Another session in the studio working on the results of a few days' listening back has led to some "fine tuning"...
16 August 2015
Mixing the new album...A day spent mixing the elements of the new CBQ album resulted in "formats gradually falling into place" according to David's blog today…
10 August 2015
Early Morning Coffee Pot for Manchester Whitworth Gallery...
Another "field recording" piece was submitted today, this time for inclusion in an event to take place in October at the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester. The title is “Early Morning Coffee Pot (2015-01-11)”…
Another "field recording" piece was submitted today, this time for inclusion in an event to take place in October at the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester. The title is “Early Morning Coffee Pot (2015-01-11)”…
09 August 2015
More CBQ work on new album …
More CBQ work on new album …
David worked again this morning on the proposed new album from CBQ. He advises on his blog that ideas are taking form and he’s carrying out more listening, nit-picking, fine tuning and editing...
09 August 2015
Blitzstein, Marc 1905 for New York…
Blitzstein, Marc 1905 for New York…
David recorded a piece for an exhibition to take place in New York later this year. His piece is entitled “Blitzstein, Marc 1905” ..
08 August 2015
New CBQ album progressing…
New CBQ album progressing…
News on the proposed new album from CBQ. The present thought is that it will be a single disc length collage piece amalgamating recordings from four different source recordings made throughout 2014 and 2015, the physical version to include several bonus CDs, each containing one of the source recordings in their own right. An initial mix of the main album has been undertaken but further work is required...
02 August 2015
More work on new CBQ recordings...
David was at the Crispycat Studio today working on some new music for the next CBQ album. In addition, some tentative song singing was reported...
More work on new CBQ recordings...
David was at the Crispycat Studio today working on some new music for the next CBQ album. In addition, some tentative song singing was reported...
28 July 2015
Spoken word piece for New York...
David’s spoken voice (as opposed to his anything else voice) will be appearing in an exhibition in New York in October...
Spoken word piece for New York...
David’s spoken voice (as opposed to his anything else voice) will be appearing in an exhibition in New York in October...
26 July 2015
A mother’s verdict – “quite noisy”...
David’s mum reportedly became the first person other than him to hear the proposed new CBQ ideas. She apparently declared it "quite noisy"...
A mother’s verdict – “quite noisy”...
David’s mum reportedly became the first person other than him to hear the proposed new CBQ ideas. She apparently declared it "quite noisy"...
19 July 2015
Ungodly racket due from CBQ at some point...
David has been working on a new combination of soundscapes, stretched spoken word and newly created this morning infinite string quartet music. He advises “It's certainly an ungodly racket”…
Ungodly racket due from CBQ at some point...
David has been working on a new combination of soundscapes, stretched spoken word and newly created this morning infinite string quartet music. He advises “It's certainly an ungodly racket”…
18 July 2015
CBQ albums available from £4 each...
All 24 CBQ albums are now available for free streaming via Bandcamp. You can also download 21 of them for just £4 each. The 1997 three album set "Callingstill" is £12, while the double retrospective from 2011, "Aftersilence", is £8. The last song-based CBQ album, "Starlightnight", released in 2012, is still only freely available for streaming but a download or various physical versions are available via a donation to MacMillan Cancer. Full details at the CBQ Bandcamp site...
09 June 2015
Capital Models' Final Gig...
Not from now but of the original band in 1980 popped into the inbox today from erstwhile manager John Edwards , who has remastered the original cassette. However, given the quality of the performance, it's unlikely to see the light of day. A couple of tracks featured on the CM's Anthology which you can find here...
02 June 2015
Edward Spark work...
David continues to work on lyrics for Edward Spark's solo project...
30 May 2015
Capital Models no more, possibly...
Keyboard player Andy Wilson is moving to Yorkshire, casting doubt over the future of Capital Models, although it's thought the band could continue as a trio of David, Keith Apter and drummer Jim Park, if schedules can be worked around...
26 May 2015
Lyrics required...
David will be collaborating on the new Edward Spark album by writing lyrics and singing on a couple of tracks...
17 May 2015
Rare CBQ live performance...
Following on from yesterday's jam session, David attended this evening's "The Listening Room" in Edinburgh, where he performed acoustic versions of "Twenty Twenty Vision" and "I Re-Arranged the House". There still appear to be no concrete plans for any CBQ full gigs at this stage though...
16 May 2015
Cockletrees Jam Session
David took part in a jam session i Fife today with Norman Lamont, Tommy McKay, Fiona Thom, Jim Whyte and Impossible Songs. Mainly covers but a coupe of ideas "germinated" apparently. This will probably come to nothing...
02 May 2015
Cloudland Blue Quartet Quartet...
Today David worked on a possible CBQ string quartet...
29 April 2015
Count Brodski returns to Creek...
Tonight, Alan Brodie recorded his first Creek music for a decade, putting down his synth based contributions to the 2015 Creek projetcs...
19 April 2015
Further rehearsals...
David ran through four sets of CBQ songs on the acoustic guitar - thirty three songs in total...
11 April 2015
More CBQ Rehearsals...
David advises having played through a 25 song set today. No further details...
31 March 2015
CBQ Live - probably not...
David rehearsed an eleven song live set today, stretching from "Callingstill" in 1998 through to the new song written last summer. No dates are panned...
29 March 2015
Edward Spark solo...
Not content with his work on the new Creek album, Craig Sutherland is also working on new solo material under his Edward Spark moniker...
25 March 2015
Initial Creek worked on...
David worked today on all five Creek tracks in preparation for the eventual input of final member of the quartet, Alan Brodie. This will be his first Creek work for ten years...
24 March 2015
Creek work...
David worked on creating Creek tracks from Craig's rhythm beds, his own soundscapes and field recordings and Stuart Cobley's work from the weekend...
23 March 2015
Creek work...
Craig Sutherland is working on the material recorded by Stuart Cobley on Saturday for the new Creek album...
22 March 2015
Live set rehearsal...
David reports having undertaken rehearsals today for a proposed acoustic set by CBQ. No further details...
21 March 2015
Creek session...
Stuart Cobley was at Crispycat Studios today recording his input to the proposed new Creek album, which appears to remain to comprise five tracks...
21 March 2015
Fruitless...
As is often the case, David advises he's compiled a setlist for a possible live outing by CBQ. It will no doubt come to nothing as usual...
21 March 2015
One year on...
Today marks the first anniversary of the tragic death of Jamie Frain...
18 March 2015
Creek moving again...
A recording session is imminent with Stuart Cobley re the new Creek album, taking the participants to three of the four members...
08 March 2015
Two new CBQ albums in the offing...
In his blog post today, David advises a new CBQ album has been recorded, tentatively entitled "Schneewittchen", comprising five tracks as follows:-
The Magic Mirror (5:06)
The Poisoned Apple (11:36)
The Glass Coffin (5:04)
The Wedding Invitation (22:38)
The Hot-Iron Shoes (4:33)
The LP also incorporates field recordings made in March 2014
No word of a release date though for this or indeed for "SS SQ XIX", a four movement piece recorded in January 2014...
07 March 2015
CBQ recording again...
David reports having spent much of the day "soundscaping with and without Creek"...
05 March 2015
10 Years of Blogging...
Today is the tenth anniversary of the commencement of the Cloudland Blue Daily Diary...
03 March 2015
Three years gone...
It's now three years since the last CBQ gig....
25 February 2015
Creek and Capital Models...
David reports that "work with Creek and Capital Models is still on the agenda" - whatever that means...
21 February 2015
Creeking again...
David reports more work on the Creek tracks with ideas starting to form. However, nothing recorded...
14 February 2015
Even more Creeking...
David reports working on the new Creek tracks, opining "it is not as easy as it will finally sound"...
12 February 2015
More Creeking...
It appears there are five new pieces being worked on by, initially, David and Craig re the new Creek project, which seems to be progressing...
07 February 2015
Out in the field..
David reports having made some field recordings for the new CBQ project. As ever, no further details...
01 February 2015
Much talk, little action...
David reports projects in the pipeline today re CBQ perhaps playing live again, Capital Models reconvening, the new Creek work and even a reference to Crazy Wisdom, long since thought to be finished...
28 January 2015
Creek listening...
David reports "listening" to new Creek material. No work thus far it appears...
25 January 2015
Creek reactivated...
Out of the blue, the initial files for a new Creek track appeared in David's inbox today at Crispycat Towers from the industrious Mr Craig Sutherland. Could this be the start of a 2015 Creek album? We'll see...
24 January 2015
Archiving...
Work today on transferring old analogue tapes to digital. Whether these will ever see the light of day remains to be seen. The music worked on comprised live concerts by Capital Models and unreleased work by Sombre Reptiles...
07 January 2015
Fruitless...
David advises some fruitless work carried out today on "the 2015 CBQ project"...
05 January 2015
Every album purchased in 2015...
David is posting every album purchased in 2015 over on the CBQ twitter feed...
03 January 2015
New song...
David reports today having tried out the outline of a new song - which would be the first since the summer and only the second in the last three years. No further details...
01 January 2015
New projects starts...
Work commenced today on a further possible "ambient" new project for CBQ...
2014
26 December 2014
New projects percolating...
On his blog today, David mentions a further CBQ soundscapes album already in the can and projects planned both with Capital Models and Creek...
25 December 2014
CBQ's "Morphinecodex" Released...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet ambient album, "Morphinecodex" is released today via Bandcamp for streaming, download and in various physical formats from a single CD to a 33 CD Box Set with book - see music page...
1 December 2014
CBQ's "Morphinecodex" launch starts today - full release Xmas Day...
Today the first track from the new CBQ album "Morphinecodex" was released on Mixcloud for streaming. In the run up to the album's full release on 25 December, a track a day will be made available...
Full details of the release formats will be published shortly...
29 November 2014
Successful charity gig...
Tonight, Capital Models returned as a trio of David Reilly, Andy Wilson and Keith Apter and played three sets of "interpretations" at a fundraiser for the British Heart Foundation in memory of Jamie Frain who died in March this year...
Over £3,000 was raised on the night and you can read David's take on matters over on the blog...
28 November 2014
Solo rehearsals...
David reports having undertaken solo rehearsals on each of the last three days using backing tapes...
25 November 2014
Back to a trio...
The trio rehearsed for the last time tonight. Unfortunately, due to logistics at the venue there will be no soundcheck and no chance of a rehearsal with Jim Park. With the proposed quartet unable to convene prior to the gig, Jim won't now take part. He may rejoin the band in the future though...
22 November 2014
Possible return of Jim Park...
Now discharged from hospital and having spent a few weeks as an out patient, Jim Park today advised he may be fit enough to play a few songs with the band in a week's time...
22 November 2014
Fifth full rehearsal...
The penultimate rehearsal took place this afternoon with all three sets once again being played in full. David reports matters finally coming together...
19 November 2014
Fourth full rehearsal...
Ten days to go and the fourth full rehearsal was spent entirely working on the third set of songs...
17 November 2014
Editing the tapes...
David reports more rehearsal tape editing taking place...
16 November 2014
Third full rehearsal...
Thirteen days to go and, for the first time, the band finally ran through all three sets which will be performed on the night...
15 November 2014
Solo rehearsals and tape editing...
David reports having spent time over the last three days editing rehearsal tapes and rehearsing along with them...
12 November 2014
Second full rehearsal...
Capital Models, now down to a trio, had their second full rehearsal today, which concentrated on songs which Andy Wilson will perform. Meanwhile, various instrumental permutations have been abandoned for the time being and Keith reverts to drums, David will play bass and guitar and Andy will play keyboards, guitar and keyboard bass...
10 November 2014
Editing the tapes...
David reports more rehearsal tape editing taking place...
9 November 2014
First full rehearsal...
With just 20 days till the gig, the trio which will play on the night finally got together for their first full rehearsal, at which various different instrumental and vocal permutations were tried out...
7 November 2014
Duo rehearsal...
With just over three weeks to go, the band is still yet to perform in full format. Today, David and Keith rehearsed again on drums and bass respectively...
6 November 2014
Duo rehearsal...
David and Andy once again worked on keyboard, guitar and vocal arrangements...
4 November 2014
Editing and rehearsing...
David reports on his blog having spent time over the last two days editing various rehearsal tapes and learning guitar parts...
2 November 2014
Duo rehearsal...
With the band still not having played together in any of the formats which might take the stage in late November, Keith and David rehearsed today with formats including David on drums and Keith on bass...
30 October 2014
Jim Park withdraws from Capital Models gig...
A still hospitalised Jim Park regrettably finally confirmed today that it is unlikely he will be able to play with the band on 29 November...
29 October 2014
Duo rehearsal...
Andy Wilson will feature on guitar and keyboards as well as lead vocals on several songs. He and David worked today on various arrangements...
27 October 2014
Capital Models quartet still in doubt...
It still hasn't been decided in what format Capital Models will appear at the fundraiser on 29 November in memory of Jamie Frain, as Jim Park remains in hospital...
26 October 2014
Trio rehearsal without drums...
David, Keith and Andy convened today to rehearse various instrumental combinations while they await news of Jim...
23 October 2014
Morphinecodex formats...
There is still no firm release date for the new CBQ album "Morphinecodex" however, it's reported the album will comprise a 2CD set with twenty of the pieces edited to between seven and eight minutes and four at around 3 mins each...
When David first started this project fifteen months ago (the last recordings were made a year ago this week), the initial thought was to produce music which lasted 24 hours...
While he have around fifteen and a half hours of material, all in all, when counting the various formats together, the 24 hour target has been met, albeit with some measure of duplication...
The formats will be:-
1. A Single disc of 3 minute edits
2. A Single disc of four cross faded "movements", each of around 17:30, comprising the three minute edits
3. A 2CD set as described above - this will be the version available as a digital download
4. A 4CD set comprising four hours of music, featuring 10 minute edits
5. A 24CD set with the full fifteen and a half hours of music included, by way of one full piece on each disc, with timings varying from 17:08 to 65:17
In addition, the physical versions of formats 3 to 5 will come with a book of the twenty four paintings which are an integral part of the project, while format 5 will also include the discs from the first four versions, giving a total of 32 discs and a running time of just of 24 hours...
Mission, therefore, kind of accomplished...
22 October 2014
Work on Morphinecodex book
Taking a break from Capital Models business, David reports having worked today on the book which will accompany the new CBQ album...
24 October 2014
Jim Park in hospital...
News emerged today that Jim Park has been admitted to hospital with a leg infection...
21 October 2014
Jim Park may have to pull out of Models reunion...
Jim Park advises a leg injury which he played through on Sunday has worsened and he may have to pull out of the gig. The line up is now in question but rehearsals in various formats will continue until Jim can make a definite decision...
20 October 2014
Duo rehearsal..
Keyboard player, Andy Wilson has now reconvened with Capital Models and he and David rehearsed as a duo today using rehearsal tapes to play along with Jim and Keith...
19 October 2014
Trio rehearsal...
A Capital Models trio rehearsal took place today, with Jim Park on drums, Keith Apter on bass and David Reilly on guitar...
18 October 2014
David reports that he has been rehearsing solo over the last week, amending song keys and learning songs previously sung by Jamie. Although Jim Park has been announced as having re-joined the group, no full rehearsals have yet taken place...
12 October 2014
Capital Models return to play charity benefit...
We are pleased to announce that the latest line up of Capital Models will play a charity benefit at the Kilted Pig, Colinton Road, Edinburgh on Saturday 29 November from 8pm, in memory of the much missed Jamie Frain. Proceeds will go to the British Heart Foundation...
Following Jamie's death there has been an understandable hiatus in the band's activity but the group has been spurred back into action at the request of the organisers of this benefit in Jamie's name...
The new line up comprises Andy Wilson, as before, on keyboards, David Reilly, moving from bass to guitar, Keith Apter, moving from drums to bass and, rejoining the group after 34 years away, original drummer Jim Park, who retakes his place behind the kit...
8 October 2014
Duo rehearsal re possible quartet...
David and Keith rehearsed some songs today acoustically and there is a possibility that original Capital Models drummer Jim Park may be approached to take part...
7 October 2014
Solo rehearsal...
David reports having commenced relearning the previous Capital Models covers sets...
6 October 2014
Possible Capital Models trio line up...
Moves are underway to bring David, Keith and Andy together for the propsed gig in memory of Jamie Frain...
5 October 2014
Possible return of Capital Models...
David reports on his blog that Capital Models have been asked to return for a gig being lined up in memory of Jamie Frain...
27 September 2014
New Cloudand Blue Quartet album artwork preview...
"Morphinecodex" is the title of the new fifteen hour soundscape album from Cloudland Blue Quartet. The release date is yet to be confirmed but it is likely to be by December 2014. Today, the front cover artwork for each of the formats of the new album is previewed on the Cloudland Blue blog. At present, three formats are mooted - a single 74 minute disc containing a three minute "short detail" of each piece, a four hour long 4CD set containing a ten minute "detail" of each piece and the full 15 hour 25 minute album, which comprises 24CDs containing one piece each, along with a book containing the 24 paintings which accompany the release. The digital release is likely to be of the "details" and "short details" versions only. The full list and timings of the full length versions of the twenty four tracks is as follows:-
Riverleaves 49:38
Munchen Musik 44:42
The Through Approach 39:36
A Summer Rain 47:35
The Pastoral Province 1:00:54
Self Portrait I 29:40
Terminal I 31:00
Terminal II 31:45
Terminal III 33:48
Overcast Morning 44:51
Terminal IV 33:16
Self Portrait II 30:33
Morphine Codex 1:00:31
Over Lake Noise 40:16
April in Bolivia 30:34
The Reinhardt Absent Overlay 23:43
The Rosenquist Event 1:05:17
Self Portrait III 27:59
Traffic Passing 1:02:04
Several Cars 17:08
Crashed Burned 29:42
The Razor Drone 24:56
The Golden Leaf 35:24
Self Portrait IV 29:34
More soon...
27 July 2014
First new Cloudland Blue Quartet song and public performance for over two years...
Over the course of this weekend, David wrote his first new song since the conclusion of Starlightnight back in June 2012. He subsequently performed the song, "Here Again", along with "Still We Doubt You" from the 2005 CBQ album "Deeperdown" at this evening's The Listening Room on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. This was the first live outing for CBQ since March 2012. The night was themed around war and, in particular, World War I. The new song is based on the First World War experiences of the writer Robert Graves, along with his poem "Not Dead". The methodology is described by David on the Cloudland Blue blog...
22 June 2014
Work continues on the Cloudland Blue Quartet "Twenty Four Paintings" project...
David continues to work on the preparation for the release of Cloudland Blue Quartet's next soundscape project, "Twenty Four Paintings". This should be released in a number of formats before the end of 2014...
05 April 2014
James Jamieson "Precious" (Definitive Edition) now available on Bandcamp...
Jamie's album "Precious", originally released in 2005 on Crispycat and updated in 2008, when eight extra tracks were added, has now been made available for a third time, again updated, this time with eight live tracks from a concert in 2005...
The album, like all Crispycat releases, is available to download from Bandcamp on a "name your price" basis and can be streamed for free, either on Bandcamp or over on our music page...
The full tracklisting is as follows:-
2005 Original Version
1. Why Billy Why
2. Trash Can Secrets
3. King’s Country
4. Without You
5. Skylines Full Of Cranes
6. On The Inside
7. Time Of Ours
8. Yesterday Man
9. Precious
10. Fairytales
2008 Version Bonus Tracks (2005-2008)
11. Welcome to this World (CBQ Mix)
12. M.E. Calling Me
13. The Morning After
14. Ribbons of Pride
15. Yesterday Man ’08
16. The First Line
17. TMWStW
18. Welcome to this World (JJ Mix)
2014 Definitive Version Bonus Tracks (live)
19. Why Billy Why
20. Welcome to my World
21. The King's Country
22. The Eco Song
23. Skylines Full of Cranes
24. Fairytales
25. Trash Can Secrets
26. Half a Lifetime Away
03 April 2014
Jamie Frain's album available again soon on Bandcamp...
In light of the tragic death of Jamie Frain aka James Jamieson, Crispycat Recordings announce that his only album "Precious" will shortly be made available for streaming and download via Bandcamp...
Full details will follow shortly...
Watch this space...
02 April 2014
Peri Urban re-releases recordings with CBQ...
Peri Urban has recently added two albums to his Bandcamp Catalogue which feature David...
"Strata" from December 1998, features improvisations from the first three Peri Urban/Cloudland Blue Quartet collaborations, recorded in the summers of 1996 (David's first appearance under the CBQ moniker) and 1997 and the Autumn of 1998, mashed together independently by Peri, while the 2001 album "Sonic Party Hat" contains Peri's mixes of his songs "Stranded", "The Phreaks are Inside", "Blue Ice" and "Thistledown", versions of each of which also appeared in 2002 on David's CBQ album "Ampersand"...
"Sonic Party Hat" also contains the song "Bubbles For the Dead" which features David's lyrics which he subsequently rewrote for his song "The Angels Took His Soul" which appears on his 2007 album "Ersatzreal"...
22 March 2014
Capital Models gig cancelled...
Due to the tragic and untimely death of Jamie Frain on 21 March, the proposed Capital Models Easter Extravaganza, at which the band were set to play material from their original 1979/80 repertoire, has been cancelled...
19 March 2014
Capital Models Trio Rehearsals...
With drummer Keith Apter now in Cuba for a couple of weeks, rehearsals continued today for the upcoming Easter Extravaganza with David, Jamie and Andy running through two hours of proposed material..
12 March 2014
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
David, Jamie and Andy worked for the first time as a trio on the 1979/80 Capital Models repertoire in preparation for the Easter Extravaganza on 26 April...
03 March 2014
CBQ field recordings...
Field recordings were undertaken today. These may be used as part of the CBQ "Twenty Four Paintings" project....
27 February 2014
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
David and Andy met up to start work on Andy's parts on the old Capital Models songs...
19 February 2014
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
David and Jamie reconvened to work on the Capital Models original repertoire...
12 February 2014
Capital Models rehearsals for Easter Extravaganza commence...
David and Jamie came together tonight for the first time since the December gig to start work on material for the upcoming Capital Models Easter Extravaganza...
02 February 2014
CBQ may return to performance...
A mention on David's blog today that he may bring CBQ back to the live stage. There have been no CBQ gigs since March 2012...
30 January 2014
Capital Models Easter Extravaganza planned...
Capital Models will play at the White Horse on Edinburgh's Royal Mile on Saturday 26 April. Rehearsals start in around 10 days...
12 January 2014
CBQ creates new soundscapes work...
A new CBQ soundscape album, tentatively entitled "SS SQ XIX" was recorded today at Crispycat. Full details over on the blog...
11 January 2014
Creek 2004 album added to Bandcamp - more to follow
Creek's album "Somewhere Between" has been uploaded to Bandcamp. More of their back catalogue recordings are set to join the fray over the coming months...
03 January 2014
CBQ price crash on Bandcamp...
With the exception for now of the album "Starlightnight" which remains available only as a stream or by a donation to MacMillan re a physical version, all CBQ albums on Bandcamp have been reduced today from $5 per album download to £0 / name your price basis. Individual tracks still cost $1 each though, so you're better off to download the whole album - not that we're saying you ought not to consider supporting Crispycat in bringing you this music...
2013
30 December 2013
Emergency work on CBQ album...
While working in the studio today on a prospective single CD version of the "Twenty Four Paintings" album by CBQ, David discovered some of the full length tracks ahd been corrupted on the hard drive where they are currently stored. Emergency repair work was carried out successfully...
28 December 2013
Return of the Captal Models...
David, Jamie, Keith and Andy played two sets of covers and four encores tonight at the Kilted Pig in Edinburgh at the second annual Capital Models Covers Night. The set stretced from Elvis to Avicii and you can read David's take on the evening over on the blog...
27 December 2013
CBQ books arrive...
Books of paintings which will form part of the "Twenty Four Paintings" (see Art page) release from CBQ in 2014 have started to arrive at Crispycat...
26 December 2013
Solo rehearsals continue...
David continues to rehearse on his own at Crispycat by playing and singing along to the rehearsal tapes of the band...
21 December 2013
Solo rehearsals continue...
David continues to rehearse on his own at Crispycat by playing and singing along to the rehearsal tapes of the band...
16 December 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue..
Last rehearsal for the full band tonight - now ready for the performance...
14 December 2013
Solo rehearsals continue...
David continues to rehearse on his own at Crispycat by playing and singing along to the rehearsal tapes of the band...
11 December 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue..
Second last rehearsal for the full band tonight - now almost ready for the performance...
08 December 2013
Solo rehearsals continue...
David continues to rehearse on his own at Crispycat by playing and singing along to the rehearsal tapes of the band...
04 December 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue..
The band ran through the rejigged setlists tonight, taking the time to try out some new arrangement ideas and different vocalists and instrumentation...
02 December 2013
Solo rehearsals III...
David rehearsed both Capital Models covers sets tonight, again using the rehearsal tapes...
29 November 2013
Solo rehearsals II...
David rehearsed his parts for the second set re the upcoming covers gig today at Crispycat...
28 November 2013
Solo rehearsals I...
David rehearsed his parts for the first set re the covers gig today at Crispycat using rehearsal tapes - the setlists are near to being finalised...
27 November 2013
Capital Models back to quartet format...
With Andy Wilson returned from the Far East, the quartet reconvened tonight to continue rehearsals for the upcoming Annual Xmas Covers gig by Capital Models...
18 November 2013
CBQ album will be very long indeed...
David advises on his blog today that the music on the new CBQ album will stretch to almost fifteen and a half hours over twenty four pieces...
18 November 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
With Andy Wilson not due to return from the Far East till next Sunday, the band reportedly "bashed through" the two proposed sets in trio format tonight...
12 November 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
Back to a trio, this time with Andy abroad, David, Jamie and Keith continued to hone the repertoire for December's gig (see home page)...
04 November 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
Back to a four piece tonight and the proposed new songs were worked on, along with some old favourites...
03 November 2013
CBQ album packaging work...
Artwork and packaging considerations for the new project were the order of the day today at Crispycat...
27 October 2013
CBQ album longer details produced...
Longer details of the twenty four soundscapes were produced today...
26 October 2013
CBQ recording and book rumination...
The final initial soundscape recordings for the new CBQ album were made today with the last two tracks being created and two existing pieces split into four to give the requisite twenty four tracks for the project...
In addition, shorter "details" of each track were produced...
Rumination also took place over the proposed book...
23 October 2013
Capital Models rehearsals continue...
The third rehearsal for the upcoming gig took place tonight, with Keith abroad, the trio of David, Jamie and Andy worked on arrangements and around six new songs were added to the repertoire...
20 October 2013
CBQ album named...
The new CBQ album will be called "Twenty Four Paintings" and will be issued in a variety of formats, including shorter "details" of the soundscapes...
19 October 2013
Next CBQ album might be quite long - pt 3...
A further four pieces were added to the new CBQ soundscape project today, while the proof of the CBQ book arrived and is being revised...
15 October 2013
Models rehearsals continue...
The second rehearsal for the upcoming gig took place tonight...
07 October 2013
Models back / Kat released / CBQ Book...
After almost nine months of "rest", Capital Models reconvened this evening in quartet format to commence rehearsals for this year's annual covers night in December...
Also today, Kat McKenzie's album "Shine On" was released - it features David on guitar and bass and Keith Apter on drums...
Finally, the intial proof of the CBQ book of paintings has been put to print...
06 October 2013
CBQ preview video posted on Youtube...
A video of what has been dubbed "Twenty Four Paintings" has been posted by David on Youtube. The soundtrack is noted as "The Reinhardt Absent Overlay", one of the tracks he's been working on and signals very slow, very long soundscape pieces...
"Subtlety redfined"...
A further short video for the song "If I Fall" from 2012's "Starlightnight" has also been posted...
On a busy day, two further soundscapes for the project were created in the studio, while David also took part in an impromptu covers session at Impossible Songs...
04 October 2013
CBQ book seemingly planned...
David advised having been working on a "book" today"...
02 October 2013
CBQ "hubristic and outrageous" project planned...
On his blog today, David advised the new CBQ project he's working on is "hubristic and outrageous"...
29 September 2013
Capital Models returns as a quartet...
Andy Wilson was at Crispycat today for initial rehearsals with David re the forthcoming Capital Models sessions - he has been drafted in on keyboards joining David, Jamie Frain and Keith Apter in a new quartet version of the band...
29 September 2013
Next CBQ album might be quite long - pt 2...
A further five pieces have been added to the new CBQ soundscape project over the last three days...
22 September 2013
Next CBQ album might be quite long...
David reports on his blog of having composed over 4.5 hours of music in four sessions to date...
20 September 2013
Capital Models negotiations success...
Over the last couple of days David has been reporting on his blog of continuing negotiations to bring the Capital Models back together again...
It seems at last there is a date in the diary for a reconvening of the band...
15 September 2013
More CBQ work on proposed new album...
David reports on his blog of having worked on new soundscapes today and yesterday...
27 August 2013
Kat McKenzie album taster...
Kat McKenzie has posted a taster of her new album featuring Capital Models' David and Keith Apter - no firm release date as yet...
26 August 2013
New CBQ album commenced today...
David commenced work today on what may become a new CBQ album for 2014. One new "ambient" piece was worked on, based on the first track on the "Riverleaves" album apparently...
25 August 2013
More paintings and first new CBQ music of the year...
David reports having completed more paintings for what may be an audio visual CBQ project, given that, today, he also reports having worked on a four hour long piece based on an extract from a Hadyn string quartet...
24 August 2013
Riverleaves revamp...
David worked in the studio today on a new version of the Riverleaves album, amending it from two long soundscapes comprising five or six tracks each, to individual tracks....
No word on whether this willl ever be released in physical format...
23 August 2013
Painting continues...
David still continues with the new painting project - still no new music it seems...
21 August 2013
Painting continues...
David continues with the new painting project - no new music it seems...
20 August 2013
Models and paintings...
David once again reports Capital Models are still at the "trying to get everyone together at the same time" stage - meanwhile he has started a series of new abstarct paintings...
26 July 2013
Capital Models possible quartet once more...
Andy Wilson, David's nephew, is apparently being lined up for keyboard duties with Capital Models later this year...
23 July 2013
Capital Models negotiations continue...
After a lengthy silence over the early summer, David reports on his blog that he is still trying to "resurrect" Capital Models...
14 May 2013
Possible Capital Models gigs approaching ...
There is the possibility of some gigs for Capital Models later this summer - watch this space...
11 May 2013
Kat McKenzie records album...
The recording session for Kat McKenzie's album took place today at 21/7 Studio in Edinburgh. The sessions went well and you can read David's account over on the blog. Kat will continue on her own re vocals and overdubs...
10 May 2013
Last solo rehearsal...
David rehearsed his guitar parts tonight for the last time, utilising the recordings from previous rehearsals...
09 May 2013
Last full rehearsal...
David, Kat and Keith rehearsed for the last time re the upcoming recording session re Kat's album, with David playing both bass and guitar at tonight's session...
07 May 2013
Second last rehearsal...
David, Kat and Keith rehearsed for the upcoming recording session re Kat's album...
02 May 2013
Kat work...
David spent today working on guitar parts for Kat McKenzie's album, recording demos prior to the album sessions on 11 May...
30 Apr 2013
Third last rehearsal...
David, Kat and Keith rehearsed for the upcoming recording session re Kat's album...
29 Apr 2013
Riverleaves physical release postponed...
The new CBQ album "Riverleaves" was to have been released today but this has been put back to an as yet un announced date. You can stream or download the album on Cloudland Blue Quartet's Bandcamp page for the time being...
20 Apr 2013
Riverleaves promos released...
Promo copies of the new CBQ soundscapes album "Riverleaves" will be distributed to the attending audients at the Denovali Swingfest of Experimantal Music in London, today and tomorrow...
18 Apr 2013
Album uploads work...
More work on the CBQ Bandcamp site today as album info was refined and honed...
17 Apr 2013
Riverleaves promos...
Promo copies of the new CBQ soundscapes album "Riverleaves" were produced today at Crispycat Studio in preparation for the Denovali Swingfest of Experimental music this weekend in London...
16 Apr 2013
Piano, bass and drums...
A second rehearsal of the trio tonight featured piano, bass and drums as the songs were progressed....
15 Apr 2013
More work on Kat McKenzie demos...
A day at Crispycat Studio for David, working on bass line ideas for Kat McKenzie...
14 Apr 2013
Final upload to Bandcamp and more work on Kat McKenzie demos...
The entire CBQ song and soundscape back catalogue is now available for streaming and dowbnload at Bandcamp, while the tapes from recent Kat McKenzie rehearsals were also worked on...
13 Apr 2013
Album uploads continue...
More CBQ albums were uploaded to the CBQ Bandcamp page today - only two from the CBQ song and soundscape back catalogue now remain to be added...
12 Apr 2013
More work on Kat McKenzie demos...
A day at Crispycat Studio for David, working on more ideas for Kat McKenzie...
11 Apr 2013
First trio rehearsal...
This evening, the trio had its first run through six of Kat's songs - A good night was reported with some fast accurate work undertaken - things are progressing nicely. The evening was recorded for reference purposes...
09 Apr 2013
Second Kat McKenzie rehearsal...
David and Kat worked through song arrangements tonight...
07 Apr 2013
First full KM demos distributed...
A disc of demos worked on recently was passed to Keith Apter to work on prior to the first trio rehearsal later this week...
06 Apr 2013
More CBQ on Bandcamp and more Kat McKenzie work...
David worked today on uploading more of the CBQ back catalogue to Bandcamp and working on ideas for Kat McKenzie...
04 Apr 2013
More work on Kat McKenzie demos...
A day at Crispycat Studio for David, working on more ideas for Kat McKenzie...
02 Apr 2013
Keith Apter joins the Kat McKenzie trio...
Capital Models' drummer, Keith Apter has joined the sessions for the preparation of Kat McKenzie's album and will feature kon six songs on the record. David will contribute both guitar and bass...
30 Mar 2013
CBQ working on Kat McKenzie demos...
A day at Crispycat Studio for David, working on ideas for seven songs to be recorded in May with Kat McKenzie...
28 Mar 2013
CBQ Soundscapes on Bandcamp...
All 14 CBQ soundscapes albums from 1996 to date are now available on Bandcamp for streaming and download. The body of work comprises "Events 1 & 2", "Events 3 & 4", "Gold Leaf Deep Red", "Over the Blue and Gold", "Frozen Architecture", "Semi Automatic", "Betonmusik", "Reinhardt Richter Rosenquist", "File Under Electronica", "04 04 04", "Through the Day", "Sospiri" "Afterslience Soundscapes" and the latest CBQ album, "Riverleaves"...
26 Mar 2013
CBQ to guest on Kat McKenzie album...
First rehearsals took place today for songs to appear on Kat McKenzie's new album. David will contribute guitar...
23 Mar 2013
First new CBQ Soundscapes album for 8 years out 29 April - You can stream or download from today...
The brand new 12 piece soundscapes album "Riverleaves" by Cloudland Blue Quartet is available today on Bandcamp for free streeaming or to download for just five of your American Dollars...
Physical release of the album in special format with extras will take place on 29 April...
15 Mar 2013
Entire CBQ song and soundscape albums available for streaming on the Cloudland Blue blog...
Following last week's announcement, you can now stream any or all of Mr Quartet's song-based albums and soundscapes albums, from the 1996 debut "Events One and Two" through to last year's opus "Starlightnight", via individual players on Cloudland Blue : A Diary. And, just for good measure, you can get the 2011 2CD songs and soundscapes retrospective "Aftersilence" too....
10 Mar 2013
All nine CBQ song albums available for streaming on the Cloudland Blue blog...
The headline says it all really but you can now stream any or all of Mr Quartet's song-based albums, from the 3CD set Callingstill (1997) through to last year's opus "Starlightnight", via individual players on Cloudland Blue : A Diary. And, just for good measure, you can get the 2011 2CD songs and soundscapes retrospective "Aftersilence" too. Coming soon will be facilities to stream all back catalogue soundscapes albums making all 20 CBQ albums available...
23 Feb 2013
Capital Models very late notice covers gig tomorrow (Saturday 23 Feb)...
Only announced today,Capital Models will play two sets of covers tomorrow, Saturday 23 February 2013, at the Edinburgh Sports Club, 7 Belford Place, Edinburgh, EH4 3DH. Doors 7:30pm, On Stage 8pm...
15 Feb 2013
Capital Models reconvene to rehearse and record...
David, Keith and Jamie reconvened last night and recorded tracks for an upcoming covers EP as well as working on new ideas for a proposed 2013 album of the band's first original material in 33 years...
06 Feb 2013
New CBQ Soundscapes album, "Riverleaves" to be released in April...
Following the various sessions which took place in December, the first CBQ soundscapes album since 2005's "Sospiri" will be released in April 2013...
2012
30 Dec 2012
The Return of Capital Models...
A very successful return to the stage for Capital Models took place last night - David's take on matters (plus pics) are over on his blog, Cloudland Blue...
29 Dec 2012
Capital Models return...
David will perform tonight with Jamie Frain and Keith Apter as Capital Models, marking the band's first outing under the name since August 1980. The band will play three sets of covers at The Kilted Pig in Edinburgh...
28 Dec 2012
Final rehearsal...
Final rehearsal today for tomorrow's gig and, once again, this was undertaken solo with band rehearsal tapes...
22 Dec 2012
Break the ice...
David re-recorded his parts for the song co-written with his niece and mixed the song today...
At present, only one copy of the disc exists and Kitty has it...
In addition to this, David ran through the three sets of covers in preparation for next week's gig...
20 Dec 2012
Two projects worked on...
The new CBQ album is tentatively entitled "Riverleaves" and will feature ten new soundscapes...
With the proposed final mix "in the can" after just five days' work, David tonight wrote and recorded a new song, "Break the Ice Around Us" with his 8 year old niece, Kitty...
19 Dec 2012
New CBQ soundscapes takes shape...
Following the last three days' work, David spent today listening and developing ideas, one of which is for a double LP featuring a short mix and a long mix of the soundscapes created thus far...
18 Dec 2012
New CBQ soundscapes continue...
After three days' work, David now has nine new soundscapes in development and a working title for the new CBQ album...
17 Dec 2012
New CBQ soundscapes continue...
Work continues on the new CBQ album with seven pieces now being developed...
16 Dec 2012
New Cloudland Blue Quartet soundscapes...
in a break from Capital Models, David worked today on five new ideas for a proposed CBQ soundscapes album to be released in 2013, the first since December 2005...
15 Dec 2012
Sets rejigged, final song selection...
Working with the tapes from recent rehearsakls, discs for solo rehearsing were put together today and distributed to the band. Sets were decided upon with a few songs being dropped from the final listings...
13 Dec 2012
Equipment test and full sets run through...
The band set up the full PA and backline for their first and last equipment rehearsal prior to the gig. Thanks to facilities provided by Dean Bowling Club...
Sounding pretty good...
10 Dec 2012
Rehearsals continue...
David rehearsed solo last night with rehearsal tapes and, tonight, the CMs trio reconvened for another session of honing and tweaking...
03 Dec 2012
More arrangements and a name is chosen...
The trio met again tonight to do more work on arrangements. They have decided to play under the name Capittal Models making this the first gig by the band since August 1980...
28 Nov 2012
Working on arrangements...
The fourth rehhearsal of the covers trio was spent mainly working on arrangements...
26 Nov 2012
45 songs...
The setlists will be chosen from a roughly rehearsed catalogue of around 45 songs...
19 Nov 2012
New Songs added...
Two sets are being formulated for the proposed covers gig, with around 20 new songs being added to the repertoire...
09 Nov 2012
Covers trio back in action...
First rehearsal for the proposed end of year gig took place today, with the trio running through the sets played back in April. However, this time, Keith will play a full drum kit as opposed to percussion...
05 Nov 2012
New Covers Project...
David met with Jamie Frain and Keith Apter to discuss a possible covers gig at the end of the year...
01 Aug 2012
New CBQ Album Out Today ...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album, "Starlightnight" is released today...
Full details are over on the Music Page...
30 July 2012
"Starlightnight" out 1st August...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album, "Starlightnight" will be released on 1st August 2012 and will only be available via a donation to Macmillan Cancer Support - in memory of David's sister Pam...
The tracklisting is as follows:-
The Actor Takes the Stage 4:14
Everything Will Be Alright Pt 1 2:54
Starlight Lake 6:02
Twenty Five Things 3:18
Kindling 3:58
On the Eve 2:37
Knowing This Day Would Come Did Not Prepare Me For Its Coming 2:42
Vendôme 7:06
The Ship That Sailed Pt 1 5:37
All is Fine 2:45
Vanderhof 4:07
If I Fall 3:17
Starlight Starbright 7:52
Everything Will Be Alright Pt 2 2:58
The Actor Leaves the Stage 6:47
The Ship That Sailed Pt 2 8:43
In addition to the 16 song album, the basic version of the album comes with a ten song sampler of the Box Set version, including the exclusive "Missing Astronaut" mix of the opening track....
Other formats are a six CD set comprising "Starlightnight", the sampler plus four further albums ("Remake", "Events", "Apples" and "Starlightlive") and the 11CD version comprising "Starlightnight" plus a 10CD Box Set of the sampler, the four extra albums mentioned above plus a further five albums ("Canon", "Patience", "Luxury" "Walkout" and "Nightlightstar")...
Full details on 1 August...
18 June 2012
Final mixing session for "Starlightnight"...
David was back in the studio today revamping the mix on, ironically, the first track completed for the new album back in November 2010, "Vendôme"...
The running order was amended slightly too - it was decided to start the album on an upbeat note with "The Actor Takes the Stage"...
With the music finally finished, the next few weeks will be spent looking at packaging and special bonus items for the limited edition physical version...
17 June 2012
16th Track added to new CBQ LP...
David spent much of yesterday and today still working on the music for the new album - which was previously deemed "finished" back in March...
However, following this two days of further work, a new track, "On the Eve", has been added to the running order and several other tracks have been added to, tweaked or remixed...
10 June 2012
New CBQ Album on 1st August...
Today the run up to the release of the new CBQ album, "Starlightnight" begins as, over on David's blog "Cloudland Blue", from today, at the rate of a track a day, each of the 52 tracks from the "Aftersilence" retrospective will be featured until 31 July...
On 1 August, the new 15 track album will be released...
More to follow regarding formats and special offers...
17 May 2012
Saintly collaboration...
David wrote the music today for a new Ian Sclater song, "All Saints"....
14 May 2012
Packaging work...
Work commenced today on various package ideas for the upcoming CBQ album...
21 April 2012
Covers gig tonight...
James Jamieson, CBQ and Keith Apter will play two sets of covers tonight at The Kilted Pig, 101 Colinton Rd, Edinburgh, EH14 1AL...
Doors 8:30, Free Entry, 1st set 9:30...
18 April 2012
Final covers rehearsal...
The trio undertook their final rehearsal tonight for Saturday's gig. Five new songs were added, taking the trio numbers to 30 with 35 songs being played in total...
14 April 2012
CBQ in covers trio on 21 April...
Jamie Frain (aka James Jamieson) is once again stepping out at his local hotspot, The Kilted Pig, 101 Colinton Rd, Edinburgh, EH14 1AL...
As well as a few solo numbers, Jamie has enlisted old Capital Models cohorts Keith "multi-instrumentalist" Apter and David "CBQ" Reilly to accompany him...
The trio has been hard at work (erm, ok three rehearsals) putting together an impressive array of covers by the likes of (in alpha order) Alanis Morissette, Coldplay, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, James, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Katy Perry, Kenny Rogers, Neil Young, Paulo Nutini, Pink Floyd, Simon & Garfunkel, Soft Cell, Status Quo, Stealers Wheel, Stereophonics, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, The Band, The Beatles and Van Morrison and a few more...
Entry is free and the first set is due to start around 9:30pm
The bar is open till 1 - Jamie will probably still be singing "Saturday Night at the Movies" just before that...
We'd love to see you along on the night...
11 April 2012
3rd Covers rehearsal...
The trio convened at Jamie's this evening to continue rehearsals for their gig on the 21st...
The setlist is now up to 26 songs, with a few more still to be added...
10 April 2012
2nd Covers rehearsal...
The ex-Capital Models trio of David, Jamie Frain and Keith Apter convened at Keith's place this evening to continue rehearsals for their gig on the 21st...
15 songs were attempted...
09 April 2012
Bonus CD work 3 & 4...
A third run at a possible bonus CD for the Starlightnight package was undertaken today comprising the recent live set and fewer early demo recordings of what became the final tracks...
Latert this was abandoned for an "alternative" version of the album, containing early or alternatiove versions of each of the tracks, in the same running order as the actual album...
07 April 2012
Bonus CD work 2...
A second run at a possible bonus CD for the Starlightnight package was undertaken today comprising some early demo recordings of what became the final tracks...
06 April 2012
Further covers rehearsal - solo...
David undertook a solo rehearsal today of songs likely to be played on the 21st...
04 April 2012
1st Covers rehearsal...
The ex-Capital Models trio of David, Jamie Frain and Keith Apter convened at Crispycat this evening to commence rehearsals for their gig on the 21st...
CDs were burned with around 25 songs from both Jamie's and David's covers repertoires for consideration...
31 March 2012
Starlightnight Bonus CD contempated...
With the new album, "Starlightnight" now "in the can", work commenced today on possible bonus disc material for the physical package which should have a release date this summer...
19 March 2012
CBQ surprise appearance on Youtube...
By chance today, a video which uses the CBQ track "On A Clear Day" from "Ampersand" (2002) was discovered on Youtube...
You can see the video here...
The piece is described as a "heart rending interpretation of the song"- however, this is not a cover version...
18 March 2012
CBQ covers set for 21 April...
CBQ will play a rare covers set with James Jamieson aka Jamie Frain at the Kilted Pig, 101 Colinton Rd, Edinburgh, EH14 1AL on Saturday 21 April - 8:30pm - Free Entry...
Rehearsals commence early April on a 45 minute duo set...
16 March 2012
Two songs about the actor...
After a further six days' work on the two new songs, including full lyric re-writes, these will now be included on the new CBQ album, topping and tailing the LP. The titles are now "The Actor Takes the Stage" and The Actor Leaves the Stage"...
10 March 2012
Two new songs...
After a day in the studio today, two new, or should that be "now" songs emerged - "Now Let's All Have a Great Big Party" and "Now We Can Live Together For All Time". it's not clear if these will round off “Starlightnight” or if they start the 2014 CBQ album
05 March 2012
Covers prep...
David started initial prep today for the as yet to be finalised covers gig with Jamie Frain – learning songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Elvis Presley, Van Morrison, Stereophonics and Bruce Springsteen...
03 March 2012
Starlightnight Live debut...
David returned to Out of the Bedroom tonight as headliner and played a well received ten song set of tracks from the forthcoming CBQ album "Starlightnight" to an attentive, appreciative audience...
This special version of the album was made available on the night as "Souvenir XX"...
You can read David's musings on the evening over on the blog...
25 February 2012
New songs debuted at OOTB...
David played Out of the Bedroom tonight for the 60th time in nine years. Three songs from "Starlightnight" were played - last year's single, "Vendome", plus live debuts for "Vanderhof" and "Starlight Starbright"...
You can read David's musings on the evening over on the blog...
CBQ will headline next Saturday, 3 March, when David will play all ten of the songs from the upcoming album...
18 February 2012
Keyboards added...
David was in the studio today adding keyboards to the edited live version to the new album. It seems the release of the full LP will now be in the summer...
12 February 2012
Rehearsals recommence...
Rehearsals recommenced today for the gig on 3 March...
21 January 2012
Live sets added to CBQ Live blog...
A runthrough of the proposed live set for Saturday 3 March was recorded at Crispycat today and posted to the CBQ Live blog - the first release of the new material...
Also today, the CBQ set played at the house gig on 2 December, including versions of four songs from the forthcoming album was uploaded...
20 January 2012
Starlightnight live set prep ...
David started the prep for the gig in March today by carrying out some editing and remixing of the proposed new LP to get the songs into a 30 minute live set format...
01 January 2012
A track a day...
from today, David's blog Cloudland Blue will feature a CBQ track everyday. At present the plan is to work through every album from 1997's "Callingstill" 3CD set onwards...
Enjoy...
2011
19 December 2011
The ship that sailed...
The two instrumental tracks from the new CBQ album were featured today at David's sister's funeral, as was David's cover of The Killers' "Human", which he'd learned specifically to play for Pam a few weeks ago at one of the subsequently cancelled gigs. She never had the chance to hear it....
10 December 2011
Album work...
In a bid to maintain some "normality", David spent some time today re-recording vocals on the new songs...
09 December 2011
Knowing this day would come did not prepare me for its coming...
David's sister Pam died this morning after almost a year of battling a brain tumour. A suitably downbeat piano piece joined the tracks for the proposed new CBQ album...
A very, very sad day indeed...
03 December 2011
CBQ to headline OOTB in March 2012...
David has been invited to headline Out of the Bedroom on Saturday 3 March 2012...
02 December 2011
House Concert ...
David debuted four of the songs lined up for he next CBQ album at the House Concert tonight in Edinburgh. "All Is Fine", "Everything Will Be Alright", "Kindling" and "If I Fall" were joined by a few "classic" CBQ tracks over the three sets performed with Ian Sclater and Kat McKenzie...
27 November 2011
Another new song...
Two versions of "Everything Will Be Alright" (originallt entitled "Too Good To Be True") joined the list of songs for the new album after work over the last two days...
22 November 2011
CBQ in trio gig at House Concert...
On 2 December, David will play an exclusive "House Concert" at 42 Royal Park Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 8JA, a one night only songwriters' circle featuring three of Edinburgh's finest, with Ian Sclater and Kat McKenzie. Three sets including an exclusive, specially prepared "trio" set, will be played, each in a "round robin" style with all three performers on stage.
Entry is by Invite Only with a suggested donation of £5 and a Bring Your Own Bottle policy.
To obtain an invite, please e-mail the concert host on info@douglasinscotland.co.uk
16 November 2011
Starlightnight...
After an intense two weeks or so of writing, recording and mixing, the new CBQ album appears to be taking shape nicely. Previously the instrumental track "Tabor Lake" became the two part song "Starlight Lake" today...
Work is now commencing on the cover. Although no release date is set as yet, the title has been revealed as "Starlightnight"...
Currently there are nine new tracks plus the single from earlier this year, "Vendome"...
More details to follow...
13 November 2011
New Creek album progressed...
David and fellow Creeker, Stuart Cobley met today to consider the seven tracks worked on over the last five years, with a view to the possible release of a new Creek LP in the "near" future...
As with everything Creek-related, this may not happen....
Working title of the proposed LP is "Tarnished"...
11 November 2011
Another two songs...
Work over the last three days on two more songs concluded today and "Kindling" and "All Is Fine" were added to the list for the new CBQ album. Both are based on short riffs written on 1 November at the start of the project...
07 November 2011
Twenty five things...
A "list song" in waltz time, which emerged from an instrumental created on 4 November, was finalised today for the new album...
06 November 2011
Two more songs ...
The next two songs were started today. The instrumental "Orch & Ride" became "Starlight Starbright" while "Vanderhof", based on writings by William Burroughs, also joined the grwowing collection...
01 November 2011
If I Fall...
The first new song since last November's "Vendome" was written today for the new project...
01 November 2011
Writing and recording commences...
David started the writing and recording process for the ninth song-based CBQ album today. The as yet untitled LP will include a remixed version of the single "Vendome" released earlier this year...
30 October 2011
New soundscape...
David created a new long soundscape today based on the Prelude from Loehngrin by Richard Wagner...
The next album will either be the ninth song-based CBQ work, or the first soundscape disc since 2005...
Or it may be a combination...
29 October 2011
CBQ gig planned for December...
Following the disappointment of the postponement of David's third set at The Melville Lounge in Edinburgh in each of August, September and October, CBQ will not perform at that venue again. Plans are being made for an intimate performance at an unusual venue in early December...
More soon...
26 September 2011
CBQ gig 26 October...
Following the disappointment of the postponement of David's third set at The Melville Lounge in Edinburgh from 17 August to 26 September and the late cancellation of that gig, the set will finally take place on Wednesday 26 October...
26 September 2011
CBQ gig 28 September...
David's third set at The Melville Lounge in Edinburgh is now confirmed as taking place on Wednesday 28 September...
6 August 2011
James Jamieson & CBQ Covers Night
At the Kilted Pig in Edinburgh tonight, Jamie Frain and David performed under their own names at a charity event in aid of Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital. Around £2,000 was raised for the cause. Headliner Jamie played two rocking sets of covers while David performed nine songs, learned just this week...
The evening ended with David and Jamie performing a duet on Elvis Presley's 1970 hit "The Wonder of You"...
A facsimile of the CBQ live set will be posted on the CBQ Live site shortly, along with the recent OOTB three song set and the eight song Melville Set...
31 July 2011
CBQ Covers
Cloudland Blue Quartet is putting together a full set of cover versions to be performed at some point in the future. A brief set will be rolled out in support of Jamie Frain at the Kilted Pig on Saturday 6 August...
29 July 2011
Capital Models postponed
Tonight's Capital Models session, which was to have featured the quartet of David, Jamie, Gus and Keith, has been postponed to an as yet undecided date...
28 July 2011
Next CBQ Gig Announced
David has been invited to play a third set at The Melville Lounge, William Street, Edinburgh on 17 August, following the success of his previous appearance last night and his debut at the venue in May...
27 July 2011
CBQ live at the Melville again...
David played an eight song set tonight at The Melville Lounge following the success of an outing there in May...
One song from each of the eight CBQ song-based albums was featured...
19 July 2011
CBQ at OOTB
CBQ made a surprise return to Out of the Bedroom tonight, almost a year and a half on from his last appearance at the Edinburgh singer-songwriter's club...
Internet gigging colleague, Pol Arida, was headlining the night and David pitched in with "Twenty Twenty Vision", "The End of Everything" and "Thinking of Me", the last of these being played live for the foirst time in almost seven years...
17 July 2011
CBQ Working on new music
After a three month hiatus, more work took place today on what may become the next CBQ album as David worked up a piece whose working title is "Orch & Fade"...
08 July 2011
Next CBQ Gig Announced
David has been invited to play a second set at The Melville Lounge, William Street, Edinburgh following the success of May's outing, a version of which is available for download over on the CBQ Live site (see home page)...
The set is likely to be drawn from all 8 CBQ song-based albums...
01 July 2011
4th Capital Models Session of 2011
The quartet version of Capital Models (David, Angus, Jamie and Keith) will get together again on 29 July. There are still no firm plans re recording or playing live...
17 June 2011
4th Capital Models Session of 2011
The quartet version of Capital Models (David, Angus, Jamie and Keith) convened again tonight for their first session since March. The band covered material by David, Jamie and Keith as well as a couple of Velvet Underground tracks along with, of course, a goodly number of old CMS favourites...
Still no live dates or recordings are planned but a rough recording and a video taken by Gus are now up over at the CMs website...
04 June 2011
New CBQ Acoustic Set uploaded
David recorded a new 16 song acoustic set at Crispycat Studios today. It features two songs each from the 8 CBQ song-based albums and it's available for listening or free download over at the CBQ Live website...
21 May 2011
Melville Set uploaded
David recorded a facsimile of the eight song set played on Wednesday night at The Melville in Edinburgh...
It’s available now on the CBQ Live Site for listening and as a free download...
18 May 2011
CBQ short live set tonight...
David plays a short live set tonight at The Melville Lounge, William Street, Edinburgh in support of the new CBQ release "The Vendôme EP", full details of which are on the "music" page - along with those of the new double CD retrospective, "Aftersilence"...
16 May 2011
CBQ Vendome EP released
A new EP featuring four mixes of Vendôme plus acoustic versions of “Twenty Twenty Vision”, “I Re-Arranged the House” and “The End of Everything” was released today...
09 May 2011
CBQ Aftersilence retrospective released
"Aftersilence" is a new 2CD retrospective of fifteen years of Cloudland Blue Quartet, comprising a disc of soundscapes and a disc of songs...
All in all, there are fifty two tracks (30 instrumentals and 22 songs) - the collection sonically upgrades some old favourites, includes a few previously unreleased items (like the new song "Vendôme") and, it’s hoped, some undiscovered gems...
The tracklist steers clear of some of the more obvious choices for inclusion...
07 May 2011
Oz remix project
The constituent parts of "Vendôme" have been sent to Ryan Williamson at Sour Grapes in Brisbane for him to work on remixing...
06 May 2011
Two new releases finalised
“Vendôme” was completely remixed again today and four mixes were produced for the proposed EP – Single, Instrumental, Full and Acoustic...
The song disc from “Aftersilence” was also finally finalised now that “Vendôme” has been fixed...
05 May 2011
“Vendôme” work continues
“Vendôme” required some reworking today to be finalised for “Aftersilence”. David rebuilt the mix from scratch...
A “Vendôme” EP is now also planned for realese shortly after “Aftersilence”...
03 May 2011
Song Notes
David wrote short notes today regarding the background to each of the twenty two tracks on the songs disc from “Aftersilence”...
02 May 2011
Soundscapes Notes
David wrote short notes today regarding the background to each of the thirty tracks on the soundscape disc from “Aftersilence”...
01 May 2011
Aftersilence
The new compilation will be entitled “Aftersilence” based on these thoughts on the importance of music by Aldous Huxley...
"From pure sensation to the intuition of beauty, from pleasure and pain to love and the mystical ecstasy and death — all the things that are fundamental, all the things that, to the human spirit, are most profoundly significant, can only be experienced, not expressed. The rest is always and everywhere silence. After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. When the inexpressible had to be expressed, Shakespeare laid down his pen and called for music. And if the music should also fail? Well, there was always silence to fall back on. For always, always and everywhere, the rest is silence."
Aldous Huxley "The Rest is Silence" from "Music at Night", 1931
Work on the cover was undertaken today along with noting the instrumentation on each of the fifty two chosen tracks...
30 April 2011
Soundscape compilation work
David worked today on the instrumental half of the proposed CBQ 1996-2011 compilation...
There are twenty two songs on disc one and thirty instrumental pieces on disc two – fifty two tracks in all...
A proposed release date is David’s 52nd birthday on 4 May, in which month also falls the fifteenth anniversary of the first CBQ recording...
29 April 2011
Compilation rebooted – now CBQ only
David started work today on a new compilation project, this time based solely on CBQ music from 1996 to now...
The set will purposely not include “the usual suspects”...
With seven minutes set aside for “Vendôme”, there should be around nine minutes of music from each of the eight song based CBQ albums released since 1997...
The set will now be just two discs...
The song disc was finalised today...
27 April 2011
CBQ to return to performance
A short set may be played in Edinburgh next month. More soon...
24 April 2011
New CBQ Material Worked On
David started work today on what might be the next CBQ album, working on rhythm tracks...
At present, there are no songs – apart from “Vendôme” from last November...
13 April 2011
Compilation Corrupted
The proposed compilation has been setback due to corruption of some of the masters...
1 April 2011
New Compilation to be “Fifty-One”
The proposed new compilation, now provisionally entitled "Fifty-One" re the number of tracks involved and David’scurrent age contains a goodly number of remixes, re-recordings, edits etc etc and the new song "Vendôme", based on an instrumental by Brisbane chum and Sour Grape, Ryan Williamson
27 March 2011
3CD set finalised - Drone Effect Remix
A brand new mix of 1977’s “The Drone Effect” was createwd today. However, at 60 minutes long, it’s debateable if the full version will ever see the light of day. The intention is to include a short edit in the compilation...
The set has been finalised at 3CDs (formerly 5CDs) based on the periods 1977-89, 1990-1997, 1999-2011, including one new track and various new mixes and edits...
26 March 2001
Remixing for the compilation
David spent the day in the studio remixing for the proposed compilation
22 March 2001
Capital Models Play Again
The third get together of the reformed Capital Models took place tonight...
Once again, they were the quintet of David, bassist Jamie "James Jamieson" Frain, guitarist Angus "Gus" Bolton and their two drummers, Jim "Victoria Biscuit Tins" Park and Keith "Multi Instrumentalist" Apter...
Tonight they started to work on the music rather than just play it which perhaps sets the band up with a future...
The evening’s musicking was recorded but it’s doubtful whether anything worth uploading resulted...
20 March 2001
New Compilation Planned
Work commenced today on a new thirty five year anthology covering the best of David’s music from 1977 up to the last CBQ song “Vendome”...
18 March 2011
CBQ New Song Commenced
David made a start to a possible new CBQ song today – the first of 2011– no words, just some chord sequences...
16 March 2011
Capital Models still rehearsing...
A third CM rehearsal is mooted for 22 March. However, whether the band will play live for the first time since 1980 is uncertain at present...
Find more here...
25 February 2011
Capital Models Reunited Again...
Tonight a quintet of Capital Models reunited - with Jim Park joining the quartet from last week. 15 songs were played and you can find the results here...
18 February 2011
Capital Models Reunited...
With CBQ on the backburner but David's sister doing well regarding her ongoing treatment, a surprise reunion took place today of Capital Models' final line up, which last played together in August 1980...
The quartet of David, Jamie Frain, Gus Bolton and Keith Apter ran thru a set of 14 songs from their 1979/80 setlists...
You can find the results here...
2010
01 December 2010
CBQ Unexpected Hiatus...
Due to a family illness, all live dates and projects for CBQ have been put on hold for the time being - the date on 11 December is cancelled...
27 November 2010
CBQ Live in December...
CBQ's next live date on Second Life has been set for 11 December...
27 November 2010
CBQ/Sour Grapes Vendome...
What may well turn out to be the first track for the next CBQ album was formulated today when David reworked an instrumental piece by Australian duo Sour Grapes (who co-wrote "Splinterheart's "Black Earth and the City Falls")adding guitar SFX and lyrics and vocals...
25 November 2010
CBQ 60 Minute Live Set...
David played a full hour long set tonight on Second Life - you can find it posted HERE...
23 November 2010
CBQ Live this Thursday...
CBQ is back on Second Life for a webcast on Thursday 25 November 2010 at 7pm...
Go HERE and click on "Live Stream" to listen in...
David will be playing songs not aired live for up to 12 years in a 60 minute set featuring songs from the latest LP, "Splinterheart", selections from all seven previous CBQ albums and even a couple of old Sombre Reptiles numbers stretching as far back as 1983...
Hope you can tune in...
BUT - if you can't, then the set will be posted HERE shortly after the gig and you can listen to the set at your leisure or download for free...
21 November 2010
Live set website launched...
A new Cloudland Blue Quartet website is launched today, with four live recordings or rehearsal run-throughs of recent gigs by CBQ being uploaded...
You can find the site here - all sets are available to download for free...
It is the intention that recordings of all future performances or recordings of final rehearsal run-throughs will be added to the site...
In the fullness of time, previous gigs may also be added...
The site will also allow live studio performances to be made available over the net going forward, with the prospect that more often than not, future CBQ gigs will be "virtual" rather than "actual" - none of us need leave our homes
It's the Crispycat I-Player...
19 November 2010
Creek re-worked...
Following comeback from Messrs Cobley and Sutherland, David worked again on the provisionally entitled "The Glow Was Slightly Tarnished", the second of five new Creek tracks being prepared for release...
16 November 2010
More Creek work...
David worked again on the new Creek material today, this time on the 4th of Craig Sutherland's rhythm beds along with Stuart Cobley's input from last month...
Once again, results were deemed "promising"...
11 November 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet performed a 30 minute set on Second Life tonight comprising songs from "Splinterheart" plus older material from "Soundingfall", "Deeperdown" and "Anotherhappyday"...
07 November 2010
CBQ Live this Thursday...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform a 30 minute set comprising songs from the "Splinterheart" album, plus tracks from his previous albums, this Thursday on Second Life...
To hear the gig live you can stream it by going here and clicking on "live stream" anytime from 7:55 pm. Pol Arida will play a 30 minute set after CBQ...
Or paste this into your browser http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html
03 November 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
David performed the 30 minute version of "Splinterheart" at Secret CDs XXXVI to a packed enthusiastic audience tonight at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. This was likely to be the last performance of this particular set as he looks to introduce songs from previous LPs into future setlists...
At present though, there are no further "in the flesh" as opposed to "virtual" gigs planned...
31 October 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform the "Splinterheart" live set again tonight on Second Life. To hear the gig live you can stream it by going here http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html and clicking on "live stream" anytime from 6:55 pm...
25 October 2010
Creek work...
David worked on an initial mix of the 3rd of Craig Sutherland's rhythm beds along with Stuart Cobley's input from yesterday...
Results were deemed "promising"...
24 October 2010
Creek in the studio...
Stuart Cobley of Creek visited Crispycat Studios today to add his synth and guitar contributions to the new Creek album. No release date is set as yet, with the project very much in its early stages...
21 October 2010
CBQ Live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform the "Splinterheart" live set tonight on Second Life. To hear the gig live you can stream it by going here http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html and clicking on "live stream" anytime from 8 pm. Pol Arida will play a 30 minute set followed by CBQ...
17 October 2010
Second Life Performance this Thursday...
Following on from the successful trial run last week, Cloudland Blue Quartet will perform the "Splinterheart" live set this Thursday on Second Life. To view the gig you must be logged on to Second Life, have an avatar and visit the venue. However, to hear the gig live you can live stream it by going here http://www.cultx.com/livestream.html and clicking on "live stream" anytime after 8 pm. Pol Arida will play a 30 minute set followed by CBQ...
13 October 2010
Impromptu performances...
CBQ performed two live sets tonight over the internet to a club in "Second Life" - a project first mooted back in January 2009 - each set comprised the "Splinterheart" songs as worked on over the last month or so, with the second set of the evening including additional acoustic versions of old classics "Twenty Twenty Vision" and "This is All There is pt 1"...
Thanks to Pol Arida for arranging this...
More gigs on "Second life" are planned in the near future...
10 October 2010
Live set finalised...
Final work on the "Souvenir" CD was carried out today - some tweaking of the vocal track - moving single words around...
The tracklist mirrors that of the "Splinterheart" album but is around 25 minutes shorter...
09 October 2010
Moment of clarity...
After intensive listening and reworking of the proposed live set backing track over the last week or so, David advises on his blog he had a "moment of clarity" today which was to go ahead and include all twelve tracks from "Splinterheart" but to remix and edit them so that the set still comes in at around the requisite 30 minute mark...
After much work including no actual re-recording but much moving around of guitar and vocal tracks recorded with a completely different backing track a few days ago, the set would appear to be finalised...
06 October 2010
Unused film...
The proposed CBQ film, which was finalised last night, won't now be used at next month's Secret CDs gig...
03 October 2010
Remixing, rehearsing and creating...
David worked today in the studio today, remixing the "Souvenir" CD, rehearsing the live set and making initial attempts at creating a useful contribution to the Creek tracks...
02 October 2010
More film work...
More work today on the prosed live set visuals...
01 October 2010
Creek work...
Initial demos comprising around 25 minutes of new music is being worked on, with Creek initally in trio form of David, Craig Sutherland and Stuart Cobley...
29 September 2010
Souvenir work...
Additional acoustic guitar was added to the backing track and lead vocal recorded last weekend...
26 September 2010
Film and art...
Synchronisation today re the filmwork yesterday and the proposed live set threw up around 2.5 minutes of unused time. Accordingly a new "Overture" sound collage was created incorporating older songs along with the four missing-on-account-of-being-too-left-field "Splinterheart" pieces...
The artwork for the complimentary "Souvenir" CD also took shape...
Recording of said CD also commenced tonight...
25 September 2010
Film work...
Work commenced today on backdrop visuals for "Splinterheart" live dates...
The set is unlikely to include the more esoteric items on the album (Black Earth, Apple pt 1, Optimist, Cage) but David has reworked several of the songs, including shortening "The Killers at the Counter" and totally revamping (and shortening) "Krebs went to War", taking out all Craig Sutherland's sterling work on which the original track is based, to give it a more acoustic feel, and rearreanging both "Splinterheart" and "Here They come With the New Machines"...
In addition to the upcoming Secret CDs performance, David is still working towards Internet gigs on "Second Life" with Pol Arida...
24 September 2010
Additional alternative acoustic set...
An alternative, unadorned by backing tracks, fully acoustic set of ten songs old and new was trialled this evening with some success...
21 September 2010
Initial Splinterheart setlist...
The live setlist will include eight of the twelve pieces on "Splinterheart", five of which will be especially reworked for the live setting...
20 September 2010
Splinterheart live...
David advises the upcoming live set will be based solely on "Splinterheart" and so won't include any of the older songs he's been working on revamping recently...
19 September 2010
Creek are back...
News today that Creek will soon start work on new material for a follow up to their last full LP, "Somewhere Between" released almost six years ago. Given the inherent laziness of the band, probably best if you don't watch this space...
18 September 2010
Happy go lucky...
A new 24 track CBQ compilation was produced today, ironically entitled "Happygolucky". It is unclear if this, like the recently compiled "Juxtapostion" 2CD set, will ever be released...
17 September 2010
Possible setlists...
Work on revamps again today and an initial setlist was devised comprising a proposed “downbeat” live set – eight songs, one from each of the CBQ song LPs:-
This Is All There Is pt 1 (Callingstill)
You Taught Me How to Love You (Doveloveshawk)
Twenty Twenty Vision (Ampersand)
I Rearranged the House (Anotherhappyday)
Very Small pt 2 (Deeperdown)
Lights Out (Ersatzreal)
Blend (Soundingfall)
Never or Now (Splinterheart)
However, the Exec Producer advised “play happy-go-lucky” songs...
A new, Exec Producer inspired setlist was formulated, comprising:-
A Nice Job in a Small Town (Doveloveshawk)
The Crocodile Song (Deeperdown)
Blue Eyes Across the Room (Ersatzreal)
Splinterheart (Splinterheart)
Please Stay With Us (Soundingfall)
Dirty Men in a Red Car (Callingstill)
Perfectly Simple (Anotherhappyday)
...plus “upbeat” versions of:-
You Taught Me How to Love You (Doveloveshawk)
Twenty Twenty Vision (Ampersand)
Blend (Soundingfall)
...and, at the insistence of the Exec Producer’s:-
Never or Now (Splinterheart)
16 September 2010
Setlist...
Work today on backing tracks of older songs re possible inclusion in the Secret CDs set...
14 September 2010
Rare CBQ live date confirmed...
David will perform a 30 minute set at Secret CDs XXXVI on 3 November at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. This will be the first CBQ gig for almost a year to the day, CBQ having performed "Soundingfall" at Secret CDs XXIV in November 2009 with Peri Urban...
13 September 2010
Juxtaposition set ...
A new 80 minute set was devised and run through today, featuring songs from all eight CBQ albums - unclear whether this will lead to anything substantial...
A 2CD collection entitled "Juxtapostion" was also produced. It is not known if this will be released at some point...
09 September 2010
Backing track revamp II...
Having spent the last few days experimenting with removing elements of the "Splinterheart" backing tracks, today, much of the material removed over the course of this week has been reinstated...
08 September 2010
Backing track revamp...
More work in the studio today working on revamping live backing tracks...
07 September 2010
Songs dropped perhaps...
More work in the studio today on acoustic backing tracks resulted in the realisation that some of the "Spilnterheart" tracks won't work acoustically...
06 September 2010
Acoustic backing tracks...
Work in the studio today on acoustic backing tracks re possible live outings...
05 September 2010
Splinterheart rehearsals commence...
With the prospect of some live appearances over the Autumn in support of "Splinterheart", rehearsals commenced today...
31 August 2010 23:59
Splinterheart released today...
The eighth Cloudland Blue Quartet song-based album "Splinterheart" is released today. It features twelve new tracks including input from collaborators Peri Urban, Andy Wilson, Craig Sutherland, Sour Grapes Productions and Norman Lamont...
The LP is offered either as a free download or a Gatefold Sleeve CD Package priced £10 (P&P is free)...
Initial copies of the CD will include an 80 minute disc of remixes, none of which is available for download...
To purchase the CD Package, download the tracks or to listen, go to the dedicated "Splinterheart" website...
30 August 2010 23:59
Splinterheart Extras added...
Initial copies of the physical CD package of "Splinterheart" will include an 80 minute disc of remixes, none of which will be available for download...
The track list is as follows:-
The Killers at the Counter (Instrumental Mix I) 13:34 (aka "Flown I")
The Cage of Expectation (Instrumental Mix) 10:45 (aka "The Cage Sonata")
The Eternal Optimist (Instrumental Mix) 30:01 (aka "The Act Itself")
The Killers at the Counter (Instrumental Mix II) 13:34 (aka "Flown II")
Black Earth and the City Falls (Long Mix) 11:42 (aka "Black Earth Original Mix")
To purchase the CD Package, go to the dedicated "Splinterheart" website...
24 August 2010 23:59
Splinterheart cover finalised...
The cover for "Splinterheart" has been finalised following a couple of weeks' work. The CD will be housed in a cardboard gatefold sleeve with four illustrations - "flowers and sky" on the front sleeve, "splintered hearts" on the back sleeve, "skull" on the booklet front cover and an "illustrative collage" on the booklet back cover - the fold-out booklet includes full lyrics...
29 July 2010 23:59
New LP release confirmed as 31 August...
The release date for "Splinterheart" has been confirmed as 31 August, a month later than previously thought...
08 July 2010 23:59
New LP release likely to be 31 July...
The running order for the new CBQ LP is slightly amended with "Hurt Heart Hardened" (now retitled "Splinterheart") moving to pole position. Some fine tuning on the vocal for "The Apple of Your Eye pt 1" was also carried out this evening...
The finalised running order is:-
Splinterheart (3:10)
The Apple of Your Eye pt 1 (3:57) (with Peri Urban)
The Killers at the Counter (5:45)
Here They Come With the New Machines (6:11) (with Peri Urban)
The Eternal Optimist (4:49) (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont)
Krebs Went to War (5:48) (with Craig Sutherland)
The Foundling (3:25) (with Andy Wilson)
The Cage of Expectation (5:46) (with Peri Urban)
I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart (2:32)
Black Earth and the City Falls (6:03) (with Sour Grapes Productions)
The Apple of Your Eye pt 2 (3:07)
Never or Now (3:19)
Release date is likely to be 31 July...
28 June 2010 23:59
New LP finished...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album, "Splinterheart" is now finished and should be released in the summer of 2010. Work continues on the cover of the LP...
The running order has been finalised as follows:-
The Apple of Your Eye pt 1 (3:57) (with Peri Urban)
The Killers at the Counter (5:45)
Hurt Heart Hardened (3:10)
Here They Come With the New Machines (6:11) (with Peri Urban)
The Eternal Optimist (4:49) (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont)
Krebs Went to War (5:48) (with Craig Sutherland)
The Foundling (3:25) (with Andy Wilson)
The Cage of Expectation (5:46) (with Peri Urban)
I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart (2:32)
Black Earth and the City Falls (6:03) (with Sour Grapes Productions)
The Apple of Your Eye pt 2 (3:07)
Never or Now (3:19)
27 June 2010 23:59
Last Splinterheart session...
The last "Splinterheart" recording session took place today involving the final mix of "Hurt Heart Hardened"...
26 June 2010 23:59
Final song recorded...
"The Apple of Your Eye" pt 1 (the previous version now being dubbed pt 2) was written and recorded today, utilising further material provided by Peri Urban. This is the twelfth and, it seems, final track of the "Splinterheart" project...
Peri Urban will also now receive a co-credit on "The Cage of Expecation" with more of his contributions to the sessions being added to this track today, along with a "programmed artificial voice" sourced from an American University...
"Here They Come with the New Machines" was also given its final mix today, while the live backing tracks were amended to take account of recent developments...
25 June 2010 23:59
Re-recording and re-mixing...
Final touches now being added to the record with a new vocal being recorded for "Hurt Heart Hardened", some re-recording on "Here They Come With the New Machines" and "The Cage of Expectation" and remixing work on "The Eternal Optimist" all taking place today...
24 June 2010 23:59
Running order work...
The preparation for the new LP continues, with work over the last few days on the potential running order of the eleven tracks and David reporting on his blog that "The Cage of Expectation", described as "the least commercial CBQ track ever" is now in lead off position...
20 June 2010 23:59
Live backing tracks...
Reports from the studio that backing tracks re any "Splinterheart" supporting live dates, have been worked on...
19 June 2010 23:59
The apple of your eye...
Another new track emerged today, apparently based around a short extract from Bach's "Well Tempered Klavier". The song, entitled "The Apple of Your Eye" receives a dedication to David's dad on the blog...
13 June 2010 23:59
Cover work...
The last two days have seen work commence on the cover for the new LP, now entitled "Splinterheart"...
06 June 2010 23:59
New machines...
The new LP is evidently not finished, as David today produced the beginnings of the eleventh track, initially entitled "New Machines". The song features a rhythm bed supplied by collaborator, Peri Urban...
30 May 2010 23:59
LP finished?...
More work today on "Foundling", with synthesiser lines being added. A "final" version of the new LP has been created and now starts a period of intense listening as David decides whether or not the project can be declared "finished". There is still plenty of raw material at the studio which could be worked on and added to the current 40 minute album...
Latest Tracklisting:
The Killers at the Counter (previously "Flown")
Hurt Heart Hardened
The Eternal Optimist (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont) (previously "The Act Itself")
Never or Now
Krebs Went to War (with Craig Sutherland)
Foundling (with Andy Wilson)
The Cage of Expectation (previously "The Cage Sonata")
Cold Broken Heart
Black Earth (with Sour Grapes Productions)
Two working titles have so far appeared on david's blog, "Blackearthflown" and "Darklandsky"...
No release date has been set and a new song-based LP is not due from Cloudland Blue Quartet until 2011...
29 May 2010 23:59
New song Foundling...
David worked today on a 20 second guitar motif recorded last week with Andy Wilson. The resultant 3 minute song is entitled "Foundling" and becomes the ninth track on the proposed new LP...
24 May 2010 23:59
The eternal optimist...
Lyrics were written today for what was the Peri Urban/Norman Lamont based soundscape piece known variously as "The Act Itself", "Act IV" or "Act III". The song now goes by the title "The Eternal Optimist". In addition to this, the vocals for "Hurt Heart Hardened" were re-recorded, with the lyrics amended from 1st to 3rd person. More work on "Krebs went to War" was carried out too. Finally, "The Cage Sonata" is now a song entitled "Cage of Expectation" with lyrics having been written and recorded today...
23 May 2010 23:59
Remixing...
A session of mixing took place today, with work concentrated on "The Killers at the Counter". Word too from Oz that the Sour Grapes Remix of "Black Earth" is "nearly done"...
22 May 2010 23:59
Andy Wilson collaboration...
A new collaboration between David and his nephew Andy Wilson started today. Andy co-wrote some of CBQ's best songs on both 1999's "Doveloveshawk" and 2005's "Deeperdown". This is their first work together since Andy played in CBQ back in 2006 supporting the then upcoming "Erstazreal" LP...
09 May 2010 23:59
Killers work...
David worked in the studio today on "The Killers at the Counter", tightening up the originally improvised lyrics to give the song a more conventional structure. He advises on his blog however that, despite spending some considerable time on matters, he prefers the original "improvised" version...
30 April 2010 23:59
Oz waves...
The wav files for "Black Earth" have now arrived in Brisbane to allow Sour Grapes Productions to commence work on their proposed remix of the long version of the track...
29 April 2010 23:59
Killers at the counter...
"The Killers at the Counter" continues to take shape...
27 April 2010 23:59
Cage and Killers...
Work continued today with progress being made on the currently entitled "Cage Sonata" track along with lyric writing and singing on what was previosuly an instrumental track based on a Janacek piano piece, now tentatively tiotled "THe Killers"...
25 April 2010 23:59
More Soundscape Work...
David worked in the studio today on shorter versions of the three, currently, instrumental tracks created earlier this year. The full versions may appear on a bonus disc or single/EP at some point...
24 April 2010 23:59
New album taking shape...
David reports on his blog that he was in the studio again today working on "Krebs" and a new, fith song for the LP "Hurt Heart Hardened". He also reckons the new LP is shaping up nicely and goes as far as to post a provisional track listing. This is quick work and, with the album not due until next year, he appears to be well ahead of schedule...
Provisional Tracklisting:-
Flown (Instrumental)
I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart
Hurt Heart Hardened
The Cage Sonata (Instrumental)
Krebs Went to War (with Craig Sutherland)
Never or Now
The Act Itself (Instrumental) (with Peri Urban and Norman Lamont)
Black Earth (with Sour Grapes Productions)
23 April 2010 23:59
Krebs went to war...
David was back in te studio today working on a new song with co-writer on "Soundingfall", Craig Sutherland. The track, working title "Krebs Went to War" is the fourth song mooted for the next CBQ album...
18 April 2010 23:59
More soundscape work...
David firmed up the shape of the Lamont/Urban soundscape from yesterday - as with much of the material being produced at present, nothing has been posted for listening...
17 April 2010 23:59
Another new soundscape...
David worked on another new soundscape piece today, combining the work of Peri Urban and Norman Lamont, the latter stemming from a soundscape originally created last November and stumbled across again today in the studio...
14 April 2010 23:59
Peri Urban collaborations...
A new set of pieces from Peri Urban has arrived at Crispycat Studios and David will work on collaborations involving these over the coming weeks with a view to working up new songs and pieces for the next LP which is shaping up to be a collaborative effort with Sour Grapes, Edward Spark and, now, Peri Urban all contributing to the project...
13 April 2010 23:59
New CBQ Album Update...
David advises on his blog today he has six pieces for the next CBQ album, three songs, two soundscapes and the collaboration with Edward Spark - but also that these are very early days - a new album is not expected until 2011...
08 April 2010 23:59
CBQ and edward Spark 2010 work...
Work commenced today on the fourth new CBQ piece in recent weeks, a collaboration with Edward Spark, currently entitled "ES-013". The track has not been posted for listening...
04 April 2010 23:59
New CBQ Soundscape - Cage...
Another new soundscape was worked on a today in the studio, reportedly based around a John Cage piano sonata. As with yesterday's track, nothing has been posted for listening as yet...
03 April 2010 23:59
New CBQ Soundscape - Flown...
David worked on a new soundscape piece today, the last CBQ album of this type having been released just over four years ago. He reports in his blog that the track is based around a Janacek piano sonata. The track has not been posted for listening yet...
28 March 2010 23:59
Black Earth and the City Falls...
Is the title of a new CBQ song worked up in the studio today using samples provided by Sour Grapes Productions in Brisbane, Australia. David "met" the SGP via comments left on his blog. The first demos of the new track are up for audio sampling at the blog as at today's date...
21 March 2010 23:59
New CBQ Album Continues...
David was in the studio today working on some improvised bass lines over four of the rhytrhm tracks created thus far for the 2011 CBQ song-based album. The results were recorded in his blog as being "disappointing"...
14 March 2010 23:59
New CBQ Album Commences...
David made a very tentative start to the next CBQ project today, working initially on rhythm tracks...
24 January 2010 23:59
Rare CBQ Live Outing...
David played an impromptu set tonight at The Listening Room, featuring two tracks from the "Ersatzreal" album, "Lights Out" and "The End of Everything" which received an enthusiatic reception...
19 January 2010 23:59
Rare James Jamieson live set ...
James Jamieson returns to the live scene on Friday with a gig by his covers band at Leith Masonic Hall on Leith Walk, Edinburgh. Doors are at 7:30 with Jamie on at 8:45. Entry is £10 on the door...
2009
31 December 2009 23:59
Taking another break ...
As we come to the end of 2009, David is taking a break from CBQ duties for a while but there are plans for a new album in 2011 and for writing with Craig Sutherland, his sparring partner on "Soundingfall", and recent live accomplice, Peri Urban...
26 November 2009 23:59
New Lamont Soundscape...
David worked up a 24 minute track based on sounds provided by Norman Lamont via Norman's website and some soundscaping software also available at his site. At present there are no plans to release any of this...
04 November 2009 23:59
CBQ returns live tonight ...
David and Peri Urban play a ten song set tonight in support of the latest CBQ album "Soundingfall". A specially recorded acoustic version of the set is available on the music page...
17 October 2009 23:59
Secret CD XXIV Line Up Announced...
David will be making a rare live appearance, his first gig for twenty months, on Wednesday 4 November at the twenty fourth Secret CD night...
Secret CDs XXIV
The Phoenix Cellar Bar
48a Broughton Street
Edinburgh EH1 3SA
Doors 7:30pm
Entry £2/£1
The evening's line up will be:-
Jennifer Ewan
Cloudland Blue Quartet
Kim Edgar
David Ferrard
09 October 2009 23:59
CBQ live date coming up...
David will perform 10 songs at Secret CD XXIV twenty months on from his last full live set. On this occasion, he will be accompanied by fellow former Dancer of San Martino, Mr Peri Urban...
Starts at 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix Cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA £2/£1 entry...
05 October 2009 23:59
New CD - Acoustic Soundingfall...
A new CBQ CD, the seventeenth in the "souvenir" series, was recorded yesterday and is released today!
It is available on the Music Page or you can listen to or download it from the Crispycat Library (see Home Page). It will also be available in CD format at an upcoming rare (these days) live CBQ performance, details of which to follow...
The album contains eight acoustic re-workings of songs from "Soundingfall" plus the first versions of the two recently composed tracks, "Never or Now" and "I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart"...
02 October 2009 23:59
Cold broken heart...
The second new CBQ song for the next album was written today. Like "Never or Now", "I Walk to the Beat of a Cold Broken Heart" will no doubt appear on the follow up to "Soundingfall" sometime in 2010 or 2011...
05 September 2009 23:59
Never or now...
A new CBQ song emerged today and was demoed quickly in the studio. "Never or Now" will no doubt appear on the follow up to "Soundingfall" sometime in 2010 or 2011...
02 September 2009 23:59
Soundingfall remastered...
The remaster of Soundingfall arrived at Crispycat today. The album has been much improved by the sonic mastery of Mr Peri Urban and the re-release is set for October...
More details to follow...
22 August 2009 23:59
CBQ returns yet again...
David was able to play the guitar for the first time in almost three months, following his operation in early June...
19 August 2009 23:59
Soundingfall remaster ...
Ex-Dancer of San Martino and Youtube music star, Peri Urban has commenced a remaster of CBQ's latest album "Soundingfall". Results keenly anticipated...
9 June 2009 23:59
Another operation...
David underwent his third shoulder operation in 30 months today in an attempt to finally resolve the ongoing impingement of his right shoulder. As a consequence no live performances are envisaged until late Autumn at the earliest...
10 May 2009 23:59
"Soundingfall" release update...
A great response to the opening offer on the new CBQ CD has seen the first 50 copies of the album snapped up...
You can still get the album of course but it reverts to its normal £5 charge...
Full details of the LP are on the music page (P&P is Free as usual)...
4 May 2009 23:59
CBQ "Soundingfall" released...
The new Cloudland Blue Quartet album is released today and, to celebrate its coincidence with David' 50th birthday, we're giving away the first 50 copies free...
If you would like a free copy, e-mail david@crispycat.co.uk with your postal address and, if you're amongst the first 50 people to apply, your copy will be mailed out to you on the weekend of 9/10 May...
Full details of the album are on the music page where you can buy it for £5 (P&P is Free as usual)...
18 April 2009 23:59
CBQ hits fifty, releases new LP...
The last two weeks have seen final work on the new Cloudland Blue Quartet album come to a conclusion. All 13 tracks are available now for free download from the Crispycat Library as well as being available to hear on David's blog "Cloudland Blue - A Diary" - access to both these sites from the home page...
Release date for the physical CD is confirmed as 4th May 2009, coinciding with David' 50th birthday...
"Soundingfall" is the 243rd release in the Crispycat Catalogue and David's 63rd solo album of original material in the 32 years since his debut in September 1977...
This total reflects an extremely prolific early career though and "Soundingfall" is only his fifth song-based album of the last ten years and follows the success of "Callingstill" (1997), "Doveloveshawk" (1999), "Ampersand" (2002), "Anotherhappyday" (2003), "Deeperdown" (2005) and "Ersatzreal" (2007)...
Full details on the Music page...
4 April 2009 23:59
They Broke the Door Down...
...is the title of the thirteenth and last song to be written for the Soundingfall album which is now almost finished bar tweaking, remixing and cover design...
The song is available for free download from the Crispycat Library...
17 March 2009 23:59
Two more songs up and ready...
"So Long Kid" and "Non Industrial Catastrophe Blue", two new collaborations with Creek's Craig Surtherland (making five in total for the new LP), were posted to the Crispycat Library today for free download...
07 March 2009 23:59
10th song completed...
The 10th song of the "Soundingfall" project was posted to the Crispycat Library today for free download - "I Believed You Said We Dreamt"...
03 March 2009 23:59
4th live outing of the year...
Back to OOTB tonight before entering the final stages of recording and production on the new album, David debuted "Tomorrow or the Day After Next". Also in the three song set were two more from the upcoming LP, "We Drove" and "Blend"...
Review:
“Cloudland Blue Quartet
CBQ’s gentle sound is yet another good change in the atmosphere. I think there has been some higher force organising the programme tonight, as every act seems to have made an impact.
CBQ’s soft sound floats around the room and into the distance after every phrase, creating a very mellow and relaxing feel.
'I’ll see you around, don’t worry about the money, I waved to the car as you drove off'”.
His deep thoughts linger in everyone’s minds as he sings them out nicely.
'Don’t answer the call'
CBQ maintains a subtle but consistent drive throughout his songs, as vibrato creeps through his voice.
'When he comes into the room, one thing that strikes me is the tune'
He definitely makes up for his gentle voice by turning out deep and passionate lyrics that leave everyone lost in thought.
'Play dead when you feel nothing at all'”
17 February 2009 23:59
CBQ live again...
Another outing to OOTB for CBQ tonight as David attended the first night at its new venue at The Tron. David played "I Re-Arranged the House" from "Anotherhappyday" (2003), the first song he wrote specifically to play at OOTB and "This iS All There Is pt 1" from "Callingstill" (1997), the first song he played at OOTB...
Review:
"I seem to have landed in the mellow and reflective ending of a spectacular showcase of local music - proving that there is much more to contemporary music than mainstream audiences appreciate.
As evidenced by the following superb acts...
Cloudland Blue Quartet
The one man band that is David Reilly plays just a guitar this time, and lays bare how well-crafted his songs really are - he asks the audience (no, he's not on the 10 grand question!) to pick a number from 1 to 100...
"100"
"Let me put my arms around you...let me carry you away" he states, within the boundaries of his tightly focused, introverted pop and it's difficult not to be taken away by it...
Another number - and this time its..."3"
This appears to be about emptiness within a relationship, lost ghosts of it lingering, whilst he laments "if only I'd say goodbye".
Don't we all feel that way sometimes?
It's good to see David grace the hallowed ground that is the Tron - it's always a good sign when such good performers keep returning to us..."
16 February 2009 23:59
My Last Trip...
Song number nine of the new project hit the net today as David uploaded the third collaboration with Craig Sutherland for free download from the music library (see home page)...
31 January 2009 23:59
Tomorrow or the Day After Next...
This is the title of the eighth song to be added to the "Soundingfall" project. A demo is available for free download in the music library (see home page)...
22 January 2009 23:59
CBQ live again...
David returned to "Out of the Bedroom" again tonight. Two songs from the new album were performed "We Drove " and "Blend".
Review
"CBQ
CBQ changed the sound again with his melancholic but sweet voice.
“I glanced at my watch, it was time”, his gentle voice flowed through the audience as everyone contently followed his story.
He used a good bit of repetition then crept up the fret board creating an ambient sound, which I particularly liked.
It would be great to hear from him again, maybe, even with some harmonies."
12 January 2009 23:59
Virtual live performances mooted...
David started a new collaboration tonight with Pol Arida with a view to performing live in virtual world "Second Life" a situation which would allow CBQ to perform to listeners around the world direct to their home computers. More to follow...
11 January 2009 23:59
Work continues on "Soundingfall"...
David has spent the last three days working on "We Drove" and "Fire in the Clearing". the lastest versions are availablke for download from the Music Library (see homepage)
08 January 2009 23:59
CBQ live in 2009...
The first live outing of 2009 took place tonight as David made a tentative return to Out of the Bedroom, showcasing three of the songs intended for the 2009 album, "We Drove", "Please Stay With US" and "Blend".
Review
“Good to see CBQ back at OOTB, although this is the first time that I’ve seen him.
“We Drove”, is a hauntingly minimalistic narrative. I wasn’t entirely sure what the lyrics were about, but lines such as “I’ll see you around/ don’t worry about the money” were suitably evocative.
“Please Stay With Us” also had a unique lyrical style, narrating everyday occurrences in song, with an upbeat tempo. An interesting juxtaposition, but I did prefer the slightly more abstract take to lyric writing he adopted in the first song. Nothing wrong with versatility though.
“Blend” was a strong finish to the set. Fantastic chord permutations made the three chord progression sound new and refreshing, which is by no means easy. The lyrics speak of blending in with the crowd in the chorus, and there are some absorbing lyrical ideas on show.
Hope to hear him at OOTB again soon.”
2008
28 December 2008 23:59
Work continues on "Soundingfall"...
David is finishing off 2008 hard at work on the seven new songs written so far for the proposed new album. All the latest demos are in the Music library for free downlaod (See Homepage)...
22 December 2008 23:59
New CBQ Album in Production...
As of today, David has completed seven new songs as he progresses towards the creation of a new CBQ album for 2009. Working title is "Soundingfall". The tracks include two new collaborations with Creek's Craig Sutherland, "We Drove" and "The Fire in the Clearing" - the first CBQ/Sutherland co-writes since "Ampersand"'s "On a Clear Day" recorded in 2001...
16 December 2008 23:59
Creek creeking again at last...
Electronic improv quartet Creek have finally begun work on their new album, the follow up to 2004's "Somewhere Between"...
Recording commenced today based on rhythm beds created by Craig Sutherland which will be built up to full tracks by overdubs from Stuart Cobley, Alan Brodie and David...
30 November 2008 23:59
Anthology Completed...
The final volume of the 170 track, 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Ten covers the period 2005 to 2007 with tracks from the last two soundscape CDs to date (both from 2005) "Through the Day" and "Sospiri" plus the last two song based CDs "Deeperdown" and "Ersatzreal", including a couple of alternative versions....
This completes the anthology and it's now available as a 170 track, 10CD Set for the discounted price of £40 or as a 165 track MP3 CD for £10...
Full details are on the music page and all 170 tracks are also available as free downloads in the library (see homepage)...
16 November 2008 23:59
My House Could Be Your Home...
A new "jaunty" track is the latest to be written in the quest for a new CBQ song-based album. The latest demo version is available for download now from the libarary (see home page)
14 November 2008 23:58
Charlie Dootson, ex-Crazy Wisdom dies...
We learned today of the untimely death of David's colleague from the days of Crazy Wisdom, Charlie Dootson. Charlie was an integral part of the band between 1994 and 1998, collaborating on over 50 songs with the group and bringing to it his rock sensibilities and amazing guitar playing...
David's thoughts are on the blog here...
10 November 2008 23:58
More new CBQ music : Please Stay With Us / The Sound of the Fall Pts 1 & 2 (Downloads)
Following on from the download release of "Blend" last month, two further new songs have been added to the library, both written and recorded this weekend. They are both available for download in the libary (see homepage) under the 2009 album demos folder...
31 October 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Nine (2000-2004)
Nearly there! The penultimate volume of the 170 track, 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Nine covers the period 2000 to 2004 with tracks from "Ampersand" (a collection itself of recordings made in the "hiatus" period from 2000-2002), "Another Happy Day" (2003) (the whole album is included) and one track each from "File Under Electronica" (2003) and "04 04 04" (2004)....
In January 2003, David made a succesful return to live performance, with the period 2003/05 being particularly busy. Many of his most popular songs from that period ("I Rearranged the House", "Everything You've Ever Wanted", "Skylines Full of Cranes", "Twenty Twenty Vision", "Another Happy Day") are covered by this volume of the anthology, with more to come in Volume Ten next month...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
The final album in the set will be released on 30 November and, between now and then, a download a day of one track for each of the thirty years will be made available via David's Blog...
26 October 2008 23:58
Finally, some new CBQ music : Blend (Download)
With almost the whole of 2008 having been spent looking backwards, it's good to hear the first new song from Cloudland Blue Quartet since the end of the "Ersatzreal" sessions in June 2007. Available for download from today via David's Blog (Go here for the link to download), both this initial demo of the song, entitled "Blend", and a remix are available now in the library (see homepage)...
30 September 2008 23:58
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #3
Today sees the release of the final disc in a trilogy of companion EPs to last year's "Ersatzreal" album. This third disc features "Lights Out " from the album, together with three more tracks from the "Ersatzreal" sessions, "Go Away and Leave Me Here", "Ersatzreal (Alt Mix)" and "The Secret of My Success", none of which appears on the LP...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
30 September 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Eight (1998-1999)
The eighth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Eight contains 7 instrumentals from the albums "Semi Automatic", "Betonmusik" and "Reinhardt Richter Rosenquist" recorded in a spurt of creativity in the six months to June of 1999. At the same time David was recording his follow up to the mammoth 3CD set, "Callingstill", having taken up the acoustic guitar again for the first time since the very early days of his recording career. This volume also contains a whacking 10 songs from that album, "Doveloveshawk" (released on the last day of 1999) including future favourites like "A Nice Job in a Small Town", "You Taught Me How to Love You" and "Ten Twelve Seventeen"...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 August 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Seven (1997)
The seventh of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Seven comprises 18 songs from the "Callingstill Trilogy", recorded during 1996 and 1997 and which featured strongly in David's live sets of 1996, 1997 and 1998 before he gave up performing for almost five years. This volume contains some of CBQ's strongest work of his then 20 year "career" as an independent artist...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 July 2008 23:59
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #2
Today sees the release of the second in a trilogy of companion EPs to last year's "Ersatzreal" album. This second disc features "The Angels' Kiss" from the album, together with three more tracks from the "Ersatzreal" sessions, "A Happy Song", "The Golden House" and "I Still Write You Letters", none of which appears on the LP...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
The release of the third and final companion EP is scheduled for September this year...
31 July 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Six (1996-1997)
The sixth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. Disc Six sees the first appearance of the new name, Cloudland Blue Quartet, taken from the 1993 Heavenly Music Corporation album, "Cloudland Blue". Cloudland is a metaphor for heavenly, whilst the "blue" element refers to the downbeat nature of the music. Quartet of course is meant to symbolise the extensive use of overdubbing which allows many versions of the same person to appear on one recording. This volume of the anthology contains 16 tracks, is entirely instrumental and features ambient soundscapes, abrasive sky-saw guitar solos, calming synth pieces, raucous Neu! motorik beats and orchestral samples...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
30 June 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Five (1994-1995)
The fifth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. 86 tracks in, we are now half way through the release schedule. The fifth disc covers the years 1994 and 1995 featuring the albums "Kernelcrux", "Songs of the Sombre Reptiles Vol 2", "The Moveable Sky" and "Starcrossfix", the last Sombre Reptiles album. The collection comprises 16 songs and a soundscape. This volume highlights the best of what was a particularly productive period, with some excellent, thought-provoking lyrics, backed up by strong instrumental performances...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 May 2008 23:59
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #1
Today sees the release of David's first single since July 2005 in the shape of a new CBQ EP, the first in a series of three scheduled for release during 2008....
The three EPs are companions to last year's "Ersatzreal" album and this first disc features the lead off track from the album, "Blue Eyes Across the Room" together with three more tracks from the "Ersatzreal" sessions, "The Unfortunate", "Rabbits on the Verge" and "Waiting to Die", which don't appear on the LP...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent EPs are scheduled for July and September this year...
31 May 2008 23:58
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Four (1993-1994)
The fourth of ten volumes of the 170 track 30 Year Anthology is released today. This fourth disc covers the years 1993 and 1994 and, after last month's all song set, along with more classic songs, this month's volume contains some seminal ambient works including tracks from the album "Cloudland Blue", the banner under which, two years on, David would commence issuing his output, a project which has now been running for 12 years...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
16 May 2008 23:59
CBQ Live at Acoustic Idols '08
On Sunday night, David will open this year's Acoustic Idols Awards with two songs from his nominated CD, "Ersatzreal". The Acoustic Idols Awards 2008 will take place at The GRV, Guthrie St, Edinburgh on 18th May as part of the Edinburgh Rush Festival...
30 April 2008 23:59
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Three (1990-1993)
The third of ten volumes of this mammoth 30 Year Anthology is released today. This third disc takes us into the 90's with tracks from four Sombre Reptiles albums from 1990's "Crispysnatch" through to the retrospective "Songs of the Sombre Reptiles Vol 1"...
Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
31 March 2008 23:59
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume Two (1986-1989)
The second of ten volumes of this mammoth 30 Year Anthology is released today. This second disc takes us from 1986's "Poppies" through to the retrospective "Sombre Reptiles 1980-89" set, presenting some interesting archival material along the way, including tracks from the first three releases by The Heavenly Music Corporation. Full details are on the music page with free downloads available in the library (see homepage)...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
16 March 2008 23:59
FREE Downloads available now...
Crispycat now offers you FREE downloads. Head on over to the MP3 library to see what's available. Over the coming weeks and months we will be adding new tracks to create an extensive library of FREE MP3s.
Of course you can still purchase shiny silver discs with artwork and a box from our music page...
9 March 2008 23:59
FREE Downloads soon...
Crispycat will shortly offer FREE downloads. Over the coming weeks and months we will create an extensive library of MP3s but of course you will still be able to purchase shiny silver discs with artwork and a box from our music page - more on this development soon...
5 March 2008 23:59
Cloudland Blue Quartet returns live tonight...
Cloudland Blue Quartet plays a 30 minute set tonight, his first full set for seven months and his first since the release of "Ersatzreal" last October. David, accompanied by James Jamieson, will play eight songs from the album using backing tracks to get the full band sound of the original LP...
Starts at 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix Cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA £2/£1 entry - CBQ on at 8pm sharp...
3 March 2008 23:59
New CD : Cloudland Blue Quartet - Souvenir XVI Ersatzreal Live
Today we release the latest in the series of Limited Edition Souvenir Discs from Cloudland Blue Quartet. Souvenir XVI is a studio creation which presents 20 songs in a live setting representing the twenty odd live outings featuring material from CBQ's latest album from 2005-2008. As the sleeve notes say, "These performances weren't recorded but, had they been, they might well have sounded a little like this"...
Initial copies will be given away free with copies of "Ersatzreal" on sale at the Secret CDs gig on Wed 5 March (see below). Full details and listening facility on the music page (shortly)...
29 February 2008 23:59
New CD : David Reilly Anthology 1977-2007 Volume One (1977-1986)
The first of ten volumes of the much mooted 30 Year Anthology is finally released today. This first disc takes us from "The Drone Effect" in 1977 through to six songs from the 1986 album "Poppies", presenting some interesting archival material along the way, including early experimental ambient and electronic tracks. Full details and listening facility on the music page ...
Subsequent volumes will be released on the last day of each month between now and the end of November 2008...
28 February 2008 18:23
Low key warm up for CBQ...
Cloudland Blue Quartet returned to Out of the Bedroom tonight to play a three song set for the first time since last April. A short warm up for next Wednesday's outing, David played "Blue Eyes Across the Room", "The End of Everything" and "Starting to Worry"...
Review : “OOTB old-schooler CBQ headed off proceedings with a dreamy number recalling how he "fell for [her] blue eyes across the room"
Then "The End of Everything", which raises the tempo a bit, and promptly sends me spiralling into melancholic 'if only I’d known then what I know now' desperation. Ah, you can’t beat a bit of misery, I always say.
The third song transports us to a continental cafe; sipping coffee and watching the world go by under the setting sun. It was quite beautiful.”
19 February 2008 22:43
CBQ plays "Ersatzreal" live...
Cloudland Blue Quartet will play live for the first time since last August (and his first full set since last July), when David and Jamie take to the stage at the latest Secret CDs showcase on Wed 5 March, where the set will feature eight songs from the latest album. Starts at 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA £2/£1 entry - also appearing Hannah O'Reilly, The Angel Conversations and Fanattica...
06 February 2008 20:18
New CD : James Jamieson - Precious (Revised Edition)
Today sees the release of the 2008 Revised Edition of James Jamieson's 2004 album "Precious - full details and listening facility on the music page (shortly). Note that the original version is now deleted...
03 February 2008 11:59
JJ's Precious Revised & Reissued...
James Jamieson's late 2004 release on Crispycat, "Precious" has been expanded from 10 to 18 tracks and will be re-released shortly. This revised edition now features bonus tracks comprising home demos recorded between 2005 and 2008 and initial copies will be on sale at Jamie's Secret CDs showcase on Wed 6 February, where his set will feature four of these new songs as well as tracks from the original album...
28 January 2008 11:59
CBQ and James Jamieson return to the stage...
James Jamieson will play a Secret CDs showcase on Wed 6 February at Secret CD III from 7.30 p.m. in The Phoenix cellar bar, 48a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA. Meanwhile Cloudland Blue Quartet will showcase songs from "Ersatzreal" at the same venue for Secret CD IV on 5 March...
2007
8 December 2007 11:59
Thirty Year Anthology...
Compilation of the long awaited 30 year anthology was finally completed today. Likely release date will be Spring 2008 and the set will be availabele as 10 CDs along with a double CD split between songs and sounds...
19 November 2007 11:59
CBQ CDs available from Secret...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's "Ersatzreal" is now available from Secret CDs, a new venture set up recently by Jim Igoe co-founder of Out of the Bedroom. From December, monthly gigs will take place in Edinburgh to showcase the artists involved. It is hoped David will be able to play in early 2008...
15 October 2007 11:59
CBQ Op a success...
David's second shoulder op in just under a year was deemed a success today. This means however he will be out of action for a further three to four months during recouperation...
09 October 2007 00:01
CBQ Operation postponed...
David has been out of action since September awaiting an operation on his shoulder, which was to have taken place today. The operation is postponed till 15 October...
08 October 2007 00:01
CBQ & Creek OUT NOW...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's "Ersatzreal" and Creek's "1.0.0" are out now - listen to them on the music page - where you can also find details of how to purchase the CDs...
07 October 2007 08:47
Listen to Creek's New Album...
Creek's new anthology to celebrate 10 years of the band, "1.0.0" is out Monday 8 October...
You can listen to ten minute excerpts from each of the four discs included in the set by clicking on the "listen" buttons over on the Music page...
06 October 2007 08:10
Listen to CBQ's New Album...
Cloudland Blue Quartet's new album, "Ersatzreal" is out Monday 8 October...
You can listen to each of the eleven tracks in their entirety by clicking on the "listen" buttons next to each title over on the Music page...
30 September 2007 09:54
New albums from CBQ & Creek...
Monday 8 October will see the release of two new albums on Crispycat.
Firstly, a four CD anthology by Electronic Improvisational Quartet, Creek to celebrate the band's tenth aniversary. As the title, "1.0.0", suggests, the set contains 100 tracks and covers Creek's entire output to date, from their formation in June 1996 right up to their last recordings eight years later. The group is currently working on new material for release in 2008...
Secondly, the long-awaited release of Cloudland Blue Quartet's new song-based album "Ersatzreal". The result of two years' songwriting and recording, the album follows on from the success of CBQ's last two outings, 2003's "Anotherhappyday" and 2005's "Deeperdown"....
Full details and tracklistings for both releases are on the Music page...
29 September 2007 05:27
Upcoming deletions...
As has always been the way at Crispycat, an annual cull of the available catalogue is about to take place. Ten currently available recordings will be deleted on Thursday 4 October:-
Cloudland Blue Quartet Songs of the Sombre Reptiles Vol 5
Cloudland Blue Quartet The End Of Everything (EP)
CBQ & James Jamieson Live at the Roxy
CBQ/James Jamieson/Creek/Edward Spark Calling Card #4 (this will mark the end of our long-running "free cd" campaign)
Cloudland Blue Quartet The Acoustic Deeperdown
Cloudland Blue Quartet The Acoustic Ersatzreal (in anticipation of the release of the full band "Ersatzreal")
Cloudland Blue Quartet Best of CBQ 1996-2006 (in anticipation of the release of the upcoming Anthology)
Cloudland Blue Quartet Souvenir XIII : 01 03 07
Cloudland Blue Quartet Souvenir XIV : 09 06 07
Cloudland Blue Quartet Souvenir XV : 29 07 07
27 September 2007 17:54
James Jamieson recording soon...
Word has reached Crispycat Towers that James Jamieson will be "in the studio" in late October working on a new album. Likely to have a more organic feel to it than 2004's "Precious", it will feature the new material JJ has been road-testing this year...
23 September 2007 06:41
Creek for 2008 ...
With the upcoming release of their 4CD anthology "1.0.0" comes the news that Creek, the laziest band in the world, have started work on new music for release in 2008, following on from their last release, 2004's "Somewhere Between". Probably best not to watch this space - but more news as we get it....
08 September 2007 17:54
New Releases "imminent"...
Crispycat is pleased to advise that the release of both CBQ's new studio album "Ersatzreal" and a 10 CD Anthology (along with single disc sampler and single disc MP3 version containing all but 24 minutes of the full package) will be released in the very near future. David has pronounced "Ersatzreal" to be "finished" and is now working on the cover - it will be released prior to the Anthology set...
30 August 2007 08:47
Rare Jamieson Live Set...
James Jamieson played a very rare 30 minute set tonight as featured special guest at Out of the Bedroom. Read the review here. CBQ also played one song...
29 August 2007 16:39
Anthology being prepared...
The preparation of a 30 year Anthology commenced today in earnest with David trawling through "hundreds of tracks" to personally select a representative tracklisting from September 1977 to the present day...
22 August 2007 20:19
CBQ & JJ at "Megamike"...
CBQ and James Jamieson will play at Megamike on Monday 28 August at Lindsays on Brunswick St in Edinburgh (http://www.laughinghorse.co.uk/lindsays.htm), to mark the end of this year's Fringe Festival. From 8:30pm through to the early hours of the morning, over 30 different acts are set to play...
29 July 2007 9:18
Ltd Edition CD "Souvenir XV" released today...
As is now the norm for the ever more rare full set outings by CBQ, Crispycat releases the latest in CBQ's "Souvenir" series today. The disc contains all 17 songs to be performed over the two gigs on 29 07 07. The album feautures six previously unreleased versions of songs from the forthcoming album "Ersatzreal" as well as tracks from "Callingstill", "Doveloveshawk", "Ampersand", "Anotherhappyday", "Deeperdown" and "The Acoustic Ersatzreal"...
29 July 2007 9:16
CBQ at the Listening Room...
David has accepted a very late invitiation to headline The Listening Room tonight (at The Ble Blazer, Spittal St, Edinburgh) - making it two gigs in one day. This will be a 45 minute acoustic set from CBQ featuring seven of the nine songs being performed at The Aberdour Festival on the Silver Sands this lunchtime, along with another eight, mostly from the new, still to be released album "Ersatzreal".
20 July 2007 23:54
CBQ to play Aberdour Festival...
David has been invited to play a set at the Aberdour Festival in, erm, Aberdour (Fife) next Sunday (29/7/07). The format will be similar to the SQF festival in June (see below) although it's likely that the CBQ set this time out will only feature songs from the forthcoming "Ersatzreal" album and will exclude any oldies. Backing tracks will be used and rehearsals are in full swing.
13 July 2007 23:59
Another impromptu set ...
David played two songs tonight at the invitation of Stuart Clark during the latter's set at The Nicol Edwards Bar in Edinburgh. Rather the worse for wear after a day spent drinking, he still manged to pull of reasonable renditions of old favourites "This is All There Is" and "Twenty Twenty Vision". Thanks to Stuart Clark.
17 June 2007 23:56
New album progress report...
After a lay off of around nine weeks, David was back in the studio over the weekend doing some re-recording of various vocals and tweaking some elements of the backing tracks on the 20 songs due to appear later this year on the new CBQ album, "Ersatzreal".
09 June 2007 19:42
CBQ Live at SQF...
David played in South Queensferry today as part of the Ferry Fringe. A six song 20 minute set was played featuring one song each from"Callingstill", "Doveloveshawk", "Ampersand", "Anotherhappyday", "Deeperdown" and "Ersatzreal", all of which should be included in the planned anthology. The special edition Souvenir CDs (the fourteenth in this ongoing series) were snapped up. The performance, which used backing tracks, was deemed a success.
15 May 2007 17:29
30 Year Anthology...
This September will see the thirtieth anniversary of David's first recordings (see Full Discography on the Music Page). To celebrate this, an extensive anthology is planned and David has been taking time away from the Ersatzreal project to begin work on the anthology.
22 April 2007 11:13
Provisional album tracklist...
The new CBQ song-based album is taking shape and comes nearer to completion with every passing day. This is likely to be the longest CBQ album since the triple CD set "Callingstill" released in 1997.
At present, David is working on 20 tracks and has provided the following provisional track-listing for the the double LP length album...
Side One (17:08)
Ersatzreal pt 1 3:36
A Happy Song 3:57
The Angels’ Kiss 3:33
Rabbits on the Verge 3:08
He Thinks of You 2:54
Side Two (20:33)
The Unfortunate 3:20
Blue Eyes Across The Room 3:32
I Still Write You Letters 4:28
Waiting To Die 5:16
Another Piece of Cake 3:57
Side Three (19:13)
The Luckiest Man Alive 4:50
The Golden House 3:35
Go Away and Leave Me Here 3:34
Starting to Worry 3:24
The Secret of My Success 3:50
Side Four (20:52)
The Angels Took His Soul 3:18
Lights Out 4:21
The End of Everything 3:57
No Concrete Idea 4:42
Ersatzreal Pt 2 4:34
Work in progress versions of four of these tracks can be found on the CBQ MySpace site...
12 April 2007 11:13
Impromptu performance...
David made his first open-mic appearance at Out of the Bedroom tonight since last July, playing three songs from his forthcoming album. New song "The Angels' Kiss" was given its live debut in a set which also featured "The End of Everything" and "Starting to Worry"...
Review:-
Cloudland Blue Quartet: A self confessed Gentle Giant fan, prolific songwriter and as it turns out a pyromaniac (“I just need one match!”), CBQ started surprisingly strongly and stridently with “The Angels’ Kiss”, a kind of narrative car crash piece complete with “angels turning their backs” et al.
“Starting to Worry” is possibly based on the Matrix or some other existential type film or story or plot were reality is blurred by drugs and man’s inhumanity to man and perhaps also by a nice nurse. Memory is lost and it’s all rather grim for the poor chap in the hospital bed as in true Roxy Music style CBQ rather disturbingly creates pictures right there inside your own head you’d rather weren’t there.
CBQ ends this sprightly set with “The End of Everything”, a song inspired by a car/house/garage sale in Armadale. In reality it was probably “the end of our marriage” (you may like to try that some day) and how things sometimes just don’t work out.
03 April 2007 22:53
New album underway ...
Following the brief return to live performance at the start of March, David has now gone back to the studio to work on the new CBQ album "Ersatzreal" in earnest. Two newly composed songs, "The Angels' Kiss" and "Lights Out" have been added to the ever expanding track list and much burning of the midnight oil is taking place as the sessions continue into April...
04 March 2007 15:15
Bands Page updated...
New notes have been added to the Bands Page taking the history up to 1984 - more to follow...
03 March 2007 16:05
Full discography added to Music Page...
David's full discography from his first solo recordings back in September 1977 right through to "Souvenir XIII" has now been added to the music page...
02 March 2007 08:35
CBQ's account of live return...
David has updated his blog with his account of the return to live performance for CBQ after a break of six months. Read it here...
And here's the OOTB Review:-
I consider it an act of genius to have the main act on in the 9 o’clock hour. The evening proves to be paced better because of this. Hope it will continue.
Alright, CBQ is a well-oiled machine, a proper band with two guitarists, a pianist and a drum machine. Singer/writer David Reilly has a mature, straightforward approach to his tunes.
“The End of Everything” is soaked in loss of love. Nice dynamic chord structure.
Insecurity about the purpose of life and the idea of a god above seep through the bars of “No Concrete Idea.” Thoughtful song that asks, “If there’s a god above, why does he not proclaim his love?” CBQ sounds a bit like The Eagles when guitarist James Jamieson adds some soft “ooohs.”
“He Thinks of You” decries too much torture and torment.
“Go Away and Leave Me Here” kicks in with a clever drum intro and carries a great beat. Now I’m thinking of good vibrations ala Beach Boys, but is it just that I’ve had too many good libations? Hard to say, but Reilly’s voice is really soothing.
“Blue Eyes Across the Room” is the best song. I recall the doo-wop era hit “Last Kiss” remade by Pearl Jam a few years ago. And it’s a treat to hear grown men singing in solid harmony.
“I Rearranged the House” makes me swear The Church are touring again. (I hear they are.) And then a nearby bloke remarks, “Pretty good elevator music.”
Tattooed keyboardist Andy Wilson playing such melodic, sweet tones creates a disarming juxtaposition in the band.
“The Angel Took His Soul” is really his song to shine.
The last two tracks share themes of lover’s discomfort or, worse, facing the weepy truth that it’s o-v-e-r.
27 February 2007 23:04
CBQ Live 01/03/07 @ 9:15...
Thursday's 30 minute set has been confirmed as 9:15 till 9:45 - entry is free and there will be open mic slots from 8pm onwards. The 13th in the CBQ "Souvenir" series, the first since September 2004, will be available on the night. The limited edition 30 minute EP is a brand new recording containing studio versions of the setlist ...
21 February 2007 23:47
Live return set for 1 March...
A one off gig by Cloudland Blue Quartet has been confirmed at Out of the Bedroom in the Cannon's Gait on Edinburgh's Royal Mile on Thursday 1st March. The line up will include James Jamieson on guitar and Andy Wilson on keyboards and David will be performing songs from his forthcoming album, along with a couple of oldies. The night starts at 8 with CBQ likely to be onstage around 9:30 or 10 pm for a 30 minute set...
15 February 2007 23:39
CBQ Live again soon...
Rehearsals with James Jamieson commenced last night for a possible one off showcase set in March at Edinburgh songwriters' club Out of the Bedroom. The set is likely to comprise mostly songs from the upcoming "Ersatzreal" album, for which sessions are continuing on an almost daily basis in the Crispycat Studio.
20 January 2007 21:39
Studio work and rehearsing...
David returned to the studio today, following its recent revamp, and started work on pre-production for the next song-based CBQ CD, "Ersatzreal", an acoustic version of which was released last summer. Since then, five new songs have been added to the project, bringing the total to fifteen. In addition, this week, rehearsals have been taking place to prepare for a possible return to live performance...
15 January 2007 20:13
MySpace Updated...
Three new CBQ recordings have been added to the Cloudland Blue Quartet MySpace page - check them out now...
13 January 2007 17:06
Return of CBQ...
Following an operation on his shoulder in early November, David played guitar today for the first time since September which bodes well for a possible return to live performance in 2007...
01 January 2007 14:58
Happy New Year From Crispycat...
Crispycat Recordings wishes everyone a happy and healthy new year and thank you for your continued support. Look out for new releases from Cloudland Blue Quartet throughout 2007...
2006
News from March to December 2006 wil be added shortly...
25 February 2006 | Ian Sclater Final Mix
David spent some time in the studio today carrying out what is hoped will be the final mixing on the Ian Sclater album, "It's Weird In Here".
22 February 2006 | CBQ to Produce "Out of the Bedroom Vol IV"
David has been retained by Out of the Bedroom to record and produce the fourth in their series of compilation albums. In 2004 David recorded and produced two albums for the club, "Open House" and "Out of the Bedroom Volume III". The new collection will feature 16 of the best songwriters currently performing regularly at the club. Cloudland Blue Quartet's "Skylines Full of Cranes" featured on "Open House" while James Jamieson's song "Why Billy Why" was included in "OOTB Vol III".You can buy these albums here: http://www.outofthebedroom.co.uk/newootb/shop/shop_home.htm. Both David and Jamie also appear on the 2CD collection from OOTB entitled "Out of Bounds" released to coincide with the week long run of shows at the 2005 Edinburgh Fringe.
19 February 2006 | Ian Sclater Rework
Ian Sclater visited Crispycat today to carry out some minor changes to his album "It's Weird In Here". It had been thought the sessions were finished back in December but, having lived with the record for a couple of months, Ian has decided on some amendments.
18 February 2006 | Very Ltd CBQ CD
David was in the studio today recording a new acoustic version of "Skylines Full of Cranes" and a third and final version of Lindsay West's "Do As Others Do". Both will be included on an "artist only" CD which will be given to Lindsay as a thank you for allowing CBQ to cover her song at OOTB 200.
16 February 2006 | CBQ & James Jamieson at OOTB 200
CBQ performed live tonight for the first time since October 2005, playing "Skylines Full of Cranes" and a cover of Lindsay West's "Do As Others Do" which he learned and recorded a couple of versions of over the last few days. The occasion was the 200th Out of the Bedroom. James Jamieson also played, performing a new song "The Morning After" from his forthcoming EP and a cover of CBQ's "You Taught Me How To Love You" from the album "Doveloveshawk". Reviews to follow.
05 February 2006 | Possible Live Return for CBQ
David rehearsed a few songs today for a possible return to live performance following breaking his ankle back in November.
03 February 2006 | Creek 10th Anniversary
Creek convened today via the internet to discuss possible new projects and the tenth anniversary of the four piece electronic improvisational band which occurs in June this year.
23 January 2006 | New Material from James Jamieson
James Jamieson is working on an EP of new material set for release on Crispycat in the Spring.
20 January 2006 | CBQ Album Commenced
David took the first tentative steps towards writing some new songs for what may become the 2006 CBQ song based album.
02 January 2006 | Calling Card #4 Now Available
The fourth in the Calling Card series of free sampler CD's is released today. It contains one track from each of the latest 11 CDs available from Crispycat. Full tracklisting now on the music page.
02 January 2006 | CBQ Sospiri - New Album Released
Crispycat releases a new album from CBQ today. Elements of Elgar’s Opus 70, "Sospiri", are placed into three separate collages, along with various "outside" elements. Each collage is built upon a bedrock of reversed held chords to which are added various sombre phrases and sound effects to produce a hauntingly original three movement piece
2005
27 December 2005 | New CBQ Sound Collage work
David spent the day in the studio working on orchestral collages based on a piece by Edward Elgar.
28 November 2005 | Three New Albums Released Today
Crispycat releases three new CDs today:
0510 Cloudland Blue Quartet & James Jamieson - Live at the Roxy 14 July 2005
0511 Cloudland Blue Quartet - Through The Day: Soundscapes 2005
0512 Cloudland Blue Quartet - Deeperdown
Full details, tracklistings and streamable tracks available on the Music page.
27 November 2005 | Ian Sclater Update
With the exception of perhaps one or two phrases, the vocal tracks on the Ian Sclater project are now complete following a session at Crispycat today. The project now moves on to the mixing stage.
24 November 2005 | Accident Rules Out Live Dates
David suffered a broken ankle last night while playing football. Whilst the release dates of the albums "Deeperdown", "Through the Day" and "Cloudland Blue Quartet & James Jamieson Live at the Roxy" will not be affected, there will be no live dates in support of the albums.
23 November 2005 | Edward Spark Remixes
David is now working on a remix for Edward Spark.
21 November 2005 | Various EPs To Be Deleted
In preparation for the imminent release of the new CBQ album, "Deeperdown" the following CBQ 5 track EPs are being deleted with effect from 30 November 2005:
Love and War
The Crocodile Song
Half A Lifetime Away
Very Small
The Gardener
Anything But Ill
Where Are You
There is a very limited stock of these left at £1 each. The versions of the Deeperdown songs contained on the EPs are different to those on the forthcoming album.
20 November 2005 | Ian Sclater Update
A further Ian Sclater session today saw the majority of the vocal tracks finished off.
20 November 2005 | Deeperdown Review
A pre-release review of "Deeperdown" has appeared on the Out of the Bedroom website:
"This is very good.
Fifteen songs, catchy and poppy with a superb production.
CBQ's been working on this for, well, ages but it's well worth the effort.
The opener 'Love and War' surges in on surging, shiny guitars, and the other tracks follow breathlessly (he's left a much shorter space than usual between the tracks, which is a nice touch), and don't let up till the slower numbers in the middle.
For something that's a one-man production, there's a fine band feel to it and the best feature, to my mind, is lots and lots of backing vocals, both harmonies and oooh-la-la-las, all beautifully executed.
I've always known CBQ could turn out a good tune, but live there often seemed to be a lack of variety in the guitar strums and they didn't come alive to the extent they do here.
Take 'Crocodile Song' for example - if you've ever liked it live, it's worth the (cheap) price of this album for the track alone.
Melody, energy, a sense of fun and great playing.
Highly recommended."
Release date is still to be finalised.
09 November 2005 | Deeperdown Update
First pre-release copies of the three new Crispycat CDs have been produced.
09 November 2005 | Artwork Work
Today saw work carried out on the artwork for the new CBQ Soundscapes CD and final mastering of "Deeperdown".
07 November 2005 | James Jamieson Demos New Songs
James Jamieson has been working on new recordings for his next album, follow up to last years "Precious". Demoed so far are "Ribbons of Pride", "The First Line" and a cover of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World"
06 November 2005 | Three New CDs Upcoming From Crispycat
Three new CDs are now ready for release form Crispycat, CBQ's new Soundscape album "Through The Day", CBQ & James Jamieson's "Live at the Roxy" and CBQ's long awaited new song-based CD, "Deeperdown". Full details to follow.
06 November 2005 | Ian Sclater Update
The final sessions for the Ian Sclater project are now taking place with David and Ian now concentrating on lead and backing vocals.
05 November 2005 | Ian Sclater Update
David recorded four backing tracks today for the Ian Sclater album.
31 October 2005 | Deeperdown Promo Medley
For promo purposes, David today put together an 8 minute "medley" of the fifteen tracks to appear on the new album.
30 October 2005 | Ian Sclater Update
A further session took place today on the upcoming Ian Sclater CD. David spent time round at Ian's place where they worked on four new songs for the album.
29 October 2005 | CBQ Cooper Project
As a diversion to the work on "Deeperdown" CBQ has started another project a possible covers only disc featuring the songs of Alice Cooper!!
27 October 2005 | Deeperdown Update
Track markers were added to the master of the new album today and the first test CD was burned.
25 October 2005 | Deeperdown Update
A playback of the supposed final mix of "Deeperdown" took place today following the re-recording of the final vocal track. Thereafter, the final running order was slightly realigned with small amendments to the cross-fades and track changeovers.
24 October 2005 | Deeperdown Update
The final mixes of the album were completed tonight but one lead vocal track has become corrupted on the computer and will need to be re-recorded. Running order was finalised and between track cross-fades carried out.
It is now one year to the day since the newest song on the album was written. The, as yet, only 2005 CBQ song, "The End of Everything", will now appear on the follow up to "Deeperdown".
23 October 2005 | Deeperdown Update
David spent another day in the studio, this time cutting and pasting vocal tracks already recorded and trying out a number of different initial mixes on tracks.
22 October 2005 | Deeperdown Update
Final vocal tracks are being recorded and sound effects are being added to the backing tracks as "Deeperdown" draws ever closer to completion.
20 October 2005 | CBQ Live
David took a break from the studio to venture out to Out of the Bedroom, where he played three songs from the new album, "Still We Doubt You", "The Gardener" and "Anything But Ill".
David wrote the review. His thoughts on his own performance were as follows:
"My performance, from my perspective, was not great, although the reception was. It took a minute or so to get the guitar in tune - the two OOTB house guitars are very expensive, good looking machines but they are notoriously easily knocked out of tune...
So the factors which counted against a good performance were:
Out of tune guitar
Lack of practise
Fingers which, through lack of recent playing, quickly became sore
Sore left arm (I fell up the stairs the other day due to ill-fitting sandals - don't ask - exacerbating a chronic condition)
My inability to hold a guitar properly whilst sitting down
A rather high action on the chosen guitar in comparison with that which I'm used to on my own guitars
General rubbishness...
Despite all this, since the audience was so generous, I still enjoyed it...."
16 October 2005 | Deeperdown: The Final Push
Work has started in earnest on the final recording sessions for CBQ's new song-based album "Deeperdown" the follow up to 2003's "Anotherhappyday". The music tracks are complete and David is now concentrating on vocals.
09 October 2005 | CBQ & JJ Live Album Due
David is in the studio working on the digital editing of the CBQ and James Jamieson live sets from the Roxy gig in July.
05 October 2005 | Edward Spark Released Monday
She Don't Like Techno EP is the long awaited debut release from Crispycat new boy Edward Spark. The CD features seven brand new tracks, including the catchy Summertime In Lanah. She Don't Like Techno EP is released on Monday 10th of October and Crispycat are taking pre-orders now on the Order page.
26 September 2005 | Upcoming New Releases
The following new releases will be added to the Crispycat catalogue "soon"...
New Singles:
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Live EP
James Jamieson - Live EP
Creek - 06 06 05 EP
Edward Spark - She Don't Like Techno EP
Clouland Blue Quartet - Soundscapes EP
New Albums:
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Soundscapes
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Anthology 1977-2005 (2CD)
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Deeperdown
More news on these soon.
03 September 2005 | Austrian Trip
David and Anne are off to the Austrian Lakes and Mountains returning 12 September.
25 August 2005 | Live - A Rare Occurence
David, Jamie and Andy played an eight song set to a very appreciative audience tonight at OOTB's Fringe show, Out of Bounds. The set list was:
A Nice Job In A Small Town
Half A Lifetime Away
Snowfall
The Gardener
Twenty Twenty Vision
The Crocodile Song
Very Small
The End Of Everything
Read David's account here http://crispycat-recordings.blogspot.com/2005/08/nervous-tension.html.
24 August 2005 | Rehearsals For Out of Bounds
And tonight David had his one and only rehearsal with Andy Wilson. The trio will play the gig having never actually played the set together.
23 August 2005 | Rehearsals For Out of Bounds
David had his one and only rehearsal with Jmaes Jamieson tonight for the upcoming CBQ eight song set at OOTB's Out of Bounds.
21 August 2005 | James Jamieson Live
James Jamieson played a seven song set to a very appreciative audience tonight at OOTB's Fringe show, Out of Bounds. Read David's account here http://crispycat-recordings.blogspot.com/2005/08/excessive-use-of-paper.html.
16 August 2005 | Rehearsals For Out of Bounds
The James Jamieson Trio had their one and only pre gig run through of the set tonight.
15 August 2005 | Rehearsals For Out of Bounds
David met with nephew Andy Wilson tonight to teach him the seven songs for JAmes Jamieson's upcoming set at Out of the Bedroom's Out of Bounds Fringe Shows.
11 August 2005 | CBQ & James Jamieson Live
David and Jamie each played three song sets tonight to a great reception at Out of the Bedroom. Jamie played new song "Ribbons of Pride" solo and "King's Country" and "Trash Can Secrets" accompanied by David, while the three man CBQ (David, Jamie and Andy Wilson) played "The Crocodile Song", "Very Small" and "Half a Lifetime Away".
Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 177.
Read David's account here - http://crispycat-recordings.blogspot.com/2005/08/mussolini-and-crutches.html.
08 August 2005 | Ambient Sessions
David completed the sessions tonight for the proposed new soundscapes CD from CBQ. No release date has been fixed as yet.
06 August 2005 | Crispycat Tracks On A New Compilation
Crispycat has contributed two tracks to a new double CD set to be issued by Out of the Bedroom for their "Out of Bounds" Fringe Shows which will run from 20 - 26 August at Lamb's House in Leith. The CBQ track, "Very Small" recorded live in June 2004, features James Jamieson on acoustic guitar and Andy Wilson on piano, reflecting the proposed CBQ line up for their set due to take place at 9.25 on Thursday 25 August. James Jamieson performs a set with the same line up on Sunday 20th at 10.10. Jamie has contributed a new song, "Welcome to This World" to the compilation. It was recorded at last month's "Live at the Roxy" gig. Several other tracks on the set were produced by David during the sessions for the OOTB CDs "Open House" and "OOTB III" in 2004.
02 August 2005 | Follow Up to 04 04 04
Work commenced today on the follow up to last year's ambient CBQ release "04 04 04". The music will be mostly guitar based. More soon.
01 August 2005 | Left Bank Gig Cancelled
David has taken the decision to cancel the gig at the Left Bank in Edinburgh on 16 August due to problems with the promoter. Meanwhile, August dates at Out Of The Bedroom are confirmed - James Jamieson will play on Sunday 21 at 10:10pm and David will play on Thursday 25 at 11:35pm.
29 July 2005 | New Creek Recordings
David is working on post-production of the recordings made at the last Creek session in early June.
27 July 2005 | CBQ Live Set
David played a solo set at OOTB last night - review here - read his own account here -
http://crispycat-recordings.blogspot.com/2005/07/jazz-americana-space-and-performance.html
Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 175
26 July 2005 | Festival Rehearsals Commence
A three man CBQ rehearsed tonight at Andy Wilson’s place. An eleven song set is being prepared, mostly songs from "Deeperdown" but including a few old favourites.
23 July 2005 | More Festival Gigs
David and Jamie will each play a 45 minute set during a month long series of concerts at the Left Bank in Edinburgh during the Fringe - dates to be confirmed - David will use backing tracks for the first time since last June and will also be accompanied by at least Jamie and Andy Wilson possibly by others too.
20 July 2005 | CBQ/James Jamieson Festival Gigs
David and Jamie will each play a 25 minute set accompanied by the other and featuring Andy Wilson on keyboards, during Out of the Bedroom Fringe run at Lamb House in Edinburgh - dates to be confirmed.
17 July 2005 | Deeperdown Progress
More recording was completed today on CBQ’s follow up to "Anotherhappyday".
14 July 2005 | Live At The Roxy
Read David’s account of the proceedings here - http://crispycat-recordings.blogspot.com/2005/07/cbq-live-rare-occurence-these-days.html.
12 July 2005 | CBQ & James Jamieson Joint Set
CBQ previews tracks from his upcoming album "Deeperdown" along with the new single "The End Of Everything" while James Jamieson plays some new tracks and the best of his "Precious" CD during two joint sets this Thursday at The Roxy Arthouse in Edinburgh. Also appearing are Impossible Songs and Norman Lamont.
11 July 2005 | New CBQ Single - The End Of Everything
Today sees the release of CBQ's eighth single of 2005. A 7 song acoustic EP, it includes "The End Of Everything" which will appear later this year on "Deeperdown" plus new versions of six songs to appear on the upcoming 2CD anthology set - full details on the music page. The EP costs just £1.
03 July 2005 | New CBQ Recordings
David recorded seven songs over the last month and these will be released shortly as a new CBQ EP entitled "The End of Everything". The tracks are acoustic versions of songs due to appear on the upcoming 2CD set "Anthology 1977-2005". Cover, tracklisting and streamable version of the title track will appear on the Music page soon.
01 July 2005 | New CBQ Song
David has written the first new CBQ song of 2005. Entitled "The End of Everything" it should appear on the forthcoming CD "Deeperdown".
16 June 2005 | German Trip
David and Anne are on holiday in the Mosel Valley, Germany returning 22 June.
15 June 2005 | New James Jamieson Release Soon
Not content with finalising his own CD, Edward Spark has now also almost completed his remixing of two James Jamieson tracks, "Why Billy Why" and "Fairytales". It's likely they'll appear on a special edition James Jamieson EP soon.
13 June 2005 | Imminent Edward Spark
Edward Spark has announced the completion of his first CD, "She Don’t Like Techno" which will be released soon. Watch this space.
12 June 2005 | CBQ Recording Sessions Commence
CBQ started work on re-recording some of the songs due to appear on the new Anthology 2CD Set which is pencilled in for release at some point over the summer. The intention is to provide a free EP with initial copies of the Anthology set. More news soon.
10 June 2005 | CBQ Interview
CBQ completed a ten minute interview with Out of the Bedroom, the results of which can be found on the Performers page on the ootb website here www.outofthebedroom.co.uk.
06 June 2005 | Creek Reconvene
Creek (or rather three quarters of Creek) re-convened at Crispycat today and worked on three new tracks during the inaugural session for the follow up CD to last year's "Somewhere Between". The tracks are untitled at present.
02 June 2005 | Last Deeperdown EP Promo
CBQ played again at OOTB on the third of his promotional slots re the Deeperdown EPs. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 165
19 May 2005 | Deeperdown Campaign Continues
David promoted the second batch of three "Deeper down" EPs tonight at Out of the Bedroom. Review to follow.
17 May 2005 | New Peri Urban CD
Former CBQ collaborator, Peri Urban, has released a new album, "Sugar Junkie". For more info please e-mail Peri at periurbanx@aol.com.
15 May 2005 | CBQ To Appear on Sclater CD
David is now working as a collaborator on around 5 songs due to appear on the Ian Sclater album. Sessions continue through the summer.
14 May 2005 | James Jamison Remixed
Edward Spark is working on radical remixes of at least two songs from James Jamieson's debut album "Precious".
13 May 2005 | Edward Spark News
Electronica Guru, Edward Spark, has delivered the first three tracks for his upcoming disc "She Don’t Like Techno". This is great stuff – watch out for a release date soon. A remix project is also underway.
07 May 2005 | London Trip
David and Anne are in London for the weekend visiting the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
05 May 2005 | CBQ Back Playing Live
David made his first live appearance for six months tonight as he returned to Out of the Bedroom to promote the first three of the seven "Deeperdown" EPs. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 163
03 May 2005 | Ian Sclater CD
David is continuing to work on sessions and production for this project.
30 April 2005 | Seven New CBQ EPs
Cloudland Blue Quartet releases a series of seven CD EPs in May, showcasing the songs which will appear on the 2005 album "Deeperdown". The first three discs, "Love and War", "The Crocodile Song" and "Half a Lifetime Away" are available from Monday 2 May. Each disc is a five track EP with two alternative recordings of songs to appear on "Deeperdown", two tracks recorded live during the "Fifty Five Songs" series from last year's Edinburgh Festival gigs, and a short soundscape. The next three, "Very Small", "The Gardener" and "Anything But Ill" will be available from Monday 16 May, with the final EP, "Where Are You" being released on Monday 30 May. You can get them for just £1 each either via the Order Page or personally if you catch David out and about.
28 March 2005 | The Big Word
The Crispycat Mobile facility will be on hand to record a very special edition of Stand-Up Poetry Club "The Big Word" at the Tron Tavern in Edinburgh on Thursday 14 April. The results will showcase the club on a cover mounted CD to appear with a subsequent issue of the coffee-house magazine Instant.
27 March 2005 | Ian Sclater CD
As well as compiling a new CBQ anthology, planning a series of CBQ singles and the intention to make a return to low key live performance, David has just embarked on recording a CD for Ian Sclater, an Edinburgh singer-songwriter. The project may last a while but the ultimate goal is to produce a CD of around 15 songs which will highlight Ian's songwriting skills. Ian will be calling on a number of guests to accompany him on the CD.
26 March 2005 | New CBQ Anthology
Plans are at the early stages for the release of a new CBQ Anthology to complement the existing 1977-2001 Best Of set. The new edition will include one track from each year from 1977 to 2004 and will be a 2 CD Set.
11 March 2005 | Order Page
You will see on the main menu a link to our brand new Order page where you can request copies of CDs from our current catalogue. Simply, decide from the list the CDs you want to order, then by using the drop downs select the number of copies you require. It's that simple, and you don't need to send payment until you receive your CDs! Before you order please remember that every third £5.00 CD you request is FREE, as is postage and packing. Calling Card sampler CDs are also FREE! We're waiting to take your order!
09 March 2005 | No Live Dates
CBQ had planned to return to live performance this week prior to a visit to Spain and for the first time since last November. However, an injured hand has meant the postponement of this for the time being and David and Anne are off to Andalucia for a week from 13 March.
06 March 2005 | New CBQ Single Soon
David is working on the first in a series of singles for 2005 which will culminate in the eventual release of the much delayed "Deeperdown" album later in the year. Each CD will contain a song due to appear on "Deeperdown", a live track from the "Fifty Five Songs" series recorded during last year's Edinburgh Festival, an archive recording presently unavailable elsewhere, and a soundscape.
05 March 2005 | CBQ Blog
You can now access a Crispycat blog from the home page. It's updated almost daily with the musings of Mister Quartet, the man behind the Crispycat imprint. It also contains access to a site for you to publish your very own blog.
22 February 2005 | Bands Page Updated
Despite frantically working on the new CBQ album Deeperdown I've managed to fit in some time to update the Bands page. Click Bands on the main menu to read up on the history of my solo and collaborational efforts.
16 February 2005 | New Website!
Craig Sutherland has commenced development of the new Crispycat website. With designs and storyboards now finalised and the database built, it's heads down on some serious coding. Three years after the release and success of the first website, we know version two will be worth the wait. Keep checking the news for progress reports.
16 February 2005 | CBQ/Edward Spark Project
Much like CBQ, Edward Spark also enjoyed a well earned break over Christmas and New Year. Refreshed, it's back to Crispycat Towers to continue work on the CBQ/Edward Spark experimental project. Meanwhile, Edward Spark is adding the finishing touches to his debut release, "She Don't Like Techno". Watch this space.
16 February 2005 | Been a Long Time...
Apologies for the lack of updates on the site of late. Work on the new CBQ CD "Deeperdown" is about to recommence following a three month long break (last demos recorded on 21 November, last live appearance by CBQ 18 November) during which time has flown. In the interim, two new cats, Pandy (temporarily) and Meg (permanently), have taken up residence at Crispycat Towers. A visit to Barcelona was undertaken to celebrate the passing of 2004 into 2005 and a number of other projects are underway by the Crispycat alumni.
David Reilly (CBQ) has recently been commissioned to produce two CDs more of which later, once the projects are up and running.
James Jamieson is busy writing his second album just a couple of months after completing "Precious".
Congratulations to Andy Wilson on the birth of his son, Kerr.
James Sebastian Park is following a career in stand-up comedy (www.toecurler.com).
Stu Cobley is concentrating on photography at present.
Our webmeister Craig Sutherland is about to embark on a new career but will continue to maintain the site as brilliantly as ever.
Alan Brodie has a lovely new girlfriend and is concentrating on girlfriendy type matters at present.
Notwithstanding all these other activities, there is a good chance of some live performances over the coming months from Cloudland Blue Quartet and from Creek and we will keep you posted. The Crispycat Newsletter (last edition December '04) will resume in March on a quarterley basis and we are working on a new Free CD, the imaginatively entitled "Calling Card #4" so if you haven't got #3 yet, grab it while you can by clicking on the Free CD Button on the Home Page.
14 January 05 | Precious 2nd Edition
Following some recent writing and recording, Jamie has added a tenth track to his "Precious" album originally released in December. The new song is entitled "On The Inside".
2004
24 December 04 | JJ Releases Precious
Having fine-tuned the recording of his debut CD, Jamie releases "Precious" just in time for Christmas. His song-writing craft is to the fore on this nine track CD which includes "Why Billy Why", "Trash Can Secrets" and a cover of CBQ's "Skylines Full Of Cranes".
14 December 04 | Creek Film Music
Within a week of the release of Creek's "Somewhere Between" album, tracks are about to be used by an Edinburgh film maker. More soon...
14 December 04 | Out of the Bedroom III Launched
The full track listing is as follows:
1. Iona Marshall - Lost Without (4.28)
2. Terry Savostanos - School Yard Dreaming (3.04)
3. Nobody Jones - Life Death and Chocolate (2.45)
4. Fionna Ross - Pained (3.32)
5. James Jamieson - Why Billy Why (4.38)
6. Big Jim - Live Feed (4.46)
7. Sharon Ware - Old Fields (3.52)
8. Dave MacGruer - Get It Up Ya Balfour Beatty (2.50)
9. Fraser Drummond - Hyacinth (2.58)
10. Impossible Songs - How I Hate (2.13)
11. Joe Hartney - Erosion (3.43)
12. Kenny Vass - Reflections (3.19)
13. Lindsay Sugden - Existence Erased (4.28)
14. Scott Renton - Arnold Spark (3.29)
15. Tommy Mackay - Where I Live (2.41)
08 December 04 | CBQ Album Delayed
What with the work done recently on the Creek and OOTB albums, time has been tight re furthering the recording of "Deeperdown" for CBQ and so it’s been decided to postpone the final recording and release until early next year.
04 December 04 | OOTB Volume III Mastered
David spent the last three days listening back to the hundred or so tracks recorded for the CD and compiling the best performances and songs for the 15 track disc.
01 December 04 | OOTB CD3 Sessions #3
The Crispycat Mobile Facility was in action again tonight at the Waverley as the final sessions for the third Out Of The Bedroom compilation CD took place. Recording tonight were Nobody Jones, Kenny Vass, Big Jim, Scott Renton and James Jamieson.
29 November 04 | Creek Album Released
A veritable non-stop 79 minute electronica weirdfest, this album is 14 tracks full of beats, loops, outlandish atmospheres and textures which meld seamlessly into each other. The disc includes all the pieces aired by Creek during the CBQ gigs back in the summer. The album has been two years in the making and, all going well, the band will have the follow up, "At Either End" under way in 2050!!
26 November 04 | Creek Album Mastered
A finalised running order was determined tonight at the Crispycat Studio and cross-fades were applied to allow the disc to run as a one 79 minute piece.
24 November 04 | OOTB CD3 Sessions #2
The Crispycat Mobile Facility was in action again tonight at the Waverley as the second sessions for the third Out Of The Bedroom compilation CD took place. Recording tonight were Lindsay Sugden, Fraser Drummond, Dave MacGruar, Iona Marshall and Sharon Ware.
21 November 04 | Deep Progress
David spent the weekend in the studio finishing off the basic programming for "Deeperdown". He then recorded the first "full band" demos of the 14 songs and emerged clutching a CD with which he will no doubt bore his pants off over the next few days!
19 November 04 | Jamieson CD Delayed
James Jamieson's CD will not now be released in November but has been put back to January 2005 to allow further recording sessions.
18 November 04 | CBQ/Jamie/Roxy/Bowie
As part of the tributes to the late John Peel, performers at Out of the Bedroom tonight were invited to play an appropriate cover version. Jamie was compering the night and kicked off with his own "Why Billy Why" and "Yesterday Man" and then added Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World". During the second half of the night, CBQ played "Still We Doubt You" and "Where Are You" and rounded off with Roxy Music's "Chance Meeting" from their debut LP. Peel once said the only two original bands to emerge in the early 70's were Roxy Music and Genesis. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 141
17 November 04 | OOTB CD3 Sessions #1
The Crispycat Mobile Facility was in action tonight at the Waverley as the first sessions for the third Out Of The Bedroom compilation CD took place. Recording tonight were Tommy Mackay, Fionna Ross, Terry Savastanos, Joe Hartney and Impossible Songs.
14 November 04 | Deeperdown Update
David spent much of this weekend in the studio working on programming and demos for the new CBQ CD. It is still hoped that the album will be ready for release before the end of 2004. At present the CD is set to feature 14 songs including two written with Andy Wilson and two with James Jamieson.
11 November 04 | Impromptu CBQ Set
CBQ went along to Out Of The Bedroom tonight to meet with the owner of the Waverley Bar to finalise details for the OOTB CD3 recording sessions to take place there on 17 and 24 November and 1 December. There was a shortage of acts at OOTB to fill the slots so David played an impromptu three song set at the end of the night. "I Re-Arranged the House", "Very Small" and "Half a Lifetime Away". It appears his decision to give up live appearances until 2005 was a rash one now that he’s played twice within in nine days!! Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 140
05 November 04 | The Words of Mr C
Stuart Cobley of Creek is now contributing lyrics to the CBQ/Edward Spark project.
02 November 04 | CBQ at Songs For Change
At "Songs For Change" tonight, David played a six song set featuring five songs due to appear on the upcoming "Deeperdown" CD from CBQ. The idea was that all songs had to be relevant to the US Presidential Election or the war in Iraq. The full setlist was "Where Are You" for the bereaved; "Skylines Full Of Cranes" for the reconstruction; "Love and War" for the concerned voter; "Still We Doubt You" for the troops and protestors; "One Last Show" for the candidates; "Anything But Ill" for the victims. A fine solo set from Mr Quartet was enjoyed by a large and enthusiastic audience.
01 November 04 | James Jamieson Session
James Jamieson was at Crispycat today recording vocal tracks for his soon to be released album.
24 October 04 | 14 Demos
CBQ spent today in the studio recording initial acoustic demos of fourteen songs for the "Deeperdown" album. The full list is "Snowfall", "Open Up Your Heart", "The Crocodile Song", "The Beauty Of A Foreign Land", "Deeper Down", "Half A Lifetime Away", "Keep Living", "The Gardener", "Very Small", "Where Are You", "Still We Doubt You", "Love and War", "One Last Show" and "Anything But Ill". CBQ's set for "Songs For Change" will be drawn from a short list of the last five of these and "Skylines Full Of Cranes" from "Anotherhappyday" and an old Dancers Of San Martino song from 1985, "Adagio". The length of the set will be determined by the number of performers but it could be anything from 10 to 30 minutes.
21 October 04 | 3 Songs in a Night
CBQ penned three new tunes tonight to be used at the "Songs For Change" gig on 2 November. Not having that many "protest" songs in his repertoire, David thought he'd better get some together to go along with the spirirt of the event.
20 October 04 | Songs For Change
Despite trying not to play live again until 2005, CBQ couldn't resist accepting an invitation from David Ferrard to play a short set on 2 November at an event called "Songs For Change".
It's an an all-day political song-a-thon running from midday to midnight at the Forrest Cafe in Edinburgh with around 30 acts signed up to play. Political material is prefered and, although covers are fine, original songs encouraged. David Ferrard's idea is to mark the US elections, bring lots of musicians together for a good cause (pro-peace/human rights/justice/environment) and hopefully have a fun time.
17 October 04 | CBQ Electronica
David has started working on lyric ideas for the five tracks so far produced by Edward Spark for the new CBQ Electronica project.
10 October 04 | CBQ Spark
The first four pieces from this collaboration are now underway and David is also at last working on programming for "Deeperdown".
07 October 04 | Out Of The Bedroom CD3
Following the success of this year's "Open House" collection, David has agreed to once again record and produce a third compilation CD for the club. The artists chosen to contribute will be announced later this month and the launch is set for December. A number of those who appeared as special guests during the "Fifty Five Songs" series of gigs are set to be included.
06 October 04 | James Jamieson Recordings
Jamie has just produced the first recordings for his upcoming CD, release date is set for November. Tracks are "Why Billy Why", "Trash Can Secrets", "King's Country", "Without You", a cover of CBQ's "Skylines Full Of Cranes", "Time Of Ours", "Fairytales", "Precious" and "Yesterday Man".
01 October 04 | CBQ Link Up with Edward Spark
CBQ has enlisted the talents of Edward Spark to re-work several of his songs in a more electronica style as well as to produce new, more experimental ideas for music to appear on the next CD alongside the more conventional songs.
30 September 04 | Annual Cull Of Recordings
With effect from today, the following CDs are deleted. Thanks to everyone who supported Crispycat and CBQ by buying these - you now have collectors' items!
"Faithful-Rockall"
"The SANDS EP"
"Another Happy Day" (Single)
"25 Years in 63 Minutes"
"Souvenir IV - Open House Medley" (Single)
"Souvenir V - EdRush Set" (Single)
"Souvenir VI - Songs, Soundscapes and Electronica" "Souvenir VII - Live at Café Royal"
"Fifty Five Songs Vols 1 - 5"
26 September 04 | More New Creek
Craig has now uploaded a further two tracks for the new LP, "The Lemon Room" and "My Favourite Helmet".
17 September 04 | French Trip
David and Anne are spending a week in an isolated farmhouse half way up a mountain in the Pyrenees. They will use this as a base to visit Foix, Carcassone, Mirepoix, Toulouse, Perpignan, the Principality of Andorra and Girona in Northern Spain.
15 September 04 | Creek Album Finally Underway
Craig Sutherland heralded the start of the long-awaited new Creek album by posting two new tracks for the remaining members to download and work on. Working titles are "Junkie Summer" and "Winter Fruits".
05 September 04 | Last CBQ Gig of 2004
Following just one full rehearsal with James Jamieson the CBQ duo headed for The Listening Room tonight for a set which clashed directly with the firework display which ended the annual Edinburgh Festival. So the performance was delayed for an hour as performers and audience alike took to the streets to watch the spectacle through the mists.
All in all David and Jamie played 17 songs including seven set to be recorded for the new CBQ album, "Deeperdown". These were "Half A Lifetime Away", "Still We Doubt You", a brand new, week old piece called "Where Are You", co-composition "Deeper Down", "The Beauty Of A Foreign Land", "The Crocodile Song" and "Very Small".
This was CBQ's last appearance of 2004 as David will now concentrate on recording the new album, working with Creek and assisting Jamie with his own debut LP.
01 September 04 | Fifty Five Songs Part Five
And so the mammoth exercise drew to a close tonight with superb sets from the last three guests and probably CBQ’s best performance of the series.
After the Soundscape, now named "A Tendency to Persist", New Zealand's own Sharon Ware stepped up. Sharon's songs, often autobiographical and written on her many travels around the world, struck a chord with tonight's crowd and was a great way to start the evening. Sharon has a great voice which compliments perfectly her sometimes unconventional song writing. Another great set.
Next up was Fraser Drummond. A very accomplished guitarist and master of the mandolin, Fraser left his banjo at home tonight having inflicted blisters on his fingers in the week trying to put together a version of CBQ's "Crocodile Song". Nonetheless, he produced a great performance in keeping with his reputation around the Edinburgh circuit. His superb smoky voice enthralled the audience.
The final guest of the series was Iona Marshall. It turned out this was Iona's debut full performance, something CBQ hadn't realised until speaking to her after her set. For a debut, it was quite superb, indeed for any performance it was excellent and Iona's songs and presentation belied the fact that she'd never been in front of an audience for a full length set before. Absolutely one of the best of the entire series, the audience was held in silence by her performance and offered an ovation at the end of the all too short 35 minute set. Superb.
How to follow that, Mr CBQ... well, the final set of the five, songs 45 to 55 broke the mould by kicking off with two upbeat songs, "A Nice Job In A Small Town" and "Lovedrunk" from "Doveloveshawk" and "Ampersand" respectively.
Then came "Poppies", a favourite from almost two decades ago. "The Western Edge" found CBQ playing and painting in 1991 while "Callingstill"'s "Thinking Of Me" brought a nice twist in the tail.
The drunken "20/20 Vision" and suicidal "Loverleap" followed and then we were heading into the home straight with, aptly, a song about leaving, "The Beauty of a Foreign Land".
Then it was time for a rare performance of part two of "This Is All There Is", same words - different tune. Song 54 was possibly the last ever outing for old favourite "Computer Operator" and finally, almost inevitably, song 55 was the tale of encroaching paranoia that is "Another Happy Day".
So there we have it, five Wednesdays, fifteen superb guest artists and the promised fifty five CBQ songs - some great nights to remember...
26 August 04 | CBQ Covers James Jamieson
With just one night left now of the 55 songs series, CBQ took to the stage again tonight at the Waverley for the Out Of The Bedroom Covers Night, his first performance at OOTB for 6 weeks and his last for 2004. David played two of Jamie's songs, "King’s Country" and "Without You". CBQ's own version of the latter, with slightly different lyrics and arrangement, is slated for the upcoming "Deeperdown" album. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 134
26 August 04 | Fifty Five Songs Part Four
Week four of the series and once again, the pre-recorded soundscape started off the night.
Then, first act of the evening, Jill Hepburn, a performer that we see all too rarely these days as she concentrates a little more on recording her material rather than playing it live, so it was a pleasure to hear her set. Jill performed with a fresh confidence and unveiled a number of new songs along with established favourites, much to the audience's delight.
James Jamieson decided to use several of his backing tracks programmed for the Acoustica gig in July and interspersed these with a few acoustic only numbers, including his latest song, "Yesterday's Man". Despite being only his second full performance, Jamie pulled it off easily and, despite some early nerves, was really rocking the place by the end of his set.
Third guest of the evening was Frank Burkitt. His easy, relaxed style drew the crowd into the palm of his hand as he reeled off song after delightful song, laced with his fine, quirky sense of humour. Another great set of many during the series.
Ensuring an excellent night's entertainment each week has meant the very cream of Edinburgh's acoustic scene being invited to support CBQ, piling on the pressure. But despite little time for rehearsal of many songs seldom or never before played, David somehow always manages to come up to the standards set and so it was again tonight.
The first of two "You Haunt Me"s started set four while the similarly upbeat "Barbecue Beach", an old Call Me Clive song from the late eighties was prefaced with the slower "This is the Time" from the "Doveloveshawk" CD.
Then came a considerably scaled down version of "Sometimes I Wish", originally played with Crazy Wisdom nearly 10 years ago. Right up to date next for the fugutive's song from "Anotherhapyday", "What On Earth Have we Done".
The last premiere of the series was "Old Diamond Ring", again from "Doveloveshawk" and co-written with Andy Wilson. Then the popular "Skylines Full Of Cranes", recently featured on the second Out Of The Bedroom compilation "Open House".
"Keep Living", commissioned by the Charity SANDS for their Xmas EP last year and due to appear on the next CBQ CD, was followed by the return of "You Haunt Me", this time pt 2. The set closed with a further two songs from the next CBQ CD, working title, "Deeperdown", the protest of "Still We Doubt You" and the dark humour of "The Crocodile Song". Another great night down at The Waverley.
26 August 04 | CD Price Drop
You can now order Crispycat CDs on the basis of £5 each or any 3 for £10. Singles remain £1 and P&P, as ever, is FREE. You order CDs by e-mailing david@crispycat.co.uk, we send you the CD(s) and you mail us a cheque by return. We trust our customers!!! (Double CDs count as 2, Triples as 3 etc).
18 August 04 | Fifty Five Songs Part Three
A pre-recorded soundscape ushered in the third night of the series tonight and then Scott Renton presented a fine set of off-beat tales from his imagination. Scott just gets better and better and highlight of the evening from him was his new song regarding a young boy's love for pigeons. Scott’s music can’t fail to bring a smile to your face.
The Chris Brown Three were next in what's proving to be a succession of top notch performances by all the invited guests. Featuring songs from his imminent release "Acoustic Genesis", Chris presented the best of his repertoire. Mention must be made of the delightful and moving rendition of "Getting Rid of The Orange Peel" on which his percussionist, Erin, took lead
vocals - quite beautiful.
William Douglas gave a studied performance which included a couple of stirring acapella numbers and some impressive picking. Working without a setlist, he just plucked song after song out of the air and presented each one brilliantly to the crowd.
And once again three very difficult acts for CBQ to follow. David started off tonight with "This Is All There Is Pt 1" the slow and quiet opening song from the "Callingstill" trilogy. Then he kicked up tempo for is attempt at a Bob Dylan song, "Doveloveshawk"'s, "The Counting House" which raised a few hollers on its abrupt ending.
Then the opener from "Anotherhappyday", "The Time Of Our Lives" with David whistling the electric guitar motif over the opening sequence. Like many CBQ songs, this is about our inability to rekindle the past.
Then a first ever performance for "Here Comes Mr Nice pt 1" and a passionate one it was too with CBQ almost spitting out his contempt for the protagonist - who is he? Ironically it was back to 1991 next for "The Gift" which warns against trying concentrating on the past - which, in a way, is what CBQ's doing with this series of concerts. Then the baffling tale "Overload" and the half way point was reached as song number 28 was completed.
Stewart Robinson's "Hollow Man" was next - this was resurrected for CBQ's "Ampersand" in 2002 where the recording finds David dueting with his 17 year younger self! CBQ then regaled the audience with a tale of torture and impalement in "Caged pt 2" about "a land far away where the people are cruel". The same lyric features on two songs, the first was on "Starcrossfix" and this second version is from "Callingstill".
CBQ then explained how the next song had its origins in a grammar exercise for teaching English as a foreign language. "A Drop In The Ocean" was possibly the best song of the night from CBQ and hopefully will find its way into future setlists. An abandoned child narrated the slow and poignant "10 12 17" and then "Down to the Beach" provided a catchy upbeat finish to
the set.
11 August 04 | Fifty Five Songs Part Two
Week two of the "Fifty Five Songs" series saw sets from special guests Impossible Songs, Colin Donati and Lindsay West compliment CBQ songs Nos 12-22.
A solo soundscape from CBQ eased the evening in and then Impossible Songs presented a fine set of songs taken from their two albums "Scapes" and the just released "Heartburst". John’s guitar work was excellent as usual and balanced well with Ali's endearing vocals.
Colin Donati demonstrated his own fine poetic lyricism and his taste in his choice of others words to compliment with his superb classical guitar technique. Stand outs were his song "Euphemia" which features on the Out Of The Bedroom compilation "Open House" and his setting to music of a Norman McCaig poem.
Final guest of the evening was Lindsay West who was, as always, quite beguiling. Her quiet, thoughtful songs combined with her note perfect delivery was brilliant. Her set was a mixture of old and new songs, each one a little gem.
So three hard acts to follow, David bemoaning the fact that he'd invited three such excellent guitarists to appear. CBQ's second set of the series opened with two songs from "Anotherhappyday". Firstly the upbeat, Hemmingway based "Perfectly Simple", set in a railway station in Spain, and the quasi-religious "Everything You‘ve Ever Wanted".
Then a trilogy of songs from "Callingstill", all of which were debut performances. Firstly a short simple piece called "A Child's Bible", then "Cortege", a tale of a youngster caught up and injured in a motorcades, and lastly "Short Story" about a wife trying to walk out on her hopeless husband and her small child. This segued into "The Biggest Fall", a similar tale from the album "Angelspeech".
" Bravura" was up next, played in a subdued fashion compared to the original recording but probably more powerful for that. The mental breakdown of "Plenty" (another debut) was next followed by Stewart Robinson's song "Stranded" from "Ampersand".
The title track from "Callingstill" was next - concerning the guilt of the survivor and the set was rounded off nicely by the quiet but effective "Very Small" which should be one of the highlights of CBQ next song-based CD, due out later this year.
04 August 04 | Fifty Five Songs Part One
After much organisational stress and frantic rehearsing of little played repertoire, CBQ kicked off his five week stint at the Waverley tonight during which he will play fifty-five different songs and will also present fifteen guest performers.
The evening's entertainment was prefaced with a short soundscape set by CBQ with Norman Lamont, then Tommy Mackay stepped up to, in his words, "open the Edinburgh Festival".
Each guest gets a 35 minute set and Tommy populated his with tales of 666 Geat Junction Street, his ongoing column on the internet based "Daily Reckless".
Then David Ferrard presented an excellent set of thought provoking songs and a couple of covers, one folk song each from Scotland and Ireland. His song of the asylum seeker who learned everything he knew about the UK from the radio was particularly memorable.
Norman Lamont and two of his Innocents were the final guests of the evening, and, as ever, Norman produced a polished set of songs highlighting his new album. His professionalism shone through, even when his bassist carried out a mobile phone conversation with one of her friends mid-set!
Then the first of the five CBQ sets of the series. David opened on a typically CBQ downbeat note with "I Re-Arranged The House". Then it was back twenty years for "Funny Funny" and "World of Fire".
Two tracks from the "Callingstill" trilogy , the most featured album during this series, were up next, the disturbing tale of "Dirty Men in a Red Car" (which had the audience singing along - and looking to check the colour of CBQ's car after the gig) and a first ever live performance of "All the Flowers In The World".
Then a couple of favourites - "Doveloveshawk", "You Taught Me How To Love You" and "Anotherhappyday", "The Sun Goes Down Too Soon". Norman Lamont wins the prize for knowing what an L.E.M is.
The song of 1 May, "Half A Lifetime Away" followed, then the raucous high of "Holier Than Thou" from "Callingstill" and, finally, back to earth with the soothing "Watch the River Flow Away".
All in all a good start to what should prove to be an interesting five weeks of concerts.
01 August 04 | Limited Edition 5CD Set
CBQ releases a limited edition specially priced 5 CD set, "Fifty Five Songs" to be available for the duration of his run of concerts during the Edinburgh Festival - details on the Discography page.
The songs will be presented at these performances in an acoustic arrangement. For the most part, the original recordings feature many more instruments. You can hear the songs in their original arrangements on the Limited Edition Souvenir CDs which accompany the "Fifty-Five Songs" project. Each of the five volumes contains 11 songs and is available for £5. The full set is discounted at £20.
27 July 04 | James Jamieson Live
A very enjoyable time was had last night as James Jamieson made his full set debut at OOTB's Acoustica - slightly postponed and relocated at short notice due to problems with the previous venue.
Jamie played seven songs accompanied by CBQ and by pre-programmed backing tracks... Mr JJ referred to this as his "karaoke set". It was very much better than that! Support came from Tommy Mackay, Impossible Songs and Frank Burkitt and a great time was had by all.
23 July 04 | Festival Wednesdays - Line Ups
Crispycat confirms that CBQ will be joined for his Edinburgh Festival dates by the following special guests:
04 August – Norman Lamont, David Ferrard, Tommy Mackay
11 August – Lindsay West, Colin Donati, Impossible Songs
18 August – William Douglas, Chris Brown, Scott Renton
25 August – Frank Burkitt, James Jamieson, Jill Hepburn
01 September - Iona Marshall, Fraser Drummond, Sharon Ware
Information and reviews for all of these can be found at www.outofthebedroom.co.uk.
Each night will be preceded by a short soundscape set. On 4 August, David is joined by Norman Lamont and on 18 August by Electric White Boy. It's hoped that other soundscape collaborations can be arranged for a couple of the remaining dates, possibly involving members of Creek.
22 July 04 | James Jamieson Update
Programming is now complete for the seven song James Jamieson set for Monday and the final rehearsals are due to take place this weekend.
20 July 04 | Edinburgh Festival Setlists
David is busy learning songs for the "Fifty Song" concert series. He has now collated 5 setlists of 11 songs each. He's splitting his time between learning and rehearsing songs and programming for the James Jamieson gig on 26 July.
19 July 04 | New Member For James Jamieson Trio
Following the news that Jim Park can’t make the rearranged Acoustica gig, David and Jamie rehearsed their set again tonight and decided to enlist the aid of Mr D Twenty on Bass and Percussion to help them out. David will be doing some simple programming on Mr Twenty over the next few days.
18 July 04 | CBQ At The Edinburgh Festival - Update
Over the weekend, David invited various people to appear with him for his festival gigs. He’s now working on line ups for each night, juggling logistics re availability etc etc. He’s also drawn up a "short" list of around 90 songs to choose from to play on the nights.
15 July 04 | CBQ At The Edinburgh Festival
Crispycat presents "Fifty Songs" a series of concerts by CBQ at The Waverley, St Mary St over five consecutive Wednesday nights from 4 August to 1 September inclusive. Each night will feature completely different sets from CBQ, sets from a couple of special guests and an opening soundscape from CBQ and various collaborators. More details to follow.
15 July 04 | Acoustica Postponed and Relocated
Due to problems with the venue, OOTB has postponed Acoustica from this Monday coming to 26 July and switched the venue to The Café Royal.
15 July 04 | CBQ & JJ at OOTB Again
Both James Jamieson and CBQ played OOTB tonight but this time each played solo. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 128
11 July 04 | More JJ Rehearsals
Rehearsals continued tonight, this time with James Park on percussion and on the final seven chosen songs.
05 July 04 | James Jamieson Trio
Rehearsal for James Jamieson's appearance at Acoustica on 19 Jul continued tonight with Jamie and David running through a shortlist of nine songs. They will be joined by James Sebastian Park on the night.
01 July 04 | CBQ & JJ Live Sets
CBQ played a three song set tonight at OOTB, airing three songs which should appear on the 2004 song CD, working title "Deeperdown". Also CBQ accompanied James Jamieson on his three song set. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 126
28 June 04 | James Jamieson Trio - 1st Live Gig
Jamie will perform his first full live set on 19 July at Acoustica at Cabaret Voltaire. Rehearsals commenced tonight with Jamie and David working on seven of Jamie's songs. James Sebastian Park will complete the trio adding assorted percussion. Jamie and David plan to air a three song set at Out of the Bedroom this Thursday (1 July).
23 June 04 | The Frippster
David took a trip to Glasgow for the G3 gig featuring Robert Fripp, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Due to heavy traffic caused by the nearby Bob Dylan concert he ended up missing all but 5 minutes of Fripp's soundscapes set!!! This was slightly made up for by the end of Satriani's set when Fripp and Vai joined him for a jam which included a massive rendition of King Crimson's "Red" and Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World".
21 June 04 | Fete de la Musique
Another good performance from a six-piece CBQ tonight, this time including Craig "I never wanted to be on stage but it looks fun so can I, can I??" Sutherland. Unfortunately, the event over-ran due to the organisers underestimating changeover times, and CBQ ended up taking the stage at exactly the point where they, and the evening’s entertainment, should have been finishing.
The band played a fine set despite hanging around for four hours before going on and having to cope with an on-stage sound quality that which might have been produced by a pair of Walkman headphones playing inside an old lady's discarded woollen hat.
CBQ was not offered a choice of slot and would readily admit to having been pleased that they were to "headline". In retrospect however, they might have been better doing 30 minutes at 9 or 10 o'clock rather than 35 at 11:45!! – but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
The bottom line is they had a lack of control over their performance which they wouldn't want to experience again and, because they had no say in their slot or the logistics behind changeovers and over-running, they lost the opportunity to play to a large appreciative audience which may well have enjoyed their material.
20 June 04 | Last Rehearsal
While Stuart Cobley rehearses at home with the a CD backing track and James Jamieson escorts his neighbourhood's children to "Live and Loud" at Hampden Park, David, Andy and Alan have one final run through the set for tomorrow night's gig
16 June 04 | Highlands Trip
David & Anne are touring the Highlands till Sunday.
12 June 04 | Work in Progress
This weekend, David continues to work on new compositions for the 2004 CBQ song-based album as well as finalising the backing tracks for Fete de la Musique.
09 June 04 | CBQ to Headline Fete de la Musique
The five piece CBQ returns to the stage on 21 June to headline Fete de la Musique, the annual concert held at the French Institute in Edinburgh to celebrate France's national music day.
08 June 04 | CBQ at Café Royal
Ably supported by a frankly superb line up of David Ferrard, Flowers For Algernon and Lindsay West, a five-man Cloudland Blue Quartet took to the stage at the Café Royal tonight in front of a good sized crowd (considering there had only been 11 days between booking the hall and the night of the gig).
CBQ played a varied set with each piece melding into the next to form one 50 minute performance. Andy Wilson’s light-show and effects were excellent as was his piano playing. Stu Cobley (in his first ever live performance) and Alan Brodie (first since 1998) provided synth textures to the four Creek pieces played on the night. James Jamieson was his ever dependable self providing more complex guitar parts and harmelodius backing vocals. Craig Sutherland, our webmeister, provided Creek programming and also videoed the CBQ performance.
Number 6 in the "Souvenir" series was available as a limited edition CD tonight. A few copies left over are on sale from the website. The 70 minute album contains 6 extended versions and, of the twelve tracks, nine are previously unreleased.
07 June 04 | New Creek EP Completed
At Crispycat today, Stuart Cobley added the finishing touches to the four track Creek EP (to be released later this month) prior to being joined by Andy Wilson and Alan Brodie to have a final run through the set for tomorrow night.
03 June 04 | CBQ Play as Duo at OOTB
CBQ and James Jamieson took the opportunity at Out Of The Bedroom tonight to rehearse three of the songs due to be aired at the Café Royal gig next Tuesday as Jamie is unable to rehearse with the band prior to the gig. "Very Small", "The Crocodile Song" and "Half a Lifetime Away" were performed rather excellently. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 122
02 June 04 | Calling Card #3 Coming Soon...
June will see the release of the 3rd in Crispycat’s series of Free CDs, "Calling Card #3", available only from the website - but at the click of a mouse… "Calling Card #2" will be deleted so get it now!
01 June 04 | CBQ Live Dates
This month’s planned live performances by CBQ (all FREE) are as follows:- 3rd: Out Of The Bedroom, The Waverley, St Mary St 8th:Café Royal, West Register Street, 17th: Out Of The Bedroom, The Waverley, St Mary St, 21st: French Institute, Randolph Crescent.
31 May 04 | New Creek CD At Last??
Craig Sutherland is working on tracks for a new Creek CD which Crispycat will release soon. Four tracks will feature in the CBQ live sets in June.
30 May 04 | Paypal Planned
We’re in the process of incorporating Paypal buttons into the site, allowing you to purchase the CDs more easily.
29 May 04 | CBQ Songwriting
Song writing continues for the 2004 CBQ Song-Based album. Short-listed so far are "The Crocodile Song", "Very Small", "Half A Lifetime Away", "Still We Doubt You" and "The Beauty Of A Foreign Land". Most of these are featuring in current live sets and David is working on 4 or 5 others ideas too. He’s also writing with James Jamieson for the first time since 1980. Jamie will be recording soon…
28 May 04 | New Date Added
On 8 June CBQ will headline a free concert Upstairs at The Café Royal (Doors 8:30pm). This will be filmed as a final submission for Andy Wilson’s college music course. The CBQ line up will be the same as that for the French Institute gig. Also invited are three special guests playing full sets on the night, including Flowers For Algernon.
27 May 04 | More Discography Samples Added
There are now 12 full-length samples, from 4 different CD releases available on the Discography page and we’ll soon have tracks from every available CD uploaded. Please remember though, that with file reduction, the quality is not that of the actual CDs.
26 May 04 | CBQ Souvenir V Released
Crispycat releases CBQ’s "Souvenir V" CD Single for a short time only. The CD contains the 5 songs played at EdRush and features James Jamieson. Buy it for just £1 from the website at david@crispycat.co.uk.
25 May 04 | CBQ Glitterati
Tonight, David and James Jamieson performed as CBQ at OOTB’s Glitterati Evening, part of the annual Edinburgh Rush Festival. A very limited edition five song acoustic EP "Souvenir V" has been released to coincide with the night. The set was "The Crocodile Song", "Still We Doubt You", "I Re-Arranged The House", "Very Small", and David‘s latest song, "Half A Lifetime Away".
24 May 04 | "Anotherhappyday" Voted Best CD Tonight at the Acoustic Idol Awards
"Anotherhappyday" was voted Best CD by a Male Artist and CBQ achieved 5th best Male acoustic artist (not bad for someone who isn‘t really an acoustic artist). Out Of The Bedroom won the category for Best Club… Thanks to everyone who voted for Cloudland Blue Quartet.
23 May 04 | EdRush CD Released
David and Jamie rehearsed and recorded their five song set to be played on Tuesday night.
23 May 04 | Quintet Rehearsals
Rehearsals are now in full swing for the full Cloudland Blue Quartet show planned for the French Institute on 21st of June in Edinburgh. The band has expanded to a five piece, with my Creek cohorts, Stu Cobley (on-stage) and Craig Sutherland (off-stage) joining me and CBQ regulars, James Jamieson and Andy Wilson. The 4th man of Creek, Alan Brodie, will also play with us if schedules allow.
20 May 04 | OOTB Set
Tonight David played "Another Happy Day", "Very Small" and debuted a new song "Half A Lifetime Away" at OOTB. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 120
15 May 04 | Balkan Trip
Anne and David are back from Dubrovnik in Croatia and also be travelled to Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovena. They had a great time and, no doubt, some pictures will turn up on Crispycat artwork...
08 May 04 | Crispycat Player Expanded
New songs have been uploaded to the Crispycat Player giving you a choice of 10 tracks.
04 May 04 | Happy Birthday!
Today is David’s birthday
01 May 04 | CBQ Invited to Play In France (sort of)
On 21 June CBQ heads to l'Institut français d'Ecosse, with a host of other artistes, to take part in the annual worldwide celebration by French nationals of their country’s very own Annual Music Day, Fete de la Musique (5pm-Midnight). Check who’s playing at www.ifecosse.org.uk.
23 Apr 04 | Half Century Reached
CBQ played three songs at Out Of The Bedroom last night "Read The Review". None had been played live before. "The Blue Horizon", "A Drop In The Ocean" and "Watch The River Flow Away" brought to fifty, the number of songs played live by David since January 2003 when he re-activated performances by CBQ. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 116
For the record, and in order of playing, the fifty songs, with the year of their original release, are:
1998 A Nice Job In A Small Town
1996 This Is All There Is
2000 Twenty Twenty Vision
2002 Lovedrunk
1997 Thinking Of Me
1999 You Taught Me How To Love You
2003 I Re-Arranged The House
1983 World Of Fire
1986 Poppies
2003 Everything You've Ever Wanted
1991 The Western Edge
1984 Funny Funny
2003 What On Earth Have We Done
1990 Loverleap
1989 Regret
1999 Ten Twelve Seventeen
1997 Callingstill
2003 The Time Of Our Lives
2003 Skylines Full Of Cranes
2003 Another Happy Day
2001 Stranded
1990 Bravura
2003 Rather Blue
Cover Cheat To Win (Diaz Brothers)
Cover Here He Comes (Brian Eno)
2003 Perfectly Simple
2003 The Sun Goes Down Too Soon
1979 Computer Operator
2003 The Crocodile Song
1989 Barbecue Beach
1999 The Counting House
1988 Down To The Beach
2003 Keep Living
2003 Still We Doubt You
1980 At The Ocean's Edge
1981 You Were Out Walking
1982 All I Ask
1984 Take This Man
1985 The Hollow Man
1987 Black and Blue
1991 The Gift
1992 The Biggest Fall
1993 Strawberries
1994 Sometimes I Wish
1995 One More Chance
1999 Overload
2004 Very Small
1999 The Blue Horizon
1991 A Drop In The Ocean
1999 Watch The River Flow Away
Of these fifty, thirty-nine have been played at OOTB in just under 14 months.
19 Apr 04 | 3 New CDs From CBQ
Cloudland Blue Quartet releases three new CDs this month:
Crispycat 0401 "Songs Of The Sombre Reptiles" - this 14 song 80 minute CD (£5) collects together the extra recordings made during 2003 which appeared on the now deleted CBQ CD singles. Includes two previously unreleased recordings "The Last Supper" and "Behind Your Back"...
Crispycat 0402 "04 04 04" - the brand new ambient album from CBQ incorporates synthesisers, loops and environmental recordings to provide the perfect soundtrack for any chill out room - absolutely NO beats. 8 pieces, 80 minutes, £5...
Crispycat 0403 "Souvenir IV" - a specially recorded CD single (around 40 mins) featuring an acoustic and a full-band version of the medley performed by CBQ at the Open House launch night on 13 April (Skylines Full Of Cranes/Barbecue Beach/At The Ocean's Edge/A Nice Job In A Small Town/The Crocodile Song/Very Small/Skylines Reprise) - the single will also contain bonus recordings unlikely to be available elsewhere, including the first draft of the medley with a different set-list (£1).
10 Apr 04 | Listen To Album Tracks On The Discography
From today you can listen to a selection of album tracks in the Discography section, starting with "25 Years In 63 Minutes" and continuing through all the current Cloudland Blue Quartet releases. Check the Discography regularly for updates.
07 Apr 04 | OOTB CD 2 Launch Party
CBQ will play four songs at next week's launch of the 2nd Out Of The Bedroom CD. OOTB is the stalwart of the Edinburgh acoustic music scene, and the CD and gig will feature a prime line-up of Edinburgh's finest musicians.
"The new CD - 'Open House', gives us a vehicle by which we can support the local music community. All the artists on the CD perform regularly at OOTB, and we are proud to now deliver their high quality music to the attention of an even wider audience" - Nelson Wright.
Started by Nelson Wright and James Igoe, the Out of the Bedroom open mic night began in 2001. Aiming to promote the creation and performance of original music, the night provides a platform for musicians to reach wider audiences. It has become a vibrant and integral part of the Edinburgh music culture.
Musicians travel from far and wide to perform at the Thursday night event, held at the Waverley bar (famous for hosting music nights in the 60's & 70's), and audiences regularly overflow from the intimate Waverley setting.
The Waverley also provided a space in which to record the CD.
"Waverley Nights, the first in the CD series, was a great success and stocks still regularly sell out. Our mission is to support local talent and these CDs give us the opportunity to give performers the exposure they deserve." - James Igoe.
'Open House' CD Launch Party
Venue: Cafe Royal
Time: Doors open at 7.30pm
Entry price: £3
CD sale price: £3
For more information visit the website - www.outofthebedroom.co.uk
04 Apr 04 | New Ambient/Soundscapes Album Recorded
CBQ today recorded the belated follow up to his last full ambient release, "Reinhardt Richter Rosenquist" from June 1999. David says "04 04 04" will be released soon and contains eight new tracks of 'synthesiser and environment'. Tasty.
01 Apr 04 | Follow Up to Anotherhappyday Previewed
CBQ played three songs tonight at OOTB which should appear on his 2004 song-based album later this year. As yet untitled and still at the writing stage, David will look to build on the success of last year's "Anotherhappyday". The three songs were "The Crocodile Song", co-written with Andy Wilson, "Still We Doubt You" and "Very Small". Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 113
25 Mar 04 | Italian Trip
David and Anne are spending a few days in Venice and CBQ will reactivate on 1 April at OOTB with three new songs.
23 Mar 04 | OOTB CD Launch Party
This will take place at The Café Royal in Edinburgh at the East End of Princes Street on Tuesday 13 April. All stops are now being pulled out to get the CDs ready on time. The running order on the night is still to be finalised as have ticket details. More soon.
15 Mar 04 | OOTB CD Tracks and Running Order Finalised
With Nelson Wright of OOTB busy designing the cover for the 2nd OOTB CD, the final track-listing and running order has been agreed and is as follows:
01 Hannah O'Reilly - Surface
02 William Douglas - Till I Found You
03 Stuart Clark - Control
04 Dale Radley - Wednesday
05 Nick Rowell & Stuart Malcolm - Slippery Slope
06 David Ferrard - Rescue Me
07 Cloudland Blue Quartet - Skylines Full Of Cranes
08 Sawmill Buddhas - White Ivory
09 Colin Donati - Euphemia
10 Lindsay West - Love Song
11 Chris Brown -Alive
12 Ross Galloway & Callum Robinson - So Many Numbers
13 Frank Burkitt - Mozart
14 Julien Pearly - Little Princess
15 The Third Man - The Getaway
The unused recordings from the CBQ session may well turn up on a CD single sometime - who knows?
15 Mar 04 | Acoustica Performance
CBQ performed the whole of "Anotherhappyday" tonight plus the excellent new piece "Very Small" to the gathered throng tonight at Acoustica. Considering Jamie had only had one rehearsal and Andrew three, and that this was only the second time all three had played together, the performance was a huge success. This may be the last airing for a couple of the AHD songs as David introduces new numbers to appear on his 2004 album later in the year.
11 Mar 04 | Compering and Reviewing
David compered and reviewed Out of the Bedroom 111 tonight. As is the right of the compere he opened proceedings with his own three song set choosing "The Sun Goes Down Too Soon", "Skylines Full Of Cranes" (soon to appear on the OOTB CD) and "Perfectly Simple", all from "Anotherhappyday". Review to follow.
09 Mar 04 | Rehearsals
CBQ for next Monday’s gig is confirmed as David, James and Andrew and the trio linked up at The Waverley tonight to run through the set a few times – this is the only time they’ll play together prior to the gig. The setlist will comprise all 8 songs from "Anotherhappyday", albeit re-arranged to allow for the 30 minute time limit on the set, and one new song "Very Small". Sounding good!
02 Mar 04 | OOTB Sessions Completed
David completed the recording sessions for the new Out of The Bedroom CD tonight, including CBQ’s on which he was joined by James Jamieson. The next couple of weeks will be spent listening to the various different takes and finalising the recordings to appear on the disc. Thereafter a running order will be set and the launch night will need to be organised.
28 Feb 04 | CBQ Live - Details
CBQ’s first gig of 2004 is for Out Of The Bedroom at Acoustica on Monday 15 March at Cabaret Voltaire at the foot of Blair Street, Edinburgh.
David will be joined by James Jamieson on Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin and Backing Vocals and, possibly, Andrew Wilson jnr on keyboards. CBQ will play an acoustic version of the album "Anotherhappyday" including "I Re-Arranged The House", "Everything You‘ve Ever Wanted", "Skylines Full Of Cranes" and "Another Happy Day".
Entry is free (7:30 pm onwards) and also on the bill are three excellent singer-songwriters from Out Of The Bedroom - David Ferrard, Jill Hepburn and Fraser Drummond, all of whom are well worth a listen.
For more information on Out Of The Bedroom visit www.outofthebedroom.co.uk
28 Feb 04 | Listen To Our Releases
Soon tracks from all our currently available titles will be able to be streamed by you. In addition, we will have a rolling selection of full track MP3s available on the site for you to download and burn free of charge. More soon.
28 Feb 04 | Out Of The Bedroom CD No 2
Sessions continue for this project. Recorded so far are OOTB regulars Luke Westendarp, Chris Brown, Lindsay West, Colin Donati, David Ferrard, Nick & Stuart, Sawmill Buddhas, Stuart Clark and Frank Burkitt. Due to be recorded this Tuesday are Hannah O'Reilly, Julien Pierrefeu, Dale Radley, William Douglas, Ross Galloway with Callum Robertson and, finally, CBQ with James Jamieson. For more about all these artists, visit the Out Of The Bedroomwebsite at www.outofthebedroom.co.uk
12 Feb 04 | CBQ - Next Full Gig
CBQ announces his first full live set of the year (likely to be around 30 minutes) in Edinburgh on Monday 15 March. More details (Line Up, Venue etc) to follow.
10 Feb 04 | Crispycat Produces New Out Of The Bedroom CD
Tonight saw the first in a series of recording sessions at The Waverley in Edinburgh using the Crispycat Mobile Recording Facility. The goal is to record the 15 artists who are to appear on the 2nd in the series of Out Of The Bedroom CDs. Being produced by David, this project will take up the rest of February and the beginning of March. The CD is pencilled in for an early April release date at present. CBQ will have one song, as yet undecided, on the CD. Full details to follow.
07 Feb 04 | Creek Remastering Completed
David has remastered the tapes of all Creek sessions to date from 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003. These have now been passed to Craig Sutherland for track selection and mixdown. A selection of Creek CD's will be made available at regular intervals during 2004 with the first release pencilled in for 1 April.
29 Jan 04 | The Best Laid Plans...
Taking a break from the Creek remastering project, David attended OOTB tonight, 365 days after his first appearance there on 30 January 2003. Having quickly learned "Watch The River Flow Away" and "The Blue Horizon", two songs from "Doveloveshawk" which he'd never before played live, when it came to it, he bottled it and ended up playing three songs from his current repertoire. Not that anyone was any the wiser of course!! Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 104
25 Jan 04 | Creek Remastering Project Commences
Crispycat Recordings today started the re-mastering of all of Creek's recordings from 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003 with a view to re-releasing the catalogue of this four-piece electronic improvisatory band. Nowadays the Group doesn't play together much at all and they take (very) long breaks where they just don't play or even meet up. Then they'll get together for a day and record everything they do, pick out whatever's good and release it on Crispycat. So we're hoping for a new album sometime in 2004 to join the remasters in the catalogue.
15 Jan 04 | Low Key Performance Kicks Off 2004
Although suffering from flu, David had a long-standing commitment to compere tonight's Out Of The Bedroom. He played a subdued three song set at the start of the second half, airing new song "Still We Doubt You" for the second time, along with "Twenty Twenty Vision" from "Ampersand" and "I Re-Arranged The House" from "Anotherhappyday". Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 102
01 Jan 04 | Dutch Trip
David and Anne are spending the first few days of the year on holiday in Amsterdam.
2003
31 Dec 03 | Happy New Year
Crispycat wishes all CBQ and Creek fans a very Happy 2004. We plan to make our releases more widely available next year - full details to follow. There should be more live appearances from CBQ and a new song-based CD from him later in the year. Crispycat has recently begun production on initial demos of James Jamieson's songs and there's a good chance that JJ will issue a solo CD in 2004... and who knows, maybe Creek will finally get their act together and progress the demos they produced back in February!
27 Dec 03 | CBQ Souvenir III - 25 Years In 63 Minutes
CBQ performs his last gig of the year tonight. Based on the concept of playing one song from his catalogue from each year between 1979 and 2003, a limited edition unplugged CD featuring versions of the set-list, newly recorded on 21st and 26th December, will be on sale at the venue for £5. There is also an 8 page programme with notes on each song in the set. Anyone not able to attend can order both from david@crispycat.co.uk for £5 (as usual p&p is free).
19 Dec 03 | Last Gig Of The Year
Cloudland Blue Quartet plays his last gig of 2003 on Saturday 27 December at the post-Christmas/pre-New Year Party at the Arcade, 48 Cockburn Street. From "Computer Operator" in 1979 up to "I Re-Arranged The House" in 2003, the hour-long set will feature one song from each of the last twenty five years originally played live by David with the likes of Capital Models, Sombre Reptiles, Disco Complex, Love Parade, The Dancers of San Martino, Call Me Clive, Crazy Wisdom and of course Cloudland Blue Quartet. The set list has been complied and rehearsals are taking place. It's thought that this will be a solo performance.
19 Dec 03 | 100th OOTB
David made an appearance at the celebratory 100th Out of The Bedroom as one of just ten invited acts who appeared in the first half of the night (the second half reverting to the usual open-mic format). Invitations went to people thought to have supported OOTB the most over the last two years. This was CBQ's 21st appearance at OOTB since his debut there back in January at OOTB 59. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 100
17 Dec 03 | New Single
CBQ announces the release of a new single on Thursday 18 December, the 20th Crispycat release of the year. Issued to coincide with David's appearance at the 100th Out Of The Bedroom on the same day, the single features acoustic versions of the two songs he will play, "Another Happy Day" title track of his acclaimed 2003 album and a new song "Still We Doubt You" written and recorded in November this year. Also on the disc is an instrumental track "Like A Sunday" taken from his 1989 album "The Squirrel Cage". The CD, priced at £1, comes in a hand-made sleeve bearing the usual excellent CBQ artwork and is available for a limited period only.
02 Dec 03 | SANDS Memorial
David played "I Re-Arranged The House" last night at Morton Hall Chapel as part of the annual memorial service for SANDS, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society. Crispycat has released a special edition 5 track CBQ CD single in conjunction with the charity to help raise much needed funds. The Society provides counselling, both immediate and ongoing, to parents who have suffered these tragic losses. The single is rapidly becoming one of Crispycat's top selling release to date with several hundred pounds already having been raised for the cause. If you'd like to order a copy, please e-mail to david@crispycat.co.uk. The price is £5 incl P&P and all proceeds go directly to SANDS.
20 Nov 03 | OOTB Set
Following a frenetic ten-day period working on manufacturing SANDS EPs to keep up with demand, David played three songs at OOTB tonight which had not previously been played there. Having studied the set-lists of the five full-set gigs played this year, David found that, of the songs played, "The Sun Goes Down Too Soon", "Keep Living" and "Computer Operator" hadn't yet had an outing at OOTB. The set went down well and the performance of "Computer Operator" marked only the second time that an audience had been heard singing along to a CBQ song. Read the reveiew - Out of the Bedroom 96
08 Nov 03 | Arcade Set
CBQ played at Strings Songwriters' Club tonight at the Arcade in Edinburgh. The set clocked in at just under an hour and featured the entire "Anotherhappyday" album plus some of the more upbeat numbers from the back catalogue, including a the first live performance of "Down to the Beach" since 1988 and of "Computer Operator" since 1980, the latter prompting a sing-a-long from members of the audience! The trio of David, Jamie and Jim also debuted the new song written for Sands (see news items elsewhere), "Keep Living".
08 Nov 03 | Fifth CBQ Full Set Of The Year
Cloudland Blue Quartet will be playing at the Strings Songwriters' Night, upstairs at The Arcade at 48 Cockburn Street on Saturday 15 November. Opens at 9pm, CBQ on stage at 9.30 for a 45 minute set. David will be accompanied by James Jamieson on Guitar and Harmonies and James Sebastian Park on Assorted Percussion and will be promoting the latest CBQ album "Anotherhappyday" and the new "SANDS EP" as well as playing a selection from the back-catalogue. Entry is free, drinks are very economically priced and following CBQ will be the very talented Andy Hannaford whom we heartily recommend. All in all, it should be a good night and we hope to see you there.
06 Nov 03 | CBQ Soundman
CBQ took over the desk at OOTB tonight to mix the sound for the twelve performers who took to the stage, each of whom did a three song 15 minute set. David played a set himself which, to tie in with the MTV Awards happening elsewhere in Edinburgh tonight, featured three short pop songs, "Barbecue Beach", "The Counting House" and "Down to the Beach". Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 94
Crispycat Recordings is delighted to support SANDS Lothians with the release of a specially recorded five track EP. Each limited edition CD comes with a hand-made full-colour sleeve and label bearing the usual excellent CBQ artwork. Track listing and cover are posted on the Discography page. The recordings on this EP will never appear elsewhere. The LIMITED EDITION CD is available for purchase to SANDS members and supporters and is also being offered to CBQ fans via the Crispycat Website. 100% of the profit from this collectable CD will go towards SANDS Lothians fundraising activities planned over Christmas and during 2004. Prices (incl P&P) 1CD £5; 2 CDs £10; 5 CDs £25 - For larger orders please telephone SANDS on 0131 622 6263 to arrange a special price and collection.
30 Oct 03 | Upcoming CBQ Performances
CBQ has accepted an invitation to play at the Arcade in Cockburn Street, Edinburgh on Saturday 15 November. Due on-stage at 9.30, David will be performing a 45 minute set. He is currently listening to back catalogue stuff with a view to re-learning and playing some older and possibly (shock) faster (!!) songs. The resulting set-list should hold a few surprises. In addition, as previously announced on the home-page, David will perform "I Re-Arranged The House" and "Keep Living" in support of sales of the CBQ SANDS EP (see news elsewhere) on Monday 1 December at the Chapel of Rest at Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh. This memorial service for those who have lost a baby or child commences at 8pm that night.
25 Oct 03 | SANDS Recordings Completed
David was back in the studio today to finalise the recordings of "I Re-Arranged The House" and the new song, now titled "Keep Living". He also wrote and recorded a new instrumental piece, "On The Sands" especially for the release.
23 Oct 03 | CBQ/ACW at OOTB
David and his nephew Andrew Wilson made their second appearance as a duo at OOTB tonight. Opening with Andrew's song, "Rather Blue" which was originally short-listed to appear on "Anotherhappyday" but knocked out of the running order at the last moment, they then performed a stirring rendition of their co-written "Lovedrunk" from "Ampersand". The pair closed with the debut performance of "Crocodile I Am". An excellent performance all in all, especially considering they had not actually rehearsed the songs and that this was the first time they had played "Crocodile I Am" together, having put down their parts separately in the studio last Sunday. Review to follow.
20 Oct 03 | CBQ Back In The Studio
Over the weekend, David was in the studio working on new versions of "I Re-Arranged The House" and a new, as yet untitled song, both of which will appear shortly on a CD EP to be released in support of a local charity which provides counselling to those who have recently lost a baby, either through still-birth or shortly after birth. Having listened to some CBQ recordings, the charity particularly felt the lyrics to "Re-Arranged" would be apt for their members. They have given David a commission to write a second song to accompany it. On Sunday, David was joined in the studio by Andrew Wilson to work on a new collaboration. The resulting song, "Crocodile I Am" will be debuted by the duo on Thursday at OOTB.
19 Oct 03 | CBQ's Calling Card #2 Available Now for FREE (Incl Rare Tracks)
From today, Crispycat deletes CBQ's "Calling Card" and replaces it with "Calling Card #2". The three track CD, available free by e-mailing david@crispycat.co.uk (see Home Page), contains "A Nice Job In A Small Town" from "Doveloveshawk", the ambient piece "Like A Sunday", edited from the 1989 album "The Squirrel Cage" and an acoustic version of "Twenty Twenty Vision" which was only previously available on the now deleted "Souvenir" album, available briefly in June this year. This is a "while stocks last" limited offer as an introduction to CBQ's music.
08 Oct 03 | Coming Soon
We are currently working on updating the Art page of the site to include more recent paintings. We will also be uploading full tracks into the Music Room page, free to download. The "Track of the Moment" will be changed every 7 - 14 days, allowing you to build up a Crispycat Library free of charge. The artist page will also be updated soon (no promises though!!). 1st November will see the release of the second CBQ "Calling Card" CD. There are still a couple of the first run left - e-mail david@crispycat.co.uk for a free copy.
03 Oct 03 | Return to OOTB
Following David’s return from Europe, CBQ played three songs from "Anotherhappyday" last night at Out of the Bedroom (www.outofthebedroom.co.uk). "I Re-arranged The House", "Skylines Full Of Cranes" and "Another Happy Day". The performance went well especially considering this was the first time he’d played or sung since the Listening Room almost a month ago. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 90
13 Sep 03 - 28 Sep | Alpine Tour
David and Anne are driving through the Alps visiting Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.
11 Sep 03 | Congratulations To Craig & Amy
Saturday will see the wedding of Crispycat Webmeister Craig and his one true love, Amy. Everyone involved in Crispycat, artists and backroom alike wish Craig and Amy all the very best for the day and of course for their future together. As Craig will off on honeymoon for a couple of weeks, and he's yet to teach anyone else at Crispycat the secrets of website updating (!), the site will effectively remain unchanged until the start of October. However, you can still contact us by e-mail on david@crispycat.co.uk at any time, as e-mails will continue to be monitored in Craig's absence. All the best Craig and Amy!! We'll see you in October...
10 Sep 03 | Plans For More Free Music
The second edition of CBQ's "Calling Card" CD will be available soon, the first run is about to come to an end. We hope everyone who mails us for a copy likes what they get (effectively a free CD single) - and do keep mailing as this is an ongoing exercise and there will be a series for you to collect. There is talk of a similar idea for Creek - in the planning stages at present though as the band has been fairly inactive since February. We need to do some Creek marketing soon too to reactivate their back catalogue and Crispycat intends to re-release a number of recordings over the next six months. We also intend to update the Music Room page to allow you to download full pieces, and these too will change every couple of weeks, allowing you to build your own collection of Crispycat tracks on your hard-drives wherever you are around the world.
08 Sep 03 | The Listening Room
In the third performance in four days, CBQ played The Listening Room last night, giving one of the best performances of the year so far. Clocking in at just under an hour, the set comprised the whole of "Anotherhappyday" plus six numbers from the extensive CBQ back catalogue. In contrast to the Arcade performance, tonight�s audience was silent and attentive during the songs, listening intently to the two guitars and lead and harmony vocals of David and Jamie and greeting the end of each song with loud applause. Indeed a mini-ovation seemed to be offered at the close of the set and several pre-release copies of the album were snapped up. The gig marks the end of the CBQ mini-tour in support of the launch of "Anotherhappyday" but a return to the stage is set for early October.
07 Sep 03 | Arcade Gig
CBQ played a 35 minute set last night at a new acoustic music venue, The Arcade in Cockburn St Edinburgh. As is now becoming the norm, David was accompanied by James Jamieson, although, due to the lack of a 2nd mike-stand on the night, only those close to the front got to hear JJ�s angelic harmony vocals. The duo chose to play a selection of eight songs, drawn mainly from the "Anotherhappyday" album, and were well received by a rowdy audience.
05 Sep 03 | CBQ and James Jamieson at OOTB
To publicise the new album and Sunday Night’s gig at The Listening Room, CBQ & JJ went along to OTB and ran through songs chosen by JJ - "Twenty Twenty Vision", and rearranged versions of "Skylines Full of Cranes" and "Perfectly Simple" from "Anotherhappyday" - adding an extra chorus on the former and a couple of key changes on the latter to the recorded versions. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 86
05 Sep 03 | Further CBQ Performance
Following a three song set last night at Out of The Bedroom in St Mary's St Edinburgh, and prior to Sunday night's full set at The Listening Room, David is playing a half hour set on Saturday 6 September at The Arcade Bar, Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, again with James Jamieson. Doors open at 9.30pm with free entry.The weekend is turning into a veritable mini-tour in support of the release on Monday of the new CBQ album "Anotherhappyday". Pre release copies will be on sale Sat/Sun including bonus CD "Decade", all for �5.
E-mail orders for the album will be despatched from Monday.
Whilst writing, a huge apology to dial-up users for accidentally attaching the album sleeve as a Bitmap yesterday - it should of course have been a J-Peg.
01 Sep 03 | New CBQ Album Released
CBQ announces the release of the new song-based LP "Anotherhappyday" (Crispycat Recordings No 0316) on Monday 8 September. Some pre-release copies will be on sale at the performance at The Listening Room on 7 September. The CD is being issued in a special format - a Limited Edition 2 CD Set. It comes in a hand-made gatefold sleeve with inner sleeves and insert, all bearing the usual excellent CBQ artwork. CD One consists of the full band version of the album, followed by a newly recorded acoustic/unplugged version, for those who prefer the stripped down versions of the songs as heard live this year. CD programming will offer the chance to choose either version of each song in the running order of the album according to preference. The specially compiled second CD, entitled "Decade", features three tracks from each of CBQ's last six song-based LPs "Galleryshard", "Kernelcrux", "Starcrossfix", "Callingstill", "Doveloveshawk" and "Ampersand" which were released between 1993 and 2002. Amongst the 18 songs are such live favourites as "This Is All There Is pt 1", "A Nice Job In A Small Town" and "Twenty Twenty Vision".
Total playing time is around 160 minutes and the double CD set retails at just �5.00. You can order your copy from the Home page. Check the Discography for full artwork and track listing.
27 Aug 03 | FREE CD AVAILABLE
CBQ today releases a FREE CD available to you by e-mailing david@crispycat.co.uk. Send an e-mail to this address giving the name and address to which you�d like the CD to be sent and giving a reason why you�d like us to send you it - it�s as simple as that. The disc is entitled "Calling Card" and provides a short introduction to Cloudland Blue Quartet�s repertoire. We hope to hear from you soon.
23 Aug 03 | The Sun Goes Down Too Soon
David wrote and recorded a new song today, "The Sun Goes Down Too Soon" which will be included on the still untitled new album, due out in early September. Only the lead and backing vocals remain to be recorded, and it�s hoped these will be completed by the end of August.
15 Aug 03 | Crispy's Birthday
Today is the 19th anniversary of Crispy the Cat�s birthday. Crispy flew from this earth at around 9.30 am on 14 January 2002 after a long and happy life with David and Anne and is much missed.
13 Aug 03 | Listening Room Rehearsals Commence
Following the rather short notice re rehearsal time for the Acoustica and Ross Theatre gigs, David and James Jamieson convened last night for the first of several rehearsals for the Listening Room performance to take place over the next four weeks. A provisional set list was formed and the first tentative arrangements worked out. Further rehearsals are planned for 14, 19, 28 August and 2 and 6 September, with a possible three song set to be played at Out Of The Bedroom on 4 September.
09 Aug 03 | CBQ Live at the Festival
CBQ crammed 15 songs into an accomplished 45 minute solo set at the Ross Theatre in Princes Street Edinburgh yesterday. This was the first time David had played more than three songs to an audience using just his voice and an acoustic guitar. The gig saw the debut performance of the song "Perfectly Simple" from the forthcoming album and only the second ever airing of "Rather Blue", "What On Earth Have We Done", "Stranded", "Ten Twelve Seventeen" and "Skylines Full Of Cranes". The audience of around 300 enjoyed the set, played out in beautiful open-air surroundings below Edinburgh Castle on a warm and sunny afternoon. Review to follow.
07 Aug 03 | Souvenir II
Following the success of the CBQ "Souvenir" album at Acoustica, there will be a very limited number of "Souvenir II" albums available for �5 at the Ross Theatre tomorrow (15 tracks mirroring the Setlist). The album has five tracks which weren't on "Souvenir" and comes inside a plastic slip-case with a hand made gatefold sleeve and inner. It'll be deleted on 9 August.
04 Aug 03 | CBQ At The Edinburgh Festival
It has just been confirmed that CBQ will play a full solo set at The Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens on Friday 8 August from 4pm to 5pm. Entry to the gardens and amphitheatre is free. CBQ has a couple of days of rehearsal but no setlist has been decided as yet.
02 Aug 03 | Full Length Live Performance Announced
CBQ has announced he will play at The Listening Room at The Blue Blazer in Spittal Street, Edinburgh on Sunday 7 September. The current plan is to play his new album in its entirety plus one song each from the last three song-based records. Once again James Jamieson will accompany CBQ on the night. The room is quite small so get there early. There is an open mic from 8pm till 9pm with CBQ performing between 9pm and 10pm.
01 Aug 03 | Coming Soon - New CBQ Album
A new album is in production - proposed release date 4 September 2003.
01 Aug 03 | Deletions
From today, the following Crispycat Recordings are deleted - thanks to everyone who has bought copies and we hope they have brought a little sunshine into your lives!
A Nice Job In A Small Town - Best of CBQ 1986 - 2002 (Album)
A Nice Job In A Small Town - (Single)
Lovedrunk (Single)
I Re-Arranged The House (Single)
Everything You've Ever Wanted (Single)
What On Earth Have We Done (Single)
Ten Twelve Seventeen (Single)
The Time Of Our Lives (Single)
Skylines Full Of Cranes (Single)
One More Chance (Single)
Souvenir - Acoustica Set plus bonus acoustic tracks (Album)
31 Jul 03 | Influences Night
In a short set, CBQ played Diaz Brothers' "Cheat To Win" followed by Brian Eno's "Here He Comes". A special 38 Minute Eno CD was available containing "Here He Comes", a piano version of "By This River" recorded in Germany in 1980 (from the album "AMF"), "Julie With...", a version of Fripp & Eno's "Swastika Girls", recorded in 1997 for the CBQ album "Flitterkram! The Music of Fripp & Eno" and "On Some Faraway Beach", with a new vocal being added to the version recorded in 1995 for the album "Bitter Sweet Covers". Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 85
29 Jul 03 | CBQ Plays The Diaz Brothers
CBQ has recorded fellow OOTB stalwarts, The Diaz Brothers' song "Cheat To Win". This won't be on the CD but will be on special pressings for each of the four Diaz Brothers who will be at OOTB on Thursday, Dave, Graeme, Smiley and Andy.
27 Jul 03 | CBQ Chooses Brian Eno
On 31 July, OOTB will be an "Influences Night". CBQ today recorded versions of Eno's "Here He Comes" and "Julie With.." from his 1977 album "Before and After Science" - 1977 being the year David started recording and Eno probably being his most major influence. A limited edition CD single will be available on the night - obviously all proceeds will be sent to Brian's house!
24 Jul 03 | CBQ Duo Live
Following his appearance last month with Andrew Wilson on keyboards, tonight CBQ was joined by James Jamieson for three songs. Jamie chose "A Nice Job", "Everything You've Ever Wanted" and "20/20 Vision". The songs, were excellently performed with Jamie playing additional acoustic and providing backing vocals. People talking to them later could not believe there had been no rehearsals and that they'd not played at all together since Acoustica on 16 June. Jim Park was also to have played but had to withdraw through illness. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 84
14 Jul 03 | Website Birthday
The Crispycat Website is one year old today. A very huge thank you goes out to Craig Sutherland our webmaster extraordinaire. You are the man, Craig!!
10 Jul 03 | A Welcome Return
CBQ played "I Re-Arranged The House", "Everything You've Ever Wanted" and "Another Happy Day" at OOTB. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 82
30 Jun 03 | Douglas Reilly
"My dad was a very funny man. It was through his love for music that I discovered there was more to life than playing football in the park (not that that stopped me of course). Like every boy's dad in a young boy's eyes, he was a pioneer. I remember him roping me in at age 6 or 7 in the mid 60's to his doomed experiments with his reel to reel tape recorders, removing and replacing speakers, and mucking about with the tape heads. Some man! Not to mention blowing up his scooter. (I don't think he was a mod, but he did love his scooter).
Lying on the living room floor listening to Tchaikovsky's 1812 as he explained to me the different themes and the story behind the music. I don't think he ever sold anything, evrytime he got a new piece of equipment I got the Old Stuff to play with.
In the 70's he was away a lot through his work and without the older brother to guide me that some of my friends had I made my own way in music - at that stage there was nothing but classical, jazz and James Last in the house (though there probably was and and my memory's being selective) - it was Year Zero for me when I heard "School's Out" on the radio and thought "that doesn't sound like a girl.....".
From then on, one of my dad's favourite phrases was "David son, that's hellish - as in 'of hell'..turn it down!". He may well have first coined the phrase as a reaction to the sound of Fripp & Eno's No Pussyfoting album blasting from my room. To this day my mum can still recognise the sound of Bob & Brian at 50 paces.
He always had time for anyone who needed it and when we celebrated his life on Thursday and I met so many faces from the past they confirmed to me what I always knew.....My dad was a very funny man.
I love you dad - I know I didn't tell you as often as I should have but hey, who ever does?
Rest in Peace"
30 Jun 03 | Sudden And Sad Loss
David's dad, Douglas died suddenly yesterday morning. Obviously there will be a break in CBQ's activities for the next couple of weeks at least, as he helps with the family's arrangements.
19 Jun 03 | Off To Germany
CBQ is in Germany for five days - no dates.
17 Jun 03 | Acoustica Verdict
CBQ plus the two James (Jamieson & Park), made it through their 12 song set without a hitch last night. A very enjoyable experience for all concerned. The limited edition "Souvenir" album was snapped up with just a couple of copies remaining to be sold on the website from today. Read the review - Acoustica
14 Jun 03 | CBQ Compilation "Souvenir"
A very limited edition 80 minute album will be available at CBQ's Acoustica gig on Monday night. Due to time constraints, it doesn't include James Jamieson or James Sebastian Park but it does include eight previously unreleased acoustic versions of such songs as "A Nice Job In A Small Town", "Stranded", "This Is All There Is" and "Lovedrunk". In addition, the album contains full band versions of the twelve song set being played on the night and each CD comes in an individually hand-made gatefold sleeve with inner sleeve and insert, featuring the usual excellent CBQ artwork (this time based around the paintings used for the covers of "Callingstill", "Doveloveshawk" and "Ampersand". The CD will be on sale at �5.
08 Jun 03 | First Full CBQ Gig Since 1998
CBQ plays Acoustica next Monday at 10 o'clock (earlier then the usual 11 pm start). Entry is FREE. Rehearsals start tonight. The support of Mr James Jamieson, on guitar and mandolin and Mr James Sebastian Park on assorted percussion has been enlisted. Unfortunately Alan Manson Brodie has had to pull out so it's likely the performance will be made as a trio. The set will consist of 3 songs each from the last three CBQ albums, "Callingstill" (1997), "Doveloveshawk" (1999) and "Ampersand" (2002) and 3 written and released on singles this year. Check out the Music Room on the site to hear clips of some of the tracks from the set list. This is the first full CBQ performance since April 1998, so it may be a while till the next one! A few copies of each of the above albums should be available on the night at �5 each (all 75 mins or so), plus, if it can be put together on time, a special Acoustica souvenir CBQ compilation - only available at the venue on the night. Venue : Acoustica at Cabaret Votaire, Blair Street, Edinburgh (Off Hunter Square at the Tron).
06 Jun 03 | Young Keys Wizard A Hit at OOTB
Andrew Wilson jnr impressed the audience at last night's OOTB as he complemented CBQ's performance with his keyboard skills on Lovedrunk, Poppies and Rather Blue. Read the review - Out Of The Bedroom 77
05 Jun 03 | CBQ to perform as Quartet
CBQ returned from Poland last weekend and received an invitation to perform a full set at Acoustica, Cabaret Voltaire in Blair St, Edinburgh on Monday 16 June at 10 pm. For the performance he has enlisted the aid of James Jamieson (ex-Capital Models, Ritual Dance) on Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar and Mandolin, James Sebastian Park (ex-Exploited, Capital Models, Doppelganger) on Assorted Percussion, and long time compatriot Alan Manson Brodie (Love Parade, Dancers of San Marino, Creek) on Keyboards. CBQ, James and James last played live together in March 1980 while his last live performance with Alan was with Crazy Wisdom back in June 1998.
04 Jun 03 | CBQ to perform with Andrew Wilson jnr
CBQ rehearsed a short set with Andrew Wilson jnr tonight, they will play OOTB tomorrow performing "Poppies", Andrew's "Rather Blue" and the co-composition "Lovedrunk".
16 May 03 | CBQ off to Poland
CBQ travels to Warsaw and Krakow returning 31st May. No performances are planned.
16 May 03 | Follow Up Album to "Ampersand"
Many of you who have bought CBQ CD singles at gigs this year have asked about a new song based album. This just to let you know that the intention is to have an album ready in the Summer. This will be based around the songs written this year but will feature re-recording to a certain extent to retain the exclusivity of the versions appearing on the singles.
15 May 03 | Another Live Set - Collect The Set
Tonight at Out Of The Bedroom, CBQ accepted a late slot and gave an OOTB debut to "Bravura", originally from the "Crispysnatch" album and now on the tenth, and last, in the current series of CD singles, "One More Chance". Next up was "This Is All There Is (pt 1)" from "Callingstill" and the set was rounded off with "Everything You've Ever Wanted". As you'll see from the live reviews posted elsewhere, the reaction to the CD singles set has been overwhelmingly positive. If you have a couple already, we would urge you to collect the set. Total time amounts to around three and a quarter hours of music for �10. Each single comes in a hand made sleeve with a protective plastic cover. Do take the opportunity to bag a few now at the knockdown price of �1 as production time and cost point to an increase in prices after this initial period. Read the review - Out Of The Bedroom 74
13 May 03 | Megamike
Thanks to those of you who made it along to Megamike last night. CBQ arrived, played "I Re-Arranged the House" and then headed off into the night...
10 May 03 | Megamike
CBQ is due to perform at Megamike along with 49 other artists on Monday Night at Cabaret Voltaire in Blair St Edinburgh. The event runs from 10.30 pm to 3 am, with CBQ scheduled to appear at 11.10 pm. Just the one song so don't miss it!
09 May 03 | Sonnenschein
The 10th CD single of 2003 was finalised tonight with the recording of instrumental "Sonnenschein" on the occasion of David's old friend Jorg Sonnenschein's 40th birthday. It joins two oher songs recorded 4th - 9th May plus an alternative instrumental version of "Everything You've Ever Wanted". Full details on the discography page.
09 May 03 | Latest visit to OOTB
Another fine performance from CBQ last night at OOTB saw him play Stewart Robinson's (www.deepphase.co.uk) "Stranded" from "Ampersand" (as promised a good few weeks back) plus a third airing of "I Re-Arranged the House" with "Another Happy Day" ending the set for the second time running. Loads of CD singles sold and orders taken from those who just missed out. Read the review - Out Of The Bedroom 73
04 May 03 | Another Happy Day
CBQ�s ninth CD single of the year "Another Happy Day" is now available from the website - the 30 minute CD, like the others in the series, comes in a hand made colour sleeve and is priced at just �1. Along with the title track is a re-recording of the song "Overload" from the 1999 album Doveloveshawk, a second brand new song, "Perfectly Simple" and "Semi-Automatic", a track form the 2003 album "File Under Electronica". Cover and track details are on the Discography page.
24 Apr 03 | Another Happy Performance
CBQ played his eighth set at OOTB tonight. Joining "The Time Of Our Lives" and "What On Earth Have We Done" was new song "Another Happy Day" - CBQ says it occurred to him whilst preparing for the performance that these form a kind of trilogy regarding the lyrical content. The set drew another fine response from the packed room - CBQ reckons tonight topped his set last week. Read the review - Out Of The Bedroom 71
18 Apr 03 | New Unplugged CD Album in the pipeline
In what's becoming a veritable frenzy of recording activity by CBQ, we understand that a 22 song unplugged album has been recorded at Crispycat and may be released shortly. CBQ says that he wants to provide a document of the current open-mic live sound featuring just voice and guitar. A previous unplugged album "After A While", recorded in 2000, is currently available from the website.
18 Apr 03 | Skylines Full Of Cranes - Live
CBQ gave what he describes as his "best performance for years" last night in Edinburgh. The brand new piece "Skylines Full Of Cranes" was complimented by only the second ever recitals of "I Re-Arranged The House" and "Everything You've Ever Wanted" to one of his most appreciative audiences to date. All three featured CD singles sold out on the night and other back-catalogue singles were also snapped up - all the discs are still available from this website though (see Discography) - just email david@crispycat.co.uk to place your order. Read the review - Out Of The Bedroom 70
18 Apr 03 | CD Single Series Increases to Eight - Collect the Set!
With the recording and release of "Skylines Full Of Cranes" this week, CD Single No 8 of the year, and the belated inclusion of CD Single No 6, "Ten Twelve Seventeen" in the discography, the set is increased again and now includes 26 tracks in total, 6 new songs written and recorded in 2003, 10 re-recordings made this year and 10 tracks previously available on albums.
06 Apr 03 | Sixth Live CBQ Set Of The Year
CBQ returned to the stage last Thursday, following the break to record the new "File Under Electronica" CD. Performing "10 12 17" from Doveloveshawk together with the title track to the 1997 3CD set "Callingstill" (an edited own unplugged version of the original 10 minute piece) and a new song "The Time Of Our Lives", a new CD single was on sale on the night. The Single contained a newly recorded version of "Lap Of Luxury" instead of "10 12 17". One more outing with three new songs will give an overall "pool" of 21 from which it's likely any further performances will draw. The next performance will consist of "Forgive and Forget" from 1993's Galleryshard album, "Stranded" from Ampersand and "Lap of Luxury" while the CD will have the first two of those plus "10 12 17". Read the review - Out Of The Bedroom 68
01 Apr 03 | New CBQ Album Released!
Today sees the release of the first CBQ instrumental album since 1999's "Rheinhardt Richter Rosenquist". With the snappy title "Cloudland Blue Remixed - File Under Electronica" the 75 minute album contains electronica remixes of 7 ambient tracks originally recorded and released between 1993 and 1999. Cover and track listing are on the Discography page.
30 Mar 03 | Next CBQ Single Completed
CBQ completed recordings for the next CD Single which includes new song "The Time of our Lives" plus re-workings of "Lap of Luxury" form 1986's "Poppies" album and "Callingstill" the title track of the 1997 triple CD set.
23 Mar 03 | Drink, Football and the Demon Love :-)
Creek were due to convene again today to continue work on their new material. However unforseen circumstances involving drink, football and the demon love meant that only David ended up being available. In the absence of the others, he took the opportunity to work on a new CBQ song, "The Time Of Our Lives".
13 Mar 03 | New CBQ Instrumental Album
CBQ has been working on recordings for a new instrumental album to be released at the start of April. It's likely that the album, as yet untitled, will consist of radical re-workings of some of the best ambient tracks recorded in the 1990's by CBQ.
06 Mar 03 | CBQ Live
CBQ made the fifth appearance in six weeks at OOTB, performing the three songs recorded over the previous weekend. Once again the reception was fantastic and "What On Earth Have We Done" joined the previous 4 CD singles in the collections of several audience members. For the last two weeks, back-catalogue singles have also been sold on the night All five to date, the last three including exclusive recordings, are now available for �1 by e-mailing david@crispycat.co.uk. Covers and track details are now on the Discography page. Having made five appearances and performed fifteen songs over a combined set time of around an hour, CBQ will now take a break from the song-based side of things to spend some time on new ambient/electronica recordings and also to concentrate on the up-coming sessions with Creek. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 64
03 Mar 03 | Third new CBQ song of 2003
Over the weekend, CBQ wrote and recorded "What On Earth Have We Done", the third track for what should turn out to be a new album for 2003. Also recorded were updated versions of "Regret" and "Loverleap" originally from 1990's "Crispysnatch" album. Rather than some of the connotations which have been attached to that album title, which we won't repeat here (!), the album was originally going to be a collection of re-recordings of songs from the then Sombre Reptiles 1980s LPs. They were going to be "snatched back from the past and made crisp again" hence "Crispysnatch". Anyway, these three songs will form the fifth in the Out Of The Bedroom series of CD singles, sold on the nights when CBQ appears for �1 each.
28 Feb 03 | Further CBQ performance at OOTB
In what's becoming a regular occurrence, CBQ played a three song acoustic set last night at Out of the Bedroom. Going on later than usual at 11.30 to a packed room, the performance once again resulted in a CD single sell-out on the night. A bit more up-beat than previous appearances with the old Love Parade classic "Funny Funny" closing the set. Watch out for details of the full set of OOTB CD Singles being posted in the Discography section soon. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 63
25 Feb 03 | CBQ back at Out of the Bedroom
Following last week's return to Out of the Bedroom, CBQ advise the intention to play 3 songs this Thursday (27th). Slots are decided on the night but CBQ generally will always try to obtain a slot in the first half (9.00 - 10.45). The fourth in the OOTB CBQ CD Single Series will be available. See previous news items for venue details.
23 Feb 03 | Latest on Creek
Creek convened at Crispycat to work on a further two tracks for the 2003 album, as yet untitled. Results were encouraging, despite the absence of Mr Brodie. The work is taking on a more structured form than previous Creek product and it is hoped that, at some point this year, these pieces will be able to be performed in a live setting, either in Trio or Quartet form depending on availablility of the Creek membership.
22/23 Feb 03 | New CBQ CD Single
Another new CBQ song was written and recorded over the weekend. "Everything You've Ever Wanted (Is Everything You've Never Had)" will be the next CD Single available along with new recordings of "The Western Edge" from 1991's "Liverysilver" and "Funny Funny" originally recorded by David with Alan Brodie in 1984 under the name Love Parade.
21 Feb 03 | CBQ Re-Arranges the Bedroom
CBQ made his third appearance last night at Out Of The Bedroom, again eliciting an excellent response from what can only be described as one of the most attentive audiences CBQ has experienced to date. Performing the three tracks recorded prior to his trip to Rome, the Ltd Edition CD Singles of "I Re-Arranged The House","World Of Fire" and "Poppies" sold out on the night. The intention now, is to record a further three songs over next weekend and play them next Thursday. Read the review - Out of the Bedroom 62
17 Feb 03 | Next Creek studio jam planned for 23rd February
Creek are back in the Crispycat studio again this Sunday, 23rd of February to record some more new tracks. Unfortunately, keyboard maestro Alan Brodie is missing in action and won't be able to make it, however the rest of the mob will be there tinkling the ivories and laying down some new beats. Rhythm programmer Craig Sutherland mixed things up last time with a hip hop flava, but intends on returning to that original Creek electronica sound for next time. Watch this space for details of new Creek tracks and MP3 downloads.
09 Feb 03 | CBQ records first new track of the year
CBQ day at Crispycat Studio today, where David recorded the first new song of 2003. Entitled "I Rearranged the House (on The Day You Came To Stay)" he hopes to debut this at Out of The Bedroom No 62 on 20 February following his upcoming trip to Rome from Feb 14-17. Also recorded today were 2003 versions of old Sombre Reptiles/CBQ standards "Poppies" and "World of Fire" which may or may not make it onto the next CD single.
08 Feb 03 | David works on new tracks with Andrew Wilson jnr
David spent the day in the studio with Andrew Wilson jnr, co-writer of a couple of songs on both "Doveloveshawk" in 1999 and "Ampersand" released in 2002. Andrew, now 16, was demo-ing some of his new songs with 18 year old songstress Adele from York. Look out for a possible collaboration with Andrew and CBQ in 2003.
07 Feb 03 | CBQ plays two live sets
Cloudland Blue Quartet recently played two three song sets on consecutive weeks at The Waverley in St Mary's Street Edinburgh, coincidentally directly opposite what was the original Reptile Record Shop from 1991 to 1995. Available each night was a limited edition CD single containing the studio versions of the three songs played. Needless to say these went like the proverbial hot cakes at the knock down price of just �1 each. The performances were played solo with acoustic guitar. Here are the reviews - Out of the Bedroom 59, Out of the Bedroom 60
03 Feb 03 | Creek back in the studio
As previously announced Creek have been back in the studio. Meeting up for the first time in ages the guys laid down two new 10 minute tracks, as yet untitled. A couple of other tracks are at demo stage and will be finished off next time.
23 Jan 03 | New music edits available in the Musicroom
A selection of 7 new edits are now available for your enjoyment. To listen or download go to the Musicroom.
13 Jan 03 | New Creek tracks at pre-production stage
Creek's Craig Sutherland is adding the finishing touches to a bunch of new of new rhythms prior to the planned studio get-together later this month. Craig commented, "This is easily gonna be the best Creek stuff ever. I've really mixed it up this time from breakbeat to hip hop to chilled out.". As reported earlier Creek are back in the studio this month. Fans eagerly wait to hear the new material.
12 Jan 03 | Trips planned for 2003
Trips planned for 2003 include Rome in February, Warsaw and Krakow in May and southern Germany in September.
06 Jan 03 | Compilation of singles now out
A CD compilation of singles is out now. Full track listing will be available in the Discography section soon.
2002
18 Nov 02 | David experimenting in studio
David is back in the studio working on experiments for a new album of instrumentals. More soon.
14 Oct 02 | Creek to reunite in January - Confirmed
January 2003 has been confirmed as the month four-piece electronic band Creek reunite. David, Alan, Craig and Stuart are bursting with new ideas after a lengthy break while they concentrated on solo work. Some previous Creek tracks will be available for download soon.
03 Oct 02 | Brian Eno compilation
David is looking at the possibility of putting together a set of Brian Eno songs.
10 Sep 02 | Trip planned to Malta
David and Anne are visiting Malta. The trip will be centred in the capital Valetta and they plan to fully explore the entire Island and its neighbour Gozo. Thereafter, the intention is for David to commence preparations for the next CBQ instrumental recordings - the first since 1999.
29 Aug 02 | Creek back in the studio
The first tentative discussions have taken place between the four members of Creek, David, Alan, Craig Sutherland and Stuart Cobley with a view to possibly recording something prior to the end of the year. It's just a question of matching up available times.
28 Aug 02 | New ambient album planned
David and Stewart Robinson (aka Peri Urban) discussed the possibility of working together on a new ambient album. Their last collaborative release was back in 1999 although Stewart was heavily involved in producing, playing and writing on the latest CBQ release "Ampersand" while David appeared on Peri Urban's "Sonic Party Hat" last year. (www.deepphase.co.uk)
15 Aug 02 | New CD scheduled for October
Following their visit to Germany, David and Alan have finally mastered recordings made in August 1994 and the results will be released under the title "Faithful-Rockall". The CD contains two extended pieces of electronica and will be available from October.
08 Aug 02 | New CD scheduled for October
David took a trip to Kassel, Germany with Alan Brodie (collaborator in Love Parade, Dancers Of San Martino, Crazy Wisdom, Boom and Creek) to visit the Documenta 11 Modern Art Exhibition. This is the largest exhibition of modern art held anywhere in the world and takes place once every five years. David last attended in 1982 for Documenta 7. Some paintings based on photos from the trip to Documenta 11 will be available shortly and you can find more information at www.documenta.de in either English or German.
14 Jul 02 | Free music edits available now for downloading
You'll be able to register soon. In the meantime if you go to the music room you can download some music edits to give you a sample of what's to come.
14 Jul 02 | Crispycat Discography
Check our ever expanding discography of every release since 1977. Of course lots of titles are long since deleted so you can't get a hold of everything, however keep checking for regular updates.
14 Jul 02 | New website launched
That's right, it's been a long time coming but we feel it's been worth the wait. You'll be able to register soon, however in the meantime why not download the free edits from the music room.
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