‘Ed Sheeran asked us for work experience then drank all our beer’: Nizlopi on making JCB Song
‘We’d get big, rugby-playing men coming up to us in tears and saying “I miss my dad” – or “I love my dad and I’ve never told him”’
Luke Concannon, singer
John and I started writing songs together when we were 13. After we finished at university, we both moved back in with our parents in the Midlands and started writing an album. One day I went downstairs and my dad was cooking. I said: “What should I write a song about?” And he was like: “I don’t know. Diggers.” He drove a Massey Ferguson digger in his own father’s groundworks company and would pick me up from school in it straight from a job. One kid a couple of years older than me at school would often pummel me, and my dad always felt so warm, loving and safe by contrast. The two worlds were a massive juxtaposition. I went upstairs and 90 minutes later more or less had the song exactly as it was recorded.
Well, I don’t want to come across as one of those luddite-whingeing-indie-music-types but the short answer is I wanted to share with you a Facebook posting from John Parker (musician extraordinaire, bassist, beat-boxer, guitarist par excellence and all round good human being) who recently shared his experience of trying to keep working in a music industry that is broken. I think JP’s situation and his FB declaration typify what it’s like to be a working musician in the digital age – an age that promised so much but delivers very little in return for the working musician, unless you’re Elton John or Paul McCartney. We’ve never had greater access to so much amazing music but rarely have such world-class music-makers had to choose between earning money as a gardener or barely scraping a living (or going into debt) to do what they love.
[*More info at the bottom of this blog on streaming and artists’ pay.*]
Welcome to this months blog post.
Here is a short extract from the forthcoming book ‘A Hero’s Journey Through the Music Industry’ on how Nizlopi embraced House Concerts through the UK House Concert network and how important it was in the band’s early development and understanding of how to create a rapport with their audience.
The Weaponless Secret, (and problematic pronouns).
During his time studying in Brighton, Luke discovers the Healthy Concert or House Concert network (not nearly as boring as it sounds), and more commonly referred to as ‘Gigs in Digs’. The idea is beautifully simple and in recent years has been picked up by some of the smarter record labels as a way of developing certain, younger ‘fledgling’ acts, giving them the chance to play in more intimate surroundings where they have a chance to develop their craft and learn how to build a rapport with an audience. This is how it works. Create or join a network of like-minded people who want to attend or host gigs in people’s homes. Alcohol is not always a fixture and if you do bring a bottle you are “invited to share it with the other guests”. Its not that the house concert crowd are puritanical or anything (far from it) but setting some guidelines around booze can prevent it being seen as a “piss-up at my mates place with some geezers playing guitar, innit”. You don’t have to live in a Palace, even a bed-sit will do – and more often has! Bring in interesting and talented artists of all kinds with one aim, you all have a great time, et viola, you have a house concert. It really is that simple.
Another little story and excerpt from the book this month. Have been in lockdown hiatus for a while but just beginning to move into the search for a publisher phase as the book nears completion. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I hope everyone is staying safe and well during the Covid 19 crisis. Take care of each other people.
A couple of years ago Luke related this story to me in one of our transatlantic catch-up conversations.
The Boys in town.
Ed Sheeran is on the USA leg of a world tour. He is playing Boston so Luke suggests they get together for a catch-up and a writing day whilst he’s in town. Ed arrives at Luke’s place in Arlington. They do the usual greeting stuff and Luke sets about making the tea (the creative elixir of all great songwriters). Ed is making himself at home when he spies Luke’s guitar case on the floor in the corner. In a fit of enthusiasm, Ed grabs the case, spins around to put it on the sofa, and, midway to its destination, it becomes apparent the guitar case is not closed properly and…the contents of the case scutters across the wooden floor to come to rest with a bang against a wall on the other side of the room…in two pieces!
