Matthews end of year blog.

Well 2015 has been a busy and productive year for me. 

I released 2 solo albums this year, one my third album of improvised music ‘Valentine 3’ that was recorded at the Phoenix in Exeter this was then followed up by a compilation album called ‘Singles and Sessions’ where I compiled all the digital only material to a full length CD album. In between these two albums I released 2 singles ‘When you cry’ and ‘I See You’ described by the BBC as ‘Love it, Love it, Love it’.


Most of my musical year has been taken up with performing with the Mike Westbrook band. The piece we have been performing ‘A Bigger Show’ started out last year, though it has many refinements and tweaks since then including one additional song. Later in the year we had the good fortune to record this album live with producer Jon Hiseman. Since then the live shows have been getting better and better and I do hope that we travel further afield in 2016. 

I did hope that to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the début All Living Fear album that we might have had a one off reunion, and though we were offered a show not everyone wanted to do it, I think its safe to say now that there will never be any more All Living Fear shows of any description, Though in 2016 we may well have a couple one off Corrosion gigs. 

Later in the year I started going to a few Jam nights with some friends at the Sorry Head pub in Exeter, out of this I have put together a trio, this is the first time that I have ever had a band under my own name, I have initially called it ‘Matthew North’s Pathfinder’ as while driving to Exeter I drove past Pathfinder Village and the name stuck. With myself Richard Maydon on Bass and Matt Bacon on Drums we will be playing our first gig proper in London on the 24th January. Very much a work in progress but if it works out there will be more. 

I have played a fair number of solo shows in 2015 one of the most enjoyable gigs was at the Looe Music festival, I was performing in a small bar, and at the start of the gig it was empty and at the end of my 2 hour set it was full. One great thing about playing a long set is the chance to improvise and experiment a bit as a creative musician that something the best thing especially if the audience enjoy what you are doing. 


The final thing is my musical moments of 2015 is that after best part of 4 years there is now a finished Secrets For September album. We decided to have a go with Crowdfunding and I had real reservations about it but I needn’t have worried as within a month we had hit our target to press a CD and it will be out early next year. You can still pre order it here http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/secretsforseptember you can even have your name on the CD sleeve.

Well here is looking forward to more exciting musical adventures in 2016 and if you do not subscribe to my newsletter here is some best of's 2015. 

Albums of note  
David Gilmour - Rattle that Lock (the song 'In Any Tongue' one of his very best) 
Lana Del Ray - Honeymoon 
Roger Waters - The Wall Soundtrack (and Blu Ray) 
Martin Turner - Written in the Stars 

Re Issues 
The Beatles 1 - Lovely new Mix's of songs like Paperback Writer and the Blu Ray has loads of cracking stuff on it. 
Courtyard Music Group - Just our way of saying hello 
Rolling Stones - From the Vaults Marquee 71 
Roger Waters - Amused to Death 
Curtis Knight Feat Jimi Hendrix - You cant use my name 

Singles 
Ringo Star - Postcards from Paradise 
The Darkness - Open Fire 

Best gigs of 2015 
Fish at Cropredy 
Crosby Stills and Nash in Cardiff 
David Gilmour in Brighton and the Albert Hall 
Yardbirds at 100 Club 
 Colosseum & Malcolm Bruce - London 
Jerry Lee Lewis - London 
King Crimson - Cardiff 
Tom Bailey (and most of the other acts) - Lets Rock Exeter 

Best Films 
Star Wars 
James Bond 
Whiplash 

Best TV 
Nashville 
Top of the Pops 1980!