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Free EP
- My debut EP is out now and available for free download.And here's a little video from the EP launch gig: Afraid of the Dark (live)
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Posts
As a proud south londoner, i’m silly excited about playing a gig at Upstairs at The Ritzy in Brixton. I’m supporting a sweet band called ShineLikeTheSun.
Click here for more details.
See you there
Mwah x
Yes, playing a gig at the Slaughtered Lamb on Tuesday 22nd May with Pull Up The Roots (one my fave promoters) supporting Urusen - they are super good, loads of beautiful vocal harmonies and good stuff!
Can’t wait!
x
- Howdy, I stumbled upon your blog here and took a listen. I really love your music. Truthfully, really great stuff. I downloaded your free EP, shared it with some friends, and just wanted to say thank you from my friends and I here in Arizona. Cheers.
Hey dude, so glad to hear you’re enjoying the tunes. Thanks for sharing it around, much appreciated :)
- Hey man, your EP was lovely. 'Words I Speak' was my favourite, a really nice melody. Also, I really enjoyed the backing vox for Peter & Kerry the other night. Congratulations too on affording to live off music for the past year! That's the dream. x
Hey thanks for your kind words, and glad you liked the bv’s at the Peter and Kerry show, i love playing in their band, those kids are awesome aren’t they! x
My friend Richard Watkins is a drawing genius (and writes lovely poetry too), this is a little something he rustled up as part of his project ‘Literal Idioms.’
This is me.
Richard also wrote the words and inspired the song ‘Words I speak’ from my first EP.
A new song - ‘I need you’
Last night, I stayed up till 4am drinking whisky and writing a song. This is the song. Hope you like it….
Here are the lyrics:
I feel like I’m going mad
I feel like I’m going to fall
I feel like I’m holding on
By the skin of my teethAnd I need you to save me
Way too much time on my hands
So tempting to sit here alone
I feel like I’m going to crack
I need to escape from my headAnd I need you to save me
And I need you to hold me right now
Cos I can’t survive on my ownx
FUCKING AROUND!
These are 2 of my most favourite people Peter and Kerry (love them), and I get to play guitar in their band. This is the video for their new single Fucking Around, love it!
YES YES YES, I’ve been so excited about this. Treat your ears to some audio beauty from Mother of the Unicorn! I love the artwork too
I have a new EP called ‘Minus Seventeen’ and it’s available for download/listening here. The artwork was again provided by Glenn Kennedy who is a genius by the way.
- Survival......
Ahoy there ladies and gents, I’ve been laying low for a bit lately trying to work on some new songs and generally being a bit of a hermit. But it’s just dawned on me that, I’ve just survived a full year of doing music for a living.
It’s been a hard but amazing (thats what she said).
I’ve been gigging a fair bit towards the end of last year and earlier this year. I also released an EP in October last year (download it here for free, if you haven’t already).
Lately I’ve been working on some new songs and recording them in my room. I’ve been sending over the tracks to my friend Joe Kelly in Berlin, and he’s been weaving his magic with some production and mixing. We’ve got 6 or 7 songs on the go at the moment, which I’m super excited about. Should have a few demo tracks up online in the near future.
As I’ve been recording the songs in my room, some of the songs are a lot darker than the last EP. Expect big vocals loads of reverb and lots of acoustic instruments… there’s one or two break up songs in there with some introspection and one about how much I hated my last job!
I’m also about to record 3 or 4 songs with a full band in the next month or so… its all a bit hush hush for now though….!
Also in case you missed it, I did a little interview with RadioJaun - we had some shits and giggles and some music over breakfast last month. Watch it here.
Hugs
x
Introducing Alistair Mackenzie! In deep concentration here recording banjo for Alfred Abel’s forthcoming release.
I played some banjo In the studio for my friends band Alfred Abel. Was so much fun, can’t wait to hear it when it’s all finished! I’ll be singing some bv’s too…. In the meantime, have a little look at their website www.alfredabel.com
Hugs
X
Chords and Conflakes:
Last week I had the delightful chaps from RadioJuan over for some breakfast and some music, here’s what happened!
They got me talking about what started me off playing music, and what I write my songs about… There’s even a cheeky Springsteen cover at the end (hint - I love Bruce)
PS. Radio Juan are amazing, check them out!!
x
- Afraid of the dark
Alistair Mackenzie - Afraid of the Dark from Miles Langley on Vimeo.
This is a song about monsters, demons and insomnia. Above is a live performance of the song with my friend Felicity Maries on Cello, Max O’Donell on dobro, Kerry Leatham and Peter Lyons both on backing vocals.
My very talented friend Gretchen Jacobsen has also done some artwork for the song.
Here’s the lyrics:
I’m bored and I need some attention
Feeling close to self destruction
I think I dreamt this all last night
In the end we don’t get what we deserveI’m numb and I need some affection
But I’m pushing you away because we’re done
I’ll hide away and wallow on my own
Wistfully contemplating home…
I guess I’m afraid of the dark
All the monsters under my bed
The demons inside of my head
I guess I’m afraid of the darkMy propensity for running away
Exaggerated by my foolish ways
I can see them coming but I can’t stop the tide
Its clear I’m biggest enemyThe fear of failure in my head
The weight expectation on my chest
Just metaphors for making excuses
Maybe I just can’t sleep?I guess I’m afraid of the dark
All the monsters under my bed
The demons inside of my head
I guess I’m afraid of the dark. New Recordings coming soon….
So I’ve been playing a fair few gigs lately, but behind the scenes I’ve been busy working on some new recordings of some brand new songs and some of the main songs I’ve been gigging with.
At the moment I’m working on 3 projects:
I’ve been doing some recording in my room, working on some really folky acoustic stuff with loads of layered vocals and tons of banjo’s, mandolins and a some Bruce (my electric guitar). My friend Joe Kelly from Berlin is helping me out with some production and mixing - he is a genius! And he is a bloody amazing songwriter and musician himself. Check out his music here - beautiful!
I’m also working on recording an EP with a full band. My good friends Peter and Kerry (you should check out their music, as they’re bloody good) will be producing this and no doubt adding some of their beautiful harmonies! I’m lucky enough to play guitar and bv’s in their band, and they often singing backing vocals with me on my stuff, so I’m super excited about this one!
Lastly, I’m writing songs for an EP about a letter I received last summer…. The letter was devastating but kind of beautiful. I guess it will kind of a concept EP, with 4 or 5 songs related to the letter. Watch this space….
Alistair x
These are my dear friends Peter and Kerry, they have their debut album coming out soon, they’re amazing. I love them.
I get to play guitar and sing some backing vocals in their band, and they even sing with me on my songs - what a lucky chap, I know!
This is a little interview for Suspend Magazine, filmed by my pal Miles Langley.
If only…. an intoxicated unrequited eulogy
(this is a demo, i’ll record this properly soon)
This is me, getting my melancholy on…. sitting in my back garden.
Yes I know…. ‘yet another fucking break up song’
So, I run a monthly folk night in kennington, south london. Tucked away in the back room of a lovely old pub - it’s the perfect place for a cheeky little folk night… I would say that though wouldn’t I.
Got some amazing folks playing:
I’m very happy to call these guys my friends, and they are bloody amazing. I can’t wait! You definitely need to have a listen to these guys.
Oh and I’ll of course play a few tunes too!
Here’s the facebook event for more details.
Also for more details on the Folk Sessions please have a little wander around the facebook page and like it, to stay in the loop.
Much love and awkwardly long hugs
Alistair x
- dude you bloody ace! seriously LOVE your tunes! RESPECT! :)
ah thanks so much :) just had a sneaky look through your blog, wowzers love those photo’s x
- Fuck it....
I’m gonna make my own banjo. Then I’m gonna live in the middle of nowhere with my dog…….. (all i can think about right now)
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Gigs
- Here's a list of all my gigs coming up:Tuesday 22nd May - @ The Slaghtered Lamb with Pull Up the Roots, supporting Urusen. Tickets £5Wednesday 23rd May - Clerkenwell Design Week, click here for details. Free entryFriday 25th May - Upstairs @ The Ritzy, Brixton, supporting Shine Like The Sun. Click here for details. Free entry!Thursday June 21st - Folk Sessions at The Old Red Lion. Free entryRecent Gigs:Thursday 17th May - Folk Sessions @ The Old Red Lion, KenningtonMonday 14th May - The Unplugged Sessions @ The Windmill, MayfairThursday 23rd February 2012 @ The Portobello Acoustic Sessions, The Metropolitan Bar, Westbourne Park.Sunday 12th February 2012 - We love Sundays @ The Worlds End, Finsbury ParkWednesday 25th January 2012 @ The Bowery, Soho (with Ear Music)Sunday 15th January - Bar SoloTuesday 10th January - The Slaughtered Lamb, with Pull up the RootsMonday 28th November - The Slaughtered Lamb, clerkenwell with Pull Up The Roots-supporting the Amercian folk duo 'JT Nero & Allison Russell'Tickets £10 (£4 if you rsvp to fb event)Monday 14th November - Unplugged Sessions @ the Windmill, MayfairWednesday 2nd November - Old Queens Head, AngelEar MusicThursday 27th October - Folk Sessions @ The Old Red Lion: KenningtonThis is my monthly folk night. Click here for more details.Thursday 20th October - Bark - Tamesis Dock - a gig on a boat!Saturday 8th October - Old Red Lion Pub: KenningtonPlaying a set of traditional folk songs with a little band of musical maestro's! Expect banjo's, mandolin's, fiddles, dobro's etc....Thursday 6th October - Music is Medicine @ Euphorium ActonSaturday 1st October 5pm - EP Launch gigSpeakeasy Espresso & Brew Bar,3 Lowndes Court, Carnaby, London, W1F 7HDSunday 18th September - Beatnik@The Drop, Stoke NewingtonPlaying a solo acoustic set at this night run by Beatnik events. Starts at around 7:30pm, open till late.
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Tracks
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videos
- Afraid of the Dark - live @ The Mess We're In EP Launch 1st October 2011:
A love song about Cardigans:Solid (Words I Speak) - Live:
The Mess We're in - live at the Portobello Acoustic Sessions:
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Photos
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Links
- - Facebook: Please like me on Facebook- Twitter: Follow my music related ramblings- Tumblr: Follow my blog postOther links:Music Tuition: for all things related to music teaching and such like, have a look here at my other website - www.alistairmackenzie.co.ukGretchen Jacobsen: An amazing illustrator and artist, Gretchen is also a close friend of mine. Please have a look at her blog for a visual treat that you'll not regret!Miles Langley: This lovely chap has been kind enough to record a few live video's for me. Have a little look at his site, go on!Richard Watkins: Poet, illustrator and friend. Richard set up a brilliant little project called Take it and Run in which the song 'Words I Speak' was conceived.Peter & Kerry: I play guitar, banjo and sing backing with these lovely folks. Check out their website.
