Medway Eyes is, in its own words, “an informal umbrella organisation that supports, promotes and collaborates with Medway artists and venues”.  It recently celebrated its first birthday with both a gig and the release of a downloadable bundle of music, pictures and words, entitled ME1.

Alongside Lupen Crook’s Kick Up The Leaves, the compilation – named after central Medway’s postcode – contains material from numerous Medway musicians, many of whom fall under the loosely-defined ‘Medway Non-League Extreme’ banner referred to by Mr Crook in an interview last year.

In keeping with the charitable theme of this week’s blog posts, the ME1 compilation is “donationware” and supports both Oxjam and Amnesty International.  It provides a fascinating insight into the diverse creativity of Medway’s thriving artistic underground.  Download it now and check it out.

This is a loose link to the band but something i can’t resist thinking will interest and invigorate both band and fans…

This evening Wilton’s theatre in east london presents ‘transitions projects’ Recollections of My Childhood, and other songs by Stravinsky which encapsulate the playfulness, invention and terrors of childhood. Transition projects combine live video and film, animation and interaction to bring these songs to life. Emma Fitzgerald, who is currently working her animating fingers to the bone on the bands next music video, will be supplying the aforementioned animation for this evening.

In other news the theatre is in desperate need of help, the website states:

Wilton’s is semi-derelict. Only 60% of the space is safe, and in use. In its present condition Wilton’s is extremely vulnerable to vandalism and further decay. At the current rate of decay the building will cease to be accessible in the next three years. We only have half a roof, walls are crumbling and floors have fallen in….Your assistance is urgently required, no donation is too small… See below on how you can help… We accept credit cards, cheques, cash and bankers orders. To donate online please click the link below: http://www.justgiving.com/wiltons/donate

If you find a spare minute to check out the website – it really is a beautiful building and would be very sad to see the end of.

www.wiltons.org.uk

On Monday 16 November 2009, Lupen Crook & The Murderbirds will release a six-track download-only EP entitled Curse of the Mirror Wicked.  Most of the songs on this EP are very new, written recently and recorded live at Ranscombe Studios last week specifically for this project.  Here’s the track list:

• Sunshine Devils
• Devil’s Son
• Boy That Won’t Be Told
• Love Underground
• Of Lovers And Lost Children
• Dead Girls & Daggers

The EP is released in support of YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people.  YoungMinds also provides much-needed support to parents, guardians and professionals involved in the care of children with mental health issues.

This is a subject about which the band feels strongly, based on personal experience.  Lupen Crook was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in his late teens and this condition has informed much of his creative output over the past decade.  He’ll be discussing this subject in a forthcoming interview on this website.

The songs on Curse of the Mirror Wicked relate directly to Mr Crook’s mental health experiences over the years and to a recent relapse in particular.  They’re honest, unflinchingly direct and fiendishly catchy.  They support the band’s growing desire to help promote greater awareness of this often awkward subject.

As with the band’s previous release, the EP will be free to download and will contain artwork allowing you to make your own CD copy if required.  In return for the music, you’ll be encouraged to donate whatever you can to YoungMinds.  All donations go directly to the charity and you’ll be able to see a real-time online total.

Creating and releasing music is a magical process.  Each release feels “special”, but this one we’re particularly proud of.  The speed at which it has moved from idea to execution, coupled with the sense of purpose behind supporting YoungMinds, has been invigorating.  We’re looking forward to sharing it with you soon.

I believe it was last Wednesday when The Mrs and I walked hopeheartedly down Brick Lane, only to bump into artist Sam Jackson, who just so happened to be exhibiting pieces of his work as part of The Future Can Wait exhibition on the rooftop of the Truman Brewery. Whilst walking starry eyed, with our heartistic opinions, amongst the derelict setting of this warehouse, scars of days past etched over the paint flaked walls, we met with the guys who had curated the exhibition. After a little chin wagging, the band were invited to play an acoustic set that coming Saturday. Truth be told we actually had a band practice organised, but it was decided this was as good as place as any to rehearse. So, the crooked family took to Brick Lane with our acoustic get up and played a few tunes to those who happened to be admiring the walls and whereabouts of this fine craggy set up.

Sound quality isn’t the greatest, but we hope you don’t mind. Electricity wasn’t an option. This merely serves as a momentum of last Saturdays rehearsal.

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Mr Crook

as it was, is, and may well be again,

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Lupen Crook has recently collaborated with Markomen on a track called Eyes Wide Shut Ya Mouth.  The track uses lyrics from Scare Crows (released earlier this year on The Lost Belongings EP), setting them in a very different musical context.

Markomen is a dubstep artist based in Medway and has worked with Mr Crook and the Murderbirds previously, notably on the alternative version of The Hardest Way Home on the Old Books, Broken Bands & Other Little Treasures compilation.

Eyes Wide Shut Ya Mouth is released on Prime Audio.  You can listen to it on both Prime Audio’s and Markomen’s MySpace profiles (use either of the two previous links).  The 12″ promo is currently out, with digital versions to follow.  Availability details here.

Counter Action from Dave Wise on Vimeo.

You’ve all seen the adverts, you’ve all sneered at that fucking screen in utter digust. From the same man who brought you Theatre Royals last ever gig featuring myself, Ollie Burgess and Billy Childish, here is Dave Wise presenting another Dilute To Taste Production – ‘Counter Action’.

[UPDATED (twice) - see below]

We’re very disappointed to announce that the band’s gig in Hoxton this Wednesday has been cancelled by the promoter.  The post mortem has revealed this to be down to a series of missing e-mails from us to them.

Apart from the local gig that the band played in Medway on Saturday night, this was the only date from the postponed September/October tour that was intended to go ahead as planned, so it’s a double blow.

We know that many of you were looking forward to coming.  Sorry we couldn’t reply to your e-mails sooner, but this has been up in the air for a week or so and we’ve only had formal confirmation of the situation this morning.

We’re trying to find a last-minute replacement venue for Wednesday night.  It might or might not happen, and if it does it’ll probably be a stripped down “guerilla” set like the one Lupen & Bob did a couple of weeks ago.

If anyone can suggest a decent London-based venue that does an open mic on Wednesday that we can contact, please leave a comment.  We hope to work with the promoter to reschedule Hoxton for next year.

UPDATE (Tuesday) – hope you’re not too disappointed, but the band won’t be playing at a replacement venue tomorrow night.  Three very sound reasons.  First, an open mic slot isn’t guaranteed and might only be for 15-20 mins.

Second, three two London gigs have recently been booked for November.  Third, this gives them some valuable extra time to rehearse for a studio session next week for a new EP release that sees the light next month.  More details soon… x

UPDATE 2 (Monday 19th) – the support slot scheduled for Wed 11th Nov at the Bathhouse in London has also been pulled.  Another one that wasn’t the band’s decision.  We’ve now removed it from the gig calendar.

Dead Girls & Daggers, the concluding song of a 30-minute acoustic set played at The Barge in Gillingham on Saturday night.  Thanks to everyone who came, hope you enjoyed it as much as the band did.

A huge thank you to everybody who donated money to pay for Hicks to be towed.  You will no doubt see her hug the road next year.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

When the day comes and Hicks finally splutters her last breath, she will be sacrificed for a music video.  With a can of petrol and a match, flames licking the night sky, we will gently roll her into the river Medway.

… but not just yet.

The Crooked Family

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