Picking Up The Album

Present: Ad, Tom - but separately

Venue: Unit A, Lutyens Industrial Centre, Basingstoke

Ad and Tom don't quite meet at the venue. Tom gets there first and leaves a box for Ad to pick up when he turned up 10 minutes later. The excitement palpable in both.

Was there a thumbs up for the cover quality?

Oh yesh.

Ad flogs four that night.

Practice for the Gig Later in the Month

Present: Ad, Fea, Tom

Venue: Valley Studios. A very busy Valley Studios.

The threesome ran through some of the favourites they cover for private functions including their pop favourites that always get an audience up and dancing.

Had a lengthy mid-practice break talking to Ben, interrupting his DVD viewing. He's on the verge of setting up a new studio in a new building 2 miles up the road, whilst keeping the current set up as rehearsal space.

Post Practice Pint Pub Prattle: Fea's fundamental demands of his children as they grow up; a possible hung parliament potentially changing British politics forever; Dom's drumming; Dom's flask of coffee he brings with him to gigs; picking up the new album tomorrow; being exhausted at work; competitive parents at school events;

Practice

Present: Ad, Eg, Tom

Venue: Valley Studios

Worked on the new songs and deliberated over the logistics of rehearsing with new part-time drummer, Dom. And the gig at the end of the month.

Eg produces USB stick with band photos and footage from the A34 Schools tour. Ad wrestles it off him.

The CDs of the album will be physically available later this month. Actual release is to be scheduled with iTunes availability.

Post-Practice Pub Prattle: Painful foot massages; flying long haul in economy seats; looking for new jobs; the 1970s father on average spent 20 minutes a week with their children compared with 2 hours today; mobile phones for children; the disastrous Dingwalls gig; the website; Gi's son's new band - The Dead Jerichos.

Practice

Present: Ad, Fea, Tom

Venue: Valley Studios

A three person rehearsal developing and practising the new songs for the next album. Ad's Italian Job story is long and boring while Tom continues as Ben's tobacco mule.

Post Practice Pint Prattle: The Friday gig; the house viewing hobby of Fea; Tom's searching for a new house...

A Miniature Version of the Album Cover for Corrections

Present: Ad, Eg, Fea, Tom

Venue: Valley Studios, Winchester

Ad arrived early and added a backing track to 'Love the Way' before getting Ben to master it. All in preparation for the album master disc to be sent off for pressing.

Tom brings a miniature of the mocked up album cover. The rest of the boys think it's because he wants to make it really difficult for them to spot any mistakes.

That done, red ink all over the shop, the loopy boys went through some new songs with an eye on the next recordings. 'The Sky Above My House', 'Sparkle and Shine', 'You Are The One', 'Lie Detectives','Gallery of You', 'Wild End', 'Whatever Happened to Sunday'...

The landlord of the Willow Tree welcomes us with a "Where have you boys been all summer?"

Post-Practice Pint Prattle: Fea reckons that Angelina Jolie is quite an attractive woman, Ad points out that she looks a bit like her Dad; there's a potential gig in Octobe; Fea repeats a story we've all heard before; planning the Loopy Christmas do; band money; Ad's Italian Job; Duty free tobacco