I Can't See Out of the Window

A bonus update. Today's solo album session was superb, two more new tracks recorded, mixed and fully completed. The tracks are called 'Brave New World' & 'Hiding in Sunsets, Trading in Tears' and both are pivotal to how the album runs. That takes the total to 8 done now, with one more on the slab requiring minor surgery and one final tune to record from scratch. I now have the dilemma of which one to choose from a list of about 25! Choices choices. I'll be doing that next Wednesday so the album will be completed then, without any doubt at all! Wow, that sounds like a deadline to me.

So then it will be knocking up some artwork and getting all the files together for a nice tidy package upload which will include all the stuff mentioned below. Exciting eh? Hope you're as excited as me! If anyone's there, of course.

I shall post more on what the albums about etc shortly, cos its a type of concept album or at least a thread running through it but I'll be able to tell the story better when the running order is decided and notes have been written.

That's it for the noo', time to get those sausages on for tea

Andy

Warm, sultry Wednesay afternoon in Northern England 2009

Summer Always Goes So Quick

A quick update here for you lovers. Its been such a long, long, time since I passed on any info, been obsessed with the past recently but I'm back now in the present and focusing on the future. Some status reports:

The solo album - Coming to fruition quite quickly now. Six songs finished, with four more to complete, two of which will happen tomorrow. Thinking of artwork etc now so I envisage completion in about 4 weeks. As stated before it will be available as a download, with all relevant bits n pieces such as full artwork, lyrics and liner notes. Let's embrace the future, eh?

The Cheesemakers - Not so good. We've lost our rehearsal space of about 8 years and are at a loss as to where to go. Going to Newcastle to practice wouldn't be high on my list of things I'd like to do, but we gotta get something sorted out. When Jim went on a forced hiatus, for several reasons, in mid-January we were hot, really happening, having grasped the shock of Hesh leaving with all six hands and making a real FIST of it. But delays are nothing new to us and we will abide. The Dude abides...

Live - Once the solo album is completed I will be embarking on playing it live, hopefully you'll see fit to come and take it in. The band will without question be back on the boards once we get the logistics sorted out, I can't do without it.

So that's it chaps for now, things are slow but sure at the moment, I have high hopes for the solo album and I hope you do too.

Hope you're also enjoying all the vintage stuff I'm culling from various sources and posting on here. Would hate to think I was just doing it for my own amusement, although it wouldn't be the first time....until the next time

Andy

Album Update from October 2002!

Another selection from the old website, what a lying bastard I was, the album was still 5 years off at this time!!! Ha ha

Andy

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Album Update October 2002

THIS IS THE SECOND ENTRY INTO THE JOURNAL OR DIARY FOR THE CHEESEMAKERS ALBUMOK FOLKS . HERE'S THE TRUE DEAL ON THE NOW 'LONG AWAITED' NEW CHEESEMAKERS ALBUM
FOR AGES NOW , PROBABLY SINCE APRIL , I HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU THAT THE ALBUM HAS BEEN ABOUT TO GO INTO RECORDING AND EVERYTIME YOU LOOK , IT'S GONE BACK A MONTH . THIS MUCH IS TRUE AND I KNOW THERES A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WAITING FOR IT . SO HERE'S THE CURRENT SITUATION
A FEW MONTHS BACK , THE CHANGES ONE LABEL HAD TO STOP PRESSING NEW RELEASES FOR VERY GOOD REASONS , REASONS WHICH WE WON'T GO INTO HERE . IN THE FOLLOWING PERIOD , 4 OTHER RELEASES WERE RECORDED AND READIED FOR RELEASE AND GIVEN CATALOGUE NUMBERS . SO BASICALLY , WE KEPT SHUFFLING OURSELVES DOWN THE QUEUE BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO SHELL OUT A GRAND ON RECORDING KNOWING THE RELEASE WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR SOME TIME .
THE WAY WE WORK WITH THE LABEL IS WE PAY FOR RECORDING AND MIXING AND THE LABEL PAYS FOR PRESSING AND PRODUCTION . THIS WAY THE LOAD IS SPREAD
IN RECENT WEEKS THE LABEL HAS BEGAN TO MOVE AGAIN AND THE NEXT RELEASE IS CLOSE TO PRODUCTION , SO WE CAN BEGIN OUR ENGINES ONCE AGAIN . I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THE CASH TO BEGIN RECORDING IS FORTHCOMING SO I CAN SAY WITH EXTREME PREDJUDICE THAT THE NEW CHEESEMAKERS ALBUM WILL BEGIN RECORDING BEFORE THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS OUT !!!
THIS IS MY TRUTH

CURRENT STATUSTHE FIRST RECORDING SESSION WILL HAPPEN BEFORE THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS OUT ONE SATURDAY MORNING/AFTERNOON & EVENING . WE WILL AGAIN BE EMPLYING THE SERVICES OF MAD ALAN AT WASHINGTON ARSE CENTRE . Each session will be a 10 hour affair with roughly 4 tracks recorded in that time . The first set of songs due for commital include :
LEICESTERCOME OUTYOU SOLD YOUR RECORDS (1983)
The track listing you can view on this page is nowhere near final and songwriting continues apace . very few songs are certain for inclusion and the race is well and truly on
Only one track from WHITE TRASH will be on the album - a completely new version of HIGHER THAN YOU
ONCE THE FIRST SESSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED I WILL UPDATE THIS PAGE WITH THE FULL STORY IN WORDS AND PIKSURES
FEATURESAll of the songs for the album have been written but there will be a fair amount of tinkering going on in the studio . I don't mean trouser shuffling ( although that's possible ) but changes to songs here and there . Geoff , our piano maestro will feature heavily on one track , as it's ridiculous to ignore such a talent . A prime fart from the anus of Jim the Fart Master will also appear somewhere on the album !
Samples will also be extensively used . Not in the dance music way , you undertand , where one sample is continually repeated over a repetetive drone , but mad soundbites and samples from films etc thrown in at any given point . I love this shit , can't wait !
The main style of the group will be prominent but the album will have it's fair share of eclecticism as we're no one trick pony , my lad !For instance , something special and unexpected is planned for the end of the album , a tune quite out of kilter with what most people see The Cheesemakers as , but is really quite a part of my songwriting . Also the aforementioned long lost punk classic , which may or may not be used and anything new that gets written in the meantime ( see "You Sold Your Records") Confused ? You will be . More will be revealed .


NEW SONGS ? OLD SONGS ?'Sheila called me on the telephone , what she say ?
Because of the recent surge in popularity of the band , the new album will be a mixture of completely new songs and completely old songs . The normal mindset of the band , is once something is recorded , then that's it - it's in the past . But recent months have proven that the band is becoming familiar with a whole new audience , who don't have the old recordings . Recordings which are now rendered old-hat by the quality of the White Trash EP . So the decision was made to select a few of the classics and re-record to higher quality along with the great batch of new songs already written .The only track from White Trash to feature on the album will be Higher Than You , and this will be a completely new , different sounding version
Along with the dozen or so original tracks , there will probably be a very special hidden cover version of a long lost song from the anal cleft of punk folklore
All in all , this should provide a very quick recording process and the album should be ready for release in the time it takes to cook a fresh chicken ! Mmmmmmm .....
WHAT'S GOIN ON ?HERE IS THE PROPOSED TRACK LISTING FOR THE ALBUM:
LEICESTERCOME OUTDON'T SAY IT WITH FLOWERSGET YOURSELF OFFSOUL INTO THE SKYHATE THE MILKMANTHESE THINGS HAPPEN SO WHAT DOES IT MEANYes folks ! the opera!THE BIG HAIRY WHEELHIGHER THAN YOU - new versionPICTURE YOUFLY BUSTERTHE CIRCLE OF A CIRCUS RINGDEMONSYOU SOLD YOUR RECORDSNIGHTMAREand of coursethe Secret Cover Version
Some of you will be familiar with most of these titles but I guarantee no-one will know all of them ( apart from me , obviously)

BACK CAT ?NO , NOT A FELINE ANIMAL YOU MOUNT ON YOUR BACK OR A DISLEXIC SUNDERLAND FAN ( aren't they all ? ) BUT WHAT YOU CAN GET . ALL OF THE CHEESEMAKERS BACK CATALOGUE IS AVAILABLE ON OFFICIAL BOOTLEG AUDIO CASSETTE , YES , EVEN THE DELETED ONES - GO FIGURE ! ALL IT MEANS IS THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE ON CD ANYMORE BUT THE BAND ARE HAPPY TO RUN OFF A FEW COPIES ON MONKEY TAPE IF REQUIRED . MAIL THE CHEESEMAKER GENERAL OR SEE DISCOGRAPHY PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS . CIAO !
ALSO AVAILABLE BY THE CHEESEMAKERSCURRENTLY AVAILABLE !
WHITE TRASH E.P. on CD
LIVE UP THE ORIFACE - LIVE ALBUM on cassette only now !
IT'S TOASTED EUROPEAN CD VERSION on cassette only now !
IT'S TOASTED - 1999 featuring the original superior mix of the opera!
ELBOWS ARE NOT PSYCHADELIC - 1998 .
ALL OF THE CASSETTES ARE FREE OF CHARGE FROM THE E-MAIL ADDRESS ON ALMOST EVERY PAGE , AND FROM CHANGES ONE RECORDS . SEE LINK .FULL DISCOGRAPHY NOW AVAILABLE ON DISCOGRAPHY PAGE - makes sense really ?
DON'T SPOOK THE HORSE !

INFLUENZA THE INFLUENCE OF THIS BAND WILL NOT BE LOST ON THE ALBUM . I HEAR YOU LAUGH , BUT I SHIT YOU NOT ! CHECK OUT THE 'INFLUENZA' PAGE FOR A FULLER DESCRIPTION OF THE ANTZ' IMPORTANCE
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PUNK VERSION , BEFORE THE NONESENSE .

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Discography

Good Lord! You shut your eyes for a moment, then 4 months have passed. Shocking behavious. Well here is another section of the old Cheesemakers website for your edification. This is the bands discography as it was at the time. Some fascinating old chestnuts here. Enjoy. p.s. updates on what's happening in 2009 soon......

Notes Ive added today come under '2009 note'

Andy

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HERE'S ALL THE RECORDED OUTPUT AVAILABLE BY THE CHEESEMAKERS . MAKE THEM YOURS !ALL THE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER . THE ORIGINAL CASSETTES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CHEESEMAKER GENERAL'S E-MAIL & YOU CAN GET THE CD'S FROM CHANGES ONE IN THE UK AND SUBTERRANEAN RECORDS IN THE US of A . DO IT NOW !

ELBOWS ARE NOT PSYCHADELIC - original Cassette
TRACK LISTING :
Come Out , Twenty To Ten , Bomb Bag , Get Yourself Off , Are You Gonna Sue , My New Pin , Waste Of Mind , Picture You , Space Doubt , Nowhere Man ( the same ) , Down , Alone In The Black , Soul Into The Sky , Fly Buster , The Kids Are Alright , Dum Dum Boys , Rain , Don't Say It With Flowers , Funtime , Melancholy Rains , Black Eyed Dog , A Lifetime Is A Longtime , A Lonely Dedication , Funtime - Live , Flowers - Live , Fly Buster - Mothership Mix , Soul Into The Sky - Lava Mix
That's right folks , 27 tracks ! That was the days when we'd put something of this magnitude out every bleedin year . Madness . Some lost classics in there which just don't make the set anymore . Also our first attempt at the 'opera' , ie a 3 song medley thing , pretty neat - pretty good . A few covers there for good measure as well .

2009 Note - There are some top songs on here that need revisiting and re-mastering. All of the releases here btw are slated for re-mastering onto CDs in the near/mid/me future.

IT'S TOASTED ! Original cassette versionTRACK LISTING :
These Things Happen So What Does It Mean ? , The Big Hairy Wheel , Hero , Beautiful Soup , What A Thing To Know , Fly , Silence , My So-Called Life , Place , Me & My Friends , Magic , I.D.E.A.S. , Just One Smile From You , My Room , My Brain Hurts , Holes , Radio Free Europe , Endlessly , Wishlist , Everyday Should Be A Holiday
Yup , another monster , 20 tracks this time , lightweights , eh ? The original appearance of These Things Happen , and the best mix for me . Also includes possibly the worst song I've ever written ? The best selections here were lifted and put on the below CD

2009 Note - Look at the classics on there inc the best ever rendition of the opera, never could be bettered, my greatest achievement in recording I think.

IT'S TOASTED - European CD VersionTRACK LISTING :
These Things Happen So What Does It Mean? , The Big Hairy Wheel , Hero , Beautiful Soup , What A Thing To Know , Fly , Silence , My So-Called Life , Soul Into The Sky , Come Out , I.D.E.A.S. , magic , Just One Smile From You , Holes
SOLD OUT - DELETED !
Cassette copies available on request

2009 Note - This was a self produced CD with reduced track listing to fit! Shows how prolific things were in them days

LIVE UP THE ORIFACE - CDTRACK LISTING :
Get Yourself Off , Hero , Don't Say It With Flowers , Bob Bizarre , These Things Happen So What Does It Mean , Uptight , Sheila's On The Bus , Fly Buster , Funtime , The Kids Are Alright
SOLD OUT - DELETED
Cassette copies available upon request

2009 Note - A memorable night indeed and a heavy performance. The other bands that night were also recorded including Rat:Daddy

WHITE TRASH E.P. - CDOUT NOW . 5 TRACK E.P. ON CHANGES ONE RECORDS DISTRIBUTED BY SHELLSHOCK IN THE UK . AVAILABLE AT ALL GOOD RECORD STORES BUT PREFERABLY AT CHANGESONE . FREE BADGE WITH FIRST 100 ORDERS !SEE DEDICATED WHITE TRASH PAGE FOR MORE INFO

2009 Note - sold out now I believe. Features the superb Tom Verlaine cover, never performed live

CUBAN PAINT - THE BREAKFAST SITUATION - CDFORTHCOMING RELEASE - NOTES TO FOLLOW

2009 Note - Never issued, which was a crime as this was superb album. I still have the Master Tape and this WILL be re-mastered onto a CD in the very near future. Cuban Paint was the acoustic outlet for me, Hesh and Dunf.

Cheesemakers Archive # 1 - London

Have just found a very old Cheesemakers site - even older than the three bravenet ones and thecheesemakers.co.uk - that dates back to about 2002 or so and am now in the process of retrieving all the articles and stuff that was on there are transfering here.

So first here is the story of a trip we made to London for our first gig in the capital city.

Enjoy
Andy 2009

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CHEESEMAKERS AT LARGE - LONDON SPECIAL
HERE IS THE STORY , IN WORDS & PICTURES , OF THE CHEESEMAKERS DEBUT GIG IN LONDON ON JUNE 23rd 2002 AT WEST ONE FOUR , WEST KENSINGTON

The gig was an indoor festival type of thing with 8 bands playing . The promoters were Five Miles High , a promotions / management company who provide a magnificent rock 'n' roll resource at their website ( see lynx page ) . They manage B-Movie Heroes & Plan A , both of whom played at the gig
The gig was called Damofest , in honour of an Aussie dude called Damo who is strongly linked with all things rock and FMH and whom was also present at the gig .
The Cheesemakers were asked to play due to FMH strong link with Changes One , our label , and so we were wedged in at the bottom of the bill - happy to be so , I must add
There are many more photos available of the trip , far too many to put on this page , they will soon be uploaded into the photo section of The Cheesemakers Yahoo Group pages
So on to The Cheesies 2 day tour in words & pictures .

I must say this must be one of the best pictures I've ever taken . Jim silhouetted whilst perusing a publication Although Jim looks serene , the photo must come with the advisory that Jim was in fact leafing through Viz !!The journey down from the North East was a good one , and not un-eventful . One particular event was truly memorable and I will recount it for you laterPresent on the trip were all four band members : Me , Jim , Hesh & Geoff and Mr.Dunf Dunford , the bands 'roadie' . Geoff handled all driving duties over the two days will style and panache and got the vehicle back to the miserable hire company in pristine condition , although he 'hit a lot of flies' !!!

Another great picture , if I may say so , with Geoff's reflection deliberately caught in the mirror
So , to the event that occured on the journey down It was one of those things you normally just hear about . Someone tells you this kind of story but it never actually happens to you , familiar with that ? Well this time , it happened to US !!

There we are , travelling down the A1 , around Sheffield . There's a sports car in front and in the inside lane . Suddenly we notice some kind of activity in the car , the sunroof opens and out comes an attractive blond lady . Hmm , nice you say So we're all wondering what's goin on but we haven't time to discuss it before the top is whipped off , the bra goes next and there , not 10 yards away , travelling at 70 miles an hour is a semi naked blond lady with her perfectly formed breasts in full freshness there for all to see !!!

Our reaction ? What else could we do but cheer very loudly . A few seconds later and the car had taken a turn off ( perhaps they even pulled off ) and we spent the next 10 minutes looking at each other wondering if it had really happened .
Whatever happened from now on , we mused , it'll have been a good trip !!!

JIM @ SOUNDCHECK
Picture - James Tomlinson
Which we just made , thanks to GIT Van Hire not letting us have the vehicle until 9am on the morning , meaning after our much needed McDonalds breakfast it was 10am by the time we hit the road , so getting there for a quick 10 minute soundcheck was good going and ample time for us . Doors opened at 3pm and the floodgates of beer began at roughly the same time .



AND THEY'RE OFF
Picture - James Tomlinson. After a good hour drinking and meets mates and new aquaintances it was showtime and we ploughed into our set , which was made up of our short sharp punk numbers . The rock opera material had no place in a half hour set , and thankfully there was a great attendance as early as 4pm , which had been my only real concern about the whole event . Thanks for turning up to see us at that strange hour .


HESH PLAYING A BLINDER ON THE ELECTRIC LEAD GUITAR
Photograph - James TomlinsonThe sound on-stage was almost perfect . The band could all hear each other , which always helps , and we were thoroughly enjoying ourselves . The crowd were as well !
Including.....

BOB BIZARRE !!!
The question was raised in the song , 'Where are you now Bob Bizarre ?' and here's the answer . This is he dancing to his own song , albeit in slightly more sedate clothing
Remember this is at 4.10pm with a throng of strangers looking on , to quote the ong , 'Bob never cared , if they stared '
As Hesh pointed out , Bizarre was a star throughout our trip to London
All hail the magic of Bob Bizarre !



GEOFF ON ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR
Photo : James Tomlinson
Both Geoffs driving and bass playing were smashing ( as Ray Wilkins would say ) and he is a true team player . And the 'tache has gone , the 'tache is dead !!!

SETLIST
LEICESTER

BOB BIZARRE

THE BIG HAIRY WHEEL

HIGHER THAN YOU

HERO

HATE THE MILKMAN

SHEILA'S ON THE BUS

FLY BUSTER

'...AND THIS IS ME'

The phrase that would have Mike Yarwood haters galloping for the exits , thankfully no-one galloped for the exits when I opened my mouth to sing . For my part I felt I done good , no bum notes to speak of and some decent guitar flourishes and most importantly , no shit between-song patter which I'm occasionally prone to . Not enough beer or time at this gig , so the crowd were spared my Townsend-esque mumbo jumbo ( although of course not in the same league as our illustrious Pete )


APRES GIG
We alight downstairs near to the Westway to indulge in such fripperies as oxygen , more beer , cigarillos and passing young ladies
Here is Jim and Hesh partaking in a little horseplay to attract the opposite sex - notice she is laughing !
The Westway is where The Clash were born . All kneel .

GEOFF WITH MR & MRS BIZARRE
On the legendary Westway , roughly about 5pm . The beer was by now really sloshing and the band and entourage were well and truly settling into the post show reverie
Greeny , The Cheesemakers' guru , was present at the gig but remained un-photographed - watch out for the next installment of his column very soon


BACKSTAGE
All of the bands on the bill are jolly nice chaps and the backstage area was a small area crammed full of bands gear and belongings which created a great air of trust and humility , one which is rare in the world of gigs and tours - so I salute the other 7 bands present :

JOHNNY ZHIVAGO

PSYCHO A GO-GO

THE CHERRYKICKS

B-MOVIE HEROES

INHALE

PLAN A

STICKY SWEET
Check these bands out if you get the chance

AMAZING JOURNEY
We knew we had to get to Bizarre Mansions in Essex so we hit the road about 9pm . Sanity & and anyone familiar with road use in London would suggest using the ring road , but Bizarre - not being one of these people - decided a trip through central London was in order , so off we went up hammersmith and into the lions den , with Geoff at the wheel . Geoff who hadn't even been to London before let alone drive through it on a weekend evening !!!
Needless to say the journey was amazing and very eventful including many sights and sounds of England's capital city
People were shouted at , tramps were urinated on and we even saw Gandhi somewhere up near Westminster Ever heard the story of Ozzy Osbourne slashing on the Alamo ? Well in years to come , the legend of Jim and Bob Bizarre slashing on the houses of parliament will come to the fore
And so it came to pass that we arrived in Barking with just enough time for a few swift ones at Bob's local shit-hole before an absolutely superb Chinese curry for two English pounds , then more beer !!!...

4 am
And the lightweights are in bed - TOGETHER ! Jim and Dunf share a bed and god knows what else whilst me and Hesh brave MTV for another hour

EARLY MORNING COLD TAXI
Not that early actually , we arose from 8am onwards about every 15 minutes until we were all up and about , enjoying the morning sunshine in the Bizarre Gardens ( some kind of burning there )
After coffee , laughs , video games and more laughs we headed off back up from whence we came having conquered , got pissed and watched videos
Hesh read an entire book whilst sitting at the table on the morning after . Outstanding
A fairly un-eventful return journey followed apart from an amusing bait stop off in Cambridge
Thank to all who helped make this trip a success and here's to the next one

UP YOURS ME DEARS !!!

Andy, Summer 2002 (c)

The Elbows

I feel I will occasionally add something un-me related here when it merits it, and this certainly does. It's only an hour of your life, give it a try, who knows, it may well change your life!

I know someone it has had that effect on.

Video

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/event/elbow/

Audio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio2_aod.shtml?radio2/2100_sat

Andy

Moving The Goalposts

I'm allowed to do that I think, move the goalposts. At the arse end of last year I said I would set goals to achieve by the end of each month, thereby ensuring progress throughout the year. The goal at the end of January was to have the solo album recorded, well, that hasn't happened.

The reason for that is the songs that have been coming out, cos theres always songs coming out, have all been band-type songs that have needed to be worked on imemdiately, so we've spent all of January doing that, writing, working out and demo-ing a batch of new songs that will do the set-list proud, you will have listened to a few of them below.

So the achievement this month has changed, we've created a batch of new band songs instead that will probably now complete the track listing for the new album that we'll be working on in the spring.

Another aspect we've been working on is the the visual medium, and the shots you can see with this post were taken by Geoff (apart from the one with Geoff in) with his new mega-digital-pixel-ultra camera, very nice too. Many more to follow.

So the goal for February NOW is to complete the solo album....although that's subject to change. The bloody band keeps interfering!!!! Ha ha ha

Until then

Andy