EPISODE 1 | NOVEMBER NEWS

HOW I WROTE ‘NINETY NINE’

WHICH MEMBER OF LAND OF THE GIANTS SOILED HIMSELF

DO YOU LIKE CHEESE?
...WELL YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE MY CHRISTMAS BANGER!

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Andy Quick Music · November Bloggy Blog

Well now, here we are, November 2021, still rolling through space on an enormous, wet rock.
Chasing a sun that will never slow down, in a universe that will never end.
The great theatre we call LIFE continues its magnificent and merciless sell out show.
With a cast of over 7 billion humans and a trillion animals, each one as mad as the next,
Is it any wonder the lonely moon can’t take her eyes off us ?

And while all that’s going on, in my own personal little cosmos, I’m getting wound up cause I need to re shoot part of an expensive music vid tomorrow and Ive shaved too much hair off my face so it won’t match up. Maybe its time for a cup of tea (and a cry?)

The music vid is for a tune I wrote this year called “Ninety Nine” In what has been a dramatic and creative time for me its by far the best thing that’s come my way. It’s more than just a song to me, it’s an antidote to a world of shit I was creating for myself.  

It appeared one day in spring, I had a hell of a lot of personal shite on my little mind, preparing to move house wasn’t helping, whilst also trying and failing to get my work done, to keep my ship afloat and keep the wolves from the door ( I have a few that visit me) feeling intensely stressed, conflicted, polarised, and with my breathing restricted. Not exactly hopeless but running on fumes.

When I tried to look outside myself for a bit of a breather, all I could recognise everywhere I looked was conflict, polarised opinions and restrictions. …stress everywhere! Looking back I’d clearly reached breaking point that day.

In a bit of a state I picked up my guitar and just started smashing it. God knows why but it was down-tuned to C (ask any guitarist, that’s quite unusual) but as I hit the bugger it actually sounded great, kinda like a sitar. I found myself shouting things out rhythmically and frantically like a commentator at a horse race, barking out do’s and don’ts, hating every minute of it but lost in a rage. By the time I dropped it to the minor chord I was practically crying and desperate for a relief from my own brain. I think there is something primal about the sound of the word ‘nine’ at least my subconscious does cause I shouted it over and over again before I had any idea what I was saying. “Ninety nine point nine, nine , nine , nine percent of the time I get by, but I need some help sometimes” I loved that chorus straight away and more than any other song I’ve written it just summed up perfectly and immediately my emotional state and mindset - ‘I’m trying my best here, just give me some help, give me a fucking break’.

I spent the rest of the day writing the words, determined to get it all done there and then. I remember feeling a LOT better after that. 

No one else outside of the band has heard this. It’s lovely and raw and potent, buzzing with potential, like a young stadium anthem taking its first steps. 

Have a listen to this exclusive demo of the tune:

SOUNDCLOUD.COM

'NINETY NINE' LYRICS
C.   Am   B

Don’t stop. Don’t stare, Don’t cross there, Do not disturb
Do not exceed the stated dose, Don’t repeat what you’ve heard
Sit up sit down, Don’t question why, Don’t die without first living.
Don’t question why
Don’t question why

Stand Up. Act Up. Don’t dance. No Hugs. No shaking hands.
Don’t rush. Make love. Don’t f**k too hard but definitely harder.
Don’t make a mess, drink to excess. Don’t smoke. Don’t swear. No fighting.
Do not resist arrest.

99.9999% of the time I get by but I need some help sometimes.

Don’t get fat. You’re getting thin. No wheat. No meat. Dietary fibre get it in.
Get it in moderation. But taste the rainbow.
Walk. Don’t walk. Don’t run, you’re late again!

Don’t waste your time or mine. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t lie. Don’t touch. Don’t be a stranger.
Don’t stoop that low. Don’t let go. Don’t get too close. Don’t get too high.
Do or do not there is no try. Keep the kids alive.

99.9999% of the time I get by but I need some help sometimes.

Don’t stop. Don’t stare, Don’t cross there, Do not disturb
Do not exceed the stated dose, Remember what you’ve heard.
Do not pee in the pool. Watch your Ps and Qs. Keep the kids alive.Keep the kids alive.

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Anyway I started thinking I could sell this song to a publisher as, let’s face it, this is the way billions of people have felt on a global scale this last couple of years so it could be massive. But when it comes down to it I do bloody love the song and so did my band mates when I played it to them. And they’ve made it sound mega so bollocks to it, its ours!

We’ve ended up producing it ourselves as a full blown studio record. Did the drums and the vocals at Cube Studios in Cornwall and recorded everything else ourselves with our own microphones and ears. This is a first for me and I am feeling secretly quite proud of it. The song is set to be released in the new year with a very professional little DIY music vid, albeit with a bit of a continuity fail in that one scene where I go from beardy to bald and back to beardy.

So what else is happening at the mo?

Still recovering from El Covid. 3 months on its the gift that keeps giving! Just when you think you’ve coughed it all up there’s always a little bit more the next day.

Ok too graphic…I'm sorry!

Seriously though in the words of the heroic Sean Bean It’s been a right bastard! Its so hard on the lungs and I am getting a bit sick of it now. I can only hope that when it does finally feck off I will have a new appreciation for my nice clean lungs and my nice clear voice. If anybody out there has a remedy for this, bring it on I say…..

What else, yes Ive been mostly trying to sort out my acts!, This year I'm playing SOLO, as a sweet acoustic DUO with Josie, as a power TRIO with Josie and New drummer Ric (he’s a beast by the way) and anything up to a 6 piece band with our guests collaborators. We did this big 12 legged show recently at The Great Estate in kernow and at times it was absolutely epic! 
So with all these different line ups the songs require regular tweaking. Well call me Dr Tweakenstein cause by thunder I have been tweaking like you wouldn’t believe lately. Respect to my awesome band mates though who are happy putting up with a registered tweaker such as myself. And all the acts are starting to flow again nicely I'm happy to tell ya.

How are 'Land of the Giants'?

I met up with the boys a couple of weeks ago to do a “songwriting weekend” which ended up being one day and a night. Yes we did make some good music, the boys are proper hard grafters in the writing department but we spent the majority of the day having running races  with each other and drinking lambs navy rum, then spent the evening munching mushrooms in Millbrook till one of the lads was sick all over the accommodation we were staying in and another of the lads, and I’m naming no names here, had an accident in his pants. So yeah, that’s how we are, thanks for asking.

What Else?

Don’t laugh but I’ve written a Christmas song.

I am fully repelled by anything cheesy so this is a bit of a tricky area for me, I have to admit when I play this song to myself I am a little sick in my mouth. There is a slight flicker on the cheese-o-meter. I can’t give you any guarantees that when you hear this you won’t feel slightly nauseous too, then pity me and my life choices.  But I am going to bring it out anyway this Christmas so you are just going to have to get used to it like you have with all the other contrived, formulaic Christmas bollocks they pump out year on year from the 1st November
(yes they were playing Christmas hits in Wilco’s today I shit thee not)

Anyway I'm going to record it and I'm going to release it and any money that gets made is going directly to a very worthy charitable cause ( To Be Announced Soon ) My reasons for the charity stuff are threefold,
A) we get to help someone worse off than us ( that’s what its all about no?)
B) me and my band mates will feel most excellent about ourselves as we strut into 2022 brushing off the disappointing sad sack that was 2021
C) most importantly, as a charity record I feel it will provide a much needed protective shield from the critics and the cheese slingers who would love to shoot me down for bringing out a song called “Good Job It’s Christmas”

What’s next then?

Making the vid, recording lots, doing gigs, making it to Crimbo.

Land of the Giants playing in Truro (16.11.21) and we're gonna film that gig : )

I’m especially looking forward to a couple of support slots this month, Will and The People (great band) at the junction in Plymouth and then the Dub Pistols at Exeter Phoenix.

Both in the same week. Cant bloody wait for these.

OK; I think that’s all for now, feel free to check out some more of my stuff at www.andyquickmusic.com
...and of course www.landofthegiants.live

Have a tremendous November!

Big Love, Andy x