tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89615345160415331332024-02-29T10:19:01.201+03:30Blogs from Blue Skies...This is my blog. The place where I... Blog.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.comBlogger207125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-17291859759478670572010-09-23T13:57:00.002+03:302010-09-23T14:37:55.852+03:30HelloWell then, time for my quarterly blog!<br /><br />I blame twitter and a busy summer for my lack of writing. Actually, I think it's time to stop blaming things and accept that I just don't blog very often!<br /><br />Since my last post I have organised and performed at Summer in the City 2010 and the first Life's a Beach (RNLI <a href="http://rnlishout.bigcartel.com/">fund raiser</a>) event, been to Stickaid to help out and just last week I got back from Europe. Tom Burns won some Interrail passes so we went and travelled around a bit... There are photos on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MusicFromBlueSkies#%21/album.php?aid=235454&id=24750640739&fbid=431288870739&ref=mf">facebook</a>.<br /><br />In between these things I've finished an album, which is now <a href="http://store.scratchthatrecords.com/">for sale</a>. My next job is to get videos made for some of the songs from it. I'm trying to get a couple of my favourite video makers to help me out. This obviously means everything is going to take longer and be more difficult, but I think it'll be worth it when I have an end product.<br /><br />I think I need videos that people pass on to their friends, and the videos I make on my own don't have that... They're just bedroom performance videos really, just with some decent editing. In order to have something with more viral possibilities, I think they need more, whether it's different styles like stop motion or animation, or more professional equipment, or a story within the video... So that's what I'm hoping to do over the coming weeks / months.<br /><br /><br />I also have the opportunity to get started on the next thing and I have no idea what that's going to be. I guess I'll just start writing and see what happens!<br /><br />Right then, all caught up. Of course anyone reading this will know everything anyway! This is more for me - I like to have a record of where my life is so I can look back in the future. I might write something deeper soon, for example I'm currently terrified because I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to make enough money from music to continue doing it as a job. That'll be a fun read!<br /><br /><br />Speak to you... Next year probably.<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-23583508394834475132010-07-10T16:06:00.003+04:302010-07-10T16:20:31.844+04:30NOISE DISCOVERY!For two or three years there has been a really loud popping noise coming from somewhere in my room at totally arbitrary times. It's fucking annoying and even though it's happened hundreds of times it still scares the shit out of me. But the worst part was not knowing what it was... I'm a very curious person and if I hear about anything I don't understand I look it up as soon as I can... But I couldn't look this up and it drove me mad!<br /><br />Well after all this time I have finally discovered the source! It's this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67jY2AsK9Txg1M2J2gdvblAlyVtAw1DIA0PVGFeMtJJmJ7zsMuo_aEM7HGyM_tjG8jc0rHGoD-FkVKEIzpya8BTFRoOs_AnimDFok5hXIIo8hK7zHiXTLrp4GEvT-v1qsl2IY7Q-lLtg/s1600/purple.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67jY2AsK9Txg1M2J2gdvblAlyVtAw1DIA0PVGFeMtJJmJ7zsMuo_aEM7HGyM_tjG8jc0rHGoD-FkVKEIzpya8BTFRoOs_AnimDFok5hXIIo8hK7zHiXTLrp4GEvT-v1qsl2IY7Q-lLtg/s400/purple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492241173733191234" border="0" /></a><br />I know what you're thinking; 'That's just a jar of purple liquid' Well you're quite right. It's methylated spirit, which is used to clean bass guitar strings.<br /><br />For the first time ever I happened to be looking in the general direction of this jar, which lives on my windowsill, when the noise went off, and I saw the lid move! Presumably changing temperatures cause the metal to expand/contract until it reaches a point where the centre pops up or down (kind of like the test to see if a jar has been opened - the centre of the lid should be up if unopened.)<br /><br />I'm well aware that nobody gives a shit about this apart from me, but I don't even care!<br /><br />Today is a good day.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-27848749568007002272010-05-12T03:12:00.004+04:302010-05-13T04:20:32.418+04:30A New GovernmentI haven't blogged in a very long time, most things these days I can fit into a tweet or facebook update, but I think a change of government should provide a large enough topic to warrant a good old fashioned blog post. (Side note: I can't believe blog posts are old fashioned. When did that happen?)<br /><br />My problem is now that I've found a topic big enough... Maybe it's a little too big! I don't know where to start. I guess with the era that is ending, poor old Gordon! Everyone seems to hate him and I'm not entirely sure why.<br /><br />During his time in office a lot of very bad things have happened, but I struggle to believe that he is to blame for many, if any of them. The floods we had in his first month weren't his fault and the entire cock up of the global economy wasn't his fault, in fact on that front I wonder how much worse things could have been without him. It's funny while he was getting slated at home by newspapers and people who like to be angry, he was winning international awards for the work he was doing on the economy.<br /><br />I'm not saying his time as PM was flawless, but we're none of us perfect, and I think he got a lot of big calls right.<br /><br />But the people must have someone to blame and the buck stops with the Prime Minister. I think he was right to step down, even though I don't think it's what he deserved.<br /><br />I felt for him when he was leaving with Sarah and the kids! (Who, by the way, I had never seen until today. Very impressed with that parenting.) But it's hardly the worst job too lose... Talk about a weight off! For proof of what that job can do to you take a look at Tony Blair moving into Downing Street in 1997. Yeah, now look at him leaving 10 years later... He aged about 30 years!<br /><br />Anyway, for the Labour Party I think this could be a good thing. I've heard (and correct me if I'm wrong*) that no party has won four elections in a row for hundreds of years. The public grow tired and demand change no matter what that means. They now have some time to pick a new leader, re-assess their angle and hopefully be in power again in four years time after the public have had time to hate someone else for things they have no choice but to do.<br /><br /><br />Lib Dems next I think. Again, horrible situation. Loads of people hate them for doing a deal with the Tories, loads of people would have hated them for doing a deal with Labour. Personally I would have preferred a Lib-Lab coalition, and I don't agree with the idea that the legitimacy of such a deal would have been in question - that it would be a coalition of the losers - because Labour and the Lib Dems ideologies are much closer than either is to the Conservatives, so you could argue that more than 50% of people wanted a left of centre government.<br /><br />However even between them, Lib-Lab fell short of a majority in terms of seats, which means they'd also have needed smaller parties to form a so called rainbow coalition. This is far from ideal, and I don't think you can overlook the importance of stability and the confidence of the markets at this time (though I do think many people will).<br /><br />I understand why Clegg went with The Conservatives, and as a Lib Dem voter (even from before Nick's sterling first debate performance I should add!) I do not feel as though he has sold me out. Not yet anyway.<br /><br />If the Lib Dems can secure serious electoral reform off the back of this election, it will be the biggest accomplishment the party has known for generations, and will secure them as the permanent political force that I believe they deserve to be. I was also pleased to hear that their plan to increase the threshold at which you begin to pay income tax to £10,000 was one of those that the Tories were looking at. I think that is bang on - I can't believe someone on £7,000 a year is expected to pay income tax right now.<br /><br /><br />On to the Conservatives then. Now you may have noticed if you've ever talked to me that I'm not a huge fan of the Tories. But I think there is an opportunity here to put the country before politics. (It's a lot easier to use that line when your party is set to benefit from it!)<br /><br />I see nothing positive that can come out of complaining or scaremongering. In the hours since Cameron walked into number 10, I've seen that many tweets or facebook groups joined under names such as 'The Country is Doomed', 'Fuck David Cameron', 'Let's all Move to France' (Ok I made that last one up, it's not that bad!**)<br /><br />Well Cameron is the Prime Minister and will be for the foreseeable future, so you're going to have to deal with that. I think the best way is to give him a chance. I have said throughout the campaign that I don't trust him or his party. I still don't, but I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. However I think more than ever it's important that people pay attention. Just because the election is over, doesn't mean politics shuts down for four years. The Tories need to know we are watching every move and judging every decision they make. If they don't deliver, especially on the concessions made to get Nick Clegg on board, then they have to know that we won't stand for it.<br /><br />And on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems who will end up in the cabinet, I urge other 'progressives' not to think of them as traitors. They are our men on the inside! They are our voice in government and they need both our support and our scrutiny to perform as such. This is how hung parliaments work, and if you want PR you'd better get used to it.<br /><br /><br />All in all, this election has not gone as I would have hoped, but it's gone better than I expected. Before the campaigns began it was almost certain to be a strong Conservative majority. We've ended up with Cameron as PM, sure, but at least there is some balance to the cabinet.<br /><br />I hope people remember that whoever won this election was going to have to make very unpopular cuts (and possibly in my opinion, though none of them would admit it, raise VAT). I've seen recently images from rioting in Greece in response to government cuts, and I want to ask the rioters if they have an alternative... They have a right to be angry for sure, but if they want their country to survive at all they NEED to seriously cut budgets, and so do we. I'm not saying I expect riots... I mean Greece is in another league of debt, but I hope people can see the big picture. (LOL, yeah right!)<br /><br />The most important thing to remember is that political battles are not confined to election campaigns. If you want proportional representation, or if you want to sort out the digital economy bill then get involved. Sign the petitions, go to the demonstrations, promote the cause, email your (probably new) MP. Whatever you do, please don't absolve yourself of guilt with the line 'I voted for the other lot' and permit yourself political apathy until the next election; you're more important in opposition than you were in power.<br /><br /><br />Right, it's late and I can't be bothered reading through this (a thought which I'm sure you sympathise with right now!). Feel free to leave your thoughts, I'm sure they make more sense than mine.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">* Unsurprisingly I have been corrected! Kris in the comments tells me the Tories won four in a row under Thatcher/Major. I don't know where I'd heard that statistic. Probably remembered it wrong... I'm sure SOMETHING hadn't been done for hundreds of years!<br />** Jokes France, you're lovely and make good wine.</span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-61992923805573101042010-03-05T18:37:00.004+03:302010-03-05T19:17:24.822+03:30WebsiteI made myself a website!<br /><a href="http://blueskies.fm"><br />http://blueskies.fm</a><br /><br />It's nothing too advanced, but it means I can use just one url to direct people to... It was annoying listing facebook, twitter, myspace, etc. in the side of videos. Now it's all in one place and if people want to follow me on those things they are all linked from the site.<br /><br />I've held off getting a Blue Skies domain because .com and .co.uk are taken (and cost in the region of £7000) and nothing else seemed right. I didn't want to use musicfromblueskies.com because 1) it's too long and 2) a lot of people assume that's the name of the band and I don't want to encourage that. But then I found that .fm was available and it sounded good so I bought it!<br /><br />There is a '<a href="http://blueskies.fm/news">News</a>' section, which is essentially a blog, but I am going to keep this. This will be for my life, and that will be about the band. Granted they overlap quite a lot, but we'll see how it shapes up. Hope you check it out and add it to your feed readers and blogrolls!<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-59331252982655418352010-01-28T19:07:00.002+03:302010-01-28T20:48:14.327+03:30Pro Crastinator.2010 has started pretty slowly for me. I can't seem to get motivated when it comes to recording. Because I'm right at the beginning of my next project, it seems like I have such a long way to go that I can't be bothered to start! I am in fact so at-the-beginning that I don't even know what the project is yet.<br /><br />The one positive is that I've been writing quite a lot, and I've managed to keep the songs to myself, so there is plenty of new material to go along with the next release. I have about 6 songs almost fully written, and a host of half finished ones too. So now I'm wondering what to do with them. I need to make a full studio album, but that should include old songs that haven't been properly recorded yet - Blackout, Potential, Untitled, etc. And I'm not sure all of the new ones fit into that album. So my current plan (I think) is to record these new ones fairly simply - not necessarily 'live' as in the Blackout Sessions, but close to it if not actually it, and start selling them while I start on the studio album.<br /><br />I've been listening to a lot of Mountain Goats in recent months and I like the idea of putting that kind of lo fi material out there, alongside a smaller number of nicely produced albums. They're more 'real' sounding - very honest, simple representations of the songs, and it encourages writing quickly; being more prolific. Releasing a really polished album every other year means you can get away with writing less than one song a month... I want to be writing one a week, releasing 4 EP/albums per year (that don't take months to create). Then maybe one studio album each year as well, that contains some songs from those other releases but with more instrumentation, and a few tracks that are exclusive to that record. That can be the one I push more - send out to radio stations, reviewers etc.<br /><br />I think I'll go with that approach for now... It'll be especially useful over the next year or so as it will build up the repertoire for live shows.<br /><br />I'm not entirely sure why I'm writing this down, I imagine it's quite boring if you're not me. Sorry about that.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-60755514693562123622010-01-20T15:24:00.002+03:302010-01-20T15:54:35.367+03:30WMGWent on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">youtube</span> this morning and saw this large and intimidating pink box...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUF2b39t3R6QsDjlWGBzFXW-KIqV2XahplLHwI8D3EcZ6rjXvmytkjHKOSmBBP4I-HX2_0RJ9kV9QY6UcVuWv8jKsJolORrALzwI7wq4tr-fWDdbrkfm-LyJAN7nu7_sZU3Wgstp_X3uU/s1600-h/Screen+shot+2010-01-20+at+11.36.24.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUF2b39t3R6QsDjlWGBzFXW-KIqV2XahplLHwI8D3EcZ6rjXvmytkjHKOSmBBP4I-HX2_0RJ9kV9QY6UcVuWv8jKsJolORrALzwI7wq4tr-fWDdbrkfm-LyJAN7nu7_sZU3Wgstp_X3uU/s400/Screen+shot+2010-01-20+at+11.36.24.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428789416139959202" border="0" /></a><br />So five of my videos, including two of my three most viewed, have been blocked. Bad times.<br /><br />Twitter is over capacity and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">facebook</span> won't update... I can only assume the reason for this is the mass outcry from thousands of adoring Blue Skies fans chastising <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">WMG</span> for this move. The twitter servers didn't stand a chance!<br /><br />Due to all of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">youtube's</span> 'improvements' over the years, my channel has been growing more and more slowly (or maybe I've just got worse!) and I'm sure this will hold it back even more. Every day, those videos were a window into my channel for about 1500 people, that's where the majority of my subscribers came from.<br /><br />It seems these days you either have to do something stupid that goes viral, or you have to be in one of those groups who whore each other out with those little boxes on their channels. Of course the whole world is about who you know, not what you know - so why should <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">youtube</span> be any different? But for a little while I felt like it was... I thought if you were really good, that would be enough.<br /><br />Ah well. At least I got in early enough to build the audience that I have. If I was starting out now I wouldn't get anywhere.<br /><br />Oh and if in a few years <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">WMG</span> are trying to sign me, please remind me of this. I think we see the music industry in very different ways and it would not be wise for me to work with them.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-1431393182290588382010-01-11T16:00:00.000+03:302010-01-11T16:02:19.431+03:30Just got this message...<span>"hi there,<br /> <br /> im so sorry for disturbing but can i get permission from you on something ???<br /> <br /> i want to use your videos for my affiliate programme .like this:-<br /> <br />I download your video on youtube , then I upload it back in youtube with additional advertistment in your videos..means for my affiliate programme...<br /> <br /> but i dont change the content of your videos , just add my advertistment there.<br /> <br /> *And beside I can help promote your video as well.<br /> <br /> so can you allow me to do so ????? please reply...thank you........"<br /><br /><br /><br />Hahaha! At least they asked.<br /></span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-87851151704922980092010-01-03T04:38:00.002+03:302010-01-03T04:56:25.831+03:30A year agoI just thought 'I wonder what I was doing this time last year' and then I remembered I had a blog where I wrote stuff down.<br /><br />Turns out I'd just had a massive house party, put a hole in my floor, raved to The Blues Brothers and then got really ill with 'That Bastard Ginger Chris's Disease' and lost a stone in weight. And I was about to go to Ireland.<br /><br />I was also about to start the free download folder I have, so I was a long way from selling music, which is good because it shows progress! Selling music is not now a scary idea that one day I will hopefully put into practise... It's a thing that I do. It's... Fuck, it's my job!<br /><br />Overall I'm fairly happy with the last year, but I hope and think that when I look back at now in a years' time there will be more of a difference. I have so many plans right now, I just hope they work out!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-20004516901557185092009-12-12T18:41:00.002+03:302009-12-12T18:44:12.965+03:30Boo!Set up an Audioboo so I can do this...<br /><br /><br /><object data="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="129" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf"><param name="scale" value="noscale"><param name="salign" value="lt"><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F82539-1-39.mp3&mp3Author=blueskies&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F82539-1-39&mp3Title=1%3A39&mp3Time=03.06pm+12+Dec+2009"><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/82539-1-39.mp3">Listen!</a></object>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-25560618698668667822009-12-10T00:14:00.004+03:302009-12-10T00:44:23.102+03:30Video TutorialsHello there! Just writing this to get some feedback on an idea...<br /><br />At the moment I'm looking at moving south, which will mean my outgoings will be considerably higher than they are right now. This means I need to be making more money. One way in which I intend to do this is by making video tutorials - basically teaching guitar online.<br /><br />The idea is that people would pay around £1 and get a video, probably about 10 minutes long, and a tab to refer to. I could give them all difficulty ratings and each lesson could include one song (most likely something I've covered on youtube). There are a number of advantages over real life lessons - the ability to pause, rewind and replay the video would mean you could get an hour's worth of lesson/practice time out of each video, you could come back to it in a year when you'd forgotten it, and it would cost 10% of the price of a normal lesson.<br /><br />And from my point of view, It'd probably take me an hour or so to make the video/tab, so then I'd only need to sell about 10 for it to pay better than a regular teaching job, plus I wouldn't be stuck to a timetable - I could make the videos whenever I had the time.<br /><br />Any thoughts, problems, improvements etc. please let me know in the comments. And if you play guitar (or want to!) do you think you'd consider paying for lessons online like this?<br /><br />THANKS!<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-34935274187741478982009-12-03T17:42:00.003+03:302009-12-03T18:04:23.537+03:30LondonHey good news, my hearing seems to have fixed itself!<br /><br />Moving on, tonight I'll be heading into London and then tomorrow the whole <a href="http://www.youtube.com/rnlishout">RNLI</a> / <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHflIVBeagc">Apple</a> thing will be happening. We're gonna meet up outside the Apple Store and deliver the message to the employees. Ben has even made some little paper mache apples to give to some of the people with big job titles that might be able to help.<br /><br />If you're in London you're more than welcome to come along, we'll be meeting around noon. I'm gonna take my guitar, though I'm not sure how well that will go down with Regent Street shoppers. Or the police. I guess we'll see. I only plan on playing it if there are a lot of people there, if it's just the six of us I'd look like a right plum.<br /><br />Anyway, looking forward to seeing people again, it's been a while.<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-61934883351749218492009-12-02T00:44:00.003+03:302009-12-02T01:13:55.854+03:30UpdateJust thought I'd post a little blog to tell you what's going on... That's the idea, right?<br /><br />Well I'm staying in Essex for a while at Paul's house. I've brought down the majority of my recording stuff and we're gonna try to be productive over the next few weeks. We're both working on websites, we plan on producing some kind of music/art project, and there are a few other things in the works.<br /><br />This is all well and good, my only concern right now is that I woke up this morning without being able to hear very well! It hasn't changed much all day, my left ear especially feels weird. Things sound really bassy - like I'm underwater. It's not fun.<br /><br />Hmm, I thought that would take a lot longer.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-46119517065959788612009-11-26T16:07:00.005+03:302009-11-26T16:45:40.269+03:30Add your dot!I set up an <a href="http://eventful.com/blueskies">eventful</a> page, which is designed so people can tell you where they want you to come and play shows. It gives you a cool map, look!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpALSnFy-8fOyipMX8IBbjpJ14W778gAFBIPch6gC78l7GcmtGX5U2JvjeQqJdWDHr8eTM_q6s3UPNYM5rDoW1XYZPj4QIrh6AnpBgKCkh-l0aa3LPVjy-Vk5gj2wQAqp9EeTDUyXmQ4/s1600/Screen+shot+2009-11-26+at+12.36.47.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpALSnFy-8fOyipMX8IBbjpJ14W778gAFBIPch6gC78l7GcmtGX5U2JvjeQqJdWDHr8eTM_q6s3UPNYM5rDoW1XYZPj4QIrh6AnpBgKCkh-l0aa3LPVjy-Vk5gj2wQAqp9EeTDUyXmQ4/s400/Screen+shot+2009-11-26+at+12.36.47.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408392213380505570" border="0" /></a><br />Obviously each red dot is a person asking me to play in that place. You can go and add your own red dot <a href="http://tinyurl.com/demandblueskies">here</a>.<br /><br />It's currently showing me how much easier it is to play in Britain than anywhere else! There are slightly more dots in the US I think, but they're so spread out it would take four times as many shows to reach them all... The UK is so small it's practically coloured in red! I love our little island.<br /><br />It'll be a while before I can afford to set up some shows overseas anyway, but when I do I will definitely be using this as a guide, it's so good. So if you want me to come to your town, add your dot and get your friends to add their own dots!<br /><br /><em></em>I'm also extremely pleased to have discovered an island that I didn't know existed - São Miguel! Right in the middle of the Atlantic. Whether that was actually a person who lives there or someone taking the piss, I don't know, but I'm tempted to go there either way!<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-52530458292905397222009-11-22T21:13:00.002+03:302009-11-22T21:18:54.858+03:30Yes.Mum (talking to my Dad, but I'm right there): Did you tell Dave you put that stuff in there? (pointing to a drawer)<div><br /></div><div>Dad: Yes.</div><div><br /></div><div>...</div><div><br /></div><div>Dad: Well... No.</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-66168810917284030152009-11-20T04:53:00.005+03:302009-11-20T06:21:47.991+03:30Re-evaluation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH9W9hOq_FQ64QRtyVANAKQXf_ot0AF01Txw4-n2xai2_1POPTzuiTr-fFBY7_hLwq000tPY6lCrZfg6Aa1vwIOQRUucV-uPIP-DVUFmiQZPb-zoX72M442uHz6Sxz3eAoUP3onvkf6Q/s1600/Screen+shot+2009-11-19+at+19.34.29.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 39px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH9W9hOq_FQ64QRtyVANAKQXf_ot0AF01Txw4-n2xai2_1POPTzuiTr-fFBY7_hLwq000tPY6lCrZfg6Aa1vwIOQRUucV-uPIP-DVUFmiQZPb-zoX72M442uHz6Sxz3eAoUP3onvkf6Q/s400/Screen+shot+2009-11-19+at+19.34.29.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405990498845003986" border="0" /></a><br />As I write this I have the one hundredth most subscribed youtube channel in the UK. By the time you're reading this there's a good chance I won't anymore! I've been slipping down the list for several months now and as I'm on the way out it's got me thinking about the last two years and what I've accomplished on the site. I always say that I'm doing better than I thought I would be when I joined up, but now that I think about it, I'm not so sure that's true.<br /><br />I doubt I would have thought 20,000 subscribers was achievable in my first two years. Though I was confident my channel could do well, back then even Mr Coollike didn't have those kind of numbers. So in terms of subscribers I am doing better than I thought I would be. But that's no measure of success. My life goal right now is to be able to afford to live by selling music. Of course music is much more than that, but I'm only looking at the business side of things right now.* I've always had the idea in my head, and I believe it's a well known theory in the industry, that if I were to have 1000 hardcore fans - by which I mean people who buy every album or EP I offer them - then I could live off that, and so my life goal could be translated into 'finding 1000 hardcore fans.'<br /><br />My subscriber count may have exceeded expectations, but I definitely overestimated the percentage of subscribers that would turn into the 'hardcore fans'. Right now I think I'm at about 100. That's 10% of the aim, after two years. So it'll be another 18 years if I continue at that rate, and realistically I'm not picking up speed right now, I'm slowing down. Six months ago I'd be getting 40 - 50 new subscribers to my channel every day, now it's half of that on a good day.<br /><br />This isn't me being depressed and moaning about life, I'm fairly optimistic about the future. I think I will accomplish that goal, and a long time before 2027 as well! I'm just re-evaluating. The internet is a powerful tool for a musician, but maybe not as much as I've given it credit for. Right now I just want to move to London, turn some friends into some band members and start gigging, a lot. You may not reach as many people that way, but I think it's a better way to find those 1000 (and it's fun!) Of course the real answer is to do both. But there's a balance there and I think I've let the internet side take up too much time so far.<br /><br />Overall I wouldn't say that was a mistake, if I'd gone the traditional route from the beginning I don't think I'd have made it this far. I'd have given up on the dream and gotten a real job, letting music remain a hobby. I owe so much of my confidence to the people who have supported me online, and even if Blue Skies didn't exist, I'd still be obsessed with being a part of this community - so many ridiculously important people in my life right now were introduced to me thanks to one website or another.<br /><br /><br />I'm sorry for talking business (ish) I don't usually talk about this side of things, it's just been on my mind lately. I don't even like calling people 'fans' it sounds ridiculous. I'll wrap up with some thoughts on the future...<br /><br />It's gonna be pretty great. I'm gonna move to London. I'm gonna gig more. I've been speaking to Paul a lot lately and we have so many ideas and plans that at least one of them is going to make us rich and then none of this business stuff will matter. I'm going to stay at his in December with Ian and we're gonna be very productive, both in terms of actually making some kind of EP or album and in terms of making plans for the new year.<br /><br /><br />This has been pretty long and probably vague or missing some massively important points. You probably don't care, but if you do have any questions about what I've said or about anything really, just ask.<br /><br />Goodnight, and thanks for reading this... I appreciate all of the support you guys have given more than I can express.<br /><br />xxx<br /><br />p.s. Fairytale of New York just came on itunes shuffle, but not the version I have on The Pogues album... It's a one off and I don't know where I got it, but the album name it's listed under is 'Irish Punk Drinking Songs Compilation'. That sounds like the greatest album in the world, I might have to track it down.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*If I were to ignore business for a moment, and compare my musical output to what two years ago I had thought I'd be creating, I believe I have exceeded my expectations, though they were not particularly high! I still consider myself a beginner and am looking forward to the coming year as I think it will be very exciting musically. That fact alone is more important that the whole of this blog, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't be thinking about these things.</span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-5046479469518445422009-10-31T01:17:00.004+03:302009-11-01T04:28:23.643+03:30Rarities 07-09I have uploaded the rarities album that I've been talking about, so it's all available and stuff! You can buy it <a href="http://blueskies.bandcamp.com/">HERE</a>.<br /><br />It's 8 tracks, five full songs and three instrumentals, and I'm trying something new with the way I'm selling it - you can choose the price. I have set a minimum of £1 so I don't lose money on it! But other than that it's totally up to you. I'm gonna give £5 as a suggested price but if people can't afford that they are welcome to buy for whatever they can, and if you can afford more, well that would be very helpful!<br /><br />All the money will be going on my music, but that's fairly obvious because pretty much all of my money does.<br /><br />This is the first time I've put an album exclusively on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bandcamp</span>, so I'd be very interested to hear what your experience is with it... Especially if anybody wants to buy it but doesn't have access to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">paypal</span> or any of the other payment options. If that is the case, please let me know what online payment options you can use and I'll see if I can set something up with them.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-25699022327723998422009-10-23T18:10:00.002+03:302009-10-23T18:24:50.636+03:30WebsiteI've just started a little discussion on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">facebook</span> asking people to give input on my website plans. I'm just looking at what content should be on there. The tabs I have down right now are...<br /><br />Home - Music - Pictures - Lyrics/Tabs - Free Stuff - Store - Links<br /><br />So Home will include news, latest release info, possibly my most recent video, upcoming gigs...<br /><br />Music will be a discography with links to buy.<br /><br />Pictures include artwork, live pics and fan pics (with either an email address to send them in to or an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">uploader</span> if that's not difficult!)<br /><br />Lyrics/Tabs is obvious.<br /><br />Free Stuff will be downloads of songs, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ringtones</span>, wallpapers... Any other suggestions are welcome.<br /><br />'Store' links to the big cartel.<br /><br />And 'Links' contains contact info and links to my other sites.<br /><br /><br />Some things that have come up are a bio and a blog. I'm not sure about writing a bio because it wouldn't be all that interesting, but let me know if you think a band site needs one. And I originally kept a blog out because, well I have this obviously, but thought it was a bit more personal than the sort of thing you'd put on a band website. So what do you think? Should I put this blog on there, put a separate blog on there - less personal, more about music and the band, or not put a blog on there? I will have the news section on the home page either way.<br /><br />So let me know,<br />Bio or no bio.<br />This blog, new blog or no blog.<br />Free Stuff - anything I can give away for free that won't cost me anything!<br />Any other ideas.<br /><br />THANKS! =)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-69360908182227763492009-10-20T22:39:00.002+03:302009-10-20T22:57:20.246+03:30Hurray!My rant earlier obviously worked... I'm writing this from my new 24" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iMac</span>!<br /><br />It's so big I can't even look at the whole screen. just areas of it! And they just brought out 27 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">inchers</span> as well, imagine that! Pretty much ridiculous. I can't decide whether or not I'm gutted that I didn't wait and get a new one. They are cheaper than I thought they'd be, but still to get what I did including the extras would have set me back an extra few hundred quid, and there's not much difference. Not compared to the difference between this and my old one. Definitely not bothered about missing out on a 27 inch screen... Wouldn't fit on my desk! The new mouse looks very cool though.<br /><br />Right now I'm just downloading and installing programs. I still have a few things that need sorting, for example the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">firewire</span> on this is too modern for my old junk! So I need to get an adapter for that, and I've ordered a hard drive dock so hopefully I can get at all my old files.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Ahhh</span> my old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">iMac</span> didn't have an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">isight</span>! I might start being on <a href="http://dailybooth.com/daveface"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">dailybooth</span></a> more! And making videos will be easier.<br /><br />EXCITED.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-1851355250151257592009-10-20T15:37:00.003+03:302009-10-20T15:55:38.991+03:30An explanation for the increase in bloggingYou may have noticed I've been blogging fairly regularly lately. That's because I have NOTHING TO DO!<br /><br />Well actually I have a shit load of things to do, I just can't do them until my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iMac</span> gets here. It's really frustrating. Usually I don't think of myself as a particularly productive person, but I'm starting to see how much stuff I do now that I can't do it!<br /><br />I'm so excited about it now though. I've been needing a new machine for ages. Jack was at least five years old and it was beginning to show. Especially video editing, using layers basically meant final cut wouldn't play back, so I had to work blind. And as for my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pc</span> (Tim) well he's a similar age and curls up into a ball on the floor if placed under the slightest bit of pressure. By which I mean he crashes if you play a flash game, or open two programs at once. When Tim crashes I move on to my parents laptop, which runs vista. Enough said.<br /><br />I CAN'T WAIT!<br /><br />In other news, I want to get that rarities album up during the postal strike because The Royal Mail can't fuck up downloads. But of course I need the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">iMac</span> before I can do that. Oh God! What if my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">iMac</span> gets caught up in the postal strike?! I would actually just start going around killing people.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-11192503313788232602009-10-18T02:51:00.002+03:302009-10-18T03:28:06.265+03:30iMacsSo I got the hard drive, installed it and... It didn't work. Well, the same thing happened as did before. I'm pretty sure I fit it properly and all that, I just think that it wasn't what was causing the problem. The guy said it might also be one of the wires attached to it, so that's still a possibility.<br /><br />But either way, my parents talked me into buying a new one. Since I was planning to get one anyway as soon as I could afford it, they said they'd lend me the money as it'd be a waste of time putting it off for a couple of months and trying to push my old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iMac</span> even further. They're right really, and especially as I'm just starting a studio album - it would be annoying to switch machines halfway through a project like that.<br /><br />So I found a great deal tonight on a refurbished 24" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">iMac</span>. I checked with Dale (I run anything that's both technical and expensive by the gadget dude before buying it!) and he had nothing against buying refurbished machines, plus it has Apple Care until 2012, so it's all good... And yeah, I bought it.<br /><br />Now I have to wait for it to get here and I'm gonna be like a kid in the run up to Christmas! It - he - is gonna be called Mark Morrison, and if anyone gets that reference I pretty much love you. As for Jack (which wasn't a reference, it just rhymes) I'll probably still get him fixed and sell him, if I can bring myself to part with him! The spare hard drive I could sell, or I might just turn it into an external.<br /><br />In other news, the post today included a box full of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CD's</span> and t-shirts from my friends, 'Rook and The Ravens' because when I was up in Manchester the other day I offered to sell them through Scratch That Records. They are one of the main bands I was thinking of when I said I could use it to sell friend's music as well as my own, and I'm so excited about the album, it's actually amazing. As in, objectively one of the best albums of the year, not just from people I know!<br /><br />So that's one job for tomorrow - adding their stuff to the store. I hope people buy it because it's so fucking good!<br /><br />Alright, off to bed.<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-60882447928907438252009-10-17T03:03:00.002+03:302009-10-17T03:22:59.656+03:30AppleSo I went to The Apple Store in Leicester and had a chat with the Genius guy. He was actually very nice and helpful. He seemed fairly certain that it was a problem with the hard drive, and said they could fix it for about £140 and 10 - 14 days. But he also said it's not that difficult and that I could probably manage it myself, so I'm gonna try that.<br /><br />It was very refreshing to hear someone talk me through all of the options - not just the ones that are beneficial to the company they work for. He could easily have told me that attempting to change it myself would be very difficult and would most likely end up with me electrocuting myself and frying my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iMac</span> and that I should definitely pay Apple to do it - I'd have believed him! But when I got home I had a look and it does look fairly simple, I've ordered a new hard drive that should come tomorrow, will let you know how it goes!<br /><br />While I'm on the subject of Apple, today a new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">youtube</span> channel was launched by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">RNLI</span> - it's called Shout! and is the latest initiative from the charity aimed towards changing the perception of the youth in today's media. We are going to be setting some challenges for all of you people in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">internetland</span> to take part in, which will hopefully result in us raising enough money to buy the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">RNLI</span> a lifeboat! At the same time we will be trying to get the story into the papers - our own positive headlines.<br /><br />'What does that have to do with Apple?' I hear you ask! (I don't) WELL, for the first challenge we decided to lobby a well known company, and we chose Apple. The idea is that so many people, young people especially, spend their money on this company's products that they might be willing to give a little something back, if we show them how much we love them. So we're asking for video responses, but here - it's all better explained in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHflIVBeagc">launch video</a>.<br /><br />I hope some of you will be able to get involved by spreading the word and/or making a video response. Hopefully I'll be able to do one soon... Depends how tomorrow goes really!<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-44579805123560228602009-10-15T17:06:00.003+03:302009-10-15T17:25:58.724+03:30Changed my mind... AlreadyI've put the songs together and I think they do work with some of the instrumentals in there, so the track list right now looks like this:<br /><br />Piano from the '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viv54bCWZz8">my day</a>' blog - Needs a name!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbhuYTckBBk">Don't Go</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGRzI6W2jI">Dance On</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrf3OsBpH3c">Ideas</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2V9SV2fBds">What Did You Do Today?</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHMMU72Fqhw">Open D</a><br />Alaska<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXi6ao1axzQ">When I See You Again</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBFaTw8Pumg">Burn Forever</a><br /><br />I think I'm just going to call it 'Rarities 07 -09' Because then I can do a similar thing if I have a bunch of unreleased songs in a year or two, and continue the name so they will all appear next to each other and in order in people's itunes.<br /><br />So all I'm waiting for is a good version of Alaska which hopefully I can get tomorrow either from Jack or off my external - can't link that to my PC because it's firewire, but I'll take it to the Apple Store and do it there.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-14366924819382624402009-10-15T13:01:00.002+03:302009-10-15T13:30:14.568+03:30Jack is not wellTomorrow I head to Leicester where I have an appointment at the Apple Store so they can take a look at Jack who is not well at all. I fear the cost of fixing him may turn out to be more than he's worth (economically... He will always have a place in my heart as my first ever mac!) Which means buying a new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iMac</span>. On the plus side I was planning on this purchase so it's not come out of nowhere and it needed to happen anyway, but I don't really have the money for it yet. However I have decided that I want to get the best that I can even if it means being poor for a while, because the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">iMac</span> is the centre of my studio and over time I want to build the best studio that I can, which means buying the best equipment, even if I can't afford to get it all at once.<br /><br />So I need money, and I've been thinking of ways to get it. People have suggested setting up a '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">chipin</span>' which basically means people donate money to you... I don't love this idea because people are giving you something for nothing. So what I think I'm going to do it release some of my songs that so far have been unavailable to buy on this new site I've found. It's called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bandcamp</span> and you can set it up so people can download songs or albums for any price. So I'll put together some tracks, put it up there and people can enter the amount they want to pay for it, which will basically be their donation towards my new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">iMac</span>.<br /><br />What I'm not sure of is which songs to use. I was thinking of using all of the instrumental tunes I have, there are four so far and I could do another one to put in a promotional video, but I wonder whether people would pay much for instrumentals. I do have a few full songs recorded - Alaska, Don't Go, Dance On, Burn <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Forever</span>, When I See You Again... I was planning to release these properly at some point but I could use them for this? Do you think more people would go for that? I could do both separately, or I could put all of them together. I actually have a video for Alaska ready to go... If I can get it off Jack.<br /><br />Right. I think I'll start with the instrumentals, I'll do one more - obviously I can't record properly, they will all be just camera recordings, but the mic is pretty good. Then I'll have five instrumental tracks, I'll put them together as an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">EP</span> and people can buy it for any amount. Then later I still have the option of doing the same with the full songs, if someone donated a load for the instrumentals they can always get the songs for 1p so in effect they have made the same donation and have all 10 tracks.<br /><br />Sound like a plan?<br /><br />If anyone has any thoughts on this, or has any other ideas for me to make some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">iMac</span> money (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">inb</span>4 get a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">pc</span> instead... Get out of my life) then feel free to comment or email me.<br /><br />xxxDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-74173018401579838002009-10-01T02:34:00.003+03:302009-10-01T03:19:55.415+03:30Tired / BrokenRight now I'm just tired of being happy.<br /><br />I'm all broken.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8961534516041533133.post-69765659783014313472009-09-26T18:32:00.004+03:302009-09-26T19:12:34.360+03:30Waiting for warm water.I just went to have a shower and the water is freezing. So while I wait for it to warm up I thought I'd write a little blog (and watch the football).<div><br /></div><div>I've opened the online store, so The Blackout Sessions along with the t-shirts are officially available! It's strange because I sold a load at Summer in the City which was ages ago, and I've sold some over the last couple of days to the <a href="http://reverbnation.com/musicfromblueskies">Street Team</a>, so it's not really having a big release day. But to be honest it's bad enough taking 15 to the Post Office at a time! I'm always worried that everyone in the queue is going to hate me!</div><div><br /></div><div>So I think I'll hold off making a video on my main channel until Monday/Tuesday as there's no post tomorrow. I might make something for the ScratchThatRecords channel though... I want to build that up so I'm going to give it the announcements first!</div><div><br /></div><div>So if you want to get the CD and/or a t-shirt you can do so at <a href="http://blueskies.bigcartel.com/">blueskies.bigcartel.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks!</div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12964627567287699879noreply@blogger.com2