It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (?????) I think so...

Okay, so basically my favourite day of the year is Halloween, I love it!  The wild nights, the crazy costumes, the free candy, I can't get enough of Halloween.  From Halloween to Christmas it's good times a-go-go!  The hols in fall and winter are pretty good.

In the UK there is Guy Fawkes night, which is kind of mental.  Children burn scarecrows on bonfires and people blow stuff up to commemorate Guy Fawkes' failed attempt and blowing up Parliament in 1605.  What an odd thing to celebrate, right?  But it's pretty and it's a good excuse to drink hot chocolate on Primrose Hill watching the fireworks over London town.

Thanksgiving, being an American in London, I tend to miss out on.  It seems like the universe doesn't want me to have Thanksgiving, because every year I have a gig that I am either playing or I must attend for social obligation (you know how it is, being a girl about town and all).  This year I was at the Father John Misty gig, delivering a special loaf of banana bread.

And so it's been YEARS since I've had a Tofurkey... and did you know the UK doesn't do pumpkin as a sweet thing?  They do pumpkin curry and pumpkin soup, but pie = no way José, unless it's a pie with goat's cheese and potato and pumpkin.

So I get the yearning for sweet pumpkin pie.  It means scouring the American section of the food hall in Selfridges to buy a can of pumpkin (have you ever tried to make pumpkin pie with a real pumpkin?  It ain't so good).

And that little jaunt to the food hall on Oxford Street can fulfil me when I feel homesick...that and Selfridge's ample supply of Jif peanut butter, which is a whopping £4 a jar = that's like $6.50.  I justify this expense because I would happily spend that much on a glass of wine in a bar, so why not spend that much on many pieces of wonderful breakfast toast?

I digress... so Christmas is coming.  I like Christmas, but thinking back, Christmas really stopped being a big deal after my parents split and when I was a teenager, I usually spent Christmas like a waif/stray at friends' parents' houses.  Thinking back that's kind of odd.  But I guess my mom wasn't much of a cook, and the lovely Robinson family, who Mom tended to spend Christmas with, well... they put bacon fat in EVERYTHING.  As a vegetarian it meant only eating pumpkin pie on Christmas day.  Which is kind of nice, but every now and then a girl wants some stuffing or green beans, right?

Once my mom took me to a Polynesian restaurant out by the airport, because it was one of the only places that was open in Kansas City on Christmas day.  I have really fond memories of this exotic Christmas dinner.  The tiki lounge feel of the place suited my inner spirit, which is kitsch through and through.  The pineapple in everything baffled my Kansas palette but it was something of an experience.  Don Ho's 'Tiny Bubbles' infiltrated the atmosphere, and then we went to see a movie.  It was something like Home Alone 2.  It might not be the traditional Christmas that people think about, but I'll always remember it well.

And this brings me to now.  This year, I am spending Christmas in the Oxfordshire countryside and it's a sparkling, traditional, family Christmas that I am lucky enough to be a part of.  The nights are very long in England this time of year (it's dark by 3:45 these days) and it's very and damp (because we are an island the wind is wet and stings).  So cosying up with a hot toddy and a game of Jenga is just what's needed to evoke true Christmas spirit.

Now all I gotta do is survive Christmas party season!  Wish me luck, and godspeed to you too dear reader.
xx
Piney

Chelsea Boots Girl

If you know a little about me... then you'll know that I am stuck in the 60s.

I don't know why, because I wasn't alive in the 60s, my parents never talked about the 60s and I'm not one of those people that seeks out LSD and free love.  I do not own anything tie-died.  There are still hippies everywhere, especially in California and Northeast London... but it's fun to dabble with hippy stuff sometimes; i.e. I am wearing 2 crystals today and a Mary Quant-style dress with lashings of eyeliner.  That's pretty 60's right?

I've been known to drink a Cherry B or Baby Cham purely for the kitsch packaging.  It's so sickly sweet, but I feel cool holding the bottle so I sip it slow. *footnote*

And I just love 60s clothes, man... I love them.  I collect them.  My bedroom is more like a giant closet with a bed in it, than a bedroom with some clothes in it.  I guess vintage fashion is my hobby and I have taken that hobby to an extreme.  I justify it with, "well I can always wear it on stage" and I do.

Last night, I was delighted to be on the Father John Misty guest list.  I felt like such a a jammy hipster, and it was a good gig.  Anyhoo... a hot London gig requires a good outfit and my black dress needed blood-red, velvet Chelsea Boots, natch!  But here's the catch, in London, in November, IT RAINS!  and I mean, it really rains, like a cold monsoon.  You'd think having left Kansas and lived here for 14 years now, I might have thought of that before leaving the house.  The thing about velvet shoes and rain, is that your feet get totally soaked, they are more of a glorified sock.  And so I've learned my lesson, the boots are on the radiator and I am hopeful they are not ruined.  I have nobody to blame but myself (and perhaps God for making it rain).

Chelsea (home of the Chelsea boot) ain't what it used to be.  Apparently in the 60's it was a real epicentre for music, fashion, cafe culture and general cool cats & beatniks.  Now Chelsea is full of rich people, Starbucks, and overpriced boutiques aimed at yummy mummies and retired media lovies.  Property values may be high, but if you ask me... there goes the neighbourhood!  Times They are A Changin' and there's no point fighting that.

I am trying to figure out why I'm obsessed with an era that is so distant from me.  Why do I feel this passion for a time that I have never known?  Why do I cling to a nostalgia that I have only experienced second hand?

I think it might have something to do with the fact I discovered secular music late in life, so when the rock 'n' roll flood gates were opened I soaked it all up like a sponge and took great fascination with the past.  I wanted to learn what made music what it is, the past that shapes the future.  There will never be another time like the 60's when it comes to music.  So I revere it, I respect it, and I feel a little sad I missed out.  I live vicariously through music, art and fashion.

I guess there is a sort of freedom in the fact that in the 60's there was this fun sonic playground that nobody had discovered before... such an exciting time with the invention of the Mellotron, synths, overdriven guitars, the notion that you can use the studio as an instrument, manipulating sounds and atmosphere.  Some classical composers played with this idea, people like Cage and Stockhausen, but pop pioneers like Phil Spector, The Beatles, The Stones, The Beach Boys, made it mainstream and we've never looked back.  Modern bands like Radiohead and Flaming Lips would not be what they are today if peeps in the 60's hadn't pushed the envelope waves.

So what better way to love you and leave you than with a song... a song by a band that inspire me a lot.  They capture that edgy, dangerous thing that the 60's represented, untapped rebellion with an icy, cool sheen.  Enjoy Velvet Underground, I love this song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuM3SteeAgY

xx
Piney

* it's probably not 'cool' to admit that something makes you feel cool *

Sugarman...

I am currently obsessed with this album!  Cold Fact by Rodriguez.
 
I know, I'm a late bloomer... y'all were telling me to see 'Searching for Sugarman' back when it came out last spring.   But I'm a busy girl and barely ever find 2 hours to sit still.  So I finally got round to seeing the movie a couple of weeks ago, in Pasadena, at a cute little art house cinema (with dollar popcorn, I might add!)

I have to say, this film spoke to me by the buckets.  Tears they did fly, but not sad tears, happy ones.  How joyous to see someone like Rodriguez who has fulfilled his destiny after long last and great patience.  He is unspoiled by his success, he is unaffected by his newfound fame.

Rodriguez, I salute you!  And I cannot wait to see you later.  I'm baking you a Sugarman cake as we speak...

xx
Piney

For those of you who like to know... I have just complete demo number 16 for the next Piney album, how exciting is that?!~!?

I have to say though, the last song I just finished (like just now, i.e. just this minute I finished it) sounds pretty goth.  I can't say I've ever written anything like it (well I guess Creature from Peakahokahoo was a little bit goth/Fad Gadget inspired)... but this new track is a lot more Tim Burtonesque, not so synth pop.

I think I blame the chronic grey skies here in England, today is particularly Sweeney Todd don't you think (Englanders, I'm talking to you!)?  Also, Katrin Schla is coming over later to watch a vampire movie with me, I've been looking forward to that all day!  We might have to get really garlic-laced pizza so we don't get attacked in the night.  I will sleep in my rosary beads with crucifix in tow.

I'd defo say the whole album is not goth, in fact it's just the one song (well and there is another one about a ghost of a mouse, but it's quite cheery really, that one).  Maybe it's too weird to even include on the album...  But people like weird stuff sometimes right?  Diamanda Galas has a whole career based on her weird and wonderful voice.  

Robert Smith is in one of my favourite bands, and he's done well out the goth persona.  One thing I'd say about The Cure though is if you didn't know what Robert Smith looked like, they wouldn't be a 'goth' band.  I mean their songs are pure pop!  Boys Don't Cry and Friday I'm in Love are some of the best pop songs ever written... put Robert in front of 'em and they get bracketed as a 'goth' band. 

But I've never been a fan of pigeon holes...  xx

Piney

Here's Looking At You: Hollywood Style

For those of you following our LA chronicles, this week features our good times had with the lovely Josh and Aurora... Josh directed the Here's Looking At You video (which is being edited in the other room as I type this) and Aurora sort of produced the video, or at least she helped scout locations, herd the boys around, give us fun facts about the neighbourhood (Old Hollywood) and generally kept our morale up when the sun was at its hottest!  Not only are J & A great friends and lovely ambassadors for LA, but they also do this cool blog/podcast, The Weekly Dictator, see?  Get your humorous history fix here!  http://weeklydictator.com

The sunglasses are to hide the tears..

Growler and Garo get emotional at Hard Rock when they spot Axl's jacket and Izzy's guitar...





So after a long day of shooting (and I have to say it was a long day!)  We whole-heartedly deserved this megarita!

It was soooooo hot, like the desert!  And while the boys watched football in an English-themed pub (yes really?!) I was out defacing stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, posing in front of old cinemas and standing by signs on street corners.

I did have a moment of reflection in Amoeba Records and was delighted to discover The Betty Page Store.  So as hard work goes, it sure wasn't bad.

There are a few more photos here if you want to check 'em out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88986055@N00/sets/72157631320703138/

Keep an eye out for the finished video and the next blog, coming soon!
Cheerio....
xx
Piney

Beach House

So for those of you following our LA chronicles we stayed in a little Beach House near Venice Beach, what a luxury that was!  Okay so the Whole Foods girl said our neighbourhood was 'ghetto' but we didn't mind.  I mean, how 'ghetto' can a place be if there is a Whole Foods nearby, right?

As you can see in this loved up photo of Growler and Garo the sky is actually grey (I know, in LA!??!?), apparently this is what they call 'June Gloom' where it's a bit overcast until noon or so.  This didn't phase the Brits though, and they ran into the bracing cold sea (crazy boys!)

Mitchy burned really badly on day one and so here he's hiding from El Scorchio...

I was really delighted to see where they filmed 'White Men Can't Jump' and yes, there really were people playing basketball, isn't that cool?

It doesn't take too much to please me I guess.

There are more beach photos here if anyone wants to see Garo and Growler strip down to their pants, Growler giving Mitchy a massage, Jonesy looking pensive-like at the sea, Heather with 2 heads, or a special guest appearance from Y...

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/88986055@N00/sets/72157631209190388

xxx
Piney

The Grand Ol' Echo

So we did our first gig in LA at The Grand Ol' Echo which is famous for it's fabulous West Coast, So-Cal country music scene.  We did a few old school Piney Gir Country Roadshow numbers to please the country-loving crowd, but even the more jangle-pop stuff like 'Would You Be There' went down well.  I was so proud of us!  And what a darn friendly crowd they were... If I lived in LA, I'd go there every week.  I would have to stock up on pointy boots and plaid frocks, but that would be no bad thing.

 Mitchell was so sleepy from his trans-Atlantic flight that he had a little nap at soundcheck... at this moment when the photo was taken, the other band on the bill was playing some alt country at a loud level and I don't know how he managed to sleep.  I guess jet-lag moves in powerful and mysterious ways....

Here we are rocking on stage at the Echo, good times! 

If you want to see more Grand Ol' Echo pics, you can do!  Just follow this link for vicarious fun  : )

Maybe you can all come with me next time...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88986055@N00/sets/72157631064400404/

xx
P
p.s. if you check the flickr set, keep your eyes peeled for Garo who was nearly eaten by a big Rock Lobster... we were nearly down a guitar player on day 1!