Jesu
Fred McDowell
The Conformists
Restless Heart
TOMBS
Son House
Charley Patton
Cedell Davis
Simple Minds
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Wilson Pickett
Metallica
Earth Wind Fire
Junior Kimbrough
Arab on Radar
Voicemail
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Booking Black Horse
Hi. I wanted to put up a post about how to get our little sleazy band to come and play for you...we have had a few folks in the last months write in and ask us to do shows etc.
Ok, here is the deal: We will do almost any show, in any venue (this includes your house, artspace etc) in the USA if we can get a couple weeks notice and hopefully some preperation (pr) on your end. If the show is farther than a days drive from NYC we will probably need some sort of gas/door/guarantee money so we have a place to crash at the end of the night and some funds to get home. We only need a P.A. for APril to sing. Pref. not a guitar amp that is sitting around your house. Dont worry, we work for cheap. A good time is priceless!
-A U.S. Tour is in the planning stages for BLX for spring/l8spring `09.
For shows across the pond, (europe, UK, Japan!!??, etc), we obviously need a few confirmed solid shows to justify the plane tix and gear rental to make it happen. If you really like our band and want us to come by and rock some with you hit us up and we will get to you when we get a tour together in your country. If you really really love us and want us to come do a one off drop us a line. We can most likely work something out. We love to travel.
We have, however, in the past done fly ins for special shows. We love to do this and our backline is super simple! Even more so now that we have a drummer!
Serious inquiries: april@blackhorserock.com
Ok, here is the deal: We will do almost any show, in any venue (this includes your house, artspace etc) in the USA if we can get a couple weeks notice and hopefully some preperation (pr) on your end. If the show is farther than a days drive from NYC we will probably need some sort of gas/door/guarantee money so we have a place to crash at the end of the night and some funds to get home. We only need a P.A. for APril to sing. Pref. not a guitar amp that is sitting around your house. Dont worry, we work for cheap. A good time is priceless!
-A U.S. Tour is in the planning stages for BLX for spring/l8spring `09.
For shows across the pond, (europe, UK, Japan!!??, etc), we obviously need a few confirmed solid shows to justify the plane tix and gear rental to make it happen. If you really like our band and want us to come by and rock some with you hit us up and we will get to you when we get a tour together in your country. If you really really love us and want us to come do a one off drop us a line. We can most likely work something out. We love to travel.
We have, however, in the past done fly ins for special shows. We love to do this and our backline is super simple! Even more so now that we have a drummer!
Serious inquiries: april@blackhorserock.com
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Black Horse Blues Update
Hello. I am going to talk about my band now.
Frank is really stepping up to my half cocked ideas. I think the hardest thing for him is that I ask him to play the same minimal beats over and over with virtually no fills/changes whatsoever. He is a time piece. It must be difficult to hold back and just count as I go off with the guitar stuff.
I got the new rig sounding pretty much how I want it now. Its the twin stereoed out with this 80`s Peavey single 15" bass amp. Last night tho I thought it would do some justice to get the twin re-tubed a bit to adjust the level in which it breaks up or gets so muddy. I changed the tubes around before we recorded "The Black Arts.." to give it a more traditional rock tone, but it seems to not be giving me what I want with this new style I am playing. I have also been using APril`s old Contessa hollow body. The guitar is really cool to play, but it needs some work on the pots and the tuning pegs. I have no idea the model, how old it is or anything. Nobody on Ebay has listed one in the past few months and my google search on it has turned up with nothing. I like stuff like that. I will get all of these issues resolved b4 we record this fucking monster.
We brought in a piccolo snare for the drum kit. I think it compliments the new style well, tho some of my drummer bros talk down on that type of snare. Franks rig is cool. That snare, a mid sized kick, 2 cracked up but manageable (they still have sustain) crash cymbals and a mid sized floor tom that pretty much gets little action.
Its interesting to me adding another member to BLX. Its been APril and me the whole time. Frank is a good fit tho, not too intrusive to the mix, but always an informed valid opinion and understanding of what we are doing now. Its taken me a long time to find a third for BLX. We are`nt the easiest people to work with.
Mostly we have been laying low and staying in nights. I have increased the frequency of the BLX rehersals to get all of this stuff out while the whole thing is still fresh and exciting to us, and on the off nights have been taking guitar lessons to help me get to where I want to be for all of this faster.
There are some ideas pouring in with the group about concepts etc around the new album/material. This is mostly APrils department. We talk of a spring tour and recording before christmas time. I feel kind of shitty and lazy not doing any shows locally since our return from the UK tour, but enough is enough with the old stuff. Some folks have written to us and offered to help with shows abroad. It seemingly gets easier each time.
The same struggle is always there tho. I know I will never be satisfied with the music I perform/write. Ive known that for a few years now. Its got to be hard on my band mates dealing with someone like this, especially when I am the primary song writer. I constantly change and re arrange stuff I said was finished a session or two before. To me, this is how I get better...how the songs get stronger. I only want the best for you and me. Maybe its because I love music so much. Fuck off.
The thing is that I dont really give a shit if we get a fat record package or support. I am going to do it anyway. Nothing will really change. The idea of only doing little tours, online only releases, pseudo souped up local showcases has always and now more than ever makes me want to quit this shit. I cant wait to take this new stuff, and practically new band out on the road to do some real work. I will always travel my art.
I think about you guys from time to time. Friends, family, fans etc. Mostly when I am walking to work early in the morning. Sometimes on the walk home through the park. These are good times we are living. Its good to know that.
AP
Frank is really stepping up to my half cocked ideas. I think the hardest thing for him is that I ask him to play the same minimal beats over and over with virtually no fills/changes whatsoever. He is a time piece. It must be difficult to hold back and just count as I go off with the guitar stuff.
I got the new rig sounding pretty much how I want it now. Its the twin stereoed out with this 80`s Peavey single 15" bass amp. Last night tho I thought it would do some justice to get the twin re-tubed a bit to adjust the level in which it breaks up or gets so muddy. I changed the tubes around before we recorded "The Black Arts.." to give it a more traditional rock tone, but it seems to not be giving me what I want with this new style I am playing. I have also been using APril`s old Contessa hollow body. The guitar is really cool to play, but it needs some work on the pots and the tuning pegs. I have no idea the model, how old it is or anything. Nobody on Ebay has listed one in the past few months and my google search on it has turned up with nothing. I like stuff like that. I will get all of these issues resolved b4 we record this fucking monster.
We brought in a piccolo snare for the drum kit. I think it compliments the new style well, tho some of my drummer bros talk down on that type of snare. Franks rig is cool. That snare, a mid sized kick, 2 cracked up but manageable (they still have sustain) crash cymbals and a mid sized floor tom that pretty much gets little action.
Its interesting to me adding another member to BLX. Its been APril and me the whole time. Frank is a good fit tho, not too intrusive to the mix, but always an informed valid opinion and understanding of what we are doing now. Its taken me a long time to find a third for BLX. We are`nt the easiest people to work with.
Mostly we have been laying low and staying in nights. I have increased the frequency of the BLX rehersals to get all of this stuff out while the whole thing is still fresh and exciting to us, and on the off nights have been taking guitar lessons to help me get to where I want to be for all of this faster.
There are some ideas pouring in with the group about concepts etc around the new album/material. This is mostly APrils department. We talk of a spring tour and recording before christmas time. I feel kind of shitty and lazy not doing any shows locally since our return from the UK tour, but enough is enough with the old stuff. Some folks have written to us and offered to help with shows abroad. It seemingly gets easier each time.
The same struggle is always there tho. I know I will never be satisfied with the music I perform/write. Ive known that for a few years now. Its got to be hard on my band mates dealing with someone like this, especially when I am the primary song writer. I constantly change and re arrange stuff I said was finished a session or two before. To me, this is how I get better...how the songs get stronger. I only want the best for you and me. Maybe its because I love music so much. Fuck off.
The thing is that I dont really give a shit if we get a fat record package or support. I am going to do it anyway. Nothing will really change. The idea of only doing little tours, online only releases, pseudo souped up local showcases has always and now more than ever makes me want to quit this shit. I cant wait to take this new stuff, and practically new band out on the road to do some real work. I will always travel my art.
I think about you guys from time to time. Friends, family, fans etc. Mostly when I am walking to work early in the morning. Sometimes on the walk home through the park. These are good times we are living. Its good to know that.
AP
Friday, October 10, 2008
minimalist blues punk
hi. Since you read this i`ll let you in on it first...we have a drummer now. His name is Frank and he is excellent.
We have been writing a new record, very fast too, and I will be the first to describe it as "Minimalist Blues Punk".
So, the line up now is as follows:
AP:Guitar
APril: Vocal (no guitar/synth on the new stuff)
Frank "Mr. Good Times" DiRienzo: Drums
There is lots (mostly) of delta style drone slide guitar in all of the songs. Dont worry tho, we didnt get all soft on you. I have been using a bass amp coupled with the twin so it sounds like there is a bassist. The idea this time around is to get everyone focused on the things they are best at. You dont hire a dish washer to matre`d do you? Well, we dont. It seems most of NYC does tho. Fuckers.
Its good to change things up tho no? To move on. Get better. Grow.
For fans of the old BLX classics (ha!) we got them up our sleeve too, so its not like we will just ditch the gold stuff. dig?
These are exciting times for us around the old apartment. We ditched off on a CMJ show or two to keep shit rolling with the new stuff. Its just gotta be that way man.
Alex got a couple of tape machines this week. We got a drummer last month. We figure, what the fuck...drummer, lets do some tape this time around.
Im almost happy enough to start booking. Glad to see ya!
Time to get right.
xo,
AP/BLX
We have been writing a new record, very fast too, and I will be the first to describe it as "Minimalist Blues Punk".
So, the line up now is as follows:
AP:Guitar
APril: Vocal (no guitar/synth on the new stuff)
Frank "Mr. Good Times" DiRienzo: Drums
There is lots (mostly) of delta style drone slide guitar in all of the songs. Dont worry tho, we didnt get all soft on you. I have been using a bass amp coupled with the twin so it sounds like there is a bassist. The idea this time around is to get everyone focused on the things they are best at. You dont hire a dish washer to matre`d do you? Well, we dont. It seems most of NYC does tho. Fuckers.
Its good to change things up tho no? To move on. Get better. Grow.
For fans of the old BLX classics (ha!) we got them up our sleeve too, so its not like we will just ditch the gold stuff. dig?
These are exciting times for us around the old apartment. We ditched off on a CMJ show or two to keep shit rolling with the new stuff. Its just gotta be that way man.
Alex got a couple of tape machines this week. We got a drummer last month. We figure, what the fuck...drummer, lets do some tape this time around.
Im almost happy enough to start booking. Glad to see ya!
Time to get right.
xo,
AP/BLX
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Tour Notes (early fall)
There was this really great morning where we were driving through Scotland and there was this flock of pheasants all over this field. It was amazing. There must have been 50 of them. Feeding and roosting in the morning overcast mist. The grass was so green and they were surrounded by these ancient, well to me anyway, gray stone fences. I felt far away from Brooklyn finally. I had never seen anything like Edinburgh before.
One afternoon April and I walked frantically around Bradford. It was drab and everything was shut. Most of the architecture was stained black on one side from an industrial revolution since past. The scene was almost abandoned. On purpose. I was bitching about something to April and I saw a pigeon taking off about 4 feet away. Really low. I jumped up and touched it mid flight. Its wings felt like old newspaper. It jolted a minute, as surprised as I was, and flew on.
These folks in Leicster put on a last minute show for the tour in their practice space. In the end it was a good idea to do it because i had a really great time. RIP the black horse (BLX) mixer tho. smoking. dead. Andy from Diet Pills gave me his mixer for the show and to finish the tour with. BMF=Best Mates Forever. "cider is the drink of kings"!! Andy, you are so hooked up you dont even know it yet.
Man, Matt and Nooshie are the best! We love you guys. You helped us out soooo much.. These folks picked us up at the airport, helped us get our gear sorted, put on a show for the tour, and just generally showed our lame asses a good time.
People like this is the reason why I tour, and continue to tour. A friendly hand. It gives me faith in humanity, and inspires me to act as such.
We suck because we almost never take photos. I think April may have a few in her digital from this tour that we may be able to share. Most of the time that sort of stuff just gets erased and never uploaded. Besides, words can describe a million pictures.
Ta!
One afternoon April and I walked frantically around Bradford. It was drab and everything was shut. Most of the architecture was stained black on one side from an industrial revolution since past. The scene was almost abandoned. On purpose. I was bitching about something to April and I saw a pigeon taking off about 4 feet away. Really low. I jumped up and touched it mid flight. Its wings felt like old newspaper. It jolted a minute, as surprised as I was, and flew on.
These folks in Leicster put on a last minute show for the tour in their practice space. In the end it was a good idea to do it because i had a really great time. RIP the black horse (BLX) mixer tho. smoking. dead. Andy from Diet Pills gave me his mixer for the show and to finish the tour with. BMF=Best Mates Forever. "cider is the drink of kings"!! Andy, you are so hooked up you dont even know it yet.
Man, Matt and Nooshie are the best! We love you guys. You helped us out soooo much.. These folks picked us up at the airport, helped us get our gear sorted, put on a show for the tour, and just generally showed our lame asses a good time.
People like this is the reason why I tour, and continue to tour. A friendly hand. It gives me faith in humanity, and inspires me to act as such.
We suck because we almost never take photos. I think April may have a few in her digital from this tour that we may be able to share. Most of the time that sort of stuff just gets erased and never uploaded. Besides, words can describe a million pictures.
Ta!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
UK tour dates
Sep 8 2008 8:00P
Old Blue Last London Shoreditch, London and South East
Sep 9 2008 8:00P
The Junction- Bristol Bristol, Midlands
Sep 10 2008 8:00P
Big Wheel Liechester, South
Sep 11 2008 8:00P
Old Angel- Nottingham Nottingham
Sep 12 2008 8:00P
The Fenton- LEEDS Leeds, East
Sep 13 2008 8:00P
Henry’s Cellar Bar- EDINBURGH Edinburgh, Scotland
Sep 14 2008 8:00P
1 in 12- BRADFORD Bradford, Northwest
Sep 15 2008 8:00P
Le Pub- WALES Newport/Wales, Wales
Sep 16 2008 8:00P
Lark in the Park- LONDON LONDON, London and South East
All of these shows are with TOMBS and Planks. Extra advanced thanks to the folks in Planks for letting us use their gear, and ride with them. Planks is this excellent band from Germany, and Im not just saying that because of our affiliation with them as of present. As of now we havent even met them...cool right? April and I are VERY VERY lucky to be touring with both TOMBS and Planks.
So, as I said earlier all three bands are on an LP that will be available at all of these shows. The LP`s also come with a download card so you can load it up on your MP3podphoneberry etc. Go for it man. No one cares.
I am extra stoked about this tour because I have NO FUCKING IDEA where any of these places are, or what to expect. Its been a long time since I have felt this way about a tour. Its kind of like starting a new job. NO FUCKING IDEA.
The end of summer. Trying to be good. Working on some new BLx stuff. Working with a drummer... it`s been fun. Three words: Minimalist Blues Punk. Coming soon, but not as soon as I would actually want. I beat myself up inside out for it. Its always been this way.
Finally, in closing, I want to thank you dear reader, for following this hyper punctuated blog..some times I think "why do I even bother with this shit"???..But honestly this all comes out at the most passionate and frustrated times of my day.
best,
AP
Old Blue Last London Shoreditch, London and South East
Sep 9 2008 8:00P
The Junction- Bristol Bristol, Midlands
Sep 10 2008 8:00P
Big Wheel Liechester, South
Sep 11 2008 8:00P
Old Angel- Nottingham Nottingham
Sep 12 2008 8:00P
The Fenton- LEEDS Leeds, East
Sep 13 2008 8:00P
Henry’s Cellar Bar- EDINBURGH Edinburgh, Scotland
Sep 14 2008 8:00P
1 in 12- BRADFORD Bradford, Northwest
Sep 15 2008 8:00P
Le Pub- WALES Newport/Wales, Wales
Sep 16 2008 8:00P
Lark in the Park- LONDON LONDON, London and South East
All of these shows are with TOMBS and Planks. Extra advanced thanks to the folks in Planks for letting us use their gear, and ride with them. Planks is this excellent band from Germany, and Im not just saying that because of our affiliation with them as of present. As of now we havent even met them...cool right? April and I are VERY VERY lucky to be touring with both TOMBS and Planks.
So, as I said earlier all three bands are on an LP that will be available at all of these shows. The LP`s also come with a download card so you can load it up on your MP3podphoneberry etc. Go for it man. No one cares.
I am extra stoked about this tour because I have NO FUCKING IDEA where any of these places are, or what to expect. Its been a long time since I have felt this way about a tour. Its kind of like starting a new job. NO FUCKING IDEA.
The end of summer. Trying to be good. Working on some new BLx stuff. Working with a drummer... it`s been fun. Three words: Minimalist Blues Punk. Coming soon, but not as soon as I would actually want. I beat myself up inside out for it. Its always been this way.
Finally, in closing, I want to thank you dear reader, for following this hyper punctuated blog..some times I think "why do I even bother with this shit"???..But honestly this all comes out at the most passionate and frustrated times of my day.
best,
AP
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