For the last who knows how many years I have recorded a song for my friend Rory's birthday.  This time I did a cover of one of my favourite of his tunes, Poltergeist.  Over the years Rory has released a plethora (ahem) of music under various guises.  He released lo-fi songs with me under the name Nachmi, then we had unlistenable noise jams with myself and Adam Thomas as Over Kodiak.  As ocdc, noise tone poems, sweet little piano suites dedicated to various women, and some truly cracking lo-fi indie pop songs.  An EP or two of full band Brighton indie folk frolicking with Dancehalls.  Next up some more cracking guitar pop through the moniker, Shrieks and then some joke tribute songs written with me as Golden Twat.  The man's a fricking genius and my version of Poltergeist was an attempt to capture his lo-fi spirit.  I recorded everything in one afternoon, mixing in the evening and a final mix in the morning.  I also decided to stay true to my own recorded beginnings and use only acoustic guitar, melodica and some lightly sprinkled percussion.  A dollop of Hellman's and you're away.  May have got some of the words wrong.  It's what the man would have wanted.  

Contributions of voice and violin by Talitha Gamaroff and bass by, of course, Patrick Lawrence.

Rory Dickenson, we salute you.  Here's some links, most recent first. x 

https://twitter.com/rorywilliamd

https://goldentwat.bandcamp.com/

https://shrieks.bandcamp.com/

https://dancehalls.bandcamp.com/releases

https://ocdc.bandcamp.com/

https://myspace.com/glossesfurdiemasses/music/songs

https://myspace.com/nachmimusic/music/songs

Poltergeist (by Shrieks)

Call It Home

Here is something amazing! Allow me to unveil the first instalment of the We Come Alive Covers Project.

I drew up a list of musical friends and heroes and asked each one to submit a cover song chosen by someone else on that list. I love hearing good covers, it is such an interesting process seeing how people approach performing and recording someone else's material. I also wanted be part of bringing together the musical community that surrounds and inspires me through running We Come Alive shows in London.

Initially around 20 songwriters and bands agreed to participate. As I write this, 13 tracks have been recorded and I absolutely love them! The collection is an incredibly enjoyable, surprising, varied set of songs and I would like to begin sharing them in instalments as they are worthy of taking time to savour.

I am a huge fan of Pat Dam Smyth's work. His show at We Come Alive at The Harrison was in my top 3 of the season. This song really moved me with its stark lyrics of leaving somewhere and perhaps someone. I decided I could do it justice if I made some structural changes. I knocked it from a 3/4 waltz into a 4/4 bounce and turned up the gain. I absolutely loved working on this track and I'm very happy to share it with you. 

Here's the original: 
soundcloud.com/patdamsmyth/06-the-great-divide

Please show your support by sharing these and checking out more material by the artists involved.

And this Sunday it is the 10th We Come Alive show at The Harrison, Kings Cross with Laish (full band show - 6 piece electric new songs yeah!), Scarlet Starlings and Nuala Honan. Join us! www.wegottickets.com/event/335174

As a little treat, everyone who attends the show on Sunday will get a unique access code to hear all the 13 available songs exclusively before anyone else.

These great artists have already submitted tracks (clears throat)...

Ezra Furman
David Thomas Broughton
Laish
Left With Pictures 
Mouth 4 Rusty 
Chris Belson
Kristin McClement 
Rowan Coupland
Alabaster Deplume
Ellie Ford
The Magic Lantern 
Love V Fear
Office of Aurora
Also expecting tracks from: 
Willy Mason
This is The Kit 
Pat Dam Smyth
Nuala Honan
Scarlet Starlings 
Hot Feet
The Gentle Good 
and maybe a few more...

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy,

Danny Laish

Laish - The Great Divide (by Pat Dam Smyth)

We Come Alive is monthly night in London of carefully curated, inspirational bands and songwriters and they curated this cover's album. "I asked a group of my musical friends and heroes if they would be interested in recording a cover song by someone else in that group. Why? Well simply for the sheer hell of it. To stir the creative juices, to approach new forms of song-writing and sing different kinds of songs. To make new friends and offer a creative mark of respect.”

And this is my contribution to that album. It is the first track to emerge from Love V Fear, and I'm very happy to showcase Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards 'Sheets' as the first tentative step into the world of music making. What a song, I hope I do justice to its sweet melancholy.

Talitha Gamaroff – vocals, guitar, production
Daniel Green – percussion, keys

Sheets. A cover by love V fear(originally by Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards)

Music Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM_Fa0nTTzM

Song written and produced by Danny Green

Engineered, produced and mixed by Dave Gerard at Watchtower Studios, Rayners Lane, London

Danny Green - Guitars and lead vocal 
Tom Chadd - Piano
Talitha Gamaroff - Vocals
Sara Mae Tuson - Vocals
Matt Canty - Bass
Mike Siddell - Violins

Mastered by Nick at Brighton Mastering

Artwork by Jessamy Hawke

Lyrics: 

I need my dirt
To get buried in the day
I like to feel surrounded
In a solitary way

We have left the realm
Of causality
Moving in together
Brings out the best in me

I am not so organised
I go by my nose
You are made of stronger stuff
And faithful to your toes

So I wanna look you in the eye
And say I tried
I'm trying

I will get to you
Like no one else gets to you
I will get inside
Where no one else gets inside
And I will hold you
Like no one else ever held you

And I will be alive
And you will be alive
Naked

Song For Everything

Check out the amazing music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnByy1Jegk

Song written and produced by Danny Green

Engineered, produced and mixed by Dave Gerard at Watchtower Studios, Rayners Lane, London

Danny Green - Guitars and lead vocal 
Tom Chadd - Keys
Talitha Gamaroff - Vocals
Sara Mae Tuson - Vocals
Matt Canty - Bass
Drums - Tobias Humble

Mastered by Nick at Brighton Mastering

Artwork by Jessamy Hawke

I'm Learning 
I'm learning 
To love the bomb
The shell of 
The shell of
Administration

I'm learning I'm learning
To love the bomb

It is a powerful weapon
It is the force to reckon
The only true currency
Is a moment uninterrupted

So keep up with 
It's never ending
I fear
I fear we near the ending

So I'm learning 
I'm learning
To love the bomb

Learning To Love The Bomb

A cover of the beautiful 'Song For Everything' by Laish: https://soundcloud.com/laishmusic/04-song-for-everything

Song For Everything (Laish cover)

Emma Gatrill - Cocoon

The first episode in Kings Place’s brand-new 'Strong Women, Strong Voices' podcast series features Brighton-based folk musicians Kristin McClement and Emma Gatrill who perform live on International Women’s Day.

Wed 8 Mar, 8pm
kingsplace.co.uk/IWD

Poltergeist (by Shrieks)

Laish

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