Black And Blue

Independent Singer/Songwriter. 
Record Label: Babyface Studios.

Reviews:

“Simple, catchy melodies, and thoughtful lyrics are what Tony Alderman’s known for. With a career that’s taken him from the UK to Australia, this is one act from the Pre-Mosaic Music festival by Heineken Music you simply can’t miss. 
 
- IS Magazine (Singapore - March 07)


“Emotional and from the heart, a beautiful album.   Love songs from the soul”.    
(A Single Word)
- cdbaby 2009


Review from performing at the Burbank International Film Festival - Sep 17th 2011:

The fourth performer was a product of England, although now residing in northern California.  Tony Alderman is an amazing guitar player with a soothing voice.  His songs were well written and delivered in a way that made you want to hear them over and over again.


In June 2005, I went into a studio and recorded a 10 song demo called ‘Over to You’. It received a warm welcome in Australia, most notably from ‘Faster/Louder’ magazine. 
Some of the songs from this demo, I recorded again at home, and put them on A Single Word and Ghost Town, and other LPs later on.
Below is the review from Faster/Louder magazine for ‘Over to You’:


Australia has long produced some amazing artists that flit between country, folk and soul music. It’s what musicians like Paul Kelly and The Whitlams are able to do, combining music fused with beautiful melodies and lyrics charged with a real honesty and directness that see them get into people’s lives and go straight to their hearts.   Sydney’s Alderman has just released an album, Over to You that’s filled with all of these intimate and personal offerings. The album opener, I Don’t Love You is like a diary entry read aloud. But instead of using a notepad to jot his thoughts down, Alderman is using his acoustic guitar as his canvas to tell his stories of love, loss, pain and redemption.  This tone flows with such strength and conviction throughout the entire album that at first you feel that what’s being sung/spoken to you is too personal and maybe you shouldn’t be listening. But this frankness and honesty has such a purity to it, the album becomes a conversation between you and the singer.  It’s you and friend in a small city cafe, as the world rushes by frantically outside, you’re focused completely on what’s being said. And it’s this quality of everydayness to Alderman’s songs that make the album instantly accessible.  The instrumentation is delicate throughout, always in perfect balance with the melody. Over to You and Lee stand out among the many finely composed songs. There’s a lightness in the music that is counterpointed by what Alderman is singing about.  A peaceful collection of thoughts in song that offer respite and support, this is a tiny little gem and the perfect company when you just need to shut the world out and reflect.
- Faster/Louder Magazine (Sydney Australia 2005)

UFAQ:

What was the first song that you ever wrote called?
The first song that got finished properly(!) was called ‘some chick’, I wrote it in April 1991.

What’s your favourite song?
Of my own? Maybe ‘Not Changed At All’, I’ve got a soft spot for 'Bring On The Bromance' and ‘Vera’ as well...
Other peoples songs, just too many to name. I love ‘shelter of your love’ by Jimmy Cliff, wow.

How and when did you get started with music?
I loved singing at a young age, and I would write lyrics in my school books.
But it was my friend, Matt Poole that really got me started. We met in October 1988, he was in a band, and I was blown away. He definitely planted the seed, and he taught me the guitar. He also helped me with my first song writing attempts, most notably ‘some chick’, in a car, in Devon.
Thanks for everything Matt.

Were you ever in a band? What was it called?
Formed on 16th October 1992, (a bloomin’ brilliant day) “Electric Hedge” I was on vocals, Albert Tatlock was on guitar, Darren Bainbridge on Bass & Mark Lindow on drums. We had a blast, brilliant time, more beer (and things) than practice...

Any others?
Yeah, “Nutters on Nightnurse” early 1994. Chris joined us on drums, because Mark moved to Plymouth, and we had a different sound, so it was only right to change the name. Chris was awesome, so good, he made the rest of us work harder at our own thing. Cheers Chris!
“Mild Green Mango Chutney” may be my favourite however, we were a duo, myself and Albert. It was great. We supported John Otway a few times, he’s a nice fella. 

What was your first studio experience like?
It was with the most excellent Les Payne, at his studio in High Wycombe, UK. I had 11 songs that I wanted to record, and we spent a week in early October 2001, getting them down. I found out that I needed to practice LOTS more. It was a real eye opener, and Les is a lovely, lovely, (and VERY talented) man. Thanks mate.
He inspired me to practice, rehearse, play live hundreds of times, what a guy...
He was very encouraging, and I'll never forget him.

And your second?
A Sharp Studios in Sydney, Australia 2005. This was good to, and it was here that I decided to learn all this lark for myself. And so I did.
I’ve since learnt that I just can’t sing wearing headphones, so any studio attempts were lack lustre. Now I just wack the monitors up gently, and go for it...

Who’s your favourite guitarist?
Easy. Jimi Hendrix, Dink.

Your favourite band?
The Clash, Sex Pistols, Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg, Model Workers.

Singer?
Maybe Harry Nilsson, or Otis Reading.

Bass player?
Paul McCartney, Darren Bainbridge.

Drummer?
Chris Evans.

What’s your favourite record?
Nasty, nasty question! Impossible, partly because it’s forever changing. But, here’s a wee list, in a jumbled order.....

The Collection - Robert Johnson
Nilsson Schmilsson - Harry Nilsson
Tea for the Tillerman - Cat Stevens
Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
I,II, III and IV - Led Zeppelin
Pretty much everything - Jimi Hendrix
Sea Sew - Lisa Hannigan
Never Mind the Bollocks - Sex Pistols
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - Pink Floyd
Pearls - Vapour Trail
O and 9 - Damien Rice
Up The Bracket - The Libertines
The Libertines - The Libertines
White Ladder - David Gray
OK Computer - Radiohead
Parallel Lines - Blondie
You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish - REO Speedwagon
Rubber Soul - The Beatles
A Month of Sun Days - Les Payne
You Don’t Have To Be A Hero To Be A Man - Les Payne
Pretty much everything - Cloudyhead
Between What’s Yours And Mine - Andrew Peacock
Pretty much everything - The Comfortable Strangers
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths (a recent thing for me, didn’t know what I was missing...)
Everything - Adrian Jones and Basement In My Loft

You make your own records at home, how do you do it?
I use GarageBand and Logic Pro. The first two years were hard, and disheartening, as probably most musicians have found. 
I had to learn about mic placement, compression, EQ, (still am...) how to use my interface/pre-amp etc, and find the time to do it! It took over a year for me to move from ‘Behringer’ to ‘Pre-sonus’, and then in September ’08 I decided to stop being silly and get the Apogee Ensemble. 
Also I had to learn how to use/tame the sound of the room/s that I was using. It was endless, still is...
My wife and I have three young children, and I am the main carer, so finding the time and energy is a factor as well. Going to a commercial studio is just not a realistic option, so what I may lack in technical perfection, I think I make up for with heart. My first attempts were bloody terrible. But I kept at it, and here we are. 
One of the biggest challenges is sound from outside leaking into my mics. We’re not far from the airport, so planes feature quite a lot on my records...

What kind of guitar do you usually play?
An Ibanez dreadnought, the AW200. Gibson Jumbo 200. And I love to tinker around on my Telecaster...

Where are you from?
I was born in Paddington, London. I grew up in Gillingham and Chatham, Kent. I moved to High Wycombe when I was 19yrs old, (I quit my fishmongers job, a big step at the time) to go to college, (that’s a laugh...) and for some reason or other, have not sat still since. I lived in Australia for 4 years, and then Singapore for 5 years. Now my family and I live in California, we love it.


Where are your parents from?
My Mum’s from Dublin, my Dad’s from Northeast London.
Mums parents were from Sligo, Ireland. Dads were from Wales.

Nutshell...?
I'm a passionate singer, all about the love. I've played hundreds of live shows.
I'm used to playing under chaotic circumstances, and lovely serene settings as well. Though, more used to the former.
I don't play live much anymore, I prefer to write/record now.
I'm a 'stay at home Dad' with three lovely children. Hardest and best job I’ve ever had. Kids are getting older now, it's a funny old game.
A native Londoner, but don't hold that against me...
I make my own records at home, I love it.