What have I been up to since Ironrat
Ooh now there's a question. And essentially the answer is bog all, nowt, diddly squat or more specifically nothing. You see part of my reason for quitting was that I was tired. Dog, bony weary tired. I never got bored of the music, never disliked playing and never really fell out with any of the guys (except Wayne who's a git.....honest!)
So since then what have I done. Well I never stopped writing, although I haven't picked up a guitar in a long while, harmonica being my current chosen instrument. I've been writing lyrics and thinking about various different styles that wouldn't have fit in to Ironrat. I have no plans to start a new band as:
a) that's a bit hypocritical really, after quitting the band I helped create because "I was tired!"
b) I'm tired,
c) I've been busy at college, finishing my first year of a Foundation Degree in Environmental Conservation (woohoo passed the first year!)
d) Noah (our eldest) has hit the "terrible twos" and Eli (our youngest) is in teething hell so my time is pretty much occupied 100%
Now I know the guys have kept going, an old mate of the band - Chris "Bungle" Beanland taking over vocal duties while Stuart Hillman (ex Silverburn) has joined on bass. So never fear Ironrat are still on the loose, their next gig with this new (improved????) line up on the 19th November at the Black Swan (Bradford) with old mates Old School Enemy.
"So when can we hear what you've been doing? " I hear no-one cry. Well that's the thing. I have to learn a whole new discipline and that is - bossing myself about rather than others. Relying on myself to write, perform and structure everything and more importantly being critical of what I'm creating, which is a rely difficult thing to get right. Its a little like painting a piece of art - when is it done? When can you release it unto the world and be satisfied. I think that's the hardest part of being a solo performer and is probably why so many soloists appear to be egotistical. Half of what they do is critique their own work, carrying out dual roles of creator and destroyer, and once they are ready to offer their creation to the world (after having tried to destroy it) its mentally difficult to accept that anyone else's opinion really matters.
So hopefully, after I have created, destroyed and recreated some of the stuff I've been writing I shall then unleash it upon you lucky people. Until then enjoy some of the excellent tunes coming out from the below set of bands. Click like etc on their various websites and share with the world.....
www.reverbnation.com/ironrat
www.oldschoolenemy.co.uk
www.reverbnation.com/thedeadresurrected
theidoldead.co.uk/
www.last.fm/music/James+(Bim)+Johnston
So since then what have I done. Well I never stopped writing, although I haven't picked up a guitar in a long while, harmonica being my current chosen instrument. I've been writing lyrics and thinking about various different styles that wouldn't have fit in to Ironrat. I have no plans to start a new band as:
a) that's a bit hypocritical really, after quitting the band I helped create because "I was tired!"
b) I'm tired,
c) I've been busy at college, finishing my first year of a Foundation Degree in Environmental Conservation (woohoo passed the first year!)
d) Noah (our eldest) has hit the "terrible twos" and Eli (our youngest) is in teething hell so my time is pretty much occupied 100%
Now I know the guys have kept going, an old mate of the band - Chris "Bungle" Beanland taking over vocal duties while Stuart Hillman (ex Silverburn) has joined on bass. So never fear Ironrat are still on the loose, their next gig with this new (improved????) line up on the 19th November at the Black Swan (Bradford) with old mates Old School Enemy.
"So when can we hear what you've been doing? " I hear no-one cry. Well that's the thing. I have to learn a whole new discipline and that is - bossing myself about rather than others. Relying on myself to write, perform and structure everything and more importantly being critical of what I'm creating, which is a rely difficult thing to get right. Its a little like painting a piece of art - when is it done? When can you release it unto the world and be satisfied. I think that's the hardest part of being a solo performer and is probably why so many soloists appear to be egotistical. Half of what they do is critique their own work, carrying out dual roles of creator and destroyer, and once they are ready to offer their creation to the world (after having tried to destroy it) its mentally difficult to accept that anyone else's opinion really matters.
So hopefully, after I have created, destroyed and recreated some of the stuff I've been writing I shall then unleash it upon you lucky people. Until then enjoy some of the excellent tunes coming out from the below set of bands. Click like etc on their various websites and share with the world.....
www.reverbnation.com/ironrat
www.oldschoolenemy.co.uk
www.reverbnation.com/thedeadresurrected
theidoldead.co.uk/
www.last.fm/music/James+(Bim)+Johnston
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