Bittersweet

Today's chosen weapon - the accordion! Now, anyone who travels regularly on the Underground will attest that this particular instrument ain't exactly quiet - along with trumpets and the like... And neither Olly or me are particularly proficient at playing it, quietly or otherwise! So, close miking and high gain were the order of the day but then we were faced with the problems of creaking leather straps and clicking bellows on playback. Inventive use of gaffer tape and a tea towel sorted the matter out, and the subtle drone I needed for 'Where The Rainbow Ends' was captured. Thanks to Paraic at Strings and Things in Bridgy for the loan of his fine instrument. I won't tell him if you don't...

Our man Karl Ficarotta, recording vox today for the 3rd album!

Another productive couple of days down at Beehive last week! We had the pleasure of a visit from Bob Corrick, who added some wonderfully emotive saxophone to 'Ghost in the Mirror' and livened up 'Chances Are' with his choice phrasing. We also added the deft bodhran part played by Josh Clark at Get Real Audio to 'Where The Rainbow Ends' which was a superb fit and really lifts the middle eight of this song. Olly and I then welcomed Anna Kennedy into the vocal booth as we layere...d up angelic harmony backing vocals to float behind certain sections of the piano on 'Rainbows End'. I'm a little wary of losing the sparse feel of the song though. so these may have to be a welcome addition to another piece. As would the acoustic guitar intro that I once again didn't get to record...time will tell on this!
Next hit will include Karl adding vocals to 'Ghost in the Mirror' and a possible kick-off of the next song in line, 'Another Chiswick Blue' but diaries need to be consulted first. Might give me the opportunity to finally complete the artwork for the vinyl release of 'Postcard from Nowhere' - available via the links if you can't wait!
Many thanks to Bob, Josh and Anna for their valuable enhancements!
RB
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And a perfect part it is! Thanks, Josh!

"Who needs Queen..." Olly's succinct assessment of us layering BV stacks on 'Chances Are'

Karl's face when I told him that the guide vocal on 'Where The Rainbow Ends' was just that, and what I really wanted was it up an octave. Of course, he nailed it in the higher register and it's made such a difference. It's nice to once again come away from Beehive with a comprehensive victory, and not the goal-less draws of my last couple of visits - all important housekeeping on the existing tracks, and little things that make all the difference but you don't come away with ...the WOW that a new vocal gives you! Gigs for March and May are now being finalised, up here and down there but we've both got a couple of sidies going on in the meantime - Karl has got a new project on the go, a recently formed trio named Annx who are penning new material, and I'm pleased to be providing bass for *NWOBHM's mighty Vardis when they close the Grimm Up North Festival in Bury on March 10th. Really looking forward to those but we'll be back with my first love down at the Hive before then...
RB x
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A very happy New Year to all listeners, watchers and followers in Bittersweet land! 2018 was a great year with our long-awaited return to the live arena and some truly wonderful music being committed to tape but we’re only concerned with the year ahead now - and it looks as though it’s shaping up to be even better. We’re starting off with an early visit to Beehive next week to maintain the excellent progress on the third album, continuing work on vocals for ‘The Grass is ...Always Greener’ and acoustic instrumentation on ‘Where The Rainbow Ends’. Going to see if a bodhran works on this one – it’s a shallow drum that is played quickly and rhythmically with a short stick and is really only mastered by those with a Celtic background. So, I won’t be attempting it, then! Live gigs will hopefully become more prolific, with a couple of early possibilities already being discussed. The website is going to undergo an overhaul, with a merch section revamp that will enable you to purchase music that is more than a file existing in thin air, as I’m hoping to have vinyl copies of the ‘Postcard From Nowhere’ album available in the near future. This will be a lavish affair, with a high gloss gatefold sleeve and embossed legends so it’ll be worth the wait! Also available will be fashionable apparel and CD copies of the first album, ‘Lying, Drinking and Losing’, the CD single ‘When Push Comes To Shove’ and the early ‘Three From The Reel’ EP. Of course, you may wish to own a file existing in thin air (it saves on living room storage!) in which case you’re very welcome to visit your go-to download or streaming site, and purchase any or all of the tracks on offer! So, as the big yellow clock clearly shows, time ticks on. Our resolution is to use it wisely!
RB x
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THEREMIN AND BIRDSONG
Hands up who knows what a Theremin is? Or more to the point, what a Theremin sounds like? Well, there are unfortunately no prizes on offer if you are lucky enough to be in the know but chances are (!) you have heard one – or at least something that’s trying to sound like one. Invented by Russian Leon Theremin in the 1920’s, it’s a spartan looking metal box full of electronics with an aerial that you wave your hands at to play notes. It can sound etherea...l and ghostly - or given the right treatment, like Hendrix being run over by a lawnmower. Popular examples of Theremin-like playing can be found on ‘Good Vibrations’ by The Beach Boys, the theme to ‘Star Trek’ and more recently on a number of Radiohead tracks, although these examples all utilise other instruments to mimic the Theremin sound. Probably, as seems to be the case with most ‘exotic’ instrumentation, it’s bloody hard to play!
Which is why I had to get Olly to add it to ‘The Grass is Always Greener’ on my visit to the Hive last week, as my perseverance slowly evaporated! I didn’t play the birdsong that we’ve weaved into Dave Cheeseman’s exquisite piano either, that was all performed live by our finest West Country feathered friends but both recent enhancements really give the song an added depth. That’ll get deeper still when Fig comes in this week to lay his velvety tones on the top of it all. Clocking on at over six minutes now, it’ll never be considered a pop standard – but oh, what a great six minutes!
And there’s no time to rest after that as we return to The Cobblestones on Sunday 9th December for our last gig of the year. We’re supporting Tony Wright, who’s taking a break from vocal duties in Terrorvision to play the last date of his solo acoustic tour before picking up the support slot to Dodgy in the New Year. Gideon will once again be joining us and keeping us in line/in time with his succinct cajon playing, so if you’re kicking heels in the Bridgwater area next Sunday, pop on down to The Cobbles and enjoy a night of top wooden tunes! Tenner in, doors at half seven.
Right, I’m off to load up some guitars!
RB x
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Our set LIVE!

Don;t buy a pig in a poke - come see the Fig sing in the smoke! Yes, it's a double dose of Karl in the capital as he plays a solo show at Apples and Pears Bar, Brick Lane tomorrow (Wed 14th) before joining me at The Distillers in Hammersmith on Thu 15th for some Bittersweet action! Free entry and guaranteed good sounds on both nights - see you at one, the other or both!
https://www.applesandpearsbar.com/…/kar l-ficarotta-ace-ros…/

So, for all of you who haven't got their heads screwed on sideways, here's my good friend Dave Cheeseman adding some meaty Hammondesque organ to the solo in 'Never Return' during the latest session at Beehive last week. I got a bit excited and inverted the phone when streaming live to FB. In fact, I got a bit excited at various points during the couple of days that Dave was in, as he added exquisite piano accompaniment to 'Never Return', 'Age of Innocence' and 'The Grass is Always Greener' as well as organ to 'Sidestepping' and 'Chances Are'. And also managed to lay the delicate foundations to a brand new song, 'Where The Rainbow Ends' that had previously only resided in my head. I'm sorely tempted not to ruin that one with guitar as it sounds so good as it is! As sessions go, this one was definitely 'up there'. Thanks Dave!

Some blokes just dropped this off at Beehive. It sounds as good as it looks...