One of the things I love about being a freelance artist is the variety of the work. You never know what is round the corner. New things bring new experiences. Here are 9 things that surprised me in 2024
1. I made a sound collage
On a project called Moments of Joy, I found myself working in an older people's housing complex, alongside artists skilled in glass making, ceramics, storytelling and dance. The residents came up with the theme of the sea and people shared some glorious memories of times spent by the sea.
I ended up writing quite a few songs with the participants, but I struggled to find any performers amongst them so ended up singing the songs myself. This didn’t quite capture the energy of the sessions, so I tried something new. I put together a sound collage, taking snippets of conversations, impromptu singsongs and sound samples of the seaside itself. This was a new area of work for me and I think the finished piece is quite effective.
2. I gigged in some unusual places
25 years ago almost all my gigs were in dedicated music venues or rooms above pubs. These days I play where I’m asked and that often throws up some interesting and unusual spaces.
There was a strong ‘sports’ theme in 2024. Playing Strummercamp in the clubhouse of Oldham Rugby Club, a pre-match gig at FC United’s stadium in Manchester, I even got to play at the HQ of English Football – St.George’s Park - down near Burton-on-Trent.
I played several Community Centres and twice in Manchester Central Library. There were quite a several churches including Derby Cathedral. For my friend Sean’s 50th I sang at the HQ of Cambridge Audio in London. I also played at a conference centre near Euston for the AGM of my old employer – the charity Carers UK.
Hard to pick a favourite but you can’t beat an abandoned 18th century chapel in the Peak District. I don’t normally do gigs where we have to meet the audience in a car park and then walk them a mile through the woods and over styles to get to the venue.
3. I wrote songs with a theatre company
This year an invite came out of the blue from Dash Arts. They’d been developing a script called My Public House, working in collaboration with communities across England. For 3 days I got to be part of a team of skilled actors who were running through and developing the script.
They needed a couple of songs and my job was to help the cast turn words into songs and for those songs to become part of the performance. On Day 3 we performed a run through in front of an invited audience of theatre commissioners. I absolutely loved this work – getting an insight into just how much time, effort (and money) is needed to make theatre happen.
4. I went to a conference about the therapeutic power of songwriting
It was a real pleasure to attend this conference - Saved by a Song - and find out there is a whole world of people using songwriting to benefit others. A wide range of songwriters spoke about their work in all kinds of settings. Key note speaker was Mary Gauthier. If you’ve not read her book Saved by a Song, I heartily recommend it.
I learned a lot from the day but also reflected on my own practice. I came away feeling less alone and reassured that I was doing an OK job.
5. I went on tour (a very small one)
In September I got to play a string of dates with my friends Huw and Emma as The Low Drift. This is the project where we write songs about landscape. For these shows we decided to try and play in beautiful spaces. We ended up playing in churches, a gorgeous community hall and a tiny craft workshop. Audiences were small but perfectly formed, in the region of 30 to 40 people. The gigs were really something special.
I love singing with Huw and Emma, the blend of our three voices really affects me. I also got the chance to play keyboards on stage, another push out of my comfort zone. We loved it so much we're planning to do it again next September so keep an eye out for those dates
6. I had a Musicians MOT (on me, not my car)
In October I was really lucky to get a place on a week long residential retreat run by the charity Brittain/Pears foundation. Described as a Musicians MOT it was aimed at musicians who work in challenging settings, giving them a chance to reflect and reset.
We stayed in a beautiful house at Snape Maltings on the Suffolk coast. What really made the experience so special was the other six musicians. They came with a wide range of skills and musical backgrounds but we found common ground over our work in settings such as prisons, hospitals, care homes etc I came away with a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities I've had as an artist and musician. A truly inspiring experience.
7. I used sound samples on stage
Hip-Hop artists have been using samples since the 1980s. Me? I’m an old-school acoustic troubadour so I never thought it was a technology I’d have to get to grips with. But in 2024 I did. Thanks to a grant from the Arts Council I was able to put together a show that used samples of the voices of people I’ve co-written songs with.
I've often thought about performing the community co-written songs that I create in my day job. But I wanted to make sure my co-creators were also present and involved and that just isn’t possible in the real world.
But by using samples of their voices I was able to involve them ‘virtually’ in the performance. I was able to have my co-writers sing along with me as a virtual duet. It’s early days but I'm very encouraged by the reaction to this show and I'm looking for new ways to present this kind of work in the future.
8. I wrote a protest song with a foodbank
One of my big projects this year has been ‘21st century protest songs’ - an audio residency commissioned by the arts organisation Super Slow Way. I worked with communities in Blackburn to write songs that reflected the issues that they were facing.
One of the sessions I enjoyed was working with volunteers at a food bank. Many of the volunteers had used the food bank themselves in tough times and wanted to give something back. There was a strong feeling that food banks shouldn't really exist in a wealthy country like ours as there is ‘More than Enough’. That became the song title. Everyone involved in writing the song stepped up to perform it live. Give it a listen, it’s very special.
9. I was reunited with my original guitar I’d owned back in the 1980s.
Of all the things I wasn’t expecting, this was something I didn’t even think was possible. It’s still hard to process.
This Fender Telecaster came into my life in1987 when I was about 17 and completely obsessed with music. After years of playing ‘copy’ guitars I can’t tell you how it felt to finally own a decent one. Sometime around 1990 I decided to sell it and buy an acoustic guitar. I always wished I’d never sold it.
Fast forward 34 years and my nephew Jono found it. Still owned by the person I’d sold it to! (Jono is one of the UK’s best vintage guitar and amp dealers) Our Christmas was in early January as I’d had Covid. I can’t tell you how shocked I was when Jono and Annie presented me with that present. I was so emotional and overwhelmed by their generosity. It felt so good to have that guitar back.
You never know what’s around the corner.