Mo’ news is good news

I’ve been up a hill.

You know the saying “no news is good news”? Well, when it comes to this blog, that’s usually the case. If I haven’t updated the site in a while, it’s often because I’ve been cray-cray busy (Neil taught me that phrase, cray-cray. Did I do it right?) and that’s almost always a good thing. While I try to keep people updated with Twitter and Facebook, apparently there’s been some sort of news event dominating the media recently, so some of my news might have slipped through the cracks. Even handsome bastards have been getting it on the act. With this in mind, here’s a wee roundup of stuff you might have missed.

Linn Records

Last week I announced that I recently signed a distribution deal with Glasgow-based record company Linn Records! You might know the name from their world-famous range of audio equipment but as a record company they specialise in studio quality master downloads. What this means is that when I release a new record it will also be distributed on Linn’s website where you’ll have the option to purchase and download high fidelity studio masters. That’s as opposed to what you might normally get from iTunes for example. For more information on Linn’s vision and why mp3s might not be the best way to listen to music, check out this interview with Gilad Tiefenbrun, the boss of Linn Records. Of course, my music will still be able to download through Bandcamp, so fear not if you prefer the personal touch (or the good night’s sleep that comes from knowing you’re paying an artist directly. Or if you just like getting something in the mail).
It feels great to have the support of a record company like Linn, and I really do encourage you to check them out. Apart from anything else, they’re just lovely people. Check out my artist profile and releases on Linn at this lovely link.

BBC 6 Music

Someone else’s support who I’m really lucky to have is BBC DJ and singer/songwriter, Tom Robinson. Tom’s played my stuff a few times over the past year or two and this week he featured my latest single Deadpool on his BBC Introducing Mixtape. Most flattering of all is this review that Tom wrote about my work:

“For me, the wry, laconic lofi-fi acoustic pop of Glasgow-based songwriter Shambles Miller – in fact his whole musical persona – is completely irresistible. Be clear, this is not music made with an eye either on the Top 40 or fame in the blogosphere. But it 100% fulfils Steve Lamacq’s criterion that any artist worth their salt sounds like they need to make this particular music or they would explode. Shambles embodies the wonderfully dry Scots truthfulness to be found in the work of Aidan Moffat, King Creosote and even our friends on this same mixtape Drunk Mule. Deadpool is certainly a fine track, but frankly I’d recommend downloading everything you can get your hands on and immersing yourself in the unique – sometimes funny, sometimes angry, always unfailingly honest – world of Shambles Miller.”

The assertion that I need to be doing this or I would explode is the most accurate description of why I do this that I’ve ever heard and I’m incredibly flattered by Tom’s words. You can listen to the show at some of the links above, or you can download it here.

Gigsgigsgigs

Passengers on the night bus to Leith were unfazed.

As always I’ve been busy gigging and I’ve got more coming up. If you’re not from Glasgow and want to catch me nearer your neck of the woods, I’ll be heading to Gourock, Ayr, and Doune the Rabbit Hole over the next month or so. For a list of gig dates/venues/times, check out Songkick, Bandcamp, or Tumblr. This past week I also played a wee gig in Edinburgh and I must say, it’s definitely the first time I’ve played a gig on a double decker bus in a pub’s courtyard. I’ve also never had to stoop quite so much during a set as I did during this one. To get an idea of what I got up to, there’s this Vine and the best “I’m driving a bus” selfie you’ve ever seen.

Safety Selfie First

I also got the chance to catch a great set by James Mackenzie, who I recommend listening to with your ears at your earliest convenience. Click all my stuff first though, eh? Man’s got to eat.

Have I been up to anything else? Well lets see…I set “Rapey” Robin Thicke straight about something, had a beer up Ben A’an, hung out with a wee tortoise pal, and got the affirmation I was seeking from the Sultan of Selfie himself(ie).

Like I say, I’ve been dain stuff. Thanks for reading folks!

Til next time,

love Shambles

x

Podcasts, Podcasts, Podcasts.

Three of em! Hello. What with the new single being released recently, I’ve had some airplay from some brilliant podcasts. They all feature loads of great tunes, so I thought I’d link to them hear so you can wrap yer ears right round some good music.

BBC Introducing with Tom Robinson 

This past week I was lucky enough to be featured by the BBC’s very own Tom Robinson. I’m really honoured to have the support of someone like Tom and to have my music featured on the BBC. I mean, it’s the BBC! You can listen to the show on iplayer or download the mixtape here. Or both! One then the other. Your choice. The mixtape is available for four weeks though, then it’s gonezo, so don’t dilly-dally.

Jim Gellatly’s New Music 

Last week, my track Confessions was also featured on Jim Gellatly’s new music podcast. Jim’s been a long-time supporter so it’s great to have him play the new stuff, especially alongside great Scottish talent like Hector Bizerk and Meursault. Definitely download this! Oh look, here’s a link where you can do just that.

The Edinburgh Man Podcast 

A regular favourite of mine to listen to (which is why you’ll sometimes hear Mr. Man (Man is his surname, right?) reading out vaguely nonsensical tweets from me now and then, when the show goes out live)*, you can hear both Confessions and the b-side Pieces on episode 100 and episode 99, respectively. Away and listen!

Oh and, this isn’t exactly an official endorsement, but I’ll take what I can get. I asked Lauren Laverne if she’d be interested in listening to a song which features a spot-on David Bowie impression, where the impression was artistically necessary to the song. She said, and I quote: “yes”. So I sent her this tweet with a link to the track on soundcloud and she favourited it.

Does she actually like the song? I have no idea. Perhaps we should all ask her on Twitter!

This is the sort of thing I get up to at night on Twitter when the rest of you are out at the local discos and pool halls, jiving with your best girls/boys and hustling suckers on the tables.

Til next time folks,

love Shambles

x

*Yep, I’m basically trolling you all with punctuation here. Complaints to shamblesmiller(at)gmail(dot)com

End of the Year Roundup…Stuff!

Hello folks! Hope you’ve all had a lovely Christmas with some lovely presents from Santa and lots of food and drink in yer bellies! I’ve had a great Christmas, but have slightly neglected my blog in favour of almost relentlessly playing Skyrim. I do apologise if you’ve had to hear me ramble about it or if you’ve doubted my sanity on twitter as a result of my #toomuchskyrim tweeting. Y’know, I used to update my blog regularly but then I took an arrow to the knee.

Despite my Skyrim-induced sloth however, other stuff has been happening. And stuff happened BEFORE Skyrim, I just forgot to mention it as I was all caught up in the drinking joy of the festive period. Firstly, this Christmas I played a gig in George Square! I even got a nice festive jumper for the occasion. It was a really fun gig and it still feels pretty amazing as a Glaswegian to be able to say I’ve played in George Square. An actual gig, not just busking round the peripherims across from Greggs! The other acts were great and I particularly enjoyed Tragic O’Hara’s set. As someone who enjoys attempting acoustic covers of hip-hop songs, his version of Shimmy Shimmy Ya was especially braw. As for me, my trusty pal Neil caught a wee video of me singing Rapture, here it’s here.

So what’s been happening round about me while I’ve been busy slaying dragons? Well, I was really excited to find out that I’ve been included in Tom Robinson’s Christmas mixtape on BBC 6 Music! It’s a selection of Tom’s favourite songs of the year and I’m really honoured to have been picked for it. The song Tom picked was “Things That Make Me Angry” which of course is still available as a free download through Strummerville.

You can download the podcast or stream it from this lovely link/entire sentence.

As if that wasn’t flattering enough, I also made it to number 20 in the Edinburgh Man Podcast’s top 50 songs of the year! You can hear/download the podcast at this link right here. The track which had the most votes was Rapture. Yes, the one from that video up there! And this other one over here from when I played Cabaret Voltaire earlier this year! Oh aye and it’s also a free download! Michty me.

Last but not least, since my last post about it, I’ve sold another couple of copies of my EP, “Shambles Sails the Clockwork Sea” and now there are only 4 copies left! I know it’s a long shot but I’d love to sell them out by the end of the year so if you’ve been thinking of getting one, now’s the time! You can purchase from this link here.

A big massive thanks to everyone who has helped me out this year, supported me, bought/downloaded my stuff or come to gigs. It’s been a great year and I hope to make 2012 even better! At the very least, I’ll buy an outlandish hat and strut around wearing it like I’m a PURE SOMEBODY. Or something.

Til next time year!

love Shambles

x

Radio Shambles

See what I did there?

Hello folks! You’re looking well today, if a little sleepy. Ah! You must have been up late to hear me on the radio! In case you missed it, last night I had the absolute pleasure of having one of my songs played on Tom Robinson’s Fresh on the Net radio show on BBC 6 Music! It was a great show all round and I’m really chuffed to have been featured. If you missed it, you can listen again with iplayer for another 6 days. Just click this tasty link! (you can hear me from about 1:17:25)

I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that I was played on the Amazing Chill Show on Amazing Radio this morning! When it rains it pours, eh? Except sometimes it drizzles. Or you get like, that misty rain. There are a few different types of rain, when you think about it…

Thanks for reading/listening folks. I must say, it made it extra special to hear my stuff on the radio whilst celebrating the end of exams (and Eurovision hilarity) with some of my friends. I felt suitably embarrassed/happy/drunk/all of the above. Thanks guys!

Til next time folks,

love Shambles x