My daughter and best mate Alexandra introduced me to Bebe Rexha. 
What a belter of a voice she's got. And what a performer.
And so I recorded a version of "I'm a Mess" for Alex to sing.
And here she is, recording her first lead vocals ever.

[Recorded in November 2022]
[Used Zoom r8]
[Keyboard sounds from SynthOne: "Space is Deep" and "Quackers" two octaves down]

I'm A Mess

I first heard this track 30 years ago (believe it or not, I was too young while The Smiths were still active). 
What a riff. No wonder Johnny Marr is one of my top 3 guitar heroes.
As for the subject matter, there's no question it's about boobs. 
I recorded this sorry home-made version on 26th December 2022. Thought I'd pair it with a photo of a weird trinket/ceramic statue. It used to belong to my grandad Vincenzo and, whenever I went round his flat, I'd always find it quite baffling (as well as out of character - he was very serious). That statue is now with me, and I'm still baffled by a lot of things.

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Everything is going tits up at the moment.
But if someone had told me, 30 years ago, that I'd have been able to record "Ask" by The Smiths in its entirety, I'd have been over the moon. 
Scant consolation, but so I did on 26th December 2022.
One of the best Smiths songs in my book.

Recorded on Zoom 8.
Photo model: Alexandra, la niña mejor del mundo.

I discovered The Smiths very randomly.
In 1992, age 15/16, I was in the most godawful teenage band. The drummer was trying to convert me into that kind of irritating early 90s funkrock a la Fugazi. One day, at rehearsal, he slung me a compilation tape with them on Side A.

When I got home I found it immediately (and predictably)unbearable and pressed STOP. 

The B-Side - by chance - consisted of The Smiths' "Strangeways, Here We Come".
I'd heard of them, and especially knew that The Cure's Robert Smith, my idol, had a feud with Morrissey.
I gave it a listen and that's when my love affair with The Smiths began.
By 1993 I was hooked. 
"Strangeways, Here We Come" still remains by far my favourite Smiths album. It hurls back memories of that very hot summer, finding my own footsteps, dealing with internal rollercoasters, falling in love, fucking things up, not understanding, losing my keys, thinking that I was cool but well aware that it was actually the other way round :-).

Recorded on 16th April 2023.

Girlfriend In A Coma

Recorded in Asturias on 29th/30th November 2023.
Choir: Johnny & The Bunch of Ejits

Back in the 90s I desperately tried to form a band which would sound like The Housemartins. No-one, no fookin chance.

Sheep

Originally by Elvis Presely (1960).
Self recorded, mixed and produced at "Useless Hobby Studios", Asturias, in February 2021.

Photo: my Italian relatives in the 1950s (from my late grandad's family album).

Fame and Fortune (Elvis Presley)

Asturias, España
Birmingham, UK
Hamburg, Deutschland
Savona, Italia.

Owner of a 50s Vintera Fender Stratocaster.
Proud father of Alexandra.

Girlfriend In A Coma

Claude

Related tracks