Stormcellar Band Home Page

Just posted this to facebook because:

Stormcellar would like to acknowledge the bravery of S. sharing her transition to R. I can only imagine how brave you have to be to accept who you truly are. Ok, completely inappropriate joke here, but that takes Cojones. Hey don't judge me I'm still processing this..

Those that know and love me know I have my own share of stuff to deal with, that being the case, it gives me a certain connection to those who feel a little alien in their own world.

Like any Western Socialised Hetero Identifying Product of the 20th Century, I find some changes are still a little daunting. 

However, this isn't one of them.

I must admit I am a little 'caitlin'd out, being a bit of a media chewer, but I understood how important it is to have a hero, a pioneer.

Sydney's always been a bit of a Rainbow city. We have loved ones from all over the spectrum so it's never seemed altogether unusual.

What I am finding unusual is the amount of acceptance.

Am I overly optimistic or are people starting to be a little nicer? More accepting? I'd like to think so.

Most important, welcome Rebecca. We've always liked you for who you are and you can choose any externalisation of yourself that feels right without any concern that we'd think differently of you. We're your friends in the Stormcellar.

Howdy Folks. New songs, new songs. Almost.

We went into the rehearsal studio (we love Chrisso and we love Troy Horse rehearsal studios) to do some housekeeping and work on some new stuff.

One of the new ones 'all that's right is beautiful' (until we find a Song Name Shortener) had a new beginning added to it, the beat modified and some pinstriping and a turbo charger added.

With the additional fixes we were making to existing songs, I didnt get as many of the new ones into production as I'd hoped and in fact may have kind of chucked a small tantrum at the end of the session during a particulary tough vocal melody discussion. I had to excuse myself and go get a cup of tea. Must work on that.

I looked up at the art on the wall as I stirred my tea. Words to live by.

Whilst I was reminding myself of how to behave in a constructive and professional manner (tea bag, milk, pour water, drink) Chrisso, behind the counter, said some nice things about us. I mean, it's not that he doesnt say nice things but I wondered what had triggered it.

Apparently, the band in room B, next to us, had been listening in and came out to ask who we were and say nice things.

Dear band in Room B, that's very kind of you. Thank you. Especially considering that we were fixing errors and failing gloriously as we tried different approaches.

When I mentioned to Chris that Rosies guitar playing had ranked up considerably, Chris said he'd seen him years ago with his Indy band, The Duchesses. I played Chris some recent stuff including Everywhere Feels Like Home, to which Chris replied. 'I knew he was good but I didnt realise he was that good' :-)

We're going to need a lot more rehearsal time to get the next batch of songs cooked and it was great to see the interaction of the guys last night. I'm all for engaging in the hard discussions (Rosie calls me 'Combat Ready') as the collective input produces really interesting results. Come to a show and you'll hear the new stuff as it arises.

Downstairs in the 'cellar we're chatting over tea. It's been months since we made a videoclip. 

I'm doing the pre production on a few ideas now and came across this whilst doing some research. cute.

Stay tuned for yet more opportunities to appear in a clip.

A great idea

We’ve got a great idea

Not like the last idea

Which turns out

Was not such

 a great idea

in fact we’ve learned

was a bad idea

you could say

we had no idea

how bad an idea

the last idea

was not a good idea after all

but we’ve got a new idea

a much better idea

and I think you’ll find

this is a really great idea

which we will look back upon

and say how clever we were

Howdy Folks.

Last night we had a slightly 'tired and emotional' (i.e: inebriated) audience member who decided that she really really wanted to sing. Taking no for an answer was not part of the available range of options. 

Stage intrusion etc makes the boys crazy. Our erstwhile singer stole the microphone during the break and Mr Wizard had to persuade her to return it. She was not pleased to do so.

Taking a leaf out of DC's book, I tried engaging her to sing one line in Southern Bells, the chorus 'gonna ring me some southern bells tonight'. 

Despite my best efforts, she opted to sing 'Ice Ice Baby' over the song,

following that by running off with the main vocal microphone and adding an impromptu version of 'a boy named sue'.

I wonder How Johnny would have responded to the interruption?

Fortunately our Soundo had been pre warned that I was going to try and make nice, so he gave her some latitude then killed the sound. She was not entirely happy with that outcome.

I'm neither offended, bummed nor fussed. The fact that she wanted to participate is great. Not only that but I know she'd look back upon her after-a-few-drinks-behaviour and most probably be mortified (OMG did I really do that?).

Yes Miss E., you did.

Please note, despite knowing your name,  I kindly limit my self to one letter to maintain your privacy, which I might add you effectively renounced by stage crashing a working band mid set :-)

We truly are your friends here in the stormcellar.

No I did not take offence when you gave me a hard time for not knowing any Slim Dusty songs, despite, as you said, him being the most important Australian of the 20th Century.

As Rosie pointed out, we have recorded several songs with Slim's fiddle player of 20 years, Mike Kerin, so I guess that ought to count.

I was equally unoffended  at the chiding for our failure to know, or include, Duffy or Dusty Springfield songs. if I could get away with that there'd be at least 1 carly simon song in the set, but you know how it is, the boys worry that people would start to talk. 

Yes, this is our blog, you probably wont read this and I wont be vengeance posting elsewhere because I fundamentally have love and compassion for my fellow humans and I know when you go out, it might be my 'workplace' but you're there to relieve some stress and tension, so I'll make you a deal.

We have 7 albums worth of songs, most of the lyrics up online. Learn the words and I'll get you up to sing with us.

Or, when we start covering Vanilla Ice, I'll send you a text. However I'm old school enough that i'd more likely go for a bit of Public Enemy.

We have the love. Remember to fight the power!