Barbara Allen

He sent a servant unto her
To the place she was dwelling
Saying you must come to his deathbed now
If your name be Barbara Allen


Slowly slowly she got up
Slowly slowly she came nigh him
And the only words to him she said
Young man I think you're dying


As she was walking oer the fields
She heard the death bell knelling
And every stroke it seemed to say
Hardhearted Barbara Allen


Oh father father dig my grave
Dig it deep and make it narrow
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow


They buried her in the old churchyard
They buried him in the choir
And from his grave grew a red red rose
From her grave a green briar


They grew and grew to the steeple top
Till they could grow no higher
And there they twined in a true love's knot
Red rose around green briar

New Year's Eve

This NYE I'm going to Sonic Youth's party. You should come, too.

News: O Genesis

As some of you may have deduced from a few online posts and pictures that have been cropping up recently, over the last couple of days I've had the privilege of working with The Charlatans' Tim Burgess on a record to be released next year. Tim is a great producer and a generally positive presence in the studio, the last few days spent in the North have been a great end to the year for me.



We've been working on a few songs and are all very excited about the results.

Plenty more fun stuff to follow, promise.

Oh, I realise the blog updates have been sporadic too; no ready access to a computer just now. I'll try for an update a week to keep you all in the loop.

Merry Christmas and everything.

Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson RIP

I was fortunate enough to meet Peter Christopherson and the rest of Throbbing Gristle shortly after they played what has proved to be the last ever Throbbing Gristle performance. It was a shock to learn that he has died; The Quietus has done a much better job of eulogising him than I think I can, you can read it here.

1955 - 2010

Russell

New Miss Cosmos

It's been too long since I last posted, but what better way to return to the blog than with news of very good new music? My favourite band in the world MISS COSMOS have some new songs on their MySpace and they're great.

I also conducted an interview with them for Construction House about a year ago, you can read it here

New band, cool show

I was recently asked by my friend Samir from the disco pop group Flats to play bass in a new group called, um, Bloody New Year. It's the brainchild of one Max Macbride, the music reminds me a America and No Age and hot dogs and stuff. Have a listen, I'll be playing bass with BNY in support of Private Trousers on Wednesday 3rd November.

I'll also be playing a show with Wetdog 10 days later at The George Tavern, other bands are The Rayographs and Evans The Death. It's £5 entry or 3 if you're on the cheap list. Email construction.house@hotmail.com to get on the list. Limited space available, see you soon!

Beautiful

New review from a dedicated blogger

I usually post press cutting type things on the MySpace blog and leave it at that, but I thought I'd give this review a special bit of attention because a) it's written by an old acquaintance of mine, b) I can and most importantly c) the blogger, namely Jonny Brown, actually gives a toss about the various artistic pieces he reviews.

His blog has the rather unwieldy title of Music, Movies, General Life and such but it's an honest appraisal of the obvious denoted media. (Media is the wrong collective to use considering 'general life' but there we are.)

Read his stuff and tell him you like him, it's all succinct and friendly and worth clicking on.

"By The Throat"

Staggering.

Albert Hall

Last night I went to the O. Children/Factory Floor/Becoming Real show at the Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room.

I snuck into the main hall to have a look around, have a look...

Nik Void

Nik Colk from Factory Floor has a side-project called Nik Void. She recorded a cover of "Rocket USA" for the Shadazz/Radiation EP.

She and I will be working together on something special soon, I'll keep you updated.

Unit 6 Rehearsal

Thought I'd post a little note about a little rehearsal space tucked away under the arches of Cable St Studios. It's called Unit 6, a box room that's the rehearsing home of Flats, Blue On Blue (drummer Samir Eskanda co-runs the studio), Electricity In Our Homes and, uh, me. It's by far the best place in East London to practise, if only for the price (you can bag an hour or two for as little as a fiver during the day - much better than awkward and expensive rates in EC2 or wherever).

Contact the guys thru this address: tommyhaha@hotmail.co.uk and book a space.

Construction Haus, dawg

If you didn't get a chance to come to the last Construction House event at the George Tavern, the next installment in the odyssey is about to be announced. It's on 13th November at the George Tavern and Wetdog, Evans The Death and The Rayographs are going to be playing. Oh, and me too.

More details to follow!

Add N to (X)

Uberstompf

I had a blast playing for Uberstompf at the Victoria on Friday, my favourite band on the bill was the Choo Choo Trains. They're a cool pop group, listen at them.

Barhouse on Saturday? I reckon so. Say you're a friend of Joseph's for cheap entry.

Evans The Death

If you've been following my humble blog since I started writing to the interwebs at large in March, you'll know that I have a propensity to keep on about stuff that I like, ad nauseam, until you start to like it too.

Today's post is no different. It essentially consists of me telling you that you have to listen to a pop group called Evans The Death right now because if you don't, you'll be a little less happy than those who have; and when they become the latest 'it' band, you'll be a little less cool than all your friends who will have wisely checked them out way before you bothered to.

So, their name comes from Dylan Thomas's play, 'Under Milk Wood'. In Wales they have a weird custom whereby people are named after something to do with their profession; Mr Evans, for instance, is an undertaker, hence Evans the Death. I frequently used to visit Swansea and was often greeted by So-and-so the Milk, etc.

Back to the group! There's five of them: they're all jangling guitars and crashing drums, nicely finished by Katherine Whitaker's freefalling lullaby vocals. A bit Smiths, a bit Duke Spirit, a bit Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, they sound like they're still sort of in their infancy but they've definitely got the potential to make your heart ache.

I think their songs were recorded with a certain Mr Brattwell recently, which is fun. They're also playing a bunch of London shows this Summer, and I hope to play on the same bill as them very shortly. Watch this space.

http://myspace.com/evansthedeath

Picture Pretty split tape release

I was in a band ages ago called Picture Pretty, we've just had a tape released by a cool tape label called Tye Die Tapes. Check it out, maybe buy one.

Samuel and I don't get any money from this, if you're Real Life Friends of ours we'll give you one for free. Result!

Jamboree

A little club, run down but brimming with vitality. Located in deepest darkest Cable St and home to the best and most worthwhile artists in London. Jamboree's jazz and blues nights have religious and raucous followers. I dare you to visit on a Monday night; seriously.

Poetry

I'm in the final of the George Tavern's poetry competition, as judged by Ben Drew, AKA Plan B and John Cooper Clarke. Plan B will be playing live, and if I win the contest I might be asked to read out my entry.

Exciting!

Joyzine: Signal To Noise

I recently wrote an article about two of the few bands/artists making music who I genuinely care about. Joyzine decided to publish it.

Follow the link, because this is important.

http://www.joyzine.org/signaltonoise.html

Jam

Last night I ended up in what is fast becoming my favourite city haunt, The George Tavern, for some free BBQ food and a psychedelic musical improv with members of Flats, Blue On Blue, Teeth Of The Sea, The Homosexuals and some very friendly Spanish men who were quite keen to get to know me, apparently. I stomped, hand-clapped, tambourined and drummed for hours, my hands and arms are aching today but I had a blast.

Last night

I had fun at The George Tavern yesterday evening, I hope you did too. A big pile of people turned up which I was pleased about and Samir and Samuel Jacob did my compositions proud, I think.

If anyone has any pictures of my set, I'd love to see them. Tag me on Facebook, or something.

Here is a (poor quality) picture of Electricity In Our Homes onstage.

Last Call for the 30th

If you haven't already clicked 'Attending' with regards to the Electricity In Our Homes/Murder Act/Joseph Coward/Bastard Sword show, where have you been?

The Facebook event is here, say "yes!" to exciting new music.

I've also decided to do a short DJ set towards the end of the night, which will include tunes from the likes of Sonic Youth, Miss Cosmos and Trent Reznor. Get me.

Anyway, I'll see you there.

Wolfgang Smash

It's always a pleasant surprise when I hear a song that doesn't sound like the sort of music I hear every day. It's an even nicer surprise when the artist creating the new music is not forcing himself upon web users and friends, and trying to run before he's figured out he can walk.

This is the case with Joel Amey, alias Wolfgang Smash, better known for his membership with the rock group, Mafia Lights. His solo efforts remind me of Thom Yorke's electronic experiments on The Eraser, amongst other things.

Watch a video Joel made to accompany a track he calls "New Project 1".

Rehearsals

Here's a picture of Samir from Flats and Blue On Blue. We were playing some songs together yesterday; he's going to be drumming for me when I support EIOH next week, which I think is quite fun.

Dear Blogosphere,

Just writing to apologise for my long web absence; I've been very busy with the EP's release and I promise to post more frequently from now on.

In any case, I have a couple of things to share: firstly, an Australian online magazine is profiling me as part of an article about new and totally hip musicians. It's called www.poxymash.com, the article will be posted later this week so keep an eye out. Secondly, you really should come to see me support Electricity In Our Homes on the 30th at the George Tavern, The Murder Act will be playing too and it's going to be a blast. No, really.

I hope to see you soon,

Sincerely,

Joseph

Animal Sweethearts now available on iTunes

Just search Joseph Coward in the iTunes store to buy each track individually, or the record as a whole.

http://itunes.com

The making of the Animal Sweethearts cover

Two new tracks from Animal Sweethearts, "Eating The Rude" and "Spells A Heartbeat" have been added to the MySpace page.

I've also started to catalogue my press cuttings in the MySpace blog, only a couple so far but they're pretty fun to read I think.

Oh, and there's this:

La Fours

My friend Alanah Smith's music is cool! We're going to be recording some songs together very soon, keep your ears to the ground.

Getting plastered...

Here's a picture of me modrocking with my face in the lovely Becca Austen's back garden. You'll see why very shortly.

New demo online: 'Him Who Loved Me'

I've a new track on my MySpace page, it's a demo entitled 'Him Who Loved Me'.

Daniel and I came up with the riff and beats for this song during some down time at the studio; a lot of the song's lyrics had been floating around my notebooks and journals for a long time so bringing all the words together didn't take long.

Listen, and write to me to tell me what you think!

The George Tavern

The George Tavern is situated in the middle of Whitechapel, on Commercial Road, in amongst the ethnic market stalls and retirement homes; and it's about to become my favourite place to be in London's East End.

I first went to the George in September 2008, having met one Dee Sekar a few weeks previously at another local show. Bands An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump and KASMs were playing, and poets were reading in between the aforementioned noise-fests.

I recently returned there to play an acoustic show in the venue's little garden, for an audience of about twenty people. I knew much of the audience and had an excellent time playing for my friends.

I'm DJing tonight at the George Tavern for Dee's club night, Decasia. Follow this link for details of the night and how to get there.

If you come along (which you will), ask for Joseph and say hello.

Reminds me of Danny, and Home

On shallow straw, in shadeless glass,
Huddled by empty bowls, they sleep:
No dark, no dam, no earth, no grass -
Mam, get us one of them to keep.

Living toys are something novel,
But it soon wears off somehow.
Fetch the shoebox, fetch the shovel -
Mam, we're playing funerals now.

-Philip Larkin

Finished recording

After two months in the studio with Daniel, I've got all the final takes taped for the EP. All that remains is mixing, various other production type things and mastering. Which is about as fun as it sounds.

Release soon; you'll all be duly notified.

Softly, softly

I still love the photo webcomic, A Softer World. It's written by Joey Comeau and Emily Horne; they're from Canada, would you believe? The comic is, in the words of its creators, "giving voice to the secret thoughts of the subjects of the photographs". Thematically, the strip veers from light-hearted and silly to very dark and sometimes a little disturbing; sometimes a mixture of the two. Check out the example below.


Joey is also an author, and he's started writing a new book which he is now serialising online. Look it up on the ASW website.

Happy Easter, by the way.