Nelson Arts Festival

Here at Teacaddy central we’re getting mighty excited about these two up and coming gigs. Betty’s been dusting out her gladdest of rags and Billy’s twanging his braces and compulsively ironing his shirts.

One is at a fabulous winery – see here… http://www.neudorf.co.nz/rosys-tin-tea-caddy-concert/

And the other show is here – http://festivals.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/rosy-tin-teacaddy/

We’re taking the whole band with us for these gigs which should prove a tad special dare I say. For those of you who don’t know who that includes they are; Shona Jaunas – Violin, Janet Holborow – Cello, Benny Fulton – Elec Guitar and Al Fraser – Bass. We’ve even managed to squeeze in partners and those with the newest additions to come along for the ride. The ultimate working holiday! Personally I’m looking forward to supping some Neudorf wine and soaking up a few of Nelson’s famous rays. Brrr. Winter in little ol NZ this year sure has cast us some curve balls. It’s hailing outside and I am eagerly anticipating all those extra duvets.

I do hope to meet some of you who live further South than the small tank in our Morris Minor allows.

Betty x

Vote for Us and show us you care – Myspace choice awards

RTT have been nominated for a MySpace Choice Award in the Unsigned category.  To vote for us head over  http://creative.myspacecdn.com/au/nz/marketing/choice/award.html and select our name from the drop down menu on the form. By voting not only do you support us but you also go into the draw to win $500 cash, a subscription to Real Groove Magazine, CD’s, and tickets to a MySpace Secret Show. Voting is open now and closes on the 31st August. Thanks in advance for your vote! Oh yeah, and we get to win stuff too. Goodness all round.

Tour tour snow snow tour tour snow.

Yep, well she’s a nippy one in Welly today, but nothing as fearsome as the minus 6 in deep South. That same deep south that awaits our pearly little extremities to set it’s icicles into.

Yes. Billy and Betty are hitting the road for a revue-style tour.
Should be fun. Got some grand music pals who promise so snuggle up to us in their sleeping bags and not fight over the stretch of random carpet we may be sharing.

Auckland’s Broken Heartbreakers and Bond Street Bridge are joining us as are Lyttelton Harbour’s lonesome road dogs The Eastern.
The concept is simple: each band promises a short yet swaggering set of their bluest ballads, then they join each other in a celebration sing-along of heartbreak and hope.

The Slow Song Revue traverses the country over New Zealand’s coldest months offering shelter from storms both meteorological and personal.
Here are the dates. We sure would love to see you on the adventures!

SLOW SONG REVUE TOUR
 
24 Jun 9pm WHAMMY BAR, Auckland
25 Jun 8pm ST PETER’S HALL, Paekakariki
26 Jun 8pm THE BOATHOUSE, Nelson
27 Jun 8pm FRANK’S CAFÉ, Greymouth
28 Jun 8pm MONSOON BAR, Franz Josef
29 Jun 8pm DUX de LUX, Queenstown
30 Jun 8pm BLUE DUCK LODGE, Milford Sound
2 Jul 8pm CHICK’S HOTEL, Port Chalmers
3 Jul 8pm GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY, ChCh

It’s pork chops or butterfly wings or something scented.

Nice one Betty. An A+ on your latest rant. I too am enjoying the new song in process. I may make moves towards further suggestions of subtle beats and pieces to accompany this tune. Clicks and counterpoint, like the dabbling we did in Blind Leading the Blind.

Well.

Yes, mathematics have been on our minds of late. More my inability to do even the most simple equation any more without the aid of a calculator. Betty’s daughter showed me how to subtract long hand the other day. Seems you carry the tens etc. Who’d have thought? And multiplication gets a bit flakey these days, even simple times tables, the sing song type recall seems to be broken. And here I am hoping that I’ll find time to learn some music theory! Crikey, slim chance. What with my ignorant throw away attitude that music theory is too much like math, combined with an intermittent ability to concentrate. I think I may need professional help.

But yes, the mathematics of the heart and the taking of chances.

I’ve taken a punt on a new guitar. One with a story, a background. I once worked (well, helped out) at a music store called The Music Machine, in Napier, years ago. One afternoon a young backpacker from Canada came in explaining she had run out of money and asking if she could she sell her guitar to the shop and so make a little cash to keep her going. The proprietor, Richie, said yes immediately and this small bodied guitar made by Norman guitars became Music Machine history. Now, I liked this guitar. A lot. It was plinky, but smooth, even. A totally different sound than I was used to, almost the opposite to the rich and full dreadnought style. I liked this guitar. I liked it a lot.

When ever I went into the store I’d play Norman. I moved away, I lived overseas. On most of my return visits to Napier there would be the inevitable check in on Norman. For fifteen years this small little wonder stood on his stand in the shop, overlooked time and time again.

Well, three weeks ago, driving back from Auckland with Al (RTT’s bass player and all round good-guy), I started to tell him about Norman. Now, this is not an uncommon topic of conversation for Al and me, he’s quite the enthusiast and I’m keen for a rant about acoustic guitars any time. Shape, wood, finish, construction, 12 string, 6 string, neck contour, string selection, preamps, pick ups, we like it all.

Suddenly I was suggesting I take him to the shop to show him Norman, we were due in the area the following weekend.Then I was promising to call Richie to make sure Norman was still there, and if there were any 12 string acoustics in stock (for Al). I finally blurted out that I would purchase Norman. Just like that. Al replied by simply drawing attention to the matter of an electric guitar amplifier I never used. Sell it. Buy Norman. Do it.

Norman. Norman. Could not get Norman out of my head.

Phoned Richie. Of course he still had it ,although, it was at his house, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t sell it. Got him to find out which model Norman was. I waited on the phone while he phoned his son at home on his mobile, heard the footsteps up the stairs, and back down, and the slightly laboured breathe that finally said the golden words ‘B-20 Folk’. Sweet. That’s the one. The one on the tired, old and vaguely unhelpful Norman guitar site. That’s the one I wanted it to be. It’ll be at the shop on Saturday, that’s what Richie said, in his cheeky scouse accent. Great. Here I come Norman.

Norman and I hung out that weekend. He met my buddies, and met their approval. Everyone liked Norman. He was a star. A little gem.

Monday, Richie, a deal, a very good deal, a shake of hands, a promise of prompt payment of outstanding amount. What a guy, what a guitar, what a happy chap.

The amp is sold. The transaction should be done by morning. And I’ve paid Richie the remainder on the guitar. Another special deal from the best guy in the New Zealand music retail sector.

That amp was my 21st birthday present. Now Mike in Palmerston North owns it and I wish him all the best, it’s a cracker amp.

Norman is in his case, just behind me.

His case is right next to the bigger brother sized one that houses my Art and Lutherie guitar. Dreadnought, Canadian, nice. Those two guitars are made in the same town. Before the big corporate came and bought up all the Canadian guitar makers and put them under one factory (or so rumour has it). Cedar solid tops the pair of them. One big and throaty. Country. The other small and sputty. Folky.

Funny how things like this come about. What were the chances aye?

I’m hoping Norman will help me with my maths problems.

He’s like an abacus for my brain.

He just needs some electrical insides and maybe a road case. I’ll see Richie about that.

I hope you’ll get to hear him soon.

Billy.

Showtime

Billy here.

Well done all of you who were able to come along to the delicious seaside village of Paekakariki to lap up the RTT ensemble massive on Saturday past.A most enjoyable experience by all accounts. I wouldn’t know, I was having too much fun to ascertain how things were going for anyone else. Actually no, everyone was clearly having a swell time, although I almost fell over at one point but instead knocked over a lamp and pulled down a mic stand. Crikey, only because I was attempting to stand up! This was achieved eventually, the standing up that is.

Wellington City got its first taste of the new show last night at the Mighty Mighty, thanks to Rich, Sally and the team there for looking after us, fabulous. Luckily I managed to stay on my feet, however our buddy Tim took a tumble down the stairs during packout whilst carrying his brother’s bass amp. He and the amplifier are okay to the best of my knowledge.

Big thanks also to all those who helped us out during these two shows, particularly our wonderful door/ticket/CD sales people, Grace, Hugo, Anthony and Melanie. Marcel deserves special mention too, for doing a cracker job of sound engineering both nights, cheers!

Couple more gigs in the pipeline, keep an eye out on our myspace page for gig listings.

We’ll get some photos posted real soon.

If you were at either show and have any comments, criticisms or feedback – feel free to flop it out.

Wrinkles

Billy here,

Shudder. It might be the lack of sleep or too much coffee. But I’ve been getting a fierce tingling of nervous excitement. It’s mainly centred in one part of my body. Below the normal ‘butterfly stomach’. Yeah. THERE.

I’m not normally one to get nervous, actually that’s a lie, I used to get so nervous I’d have to spew before going on stage. Literally, a really good puke, throwing up those tickly butterflies and flushing them away. I thought nothing of spitting out the last of the chunks, downing a bourbon and coke and leaping on stage. But back then I had long hair, I used to scream into microphones, not really sing, and it was often fronting an awful covers band, playing in shitty bars in a one horse town. No wonder I was sick. But these days I’m more used to an energising surge of anticipation. Sure, it may be tempered by some pragmatic worries of remembering lyrics and chords and the like, but without the anxiety of the old days. I guess I’m enjoying what I’m doing more now.

However, the impending release of our new album has me experiencing a new sense of churning, one that has it’s tickle in quite a new place. Now, I don’t mean to be rude (not overtly), but the fellas will know what I’m on about. The ole’ bag of marbles has a way of communicating inner tension, maybe it’s a throw back to prehistoric times – ‘run away!’ … ‘kill it!’. A strange (very non-sexual) ache accompanied by a physical tightening of the, ahem, scrotal sack. It’s like the body is trying to suck those baby-making beans back inside itself in some kind of act of self preservation. Goodness.

It’s not so much the thought of the upcoming release gigs – in my mind they’ll be brilliant, just need a couple of rehearsals to oil the rustiness. I’m more worried about the nuts and bolts stuff (pardon the pun). Getting the discs on time, negotiating distribution, talking to media, organising, organising, organising. That’s before I start wondering if people will come to the shows. Will they buy the CD? Will they like it? How long before we pay all this money back? Are we promoting ourselves okay? Will we get reviewed? Will the reviews be favourable? Oh my goodness. This is business stress. Since when did I … oh yes … right.

This new ‘indie’ model of music management is one that Betty and I have taken to somewhat … organically. Betty jumped on it way before me, I was happy to turn the other cheek and, you know, ‘focus on the music’ … maaaaaaaan. But the reality is pretty clear – manage yourself, because no-one else will, not for free anyway. Luckily we’ve got loads of support, advice and willing helpers. But ultimately, Betty and I are leading the charge and it does create a bit of a dichotomy. All this time spent on ‘management’ is time not used sitting around guzzling wine and writing cracker tunes. Perhaps it’s a case of ‘time management’ something I am woefully inconsistent at. However, things are somehow coming along nicely. I even have a diary.

It’s been a case of pulling my head out of the sand, ensuring my testicles swing low and proud, and bloody well getting on with things.

In the meantime, Betty is like that painting of the chick waving the French flag with her tits out.

I need to grow some pretty big balls to keep up with her.

I’m still excited though, and the release date keeps getting closer. It’s clear this is the start of a new phase, one that will see us stepping things up a mark. It’s going to be a crazy ride and lots of fun.

Are you with us?

Recording The Homeward Stretch

Hey, Billy here.

I thought I’d tell the tale of recording our new album The Homeward Stretch, mainly because it was recorded in August 2008 and my memory is not that reliable. So as a matter of record, here goes.

Pre-production involved discussions with the band and Lee Prebble the engineer. Just to note, Lee is responsible for recording the likes of The Black Seeds and The Phoenix Foundation, safe to say, he knows his stuff. Originally we were going to spend two weeks in Lee’s studio ‘The Surgery’. But as it got closer to the time we realised there was no way we’d be able to afford it – not that Lee hadn’t given us a great deal, but we were … financially disadvantaged.

Eventually we settled on five days, commencing Friday August 22, three days to record and two days to mix. Lunacy, but all we could manage. Betty and I arrived bright and breezy at 10am. She with hamper and homemade goodies, I with discreetly hidden bottles of beer, wine and a sneaky scotch. I forget what the scotch was, but it was of high quality and quite delicious.

At some stage we got down to business, Al Fraser on bass, Ben Fulton on guitars and effects pedals and Janet Holborow on cello. Ben’s electric guitar amplifier was off in another room and Janet was locked away in an isolation booth, this was to get some form of separation sonically as we were recording ‘live’ – everyone playing together at the same time. Al’s bass was plugged straight into the desk and Betty and I settled in our assigned positions surrounded by microphones and cups of tea.

The first tune recorded was Memento Mori, we did two takes and had a listen back. I was doubtful of my harmonies but everyone else was happy, it was suggested that I be less self-critical, after all we had loads of songs to get through and quality control was going to have to be realistic. I still thought I’d flubbed my vocals … it turned out I had, in fact we were both singing flat! We fixed this in the mix by overdubbing just our vocals and blending them in. You can still hear it a little, like it’s been, well, double tracked, in the choruses. However it was a viable fix and sounds like an intentional effect now. Phew. But at the time I got a touch angsty. I seem to recall the phrase ‘prima donna’ being used. Hrumph! Not the best of starts. Whoops.

We hit our stride after that, we recorded about four or five tunes in the first day. Often we’d do three takes and pick the best one. On a couple of occasions a take would be going REALLY well and then someone would fall off and train wreck the whole thing. Twice I think, we elected to back up and let Lee drop us in on the take. Technically making those songs not purely live. But a whole lot more live than multi-tracking! We went through to 7.00pm or there abouts, ate a big lunch in there somewhere and would have had at least a couple of beers. The whiskey probably got a look in too.

On day two we cranked through some more tunes, I think we stopped on a couple of them to let Ben do some guitar overdubs while still in the moment, rather than leaving it to the very end and then going back. This really paid off on songs like Pickle Pot, Deliverance and Mercy where Ben’s guitar parts meld together beautifully. Actually Ben’s guitar work throughout is absolutely splendid, he’s a tasteful player who also designs and makes his own range of guitar effects pedals.

Janet was kept busy sculpting cello parts, often overdubbing extra parts to compensate for the lack of our violinist, Shona (Janet’s sister), who was unfortunately away on holiday. Incidentally Janet and Shona have a mad gypsy trio called The Crimson Club.

Al, soul brother, foul-mouthed mother and the bringer of the bass kept things light and crazy. He’s a straight talking type of chap, helpful for a procrastinating fool like myself, and when he’s not laying down the smooth groove with us he’s making traditional Maori musical instruments and playing them in his contemporary ensemble Tahu.

Saturday was a bit of a blur, I think Kirsten from Aunt Daisy’s Boathouse Cafe delivered us some food at some stage. Maybe Lee had a gig and had to go early, or perhaps we had a couple of beers to finish the day. Something. No, Lee’s gig was Friday, Saturday was when Janet pulled in a buddy of hers to come and play piano accordion on our epic song Braille. Brilliant! Sunday was an odd day, it kicked off with finger snaps to Pickle Pot and some rather loose egg shaker on Chestnut. That song, folky and funky as it is, gets faster and faster towards the end. Playing shaker to that first thing in the morning was a giggle. We did quite a few overdubs, Lee graced three of the tunes with his tripped out lap steel guitar drones and I managed to convince Rhian Sheehan to come and play glockenspiel on the end of Chestnut. Raashi Sheehan blitzed the vocal harmonies for Bangers and Mash and did a cameo spot in Mercy where the verse is “Mother …” (Raashi was pretty pregnant with her first baby at the time). At some stage a rather bleary eyed Kirsten Johnstone wandered in, drank coffee, cranked out some flute lines and then went home to bed. That’s how she rolls. Ben was rescued from the pouring rain after having ‘lost his way’ the night before. But was in fine form for a touch of cunning over-dubbery.

I think we might have even finished early on the Sunday. Crazy.

Monday and Tuesday were spent in the mix room. Mainly Lee and myself, with some very welcome and well timed food and opinion deliveries from Betty. It all gets very hard to pinpoint here. Up a bit, down a bit, sideways a bit. Lee, bless him, what a patient guy. Mixing is boring/fascinating, if you nod off you miss something truly cool. I witnessed some classic Lee Prebble production styles and we did a very nice pass dubbing out the tune Blackbird Revisited through his space echo. Well, he dubbed it out while I whooped enthusiastically.

All in all, productive, fruitful, fantastic.

We eventually did a last minute mix fix session the following week. Or the next day. Something.

A three-way of sorts, Lee, Betty and me. Sorting out the finer details.

Two weeks after that it was mastered.

And soon, gentle reader, we shall unleash it upon you.

Billy.

Video! Video! Video!

Hi, Billy here.

Betty and I just had the funniest day filming a video with our buddy Ed at Underbelly.

Fun! Frivolity!

We’ll keep you posted when it’s ready to be seen, but I can say there was a picnic, plenty of laughter and wee bit of a fight. Don’t panic, neither of us were injured in the making of the vid … although Betty took a nasty fall, luckily she didn’t have an axe in her hand at the time.

Stay tuned.

Billy.

Coming home, or leaving, or arriving. Something.

Howdy, music lovers, tea drinkers, surf frolickers and the like.

I am Betty from Rosy Tin Teacaddy.

Billy and I are just emerging from seven days of PR boot camp for the release of our new album, The Homeward Stretch.

What the hell is a PR bootcamp?

Well, here at Earl Grey Records, it involves (and it is quite close to hell);

A rationing of red wine.

A drought of green vegetables.

Eyeball-burn.

Brain twisting.

A plethora of expletives.

Irritating attention-deficit children.

6am bed-curfews for grunting adults.

However, it has been rewarding to hear the single, Chestnut, played on Radio NZ National this morning. And it sure is nice to see the sun working overtime on the sea in sweet little Paekakariki. Who cares if we can’t get out under it.

I plan to share a few recipes through this blog involving dates.

Most will be of the eating kind.

We’ll also keep you up with the play: stumbles, scratched knees, sprinting bursts and overtakes on The Homeward Stretch.

We plan to arrive shortly.

Betty x