video, snow, solo shows

Last week Matt Anstee (see my top friends) finished a cut of his video for 'In A Coma'. It's amazing. My job in it was easy as it was mainly lying down being in a coma (except for some expressive dance and floating in space etc.. etc.. you know that ol' chestnut). Film and TV fans will be delighted to see Ralph Brown in a starring role as The Doctor. Brighton music fans might recognise Aaron King, Mike Lord, Duncan Ladkin, Xcerts and loads and loads of other cameos not to mention the dancers, ambulances, hospitals, taxis and all that. Massive thanks to everyone who took part in making the video It's a really cool ambitious DIY video done on a tiny budget. I think you'll like it.

It's snowing tonight in Brighton. Real nice and thick. It's just like my fantasy Home Alone winter. I have meetings tomorrow so I can't go out and play but i will watch out the window like Macaulay Culkin staring at old man Marley. Made Spagetti Bolognaise and watched I Heart Huckerby's earlier. Was very funny.. Even got me thinking quite philosophically about a unifying energy running through the fabric of our interconnected lives. I'm lying of course but it did get me thinking about something other than music and football for a change.

In March me and the band are doing our first show in Tokyo. We're doing a hefty 75minute set which should be interesting. We're hoping to play lots of songs from April & I and Moon Rock that we've not played together as a band before as well as a cover which will be great fun. Also I'm going to do a small solo set to showcase some more unusual tunes and some new ones. We're going into rehearsals this week so it should be thumping by time we play the show.

Thanks @yukilogue for a beautifully taken picture of the flyer


I've been developing my solo show a little bit. I'm getting to grips with looping technology allowing me to record short phrases and play over them (some call it the 'KT Tunstall'.. i prefer the 'Paul Steel' because I did it first and David Ford, Ed Harcourt, KT Tunstall etc etc have definitely not done this before me.. so.. dont bother looking it up or anything..k?). The results at the Joogleberry show a few weeks ago were catastrophic but fun and I hope to do a few more shows in that format soon. I reckon as soon as I get good at it then I wont enjoy it anymore so I'll practice sparingly.

Ah ok, maybe David Ford is better than me at it after all (cheers @NLittlejohns for sending me this and helping me realise how much work I have left to do):

BASTARD!

I've demoed lots of new material to near completion. It's a lot more rocky and electronic than anything I've done before.. I'm coming close to having an albums worth. Some of the songs are more direct and poppy but the production is definitely a lot weirder (probably a direct result of the incense sticks i've been stabbing myself in the eyes with. Also my alter ego has resumed composing another concept album.. that's all I fucking need.. another ridiculous rock opera for the world to ignore.. NICE ONE ALTER-EGO YOU BELL-END! seriously though it's happening and going alright I think.

Also, we're looking to upload each section of the April & I animated movie in monthly installments until the online release which will be soonish..

I don't know how this blog got so long. Might just watch the Superbowl and go to bed.. although I dont really understand american football so I might just go to bed.
Night
Paul
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