Under The Influence

Posted by: Jack    Tags:      Posted date:  October 25, 2012  |  5 Comments

For Andy…

I started playing the drums when I was six years old. My folks bought me a snare drum the Christmas of 1976 which they later regretted due to the never ending pounding in the house. They decided to get me an actual drum so I would stop beating their furniture to death with leggo logs.  My grandfather was a musician in Detroit and I suppose they knew their was another musician in the family.  A couple of years later, I grew into a full set of drums and the pounding continued into my teens.  Early on, I was into heavy metal, but initially, I learned to play a full set of drums to early Beatles songs.  My initial love of AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden grew into a lust for hardcore punk.  I started thrashing away in garage bands at kids homes while the parents were away and watching young, middle class munchkins attempting to do their best at slam dancing.  My admiration for the sex pistols has never faded, but I realized a lot of the other hardcore punk music was a little ridiculous and I matured gradually into the post punk / alternative music scene.  It was a complete accident.  After relaying my favorite kick ass punk bands to the clerk at The Record Bar, he recommended this new punk band called The Smiths.  I was completely pissed when I first put it on the turn table, however, after a few more listens, the music touched me in ways I will never forget.

I didn’t get goose bumps from a record until I heard The Chameleons U.K.

I remember like it was yesterday.  My alternative rock band in Albuquerque was practicing for an upcoming show at the Mayor’s house. Behind the drums, I kept yelling out, “the Mayor probably isn’t going to like these songs.”  Anyway, our bass player, Jason, put on a new album he had just purchased from a local record shop.  The song Swamp Thing started playing and I froze.  I remember getting chill bumps in the middle of the guy’s living room.  I also realized for the first time, I wanted to start writing music like this.  I was tired of being the guy sweating in the back, drumming.

After buying every Chameleons record that was out there, I continued to check back at the record store for additional titles in the usually empty sleeve where The Chams records were placed.  Even after hearing the terrible news that the band had broken up, I optimistically looked for new Chameleons records, until one day I found something.  The record shoppe owner placed a copy of the new Geffen release of The Sun and The Moon in the Chameleons section.  It had the original lead singer and bassist, Mark Burgess and the original drummer, John Lever, on it.  The new band had two new guitarists, Andy Clegg and Andy Whitaker.  I bought the album and was blown away.  The maturity and the poetry of The Sun and The Moon struck my inner core and it is an album that I keep close have listened to for over twenty years.  In fact, I am listening now.  The guitar work was flowing and interesting and could put you into a trance.  It was definitely chill bump worthy.  These are bands and people that carved their own niche into the world and created something completely original that never followed any trends.  Not the best business decisions on the planet, but they can hold their heads higher for having musical integrity.  Black Swan Lane have tried to follow in these grand footsteps – “under the ceiling of stars” – to put out the best and most original records possible.  The most talented, hard working and original acts unfortunately seldom see well deserved financial success.  A pat on the back and a kick in the ass is typically how it ends.

Two of the nicest guys I have met…

I have had the pleasure of playing with Andy Clegg and Andy Whitaker and have spent a good amount of time around them. In 2009, we released The Sun and The Moon Sessions together and we have remained close ever since.  Andy Whitaker has been in a number of musical projects since The Sun and The Moon days in the late 80’s and has always dreamed of releasing a solo album that reflected songs close to his heart.  The day has arrived and it is time that the public embraces and supports a musical icon of our time.  It is time to support music that helped shape the musical universe.  Yes, the Manchester, U.K. music scene helped create and develop every alternative band that exists today and definitely created Black Swan Lane.  Andy Clegg and Andy Whitaker are not only talented, but also two of the nicest blokes I have ever met and they deserve your attention. They actually deserve to turn a profit from a project created.  It is time to buy Things That Happened On Earth by Andy Whitaker.  In addition, Black Swan Lane and Wanderland Music Publishing can not continue putting new music out without your help and love…  Buy a song or two on iTunes or the whole album.  Available on iTunes, CD Baby or direct from us at wanderlandmusic.com

For more information on the new album by Andy Whitaker please visit,  http://www.wanderlandmusic.com/andy-whitaker/

(or click on the album below)

All the very best,

Jack  xx

 

 

 

 

 

About the author
Jack
Founding member of Black Swan Lane




5 Comments for Under The Influence


Steve

Always interesting to read your notes Jack.
I was in HMV London in 1983 or thereabouts when I first saw and bought Up The Down Escalator as 12″ EP by The Chams. And things were never the same again for me.
Nobody has come as close to emulating the brillance of The Chams and TSATM as Black Swan Lane over the past few years. I just hope you keep doing what you’re doing because eventually the world has to wake up.

Reply

DaveZ

Jack, I only have to disagree with you about one thing; couldn’t get into The Smiths 🙂 But the rest…. Strange Times was also the first music I heard from the Chameleons and was hooked immediately. I also bought everything I could get my hands on. Hyde Park Corner in Irvine or Music Market in Costa Mesa. Even trips to the record stores in Hollywood would turn up gems. Then The Sun and the Moon released the most perfect CD – EVER. Like you, I still listen to it all the time as well. I think BSL belongs in the same boat with these 2 bands. When I first saw you perform, I felt like you did with the Smiths; I have to listen to them again. Opening for Ian McNabb, I knew there had to be more to BSL. And I am so glad I followed my instinct and ordered your CD’s. Your talent is inspiring and I’m thankful for the music you create. And what you did with Andy’s newest CD is pure awsomeness. For those of you that haven’t bought it, what are you waiting for? Have you ever received anything bad from Jack? NO! So order it now and help keep this music alive. God help us if we have to listen to Maroon 5, Foster the People, and all the other auto-tuned bands.

PS – Jack, isn’t it about time for a BSL rarities disc? B-sides? I know you have it in you 🙂

Take care,
dave

Reply

    Jack

    Nice post, Dave. Appreciate the feedback. A B sides will be coming one day. For now, we are working hard on BSL V 🙂
    J

    Reply

Allan Whitaker

Jack

I thought that I would just let you know how much I have enjoyed listening to Things That Happened On Earth over the last week or so.

As you say in your article, the times that you experience goose-bumps or get lost in the music when listening to an album are infrequent but definitely life-prevailing in nature.

I can still recall the very first full-price album that I bought in 1968 and I still listen it to regularly today. In fact, last year I travelled down to the London Meltdown festival to hear that album played live in its entirety for the very first time. I’m referring to The Village Green Preservation Society by the Kinks.

Fortunately, I have those hair standing moments with an eclectic mix of artists over the years and can point to albums such as Five Leaves Later (Nick Drake), On The Threshold Of A Dream (The Moody Blues), Trespass (Genesis), Dark Side Of The Moon (Pink Floyd) and perhaps more contemporary … The Seldom Seem Kid (Elbow) and Two Worlds (The Aschere Project) as examples of music that evokes all the emotions, musicianship or communication that I look for in this art form.

The fact that I can honestly say that Things That Happened On Earth easily stands proud against all the aforementioned albums is particularly emotional for me as I can point to the fact that the artist and musician is my brother. Some would say that this fact alone negates me making any form of critique and valid assessment of the album and they may be right. All I can say is that I know I have found a gold nugget of album when I can listen to it each day and pick something new from it each time and never bore of hearing the tracks in sequence.

To me it is one of the best albums in my collection in terms of its production and engineering. The instruments are given space to be part of the mix in a clarity and balance that few record producers ever succeed in achieving. Obviously, any album by Andy is going to feature a range of guitars played in a number of styles. It is all part of his musical journey from his inspirations, likes and preferences. The way that those guitar sounds are allowed to breath and contribute to the whole is masterly.

However, the guitars are not on their own in making the whole so much better – each and every instrument plays an integral part to the tonal landscape and, I think, indicates how much each musician bought into Andy’s project.

I don’t think many Indie Rock artists would consider or have the nerve to write songs about mothers, Jesus Christ or gay family members in songs ringing with melody, harmony and emotion and I have to say that Andy and the rest of you have pulled it off with aplomb.

The music is indeed hypnotic, meditational, rhythmic and rocking in ways that make each track a part of a whole album experience. To hear the acoustic guitar strings resonate with such clarity and electric guitars blend in such purpose is a joy! On Primordial Soup, to hear a guitar sound like peel of bells is wonderful.

I do hope that music lovers do get the chance to listen to Things That Happened On Earth and let it sink into their consciousness. Not because of monetary reasons (although I do appreciate that is required in this new age of music) but just because it is an album that can rub shoulders with the best of all time.

Best Wishes
Allan Whitaker

Reply

    Jack

    Great post, Allan. Thanks so much for the support.
    All the best.
    J

    Reply



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