News From the Front
This page is used to pass on the latest news from Love Commandos HQ.
Posted by zakala on Apr 5, 2010 in
Album news
Lyrics for the final four songs on Siren have been added on the lyrics page. So now you can find out what it is that Neil is singing over the drums, guitars, bass and occasional keyboards. There’s even a little bit of German in the mix, though we admit that it may not be entirely grammatically accurate. We blame artistic license. Well, they shouldn’t have given us one if they didn’t want us to use it.
Tags: artistic license, Bass, bit, final four, little bit, mix, Neil, occasional keyboards, page, Siren
Posted by zakala on Jan 23, 2010 in
Band news
Just realised that I hadn’t posted anything about the last couple of weeks rehearsals. We’ve actually been quite busy running through material and even starting to learn yet another cover version. This time it’s the turn of the Foo Fighters to be given more of the Love Commandos makeover. After months of suggesting “The Pretender”, Andy finally listened to it again and realised he did like it after all.
After one week playing it over and over it’s starting to take shape, although getting all the parts in the right order and the right length will be a challenge. As will not singing the lyrics of Sesame Street’s “One of these things is not like the others” as the first line of the chorus. Honestly though, it does sound like that’s what he’s singing and if Dave Grohl writes lyrics the same way that our Neil does I bet that’s what it started out as!
Tags: Andy, anything, commandos, couple, cover, Dave Grohl, foo fighters, material, Neil, rehearsals, running, Sesame Street
Posted by zakala on Oct 22, 2009 in
Band news
After our last rehersal on the 9th it’s been quiet at the Love Commandos HQ while Neil gads about the USA on a solo tour of Phoenix. Meanwhile the rest of us are soldiering on regardless, but not actually rehearsing.
Ken has found tab and lyrics for ‘Orange Crush’ by R.E.M. so that may make an appearence in the set at some point.
Tags: Commandos HQ, gads, Ken, Love, Neil, orange crush, Phoenix, R.E.M, rehersal, rest, soldiering, solo, solo tour, tour, USA
Posted by zakala on Sep 8, 2009 in
Music news
Well OK the Love Commandos involved were Neil and I and we actually just sat quietly and listened, but Tori Amos commands that kind of respect. She might not be the first female performer you think of when you hear the phrase “rock chick”, but she definitely is one; helped, as always, by bassist Jon Evans and drummer Matt Chamberlain.
She is also pretty cool under fire – the batteries, presumably, failed in her wireless, in-ear monitor pack. Not great for any performer, but pretty much a show stopper when you are playing a Bosendorfer with your left hand and a Hammond B-3 with your right whilst singing. The solution? A quick nod to Bassist & drummer to loop the verse while you substitute lyrics (that scan!) to tell the crew that you can’t hear and you need a replacement pack and continue to play & sing (a narrative no less) while a roadie changes the pack, which was discretely, but inaccessibly, hidden under her over dress.
Of course as Neil pointed out he’s never been able to hear anything on stage, and he carries on regardless anyway.
So here’s to you Tori Amos – you’re our honourary Love Commando of the Week.
Tags: Amos, bassist, drummer, female performer, Hammond B-, Jon Evans, Love, Love Commandos, Matt Chamberlain, Neil, pack, performer, rock chick, Tori, Tori Amos
Posted by admin on Sep 5, 2009 in
Band news
Ken was early and spent the time creating some patches on his Pod X3. Richard was late, but already has his patches sorted since he uses stomp boxes.
There was discussion about whether the band name included the definite article (the) or not. The general opinion was that the band is called “Love Commandos” partly because it was taken from the lyric “the psychotronic love commandos”, but mainly because Neil dislikes band names with “The” in their name.
Musically both “Just a Day” and “Burn Baby, Burn” are coming along nicely and should be ready once we have the album ready for release.
There was also discussion about both engaging an agent to manage the gig side of things – since we are clearly useless at organising gigs – and arranging a publishing deal to promote our original songs.
Tags: band, band names, Burn, burn baby burn, commandos, definite article, discussion, gigs, Ken, Love, name, Neil, pod x3, Richard, stomp boxes