strange folk for good people (or, tour part 1)

Is it still Christmas? I'm not really sure. It's that uneasy time between Christmas Day and New Year where some of us (or, to be more specific, I) have gone back to work, whereas some people are still sat around in their pants watching Only Fools and Horses.

Whilst we wait for the arrival of Father Time or Mr New Year or for Justin Bieber to ceremonially spit on a tramp or retire from life or for us all to watch a recording from a few weeks ago of when Jools Holland pretended it was New Year (oft soundtracked by cheerless morons, but I don't know who's on it this OH holy wow it's The Proclaimers, HAIM and Lisa Stansfield).. hang on, I forget where I was. NEW PARAGRAPH.

TOUR! I'm doing a tour! Second album Back Down was released in May 2013, so I'm doing some shows in the first half of this year aimed at putting the album to bed, and maybe showcasing some new songs too, if I'm feeling confident. The first batch of dates have been released, the final batch to follow in a month or so. I'm really, really sorry that despite spending most of my life working til I cry to keep people happy, I'm probably not visiting the pub down the road from you, but hey, if you'd like to come to a Ben Marwood show in the few weeks spanning February 14th to March 8th, here are your choices:

--
FEBRUARY
w/Retrospective Soundtrack Players

14.02.14 CHELTENHAM Frog and Fiddle
15.02.14 LEEDS Fox & Newt
16.02.14 SOUTHAMPTON Joiners
17.02.14 SWINDON The Vic
18.02.14 LONDON The Monarch, Camden

MARCH
not w/Retrospective Soundtrack Players

07.03.14 COLCHESTER Lakeside Theatre, Essex University
08.03.14 KINGSTON The Cricketers


I'm also playing a warm-up show at the Oakford Social Club on 29th January to kick the whole thing off. Why not come along? Or, if you don't enjoy live music, arrange to meet all your loudest friends at the bar?

If that's not the news you wanted, hold on tight for more dates announced early in 2014 and if that's still not good enough, maybe gaze into this poster and see if you can change the locations with your mind:

No? Oh well, you'll get 'em next time, champ.
xx

ho ho ho and a bottle of gin for helen chambers, please

So, there you go. Another year draws to a close. Massive highs, crushing lows: standard fare for the 21st Century.

Personally, after the final shows of the year in York, I've been booking some shows, spending time at a desk and, in the past few days, back at the family home for that one time of the year it's acceptable to sit around and definitely not fight at all, no sir. I've just about recovered from the Christmas Party held at the Duchess in York after the final Black Swan show. Helen Chambers somehow managed to escape a hangover the next day despite being what I estimate to be 50% gin, so I bravely had enough of a hangover for both of us. Personally, I'm putting my downfall down to the Duchess serving their spirits in half-sized cups so, being a man of little desire to change my drinking pace, I managed to imbibe twice as much. All's fair in love and nightclubs. I'll see you next year for the rematch, Chambers.

I'm pretty damn happy with how a lot of things this year went. The difficult second album finally saw the light of day (indeed, I don't normally use the phrase Difficult Second Album, but some of the terms I have used for Back Down are just not fit for a public forum) and wasn't chased out of town like a scary mutant, we went touring in the US with Frank, tore 2000Trees a new chimney over the summer and finally admitted that you probably shouldn't be taking life advice from me via the medium of t-shirt.

Thanks one and all for your support. I really couldn't (and, more to the point, wouldn't) do this without you. There really are too many people to thank, so if you're reading this: this is your thanks.

See you in 2014.
b

As never seen on TV

The nights are drawing in, the air has a chill in it, and somewhere some evil bastard is compiling a Christmas playlist for supermarket radio nationwide. England will soon be in the grip of winter, and there's not a damn thing you or me or Professor Brian Cox can do about it. What did they teach you, Brian?

Anyway, as newspapers report that we're facing a brand new ice age, the worst winter ever contemplated and, in the Mail's case, that we may as well start sacrificing our illegal immigrants immediately (probably, I haven't checked, but it's quite likely isn't it?) to use as fuel, I at least have some good news to warm your hearts and give your eyes something to focus on as the icy hand of Jack Frost - the seasonal character, not the detective played by David Jason - prepares to make our cold water feel colder and our gardens a barren place of woe.

Am I overdoing it?

New tour dates! London, Reading, Cardiff and York
Sure as eggs are eggs, I have some shows to end the year. They go like this:

NOVEMBER
22 - LONDON - Camden Monarch (free!)
24 - READING - Rising Sun Arts Centre (w/Franz Nicolay) // tickets
30 - CARDIFF - Moon Club (w/Ieuan Williams) // tickets

DECEMBER
13 - YORK - The Black Swan (w/Jonny Gill + more) // tickets
14 - YORK - The Black Swan (w/Helen Chambers + more) // tickets

You can even get tickets at the link above, and if you're mental and wish to attend both York shows, there's a special combi-ticket right here.


Ben Morse wants to show you how good he is at stuff
Did you know that videographer, director, photographer and Vitamin Water enthusiast Ben Morse is really good at being a videographer and also directing, photograpy and.. er.. enjoying vitamin water?

Here's him showing you how good he is at three of those above four things.

And finally.. Xtra Mile welcomes Oxygen Thief!
The final member of the Exclamation Triumvirate (as Oxygen Thief, Jim Lockey and I never call ourselves) has finally been claimed by the good people of Xtra Mile Recordings. It's been a long time coming, and about time too. The good folk at Xtra Mile will be releasing Oxygen Thief's first full-band release Accidents Do Not Happen, They Are Caused on 9th December. Can't wait! You can catch him on tour everywhere, and if you need any more information than that, I don't know what to suggest. http://www.oxygenthiefmusic.com/, perhaps.

Stay warm!
b

ben marwood's USA adventure

The excellent recent US tour with Frank Turner and Off With Their Heads seems like many a moon ago now (well, I've been home three weeks today), but the impact is far-reaching. To me. Today.

Why? I'm glad you asked. It's because the phunky photographer and vivacious videodude Ben Morse has created this small account which accurately sums up the following points which came to light on the US tour:

1) USA! USA!
2) The shows were fun
3) I was tired and look tired
4) Some Americans struggle with my surname

You can see the video in all its wondertastic glory below.

US Tour: a tale of two videos

Hey everyone.

This is my first post since getting back from the US tour a couple of weeks ago - my final show there was indeed two weeks ago this very night, which is weird because it feels like a lifetime ago now - and the silence is down to trying to write a tour summary which isn't a) needlessly emotional, b) one million words and c) shit.

Whilst we're all enjoying Ben Marwood Being Silent here's two videos from various stages of the tour: one on the opening night at The Chance in Poughkeepsie before doors opened with me and Frank playing through Question Marks, and the second filmed at the other end of the tour where I am looking bedraggled and much shorter: Frank's festival survival guide, filmed at Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada.

Enjoy!

For the second video, click here!

Thames Valley Bens

Hey buggers bloggers

The countdown is almost complete and the time is almost upon us. I've had my visa interview and I have bought all the bubblewrap Rymans had to stop my guitar being smashed into a zillion pieces in transit. All I need now is my passport back.

Er.. that's quite important, right?

I'm sure it'll turn up soon, allowing me to get in a shiny metal box with wings and be launched through the air at all the miles per hour, and if all goes to plan I'll even spend a couple of days getting some sleep, something which frequently eludes me here in Blighty. Next Friday I'll hook up with FT and his sleepy souls and the dudes from Off With Their Heads, as well as fellow Thames Valley resident Ben Morse, for what is apparently being dubbed The Thames Valley Bens Tour.

Here's the deal: touring the US is expensive. Most British acts who fly to the States do so prepared to lose a lot of money. I am no exception. With that in mind, I'm concentrating more on having a fucking brilliant time than, you know, Breaking America, so if you see me in Poughkeepsie, Portland, Brooklyn, Silver Spring, South Burlington, Ann Arbor or Madison, come say hi, and we'll high five and chat like old friends.

Meanwhile, whilst I wait for life's conundrums to resolve themselves, here's an update on stuff:

2000trees was incredible
Hands up, you knew it would be. We all did. After turning up unprepared to last year's mudfest I was going to wear wellies and a mac in the blazing sun this time around to make a point of my ill preparation, but it was too hot to go through with it. Instead I had an incredible Friday of catching up with people, some of whom I see only once every year or two. I'm definitely camping next year and you can hold me to that.

Here's a video from the set:

Special thanks to Tom Crook who, for the second year in a row, managed to not hit anything whilst driving to and from the festival.


I'm taking my Saigon to the States!
Did I mention this on here before? I am unable to take my now-retired Art & Lutherie to the States because one look at a baggage handler and it would smash itself into ten pieces, so instead the good people of Saigon guitars have given me one to take to the USA with me. This is a big deal for me. People rarely give me free things.

To celebrate, my Thames Valley Bens tag team partner and I went to the University of Reading and stood in a field when it was windy to put it through its paces. Here's the result:

Ugh. So many videos of my face on this page!


And finally.. British shows to end 2013
Upon my return from the States I imagine I will want to do two things:

1) Get some sleep
2) See some of Britain

I know it's not much, and there are a couple of shows still TBC, but here are the British shows which will take me to the end of the year:


August 18th  BRISTOL Mothers Ruin
Sept 14th  SOUTHSEA Xtra Mile Stage @ Southsea Festival [Atrium Bar]
Sept 19th  OXFORD Port Mahon
October 5th  SOUTHAMPTON Bent Brief
Nov 24th  READING Rising Sun Arts Centre [w/Franz Nicolay]
Dec 14th  YORK Black Swan


Also, if you're in the UK and near a radio this week, Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun have made it to the fringes of the Radio 1 playlist. If you hear them on there this week, do drop Radio 1 a congratulatory text for being such good eggs.
xx

great hangs: no longer just good hangs

Just a quick update to let you know that today, the Monday the 8th of the July, is the release day for the brand new Xtra Mile Recordings compilation entitled Great Hangs.

You can get it from iTunes for a mere £2.49 for all twenty-four tracks, which if you don't believe me you can check out for yourself by going clicky-clicky here.

Tracklisting:
1. Sonic Boom Six - Virus
2. Chris T-T - Idris Lung
3. Dave Hause - Melanin
4. Franz Nicolay - Frankie Stubbs' Tears
5. Crazy Arm - Oh Death/Hell To Pay
6. Frank Turner - Tattoos
7. Ben Marwood - Under Lock & Key
8. Larry & His Flask - Pandemonium
9. Tim Barry - Amen
10. Beans On Toast - Beer & A Burger
11. Vinnie Caruana - To Be Dead & In Love
12. Retrospective Soundtrack Players - Catcher In The Rye
13. Riverboat Gamblers - Comedians
14. The Xcerts - Young (Belane) alt version.
15. Fighting Fiction - The Long and Short of It
16. Mull Historical Society - You Can Get Better
17. Drag The River - History With History
18. Glossary - Heart Full of Wanna
19. Ghouls - Oceans (live)
20. Fighting With Wire - Blackout
21. Mongol Horde - Casual Threats From Weekend Hardmen
22. Future Of The Left - I Am The Least Of Your Problems
23. Straight Lines - Ring The Bells
24. Jim Lockey And The Solemn Sun - England's Dead