Two weeks, too many practices!! Too much to keep track of!

Well it’s been about two weeks since my last blog, and if memory serves correct, the last adventure we were swept into was a rip-raunching-leg-busting-drum-gutting-guitar-slashing-mic-slipping and finger-cutting experience! Well in the space of those two weeks, a lot has happened! Where to start!

Mini-chapter 1 - So it begins

In Comrade Wright’s absence (well, while he was trying to rediscover the nerves he took out of his finger), Jebediah and I decided to crack on with the prep for the new album, it sucks to move on without the Comrade, but he’s pretty understanding and we both knew he would catch up and learn the songs quickly when his finger was back to working condition. Anyway, jay and I cracked and practiced 3 times in the first week, which was pretty taxing and tiring, but we soon got in the groove and the songs followed suit. Not to give anything away, but if you thought Watching and Waiting was rad, wait till you hear this album. Jay has moved up a notch and written a song for every emotional badge on your jacket. The structure and lyrics are a step above his previous and evoke just as much excitement, enjoyment and all-round good fun!

In the process of working out the new tracks we also used our limited interior design skills and refashioned the Boneyard. It looks like an Arabian carpet stall found in a Prague Christmas market! Picture that if u can. Because musicians, like vampires are sensitive to light…we took them out and threw in some fairy/Christmas light in instead. Conclusion, a band room we don’t pay rent for, a band room we can get into without climbing walls, and a place to leave my kit, although I fear that when Bones Jnr starts getting in touch with his superior motor skills, I mite pack it up J

Mini- Chapter 2 - Box

Very short chapter this. I’ve been designing packaging for Mr. Spooky Toonz’ (Ryan Bolton or Buster) hair-dye range. Exciting little project for me on the side. Check out the box!

Mini- Chapter 3 - The assault on 2011 begins

As the new songs have begun to take shape, Jay and I have been discussing a strategy for the album launch next year and an all-on assault of everything Ramblin’ Bones and the Bloody Agents. Unbeknown to Comrade Wright, his role in this master plan is on a much grander scale that only he can achieve!! We just have not told him what it is yet, but the one project will be for him to design the Bonefort. A fortified mammoth of a construction that will become our new practice room and studio, equipped with beds, recording equipment, coffee machines, a bakery, fridge and a listening room that is also actually a sauna. Huge project like I said before, which is why we leaving it in the Comrade’s capable hands. He just needs to find a location and funding…small details! Second is that he is going to promote us in his coffee shop, the Post, by offering items on the menu, such as ‘Danger’ coffee, ‘Ramblin’ ham and cheese sandwich and ‘Wright’ cookies in the shape of a wing! Lots for him to do haha…we just still need to tell him. But on a more relevant note, in our preparation for next year, the one new exciting venture was that we decided to film the recording of the album and almost do a documentary of the whole process and how Ramblin’ Bones has evolved in a year and abit. It’s really exciting for me, as I’ll be heading up the project with my good friend Annie ‘Pinyata’ Stapelton behind the camera and in the editing suite. Also in the pipeline is some awesome shows setup for next year, which I am not going to give away until we have confirmation and new merch ventures which I am particularly ecstatic about. I would love to tell more, but I want some concrete evidence of all these projects before I spill the beans, just so that there is an end result. Keep your eyes and ears posted!!

Mini- Chapter 4 – Friday mayhem, Sunday silence

So this last weekend, if some of you attended it, was the colossal onslaught of Souljah, Hog Hoggidy Hog and Fuzigish. Bones, Cami Scoundrel and myself all road tripped to the far north of Pretoria and per usual (this is literally every time I go to Pretoria) we added a few minutes onto our trip because we could not find Hotbox studios at first, but I think Bones was not too dismayed as he got a chance to keep cruising in his new wheels.

It was really good to see the Hogs again, both on stage and just to hang out. They all a bunch of great guys and we had a really wicked time with them when we toured in Bloem. As per the norm they put on awesome show and it was one of those classic shows where each band set the pace and atmosphere and then built on it as the night went on. By the time the Fuz hopped up on stage, the crowd was bursting at the steams with energy and the boys did not disappoint!! Lee was on FFFFFFFFFiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnne form on the kit, and I’ve always said that watching him play is like pressing a button on a machine and just watching it go to work!!! Like a steam train he was!!!

Skip the remaining drinks that were had that night, the Saturday bender with my mate Paul (Bassist from Ignorance Is Typical days) who was out from London and I found myself feeling very tired, hungover and un-energetic for a show in Pretoria. But I was (as I always am) excited to play.

Got to the Stone Lion Café around 3:30 (its the old Cool Runnings in Hatfield) and caught a very attractive and saucy acoustic set from Cortina Whiplash and was very impressed with the show as I have never seen them play before and I look forward to them performing in their familiar habitat of electric guitars, big bass sounds and banging drums! Now because Comrade Wright was still unable to report for duty, it meant that Bones and I were doing the two-man bone-stomp act, which I always do enjoy cause I get to be more energetic on stage, but when your told that you got to keep your playing to a minimal, it just puts a grey cloud over the performance before its even begun. I could not blame the manager though as I would as the same of a performer if I had the residents in the surrounding area up my backside! I did not play standing up, although now I wish I had and we have a pretty decent set except the audience was slightly subdued and when you forcing your style of playing to fit into something, it always takes something away from the performance!

In the end, we have fun for the most part, got some rad feedback from people we could not see (and its not like there was a full house either) and they probably heard us from across the street or something. Another enjoyable weekend that in end deserved some much needed rest!!