The Isle Of Wight Festival - Phobos

Alright?

So, this year Isle Of Wight Festival was back to a family event; after a few years of playing with the big boys. For me it was all the better for it. That said, this year IOW has had some megative press with comments that the line-up was too 'Grandad...hehe!! I believe the space is better used when its run as a family festival and not a Mini-Glasto and it may not have been particularly cutting edge this year with NME acts but you still had some incredible bands in the line-up; I feel the Festival works much better when there are acts from all the spectrum, catering for all ages.

I've been waiting to see 'The Killers' for years and they didn't disappoint. It was a fantastic performance which will go down as one of my faves since I've been going and I've been to nearly every one. The band of the moment 'Bastille' were unbelievable; whether you like pop music or not, there's no getting away from the fact they are incredibly tight and make a lot of seasoned pros look lazy. 'Fun' were the surprise band of the festival, their theatrical pop really made the tent come alive. Also not forgetting 'Bloc Party', who after a really shaky start completely tore the place apart with new songs that were interesting, hard hitting and fresh... the guitarist is unbelievable... I need to see his pedal board... Anyway...

My performance in the Kashmir Tent had a sparse attendance at first, but then the tent began to fill and people were engaging... which was fantastic... only to lose them all again when Jake Bugg came on. The people that were there though were brilliant and I got stopped a few times when I was walking about the festival saying how they enjoyed it. Now...how can I get myself a press endorsement from Noel Gallagher?... he still has the power to give a huge fanbase in one sentence! Many thanks to all at the Kashmir Tent for the opportunity to play, hopefully here's to next year... fingers crossed. It is one of the best tents in the festival and I'm sure the organisers and volunteers will go to musical heaven for there services.... which I assume to sound like a Brian Eno soundscape with candy floss and headphones.

So here's another new track...

Quite a departure maybe from other released material in the past; a different recording style can completely change the feel of the song. I arrived at this track on a train journey to Worthing one day to visit to my partner. On my iPad I have an app called DM-1 drums, its essentially a drum sequencer in the classic sense, containing everything from 909 style kits to full blown Timpani's. I created the whole rhythm section on this app and transferred it to Cubase building the track over the top.
The idea was to keep it pretty sparse, like classic electro. Nothing was put in unless it was essential. It is inspired by a bit of everything I've been listening to recently: Merz, Mansions On The Moon, New Order and I have always loved samples in tracks. Let me know what you think? Escapism is a theme I cover a lot and lyrically it's here in the form of Space travel... Phobos is a moon of Mars....if ya asking.....

Phobos

Mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Beady Eye)

Stay Safe
Andy
xx

"Everybody knows everything but nothing they should..."

Tour Diary Day 8 The Borderline London final night of tour

After staying over in Covent Garden Steve Pitt and I left the place early to see if we could get tickets for the Bowie exhibition at the V&A in South Kensington. I've been looking forward to this all tour as I'm a huge Bowie fan and whilst I'm at London on the final day I thought it would be fantastic to see. We queued for ages to get in...then we got in....and queued again.....then when our ticket time came about...we queued again. It was so worth it it was incredible, a real lesson in how to put on an art exhibition. Headphones are given to you at the start but you don't have to interact with them at all, it kicks in for you! So you just walk about the place and they play the relevant sound bite to whatever you're looking at! Lyric sheets, costumes, films, audio, posters, art concept design...everything you could wish for is in there. I wholeheartedly recommend going along.

A quite peculiar sculpture hanging from the museum at the V&A

Lyrics from Space Oddity at the David Bowie exhibition 

There he is!!!

This little splash pool is a little Oasis in the middle of the V&A 

So tonight is Terry's seminal album "Seed Of Memory" back to back with full band. It's something his fans have been waiting for a long time and after last nights success the band are more than up to the task. I'm actually really looking forward to hearing the album in its entirety. 

After bantering about in the dressing room with Terry I go and talk to tonight's audio recorders who are no other than Steve Hampton and Jax (his lovely partner). Hampton is a bit of a musical legend himself and is also responsible for one of the tracks on my new album, a re-working of "City Speed" a fantastic early sixties sounding slow psych pop version as well! Steve and I ate in the old Marque venue which is now unfortunately a Weatherspoons...but fortunately for us it is ......as I'm hungry.....

Last nights set list for the Terry gig

So after a tense soundcheck we were ready to go. I just had a line check quick and it was relatively the same as the night before so it wasn't a problem really. As I came on the room was empty but for a few people around the bar and the sound desk. Like last night though they came in thick and fast by my third track. I felt relaxed up there tonight I really wanted to enjoy myself as it was the last gig of the tour, and that I did. There were a couple of people there from the night before and I carried on the banter, and people were receptive to my cheeky mutterings in-between tracks. It's a great feeling to settle in mid-set and know the people in the room are on your side. Again lots of great feedback and kind words from the older crowd that had come to see their musical hero and stumbled across me!

I've loved playing to his crowd, and they have embraced me also and for that I thank them.

It was also a pleasure to catch up with one of my best chums Ali Robertson who has recently come back from travelling. It was a good few years ago now I started this singer/songwriter lark on my own opening for his band at the time The Aviators. 

This tour has been a fantastic experience for me. Seeing parts of the country I haven't seen, playing to engaging crowds, and meeting some lovely people. Playing your music to people, them responding to it, and being treated with respect in your art is the goal of most musicians. I've learned that I can cross over my material to different ages and also can hold my own in situations that are against me, and it's been such a valuable and fruitful experience.

Terry's set was great for me as I hadn't heard some of these track live as it was the seed of memory album. Some of the tracks don't really work acoustic so he doesn't play them, but really fly in this environment when he's with the band. The problems with his voice now seemed to not be an issue as it was the last night of the tour. Terry was giving it some and having fun up there! After the intense soundcheck going through tracks that he himself hadn't played for years it was fantastic seeing it come together so well. Even the normally sidetracked Steve Pitt who normally has seven thousand things going round in his head to organise, was bashing a bear mat on the table in time! I think everyone including myself wanted to have a good time tonight and enjoy it :-) and it was really coming out in their playing tonight. "The way you walk" was fantastic and to see terry losen up into a rock setting and really let it rip was a joy to watch. He even jumped on the organ to do a track! .... I knew that was going to happen though....saw it in soundcheck ;-). Ed Tudor Pole is sat next to me while I write this....bit weird.....

This last show was a real success....and a perfect way to end the tour on good vibes and great music.

.....until.....

....the pack down and load out.....

We always knew it was going to be tough to get a 6 piece band out of a venue on a lower than street level position and into a piss-soaked side street next to a pub, the G.A.Y nightclub in full swing and building works developing the old Astoria site...but then as Jim and myself were guarding the lift entrance with the gear in it ready for the cars .....we had a visitor...

An extremely drunk girl took it upon herself to wander into the lift and start provoking me by abusing me, prodding me, and kicking equipment. Now...not being particularly equipped for such a alcohol fused girl with the grace of a sack of manure....I respectfully asked her to leave the lift and stop provoking me for no reason. This led to her slapping me round the face....twice!

So I did the only thing a man can do in this situation....I told on her! I went and got the security guard, she didn't move for him so we had to get a women guard from G.A.Y to threaten her to move. She still kept coming back! Which meant we were being watched by the guard for an hour whilst we moved the gear....

A shame the night ended like this as understandably I was rather riled up as I couldn't do anything about the slap with her being a human of the female variety!!

Still after winging a little about it to Steve on the way home I wasn't going to let that ruin a fantastic night......:-)

Silly girl...

Some thanks are in order...

Terry Reid of course for being generally warm to me throughout and wanting me to support him. He treated me with respect throughout.

Jim for driving us round the country sorting gear out and generally helping the wheels turn.

All the venues who have been hospitable and friendly, even when things have got tense.

All the people that came to see us and engaged with the music and what we do, it really is appreciated I assure you.

Anna & Eric for their warmth and banter.

Extra special thanks should go to Steve Pitt.

The organiser of the whole tour, averting crisis by making the whole thing operate. There will not be a tour without him and he is constantly thinking ahead for potential problems. Apart from being a good friend of mine he is often not given credit for how hard he works, and I thank him for everything he did and has done for me not only on this tour but throughout me doing music. Thanks mate x

Soooo.......

The Havant show .....20th of June at the spring arts centre in Havant, a headline hometown show with Rowan Bastable of Kassassin Street. Tickets can be bought from here 

Here's the link to the Havant show in June
http://www.thespring.co.uk/events/andrew-foster/

Here's a lovely review from New Reviews of Personal Legend...thanks to them  

http://www.new-reviews.co.uk/?p=8496

Personal Legend (Science & Magic)
Mastered by Pete Maher
(U2, Beady Eye)

Tour Diary Day 7 The Borderline London - Day 1

Here we are then... the last two nights of the tour with Terry Reid, a double night at the Borderline in London. A venue steeped in rock & roll history and a place I've never played before which is quite rare in London as I've trod the boards up here many times. After a good journey up with Steve Pitt with the new David Bowie album flowing over us from his tiny vauxhall corsa speakers, we get in to find the rest of the band just arriving.

I went to check in to our hotel and on the way back knowing it would be some time before I was due to soundcheck, I went to my favourite street in the centre of London....Denmark Street. Wall to wall guitars...effects.....amps....synths.....and equipment. It really is a musicians dream, like finding the winning Wonka Ticket and being sucked into the best place in the world via Wonka-Vision. Problem is of course being a musician I have no money, so it's like look...but don't touch. Still didn't stop me playing a Martin acoustic that I have my eye on. £650 quids though which isn't that bad for the guitar, still I walked away complaining in my sub conscience about how much I'd just parted with to buy a tuna sandwich.... so the Martin is just a dream for now. 

Terry is in full band mode tonight, Pedal steel, Brass, Lead guitar, organ, Drum kit and Bass. Terry cackles at me and comes over for a trademark hug and uses his new found tongue in cheek cool word for something going terribly wrong..."clusterfuck". Of course he was referring to the fact he had the problems with his voice that are still ongoing. He disappeared to go see the doctor before soundcheck, a proper consultant on the troubles of the voice-box variety. When he came back time was pushing on so after a hairy soundcheck where the band were finding their feet and getting levels.... we were there! For a while though it was a mass of cables and confusion! We got there though and I finished my 'speed of light' soundcheck just as people started coming into the venue.

When I started played there wasn't a great deal of people in which I was a little gutted about. Then for some unknown reason during the second track Heartbeats, people came in and filled the floor in front of me. I had verbal diahhorea tonight and was bantering away trying to win them over on to my side and keep them engaged. It seemed to work and by new song "Sea Of Memory" they were really gunning for me, which was a great feeling. My monitor mix was great tonight and I could really play with the dynamics of the songs which I love doing. I had people interacting with me in between tracks, cameras flashing and silence in all the right places. It showed after the set as lots of people came to buy EPs and to ask how I get my guitar tone, and even lyrics being questioned which is fantastic. A great start for me of the two nights we have here I'm hoping I can have a repeat performance on the Friday show with it being the last night of the tour and all. Not many CDs to sell now until I'm completely out!

The soundcraft desk in a glass case as a table in the green room! Must be the old board!

Terry in full band is always a breathtaking experience. It's normally a real lesson in real music as he gets in the best session players and the "feel" of the band is something that tends to be lost from a lot of newer acts nowadays and harks back to golden times of music. The whole thing breathes as one organism which is quite a feat considering they hardly rehearse and Terry has a habit of improvising at a drop of a hat so the session guys really have to be on it! The track Terry did with DJ Shadow "Listen" could be done tonight because of the full band environment and its a joy to hear...a real brooding breakbeat track that has such a great vibe. It's the closest terry will ever get to dance music and very contemporary. Tracks were falling thick tonight...some real crowd pleasers, Rich Kid Blues, Seed Of Memory, Faith To Arise, and Don't Worry Baby complete with singalong crowd and the now default funky opening instrumental The Frame that Terry comes on stage to which always gets me moving uncontrollably. Terry did well with his voice tonight and he was starting to get his low end power back from the gigs before where he was struggling, I was scared for him every time he exerted too much though! Easy Terry! Don't get carried away! We're recording it tomorrow!! 

Tomorrow it's the last date of the tour and Terry is playing the seminal album seed of memory back to back, and I'll be playing my last date on tour.

It'll be emotional....

Stay Safe

Andy

X

Here's a lovely review from New Reviews of Personal Legend...thanks to them 

http://www.new-reviews.co.uk/?p=8496

Here's the link to the Havant show in June
http://www.thespring.co.uk/events/andrew-foster/

Personal Legend (Science & Magic)
Mastered by Pete Maher
(U2, Beady Eye)

Tour Diary Day 6 Brighton Komedia

So .... After the couple of dates I wasn't doing on the tour, Terry's voice took a turn for the worst and he's been suffering with weak vocal chords. So I met a hush toned Terry at Brighton and we joked about the fact he was now a walking Boots the Chemist. He was changing notes in soundcheck to preserve his voice and not over exerting, I could see he was struggling I know what that's like. When you've got nothing in there it's scary as there's nothing you can do, you've just got to rest and try not to damage the voice further. He was in good spirits though, playing Dylan in soundcheck and taking the piss in a tongue in cheek way. I remember a particular gig at the Bedford in which I had laryngitis and I had to battle it onstage, it's pretty scary up there with no band when you have no power in your voice.
I played this room last year on the tour with Terry and it was a lovely gig for me, with a crowd who were receptive and eerily quiet. So I hope this year they except me again with my new set and songs.

Steve Pitt was doing his thing at soundcheck making sure everything was in check and after a battle of frequencies I was ready to go myself.

Brighton's the other place apart from Bath I've always wanted to live. It's a less abrasive London with a liberal vibe and colorful environment. Whenever I come here I can hear the dreams of hundreds of artists, musicians, dancers, film makers and it's inspiring. I always think when walking around and spot a guitar case...that they have the same dreams and aspirations as me, wanting to express themselves, for people to embrace their art and to make a difference in some way. Just walking around there's a different feel that I'm sure a lot of people from Brighton themselves will declare has disappeared from the city, but I love it all the same. I love the lanes and the crazies walking around the place everyone seems to project a story and be interesting like little novels bursting with experience. I walked into a local corner shop and "Passenger" was playing over the stereo. Its interesting as many years ago I went for an audition to be in Passenger in Brighton before he decided to go it alone, we also used to be on the same bill a lot. Nice that a local singer/songwriter has done well, but strange is that he kind of built it up from moving to Australia?!

At the beginning of my set the crowd were rather frosty and didn't interact at all. After a couple of songs and some cheeky banter though we got there and by the end they engaged with my set with warmth. I played the same set as the other dates on the tour but with the addition of "weird science" at the end. I was making nods in between the tracks of some of the references in my songs such as Bertrand Russell, Weird Science, The Alchemist, and the psychosis of being a musician. We had some laughs and some great applause for my set especially Personal Legend which was the best I've played it for many a year tonight. The amount of merchandise I sold and the feedback after the gig was fantastic considering at first i thought i was going to find it hard to make a connection.

Terry's set was understandably more subdued tonight as preservation of his voice was omnipotent but he handled his set with grace interacting with the audience in a friendly way and telling anecdotes. At first I really worried for him but he got through and did well considering what must have been hurting him quite considerably. The crowd seemed to be on his side though and a particularly lovely rendition of 'don't worry baby' and 'dont let the sun catch you crying' made the crowd fall pin-drop silent. It was kind of Camp Fire Terry Reid tonight and i thought he did fantastically well and his whispers took on a more experienced melancholic tone. For people who feel they missed out on his usual foghorn volume tones should come to The Borderline on Thursday and Friday, but it was still a special gig tonight.

Looking forward to the two final dates in London.....The Borderline/Finish Line

Heres the Ticket link for my Havant Spring Arts Centre gig on June 20th
http://www.thespring.co.uk/events/andrew-foster/

Stay Safe
Andy x

PERSONAL LEGEND
Mastered by Pete Maher
(U2, Beady Eye)

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)