So this is my first adventure in the world of writing a blog. I must say I'm a little disapointed-they promised me there would be chocolate and there isn't. But as I'm here I'll write something anyway.

Being in a band is one of the best experiences there is. In everything I've done in my life, there is very little that compares to standing on a stage playing a guitar as if your life depends on it and screaming words that mean something to you at the top of your lungs. Sometimes the crowd screams them back, sometimes you're there screaming on your own-howling as loud as you can, hoping that somebody in the audience identifies with what you're saying. Times like that it feels like some sort of battle, band versus audience, each trying to make each other heard. But in some ways those are my favourite times; playing to people that have never heard of us before and may never hear from us again, trying to win them over, wondering if one word from a song will resonate with someone and make a difference. Last week we played with Captain and it felt like that-screaming in the hope that somebody will hear-not sure if we were screaming for our sakes or for theirs.

Maybe music was never meant to be this important. Maybe it is all meant as background noise, a break from the quiet. Or perhaps music was meant to say something. We sing a lot about hope, about grace, about holding on. We sing about those things because they are a common experience for each of us in the band; each of us have had times when we have been a stranger to hope, when all we have had to fall back on is grace, and when holding on seems to be one step too far. Maybe the best to hope for is to make someone smile. Either way, I love having the chance to scream these words at the top of my lungs....

Gotta go, the bakery calls. Not in the sense that Spear's housemate means it either... Spear knows what I'm talking about. I hope nobody else does, that would be scary.

Love and hugs,
Dan

well I just got back from a rehearsal with the other guys at the excellent Brighton electric studios, it was a good evening especially as it is probably the only studio I've ever been in that is an actual pleasure to play in.

I was hoping that by now Rich would have logged in and written some surreal musings that usually only a few of us get to enjoy but it seems that he's been far too lazy for that so far. Maybe he'll put a bit more effort in soon. miracles do happen.

anyway we've been busy recording recently, we've had a few gigs but really we're waiting for some new material we're working on to be finished. Partly because this will now have craig drummng on but also 'cos were extremely confident that this new CD will not just be a bit better than our previous efforts, some might say not that hard to do, but i think it will be a totally new level that we'll be at. Anyway I'm starting to sound like a press writer so I'll leave it there, I just felt it was time that there was at least one new blog in case anyone does read this. Maybe I'll get bored soon and write up the story of Dan buying a non-existent guiar of a non-existent Spaniard but you'll have to promise not to tell him that I told you.

So to anyone who reads this, its been a pleasure and maybe we'll chat again soon.

regards,

Tom

Welcome!

Welcome to the new Shortfall blog...


Keep checking back for regular news and general Shortfall updates aswell as an all too regular insight into the psyche of Mr Richard J Spear; constantly venting his often rash and ill-judged opinions on random, obscure and trivial matters. Like quiche.