New mailing list 2009 was a busy year. And 2010 is looking to be as hectic. ***** MESSAGE FROM PHIL ABOUT HIS NEW BAND PROJECT 'I want to announce a new project I am putting together. The band is called 'Wheels of Fire', and is a sort of tribute to the great gutarists of the 60s/70s - Clapton, Hendrix, Page, Green, Alvin Lee, with a dash of Gary Moore and anybody else who takes my fancy. We will also include a few classic tracks like a re-work of Day Tripper, and While my Guitar Gently Weeps, plus a nod or two in the direction of Jethro Tull. This project will run alongside my other bands - The Orchestra, Beatles Blues & Blue Violin, ELB, The Phil Bates Band (Hammond Organ blues trio) - and represents me returning to my second musical love, the Beatles being my first. I hope you all come along and support us at our first trial-run gigs - The Diamond, Sutton-in-Ashfield on May 30th, and The Robin 2, Bilston on August 5th. After that, we will be putting together short tours in rock clubs and small theatres etc, when other commitments allow. Watch my gig list for info. Love and best wishes to everyone.' ***** 'Phil is hard at work at the moment recording tracks with Les Penning, who played the recorders on Mike Oldfield's 'Portsmouth' and In Dulce Jubilo', and who appeared on many of Oldfield's best-selling albums. Jo is also contributing low whistle, vocals and keyboards. The music is very English and very folky, and very interesting for someone working way out of his comfort zone. The album, when it appears, will most likely be under the name of Les Penning, and we are hoping to have it released in May in time for the Hay Festival. Maybe even some live dates at some point in 2010. Watch thus space.' ***** DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY I can already hear you saying UGH!!!! The snow is still on the ground, and we have only just left Christmas 2009 behind. But I am a great believer in getting things organised - well I am but actually Tina does it all - lol!!! You will see from my review of the year 2009, that it was a fantastically busy time, but one big regret was because I wasn't sure of the travelling arrangements of returning from Eastern Europe with The Orchestra, we couldn't be 100% sure that we could be back at our favourite Christmas haunt, Middleton Hall, in time to do our traditional Christmas concert. In fact, we did just about make it back, but hindsight is a great thing. To purchase tickets for this special concert please click here: ***** A HARD DAYS NIGHT! Tina McBain talks about the forthcoming tour of the Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin Project.
This all started as a germ of an idea in Phil Bates head. Phil who is the lead guitarist and vocalist with The Orchestra (formerly ELOll) is a huge Beatles fan and we had previously toured with a band called The Eleanor Rigby Experience, which also featured ex members of Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull and Manfred Mann’s Earthband. We undertook 4 tours of the UK which all went well. Phil left the ERE to take a few years out to do a history degree, but always seemed keen to return to the format we had successfully developed of re-arranging and messing about with some of the greatest Beatles material. Phil decided that the new project should be more acoustic based than a full band format, mainly because it’s financially more viable to tour smaller and more intimate theatres and arts centres with just three mouths to feed instead of the rigours of touring a full band. It was an obvious choice for Phil to recruit his colleague and friend, original ELO violin virtuoso Mik Kaminski to be part of the project; hence the name Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin. Phil wanted the project to heavily concentrate on Beatles songs, particularly where the Beatles and the blues can be fused. Although of course there are some great blues covers, some of Phil’s compositions and a smattering of ELO songs obviously get an airing too. Phil and Mik had previously worked together on an acoustic project 10 years earlier when Phil undertook his first solo project, entitled ‘Naked’. Two tours of the UK had been organised and Phil and Mik had a ball, although as I recall it seemed a bit of a learning curve for Mik playing in the smaller, toilet seat venues. Phil of course was well familiar with this. Phil first spoke to me about the BBBV project and asked if I would be interested in doing a bit of guesting. I had at the time almost retired from live performance. The reason the Eleanor Rigby Experience came to an end was due to a major health scare I had, and it took more than 18 months for me to regain full working status. So I had become a little rusty and the thought of getting my backside into gear again and trawling the motorways of the UK was a little daunting. One must remember that with this sort of project, it’s very low on budget, you don’t have posh hotels, and you have to make do with basic B & B’s and travelling about. Many times we have driven hundreds of miles back from a gig. It’s not the sort of thing, when you get to our age, that’s easy to take on. But Phil was insistent that we give it a go. Our first ever gig with BBBV was a quite impressive setting, albeit we were somewhat exploited as we didn’t get paid a bean, but it was good to do, as it trialled the project. We needed to confirm that it would work, and it certainly did! This gig was the Acoustic Festival of Britain at Catton Hall in Derbyshire and boasted a line-up of some quality; Donovan, Jethro Tull, Fairport Convention, Midge Ure, Hazel O’Connor, Glenn Tilbrook to name but a few. We played the smaller stage at the festival at 11am on a Sunday – not the best time of the day for vocalists – but being first on, before the ‘big boys’ rolled out meant that we played to a very large and healthy crowd who were intrigued, but the set was very well received and it gave us the information we needed to carry it through to tour the project. The interesting thing about Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin is that it was all put together by the creative head of Phil Bates. This guy is a dream to work with and as a vocalist I always feel safe in the knowledge that Phil knows exactly what will work and what wont for my vocal range and style. I had never worked with Mik before, but again like Phil, he is easy to work with and in a very short time we were gelling as a trio. But rehearsals are a nightmare, very hap hazard, mainly due to the fact that Phil and Mik are constantly touring with The Orchestra and although they get a little time to work together on the BBBV material whilst on the road, I just have to slip in and rehearse at the last minute, quite literally sometimes. I can’t think of anyone I could do this with other than Phil and Mik. Our first full tour took place in November 2008. How would it be received? Would people turn up and if they did, would they like it? Again this was all done with no real marketing budget other than the usual posters, flyers and local newspaper editorial. Eight shows were scheduled and it was ‘suck it and see’ time. It is always a source of great annoyance for me and although it is understandable that the general punter/fan has no knowledge of how touring works, that they often come out with pearls of wisdom, albeit well meant, of how we should advertise on the radio, how you should take out ads in the monthly music mags like Q, Mojo, etc. Of course this is not economically viable to do when you are running a much smaller outfit than the bigger touring projects. The only thing we had going for us was that The Orchestra were touring the UK a month before our first tour with BBBV, so we were able to piggyback The Orchestra fan base which helped a great deal. Those first few gigs meant a lot to all of us, but particularly to Phil. He was nervous watching his new baby taking its first steps. Phil can appear sometimes to be quite moody, but it’s because he cares about his work and does everything possible to ensure it’s all going well. Mik and I are the first to admit that the pressure always lands firmly on Phil’s shoulders; we have no roadies, so it’s all down to Phil to get everything that is vaguely technical running right. In fact he banished me and Mik from the stage sometimes when we are setting up, as we do try to plug things in and move things about and I have to admit that its quite funny sometimes when I get told to f*** off and go and do shopping or something (or go to the pub in Mik’s case). The first run of gigs were on the whole very successful, with the one exception – London – which was as per usual so poorly promoted that we had to pull the gig. Sorry to the handful that bought tickets. We averaged around ¾ full on most shows, with one wonderful exception, a jam packed Cavern in Liverpool on a cold Saturday night. It was s sight for sore eyes seeing all those scousers singing along to every single word of our Beatles re-arrangements. I and Phil had experienced the delights of the backstage of the Cavern on previous occasions, but I think it was a bit of a culture shock to Mik, but if my memory serves me right, he handled it with aplomb and performed a sizzling set on the old violin. Without a shadow of a doubt, it has been fantastic to have the support of Phil and Mik’s ELO/ELOll/Orchestra fan base with fans turning up to venues travelling sometimes huge distances. We came together again for a one off show at Christmas at the splendid Middleton Hall – another sell out. We were all feeling that the year had been kind to us. We were buzzing. Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin had legs. Then disaster struck. In February I received a phone call with the sad news that Kelly Groucutt, of The Orchestra had died. I cannot tell you the sadness I felt and I could only imagine what Phil and Mik and the rest of the band were going through, not to mention Kelly’s family and friends. I had to jump into organisational mode, the discussion took place – should we cancel the forthcoming BBBV tour that was scheduled for March? Phil and Mik would hear none of it, they knew that this would be the very last thing that Kelly would have wanted, so the ten date tour went ahead, and was in many ways considered a tribute to Kelly. The ELO classic ‘I Can’t Get It Out Of My Head’ became a feature of the set and many tears were shed on and off stage for Kelly. During this time Phil and Mik again proved their professionalism, although I knew they were suffering real sadness and a great sense of loss. The one time this became most evident was on a Sunday night in Lichfield. The Garrick Theatre, which is a very impressive venue, was well attended for our show, but on that night there were a few unexpected faces in the audience, namely Parthenon Huxley, Gordon Townsend and Kelly’s two sons. Because you see, the following week was dear Kelly’s funeral. We were all under pressure somewhat to turn in a good performance. Phil and Mik did the business and it was an honour for me to be on stage with them during such a difficult time. We finished the second tour at mine and Phil’s ‘home’ town of Tamworth, at the Assembly Rooms and I remember well that Phil and Mik gave me a big hug and said ‘well we got through it, didn’t we?’ The project is growing all the time, the interest is growing too. We are about to set out on the third tour in November and then again in March 2010. All the Beatles albums have just been re-mastered and re-released, so there is lots of interest in the Beatles material at the moment, I am sure this will have some good impact on our gigs too, and we have almost established the project as financially viable. It looks like we might even get a roadie lol. We look forward to seeing friends old and new in the future. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! *****
NEW ALBUMS AND RE-RELEASES DUE Well, I am finally getting round to putting the much awaited Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin CD together, and hopefully it will be ready for Spring 2010. I am also looking foward to compiling an album which will feature tracks from the dark and distant past which will feature stuff that i have written/recorded/played on, and including the first song I ever wrote, which has never been recorded, so this should be a nostalgic journey I think and hopefully people will be interested in hearing this eclectic album. *****
**** November 2009 Tour Poster
***** Yer Blues - Phil, Mik & Tina back at The Cavern
Just a bit of advanced notice. The November tour for Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin is now complete and we are now booking for the March 2010 tour. ****
Monday 11th May - The Robin
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Apologies for the delay in sending the albums out to those of you who have ordered them.
I am waiting for Phil to sign the albums, this will be done as soon as I see him next, which will be in Liverpool at the start of The Orchestra tour on 27th September.
I am so sorry about the delay, the albums are completed and with the manufacturer now ready for collection I will get them signed and despatched as soon as Phil has signed them. Regards, Tina x
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BEATLES, BLUES & BLUE VIOLIN PROMO ONGOING
Yesterday, Sunday 3rd August, national ads appeared in the Sunday Mirror, promoting the forthcoming Orchestra tour, which of course is very pleasing. BBBV starts as soon as The Orchestra dates have been completed. Here is the back of the new flyer which accompaines the tour. We need everyone to help us to ptomote this tour as of course this project, although important to us does not have the budget to do major ads. We need your support to spread the word
ORCHESTRA UK PROMO ONGOING
I am pleased to say that the promotion for the forthcoming UK tour is well underway. The management and band have been working hard on PR since the end of the last tour. The scan on the left shows a tour ad which featured in the National Sunday red top, The Sunday Mirror, on 27th July 2008.
There have been lots of other ads placed and will continue right up to the tour start. Also it is refreshing to see that the fans are playing their part in helping in the promotion with all the activity on the various websites and message boards.
We thank you.
For the Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin Tour which starts immediately after the Orchestra tour finishes, we do not have the luxury of such big budgets. Mik, Tina and I are looking forward to the tour very much but we need the help of the loyal fans. Let people know. All the shows are in nice intimate settings.
EXTRA EASTERN EUROPEAN
ORCHESTRA DATES ADDED
We have just confirmed the locations of the Eastern European dates for Orchestra, there are two extra dates in St. Petersburg, Russia. Then it's straight onto a plane to Birmingham for the Middleton Hall show. Phew !!
Thanks for your continued support. Love Phil. x
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Tickets go on sale next week for a special Twixtmas concert featuring Phil and Tina at the Big Night Out Cabaret at the Marston Farm Hotel in Sutton Coldfield ~ the event is a regular feature of Phil and Tina's and takes place on Sunday 28th December. The perfect anitdote to the mid Christmas and New Year lull. The event features a fabulous 4 course meal, (no turkey in sight) and Phil & Tina in concerts. The hotel will be offering a package for the show and over night accomodation for those who are travelling and may like to stay over.
For further details click here
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New Orchestra Dates added to Gigs Section
The promotion of Orchestra's Autum UK tour is in full swing, tickets are on sale at all venues now. Two new UK gigs have been added to the intierary. Kelly has been busy recording a series of radio interviews, to promote The Orchestra autumn UK tour, for various stations which will be going out around England in the next day or two...or sometime this week. Here's a list of where you'll find him and with which presenters, although we don't actually have any dates, so you'll have to keep listening in...the Gold Radio interview is quite a long one by all accounts...
Virgin Rock with Russ Williams. website
Gold Radio with David Jenson. website
BBC Radio Leeds with Paul Carrington. website
BBC Radio York with Adam Tomlinson. website
BBC Radio Stoke with Tim Wedgewood. website
BBC Radio Kent with Roger Day. website
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Unveilling of Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin Project
Phil, Mik and Tina unveil the Beatles, Blues & Blue Viloin Project in illustrious company on Bank Holiday Monday 26th May. They will be appearing on the Maverick Tent Stage at 11.30 am. Mondays billing also includes Peter Tork of The Monkees, Midge Ure, 60's Legend Donovan, The Animals ....... Day tickets are available on the gate, check www.acousticfestival.co.uk for details.
This show will be touring in November and again in March 2009. See gigs page for details.
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Signed Phil Bates Promotional Photograph on sale
It's time for a spring clean in Bates mansion, Phil has been donning his mop cap and apron, and having a right old clear out since his return from the successful Orchestra tour and has given Tina a great promotional photograph to add to the shop, for those collectors of memorabilia, which he has individually signed for you to purchase should your heart desire.
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New Phil Bates Band and Orchestra Dates on Gig Page
Fully refreshed after a little break, I am now getting back into the swing of things. There are a few new dates in the diary for June and July which are now on the gigs listing. There are some details missing at the moment until I have the information to hand. This will be added as soon as possible.
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Great New Site for You To Look At
The Orchestra have a page on 4th Beat, its well worth looking at, you can hear two tracks and their are also pics and lots of other stuff. Tina has just registered too so there will be some Eleanor Rigby Experience and BBBV stuff on soon.
CLICK TO GO TO THE ORCHESTRA'S PAGE ON 4TH BEAT
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Thanks Everyone, You Were Great
Well its the last day of the tour and I have to confess to being a little tired and am looking forward to getting home. But its been a great experience and I have had a thoroughly enjoyable time. I would like to thank all the management and crew and most of all I would like to thank all of those who came to the shows, you made it a real party.
I have met lots of good folks
and look forward to seeing you all again soon. Tina has just posted The Orchestra dates for the Autumn tour and I guess after a few days off, I had better start getting things ready for the Beatles, Blue and Blue Violin project.
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The Acoustic Festival of Britain 2008 at Catton Hall
Update

Mik, Tina and I will be playing the Acoustic Festival of Britain at Catton Hall, Nr. Lichfield, Staffs, on Bank Holiday Monday 26th May. Also on that billing will be Donovan, The Animals, Peter Tork (Monkees), Midge Ure, Michael Chapman, (Bay City Rollers). As yet we do no know our time slot, but we will try to find this out very soon. Tickets seem to be going well as you would expect for such an eclectic line-up. They can be purchased from the official website: www.acousticfestival.co.uk If you are coming just for our day, day tickets cost £35.00
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A Little Reward for Services to Music
Myself, Mik and Tina really appreciate all the hard work and dedication that Serena Torz of u-l-s puts into her passion for the music she loves. As a little thank you from us, we have decided to issue Serena with a special guest pass for any Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin show in the November 2008 or March 2009 tours. We cannot thank Serena enough for the work she does.
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Fancy writing a Review?
Today sees the start of the UK tour with The Orchestra. I am just heading off to Reading. I thought we should post this before I leave.
Are you a budding writer itching to get your words read by the masses? Well, the people that read this anyway!! Then look no further as we are looking for fans to submit their reviews for our Live Review section.
If you have a passion for our music and have recently been to a gig, or a festival, and fancy writing a review for inclusion on this website, please send it to Tina at this website
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Beyond the Eleanor Rigby Experience
Blushes all round today (28th Feb) we have just read what the most influential Beatles Fan Site in the world say about the Eleanor Rigby Experience and the new BBBV project.
The Abbeyrd website is American based
that has a world wide readership and has way passed the million visitors mark
Click to see why they made us blush, thanks!!
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Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin Project
Officially launches at
The Acoustic Festival of Britain 2008
Dear Oh Dear! things are hectic at the moment for yours truly. What with the forthcoming Orchestra tour and the Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin project taking shape. But i am pleased to announce that we will be officially launching the BBBV project at one of the biggest acoustic festivals in Britain on Bank Holiday Monday (26th May 2008) when we will be appearing on the bill with such artists as Donovan, Midge Ure, The Animals, Peter Tork of the Monkees. All the details of this fantastic three day festival can be found at www.acousticfestival.co.uk We are all very pleased about this and its a perfect way to start the proceedings.
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Beatles, Blues & Blue Violin drop in at The home of The Beatles

On the Eleanor Rigby Experience tour myself and Tina played The Beatles Convention at The Cavern in Liverpool to a packed audience of Japanese tourists on a Monday afternoon. it seemed only natural that we should return with the Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin project. We are pleased to announce we will be playing The Cavern on Saturday 15th November 2008. We are delighted to have been invited back to the famous city especially in such an important year as Liverpool is The European Capital of Culture 2008. Love to see you there, yeah yeah yeah !!!!!
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Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin Project
Phil Bates, Mik Kaminski
and at selected shows, special guest Tina McBain

The first short tour of the BBBV project has now been confirmed. It will be taking place in November 2008 (Thursday 6th to Sat 15th). Four dates are already in, but will be shown on the gig guide when contracts are exchanged. Flyers will be available at forthcoming UK Orchestra dates. A more lengthy tour of the UK is planned for Spring 2009.
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Ho, Ho, Ho, 2008 Acoustic Christmas Show confirmed
There is an old saying that the early bird catches the worm, and we have certainly taken that on board. Today we have confirmed that myself and Tina will this year be returning to the magnificent Middleton Hall on Saturday 6th December to present our annual Acoustic Christmas Show. We are also preparing to present a special Summer Garden Party on the lawns of Middeton Hall, the date will be announced soon. We are hoping the Mik Kaminski will join us for both shows, but this is yet to be confirmed.
For further details click here online tickets will be available as from 1st February 2008
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THANKS FOR YOUR MESSAGES
Thanks for all the kind words and messages I have received since my announcement that I was rejoining Mik, Kelly, Lou and Eric. I will do my best to keep everyone updated about future concerts. The gigs page has all the information. There are a few websites for specific information on Orchestra, see Links for details. I will pass on any news as it comes in.
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It's like Friends Reunited in here !!!
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The first of the National press ads for the forthcoming Orchestra UK tour has appeared In the Sunday Mirror. I am really looking forward to this tour and meeting up with many of you who I havent seen for a while. It's an exciting time ahead and I think we are all very much awaiting the start of the tour with relish. |
For those who have seen me either solo or with Bev Bevans Move, Brum Rocks or The Eleanor Rigby Experience, but have not as yet seen The Orchestra, then I think you may well be interested in coming along to the show when we are near to you. The band is currently working on a new set which encompasses 30 years of ELO, ELO Part2 and Orchestra material. Possibly the most comprehensive set list ever performed by the band or any of its variants. |
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AN ALBUM
LOOKING BACK AT THE ELEANOR RIGBY EXPERIENCE
Doesn't time fly? It's coming up to ten years since Tina, myself and the rest of the mottley crew were touring with a project called The Eleanor Rigby Experience. The tours and the albums I remember with fondness. Tina is currently putting together a look back compilation of the ERE material which she hopes to have ready for later this year. Hopefully, in time for our Summer Garden Party at Middleton Hall (details will be added to the site when dates are finalised) I am hoping to find the time to try to add a couple of new tracks for inclusion. So for those of you who never experienced the Experience, and would like to pre order a copy of this limited edition CD, you can email Tina We will announce the track listing and the launch date soon.
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I am happy to announce that I have been approached by the Orchestra (or Former Members of ELO and ELO Pt2 - take your pick) to join them on the departure of Pathenon Huxley in August 2007, and I have decided to take them up on their offer. The start date is not yet 100% certain, but it will be somewhere around the end of August. Equally, there are no gigs set in cement yet, but I will post them on my gig list when there is something firm. This means that my current gig list suddenly becomes out of date.
This decision also means that I will no longer be a member of Bev Bevans' Move after the gig at Butlins, Bognor Regis on Saturday June 23rd. I am sad to leave Bev and the boys, especially before the autumn tour and Birmingham Town Hall re-opening, but I have to think a little more of my long term future. So I look forward to seeing you all at some point over the next year or so, somewhere in the world. I will still be working with Mik on our joint project, but the timing may change a little.
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NEW PROJECT WITH MIK KAMINSKI
Phil and Mik Kaminski have agreed on a joint project which they will begin preliminary work on during the next few weeks. The provisional title of the project is 'Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin'. The Cd will do what it says in the title and explore some new arrangements of Beatles songs, especially where the Beatles and the Blues meet. Alongside this, Mik and Phil will revisit some of the ideas they were kicking around 10 years ago when they last played and recorded together. Live concerts will include the above, plus ELO material, naturally.
Proposed timing is that there will be live dates in early 2008, and a CD will escape at around the same time, hopefully. Be warned that these timings are not exact and could be subject to alteration.
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PHIL WITH LISA MILLS
Phil will be playing some dates with ace American blues singer, Lisa Mills. Phil and Lisa first played together in 2005 at the 'Going Up Country Blues Festival' at Worthenberry, near Wrexham, something they will be repeating on June 30th 2007.
Due to some unexpected spaces appearing in Lisa's 2007 UK tour, Phil seized on the opportunity to arrange some gigs they could play together.
Who knows whether this will become a regular collaboration. Watch this space! Lisa is a fantastic singer that should NOT be missed if she passes close to where you live - whether Phil is playing or not.
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RETROSPEKTIV ALBUM RELEASE
Released April 2007 is my new CD ‘RETROSPEKTIV' – it is, as the title suggests, a retrospective look at my 10 year solo career and features 17 tracks selected from my 4 solo Cds since 1996, plus a track recorded with Rosie, my daughter.
RETROSPEKTIV features contributions from Jo Bates (Dancing on the edge of a Knife), Mik Kaminski (Port in a storm), and Pedro Brown (Township Tourist), and a song co-written with Martyn Baylay (Fear of a lonely heart).
The cover is designed by my friend from Sounds Promotion, Rathenow, Enrico Arndt, and features photography by another German friend, Ilka Heun.
The plan is to have it for sale via this website and from my gigs as soon as possible.
Plans for 2007 on the solo front are to focus more on roots/blues as far as gigs and recordings are concerned. I plan to have a blues CD recorded and ready for release by the end of 2007, although this might spill over into 2008. I also plan to bring my German R&B/blues band, provisionally named Loose Change feat. Phil Bates for UK gigs, over to the UK in November for as many gigs as I can get. More news later.
Would also like to record something with Tina McBain later in 2007 if time and inspiration allow. Also, I am talking to Mik Kaminski about the possibility of doing something together again next year – gigs and recording. I'll keep you posted.
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