What’s been going on
Tim on Apr 27th 2008
Hey there everyone,
Hope you are all well, safe and sound. It’s just gone 1pm (Dubai time) and in 7hours I’m going to be on Dubai 92 (one of the national UAE radio stations) playing an acoustic set. The open mic show starts at 7pm (dubai time) and first up there will be a jazz band and then I’ll be on for an hour from 8-9pm.
I’m going to be playing a bunch of tunes that I wrote during my travels in the UK, while also premiering a brand spanking new track that I’m pretty proud of> it’s kinda right down the line singer-songwriter stuff, i.e. ryan adams, Johnny Cash. The other songs will be a real mix bag of reggae, folk and blues, so if you want to catch the show you can tune in online via
http://www.arnonline.com/stream/dubai9
(or else just go to their website and click on the listen live link http://www.dubai92.com/pages/default.a
If you’re in Dubai simply tune the old wireless in to 92, and text in any comments to the number that Zahra (the host of Open Mic) gives – it’s pretty sweet to hear from you all, especially cause we can read them in the studio.
Other than that everything is going along swimmingly. I have been home for a week, managed to get some surf in and some quality time with the family. I’ve got my flight booked back to the UK for the end of April, which I’m looking forward to with anticipation, but at the moment im just trying to relish the slow pace of things and quality time with good people and get in the ocean everyday.
Peace
T. Hassall
World timings for my set:
Dubai – 8pm
London - 5pm
New York – 12 noon
LA – 9am
Sydney – 3am
Sao Paolo – 1pm
10.03.08
It’s been a pretty good week since moving into Greenwich. Things are real chill in the flat, and im living with long time family friend Em Gibbs and her boy B. Jory. Good times all-round. Last Wednesday I played probably one of the sleekest/funkiest venues so far, that being the grand union in Kentish town. Playing a part of a more rocking line up, with new boys getting hype round town, Hoi Polloi headlining, things were set for a good show. But from the start nothing really went my way. The guy who was doing sound was new to venue, didn’t give me a soundcheck while everyone pissed around and got one> this was pretty seriously annoying since I turned up at 6.30 and wasn’t playing till 10. oh well…Then once I got up, both monitors didn’t work, some drunk chick in the crowd was a nightmare and my strings were slipping out of tune constantly. Just one of those nights I guess, but I powered through it, and by the end things were going swimmingly-except for the fact that my guitar slipped off its strap and went straight into the concrete floor….just one of those nights. So yeah, thanks a bunch to everyone who came out, and sorry that I didn’t make it out afterwards, I was soo fatigued and just over everything.
Since Wednesday things have been pretty peachy, just cruising, working on songs and seeing old friends. Saw history boys with Mr Hawley on Thursday night which was awesome to see an old friend doing his thing on one of the top stages in the west end! Respect! Then Friday night I went out with the DXB crew to a night in Ladbrooke Grove that was an all-night good time. Sunday night I played a little show in Chiswick to keep my playing up to scratch, and it went real swell which was so refreshing after the madness of Wednesday. Now just looking forward to this Wednesday and my last show in this city. It’s an early one, im playing first at 8pm, which will please all of you with real jobs, it’s at the hope n anchor in Islington (real close to the highbury and Islington tube)…would be great to see you down there, I hope to be playing a lot of new material which I’ve been cooking up over the last week.
Also I just found that I’ve been bootlegged at one of my Portsmouth performances, which is rather nice. Not a bad recording either, so check it out…it has a couple tunes that I haven’t been able to record as of yet. Also there is this one bit, during man inside, when this drunk guy in a rasta hat tried to get on the drums behind me and play along (he was really enjoying the song) but all he managed to do was unplug my guitar….so that’s what that is all about – you can hear the fear in my voice. Also i play version of funky song before it had even been developed. just real slow in its skeleton state.
http://www.somefoolwitha.com/2008/02/2
a quick quote:
‘Every day you wake up and you transcend. You can’t rest on your laurels. Every day you have to wake up to attack the note differently. There’s only what – seven notes? So it’s how deep you get into it. Make each note like a deep blue sea. So you gotta keep transcending. Every day you wake up is another opportunity to go beyond.’
- Santana, 1988
peace, and maybe I’ll see you on Wednesday night.
T
Monday 3rd March.
It’s been a great weekend. Many things have happened, many old friends seen (music provides the constant platform for reunion) and it is just a perfect thing. I played a really cool venue in Notting Hill on Saturday night which was a really good experience. More of a bar vibe, than pub/singer-songwriter/musician venues that I’ve frequented so far. So yeah a different challenge all together, different rowdier crowd but totally enjoyable – especially with some of the crowd really getting into it and the old RHUL crew (chloe, flic, harris, georgie, jd, dude) and the DXB connections (Anjuli – how long has it been?, jo, carl, rui, jade, veronica and clan) demanding an encore which went down a storm…so yeah, a really really good crack. The only thing was the fatigue, after quite a long week, and therefore Sunday I was just running on empty and felt cold in my bones all day, no matter how many blankets or sweaters. But feeling around 80% now, ready to turn my sights towards London, got a huge gig this Wednesday which I really have to nail, and then one next week… in the meantime im going to be indulging in the sights and sounds of London. I have tickets for Ry-by’s History Boys’ show in the West End, as well as tickets for the London word festival, citizen cope, and Speed the Plow (written by David Mamet and featuring Spacey and Gooldbloom). So all is well, and march is going to be a cracking non-stop month. I’ve also been offered a place to play at this festival celebrating the guitar playing of Tommy Emmanuel, who will be playing concerts and giving master classes in Windsor! It’s going to be off the hook – here is a sample of his playing >
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX0eTp7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIWSVTa
To good times and wine,
T
29.02.08
“Pain comes at me and I take it, chew it for a few minutes, and spit it back out. It’s just not my thing anymore.”
D. Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
26.02.08
Just had a great weekend in London, a whole host of the DXB crew met up in Wimbledon to celebrate Jess Ellerby’s bday (albeit 6 months late> so yes the surprise worked.) Simon flew out as well so all was real good at the Pelham rd pad - there was much merriment, singing and good times had by all. I failed to get any photos, but im sure some will pop up somewhere. Then Saturday I managed to rest up, cleaned up the flat (big cargop put in a huge effort) and just caught up on sleep and all things good and healthy i.e. prawn salad made by Mrs Duncan in Croydon. Then after a good nights sleep I was dropped off by the Thames by JD at 8am on Sunday morning where I chilled out, wrote a new part of an old song, and watched pigeons pick at the Saturday night puke – what an image of london. Then I made my way to Camden, where I met up with old time friend and all-round creative influence Willie Singerman who was down from Glasgow for the weekend (see photo section for proof). We proceeded to converse at a rapid pace in an attempt to make up as much of the two years we haven’t seen each other in a couple hours. After the mystery of his lost phone (not so much a mystery, more of an accident involving myself, the gaps in the decking of the Camden Lock, and a loosely placed phone in a jacket pocket) we made our way to the green note open mic – but instead of sitting inside for four hours in a hope to play 2 songs we decided to sit on the steps of the laundry next door and just play on the street for four hours. It was cold, it was fun, much howling, singing, banging and occasional harmonies were created and we were graced by a small audience who sat on the sidewalk, a builder who held his phone for his buddy to listen and the occasional parking officer. Then some of Willie’s mates rocked up, including our mutual friend who studied in cali with us – miss Amber Onat Gregory and we got tea and drank small amounts of whiskey and guiness. Finally around 5.30 we boarded the silver link to Gunnersbury park where I played a show in Chiswick at the barley mow. It was an especially special night cause I played some Bob (Marley) for a couple who had got engaged an hour before I rocked up and who were obviously smitten with each other. It was very very cool, and even though I was exhausted I killed ‘travelling’ and ‘the man inside’ – definitely 2 of my favourite originals to play live.
Date: 18th February 2008
Mood: Quietly confident
Listening: Breathe by Cinematic Orchestra (buy their newest album…now!)
Reading: Being and nothingness, Satre
Sleeping @: 20 Egham hill, Surrey
Last thing written:
My knuckles are all broken,
Metacarpals + phalanges
Evolution has created me and soon I will be distinct,
then extinct.
All my Christmas memories are rotten.
They aren’t Dutch still life, still ripe after 400 years.
Mine are real, trapped and ageing,
Soon they will be broken down again – soon they will be reborn
& my own son and daughter will refresh my spirit.
They will be my sea breeze,
My geyser, my mountain range & waterfall –
In them will I find my return to my animal soul, to my jungle calling
& you shall be my Island bride, adorned in flower lays,
with healthy thick bones, more children than you wanted,
and more dogs than you have fingers.
London, February 15th.
So it has been awhile (I wonder if all writing here will begin like this? Maybe that first line should just be a given). I’m back on the fringes of London, sorting out shows, recuperating and just finishing up my diary-ing for March. It’s going to be a pretty full on month of London shows with weekend excursion to Brighton and Guildford – both places I’ve never been to before so that will be really cool. On the life front, things have been good – people were more than gregarious in Bristol and Brighton. I was shown great times and slept on many couches, floors and beds. Thank you thank you thank you. I think the count for different sleeping arrangements so far is at about 17…not bad for just over a month. At present I am sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs – don’t ask (it’s better that way). On the music front, the latest musical offering I have has been received really positively from both friends and new found fans alike. Still untitled and featuring blues/soul/slide guitar (it sounds like nothing else I’ve written so far) the track seems to have really pushed the right buttons. Sorry there won’t be a video till it’s totally complete (the lyrics and form still need some work) but it will be there soon. On the gig front there is loads of cool London shows to get your teeth (and ears) into. Really exciting 3 gigs coming up in the first part of March in London, then 2 elsewheres: all listed below:
1) ****Saturday 1st of March – Mau Mau (Notting Hill) Tube: Notting Hill/ Doors @ 8pm, I’m playing @ 9pm
This is my first ever weekend show/ and my first show in Notting Hill’s uber-trendy Portobello rd (where the market is) – it’s at a really vibey Reggae/Americana/roots bar called the Mau Mau >details are listed below. I take the stage around 8.45. The main act is TBC, but they have really solid bands on a regular basis so im sure they will be very professional and good.
2) *****Wednesday 5th of March – Grand Union (Kentish Town) Tube: Kentish town/ Doors @ 8pm
The people who sorted out my last Hope and Anchor gig have offered me a spot on the opening of their new night at the Grand Union in Kentish Town. The night is called the Glass Onion, and is supposed to be all arty! I was sent this by the promoters:
“Called Glass Onion and held at Grand Union, Highgate Rd Kentish Town we aim to bring poetry and bands together. Pretentious, oiu oiu….”
They’ve shown great faith in me again (im headlining-check out my profile picture) and this is the one that I really want to nail (will probably get some friends to video it) so if you can one show this month I would really really be stoked if it was this one. Come one come all let the reunion commence…
3) ****Wednesday 12th of March – Hope n Anchor (Highbury &Islington)/ Im playing 1st @ 8pm.
You know the deal…we turn up, we own the joint, we get smashed, everyone has a fucking epic night and I play like my life depended on it. Playing for a different promoter than last time so I have to impress and I’m opening.
4) *** Saturday 22nd of March - Sanctuary Cellar Bar (Brighton) – somewhere near the centre – its on the website http://www.sanctuarycafe.co.uk/ - doors 8pm.
I’ve never been to Brighton. I hear it’s a good crack. This place looks really swell on the website, and I’m thinking of going up and partying the night before, so if people want to come and make a weekend of it then lets do it!! Should be a good opportunity to win over some new fans and spread the word. Ohhh I love the love.
5) ** Sunday 23rd of March – Keystone (Guildford)/ 1-3pm - www.thekeystone.co.uk
Im playing a pub lunch from 1-3pm. It’s going to be ultra low tempo vibe music, all sorts of covers and a backlog of B-side originals as well as more chilled versions standard classics (i.e. Bribing The Reaper, The Man Inside and Travelling Song). If anyone finds themselves south side, pop along.
Then after all of that madness, I’m going to take a very short break to catch up with my family then get back to this city, and hopefully the States (California, Seattle, Chicago, NYC) in summer. The journey continues….so please if you have time and want to meet up with old friends or take new friends to see your mate play some songs you like, come down to one of the gigs and we’ll hang out this march.
So, I find myself contemplating the end of the first phase of my time in London. It’s been a really special time for me, not just the shows, but seeing all the old friends, and the small sing songs and jams in so many different houses. When I return to London in April (to continue my musical adventures) I hope to make more contacts and feed off the huge amount of inspirational talent in this city. I’m looking to put together a bigger live show (including, dare I say it, other band members) as well as continuing with my own solo sets. So that’s the plan until summer, to continue pinning away in the Spring nights, while securing some early summer UK festival dates for you all to come and drink cider and sing along at! It should be much frolicking and fun in the sun. I should have a PR company representing me by this point and I’m hoping to break into the BBC 6/ new music/ Xfm world, by doing a more professional radio friendly recording of a tune or two which should be mighty interesting, agonizing and hopefully satisfying. Let’s make beautiful music people!! Let’s sing those sweet sweet songs all night long. Cause one good thing about music (in the words of that Bob Marley vagabond) WHEN IT HITS, YOU FEEL NO PAIN!
Blow your mind
T
11.2.08
Making loads of plans at the moment, in many a direction. I want to make it happen, and raise the game again. Just got back from Portsmouth where I met soo many good people, cool musicians, and generally had a blast. I played this spot called the Barn, which is just a local community music night – but it has the best vibe. As good as any open mic in the city, but with way more heart and “real listeners”. So yeah I was stoked and it was the cherry on the cake of exploring a new city. Back in London I took one day off, before getting back out there, I played one of my favourite open mics in the city Sunday lunch - @ the green note café in Camden, and then another gig in the evening in a pub in Chiswick. It was a wicked little spot and some other really good singer/guitarists were playing www.myspace.com/lopezmusic. J Duncan managed to bring a load of his mates, and I even was asked to play a party and sing I know a Girl twice so someone could video it.
Today I spent catching up with promoters and mislaid communications by email, going over my final plans for March and February before releasing the final dates online in the next couple days.
I’ve been working on a new song, not named as of yet, but im really stoked about it – the few of you who have heard it so far have given me really positive feed back, so look out for a new video and song to catch at concerts.
T
keep charging it
7.2.08
Happy Birthday Jon. Miss you mate,
T x
4 NEW GIGS = 2 BIG + 2 SMALL
JUST A REALLY QUICK UPDATE, I’VE GOT A TRAIN TO CATCH TO GO AND STAY WITH ALEX CARGOP IN PORTSMOUTH BUT HERE IS THE LATEST ON MY NEXT SET OF GIGS IN LONDON TOWN:
BIG GIGS
DATE: FRIDAY 15TH FEBRUARY 2008
VENUE : THE RIVER BAR
ADDRESS: 208 TOWER BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON SE1 2UP(JUST ON THE SOUTHSIDE OF THE RIVER)
TUBE : TOWER HILL (THEN CROSS THE BRIDGE) / LONDON BRIDGE (THEN WALK UP TOOLEY STREET)
DOORS 7PM
ENTRY - £5 / 6 UP AND COMING ACOUSTIC ACTS
AIR CONDITIONED - BAR FOOD AVAILABLE - LATE BAR
DOORS 7:00PM/TIM HASSALL ON STAGE 9 ISH
MAU MAU BAR
http://www.maumaubar.com/
ADDRESS:265 Portobello Road W11 1LR - RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE MARKET, ME, JO, HAYLEY AND THE CREW DANCED TO THE BEST OLD SKOOL REGGAE SET HERE DURING THE CARNIVAL….NOW IM PLAYING HERE
DATE: 1ST MARCH - MY 1ST WEEKEND SPOT IN LONDON
TIM HASSALL SUPPORT ACT (MAIN ACT TBA)
DOORS:7.30
2 SMALLER SHOWS - got nothing to do on sunday? want to listen to some good music and grab a great pub lunch?
- BOTH gigs @ THE BARLEY MOW
ADDRESS: 9 BARLEY MOW PASSAGE,CHISWICK W44PH
DATE: SUNDAY 10TH OF FEB AND 9TH OF MARCH
TUBE : TURNHAM GREEN (walk towards Chiswick High Road, Turn Right towards walk about 300m , the pub is on the corner of Heathfield Terrace and Chiswick High Road) or go to ….. CHISWICK STATION
DOORS: pub open all day , music starts at 6:30
ENTRY FREE, GREAT FOOD AND SUNDAY LUNCHES ALL DAY
TIM HASSALL ON STAGE @ 7.30
For Map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.d
-
Date: 31st January 2008
Mood: Pensive, retrospective.
Currently sleeping at: 35 Cotham Vale, Bristol.
Song currently obsessed with: Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
Currently listening to: Bob Dylan Bootleg series Vol. 2
Currently reading: Ginseberg, Selected Poems 1947-95
‘& I walk in the timeless sadness of existence,
tenderness flowing through the buildings,
my fingertips touching reality’s face…’
New York, October 1958
So it’s been a while since I’ve caught up with myself, the world and my music. The last time was just before playing the Hope and Anchor in London, which was probably the best gig I’ve ever played solo thus far in my short life. With just about everyone I know in London town coming out and lending their massive support I had a blast and was lost in the beautiful experience. So I just wanted to extend the thanks again to everyone who came to the show. It was a real magic one for me, and there will be some DVD footage up online once my film-obsessed mates have worked their digital magic on it.
The next day (friday morning) I made my way to Bristol and my first point of call was good friend’s Andy Valenzia. He’s at vet college just outside of the city, so I spent the first day just recovering (aided by a couple more beers and one very fun dinner party) and then we made our way into Bristol for what would turn out to be an EPIC night out on the town. After posting flyers for my gig all over uni, grocery stores and lamp posts on the high street, we started off in Mr Wolf’s (the venue I headlined the next night – which by the by, if you’re ever in Bris you should check out. Really awesome vibe, cool down-to-earth types, and James Brown, the specials and Beastie Boys on the speakers). From there we knew it was going to be antics. A couple tequilas and bomb bombs later, we rocked up at this dirty electro night at a club in a boat situated on the waterfront called Thekla. There we caught up with the Scott brothers (Steve and Alan) Brett Taylor, BCW and Neil and his sister. Good times were had by all and somehow I ended up on the stage with the DJ @ about 3am. After that it was back to Mr Wolfs, which was pumping and everyone was just really into….to cut a really long story short, the night was perfectly summed up by myself and Andy as “Off The Motherf*@king Hook! The best night in ages – FACT.
On Sunday I played Mr Wolfs – it was a really chilled crowd, some of the Dubai crew came and 2 old friends from California surprised me who I haven’t seen since 2006. We used to live on the same street in San Diego, and it was a real pleasure to play for them…As Sian said, makes a difference from playing in the open mics in ERC (our college at University in San Diego)!!!! So yeah it was a very chilled night. After packing up and thanking the guys, I made my move into the town of Bristol staying with Alan and Steve.
This week I’ve been seeing Bristol, which is a really beautiful city with a real mix of architecture and culture. I’ve been busking a few times down by Broadmead, playing a couple open mics (I even managed to get Valenzia to play one by putting his name on the list before he got to the pub). I also managed to catch up with Meera K, and we went out for a dirty midweek d’n’b rave at this place called Native. That was a real experience, especially since it has been so long since I’ve been to such a vibey, small, grimey, drum n bass night. Actually come to think of it its probably the 1st one I’ve been to outside of the capital, for at least a couple years now. So yeah, it was good to get a taste of the type of music that Bris in renowned for. Everyone was in good spirits, dancing hard, and chatting fast. I even ended up in a conversation about the process of creating original credible art – the things that annoying unemployed wasters get up to mid week…
Then yesterday Andy Gaylor made his way to Bris to hang out for a day. He’s leaving for his world tour on Monday, so it was awesome to catch him before he left and we had a really good catch up over a couple brews last night. So yeah, that’s where I’m at – it’s been hard to keep up with everything I’ve been up to, let alone get any of it down in words in the old journal. Im playing the hush hush in this really “hip” part of town tonight.
Keep doing what you need to do.
T
30.1.08
EXPECT A BIG NEWS UPDATE HERE TOMORROW. SORRY I’VE BEEN A BIT SLACK BUT ITS BEEN A MISSION SORTING INTERNET AND I’VE REALLY WANTED TO GET SOME SPACE FROM THE ONLINE THING FOR A WHILE. BUT YEAH THINGS ARE GOOD - 5 MORE LONDON GIGS TO BE ANNOUNCED FOR FEB/MARCH, MAYBE TAKING THE TOUR TO CONTINENTAL EUROPE IN MID MARCH FOR A WEEK, A NEW CD TO BE BOUGHT AT GIGS AND GENERAL MUSINGS TO BE WRITTEN DOWN.
hope everyone is well,
“if you cannot find your heart’s own desire in you own backyard, you never lost it to begin with.”
Angels in America
13.1.08
“It’s a heartbeat, a whisper, the feel of another hand in yours. It’s the rain hammering down, the cold wind running off the shore.”
On the underground heading north from South Wimbledon to Angel. Hopefully the sun will still be out when I get there so that I can play on the street somewhere. Note to self: remember to buy some water. I’m also hoping that I can find a café or pub to play in as well, at least for a little bit this afternoon. Not really sure how that is going to work, but just going to go in a couple of places and ask if I can play. Hustle and flow.
A woman with a beautiful perm sits next to me reading act 28:2 of the bible. Opposite me a middle-aged lady is reading the Adventures of A London Call Girl. Man, this city is so varied.
Busked for an hour outside an espresso shop, made £10, hands froze, played Bob Dylan requests, someone rolled me a cig, a beautiful girl smiled. Such things seem so immediate when you are standing playing on the street, fingers freezing outside a coffee shop chain. Now im in Queens Bodicea (where I’m playin tonight) listening to some good music hanging out and waiting for my chance to play. It’s not packed, but the audience are all listening and the musicians are networking and enjoying each other’s company.
Things go pretty well, some old friends come down and listen (Dan James and his crew, Jono Duncan and Greg). I’m stoked. Should be some more gigs to come from the promoters in late Feb.
13.107
hey guys,
just got an email to say that an interview i did will be in OK magazine middle east edition this thursday. Check it out. 1st gig tonight - stoked.
T
11.1.07
On a train.
The screams of rusted breaks,
Clawing at rusted tracks.
That smell of damp cold plastic,
The shadows cast by energy efficient public lighting.
These things I thought I had forgotten. Been in England for two days now, spent mostly practising and meeting up with old friends. Sleeping, emailing, letting off steam.
Back into the old routine:
Smoking under hanging baskets in the rain,
wandering through once familiar drinking establishments – like running a hand over an ex-lover’s new tattoo. Old territory, but things have changed.
@ present I’m still in egham where I went to university. But I’m out of here tomorrow and heading for the city. Egham itself is a hole, but I’m staying with some of my best mates in the world so all’s good at the moment.
The sun breaks through the clouds for the first time in 48 hours. And then like that it slithers away again behind the grey.
9.1.07
“I make for my goal, I go my way; I shall leap over the hesitating and the indolent.” – Nietzsche, Thus spoke.
Landing gears engaged, cabin crew seated, children playing tug of war to my left. Almost on the run way now, as the plane slowly descends into a 9 degree foggy London. What awaits me? What chance encounters? What sing-songs? Taxiing now, and I’m thinking about how hard it was to leave Dubai this time round. Sitting on the front steps of my family home yesterday polishing my boots and cleaning my guitar, dusk thoughts took over my mindset. I thought of songwriters I admire; Cash, Dylan, Lennon, Jackie Greene, Marley and wonder where they were when they made their first go for it. To seriously get up in front of people and play like you’ve got something to offer. So much preparation can in the end only be so much preparation – soon I will have to play. Play with 100% what I’ve got. I know there must be over a thousand more talented singers in this city, not too mention countless taxi driver poets, singing street cleaners and hip hop producing waiters. It’s never been easier to play, it’s never been harder to get paid to play. Time to rise to challenge.
Got to fly, got to fight, got to crow.
8.1.08
Hush Hush has been confirmed for the 31st of January in Bristol. Im stoked and nervous - getting on my flight tomorrow, with a guitar and a sleeping bag. Dreading the cold cold mornings in foreign rooms.
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