Tour Diary Day 5 The Half Moon Putney

The half moon in putney holds fond memories for me. It's where I launched my second LP "The Garden" a few years ago. Support that night was Chris Helm and we played together onstage playing his song "Hello". That was a great moment for me as the Seahorses defined the summer of 97. For those who don't know, the Seahorses were the band John Squire formed after the Stone Roses, and were a kind of more accessible Led Zeppelin. I've also played here a few times with Terry and a particularly special gig with Rumer when she joined him onstage for Brave Awakening. So I approached it in hope of the night being the same vibe as those fantastic gigs before.

It's a great room full of heritage and spit and sawdust rock & roll, and it always feels welcoming to me. The place nowadays though has a more classy feel with its Beatles furnished chairs, bare wood bar/chairs and rugs outside in the garden for people to snug into. I do love the place, great vibe and a fantastic place to put shows on.

For me the gig was a little frustrating as the potential of people I could have played to decided to boycott the support act and stay in the bar! It is because I've been spoilt on this tour though and I still played to a half full room. They were sweet and engaged in my set, Memory Maze hit home the most with the Garden raising a few eyebrows! The silence in the room showed real music fans in the place but I did find it harder to connect tonight. Sea Of Thought is getting better with each play and im getting confident with the set now. People ask me what the hell are the crazy psychedelic sitar pad sounds and how am I doing it....I tell them I have the spirit of the 60s in me..... it was definitely a good purchase. The Half Moon must be commended for their excellent command of sound and professional attitude. They have Puressence there next week if anyone is in London reading this they really should get along to that gig, they are one of my favourite bands of all time and are exceptional. 

There was something restrained in Terry's set tonight. The advent of a bass player and BJ Cole kept Terry rhythmically in line when he normally likes to play with it. That's fine of course but its nice to hear him in this way as the songs took on a different feel. Much like a lost soundtrack to an old graceful western, beautiful Americana that really hit on an emotional level. Terry had a bit of a sore throat before he went on but it made him all the more sweeter at first. When he's on form there isn't a voice more bursting at the seems with life weathered experience, it's really quite special. BJ in particular was so understated and atmospheric tonight. Terry really was battling his voice about mid way though, and the power he has was some-what newted, but he still held it together with grace and the crowd were on his side for something he couldn't help. Nice touch that he dedicated Night Of The Raging Storm to the victims of the Oklahoma tornado that swept through on Monday causing so much devastation. 

Me and Jim... Terry's trusty Driver and friend

Tonight was BJ Coles night on the pedal steel, he was transcendual .......

Next week I have the second leg of the tour which takes us to Brighton, Norwich, and the double night London Borderline gigs on Thursday and Friday. The Friday see him take on his seminal album Seed Of Memory with full band, I'm looking forward to being part of that. Want to try and get to the Bowie exhibition as well.

Honey JD.....gorgeous isn't it!! Try it with ginger.

Stay Safe

Andy xx

Personal Legend 

New track from up coming album "Science & Magic"

Mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Beady Eye)

Tour Diary Day 4 St Ives Cambridgeshire

So today we have a 5 hour journey to St Ives in Cambridgeshire. I've played this venue before with Terry and as its his hometown it normally has a nice vibe, so I'm looking forward to it. We listen to an Eric Clapton live album for a bit and Terry sporadically laughs at all the ridiculously good guitar playing with that 40-a-day cackle of his. Hes got a purple jacket on, white jeans and a bright pink shirt on today....he looks like a psychedelic Jack Sparrow! More gorgeous British scenery today as we cut across the country in the trusty Land Rover through the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire. Through my left side I can see through my window and on my right side I can see the face of a Fender Princeton Reverb! So I could tell you everything about the left side of the country and only that the right side is sponsored by Fender.

After a few stops we get to the town of St Ives and go to Terry's old local. He then takes me on a little tour of the town round by the 14th Century bridge over the river and tells me old stories of him growing up. It's quite a nice moment actually, being away from the music and the showmanship ..... Just two blokes talking about being a boy. There's still a fondness for the place in his heart and I like and identify  with that feeling every time I go back to Havant, I have the same thing. It reminds me of Havant actually round by langstone in particular. 

Steve Pitt joins us for soundcheck but in true town hall style we had to wait for some Fete thing to pack up before we could get in. The people that run it are all very sweet but couldn't be any further away from rock & roll if they tried, any urgency was lost on them so Steve and I help move things along by helping them with the big stage blocks and gear. Soundcheck proves tricky what what the boxy room and some frequencies causing problems but we get there in the end. 

Legendary BJ Cole on Pedal Steel, I'm wearing his hat behind the camera it's quality! Like Dick Tracy!

BJ and Terry in soundcheck with me being annoying with a camera phone...

So...the gig itself was a tricky one, I had less of a vibe to go on tonight so I found it quite isolating up there.  I was in a weird headspace before I went on but after playing Memory Maze I felt a little better as it went down so well. I sold out of the last Russell's Teapot EP's afterwards and a few New Criterions. It goes to show that the older crowd prefer Teapot and the younger crowd like Criterion. Be interesting how people engage with the album when it comes out. 

Terry had a difficult time tonight as he had sound problems with an acoustic, and a monitor mix that for an unknown reason that was booming and feed backing everywhere. Steve Pitt came running out and said "can he use your guitar!?"... So when he finished a track I ran out, nicked his Gibson, tuned my guitar to his...and put mine in its place! So he used my guitar for the rest of the acoustic tracks in the set. The crowd were happy though despite the sound issues and they were a nice bunch, including Terry's Mum who is very sweet!

Terry with my guitar

On the way back Steve and I listen to an old bootleg of Terry Reid from the early seventies given to him by a fan in Winchester. It's like opening a time capsule....

I have this headline show in June at the Havant Spring Arts Centre with guest support Rowan Bastable from Kassassin Street, my favourite band and a good chum. Tickets can be bought from this link 

http://www.thespring.co.uk/events/andrew-foster/

Hope you can make it it's going to be a special night as it has been the last few years. Rowan has also produced two tracks on the forthcoming album....but I'll talk more about that later.

Couple of days off then back on it with the Half Moon in Putney. I have fond memories of that venue doing my launch for my second album "The Garden" there with support from Chris Helm from the Seahorses. I'm looking forward to it. I also hear that it may be recorded....that'll be great if it is :-)

NEW TRACK

Personal Legend

Mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Beady Eye)

Stay Safe

Andy x

Tour Diary Day 3 Totnes Devon

After last nights fantastic gig in Bath I woke up early to try and see the Roman Baths and have a quick look around the town. I was out when people were going to work and it reminded me of the more dignified parts of London in the morning but with a slower pace and a cosmopolitan vibe. It really is a beautiful city to walk around and I guess if you live here as with any place, the spell becomes broken over time but I could really imagine myself living there. It gave me the same sense of belonging Paris did when I went. The tourists spoil it a bit but I'm essentially a tourist myself so can't really complain there ;-)

I'm sure a few of you have been to the baths before but if you haven't I really recommend going. It's a breathtaking slice of history that is right in front of you. Not like normally when they make a whole complex and charge an entrance fee because of a piece of bronze they found on a hill once....this is the real deal. You get an audio walkie talkie type contraption when you enter and you type codes in to hear information. This renders the museum silent as everybody's listening to these devices, it's quite strange! I'm not going to waffle about its 2000 years of history as that would be boring, go along and see it yourself.....and taste the water it's weird...

Whatever you do...don't blink!!

On the way to Totnes Terry and I discuss the merits of vox amps and look through various fender re-issues like the fender supersonic mint green amp I've got my eye on and the British racing green vox...(my girlfriend hears about that amp all the time, she humours me bless her). He then tells me about the bidding war between Rory Gallagher and Brian May when terry sold his original 60s vox ac30....if ya asking, Brian May won. 

The journey down to Devon is gorgeous again, all very Midsomner Murders and British. The pub we stop off at has an umbrella urn type thing and a pristine garden...it looked like a train set model village. It reminds me of The Trip with Steve Coogan directed by Michael Winterbottom. He paints a picture of the green and pleasant land on film and I feel like I'm in it a bit!

Photo courtesy of Max from last nights Bath gig thanks for that!

We are a little sceptical about the venue tonight as we know nothing about it and we don't know what sound system is in there but I do a little research and its an art centre apparently which I love playing. Thing is... its kind of not! 

After driving round a piece of town that looked like the set of Doc Martin we end up going round in circles in a small industrial estate. For a while it's all very "hello Cleveland!" from Spinal Tap. When we get there it's a tiny room in a business unit that seats about 100. It's all very cute and nieve run by three people that are lovely. I instantly like the bonkers idea of the gig, apparently they are moving to a bigger venue soon and I wish them all the luck in the world as they are so nice and it looks like the area could do with an arts hub. 

Terry's J200 it really is gorgeous!

The intimacy actually ads some nice atmosphere complete with rain sound on the tin roof, it really feels like a private gig! I wasn't as relaxed as last night for some reason as my monitor mix was a tad peculiar but I ran with it as I didn't want to mess with it too much after Terry spending a while getting it right for himself. The garden was the best track tonight and memory maze. I still had a great gig though and enjoyed playing to the audience who were very receptive and respectful. It was an older crowd tonight and they lapped up Terry's stories of Graham Nash and Buffalo Springfield. 

A strange experience but a good one!....

Today we have a 5 and a half hour journey to St Ives near Terry's hometown! Think I may play Snood on the way.....anyone played Snood?...play Snood......you'll love it ;-)

Pedalcam! Electroharmonix superego

Stay Safe

Andy

 

Tour Diary day 2 Bath

We hit the road early today and headed out into a sunny morning on day two of my support for Terry Reid. Terry had a radio show today for BBC Bristol. Travelling by Land Rover is quite fitting as I watch the rolling hills and rapeseed fields go past the window with Terry's guitar stuck in my side...rock & roll! He tells me about the time he met Neil Young, going to a supposed secret David Bowie gig with Ronnie Wood in Dublin and the wonders of Hadrian's Wall. You really do forget how beautiful this country is till you actually take it in from a car seat!

The BBC interview goes well although the interviewer (nice as she is) tries hard to push Terry into talking about the now legendary turning down of being Led Zepplins frontman. Terry avoids it with grace though. I guess there just doing there job, lets face it you'd want to know about it but it must be frustrating for Terry for it to follow him around for the rest of his life. He did what he wanted to do at the time and that's fine. In Bristol we park up next to an old bric a brac and antique store with loads of weird stuff in. I wanted that top hat that Terry is modelling below but it was £40 and I'm a poor musician! After a a disapproving look from the owner we leave after saying thanks....he grunts at us.

As we drive through bath I can't help but be enamoured by the place, it's beauty and layout. The komedia venue also doesn't disappoint, a converted cinema that is bathed in golds and reds. It's the perfect setting for my music and you don't always get the chance to play in places like this. Soundcheck was great and I could gauge as people came in that I could have some fun tonight.

The sound guy fittingly was playing some Ravi Shanker before I came on to "the garden" so it was perfect. The crew were really professional tonight actually as I'm sure they always are but it's nice to be in a place that is run smoothly and confidently. City Speed and new song Sea Of Thought went down best tonight as well as memory maze. The set is working really well....it's weird for me sticking to a set for a period of time after always being a little skitzy with my set list. Terry has a standing ovation at the end and he congratulates me on my set that he actually watched all the way through tonight as he's normally busy with gig prep. He's definitely gonna buy my pedal! He keeps going on about it!

Here's a snap from the stage of a small percentage of the crowd...I need a panoramic shot really but I didn't have time as I was kinda working!

Thank you Bath you were friendly and engaging :-) I wouldn't expect anything less...thank you the family who took photos of me and to everyone who bought the EPs.

Gonna hopefully get time to see the Roman Baths tomorrow morning early, then onto Totnes....never been there.... God doesn't know what it's like, may ask Brian Cox....

Stay Safe

Andy xx

Personal Legend

Mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Beady Eye)

http://m.soundcloud.com/andrewfostermusic/personal-legend-science-magic

Tour Diary day 1 Winchester

So here we are the first day of the tour, first stop Winchester on a beautiful night. At soundcheck we are greeted by a fine gentleman by the name of Luke. Luke and I get into a conversation about psychedelia and the neo psychedelic movement of bands like Tame Impala....so we have Temples blearing out the PA. I then show him the album "nuggets" from the 60's, so that becomes the music I walk onto after him asking me what colour lights I like on stage...which was a nic touch..they were green of course. Meeting Terry again after these last few years gigging with him is like meeting an old friend, and after him being told to strip back on his guitars he then presents to me a huge array of gorgeous guitars among which is a Gibson Firebird! He says "pick it up!" In that weathered voice of his so I do...and play it.....it's unbelievable! 

I now want one of course. He likes my new special weapon in my sonic arsenal which is a pedal..... More of which later....

The crowd tonight is small but friendly and really take to my songs. One thing that is a recurring theme is the fact I'm from Portsmouth always getting a friendly boo around the country! Heartbeats seems to make the biggest impact although a longer trippy version of the garden seems to raise a few eyebrows. Terry has an amazing monitor mix for his voice and guitars and I always get to use it. It's really dynamic meaning you can hear the slightest whisper which means you aren't always fighting to be heard, and this influences the way you play quite considerably. 

Lots of people recently have been coming up to me after the show and asking what's going on with your guitar is it a loop station? It sounds amazing!.....it's my new toy but you'd have to hear it really, as it wouldn't make sense explaining it but it has added a new texture to the sound usually created with just one man and guitar.

It was a great start to the tour tonight and a pleasure to be playing with Terry again. His song "The eye of the raging storm" was beautiful, I've always loved it but it had a special feel tonight for the start of the tour. Terry was warming into gig as the night went on after not playing for a while and played through what's known as a "gig knobead". Gig knobeads are very common and like to pay their money for the ticket but ruin the show by drinking two shandies (the gig knobead can't handle his drink) and spoil it for everyone's else by heckling and talking all the way through the gig. They are normally with so called friends that are scared of them....they are called gig pricks....Even with this chump there Terry had a good start to the tour as did I.

On the way back Terry and I discussed tornado chasing in Texas, Latin rhythms, and the wonders of band alchemy...

Here's a new song from the up and coming album, and those who have followed what I do for a long time will notice its a reworking of an old track. Hope you like it please let me know what you think. It's also been mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Beady Eye) which is nice...

Personal Legend

http://m.soundcloud.com/andrewfostermusic/personal-legend-science-magic

Next stop Bath....can't wait...one of my favourite places I've been to in the country.

Stay Safe

Andy x