A Little Bit Of Country

I thought I got country music out of my system with Maureen McCormicks (aka Marcia Brady) "When You Get A Little Lonely" CD many years back and now I discover Christian Kane (aka Lindsey from Angel) has a band and it's good, oh dear....

Don't laugh, "When You Get A Little Lonely" was one of the only things that could get me out of bed and off to the crappy day job I had at Kmart all those years ago when I was just a teenager, yes I worked at Kmart!, we all gotta start somewhere.

I have a half finished country song sitting some place, only has a chorus and a bridge but it's pretty good, anyone wanna crack at it? LOL :P

Current Music: The House Rules by Kane
Current Obsession: myspace music

On Waking

wake up from hell
dragging loss of life
into the kitchen
feed the cat
brushing pound cakes and
naked breasts out of my head

turn on the computer
dream the email
spill yesterdays coffee refill
onto my socketts

looking like a cave woman
let the cat out
cover my face
bah! who cares

Getting Out Where The People Are

Today I am very pleased with myself...

The tour is coming along nicely, my photography is coming out well, who would have known eh? And I started to write a new song, it's been sooooo long since I have been able to put music to words. I have been writing a lot of words, they have been pouring out but the music has been a bit of a struggle up until now.

I do however need to get out and do some stuff, meet some people, stir some trouble up or something. I am a semi hermit. A semi hermit that doesn't know that many people in this city. Anyone having a party or going out dancing?!? ;P

Current Mood: funky
Current Music: Disco!
Current Obsession: marmite on brown toast with nutritional yeast flakes, mmm

Sleep When I'm Dead

So yes I am touring Canada again in the summer with most of the lovely new band that still doesn't have a name. There are a few dates booked so far, check them out on the gigs page on the site. Ideas for a band name are very welcome, I am stumped!

The Album:

Yes I know, it's taking far too long but these things happen, but I promise things are slowly moving onward. I am going to be recording a couple of tracks with friend and fellow musician Dean Wolfe at his home studio in the next few months and am going to be recording "Friday Morning Lullabies" with Sahra on harp sometime soon as well when we can get together. I am also looking for another studio to record a couple of the bigger, more demanding songs in Toronto and elsewhere.

Oooh and I would love to have Danny Michel work on a couple of tracks, playing, producing etc? Do you think I could afford him? And yeah I have a bit of a crush.
Bloody Canadian Men!

Current Food: Popcorn
Current Obsession: Danny Michel

New Band New Band New Band

So I have been lucky enough to find nearly everyone for the new band including the following talented musicians;

Anjuli Dawn - guitar/bouziuki/vocals
Monique Giroux - viola/violin
Aurora Bangarth - percussion/kit/marimba if we can find one for her :)
Sarah Nematallah & Liana Berube - sharing violin duties
Lindsay Kotowich-Downes - trumpet

I am meeting with some pianists and cellists over the next week so wish me luck.

Oooh this summer is going to be so much fun!

Current Music: Francoiz Breut
Current Obsession: Saskatchewan

Untitled, Unfinished

Can you remember when you were truly happy?
underneath all of this two ing and fro ing to be
the best, the best at what?
I am hurting, longing for simplicity.

Current Music: UNE SAISON VOLÉE by Francoiz Breut
Current Obsession: Dreams but not by my making

Everything, for a reason

What I am creating, it's important.
It's not something that can be done in days or even months.
To get it right one needs to have the correct ingredients, the right people, the right time, the longing and the need, wanting to do good, give and take.

It's something that the world needs in this time of darkness, fear and sadness.
It's all that I can give really, for now anyway.
I think I was put on this earth for this reason and want to help heal with others who feel the same, slowly they are starting to creep through the door but we are all so afraid of being hurt.

Time and faith eh?

:)


"in delight and in regret"

i can see out onto the street
from this shambles, pretty on the outside,
the snowflakes escaping into the apartment on beverly

but everyone is too busy to notice
the little ex patriate
filling up the day by spreading out the chores,
lonely fingers longing for a piano

big cities lose me
and I lost you
but I try not to dwell on mistakes,
we are both who we are, in delight and in regret

forget, forge ahead
i don't subscribe to this self pity

so let me loose
out into the wide open fields
smattered with canola
in the albertan air

let me go
i will close my eyes when you drive too fast
on the saskatchewan highways,
it won't hurt a bit
if it gets me where I need, to b.c

Current Music: animus & singing to the bones by the lovely wendy rule
Current Obsession: listening to demos people have sent me

Peculiar Thoughts

Wow, sitting still is really, really hard!

I have been conversing with many musicians about the supergroup I am putting together but I can't say anything yet until things are finalised but I can
promise you wonderful music, humour and talent beyond compare!

Last night I went crazy and baked lemon and almond cupcakes and chocolate chai cake, oh as well as mint lemonade. The homemaker in me went on a rampage and this morning I am paying the price after eating waaaay too much :)

I am currently reading the Poisonwood Bible and I am having the weirdest dreams including goats and boats and huge freeways and beaches??? I don't know what's going on.

Current Music: drive by bic runga & winter light by tim finn
Current Obsession: cooking desserts

Mmm Lemonade....

Last night we had a right ol cooking fest making carrot & couscous pie as well as raspberry mint lemonade and mint lemon iced green tea which were delicious!!!

I got the recipe for the pie from a zine called ripe by jae and changed it around a little bit.

The lemonade/tea was inspired by some recipes I saw on you grow girl, an awesome gardening site for every day people with some really neat stuff on it.

As you can see there wasn't much of the raspberry mint lemonade left but not to worry, I have two other jars full in the fridge.



Raspberry mint lemonade (makes around 2 litres)

4 lemons
1 punnet pureed raspberries
handful of mint leaves
1/3 cup - 1/2 cup sweetener (I used maple syrup)
ice cubes (5-10)
water (add to taste)


Puree raspberries then place in saucepan on low heat on the stove and add sweetener cooking for 2-5 mins.
Juice lemons then add juice, a few bits of pulp, mint leaves, raspberries, sweetener and ice cubes to pitcher and stir.
Then to finish add cold water to pitcher until full or until it tastes good.'

Leave overnight if possible to allow flavours to soak and mingle, mmmm.

* Word of warning, don't overdo the drinking as I had about 4 glasses last night and have a bit of a tummy ache now but it was worth it!

Current Music: Danny Michel, perfect on repeat
Current Mood: lazy
Current Obsession: cooking, eating, making stuff

What The Hell Is Wrong With Us?

The other night I went to see a documentary in Toronto called "The End of Suburbia" and it got my head spinning about the future of our planet.

What is going to happen when we run out of oil?
Reality now people! There will come a time when it will happen and that time will be soon if we keep using the resources we have as fast as we are today. We all know the real reason that George Dubbiyah sent troops to Iraq, so why aren't more people out there shit scared? I know I am.

So I ask myself;
are there enough people out there who care about the planet and our future to do something about this?

A recent vegetarian (just over 1.5 years) I have been slowly investigating how we really treat the planet and have been trying to change the way I live and do things so I don't take/use more than I need. Eventually I would like to be a sustainable individual, growing and making as much as I can and teaching what I know to others. I am re learning how to use books to write in, instead of the computer, learning how to make my own paper to make my own books, looking into natural therapies and re using, recycling as much as possible and so many other things.

Some questions for you;

How many things are using electricity in your house right now? Do you need more than one light on?
Do you know where your eggs come from and how the hens who lay them really live?
Do you really know what is going on in Iraq? I am the first to admit that I don't know as much as I would like but here are a few good places to start to educate yourself about what's going on around you;

peakoil.net
sleeping with the devil
newurbanism.org
alternet
downbound
freedocumentaries

Look out! I think something has switched on in my brain.

Current Music: danny michel & mia doi todd
Current Food: plum & walnut yogurt
Current Obsession: self education

Read Me

Hey I am soooo tired this morning.
I have been staying up into the wee hours of the morning over the past week doing silly things.

Exciting news; I am a featured writer for online magazine Mosaic Minds this month.
They have included 2 of my poems and one prose including Lavish, In Truth, Poem For Australia so check em out.

Apart from that I have a few other features coming up for my photography/writing in the coming months. Also you can now buy a couple of pieces of my photography work in the store.

Today I am heading north to look after someones dog for the two days.
Will be a nice change of scenery and I hear it's a lovely apartment block.

First I must drag myself to the shower and eat something...

It's a hard life :)

Productive Week

I spent a very productive last week writing, submitting artwork/writing to magazines as well as making contacts with new musicians. Some of my photographs and writing will be featured in online magazines Mosaic Minds and Empowerment 4 Women in Feb/March so be sure to check them out.

I made my first handmade card on the weekend and will be making my first recycled paper this week to add to future cards. I am hoping to add my photography and poetry to handmade gifts. I am also going to be taking a bookbinding workshop in a few weeks so I can put together my poetry/artbook "Hope Grows" all by myself with my own hands. I am sure it will be a very satisfying feeling once completed.

As you can see, the lovely Pamela has added some stuff to my website and there will be loads more in the coming month including photography available in the store.

Today is a lazy day, after the busy weekend.

This week I am looking into getting myself a decent electric piano to work on some new and old songs as well as something to record everything with as a lot of my belongings are still in Australia. I have been very lazy with the guitar practise but on the weekend I did have a bit of a break through on an old song that myself and others have had trouble playing over the years and somehow it just clicked and now I know how to do it. Sounds a bit silly doesn't it, since I write the songs but I am not the greatest at playing them the best they can be, with the best technique without mistakes but I will get there.

Pulled out some old self portait & other photos I forgot I took last year and will be adding them to the site as well soon.

:)

Current Music: Manzanita by Mia Doi Todd
Current Food: GoLean Crunch with Almond Breeze
Current Obsession: making handmade cards, poetry & fresh pineapple

Breath & Be Patient

I am learning something new.
"Patience" and how to believe in my ideas, and goals and not to settle for anything
less than what my songs and I deserve.

I learnt so much on the last tour...

What the piano can do for me and my songs.
Where my energies should be directed.
That things aren't always my fault.
That I miss having a band and cello and sisters in music.

So I leave behind that old skin; grumbling, appologising, fearing,
instead looking for other people to whom music is just as important as it is to me, to form partnerships and collaborations, to help each other, really help each other this time..and to help save the world with music.

Current Music: If I Sang It Pretty by treasa levasseur
Curren Mood: Open

Farewell England

I don't expect I shall be returning to England any time in the near future.
I feel that I have had my time there and am looking for other challenges in places
more suited to my music. That's something I discovered on this last tour.
Of course there are a few exceptions, you know where you are...

No more smoky pubs, drunken men leering.
Onward to a brighter, more confident future.

Thanks to Amy, Emily and Teresa for hitting the road with me.
We have some fond memories, and photos to prove it, so I will get them up on the bugbitten site in the links page in the next few weeks.

I am taking a break from performing and working on my guitar playing and songwriting.
I am looking for a guitar teacher and pianist and other musicians to put together a band again as it's lonely being the singer/songwriter/instigator.

10 Things That Tell You That Your Gig Is Really Going To Suck

10 Things That Tell You That Your Gig Is Really Going To Suck

1.There is a bad shirt contest
2.They are playing AC/DC and choir music before you start
3.The crowd is older than all of your bandmates put together
4.Before the show even starts the barman asks you to play "lively music"
5.The barman is wearing a skirt
6.The owner is pissed by the time you take the stage
7.The owner tells you he booked you without hearing your music
8.You have to explain the difference between original music and covers to an audience member.
9.There are pubic hairs in the shower of the room you are staying in
10.It's New Years Eve!

My First UK House Concert

My first house concert in the UK went smashingly last night accompanied by Amy, Emily and Teresa.

We drank mulled wine, ate mince tarts and had fun playing to the enthusiastic crowd.
After some of the stranger shows we have done on this tour, it was nice to play to a music loving crowd.

Here is a review by Healthy Concert organiser John Wadsworth;

"Great gig to warm the cockles on the eve of the Midwinter Solstice (fittingly rounded off by the line \'And the Sun will rise again\' in Emaline\'s song - Down this Road) Emaline kept promising us that her voice was going to fail her due to a sore throat, but happily it didn't and if she'd never have mentioned it, we'd never have known. Emaline has a quirky and interesting vocal style and gave an audacious performance, backed by three other musicians, including the superb pianist and singer-songwriter, Amy Seeley, who gave her own solo performance to kick the evening off. A great evening and thanks so much to Sarah and Kevin for hosting it in their fabulous living room. Over 50 people showed up!! Thanks guys! " - author John Wadsworth

Locked Doors, too many breasts and those lovely Germans

We spent an insane weekend driving through countries in europe getting to a new gig and place each day this past weekend.

Amsterdam was difficult as per usual. Was hoping it would all come together this time but things went wrong as they usually do, I guess at this time, Amsterdam and I are just not meant to be. The gig was ok, they seemed to love spank me man, I wonder why?!? but the next morning we got locked in a tiny stairwell in a tiny apartment of splindly stairs with a lady blaming us for breaking the door which we didn't do. Nearly had the car clamped and towed but made it to it in time to then drive down a one way street on the wrong side, down the wrong way. Oh the joy.

Onto lovely steyberg, magical, snow falling, giant flakes, getting lost as per usual but finding Lebengarten just in time for lovely soup and sandwiches before the show. what a lovely show, Amy got to play a real piano and the audience were sweet, one lady requesting Friday Morning Lullabies as an encore which was wonderful as it's pretty mellow and new and it's nice that people are responding well to something I didn't know would go down well.
Can't wait to go back sometime in the future.

The last show for the weekend was one at the LAB in Stuttgart where I have played before. Great audience as per usual, and a lovely man gave me Vashti Bunyans CD which is so weird cause I was thinking of getting it, Amy was given Mary Chapin Carpenter too. It's nice to be able to go back to a place in another country where people love your music and you are treated with respect, I look forward to it each time.

Tonight we played a crazy show at London's tiniest music venue The Betsey Trotwood which was loads of fun, and my sore throat which has been playing up all weekend held out for me. Fun crowd, spankers and all. Hope to go back again in the future.

Tomorrow we head off to Bradford On Avon for a show as part of Healthyconcerts.com which I am really looking forward to.

Oh and Nizlopi are number 1!!! So proud of you!
Run out and buy the single or check out their page on my links page to find out more.

Got to get some sleep and let my throat rest.

Nunight.

London Still

Here I am back at the old local net cafe in Stokey, London.
Things aren't breaking down every 5 seconds this time which is nice.

Spent an interesting week in the south west UK (Devon/Cornwall & Dorset), some shows were fun others not so much but what can you do?

Last night we played at the Moondog Loves You Xmas Factor and met some other cool musicians, ate some scones and did some spanking. Moondog shows are lots of fun to play and this one was no exception.

Tomorrow we head over to Amsterdam and Germany for the weekend and really looking forward to it as well as seeing some familiar faces in Stuttgart.

I am feeling a little bit tired today so I won't write much but I will say one thing.
It was lovely seeing Nizlopi on Top of the Pops on Sun night. We were playing at a pub in Paignton Devon and I blubbered as I was so happy and proud of them. For those of you who don't know them, we met at a London open mic back in 2002 and have since played many Moondog Shows together. If you haven't got your copy yet rush out and help the boys make it to number one this christmas.
www.nizlopi.com or www.myspace.com/nizlopi , don't try and link from this journal though as it won't work well, copy the link and paste into a new browser for it to work properly.

Exeter, Hospitality and Aussies

Played a lovely show at the North Bridge Inn last night in Exeter Devon, my favourite so far on the tour.

Before the show I spent a few hours wandering through the city, which reminded me a little of Melbourne and made me a bit homesick. The audience were wonderful, lots of artists and musicians including talented Australian guitarist/singer/songwriter Nuala, we chatted after the show and are going to keep in contact in the future. We played Spank Me Man twice at their request!!!

Eddie and Willow, the hosts were also lovely and this morning I sang Under The Apple Tree to the hamster as they said he never comes out except for music. Before I knew it his little head popped out of the cotton wool bed, his nose twitching and he rested his head and his eyes closed and he fell asleep! :)

Now we are in a lovely village called Newton Ferrers in Devon, tonight playing at a pub called the Swan in Noss Mayo on the water. Have heard nice things about it.

Must go as the lady we are staying with Ann has made us a lovely meal :)

Write Write Write While You Can!

Figure I might as well as write as much as I can now before the tour starts, god knows when I will get myself to a computer to write something in here then.

All the shows for the tour are booked and things are going splendidly.
We are playing a couple of shows in Holland and Germany, stopping over in Brussells
which I am very excited about and then Eurotunnelling it back to the Uk via Calais.
Good shopping there I hear!?!

Today I have been very crap and only ate blueberry pie for breakfast and lunch.

Yesterday Lynda and I went on a nice roadtrip to Stratford and St Mary's in Ontario.
We went to a farm where they sold crazy jams and pies and then spent 45 mins in a tea shop would you believe? I am loaded up with exotic teas for the tour and blue plum and raspberry chocolate jam, mmm. There was snow and a lovely early morning breakfast at Let Them Eat Cake in Stratford with a sweet waitress. I took some photos and ate samples as it was tax free day in downtown St Mary's. We listened to Sunset by Kate Bush
about 3 times in a row in the car. Of course it was only a matter if time before I managed to sneak Robbie Williams into the CD player but lucky for some I brought the wrong CD and we were nearly home.

We ate Kraft Dinner for tea, with some aged cheese melted in it from St Mary's, it's weird because I am so picky but not with Kraft Dinner. Tonight we are having sweet potato and maple bean burritos for dinner, one of my faves for the last time for a while, till I get back from the tour I guess.

Oh and the snow is gone in Toronto.
I don't understand, it just came! it made me cold and my toes froze and now it has melted.
Four Seasons in One Day (written about Melbourne by Neil Finn) should be lent to Toronto I think.

3 more days till I fly out, oooh did I remember to tell the airline I am a vegetarian?

Current Music: Still Guarding space on repeat, Anja Garbarek
Current Mood: Frantic & Lazy