An Indifferent Week

Some people think that if you play in band you make money out of gigging or selling CDs. Maybe once upon  time you could make a living from it, especially being a "club" act. I've always refused to sell-out to being a covers band member whilst playing to a bingo-winged audience for a living. This week my cage was well and truly rattled. Vivienne Holliday take a bow. You ruined my bank holiday weekend. I turned down a break on the coast with my mother for you.

Two months ago we were asked to play at the 1 in 12 bar in Bradford as part of the Delius150th anniversary event. TWO days ago, after Izzie doing all the chasing to track down confirmation of the booking, we were told the event was off. Had Izzie not have chased I am sure Ms Holliday would have happily allowed us to drive up the M1 and along the M62 to turn up on the night to closed doors. Those who were coming along to see us would have experienced the same problem too.

Bands take note - avoid any events promoted by Vivienne Holliday.

In my training, I have had a better week.

I have invested in a few items which have turned out to be fantastic resources. Firstly, I bought a tempo trainer. Basically this is a metronome that you wear under your swimming cap. It allows you to pace consistently for both speed and endurance. Superb piece of kit. Secondly, I'm using a swimming parachute. The best way I can describe it is a piece of material attached to a belt that trails behind you as you swim, creating a resistance that slows you down, and makes you work harder. Picture the space shuttle coming in to land and deploying the parachute to slow it down on the runway. Coupled with my pullbuoy set (a float that goes between your legs) my arms and shoulders have had a really good work out.

I had to say thank you to the pool attendant today too. The rather large and slow person in the fast lane obviously had trouble reading too. "Fast" lane does not mean "Fat" and snail pace lane. The attendant courteously requested the person to move out of the lane without the need for me to rant. My frustration had obviously been noted and acted upon. I am getting to like how this pool is run!

On the running front, I'm also using a metronome for pacing. Set at 180bpm, I ran in my fastest 3km ever today, and that was after my hard 1km workout in the pool. If I work on my cycling as efficiently tomorrow it will have been my most productive training week.

I Pressed the "Send" Button!

It is done.

I have registered for my first Triathlon.

Southwell 23^rd September

400m swim/17.6k bike/5k run

Unbelievable, Jeff!

As Chris Kamara would say, “Unbelievable, Jeff!”

I managed to find a local pool with lane swimming on a Sunday morning.

My Dad used to work at this particular pool and it was strange going back to swim there for the first time since a child.

The first thing that struck me was the helpfulness of the staff and the friendliness of the other swimmers, neither of which I have been used to of late. 8am on a Sunday morning must be before the stresses of the week kick-in for everyone.

I picked the “fast lane” and had it all to myself and managed a really good interval training session. I recorded some good (for me) times and did some strength work using my pullbuoy.

Later in the day, after a quick pilates session, I went for a run. I was aiming for a sub-60mins 10km but by the time I reached Rother Valley Country Park (7.6km) I was about 3 mins off pace target as the heavens opened. Rather than risk injury on a narrow slippery trail for the sake of another 10mins of running I called it a day and had a nice leisurely stroll home, albeit very wet.

Had a flapjack on the way back in Beighton village, well two actually. 59p each.

My Trafford Metro Swimming Club and ASA Membership forms are now completed. Once verified, they will enable me to compete in Masters Events and officially complete my return to competitive swimming after a 28 year hiatus when I won the Schools Under 15 Breast stroke Relay (which was the biggest trophy I ever lifted). I will try and find the newspaper clipping to post on here. I still remember being handed it again on prize giving night at Sheffield City Hall in front of hundreds of people with my shirt untucked at the back.

I’ve been looking at past masters events and the times of some of the swimmers. I could still podium for sprint events it seems for my age group. Must keep the training going in that case. Trafford Metro membership (as opposed to my local club) means I can have the benefits of membership and ASA registration without being tied to the rigid training sessions times of other clubs. I will be self-training in effect, something that has always suited me fine.

I can now be subject to random drug testing too.

I have let my cycling training slip as I prioritise for upcoming events. I have two 10km trail races in September which are my current focus. I must not let my cycling get left too far behind on the agenda. Please keep reminding me.

In the real world, a few things have saddened me this weekend, particularly the death of Winnie Johnson whilst being potentially so near to finding the body of her son, Keith Bennett, who suffered at the hands of Moors Murderers, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley; and, the incarceration of Pussy Riot members for expression of opinion in Russia.

Hopefully karma will have some say in these matters.

Eyes/Lips HQ News

(c) Chironart

Nina is back from 5 weeks of diving in Honduras. Makes you sick doesn’t it? It seems ages since we last gigged with her at the Classic Rock Bar in Doncaster. Welcome back Nina!

Izzie has been busy putting finishing touches to a new standalone single that we’ve been working on in Nina’s absence. Provisionally titled, “Girl Star”, it’s got a real thumping beat to it with vocoding/glitches galore plus heavily filtered synths. Very pleased with this collaboration. Busy but creative times.

“Searchlight” album is released 1st October on iTunes. You can preview the album tracks and download a free copy of the brilliant “Dry Heat” Crystal Mirage Mix here on our Reverbnation site too.

We’ve quite a few gigs coming up over the next few weeks so be sure to come along to at least one of them. Full details on our main Eyes/Lips website here.  

Izzie has started her own blog too!

Get Out Of My Way!

This week I headed back to the pool, though not my usual one.

I had a run-in with staff where I normally train. My frustration boiled over at their inability to manage other pool users. I refrain from using the term “swimmers” because little swimming was being done in the pool other than by me. I pointed those aggrieving me to the alternate pool with the play slide and told them they would be more suited to that. Failing that, to stay at home and sit in the bath and play with a rubber duck. I’d had enough.

My work hours don’t match when lane swimming is available and I have to do my serious training in amongst the general public splashers. I am a long way behind in my training target as a result. I am unable to measure my speed/distance times accurately (and therefore my progress) because I either have to stop or swim around people stood chatting/swimming side by side or just being a general nuisance.

I don’t selfishly expect a whole pool to myself but I do show respect for other users. I expect the same to reciprocate.

And in other news….

Izzie has been texting me nonsensically for the past hour. Now I have finally made sense of her excitement. She is adding vocals to a piece of music that I sent her which it appears is coming together quite well.

I had a bit of fun using text to speech synthesised backing vocals over some heavily filtered synth parts which I squashed the hell out of. Lots of delay (an Izzie trademark…trademark…trademark :) ).

I await the results from her.

For those of you that think I'm totally nuts for having an interest in open water swimming, have a look at this documentary, Wild Swimming, in which Alice Roberts follows in the spirit of "Waterlogged", the fabulous journal of Roger Deakin's dips.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00t9r28/Wild_Swimming/

Am I still nuts?

Weekend Musings

I went for an overdue haircut today. Even the person cutting my hair couldn't resist commenting, "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Yes, 3 months. I'm busy!

That trauma out of the way, I walked through Sheffield town centre (forgot to nosey at the newly gold painted Jessica Ennis mailbox) and bought a copy of Triathlon 220 magazine. I called in at the Brown Bear and in a step towards becoming an Iron Man one day I ordered a pint of stout (Samuel Smith) to get a shot of iron in me. £2.20.

Whilst reading the magazine I made a few decisions and set myself some targets for the next few months.

1. Swimming - get my 1500m down to around the 24 min mark, 100m to 1 min 28 secs, 5km to 1 hour 40mins.

2. Running - 5km sub 22mins, 10km sub 60mins.

3. Cycling - improve speed and work on gradients more

I've got Masters swimming events subject to my ASA  and Club membership being sorted pencilled in, plus a 10km Trail run next month to train for and possibly the Great Yorkshire Run (half marathon). My good muso friend, Lee, is considering being my training partner and we have agreed to have a go at an indoor Triathlon event in November. 15min blasts in the pool, treadmill and cycling machine which are very popular in the USA. .

The long term plan is to work towards a sprint triathlon next year and then Olympic distance at some point.

I need a few more Guinness first before I get to be an Iron Man.

Eyes/Lips Artwork

I thought I would share with you these great art images of the three of us in Eyes/Lips.

They're the work/copyright of Chironart/Nick Unsworth.

Crash

Izzie Voodoo

Nina Sherrard

What a Payne!

I’m gutted for Kerri-Anne. You wait four years after coming second last time around, then swim your 10km for 2 hours in open water, then lose out on a medal by 0.4 secs.

At least the water will be warmer in Rio.

Who is the Greatest?

As the 22^nd Gold medal was being presented to Team GB, the big debate was raging in the Hollin Bush last night. No, not who is the greatest British Olympian ever, Hoy or Redgrave, but who had the biggest paper round as a child. Dave the Landlord declares himself the winner. No knighthood either.

Must Tri harder!

Now I’m not quite an Olympic podium triathlete just yet, but if it wasn’t for those pesky Brownlee brothers….

That said, I do know not to get on a bike before crossing the transition line. That 15 seconds penalty cost Jonny Brownlee a Silver medal and GB a 1-2 finish!

Seriously though, those guys are mean athletes and congratulations to the pair of them.

See you in Rio!

Eyes/Lips Album News

Click on the album cover above for track previews

Izzie says...

'Searchlight' is to be released shortly followed by a  series of 'instrumentally rich' remixed singles..'

Following a wait while we decided if we were happy with the production, we've decided to go ahead and release 'Searchlight' as it stands, following urges by fans to 'get on with it'!

Izzie has decided that although reports have come back of the production being 'a little toppy' and CrAsh in particular was concerned that the 'instrumental parts were slightly buried by vocals and not showing them off to full potential', the response to the inital 'media test' where the album was promoted to radio and other press for review had been so promising that a  decision had to be made not to delay things any further.

Closely following the album though, certain tracks will also be released as singles featuring extra production treatment eliminating any issues and showing them to be 'instrumentally, as well as vocally rich'.

Izzie reports that "now we've decided to get on with things, we're really excited to see the response this gets and looking forward to more reviews and feedback."

I Dipped in the Dales

I have successfully navigated the lake at Semerwater, my first open water swim.

Leaving work on Friday night I headed up the A1 on an empty stomach. By the time I had reached Bedale it was getting late. I nourished myself with a plate of cod, chips, peas and bread (unbuttered) washed down with a mug of coffee. I thoroughly recommend the family-run Halls Fish and Chip Restaurant and Takeaway. £7.90 for a tasty and seated belly full was good value.

On arriving at Semerwater, I had to call in at the farm to pay for my camping pitch, a piece of grass verge with the road edge at one side of the tent and the lake at the other. No toileting or water facilities but I was prepared for this. £3 for the night.

Of course it rained when putting up the tent, still in my suit, and the ducks kept me awake for a while before I managed to drift off to sleep.

By 7.30am the next morning, I was cooking myself a bacon and egg omelette at the side of the road, much to the bemusement of passing cars. Very tasty it was too.

Half an hour later I was struggling into my wetsuit and had to request assistance from a fellow dipper who had parked to the side of me.

A quick safety briefing and then in to the lake I went along with the other 81 swimmers in our bright yellow caps. I had been allotted Cap 7 and set off in Wave 2.

The first couple of hundred metres I free styled in the 17 degree Celsius water before deciding I could sight the marker buoys (space hoppers) better by doing the breast stroke. A couple of swimmers from Wave 3 overtook me but I managed to complete the mile in a half respectable 45^th position with a time of  33 mins 42 secs, just about what I was expecting. I celebrated with a bottle of water, energy bar and pot noodle with my finishers medal around my neck.

It was an exhilarating experience that should see me prepared for the next lake swim at Rother Valley in September.

Dry Heat (Crystal Mirage Mix) - Free Download

Yesterday, August 2nd brought Eyes/Lips a new exciting release aimed at free downloading for everyone. 

'Dry Heat (Crystal Mirage mix)' features Izzie and CrAsh in a rare bass guitar duet, with Izzie providing numerous other bass, guitar and synth parts as well as some superb vocal delivery.

Izzie's intention was to record and mix the song, (which has been played live a handful of times with powerful reception) at Eyes/Lips HQ, from scratch and have it produced and uploaded within 3 days.

Countdown began on Facebook on Izzie's profile and on Eyes/Lips' Twitter yesterday teatime to friends' bemusement, posting simply '10' '9' '8' at intervals as the night drew in.  '2' was posted with an explanation, and 0 delivered an upload of the song, on time, at 11pm to those who had followed it.

'Dry Heat (Crystal Mirage)' is available for anyone to download for free here and, Izzie says, is the first of 2 such ventures leading to upcoming live home dates at BomFest pre event party (21st September) and in particular, Eyes/Lips' appearance at 'After Dusk', Polish Club, Barnsley the weekend of Halloween.

A Dip in the Dales

I will be wearing my wetsuit this Saturday as I'm taking part in the annual Dip in the Dales, a one mile lake swim in aid of the Sue Ryder charity. Wish me luck!

Dip in the Dales

I've got to find my tent tonight, somewhere in the garage, ahead of the drive up to the lake....

My music

Have a listen to what I'm up to at the moment musically by visiting www.eyes-lips.co.uk

For some of my older music you may be interested in www.myspace.com/peachy1969

Enjoy!

Welcome!

Hello!

I'm glad that you've found my new blog.

Facebook and Myspace no longer rule my world. However, to appease those who have missed my musings on life since the demise of my accounts, I have decided to start blogging. Expect thoughts on pub conversations that I overhear; what life is like in a band for a middle-aged bloke; and my attempts to become a triathlete without drowning in a lake, falling off a bike in front of a group of young mums and their children ever again or running my target distance without stopping for a chip butty and beer refuel.

I'll post pics and links to the things that are happening to enable you to get a small insight in to my ramblings.

Check in again soon!