Ficek Blog

So…..this blog has taken me a while, am on the bus from Glasto so here we go.

Just left the mammoth village of entertainment and heading to a dj set in London, been messing with a remix of Dizzee Rascal so that should spice some things up tonight!

Glasto was very calm, the sound onstage was poor but we got through. It’s the worst thing in the world when you’re trying to take care of business but you can’t hear anything with any clarity. I had to watch hands and mouths, so if you see me getting shitty and sulking on the tele, that’s why. Stephen Street held the thing together, without him this level of performance wouldn’t be happening! It’s always a nice view looking out behind those drums into the fields.

So that’s my Glasto for another year, in and out, had a swift meet up with some pals, hello goodbyes -  as usual  -

now off to play some tunes at the newly refurbished garage in Islington. I used to love that venue, it was a great mid sized gig to play so I’m looking forward to it. I remember one of my earliest shambles gigs being there, the week after I joined. Ahhh the good old days, I really miss them.

So pre Glasto, where was I ??

Er lets start with studio stuff for the next Roses album, it’s all going very well, all the backing tracks are done and we’re busy putting down the vocals and horn  arrangements, it is sounding bigger than the last album and i’m hoping it will reach as many if not more people than the debut so watch this space! Oct release.

The ep is now being pressed up, all the art’s in and it’s underway full steam ahead, check out the new vid. It’s out in Aug.

I recently played a few RKC solo gigs Wolverhampton, Holland and Bournmouth. All very special in there own way!

Wolverhampton was an interesting one , I was booked to play the little civic, when I arrived there Mik was also playing, small world! It was a good show, little underattended but sweet none the less. Then off to Holland, this was great fun, the first show was in Amsterdam in the Paradiso small room, the accoustics were immense and I had a good turn out, I love Amsterdam although I lost my passport! Finished the show with a good chit chat and made a good few chums.

Next up Dordrecht, when I arrived it was totally dead, like a ghost town and it was Saturday afternoon! I was booked to Dj and to play a short accoustic set before in the cafe next door.

The show was a real intimate one, I don’t think they were used to having someone come off the stage and perform sitting on their table. Again had an ace show then off to DJ. The set was great, managed to get away with loads of electro classics including the ‘Tczek’ remix of a bloody beetroots tune, it’s grand when I can get electrolised.

The last show I played solo was in Bournemouth, I knew this would get messy as Ogidan was coming!

Before the set I had ben booked to take part in a Dorset music forum discussion about the music industry as I see it. I always enjoy these little jaunts and it gives me a chance to impart some of my own personal experiences within the often challenging environment of the music industry.

From then I went on to the gig, it was an average show but I just can’t perform seriously when Ogidan is about, he makes me laugh too much! I can’t hold it together!

So halfway through I just invited him up to sing, just as things were taking a turn for the worse suddenly two burlesque dancers appeared! They saved the evening as all eyes were back on the performance! Slghtly confused I Headed home.

A few days after we were back on the shambles trail, playing a show in Milan with the Pogues, this was very odd, it wasn’t with our usual promoter so I was a little apprehensive!

The festival was a weird one, we were playing with loads of punk bands, not the normal indie scene we exist in, we played, had loads of stuff nicked from the dressing room and went back to the hotel, not our best show but it’s good to be playing with Babyshambles in these ‘interesting’ times.

Finally off I went for a little 3 day holiday to Spain, a chance to relax, maybe, it turns out Peter got into some bother so I spent the majority of the holiday trying to rejiggle rehearsals for his solo festival shows, we hadn’t rehearsed with Stephen and the strings so it was imperative! The only dates that they could do was my RKC Luxemburg date!

Now, I really really hate having to postpone my gigs, so I spent hours trying to move and jiggle these rehearsals as the last thing I wanted to do was to let the Luxemburg promoter down. It took me and many others soooo long to persuade the promoter to book me and I promised I wouldn’t let him down!! And I did! So, it was a hard call but I Really had little choice! So hopefully I haven’t burnt my bridges in Luxemburg. I’m not lucky enough to have big media profile so my gigs take lots of persuasive work from me and all my friends so it was a horrid felt decision.

The Rehearsals went well and were hopefully worth it, so sorry all you that were coming to Luxemburg! I am just waiting for a reschedule!

So this brings us to almost today, yesterday we were in Sweden, Peter had just had his implant so I really felt for him having to do a double set, one hour him solo then an hour in Babyshambles guise. He did it and we played a blinder. So a big up to the boss. It can’t be easy but hopefully it’s a rosy future.

So this week sees me back in the studio with my second RKC album and then doing some shambles demos, I think i have something next weekend, yes, that’s it I have a solo RKC festival in Hitchin, I better put some time in on the guitar!

Bye.

FPOTP = Somebody stole my thunder – Georgie Fame (it’s an oldie)

right off to do more blogging, arguing, elecrtindieII, and singing praccie!