See videos to my songs at www.fandalism.com/jimbatesdrums. or on You Tube.
As a drummer with umpteen years playing experience, I've recently branched out and taken up playing other instruments. As a result I have been writing my own material. I confess that I am not a vocalist and no virtuoso on guitars/keyboards, but I have just let nature take it's course in my songwriting & am enjoying just seeing what comes out. Please feel free to comment as I have no barometer to measure if these songs and recordings are rubbish or have something to them!

All of the songs here have been written,engineered and produced and recorded by me on home recording equipment. All instruments & vocals by me  (except for a smattering of samples along the way!) These songs are intended as demo's with a view to other artists singing/performing or recording them.

 Let me know what you think!

listen to more ofDavid Bolstridge's music at:

http://davidbolstridge.bandcamp.com/
and
http://www.myspace.com/davidbolstridge

Illustrrations by: Claudine Péronne

Original Alternative folk Band ,Galway, Ireland   "A cocktail of acoustic soulfolk"

Galway workhorses Queen Elvis are driven by Caroline and Colin Stanley, who gigged extensively in the 90s, had a little sit down and a cup of tea, and came back five years later with a new haul of soulful dreamy songs – think ‘Paper Moon’ stripped down to guitar and mournful cello, with Caroline’s bold gaelic lilt issuing from a cave of echo. At points the songs are absolutely filmic, opening windows onto scenes of lost innocence. Rockabye Baby’s soaring strings and found fragments of children playing, or the birdsong, walking bass and pizzicato strings at the start of Round and Round give way to some wonderfully characterful strings in the Irish tradition. As Robyn Hitchcock sang, “Some are made and some are born to be Queen Elvis.”

Jen Rouse New Bands Panel.. For folk sake

Now into territory unknown for myself, the world of trad. Not just any kinda trad, mind you, this is a bit special. Queen Elvis (cool name, huh?) play a pretty damn killer blend of laidback, dreamy, progressive trad, that marries new techniques and styles into the already tried and tested formula of soaring, traditional female vocals. Galway based 5-piece Queen Elvis were formed in 2009 by husband/wife duo Caroline and Colin stanley, having toured heavily during the 90′s as Big Bag Of Sticks, another fine trad outfit.

“Little World” is a broad EP, but of the same piece. “Round and Round” is a melancholic, vocal driven number, instruments lilting into view. Great string section, nothing at all generic or formulaic about it, it feels like a song you should have heard a long time ago. The drawback of a lot of folk acts is the lack of variety in the vocal section, but that is not even an issue here. Caroline Stanley’s vocals are on point. “Easy” verges on lounge jazz, a loop of percussion underneath a breezy horn lead.. A summer song if ever there was one. In fact, it’s a beautiful morning here, and i have this on and it couldn’t be a more perfect soundtrack to these blue skies. “Rockabye Baby” utilises samples of children playing, not unlike Radical Face, it’s a pretty cool effect, adding atmosphere to this dreamy violin heavy reflection. Again the vocals are just perfect, it’s a voice used as every great voice should be; an instrument in itself. So many modern singers rely on annoying, repeated choruses, to sell records, rather than actual talent.

Calling Queen Elvis “trad”is actually infair, and misleading. In ways it IS traditional, but in many other ways it’s so much more than that. A group of musicians who are making songs based on a shared love of creating beautiful music, that is simply it. Yes, that concept is “traditional”, at least it used to be, but it’s alive and well all the same, and living strongly in Queen Elvis.

http://chewyourownfat.com/queen-elvis-little-world-ep/

I just love sound ..allsorts across the genre's ...hate getting stuck on one tip for too long ,been thru quite alot of eras &..have always from an early age written or jammed my own pieces of music..+ written poetry + lyric to songs ,i play guitar + produce ambient pieces on analogue units Roland tb 303 ,101,202,606,Juno 60. Was in my own bands years ago from about 1981 post punk era,dance electro stuff ,then ole skool scene when it was newskool,into drum n base era as it was happening...did pirate station stuff ,love dub reggae,great times..just carry on writing songs on acoustic guitar & do regular open mike sessions around my local area + jammin with other muse'os ...into  hho tec ....hydrogen...~  energy ...~ water is our future coal field.bit of an inventor..into unity ..autonomy n peace ..., peace out  ; )...~

We are a four piece Blues orientated band from Fermanagh N Ireland.   We are not as young as we used to be but we're not too old just yet.!!!! We are Crispin Gill on Guitar, Maurice P Collins Guitar & vocals, Roni McManus Bass & vocals & Des Campbell on Drums.  

Singer, guitarist and keyboardist for the band Talkbox. Husband to a beautiful woman, father to amazing children. Life is a struggle, but the people you choose to share it with can make all the difference.

JimBatesDrums is following