The
Magic Lantern

Ok, so things have been taking a lot longer than expected. That’s alright. I’ve given up worrying now, its going to take the time it takes right? I went to the lovely Woodshed studio in Bristol a few weeks ago, and working with Max Jones who’s helping me not go mad while i record, we got a lot of good stuff done – massive thanks to Ben Capp who engineered the session and in general is just an all round good guy to put up with my stressful ways – and I think at least two tunes from that session will make it on album.

But looking for a slightly different thing, i’ve packed up again and am heading to SAE in Oxford to work with studio megaman Dean McArthy this weekend for what i hope will be the final session. Max will join me again and i have take this opportunity to say how important he’s been in helping me do all this. He really is a legend. My practice has been going really well these last few days – the main thing i think has been just learning to not totally stress myself out and become excessively negative as soon as things don’t go well, which always happens. Recording is hard! These songs are hard to play and sing! I don’t want to overdub so inevitably i make mistakes, i’m still having trouble with my voice, but i feel confident at the moment and can’t wait to get in the studio.

In meantime, I had a great gig at the Woodburner ‘Capsize the Stars’ festival last sunday and am really excited to playing at the Word Is Born on the 15 November at The Others in Stoke Newington and then gearing up for big gig at the beautiful Wilton’s Music Hall on the 10 December supporting Teotima for the album launch.

Lastly, I did photo shoot with Ollie Hammick to try and capture the beard which due to the lack of a finished album, is still very much growing. Here is one below.

thanks for you patience and continued support,

big love

Jamie x

So autumn is upon us, the leaves are slowly changing and before long our winter coats will soon be pressed into service fending off the chill wind of these darker seasons. As much as I love summer, I find autumn the most creative season of all. It’s been a busy summer all things considered and while i’m entering autumn a little drained, there is a lot to look forward to!

If you’ve been keeping track of the beard i’ve been growing you’ll have noticed that its getting longer by the day, and the sight of my clean shaven chin – evidence that the album is finished – is as yet, nowhere to be seen. This is because I decided to make a tactical change of direction. I spent most of August trying to record it on my own and with the help of Max Jones, but after much hard work, frustration and a few breakthroughs, decided that i just wasn’t happy with the sound i was getting.

It was a hard decision because i’d made such a big deal about trying to record it on my own but, in the end, making a record that i’m happy with and that i feel does justice to the songs and to all of you who have been waiting for it, was the right thing to do. So, I have booked to go to the Woodshed Studio in Bristol to record from the 6-10 October – 3 weeks away! – and have been practicing A LOT in order to hit the ground running. So, i’m about a month behind schedule, but to think that i’ll be recording while it’s raining, leaves slick on the ground, feels right, both for me and for the songs on this record. So there we are. As soon as i have some snippets i’ll post them up so you can hear how its sounding. Release date is still TBC but stay tuned, it won’t be too long now!

In other news, i’ve been taking a little break from Magic Lantern gigs to allow the songs to settle and breath before hitting the studio. However, with the recording dates rapidly approaching, i thought i’d better get a couple of London gigs in to stay sharp so i’m very excited to say that I’ll be playing this Friday 20th September at the last of the Nest Collective’s ‘Campfire Club’ concerts in the green house of Dalston Curve Garden where i’ll be playing alongside story teller Rachel Rose Reid and the fabulous Tank and Trumpet. Then on sunday I’m doing something quite unusual – I’ll be playing at Venezuelan Brunch hosted by ‘Sometimes Cafe’ where for the £15 ticket you get brunch (sittings between 11.30-4.00), live music from me and a magic show – woo hoo!

If you’re around it would be lovely to see you at either or both and if not then I look forward to seeing you once the album is finished. Lots of other things have been going on too, I did a new photo shoot yesterday which i’ll be posting up soon, have been commissioned to write music for a play about Simon Boliva’s lover Manuela Saenz, and have finished the rather odd process of being followed around for 6 months and filmed playing in various locations for a short documentary which will be released shortly. Lastly, you can hear the latest edition of the radio show i co-present on Resonance FM every tuesday from 12-1 ‘The Nest Collective Hour’ here!

‘Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower’
– Albert Camus

Big love, Jamie x

Album recording update week 4 – so i’ve decided to change tack. I went slightly mental trying to approach what ought to be simple from an overly complicated view point. Having thought about it, I’ve decided to return to the original idea – put mics in room, sit down, record – and repeat x 9 songs. I’ve relocated to another currently empty house with the engineering help of Max Jones. The beard is getting pretty long now but i’ve set a deadline of the end of the weekend to finish recording so hopefully the next photo you’ll be able to see my chin again. Wish me luck! J x

So, at the beginning of week 2 of recording this album and its been going alright. I’ve been in Bristol in the top room of a friends house and despite the sonic intrusions of scaffolding, painting, window replacements, motor bikes, and rain on the roof – some tracks have been recorded – ‘Stiches’, ‘Scant Peace of Mind’ and ‘Hercules’ have all gone pretty well. I’ll be taking a little break over the next few days to come back fresh, i don’t know where yet, could be London, could the somewhere in country. I’ll keep you posted! The beard is growing at a pace (see below) so i’m hoping to finish recording soon otherwise i fear my face is going to be taken over. J x

This is how my brain often feels when i go in search of inspiration. I’m looking for something in particular but i can’t find it so I take out all the little boxes with scraps, ideas, notes, melodies and pictures until i find what i’m looking for or give up. Either way, lots of little boxes are left upturned all over the floor, waiting to patiently be put back in their place – one day.

Bagley-Clifford Office of the National Bank of Detroit by Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre

Please forgive how long its been since my last update but here we are – sneezing with hayfever, dodging summer rain showers and desperately trying to do our best, whatever that is and however it works out.

Whilst I may have been quite on the update front, things have been bubbling away. I’ve writing some new tunes with Fly Agaric for a EP we’ll be recording soon, playing some lovely gigs, teaching small children the piano, giving some singing workshops, hosting the Nest Collective Hour radio show with Sam Lee on Resonance FM (you can hear last weeks show here) and tune int tomorrow lunch time 12-1 for the last in the current series!), and getting things together to record the second Magic Lantern album in August.

The weather not withstanding, there are some great Magic Lantern gigs coming up over the next 6 weeks, starting in London tomorrow in London with a great double bill i’ll be doing with Dee Byrne’s Entropi at the Albany in Great Portland St. From there i’ll be heading to Glastonbury where i’ll be playing on The Bandstand with The Ballina Whalers on the wednesday evening (7.15pm) and then as Magic Lantern on saturday morning at 11.30am and then later in the evening at a few venues, check the twitter for updates. Then there are few days to recover and ill be keeping it in the south west with a great show at The Leftbank in Bristol organised by good friend Leonie Evans. Finally, the last gig before the album recording will be at Cambridge Folk Festival at the Den Stage where i’ll be doing one off collaboration with Sam Brookes.

Hope to see you somewhere along the way and come say hi on the facebook page or on twitter. I’m going to start posting some more demos of the tunes that will be on the album over the next month so there’ll be some new things to hear as well!

Magic Lantern – Summer Series

25 June – ‘Collisions No.2’ at The Albany, London w/ Dee Byrne’s Entropi
29 June – Glastonbury Festival – The Bandstand
4 July – The Leftbank, Bristol
28 July – Cambridge Folk Festival (The Den Stage), Cambridge

August – ALBUM RECORDING! Woo hoo!!

big big love

Jamie x