So there’s a few aims here. Firstly, to communicate events I want to share with the public. Honestly, this doesn’t cover a lot at the moment. Not because I don’t get out much, but because I’d rather not share! Or because I’m too lazy to write the stuff up. Secondly it’s for when I want to rant, assist or review. Say how I do things and share my opinions with the aim of helping others to make their own minds up, be it music or web-sites or something else vaguely interesting. But also it’s an SEO blog. This relates to search engines. Putting more content on my blog makes it rank higher because it attracts more people from a variety of fields. Simple!

As I can see at the minute there are a few issues making the above effective. I don’t have many followers! Now I’m getting a fair few hits from the Ubuntu comunity (where I participate occasionly) and a few folks from Facebooks and King Brick, but not much interaction. I can tell this blog gets looked at from the statistics.

But that isn’t one of my main aims! I wan’t an archive of my outings, put reviews up for a few geeks and musicians but mainly so I can reference them. I’m quite a self-centred person

The SEO bit is working well. My only issue is having it on the King Brick domain. That means King Brick ranks in Google for things like Linux and Firefox.

What’s the plan Batman?

Potentially get a new domain. That requires effort and money so I probably won’t bother. Plus the band is the main thing I want to big up! Talking about geeking and web-design doesn’t relate at-all to my band, but it’s one of my fortes so I want it to! I want to set up a personal brand for my music and digital musings. It’s something to do right?

One way to counter all this is to split the categories up into almost seperate blogs. At the minute stuff bleeds into each other too much. So one article will explain about a wicked band I saw, the next about JSON and AJAX management and the next about how much I like the weather today.

So I’ll re-brand, re-skin and re-organise. That’s the plan!

This website and everything else in my life in under construction

It couldn’t be more accurate!

Blog-wise I’ve got ten topics waiting to be penned. Seven will require screen-grabs, two will need photos and three of them are going to be Linux tutorials. So what am I waiting for?

For one, madnessJack desperately needs a re-brand. Even just some form of brand will do. (That’s eleven topics now! ) I need to sort it out!

However, if I didn’t work full-time, handle private projects, play in and direct bands, commute by public transport and drink so much I would probably get this blogging thing down!

Expect more, just not right away

I reinforced a lesson I’d learnt after last Thursday’s Brick gig – always be prepared.

My main points are strings. If you go on with month old strings, no matter how often you tune during a gig, they’ll sound flat. I’ve also gigged with strings fresh out from the packet. This has a similar effect though, as the strings need to be a little warn to your guitar first

So I recommend re-stringing on the rehearsal before the gig.

A few more points too, always bring spares! A spare guitar or just strings, a spare power adapter if you’re using effects, or spare batteries if you’d prefer.

On Thursday I wanted to gig my new Tele (blog post to follow ). I guess I saw the gig as quite a casual affair. This is such a bad mistake to make. You should always treat every gig as if it’s your last, if not for your own enjoyment. I didn’t take any spares, as you may have guessed!

Half-way through the set, during our song “Friend or Foe”, I went to smash into a pounding loud chorus. I’d hit the effect pedal, and I picked on the low D-string (we play drop-tuned). Nothing happened! The string had bust.

So I had to go through the rest of the set, playing one of my favorate songs “Seven Questions” sans D-string. Such a shame.

On the plus side I’ve always wanted to state to someone

Yeah, when I snap a string, I keep going because I can compensate

but the truth of the matter is, you can’t for a low-D string. I was always inspired from a performace Gary Moore did with Phil Lynnott. He bust his string and kept going strong. However, I’m not playing blues solos, I needed that extra string!

So lesson learnt (again!) – awlays be prepared!

Once we got there and met the promoter things started to calm down. It was a casual event and the atmosphere was chilled – very pleasent after a busy week at work. Our nerves soon calmed down.

We didn’t know what to expect. I knew it was our fisrt gig in a while and I wouldn’t want to experiment infront of a larger crowd but because of the bar upstairs it seemed empty before we got on. We were waiting for a crowd to build but didn’t see one.

After the first song that all changed. People want to see what goes down when they hear things. It’s quite inspiring when this happens

It felt good to get on that stage again. This is the set we played:

• Friend or foe
• Confused
• Romeo
• Seven questions
• Perfect cure

It was the first time I got to use my new kit live on stage. It’s amazing beyond words. I didn’t hit all the sweet spots with the setting but I’ve got a much better idea of what to do next time and that was my aim.

We were a bit jumpy at first but soon picked up amazing pace. All I could think of afterwards was how much we’re gonna rock next time

I’ll get some photos up when I can find them.

On Thursday 24th September my flagship band will make a comeback. King Brick have a gig scheduled and it’s going to rock!

It’s been one long break and if I’m honest I’m shitting myself about it. I haven’t performed with this band in ages. We’re a little under-rehearsed, but that’s to be expected with us. It seems we don’t put the work in unless we have to. Now we’ve got this gig it forces us to get good quick.

The show is at The Sumo Bar in Leicester’s Braunstone Gate. I’ve always wanted to play there

It’s a fiver with a flyer. If anyone reading this is able to, please come down! It’s going to be one hell of a good night.