EP9 and beyond

EP9 was released last month and in all the excitement, we forgot to blog about it.

In a break with tradition, this EP contains four instrumentals.

1. Lies
2. The Schemer of Schemes Part 1
3. BHX
4. A Minor Pulse


Available now at all good download sites and streaming services.



We did make a video for the track lies, using the game Kerbal Space Program.

Physical copies can be bought from out bandcamp store.

In other news, we are more than three quarters the way through finishing EP10.   So expect that in the spring of 2018

Summer time

Seems to have been a very long time since we blogged.  Shame on us.

We have been busy.   We have far too many songs on the go for a single EP.  I think it is sixteen songs at the last count.  So as well as EP8, we are working on EP9 also.

The final lyrics were written last week for EP8.   So that song is now in the process of being recorded. 

As can be seen from the above image, we now have a makeshift vocal booth to play with.

The rest of the EP has been recorded and is ready for mixing.

We haven't decided a song order yet.  But titles are probably.

The Distance
Hometown
Hometown Heart
Ludworth

Two songs about hometown's I hear you ask.  Yep.   We both did a songwriting course earlier in the year, the task was to write a song about your hometown.   So we thought we would put both on the EP and see what people think.

So EP8 will be the forst EP, where we haven't re-recorded an old song.

We are thinking of revisiting the way we do CD covers also.  The previous seven EPs all used artists manikins on them.  We are unsure if we are going to continue this or try something different.

E has suggested we could use some of the smoke photography I used to do.

I suggested I do more images, given it has been far too long since I last did them.

We shall decide over the next few weeks, which way we are going.

EP9 is currently being written, whilst we finish up EP8.   So it is all go.

Later

Rollasoc

Love Is Overdrive Video

Well EP7 is almost amongst us.

It will be released on November 20th.

You can preorder it from our Bandcamp site.   It will be on Spotify, Amazon and all other streaming and download sites shortly thereafter.

We have made a video for the lead track.  "Love is Overdrive".  

We had such a laugh shooting the video.  Hopefully, that will come across in the video and everyone takes it in the silly way we intended.  It is made up of lots of the 800+ photos we took on Sunday afternoon.

We are rather pleased with how it turned out.

In other news.   December, I believe, is the official 15th Anniversary of The Hair Thieves.  So Chris might go out and play some very old Hair Thieves songs during the month at open mic nights in and around Shropshire.

We have four of five songs now in various states of finishing for EP8.   More news about that in the coming months, with holidays coming up and Christmas, it will be slow going until the new year.

Tremelotastic

Well it has been a little while since the last blog post.

February was mostly taken up with Chris doing FAWM.  Where he attempted to write 14 songs in 28 days.  He managed 10 songs.  Two of which will be future Hair Thieves songs.

The first, "The Distance" was demo'd in the last blog post.  I think we are possible keeping that back for EP8.  

The second song is called "Love is Overdrive".  Which will be on EP7.  It is pretty much written now, just needs re-recording, which I started doing over the weekend, in a different key to the demo on the Soundcloud.

March was taken up with holidays and some work finalising the instrumetal for EP7.  See the video above for E practicing a guitar part for the ending.

So EP7 progress is being made.  Two songs written and in the process of being recorded.

One song in a partial written state and our usual re-record an old song, not started, but we know which song it will be and will possibly be the last old song to be re-recorded, since we have run out of ones we want to re-record.

So over the next month, we are going to crack on with EP7.  It probably won't be finished until Autumn, so location changes may be in order soon, so we might end up downing tools for a couple of months over the summer.  We shall see how things pan out.

Personally, I'm getting itchy fingers to go out and start playing live again, even if it is only open mic nights.  So time to get the acoustic out and start practicing a new set of tunes.

Later

Chris

Deep Down You Know that I'm Wrong

Lead track off EP6. You can order the new EP from http://ift.tt/Z5d4Yc for a nominal fee

Instrumental Failure

All of our EPs so far follow a kind of pattern.   This one and EP5 are missing collaborations with others.  But all our EPs finish with an instrumental.

Here are a couple of snippets from the instrumental for EP6.

At the moment it is called The Fail Song.

This song has a long history.  It started as an arpeggio on acoustic.  Many years ago.  


This tune was originally scheduled for EP5 and had the intention of having lyrics.

I then showed it to E and taught him how to play it. 

He then promptly wrote the first section as a strummy section and the arpeggio was kind of lost as I liked how he started the tune. (see first video)

If I remember, it might have been called "Fear of New York" (not to do with the "Exploits of Elaine" song honest!) originally.   But we were never happy with the lyrics, so it was shelved and brought out again for EP6.

I had another go at lyrics but failed. Possibly due to the time signature being slightly odd rhythmically.  More likely the lack of inspiration.

So we decided to make it the instrumental.

The original argeggio, in a slighly altered and slower form now makes it way into the middle section of the song as a piano and at the end of the song on acoustic (see the 2nd video).


It thus became The fail song, since we failed to write lyrics for it.

This is currently being mixed.  Hopefully, we will put it up on Soundcloud soon!



 

21st CSM

21st CSM Music and Lyrics C Rollason. Always Argued my limitations Never argued against my fears Always questioned my way of thinking Never looked ahead, ahead with hope Always restless and impatient Never rode the waves of delight Always worry too much about nothing Never relaxed, nor had some fun And I'm turning into the thing I hate the most High ideals, but I'm not even close I seem complete, but I'm thinking that I'm broken Turning into the 21st Century Schizoid man Always bottled up my emotions Never held back all the rage Always leaving too much unspoken Never edgy, too highly strung And I never had fun as a child Nervous wreck, behind my smile Happy go lucky or so they say Feel inside like I'm the living dead Hiding secrets, hiding lies Tortured soul, crimson disguise Torn between my wants and needs I bare this soul for you to need

Chemistry

The Chemistry Music I Packman, Lyrics Chris Rollason, I Packman Waiting for a queue that never comes (Standing) in the line of least resistance Hard counter to the window on my soul, it says position closed it marks the pass of every moment The Chemistry of dying Colours Changing over time My future shrinks, my past is growing it's leaving me behind The fabric fades, old colours melt away Captures all our days, escape forgotton The world is rushing at you, faster than the naked eye can see We close our eyes or look away The Chemistry of dying Colours Changing over time My future shrinks, my past is growing it's leaving me behind If nothing last forever what's the point in going on at least I have found the wisdom of where I was wrong Aching void, ommisions from my soul watching people make the same mistakes So I write a list of all the things the things I should have done I wasted time on being young

The Beguiled

The Beguiled Music Chris Rollason, I Packman. Lyrics C Rollason Rising from the depths With brilliance / passion A fall from grace On gossamer wings The doubts so deep Words ache reviled The fool for a foolish dream I am Beguiled I Never thought I'd fall so deep so fast Captivated by your passive eerie glance Your charm offense lies unrestrained Never thought that modern love would be estranged I really though you'd change your ways this time Disappointment hides the fear of hopes declined Tragedy begat from a stolen kiss Tall Tales and randon acts of senselessness

The Mighty Fall

The Mighty Fall Music C Rollason T Evans, words T Evans Spread the trails of fortune We each can find the road To build a new horizon Find our place and ride the code There's life within our dreams We each can voice our views Set them up to teach the weary Change the spoils and write the truth Oh how The Mighty Fall The Mighty Fall The Mighty Fall The Mighty Fall Bit by bit the way we change Spread the truth and break our fall We've all grown up, with how things are But how things are just kills us all Why are we fighting? Why do we hate? If we change opinions It is never too late Oh The Mighty Fall How The Mighty Fall The Mighty Fall The Mighty Fall

Break The Casino

Break The Casino Music / Lyrics G Lawton, I Packman Life is a gamble (with an) even chance at best Keep watching the dealer , ignore the rest Lift your eyes, the skies are golden Stakes are high, I'm close to folding I need to know the cards your holding out for Poker face, eyes as cold as ice Double or quits, with loaded dice You'll be a hero if you break the casino (but) they won't let you bet on double zero You'll be a hero if you save the bus fare home

Apotemnophilia

Apotemnophilia 20/10/2005 Music / Lyrics C Rollason You always had a sense of balance A certain uneasy grace been missing the kindness that's been long overdue I wanna be just like you I felt like this from childhood an alien ape displayed been searching for someone to take away the part of me thats not a part of me so take me to a dark and tranquil place take away the thing that make me plain this thing that I find so distasteful and turn me into something beautiful I've progressed so far so soon don't want to pretend no more Drastic times mean drastic measures so I can be just like you I've tried conventional options a new way for mad they say I've calculated the risks v gains so a shot rings out that long overdue You always had a sense of balance A certain awkward grace I'm shown the kindness that's been long overdue Now I'm just like you

EP5 - Free Download

The Hair Thieves are delighted to announce the release of the only slightly delayed EP5 today.

In the past we have spent many hours, cups of tea and Tesco's finest cookies in the writing and recording of this EP and for the most part, given the rarity of us playing live, very few people will get to hear it.

To this end, we are offering the whole EP as a free (as in no cost at all, zilch, nada etc) download from your Bandcamp site.

All we ask is that you have a listen.

For your free download, please use the contact form and we will email you a download code.

If you hate it please tell us, if you like it, please tell us and either make a small donation, so we can record another EP ,or preferably, make copies and give them to a friend or three.

If you are old fashioned, like us, and prefer a physical CD with original artwork, you can purchase one for the princely sum of £3 + p&p from Bandcamp. Which also includes a digital download of the EP.

All monies received will be put towards EP6, which we are currently writing.

The EP is also be available on ITunes / spotify / amazon etc if that is your preferred digital delivery medium. Due to the capitalist nature of our society, you will have to pay for these.