The Band (Ayleys Comet)

16:51:32 o'clock GMT
Feeling Happy

Hiya, hope you are having an excellent Christmas.

Well, Kristina's debut gig went very, very well and we had so much positive feedback!!! The crowd loved her (and the guys of course) and said how good she was with a lovely voice. We are so happy but then again we just had the feeling that she would be. Welcome to the band Kristina!!!

I hope you can see the photos okay; the 2nd one is a bit dark but that is the problem with digital camera's......band lighting causes the pics to go doo-lally!!! Annoying but if anyone has any ideas to get round that I would love to know!!!

Anyway, just thought I would pop in with this entry and wish you all a merry one!!! (I have been on the pink champoo so I am definitely having a merry one!!)

Much love to you all and see you in 2008!!!

Loadsa love

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20:53:47 o'clock GMT
Feeling Happy

This was taken at the last rehearsal.......a more casual style than the previous publicity pics, but what you see is the basic version! Needless to say it will be worked on and I will show you the finished article once it has been done!

Rehearsals are going well with Kristina and she has her debut gig in 2 weeks time; we are looking forward to it and we are certain she will wow the audience with her lovely voice. We also have quite a few new numbers  that have been rehearsed so it is looking good!! We have every confidence in her!

TTFN for now

 

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20:27:55 o'clock GMT
Feeling Happy
Hearing X factor (if you can call some of it music!!!!)

Don't you just love this Mickey Mouse graphic?! Can't remember where I found it but it is great!!!

Well, the news is we have got a new permanent singer!! Her name is Kristina, she is 20 and has a lovely voice. We are her first band so we are treating her gently, lol!!! Her first gig with us will be 22nd December, just in time for Christmas........photo's will follow soon!!

 

(still from pilot of BBC t.v's Dead Ringers....you can just make out the words Ayleys Comet)

Looking back, we have had a pretty rocky time since May/June time and at one point we were feeling pretty depressed about the situation; we felt we had been let down by certain people and that was more upsetting than annoying; we thought we were better thought of than that as we had not, knowingly, done anything to cause such treatment......we gave far more than we got back in more ways than one. We are not bitter or angry, we just felt very disappointed. But onwards and upwards was the way to go, we do not give in easily and we knew there was someone out there that was (and is) equally as good and it was just a question of continuing our search!!! We have had a couple of false starts that have not been as we had hoped, but we have finally found the right person in Kristina. This is a fresh page for us and as I have said before, we don't give in without a fight and we have won again.....welcome Kristina.

We normally record the X factor because we fast forward through the acts we don't like, but this evening we are actually watching it and wishing we'd recorded it~!!! Even the dog has put his paws over his ears!!!! But who are we to say against the likes of Sharon, Simon, Louis and Kylies sister!

The guys and Vicki did a gig last week for a Lions Charter function which went very well and apparently the dance floor was full all evening once the guests had eaten their meal and said all the relevant speeches. Wish I had been there but a certain doggy needed me to be home with him during the fireworks!!

Gigs are coming in all the time now for next year and it looks like we are going to be a busy band in 2008!! Bring it on! 

Keep loving live music, it's the best sort!!!

 

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15:59:02 o'clock BST
Feeling Hopeful

Well where to start?? We are going through a strange phase at the moment but still going strong!!!

Unfortunately Hayley, after coming back to us after a spell away got taken ill en route to the 2nd gig on her return to singing with us and we are uncertain as to when, or even if, she will return to us; this is her at the gig she did with us at the beginning of September. (which incidentally went very well, it was good to have her back!!)

She was looking and sounding really good, we are just sorry that at this present time she has said she does not know when she will be well enough to return.  On the same night Dave came back to help out as our regular bass player was otherwise engaged; it was good to all be back together and it was an excellent night!!

We have invested a lot of money in new equipment over the past couple of weeks; new speakers, monitors, lights, Amp/mixing desk so the band are sounding better than ever!! The kit we did have had seen better day so we felt it was time to upgrade and we also now have a nice box trailer to carry it all around in!!! All this new equipment certainly made an impression at the gig we did last night, a private birthday party, and there were lots of good comments about the band (and our new equipment!!) last night.

Helping us out whilst we sort the problem with a permanent singer out (we are uncertain as to Hayley will definitely return or not) we have a lovely young lady helping us out called Vicky, she did her first gig with us last night and has a very nice, powerful voice; she does normally sing with another band but it just so happens that her free nights with that band tie in with the nights that we have gigs, so that has worked out quite nicely!!! Her name is Vicky and will be helping us for a while. This is her in action last night......

Yes, despite rumours to the contrary, we are still fully functioning, gigging and a happy band!!! We are in Bedford next Saturday so if you are in the area we will be at the Central Club on 20/10/07......pop along and see us!!!

Bye for now folks, may your music keep you happy and dancing!

 

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22:49:26 o'clock BST
Feeling Quiet

Hiya!! Yep, we are still here and working hard at giving out our music! to all that come to see us!!

We have had a short breather with August being a quiet month, but as it is holiday time it is understandable!!

Things have happened.......... some bad, some good but it is sorted for the time being at least; news will be forthcoming soon but rest assured we continue to gig!!

Ian is sporting a new drum kit....in a nice shade of darkest blue.....and his cymbals are shining well!!! Rob is the proud owner of new pedals for his guitar amplifier, Roger is ......well Roger is still our bass player (there lies another tale but that won't be told) and long may he reign.......................and no I am not going to reveal all yet!!!! Haha, thought you'd got me there didn't ya?!!!!

We have  a hectic September ahead of us, but all good....photos will be coming soon!!!

Speak to you all soon........

  love Joan & the crew.

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22:50:54 o'clock BST
Feeling Happy

 

Hiya; well here I am again!!! We did a local gig at the weekend, the local Duck Race held in the Pocket Park just round the corner from where we live!!!

 

We had the new singer with us, his name is Kevin.......bless him, he was dropped in at the deep end at the last minute and he was fine despite his worries!!  Here he is in the middle with Rob to his left and Dave to the right.....they were all in casual wear as it was an afternoon thing

The guys all had a good laugh, as you can see from this pic of Rob (in the Marshall T shirt!!) and Dave (t shirt with guitar on front) despite the horseflies driving them banana's....!!

This (below) is a sideways view featuring Ian as well.....the person you rarely see cos he is always at the back, LOL!!

The guys had a lot of good comments, plus quite a few people sat  listening to them which was good considering it was a lovely afternoon..........before the rain came at 5 o clock that is!!

The pic above was the local Mayor in a boat releasing all the yellow plastic ducks that were in the race.....some 1,250 0f them!!! Unfortunately I couldnot get closer as it was mobbed with people further down the side of the river, plus I got caught short so had to have a quick walk home......so I missed the finish!!!!

Strangely enough the winner of the race was a duck, as was the 2nd and 3rd place........., these poor mice never got a look in, lol,........tee hee!!!!!

Anyway, time to say bye bye for now....................

loads of love to you all,

thank you to all who supply us with their lovely graphics, may your music keep you smiling!!!

 

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18:59:28 o'clock BST
Feeling Chillin'

Well, here I am again!!! Where do I start? May and June have been eventful to say the least and here we are in July already!!!

We have been gigging, despite the lack of entries on my part!!! We have also been auditioning for a new singer as Hayley has decided to leave us but it is all amicable and she will be depping from time to time, plus we have plans for the New Year that we are mulling over so watch this space!! The above pic was Orlingbury Fete on 9th June, as usual the weather was beautiful.........I think that was the last really nice day we have had recently!!! We went for a meal afterwards, then on to do another gig in the evening which was local, fortunately.

We gigged on 30th June at Stevenage, again an excellent evening and Dave depped on Bass as Roger was not available; it is good when you can have a gig with past members as you can have a good laugh plus it keeps you in touch with one another.

We are due to do the local duck race next weekend but the weather has reaked havoc with the brook in the local pocket park, and said brook is at present a raging torrent of water that is so much higher than it should be, plus even if it does subside the ground will be very, very wet; as this had been postponed from June 24th we are waiting to find out if it will be postponed again.........judging by the forecast I am not holding out much hope 'cos there are more bouts of rain due! Watch this space as you may hear of a band that did a gig in scuba gear!!!

Anyway, time to pootle off again........stay happy and enjoy your music, whatever it may be..........!

love

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19:21:27 o'clock BST

April 14th 2007. We did a gig in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire.....not far from us here in Sunny Northamptonshire!! It was due to be a pub.....which we don't normally do but accepted the gig as it was a special leaving do for the Landlady of some 15 or so years. I have to admit that 1st appearances were not too impressive as we were greeted by a man walking out the pub with a gents urinal in his arms!!! But once inside the reception was good, and everyone made us welcome! The band set up, and we settled down for a relaxing drink until it was time for them to play. We were watching the big tv screen when the programme Dr.Who came on(for our US friends, Dr Who is a sci fi programme that has become a bit of a cult thing over here!!!), the surround sound was on and proved very noisy with a very loud rumbling while the Tardis (Time And Relative Distance In Space) was hurtling through time, only one thing was it seemed too close for comfort!! We then discovered what the main rumbling was.......the Landlady had arrived on the back of the biggest Indian Motorbike we had ever seen and was sitting slap bang in the middle of the pub with its engine rumbling away!!!

Anyway, the band eventually started playing and from the first note to the last, even though there was no dance floor, everyone was dancing where they could!! It proved to be an extra special evening as not only was the Landlady was leaving the pub, but Dave our Bass player of almost 2yrs was leaving us after that gig. He has gone to pastures new....or rather another band....and we wish him well; we will be staying in touch as he is doing a couple of gigs with us on dates his replacement cannot manage.

Yes we do have a replacement for Dave already! Hah, I don't waste time in getting sorted......in fact I contacted him the night Dave said he was leaving, via a musicians site!! Bass players are like Gold Dust, finding a good one is even rarer.......but we have found one and his name is Roger and he will be gigging with us very, very soon!!

On that note (haha) I will love you and leave you; we are not gigging tonight so it is an evening in front of the telly!! Whatever your music, enjoy it and keep it live!! Catch up with you again soon,

loads-a-love

Joan xxxxx

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14:11:24 o'clock BST
Feeling Happy
Hearing The Beatles - Rubber Soul

Hiya!!! It is 13.45 and I am finally waking up after last night's gig! Oh I have been up for hours and been to a car boot sale (there was all of 6 cars there selling, LOL) where Rob and I picked up a couple of bargains........to do with music of course!!

Anyway, I digress!! We did a 40th birthday party for a lovely lady called Claire. It was a bit of a strange evening as the party was held in the Student Union Lounge at a University just outside Milton Keynes/Newport Pagnell (Buckinghamshire); strange in the sense that althought the party-goers were all there it still had to be open for the students still on campus despite the Easter break, so it was hard to tell who was there for the party and who was a student!!

The band played at the far end of the room in a sectioned off area that had a dance floor and due to the way it was laid out it felt the music was just bouncing off the walls and not getting through to the seated area; however it was, much to my surprise, but people were too busy meeting and greeting to think about dancing in the 1st set!!! The 2nd and 3rd sets were a different story and the dance floor was full for most of the time but unfortunately the people with young children had to leave early so towards the end the numbers were seriously depleted!!

Rob was a happy chappy as he was playing his beloved 35yr old Strat as he has finally rectified the static problem with it, the only thing was he had forgotten how heavy it was (!!!) because it is a solid Ash American Fender Stratocaster circa 1972'ish. Then there was Dave smiling like a Cheshire cat as he has just taken delivery of a custom made fretless 6 string bass, so he was in his element!! Ian was sporting a very short haircut, it  looked good and it suited him, then finally last but not at all least our Hayley was on top form with a new hairstyle and looking very much in contol of the 3 old codgers!!!! All in all an excellent evening and we hope to be back there at some point again soon!

Yours as always, in music,

 

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18:06:54 o'clock BST
Feeling Happy
Hearing TV

Well, a pic at last of the programme that gave the band their 5 mins of fame in 2003!!! The keyboard player to the left and the bass player at his side are also original members of the band, but are no longer part of the line-up. They had a great day and Rob and Ian are still very proud of their 'stint' on TV, saved for posterity on DVD!!! The pilot show was incredibly funny and went on to become the show that it is now, watched by millions, having started it's life as a radio programme.

Last night was a good gig, again in Northampton, and the crowd were dancing for most of the evening....they even liked the new numbers that we do now which surprised us as they are the sort of crowd that turn their noses up at anything modern'ish!! More new numbers are planned for rehearsal on Thursday in preparation for the 40th birthday party we are doing on Saturday 31st. We will be taking along full light show for that gig, so I will try and take some pics of the evening but 1 flash pic with the little camera I am using at the moment and I have a flat battery, lol!!!

Anyway, I am off to do a guitarists dinner; he is busy in his music room putting silver foil into his guitar.......something to do with cutting down static......which should be there but isn't!!! I don't ask why, just so long as he can play his beloved vintage Strat again!!

Much love from me and them>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> xxxxxxx

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