In the pipelines...

Hello friends,

It has been quite a while since I blogged, and I have my reasons, many varied reasons. The main one of these varied reasons in that I haven't got anything new to share with you, and I am not one for blogging for the sake of it. I usually have a new video, or song, or something, that I can embed in the blog to make it an interactive experience of some kind, but right now, all my new creative materials are 'in the pipeline'.

The pipeline is this magical creative place where adventuring creatives such as myself like to construct material. I don't know why we do it in a pipe, I guess it has good acoustics and a steady supply of caffeinated beverages. It's also a really big pipe, so that my friends and I can all fit in there with our instruments and what not. So, right now, I am in the big old creative pipe doing creative like things.

There is also room in the pipe for practicing. I have been doing lots of that too. I could be gigging or performing somewhere to some audience or other, but instead I am in the pipe practicing. There are gigs coming up, for one thing, I shall be performing at the One World festival in Reading on the 13th of August, as well as DJ'ing and ting and stuff and all thatness.

In this pipe I am also working on an album with my good friend Ashley 'Cito' Carter from DGAFM. It's based around the folk style songs I wrote whilst travelling around the Netherlands back in 2011, plus there are a handful of new songs in there as well. Can't wait to share that with the world. It will be a proper proper album for sure, with loads of musicality all over it's face. Watch this blogging space for further updates as the process continues.

Things have been pretty draining of the last few months, this being "alive" malarky can get quite tiresome after a while. I have been working since the beginning of the year, and it should have come to an end by now, but instead it has been extended into the foreseeable future. I am just praying to any entity that will listen now, I need out of this and on the road to success please, sooner rather then later.

The How Bout That Records Mixtape is scheduled for a September release, and I have a couple of solo tunes of that beast, as well as some sweet collaborations with the likes of Mr Donny Stax & Mr Truth, watch this space for more info on that too...


Here's Truths now video...check it out, it's awesomeness :)

Peace and infinite love

Mr Jackson

Nobody Does It Better - lazy online busking part 6

Hello friendlings,

Continuing on with the lazy online busking, here is 'Nobody Does It Better'. The original song was composed by Marvin Hamlisch with a lyric by Carole Bayer Sager, made famous by Carly Simon as the theme song for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
This is my acoustic cover of it


I hope you have been enjoying my lazy busking series, it's been easy to make, and pretty lazy of me really. In my defence though, I am busy working on other musical, less lazy, projects. Expect plenty of new material soon.

You can catch me singing and musicing over on Donny Stax's album 'Wasted' with a whole bunch of my other musical buddies, including the almighty Jipsy Magic and the awesomeness that is Truth, as well as many many more.
Here is the link to hear it all over on the How Bout That Records blog http://howboutthatrecords.blogspot.co.uk/

Peace and infinite love to you all

Mr Jackson

Thank You - lazy online busking part 5

Hello me lovelies,

Continuing on with the online busking, here is 'Thank You' by Alanis Morissette. This song has been in my busking repertoire for a couple of years. It's a simple song to play, with only 3 chords being used for the entire length. Capo 5th fret and then G, D, C for the whole thing.


I saw an amazing singer do a version of this while I was living in Utrecht, it was one of those musical performances that stays with you, and since then whenever I play this song I think back to that night.
Lyrically this song is massive and for a long time it has inspired me to put long complicated words into my own songs and not be afraid to hit up a little philosophy (lyrically). Thank you disillusionment.

Thank you for listening, I love you

Peace and infinite love

Mr Jackson

Apeman - lazy online busking part 4

Hello friendlies,

Continuing on with the busking song theme, I present to you 'Apeman' by The Kinks. This is not the best known song by The Kinks by a long way, and that's a shame because it is one hell of a tune. I added this song to my busking set a couple of years ago and it is certainly a favourite of mine to play.


If you make it to the end of the video you will enjoy some silly faces from me as I fluff up the last couple of chords. I couldn't be bothered to rerecord the vid so I just left the haphazard ending there. Hardly anyone ever gets to the end of a youtube video these days anyways.

Thanks for reading my blog, I love you very much (in a completely platonic 'no need for naked touching' kinda way)

Peace and infinite love

Mr Jackson

Space Oddity - lazy online busking part 3

So friends,

Part 3 of my lazy online busking blogs is the mindblowingly amazing song 'Space Oddity' by David Bowie. This is one of the hardest songs to play on the streets, mainly because it has a few different sections which range from big and punchy to small and floaty, which makes for great songwriting, but doesn't always gel so well with people passing a busker who suddenly decides to shout about Major Tom in their faces.

I always find a handful of people really appreciate this song on the streets, if only for the nod to the legend that is David Bowie. I also love the fact it's a space song, as there aren't enough songs about space.

This isn't a tune you will find many buskers doing, which is a shame given what a brilliant song it is. We need more Bowie on the streets, more I tell you!

Peace and infinite love

Mr Jackson

High and Dry - lazy online busking part 2

Hello friendlies,

Continuing on from part 1, the online busking adventures continue with 'High and Dry' by Radiohead.

I've busked this song for many years, I probably owe Radiohead a chunk of royalties for all the pennies this song has made me over time. The lyrics are pretty dark considering how beautiful the song is, but that's Thom Yorke for ya. This recording was made back in 2011 while I was busking it up in Utrecht and staying with the legendary Henk, Silvia & The Fongster100. Good times indeed.

Peace and infinite love

Mr Jackson

Scattered Black & Whites - lazy online busking part 1

Hello friends,

It's been a while, sorry about that, I've been busy doing stuff, secret stuff that I haven't been compelled to share with the smiley people of the interweb. There is loads of "stuff" in the pipeline, and once the plumber sorts out a bigger plunger there will be new material gushing into your face (mainly via the ears). How Bout That Records has quite a full release schedule for this year, starting next month with Donny Stax 'Wasted', and I am featured on that several times, as well as the mixtape that will follow a month later.

Until then though, since I haven't put out any video's, or done anything at all internet wise really, I thought I would record some of my busking songs to share. I've done busking for many years now, and  there are some songs which I have played so many times that I could do it with my eyes taped shut while being repeatedly kicked by a gang of midget pirates (you don't see many of them these days). So anyway, I played some of them again, this time in front of a camera, so I could post them to youtube, and then have something to blog about.

So here is part 1, 'Scattered Black & Whites' by Elbow.

I love this song, it's one of my favourite tracks by one of my favourite bands. I've busked several Elbow tracks over time, including 'One Day Like This', 'Open Arms' and 'Not A Job'. Not many people know Elbow that well, but if I busk one of their songs and someone walks by who knows it, I always get a big smile of recognition.

Peace and infinite love

Mr Jackson