Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Our little Irish Dinosaur has been suffering from Tongue Tie and today he got the snip. He’s feeding much better and we hope he will sleep much better too. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you all.

You Are My Sunshine – Duetting At 19 Days Old

My Son’s First Dance

1 Week Old

20 Hour Old Baby Heron

Lovenite 11 – The 5th Anniversary!

Thursday 17th Feb 2011 – 9:04pm

Lovenite reaches its 5th year this year and to celebrate Hylands & Heron are playing the best hits of the best hits that have been the best hits out of the best hits.

Expect face-altering versions of the classics of yesteryear as performed by Kevin Hylands and myself on guitars and banjo.

This is Cormac’s biggest gig since playing last year’s mega performance of “Iris Robinson: The Musical – On Banjo!” It will also be his last gig in a while due to his pending fatherhood. It will also be Kev’s first major gig after returning from his tour of Australia.

There will be guest appearances from other musicians who have yet to be asked. Come on down to 12 Bar Club, Denmark St, WC2H 8NJ.

Performance begins at 9.04 pm. £4 entry with a picture of this page on your phone (or a print out if you prefer) if you arrive before 8pm. £5 after that or £6 if have no evidence of this promotion. Bar open til very late.

Facebook event  page

N.B. This gig is subject to a my wife holding out until 23 Feb for delivering our child. Check this page on the day for the green light! Please also be aware that this probably will definitely be my last gig for a few months!

Eduardo Niebla – Live in Queen Elizabeth Hall

Saw Eduardo Niebla last night to celebrate my wife’s end of work before maternity. (She bought the tickets ages ago.) We were in front row. Was pretty amazing. Flawless. He had a huge backing of girl choirs. They all brought their families and so it was a packed gig. Here’s a sneaky video I made of the last song:

Strictly Come Dancing Tour – O2 Arena: Ann Widdecombe and Craig Revel Horwood

I took the wife out for a walk along the river and ended up at the O2. I asked what was on this evening and they informed us that it was the Strictly Come Dancing show.

As my wife is a dancer, and this was technically a date (to celebrate her starting her maternity leave), I treated her to the show. It was a bit weird for me, a bit like watching TV in the O2 arena. However it was enjoyable – though I found myself watching the band whilst Lin watched the dancing. (I am a musician.)

Pamela Stephenson was amazing and young Matt (whoever he was) was “fabulous” though I think the highlight for me had to have been Ann Widdecombe. Were you there? What did you think?

The Cult – Live Videos From Hammersmith 2011

From this gig.

The Cult – Live In Hammersmith Apollo (Odeon) 2011

Astbury took us back in time by welcoming us all to Hammersmith Apollo and “smashed” us for a great 100 minute set. Everything was played from Death Cult (Horse Nation and Ghost Dance) to the modern stuff of  Embers and Every Man And Woman Is A Star.

I saw The Cult perform their Love album in its entirety during their last tour but this was a very different gig. It was in the Apollo – or the Odeon as the singer kept referring to it. (They recorded a live album in the Odeon.) There was also a rhythm guitarist which freed Duffy up a fair bit.

I felt that with the extra guitarist Duffy had more room to do his own thing. It felt pretty obvious he was enjoying playing his Gretch White Falcon more than he was maybe 10 years ago. He even played Wild Flower – which was awesome – on the White Falcon. He played it on the Les Paul during the Love tour.

Duffy also played a Telecaster. Never seen him do that before.

Astbury was on fine form despite ripping the arse in his special rock trousers before the gig. Must be down to the few extra pies he’s been scoffing. Despite this he still had the energy. He had good banter with the audience. There was a few nice moments including taking a copy of the Love album and signing it during Sanctuary.

The drummer and the bassist were solid as pure rock.

The highlights for me were Horse Nation, Dirty Little Rockstar (which Astbury sang Isolation over the intro!), Wild Flower (just a wall of guitars), Love Removal Machine (the reason why they can still get away with what they do), She Sells Sanctuary and Break On Through (yes by The Doors).

Great to see them again. Where you there? What did you think? I recorded some videos which I’ll put onto YouTube later. Meanwhile here’s a version I recorded of Sanctuary after being inspired by the Love tour last year.

R.I.P. Captain Beefheart a.k.a. Don Van Vliet

It is a sad day today for yesterday “pop’s true genius” (as my friend Stephen McNally calls him) Captain Beefheart has died. Don Van Vliet (real name) had been ill for some time with MS.  He gave up music as he wasn’t making any money with it and then concentrated on his art.

Beefheart claimed that he could play the sax better than John Coltrane and learnt how to play the piano just by looking at it. He also claimed to have over 8 octaves in his singing range. (I don’t believe all of this.) He said he could even break glass with his voice. He was full of great saying. Check out his 10 Commandments For Guitar.

Apparently his Magic Band stayed in a house for 8 months with one of them leaving once a week to buy rice before they recorded their masterpiece Trout Mask Replica. When Frank  Zappa (who “produced” it) came back from after popping out one day for a bit of a break the whole thing was recorded. TMR is Matt Groening’s favourite record of all time.

Obviously I have never seen Beefheart but I know a guy who saw him play Madison Square Garden. The support act was a guy who came on and played bass. Then he went off. And came back on and played the exact same performance except this time with Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. I love that story.

I did see The Magic Band back in the early 00′s with my friend Stephen McNally. They were amazing. The first third was all instrumentals and then John ‘Drumbo’ French came out and sang. He was amazingly authentic..I thought! That was until I went home and listened to the brave Captain and realised he was nothing near it.

Beefheart had been ill for some time. He lived in a desert in the states for his final decades as he declined with MS. He is a great loss to our planet.

Here is the final recording me made around 2003. He sang Happy Earthday to the melody of happy birthday down the phone.

Hulk Theme by BDK. Video by Ray Kane.

Here is a version of The Lonely Man (Hulk Theme tune) by Bourne/Davis/Kane. The video was knocked together by Dave’s brother Ray Kane. Very touching I think you’ll find.

Ireland To Lose Nadine Coyle’s Accent

Ireland is fearing for the stability of the accent of Nadine Coyle. Taoiseach Brian Cowen is in talks with the X Factory’s Louis Armstrong as to how to get her Derry accent from orbiting the stratosphere. Armstrong explained that his walk on the moon exploits were a walk in the park compared to what Ireland is facing now.

Louis is feeling iffy

“When Nadine furst came over from Delhi she was furst class wit the takking lak. Now we dunno waz she on about. It’s a tragity. A compete tragity,” Armstrong explained.

There is fears that the accent might have to be bailed out by the Germans but also Ozzy Osbourne has stepped in to say that he will help her with some stuttering until she is able to get this mess back on its feet.

The Divine Comedy Review: An Evening With Neil Hannon Wed 10 Nov 2010

I was a bit disappointed initially when I found out that this was The Divine Comedy in the guise of Neil Hannon, solo entertainer. However I settled down to enjoy the show.

Hannon came on to the them music of Mr Benn in his bowler hat and launched in a cracking version of Assume The Perpendicular followed by The Complete Banker.

I soon realised that Neil, though good, ain’t that great a piano player. Hell he’s not even a great singer. But he does have this… charisma. A charisma that can pull such a gig off. He could have been playing a 3 stringed banjo and he would have been great.

He was a bit like a cheap Prince knocking out hits. Though not as good as Prince nor as well played, he still had that hit-thing going on. Sweden was great. You could hear all the whole band in your head whilst he plonked out his pianoed version.

Absent Friends was great on the acoustic. He did ask if it was weird that there was all of us and there was just him. Then he used the word “cosy”. It was that.

All through this I had a couple just on my right who were talking quite loudly through the whole set. I don’t know whether they were drunk or just idiot. (Where does drunk begin and idiot end?) When Neil thrashed out “Becoming More Like Alfie” the idiot man started singing the horn bit – loudly and bad.

After a while a lady behind me politely asked the idiot couple “I know you are enjoying the music but would you mind keeping it down a little?” To which the idiot man snapped back “Yeah well we are talking about the music and you are annoying us!” She asked him to keep it down again to which he started being abusive. “Hey come on!” I asked the idiot man beside me and he turned and barked “What the fuck are you looking at?” I thought to myself “An idiot man who is in bad need of a dental hygenist and some hugs from his daddy.” but I said nothing. “You’re all a pack of cunts!” he explained loudly to himself and everyone within shouting distance.

I then heard him mutter something else and his girlfriend said “But I’m enjoying Neil, he’s being a laugh.” The idiot man then stood up and threw his drink all over everyone behind us, clipping me with some, wetting the man behind me and soaking and innocent lady who was totally oblivious and two rows back. The wetted man behind us stood up and started telling the idiot man that he should “Fuck off!” and “Fuck off you asshole!” Dude had a point.

As sad as that episode was the idiot man had indeed fucked off and now our little area of the Queen Elizabeth Hall was an idiot-free zone. I asked the guy behind if he was ok. We both agreed upon the idiocy of the idiot man and got down to enjoying the rest of the gig.

Neil burst into The Indie Disco with the whole of the auditorium clapping (mostly in time!) The rest of the gig was pretty sublime. Songs of Love on the acoustic was amazing. The crowd whistled the solo superbly.

Lady Of A Certain Age prompted Hannon to ask someone, anyone for a plectrum. The knight in shining armour was a baldy man with glasses. Nice to see that interaction. I Like was hilarious. In fact Hannon was pretty hilarious himself. He sang The Plough:

But then I discovered my colleagues one day
Massaging the figures for personal gain
I said “I’ll not wallow in this house of shame”
I’ll plough my own furrow, I’ll go my own way.

As beautiful as it was I realised that, though it is important for them to take on a social stance, it’s obvious when singer/songwriters sing about something they know nothing about, like working in an office. (I was trained that if you see something that is unethical or illegal you must report it.) But hey, let him get on with it. He has good melodies.

Tonight We Fly had the whole place clapping along (in time and) sounded really powerful. The Pop Singer’s Fear Of The Pollen Count, Have You Ever Been In Love, The Lost Art Of Conversation, Snowball In Negative. The classics kept coming. I would describe myself as a great admirer of Hannon’s work for the last 15 years. I’m not a fanatic. What was great for me last night was that I wasn’t able to pinpoint which era the songs came from. This tells me they are kinda timeless in a way. (Btw I know I have the songs all out of sync here. Feel free to publish a setlist)

Our Mutual Friend was not missing the band strangely. He’s a pretty competent piano player. Don’t You Want Me was a bit of a joke – maybe too much. Frog Princess was for me a real highlight. He invited the audience to sing La Marseillaise: men the first part, the women repeating it, then the men finishing the second bit and the women completing that. That was amazing to hear. A full auditorium softly singing this whilst he got on with the song. Yeah there were mistakes with his stop/starting but it all added to the in-your-mate’s house thing whilst Neil entertains your mate’s parents.

National Express was great too with the audience all singing the horns. He got two standing ovations. I am sure I have left bits out. Please let me know in the comments what you thought. Did you have an idiot man beside you also? Were you the lady who got soaked? Was it wine or beer? Oh btw Neil, if you need a Derry-born London-based banjo player next time be sure to contact me.

Guns’n'Roses Gig Review O2 London, 13 Oct 2010

Axl Rose and Co. came on an hour late. Not impressive given their recent run of late starts. (One way to make a punter not come back a second time.)

Chinese Democracy opened and looked like a promising gig, followed by Welcome To The Jungle. Pretty soon I was missing Slash, Duff, Izzy and even Steven Adler though Matt Sorum would have done. Instead we had to deal with guys who sounded like they should be in Dream Theatre and pyrotechnics.

The gig picked up for me for Live And Let Die of all songs. The low bits were the introductory nonsense bits where the players wasted time noodling over some silly riff e.g. James Bond Theme, Pink Panther. If we didn’t know these were good players by now then there’s no point.

During a toilet break I overheard three guys at the urinal. One was asking his mates in his broken European english if it was just him or was this concert something missing?

As a Formula 1 fan I found the footage of the F1 cars strange when projected during You Could Be Mine. There was no cohesion in the footage except it was cars going fast. Schumacher was in a Ferrari, rather than in a Mercedes or unemployed. There was footage of Lewis Hamilton who drove after Schumacher retired from Ferrari. Then it cut to a Porche road car. What was the meaning of all this?

This tour was to promote the new album, Chinese Democracy. My Chinese wife told me afterwards that she thought the sound was all too muddy. (She’d seen Grinderman recently and thought it was great!) She said that her mother has an expression for something that sounds like that: a broken wok.

The band were just breaking into Knocking On Heaven’s Door as we were leaving to get the night bus home. I thought were going to be one of the first to be leaving but they were leaving in droves. Next time Axl, sort your sound out a few hours before you come on and then come on soon after it. Broken wok with missing handle.

Losing My F**k It Religion

Chrikey! I haven’t blogged in months! I think my Facebook account is getting too much attention. Time to switch back here again.

I’ll start off with this. Shouldn’t laugh of course but this is bloody funny.

Check Out Damien Walters

Crap name yes but check this out.

The World’s Fastest Clapper

Check out Mr. Toast.

The Swinger

Check out this.

Marrying A Catholic In A Different Diocese

Are you a Catholic living in UK getting married to a non EEA (European Economic Area) non-Catholic in a different diocese to where you currently live? Well here are the steps you need to do:

1. Go to mass in the diocese where you live and get to know the priest. Apparently 2 years should do it.
2. Get your Chinese spouse to be to apply for a ‘Certificate of Approval’ from the Home Office. The paperwork can take anything between 4 and 14 weeks. N.B. If you are Church of England you don’t need to do this process!
3. Tell the priest where you live and the priest of where you want to be married of your intentions.
4. Go on a Marriage Care course and give the certificate that you receive to the Catholic Priest where you live.
5. Get signed letters from both sets of parents saying that neither of you have been married before and give to priest where you live.
6. Ask the priest for the paperwork you need to fill in and fill it in and give it back to him.
7. Receive the paperwork from Home Office and go to your local Registry. Ask them to do their stuff. This takes 10 days.
8. Get paperwork from local registry and go to local priest.
9. Local priest then sends all the paperwork to the Chancery (i.e. the Bishop’s place) and grants “dispensation” for you both to get married in a different place.
10. Chancery then sends the paperwork back to the local priest who sends it to the priest where you want to get married. Then you can marry.

A simple process. (Have I left anything out?)

Bullshit Bingo – Election Debate Special!

David Cameron Does A Boris Johnson

As I read in Facebook “Let’s start again and pretend it never happened – vote Tory”. (Why wasn’t this as big as Bigotgate?)

Caravan Holidays

Clarkson and his Top Gear cronies might be right about caravanners.

London Underground Map

I’ve always wanted to see this tube map. It is the map of the different underground lines as they lie in London.

The Sun Covers My Banjo Musical!

The Sun Newspaper 12 March 2010

My First Post

I have been turned off by using posterous in the past due to the lack of tagging etc. Am now jumping in to learn a bit more about it and its functionality

The Most Amazing Break Up Ever

Iris Robinson: The Musical – On Banjo!

Around about St. Patrick’s Day every year I do a satirical show in 12 Bar Club, London. This year I wasn’t going to do one but about 3 weeks ago I had a change of mind. Iris Robinson had been in the news recently so it seemed to be a pretty easy choice for to take as a starting point.

Today Slugger O’Toole blogged about this show and consequently the Sun newspaper from Northern Ireland called me up to ask me what it was about. I explained that it was a satirical show which beared little resemblence  upon the life story of Iris Robinson the disgraced politician. My story is a light-hearted, fictional fantasy and I am as much poking fun at myself as I am Iris.

In fact I actually said to the reporter that I hope Iris has a full and speedy recovery as she must be going through hell. When I decided to do this show the news about her being on the suicide watch hadn’t broke so I kinda feel a bit guilty now. However, I believe that the Robinsons have bigger fish to fry than to worry about my little show that will only be seen by about 100 people.

Am kinda intrigued and petrified simultaneously  at what the Sun are going to write about me. As my actor friend on Facebook:

Good luck. I once did an interview for the Sunday World for a thing about the IRA. They asked about my own experiences of the Troubles, and I said I hadn’t really got any – the closest I’d ever been to a bomb was in London, when I came out of a cinema to find one had gone off nearby. The headline in the paper? BLAST SURVIVOR TO PLAY IRA BOMBER.

I think that this will all be a pretty interesting experience. I do tend to distrust newpapers and television as the message is almost always contorted. The journalist actually said some strong things about Iris but I kept my distance and explained repeatedly that my show is a light-hearted fictional performance. Let’s see how it comes out in the press.

If you are in London come on down to the 12 Bar Club and check it out.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

I tried arranging this all kinds of ways with all kinds of instruments. In the end this was the best version I could come up with. As Kev Says, maybe if he heard this he wouldn’t have blown his head off with a shotgun.

Darryl Reed feat. Cormac Heron & Seb Frost

About 10 to 8 on the night of Lovenite 2010 I was nabbed by this guy, Darryl Reed. “Yeah you made have heard of me… I’ve been in things.” Darryl wanted me to play bass and wanted Seb to play kit whilst he rocked out. I thought he was just going to play the blues. As it happened he ended up playing full songs. And they were great songs! I was just about able to keep up with him, until he turned his back every so often and I was hung out to dry. I really was on my toes.

Here’s a a video recorded from the balcony. Darryl Reed. You may have heard of him. He’s been in stuff. (As it happens he’s an ex porn star and was a friend of Nico of Velvet Underground fame.)