Happy New Year

The Chase by andrewfostermusic

New Track, New Year, New Genres

Keep it fresh

Have a great time tonight and stay safe

x

I Knew A Teenage Jesus

When i was about 14 i had a Sanyo CD player that my mum got me when my Grandad passed away. I adored it, it had a flip up toploading mechanism and an in build radio that i used to tape Radio One sessions and the charts every Sunday night. That was my escape, my best friend and the focal point in my room, it was constantly on when I was home and all the songs I cherished were played through it. The huge number of CD albums and singles (yes remember them!), the CD's that were bought and played the most were The Bluetones, Oasis and Nirvana. The Bluetones have sound tracked my life right up until their farewell tour this year so what happened last night was a fitting send off personally.
The Bluetones were and are one of those bands I was fanatical about. I loved the intricate guitar playing from Adam Devlin who has been a massive influence on how I approached guitar, and the melodies and dry lyrical wit from Mark Morris who has been a hero of mine since my teens. The second wave of Bluetones material was the album "Return To The Last Chance Saloon" and the first single off it was the chunky riffage of "Solomon Bites The Worm" which went in at number 10. The b side to that single that was tucked away but became a fan favorite was "I knew A Teenage Jesus". For me the song had a real wistful uplifting feel to it and i used to play it on repeat for hours. It takes me back to those confusing teen years of never quite fitting in properly, scrabbling round for identity, and trying to find out who I was. Which were all constantly in a state of flux to that question arnt we? The bands and music I adored in that period became foundation for who I am now without question and will reference them for as long as I am here.
Last night I supported Mark Morris which I've had the pleasure of doing a few times now and for his encore we did an impromptu version of the song. For what is essentially, an under-rehearsed version of a Bluetones classic was for me a very poignant event which I thank Mark profusely for letting me crash in on. 
The year they split, was the year I joined him onstage two days before the end of the year to play a track that 13 years previous was playing on that little Sanyo toploading CD player in my bedroom....


Happy New Year
Stay Safe
Andy x

End Of Year

I wrote 2500 words on my take on where I, as a musician am, were the industry is in my opinion and the whole smoke screen that is the wheel of promotion and the fickle media world in which we live...and i even got tired thinking about it, and the sound of my own droning voice in my head so i stopped.

Do you know what .....

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged"

and

Its Christmas i cant be doing with moaning, and how terribly self indulgent to winge and moan about something I'm choosing to immerse myself and take part in....

So none of that, thank you for your support over this year, its been an incredibly difficult year for me and i really appreciate peoples comments and coming to the shows and what have you so....thank you.

I hope you enjoy this period, i love a bit of festive cheer me! Yes its loaded with commercialism but lighten up! Its CHRISTMAS!

Stay Safe

and take care of each other, its mental out there.....


Favourite Gigs and that
B Of The Bang - SouthseaFest
Kassassin Street - The Eastney Cellars
Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds - London Forum
The Bluetones - Bournemouth
The Zombies - The Brook Southampton
Stornoway - Isle Of White Festival 2011
Imelda May - Isle Of White Festival 2011
The Travelling Band - Southampton Arts Centre

Albums n that
Wilco - The Whole Love
Scott Mathews - What the night delivers
Band Of Skulls - Baby darling Doll Face honey
Leisure Society - Into The Murky Water
Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds
Amplifier - The Octopus
Florence & The Machine - Ceremonials
Coldplay - Xylo Mtylo
The Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Foster The People - Torches
 Ive mainly been listening to music from decades ago, backtracking.....It was a better time for sure

I STILL listen to Amorphous Androgynous - A monsterous psychedelic bubble exploding in your mind