First track on my new album 'Star Over Bethlehem'.

The Prophecy

Rehearsal of 'I'm Only Sleeping' recorded 17th November 2016 with my Beatles tribute band, All You Need Is The Beatles.

Blake - vocals, acoustic guitar
Joe Brown - bass, vocals
Paul Kench - electric guitar
Chris Scrivens - drums
Dominic Brown - vocals, loops

I'm Only Sleeping

Recorded live in the rehearsal room in 2016. Contained as a bonus track on the 'Grow Old With Me' single released to celebrate what would have been John Lennon's 80th birthday in 2020. Free download here: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/grow-old-with-me-single

Blake - vocals, acoustic guitar
Dominic Brown - keyboards
Joe Brown - bass, vocals
Paul Kench - slide guitar
Chris Scrivens - drums

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)

Taken from my latest album, Plainsongs, released on CD by Subjangle on Friday 2nd June 2023: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/plainsongs

Blake – vocals, electric guitar, organ, cabasa
Paul Kench – lead guitar, backing vocals
Joe Brown – bass, backing vocals
Hugh Lyford – drums

It was recorded on analogue tape at New Cut Studios, Bristol – the backing track was recorded live in one room with vocal, lead guitar, organ and percussion overdubs.

Copyright Julian Pugsley 2023

Make Love Not War

From the LP Plaingsongs, recorded on analogue tape at New Cut Studios in Bristol by Scot McKenzie, March and April 2023.

https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/plainsongs

Plainsong:Hear Me Jesus

Time For A Change

Plainsongs is released 02.06.23 on Limited Edition CD from Subjangle. Order here: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/plainsongs

This is the mono mix of Hideaway, including an intro piece called The Gathering, which ultimately wasn't included on the Plainsongs album.

The Gathering/Hideaway

For Mohammed (9), Ahed (10), Zakaria (10) and Ismail Bakr (11) murdered on a beach in Gaza on 16th July 2014 as they played football.

We'll Be Champions

Go get the ball we can play by the harbour wall, quickly
Take turns in goal you can be Ronaldo, I’ll be Messi
Pass it to me, pass it over I’m free, put a cross in
Do you know what it means to be part of a team, it’s belonging

And I hope when we grow up we’ll be champions
And I hope when we grow up we’ll be free

Playing games on the sand but we don’t understand what the rules are
Because we never knew they would target us too, we’re just children
Take a penalty shot, do you think we can stop them from scoring
Just look at us run little shapes in the sun now we’re soaring

And I hope when we grow up we’ll be champions
And I hope when we grow up we’ll be free


Words and music by Joe Brown and Julian Pugsley copyright Rockhopper Records 2014

We'll Be Champions

Featuring Joe Brown on bass, Paul Kench on lead guitar and Chris Scrivens on drums.

I Want You (Bob Dylan cover)

Run through of Status Quo's 'Pictures of Matchstick Men' in the rehearsal room.
Blake - vocals, electric guitar
Paul Kench - electric guitar
Joe Brown - bass, backing vocals
Hugh Lyford - drums

Pictures Of Matchstick Men

Blake: vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, drums. Licensed via Limelight. This is one of my favourite songs of all time. Written by Danny Kirwan of Fleetwood Mac, it was released as a single in March 1971 - the month and year I was born. It is based on a poem by W.H. Davies called 'The Dragonfly'. It's a beautiful song and its delicate structure, and shimmering guitar sounds, cleverly reflect its subject matter. Written in a minor key, the song's poignant atmosphere evokes the sweet but short life of the dragonfly. "It was a fleeting visit all too brief, in three short minutes he had been and gone". What makes the song doubly poignant now is that it could have been written about Kirwan himself, given his brief but brilliant music career, in which he wrote some beautiful songs and played some amazing guitar. Danny was fired from Fleetwood Mac in 1972 following a drunken outburst prior to a gig where he smashed up his Les Paul and refused to go on stage. Although he wrote some fine songs in a brief solo career that followed, Kirwan faced increasing mental health problems and retired from the music business in 1979. His current whereabouts is unknown but there have been rumours that he is now an alcoholic living in a hostel for the homeless in London. I recorded this song as a tribute to him and I am hoping that he will receive the licensing fee. Hopefully the royalties from the many excellent songs he recorded with Fleetwood Mac and in his solo career are finding their way to him, also. On my 2007 album, 'Carruthers Gets Bashed', I recorded one of my own compositions, a song called 'Man Of 1000 Years', dedicated to Danny, with lyrics taken from some of his song titles. Hopefully, people who hear and enjoy my cover version of 'Dragonfly' will be encouraged to find the (far superior!) original version and the many other great songs this man wrote. Were we "worthy of so fine a guest?" God bless you, Danny.

Dragonfly

That moment in a gig when someone randomly calls out for some Elvis! We did the best we could.

Blue Suede Shoes (live)

Rehearsal performance of John Lennon's 'Woman'. Available as a bonus track on the Grow Old With Me single: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/grow-old-with-me-single

Featuring:
Dominic Brown - keyboards
Joe Brown - bass and backing vocals
Paul Kench - electric guitar
Chris Scrivens - drums

Woman

Bonus track on the 'Grow Old With Me' E.P. available as a free download on Bandcamp: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/grow-old-with-me-single
Recorded live in the rehearsal room.
Blake - vocals, acoustic guitar
Dominic Brown - piano
Joe Brown - bass
Paul Kench - electric guitar
Chris Scrivens - drums

Jealous Guy

Cover of Julie Miller's 'All My Tears'. Recorded live with The Bearfield Commune:
Amy Jarvis - vocals
Blake - vocals and acoustic guitar
Richard Bousfield - lead guitar
Helen Bousfield - bass
Paul Robertson - drums

'The First Snow' is available as a free download on Bandcamp: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-snow

All My Tears (live)

Title track from album released Saturday 18th April 2015 for Record Store Day. Free high quality download here: http://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/vinyl-junkie

Vinyl Junkie 

I don’t buy mp3s I’m in love with vinyl 
It’s not snobbery it’s about survival 
I’ve got a steady hand when I drop the needle 
Collecting lots of bands especially The Beatles 

I got a long way to go but I know that I’ll never reach the end 
And my collection’s not complete and I’m becoming obsolete 
can I amend my ways? 

Got an enquiring mind, I examine labels 
Know what I want to find leaning over the table 
At the record fair, at the vintage clothes store 
You’ll always find me there trying to find a new score 

I got a long way to go but I know that I’ll never reach the end 
And my condition’s down as used my inner sleeve has been abused can I amend my ways? 

I see it as my goal to find the rarest pressings 
Something I can’t control spent too long obsessing 
But it’s my pension plan and it’s appreciating 
So can you dig it man my ears have got mint rating 

I got a long way to go but I know that I’ll never reach the end 
And now my record’s getting stuck and I believe I’m in a rut can I amend my ways? 

La la la la la I’m a vinyl junkie 
I got to get my fix I’m a vinyl junkie 
I got to get my hit I’m a vinyl junkie

Vinyl Junkie

From forthcoming album, 'Jubilee', due for release in December 2016. Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-7H4yYTJsE
www.thisisblake.com

Going Back To Liverpool

Taken from my album 'By the Banks of the A350': https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/by-the-banks-of-the-a350

Falling 

I've been climbing up the walls 
I've been feeling two foot small 
I've been down upon my knees 
I've been drowning in your seas 
I've been walking in the park 
I've been sleeping til it’s dark 
I've been writing you a song 
I've been waiting here too long 

I climbed up tried to see 
I climbed up but now I'm falling 

Like a room without a door 
Like a song without a score 
Like a boat upon the sand 
Like a gig without a band 
Like a tree without a bird 
Like a letter without words 
Like a race without a start 
Like a man without a heart 

I climbed up tried to see 
I climbed up but now I'm falling

Words and music by Julian Pugsley
Copyright Rockhopper Records 2007
http://www.thisisblake.com/

By The Banks of the A350

Falling

From the album, 'Vinyl Junkie': http://bit.ly/2Duv9ou

Mr Dawkins

A song written for the Labour Party. You Tube video: https://youtu.be/UD2qPEhpaG0
Solidarity

We have walked down dead ends and cul-de-sacs
And got lost chasing popularity
But now united we’re not looking back
We stand in solidarity

We’ll speak up for those pressed down to the ground
By the weight of inequality
And we refuse to be pushed and pulled around
We stand in solidarity

We will fight for our public services
And workers rights not won easily
And unified in our common purposes
We stand in solidarity

We won’t let them sell our NHS
The pride of British history
Defending that which defines our very best
We stand in solidarity

We welcome all to our beautiful island home
A sanctuary for the refugee
Where racism, fascism, hate are overthrown
We stand in solidarity

Responding to catastrophic pollution
That threatens all of humanity
A green revolution the urgent solution
We stand in solidarity

The vested interests weave their web of lies
But we know well our real enemy
We see through their newspaper-thin disguise
We stand in solidarity

They may mock us they may jeer us
And say we’re not living in reality
But they only smear us because they fear us
We stand in solidarity

We’ll defeat them whether gold or blue
The architects of austerity
And for the many and not for the few
We stand in solidarity

Copyright Julian Pugsley 2019
http://www.thisisblake.com

Solidarity

Peter Green 

Born in ‘46 and just another East End kid 
Growing up was tough, your roots were something that you hid 
In rock n roll, Chicago blues you knew you’d found a home 
With music as your best friend you would never be alone 

Peter, Peter Green 
They called Clapton God until you burst upon the scene 
You played just like a dream 
God bless you, Peter Green 

Your lucky break got broken when God came back home from Greece
But Mayall had not forgotten that he’d found the Golden Fleece 
Fresh Cream soon came calling and the blues breaking began 
But very soon you knew that it was time for your own band 

Peter, Peter Green 
They called Clapton God until you burst upon the scene 
You played just like a dream 
God bless you, Peter Green 

No-one else could touch your phrasing, you were on your own 
Your pick up’s out of phase gave you a supernatural tone 
But still you wanted Jeremy to be pushed out to the fore 
The money and the glory weren’t what you were aiming for 

Peter, Peter Green 
They called Clapton God until you burst upon the scene 
You played just like a dream 
God bless you, Peter Green 

Sometimes I feel so sad 
When it’s clear there’s so many things that you have never had 
But it makes my heart feel glad 
When I hear you sing 'I Need Your Love So Bad' 

Danny was your protégé on those long West Coast trips 
The heights you reached unequalled as you shared your precious gift 
And though the game has ended I’m so glad you sang your songs 
For the light that burns twice as bright burns only half as long 

Peter, Peter Green 
Fleetwood Mac still looking back on what just might have been 
The best we’ve ever seen 
God bless you, Peter Green

https://www.thisisblake.com

1971

Peter Green

Taken from '1971' released 8th June 2020: https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/album/1971

For Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson

Over and Over Again

Don’t know why the things you do
Are so bizarre ain’t got a clue
Don’t know why the things you say
Are bent and twisted come what may

But over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again
I hear it
Over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again

You smile and you joke along
But underneath there’s something wrong
You just can’t hide what’s true
There’s something dark inside of you

Cos over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again
I hear it
Over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again

It takes a special type to cause such pain and take delight
It takes a special brain to tell yourself you’re not insane
It takes a parasite to welcome and believe the hype
And do it over and over again

I wonder what it’s like to see the world as black and white
With profit in your veins to you the world is just a game
Can’t ever get it right but never turn to see the light
Just do it over and over again

You look me in the eyes
But everything you say is lies
I’d say I pity you
Buy you know well the things you do

It’s over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again
I hear it
Over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again

Don’t know why the things you do
Are so bizarre ain’t got a clue
Don’t know why the things you say
Are bent and twisted come what may

But over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again
I hear it
Over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again

It’s over and over and over and over
And over and over and over
It’s over and over and over and over
And over and over and over
It’s over and over and over and over
And over and over and over and over again

Words and music by Julian Pugsley
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

Over And Over Again

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the UK. https://thisisblake.bandcamp.com/
Sign up to my mailing list and receive a free download of my song 'Vinyl Junkie': http://eepurl.com/dRKxb

Blake

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