Having battered my body, ears & various instruments (I'm sure I could have purchased several guitars with the money I've had to spend on repairs as a direct result of throwing guitars!) and with no band to make noise with I switched to the acoustic for a while, developing my songwriting further and learning to use my voice more rather than just trying to shout in tune like I had done previously. I soon built up a set of new original material and started to wonder what I was going to do with it. Luckily I had a mate from the Plastercast days that was in the same boat, Luke Bond.
In September 2006 we began a musical partnership that would last over 3 years. Originally an 'acoustic duo' (a tag we absolutely hated, possibly because it was a true), we built up a set of original martial half written by Luke and half by myself. Being a couple of singer songwriters it was the first time I was ever really able to develop and play around with harmonies as in previous bands I'd always been the main vocalist. From the Zenn days we recruited Steve Taylor as our bassist (before his Exeter based band outlawed his involvement with us) and performed our first gig in an Oxfam shop window in Torquay. One of the strangest venues I've performed at! The set was a prelude to a bigger event being held at the town hall later that day, called Oxjam. That was our first gig with the 3 of us. We were soon performing regular gigs around the bay and in Exeter. Soon after the Oxjam event we started to record some new demos, recorded by Steve in his flat in Torquay. My 'Better Yet' was one of the first, as well as Luke's 'Something To Remember' and my 'Flow'. These tracks later went on to form part of our only Ep, a self produced effort which also included a few tracks from our live performances on Palm Fm. All in all we paid 2 visits to Palm Fm and 2 to Phonic Fm in Exeter.
( Here you'll find a write of of the Oxjam event: http://mapsmagazine.co.uk/oxjamtorbay.htm )
As the gigs became more regular, we gave ourselves the name Memo. Under the name Memo I was able to return to the Artsbase Awards in 2007, with Luke and I collecting the 'Best Band' award, we followed the event with a rather foolish drunken impromptu set at our mate Mark's venue, The Bit On The Side, in Paignton (Mark now runs The Lighthouse in Paignton as a music venue and arts centre, this guy and his team have done more for people like me than any thing the poncey Artsbase lot could ever do - Mark & Aly, you are diamonds). In 2008 we were offered a monthly slot at The Blue Walnut Cafe, I loved those really intimate acoustic performances and had a great time there. In 2008 we acquired our own studio and set about trying to launch the band as an electric band, just like we'd always intended. Most of 2009 was spent in the studio, reworking the set, working on new material with 2 separate drummers.
After several failed attempts to launch the new electric lineup as the newly titled Vienna Cycle', we eventually wrapped up the partnership at the end of the year with Luke's departure. Steve and I intend to continue to work together, and I still want to get together 'that' electric band. Though now, probably for the first time since wanting to produce and perform music, my priorities have completely changed.
Right now I'm on somewhat of a hiatus while I await the imminent arrival of my first born, due January 2010. C'mon son!
For more information visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2008/02/01/memo_feature.shtml