Acoustic Lighting New CD

Fred Rucker is Acoustic Lighting. The Yukon good old boy has performed for the past 40 years,honing his songs for this, his debut album. And you can tell from the quality and emotion within these songs. From the clashing Beatle-esque opening chords of 'Too Far, Too Fast' to the wonderful 'Sayin' Goodbye' Fred takes you on a journey of the soul.

And that's where all of Freds songs come from lots of experience from life and business from California to New York. He used to sell 45s and tapes so he's had extensive experience of selling other peoples music....now...it's his turn, despite not having too much opportunity to play his songs within his home city of Oklahoma,he says there isn't the kind of network to do that. He did set up an open mike night in the late 70's to try and combat this, which was successful for a while.

Fred describes his career as nobody to wannabe and back again,which he is being kind of unfair to himself, humble to the last we'll let his songs speak for him, the beautiful 'Yesterday I was Afraid' touches your heart
to the magnificent 'Peace to the Middle East' where there is a love so powerful it can lay down arms in that troubled area....if only that could happen.

This album is definitely worth looking into if you like Americana, with a country pop tinge. He's had extensive radio plays in the UK due to the efforts of producer and player on some tracks, Steve Kelly from West Wales. After becoming good friends they decided to work together and this is the result. They will continue to make more music.

You can get the CD from Fred himself at acoustic.lighting@hotmail.com or here in the UK at http://www.endlessrecords.moonfruit.com/ where you will find all details and track snippets.

Meanwhile here's a track played on Splash radio in Scotland.

http://www.reverbnation.com/acousticlighting/song/15085575-yesterday-i-was-afraid-splash-radio?utm_campaign=opengraph&utm_content=song&utm_medium=link&utm_source=facebook

Greetings folks,

I hope all is well in your world. I'm still trundling along after finding myself unemployed for the first time in 20 years. August 25th 2012 I, along with 15 other drivers, were made redundant from Crossgates Coaches. 

I am actively seeking work now, maybe even finding a course to possibly change direction in career, although may be a bit late in the day at my age, but who knows. I do enjoy writing with penning lyrics and short blogs like this on various websites, so I'm looking at a creative writing course or even journalism, although again, age may be against me. 

Mind you, I am doing a lot more other work, volunteering in a Wildlife trust shop, being more active in CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, I am now Branch Secretary for the newly formed Radnorshire branch, so that will occupy my time. And who knows, a paying job may come out of these contacts. I honestly don't how I managed to fit work in before!!

On the plus side, I can use this a bit more. I know I said that before, but time and circumstance caught up with me. I shall find out how to publish some photos, links to various sites I use and promote, gig reviews, CD and LP reviews, and much more.

Watch this space.

'Lifesongs'

Well,
The album,our album,new CD called 'Lifesongs' was released officially a year ago. We didn't expect it to sell in 1000's,so far only 973 to go,we've sold 27. Blimey,we'll never retire at this rate!!! Still we can but try,what do you expect from 2 old blokes who record in a bedroom.

Still,it has been a fantastic experience making it and hearing the peoples reaction in the positive,and to be honest we haven't had that many,if any,negative comments. We have started work on a second album with a song called 'Forgive Me' which is based on a true experience of a friend of mine.
It seems people don't want physical CDs these days,which I can't understand. Downloads sound so rubbish,there's no OOOMPH to them and can sound really tinny. Not like a CD or a brand new vinyl LP played at full volume,that is power!!!! And I love it. I would like to get our CD onto vinyl,but the expense is beyond us and unjustifiable at the moment....maybe one day.

However,if you would like to hear 2 old blokes warbling in a bedroom then head over to www.endlessrecords.moonfruit.com and maybe even spend £10 on a CD,no extras,free postage and it'll be signed aswell,just in case.


Much love and peace.
Andy

'Lifesongs' release tomorrow.

I am excited.
There's no 2 ways about it,I am excited. Something is happening tomorrow,Monday 12th September 2011,and that something is a release of an album I have been involved with......meaning I wrote some of the songs,I play guitar on some of the songs,I even 'sing' on some of the songs. Can you believe that????
It may not be mercury prize content,it may not make it on to radio 2,it may not not be as good as other albums,but to me.....this is the best album in the world. There's some of my life in there,and it'll be here long after I've gone.
What do I expect?? Well,it won't sell  in millions,we may sell 30....be nice to sell 100....but If you buy it,I hope you enjoy it as much as we've(Steve Kelly and myself) enjoyed recording it.
I know there is some good songs on there.....no....there is some brilliant songs on there....there,push the boat out!!!
Anyway,please go over to www.endlessrecords.moonfruit.com and have a look,make 2 old buggers happy by slipping your hand in your pocket and drawing out a nice crisp tenner and sending it to us. P&P included in the price.......not bad for a part Yorkshireman!!!!

Here's to album 2!!!!!

I got the inclination.

So,I'm listening to music and at a loose end so Here is a little about me and what I'm up to now.

I've always been interested in music,ever since I can remember. I can remember standing on an old ottoman in our old house,must have been about 4 years old,singing 'She Loves You' at the top of my voice. And listening to the radio and hearing 'Little Children' by Billy J Kramer and the dakotas....if I had to do a tracks of my years kind of thing,that would be the first one on the list.

I heard 'San Quentin' by Johnny Cash,and that knocked me out....I loved his voice,but also the harsh twangy guitar on tracks like the title track and 'I Walk the Line',which had a lot more fuzz on it than on the studio recordings,and it was that harsh,fuzzy sound that stayed with me for along time. Fast forward no to about 1973,I was 13. A freind of ours,Roger, used to take us all swimming as he had a car.....with a tape player....absolute luxory...and this is where I first heard Deep purple. 'Machine Head' was the album,and I thought then,this is what I want to listen to. Roger also had 'Dark Side of the Moon',some ELP,Roxy Music which we all listened to in the car,so it wasn't long before I was buying stuff like that myself. Off down the record shop,see what albums they had in,if I didn't get an album I'd buy a single. I had loads at one point of all genres rockwise.
But,I always wanted to play the guitar,as the tennis racket was taking a bashing,so I bought an old Kay,which was basically a plank with strings,but it was ok to learn on. A friend of mine showed me some chords,it was an age before I could even fret them never mind play a tune,I'm tone deaf,but I persevered and managed to bash out 'Wild Thing' and a few popular riffs....but it was a struggle. I nearly gave up. So,practice makes perfect....well not perfect....but for me it was.

Fast forward again,and after getting married and kids coming along,the guitar took a back seat for a while....but I had a resurgence after winning one on Radio Wales. It was a Marlin Sidewinder,and a nice guitar...so more practice,but getting nowhere. It was about this time I put my back out,I was off work for a few weeks,laid up. I was left the essentials to survive if my wife went out including some paper and a pen. Now,I don't know what happened,the pain in my back must have opened up a portion of my brain and I started writing lyrics.I was listening to Manx Radio,we could pick that up in Anglesey where we were at the time,and it was commentary on the manx grand prix classic race. The commentator was enthusing over the bikes going past...things like beautiful BSA,or gorgeous Triumph...then he said ...no here comes a silverblack Norton...just listen to that as it goes past the creg.......then my song 'Silverblack' was born. I wrote the lyrics in about 10 minutes. After that about 7 more sets of lyrics came out............but,problem!!! I didn't have the knowledge or skill to put music to these words...so for a time they were shelved,but I still kept them.

Now,some years later,after splitting up with my wife and moving to Guernsey,I applied myself to learning the guitar properly...still hard work though. I met my partner,Jan,in Guernsey and she encouraged me to carry on.
After moving back to the UK together,we moved to Mid Wales,I set about trying to get my lyrics recorded. This is when I met Steve Kelly. I'd found him on My Space and was impressed by his songwriting and the way he wrote his lyrics,so I asked him after one or two internet conversations if he would mind looking at my lyrics. He agreed so I sent him 'Silverblack' and went to meet him at his house a week or so later. He played me the basic bones of the song,and I tell you,to here my words brought to life like that was wonderful!!! So we set about recording it properly,Steve has the means to do so properly. That went well,we found we were having a good time doing this so we did another one,and another,and by this time we were becoming good friends.....so I wrote more lyrics...now sometimes Steve tweaks the words to make them scan or to ba able to be sung best,but we have come up with 10 finished songs to go on a CD,3 tracks of which were written 20 odd years ago on Anglesey. This CD is called 'Lifesongs' and we will release it on the 12th of September 2011. I never,in a million years,would have thought this would happen. It is a real thrill to see this and hear my words brought to life by Steve,plus I do play on the album....I had some lessons which helped a lot,and just practised as much as possible. I'm still nowhere near as good as some,but I'm getting more confident and that's half the battle.

I hope you'll take a look at the album,you can find it on facebook under Steve kelly and Andy Towell,or at www.endlessrecords.moonfruit.com where you can prchase the CD if you so desire.

Well,that was a marathon....blimey....thanks for reading,it's been quite therapeutic to write this,and I will do another and let you know how the CD is doing.

Much Love and Peace to you all.

Andy.

I'd forgotten all about this....may as well use it,when I get the inclination which won't be often,but there may be one or two blogs once I get into it. Why you would want to read what I'm up to in my life I've no idea,just nosy I guess....still,I'll try and give you something to read at some point.

Good music

Well,at last I've been able to get into the magic bus blog!! It's taken me ages,loading difficulties,forgotton passwords etc but here now,just hope it appears on the right site now.

Been listening to Jim since the beginning and truly believe it to be the greatest show on radio since Fluff Freeman's saturday rock show,really plays some good music from my era,plus some new bands and songs to investigate.

Now I know I can get in I will post more soon.
By the way,a meet up will be a good idea,theres nothing more I like than sat over a pint chatting about music.