Sam Beeton singer songwriter - Blogs

2012 Review

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The new year has ushered in an army of mice with requests strapped to their furry mammal backs.. What? I hear you ask. Well, events of the past year on which they wish to hear me reminisce. I tuck them into their swan vesta matchboxes, issue tiny feather pillows and settle them in. Then beginningly I begin to whisper (whisperingly) a tiny review of 1912, one hundred years on...

Things got off to a cold and yet interesting start at The Old Vinyl Factory, where my acoustic session included 'Jeckyll & the Man', 'Good Natured Child' and a Beatles track 'Things We Said Today'.

Sweet Luigi and I put together the Record Club Sessions double CD - all 22 tracks released during Season One just in time to go on tour.

I met so many of you in March playing across the UK with Charlie Simpson. First night of the tour was in Ipswich, and I recorded a video about it, followed by a show at London Koko and the aftershow madness.
The tour continued with some busking requests in Falmouth, and an interesting aftershow performance for Clean Slate Music. There was also a performance at Express FM, and an interview with Soundscape.
There's a clip of my soundcheck in Dundee here, and a backstage jam with tour buddies The People The Poet playing You Can Call Me Al as well.
A tour highlights video includes footage from Newcastle and backstage at BBC Glasgow.

Storyteller was released on iTunes and I performed it live on the BBC Review Show. I also recorded an acoustic version for Burberry, and an interview about it, and you can see the official video and 'making of' too.

Season Two of the Record Club began as soon as I finished the tour, and the first track was Call Me The Loner. I recorded a version in a ghostly factory.

The Glee Club show in May was a treat as I got to perform with a band and meet so many of you again. I also talked to the Nottingham Post and Left Lion, and they reviewed the show.

June saw Bust It Loose and a surreal performance in front of a fox and a secret soundcheck video.

August saw a trip to Boardmasters festival, and a chippy tea in Newquay. The fourth Record Club song was 'The Night' and there's an acoustic version here. I also performed on a cliff top.

September saw shows at Weyfest and Record Club 4 song Born at the End in church and the studio.

In October I sold out the Regal Rooms and we had a great show with the band again.

December saw Record Club song 5 and it full length video 'Red Green & Gold'. Its not too late to subscribe to the Record Club - I'll send you all this season's tracks, as well as a CD a month, well into 2013!

And with the tiny fuzzy meese all now drowsing, they breathe deeply, emitting microscopic zeds into the new year's skyline, that form the words New Hazpy Year. Stupid mice.

Are We There Yet?

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 10:22:32 GMT

WHAT? or WHAT! or Oh JUST FORGET IT!

Firstly, If you're now reading this, well done, you've passed the test, the sleuth test and furthermore hello... Allow me to be Watson to your Holmes, Lennon to your McCartney, Swedish to your House Mafia for the next paragraph or so... As I write this I don't yet know what conclusions I'm going to draw, but I think this post is about perceptions and reality.

OUTLIER

If you are part of "the Record Club" you join me as an artist on a journey (not in a unbearable TV talent show kind of way) to an unknown destination, on a road that is merely sketched into the cultural landscape. You see the thing is, in my eyes the record club is such a future proof idea that it is not yet of it's time. If you think of the industry as being a huge stadium with all the fans and artists with their traditionally released records and radio inside, then, metaphorically at least, I'm in the car park of the stadium with a few folks who really like what they hear and want to be a part of it (that's you Record Club member!) And as all the noise and the hullaballoo of the stadium continues, most of the industry and public inside is blissfully unaware of the happenings on the outside. Now, of course this is something that was foreseen when I and my little label moved away from the traditional and set out to try something new.
So why do it? There are some people in this world of music for whom making music is just a part of what you have to do to become famous, a constituent part of a celebrity pie with no real filling. Some people are happy to be that and take the money and live the life of a programmed mannequin. Now I say this honestly - good luck to those who have the iron constitution to take that route. THIS IS NOT ME, as I'm sure you know if you have even a limited knowledge about me. I care about the artist bit of being an artist, and have so much I want to say. I have walked away from what the celebrity pie guy would kill for in the past, in order to be happy with the integrity of my records. And I know as a music lover myself that when something is coming from a genuine place you feel it, you hear it and you see it. It's the great "tangible" intangibility. For some, music, specifically pop music is just what it is and they enjoy whatever is on the radio and they don't really mind, I don't look down on these people at all, in fact in some ways I envy them slightly.

BUT ENOUGH WHINING ABOUT ALL THAT

As a young artist in the early 21st century I'm well aware that the standard by which success is measured is still in the releasing of hit albums and singles, touring them, and starting the process over again. As a person who loves what he does and feels he has a heck of a lot to prove, this has to be the aim. The plan is to upgrade the engine and begin to move inside the stadium so that I can release MY music and not have some spotty bloke in an office telling me that we need Wiley to bust some rhymes after the chorus to fool you into thinking I'm slightly "URBAN". So, over the coming months we'll be searching for talented and driven people and organisations, large and small to help us to make the concept of the Record Club, and my music BIGGER news. This is going to be a interesting process as being a small label we have to be shrewd with our resources and careful about the people we choose to work with as they must have the passion and the belief in what we are doing to make it work.

REGARDLESS of all the above still the most important weapon in my possession is your love for what I'm doing. If you've joined the Record Club, seen me on a tour, the internet, TV or heard me on the radio and bought an album, you have used your imagination, taken a chance and left the stadium as I have. It's your recommendations, your blogs, your tweets, your telling people why you like what I do that counts more than anything and allows me to compete with the "celebrity pie guys," and let's face it, if I don't who will? (another celeb pie guy, probably)

You are a patron of art. My art. Thanks a million!

In other news...
The next Record Club is out next week, the track is called BORN AT THE END and is the second recording coming out of the new LUIGI studio.

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO...
CHERRY GHOST "People help the People"

PEACE IN, PEACE OUT AND AS ALWAYS PEACE ORF!
SJB

Thank You Nottingham!

Fri, 25 May 2012 03:41:35 GMT

Thanks for a fantastic night at The Glee Club in Nottingham.

Here's a video of the day, including the soundcheck and meet and greet.

Here's me with the band, and support act Nina Smith:

Charlie Simpson Tour Blog

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:10:57 GMT

Here's a final video of some extra behind the scenes footage; sound checking at Newcastle Uni, performing in a toilet and doing a bit of busking in Falmouth, working out a cover with The People The Poet in Edinburgh, and a brief onstage performance with them in Dundee:

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of you, and I welcome all the tweets of pictures from the performances or meet and greets. This video blog is of some spur of the moment busking in Falmouth:

I had a great time in the South West with shows in Exeter and Falmouth. In Falmouth the Princes Pavillion had a brand new extension with all round lovely acoustics. After performing in the hall, there were lots of people buzzing around and I did a bit of impromptu busking for them, before filming an interview and acoustic song in the quietest place we could find.. the disabled toilet!

There is a full review of the show and more videos at Clean Slate here.

The Scottish crowds were great, and very attentive. In some songs you could hear a pin drop. Edinburgh had one of the most amazing sound desks, and wonderful acoustics as well. This video is of soundcheck in Dundee... hear the reverb of the empty room.

Aftershow ponderings at Koko in London, again a wonderful sound. But where is the aftershow?

Here's a recording of "Rain Down on You' live at Koko. As a thank you, its available to download too - leave me a comment on the timeline..

The opening night in Ipswich was great, a warm welcome from all the crew, band and Charlie. Just a minor change to the billing..

Thanks for all for your support, I look forward to meeting you at another show!

Spotify and the delightful scurge of music recommenderisation.

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:21:48 GMT

I'd like to think music recommendation is very important in this day and age and it is. When there is so much new music released every week, being blogged about and played on the radio, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with what is out there in the great wide oak that is the music tree. (dodgy tree analogy)

That's where for new artists recommendations by friends are very important. Friends are much more likely to give music a go when it has come recommended. With this in mind I have reasoned to put a few songs from my Record Club on Spotify so that people can share them, add them to playlists or just enjoy. Have a listen to my Spotify playlist, if you don't like it then FINE, WHATEVER... and here's a video I made about sharing my music, and my playlists.

My songs are only available on the Record Club, and via Spotify.
My Spotify playlist.
My Spotify profile.
Please use the links to spread the word!

COCONUT SHY, FASHION WEEK AND SECRET CUPBOARD!

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:34:57 GMT

RIGHT! That's it! Time to blog...

Things are moving fast so keep up, I have to talk about everything from shows, to secret cupboard gigs to secret toilet gigs to fashion shows and the speedyadvancement of the great and mysterious RECORD CLUB!

But first, this...

Yesterday I returned home from a photo-shoot with American culture magazine "Blackbook" which took place at the fashion house Burberry's headquarters. I had been kindly invited along by the company to appear in Blackbook's music issue. So it was, that the morning of the shoot I appeared at the front doors of Burberry with the hairstyle of a coconut and the wit of a coconut also...early morning starts often get me confused about what's going on in general terms and yes, this morning was no exception...

I was invited in to wait for a nice lady to come and wheel me up to the seventh floor, where the make-up lady would go to work and emerge an hour later sweating profusely with one of those thousand yard stares often portrayed in war films and a presentable looking "Sam Beeton" by her side.
Then still bemused I was presented to a white wall, which then slid aside like a lift door. Inside was a team of stylists from New York. After this things get a little hazy. I seem to recall being hit on the head from behind with a club and the rest is a mystery to me, all I know is I wake up looking sharp, in front of the photographer. Now I'm sure you all know the routine by now- Shouts of "work it" "Shake it" "more Intense" "grrr" all that stuff coupled with the occasional flash of the camera and you have a nice set of pictures...amazing stuff. Anyway, for all my American fans and Record Clubbers, the April Issue of Blackbook will be out in April as is tradition and will be available in shops, reputable or not in April. April. Shops, In April time.

A new tradition/phenomenon has been sparked by myself and UK record club members at my shows... (suspenseful music here) YES, IT'S THE SECRET CUPBOARD OR SIMILAR SMALL UTILITY SPACE GIG! And what a shattering heap of fun it is to harken back to the days of the black hole of Calcutta and pile everyone into a small space and see what happens! Mostly hearty laughter and songs from me happen, and that's great! So next show you get to, be sure bring your mining lamp and tolerance for small spaces and check it out! Videos of these little happenings are up on youtube so have yourself a looky see.

The Record Club continues to grow at an incredible rate, people are joining like crazy and we at the label would like to say...HABUNZA! and Thanks! So much good stuff coming up! If you haven't hopped aboard the Record Club yet I urge you to do so! So many perks to be had in being a part of our journey....We are only three months in and when you join you automatically receive the volumes you have missed! Go to it! www.sambeeton.com/Shop

On Monday I attended Burberry's show for the fashion week, It was a great honour to be stared at from across the catwalk by various celebrities and luminaries who were all obviously thinking 'OMG' "Is that Sam Beeton on the front row?" "I love that little guy" and "wow look at his amazing coconut style hair do" that sort of thing...although I was a little perturbed by the whole of DURAN DURAN all staring at once...This aside the show was a masterpiece of performance and style and another success in a sea of them from Christopher Bailey, who I'd like to thank for inviting me along to see it!

Well Folks, I'll see you soon!

Many thanx!

Sam aged 19

END OF YEAR BLOG!

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:59:28 GMT

Again we find ourselves in that no-mans land between boxing day and new years eve...when we take a little glimpse back over our shoulders for a fleeting peek at the past year. LISTS! I see them everywhere around this time of year in magazines and tv. So I thought to myself I'm not just gonna sum up a whole year with all it's triumphs and breakthroughs, peaks and troughs with a simple black and white list! However, I then realised I was late for an appointment andthis happened;

THINGS, happened this year (list)

LAUNCHED THE FIRST INAUGURAL FIRST OF IT'S KIND ANYWHERE EVER EVER IN THE HISTORY OF EARTH- "SAM BEETON" MONTHLY RECORD CLUB! WITH THE FLAMING LIPS FOLLOWING SUITE SHORTLY AFTER!
WROTE TONS OF NEW SONGS
WENT TO NORTHERN IRELAND FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME
WATCHED "GROUNDHOG DAY" AT LEAST ONCE
FOUNDED MY VERY FIRST RECORD LABEL "SWEET LUIGI RECORD STORE"
HAD LOADS OF CONTACT WITH YOU LOT, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AGES!
LEARNT A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT "WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE" COMPLIMENTS OF BILL BRYSON
HAD LOADS OF IDEAS FOR 2011, WITH THE NEW FOUND FREEDOM I HAVE AT THE NEW LABEL
DID NOT SLEEP...MUCH
SPENT A HUGE VOLUME OF TIME ON TRAINS GOING TO AND FROM RECORDING STUDIO (I SHOULD SURELY BE ENTITLED TO A NATIONAL RAIL LOYALTY CARD BY NOW, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I SPENT ONTRAINS THIS YEAR COULD'VE BOUGHT ME A MASSIVE RECORD BREAKING LOAF OF BREAD OR A GOLD ENCRUSTED CARROT OR SOMETHING)
VOWED NOT TO STOOP TO A LIST, YET VERILY I STOOPED ;(
STOOP.

Mostly for me this year has been about re-thinking the way that I release my music and engage with "YOU"! In a year where I looked around and saw most of the major record companies faultering under the pressure of not be able to adapt quickly enough to the way people (including myself) are buying their music; 2010 was the year that I walked away from an offer left on the table by a major record company simply because I thought to myself "I want to do this myself" In a lot of ways they (majors) seem strangely out of touch. Will they survive? To be honest, I really hope so, I still think the world needs these major platforms on which new talent can be nurtured and given the opportunity to become great! So, far from be a Major Label BASHER, I just hope that they discover what's killing them and soon so that they can give me a label deal to do exactly what I'm doing now! (cheeky)

Out of everything that I have been doing this year, by far the best has been the sheer joy of getting involved in everything, obviously I have been writing my songs and singing them and recording them, but this year has afforded a new creative freedom in terms of EVERYTHING. =) Getting people who like my music involved in how I should do things, where I should play, what my artwork should look like etc etc has been superbly enjoyable!I thank you all so much, and hope you like my hairstyle and jokes (and music) enough to stay aboard the SS BEETON for our voyage into the misty horizon that is 2011!!!

LONG LIVE 'SWEET LUIGI RECORD STORE' AND LONG LIVE YOU!

TAKE CARE FOLKS, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ME AND ALL THE CHAPS HERE AT SWEET LUIGI RECORDS!

KISSES,
SAM

Record Club Episode One: Empire Strikes Back

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 05:16:20 GMT

Hello Frenz and Everybody!

So, the very first edition of the Sam Beeton Record Club went out a day ago, amidst fevered excitement and snowflakes at the Sweet Luigi headquarters. Really pleased with this months edition, musically, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of the new song. It is my great fog horn to announce that the November issue of the Record Club is winging its way to my fans and frenz in places all around the world such as SOUTH AFRICA, HOLLAND, UNITED STATES and the UK! Each one with a little note from its author.

November's track-listing was as follows:

1. Good Natured Child
2. What You Look For (acoustic version recorded on the day we sent out)
3. Rain Down On You (alternative version)
4. Sam Beeton BBC (interview and performance)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CD HAS QUITE A SPICY CHEMICALLY SORT OF SMELL WHICH,SOME MAY FIND DELIGHTFUL AND RATHER LIKE ENJOYING THE SMELL OF A PETROL STATION. HOWEVER,PLEASE REFRAIN FROM OVER SNIFFING THE CD, AS IT MAY CAUSE CRUMPET.

Remember you can still sign up to the Record Club at anytime this year or 2011 and you'll receive all the editions you've missed. You can become a member of the Record Club here.

Send me a photo of your unique edition, and I'll post it in the Record Club Gallery.Looking forward to hearing what you think!

10 facts about Sam Beeton

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 11:22:46 GMT

1) Sam has been photographed by some of the most famous photographers in the world in his short time; Including Italian Mario Testino, Hollywood photographer Sheryl Nields and the legendary New York Photographer Danny Clinch, who has taken pictures of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Bruce Springsteen amongst other famous luminaries.

2) During his last single campaign in 2008 Sam was record of the week for two weeks consecutively on both Jo Whiley and Scott Mills' BBC Radio One shows.

3) One of Sam's ambitions aside from the success of this years Record Club, is to learn how to sail a small sloop and fancies himself as a bit of a sea captain. Yaaargh!

4) Back in 2008 Sam Beeton was amongst the first acts ever to play at the brand new O2 Arena in London when it opened to the public. Seats were still being bolted in just hours before Sam set foot on stage.

5) Sam has enjoyed 5 successful full UK tours, the first of which being with Sandi Thom way back in 2006. He has also toured and played alongside James Morrison, The Script and Katy Perry.

6) In March 2007 Sam Officially launched the PLAYSTATION 3 at a secret location in London's East End, playing a short set for the people who made it possible.

7) Owing to the length of the tour and available tour support, In 2009 Sam embarked on a 30 date Arena tour with solely his guitar to accompany him.

8) Sam has two direct ancestors that served on the famous HMS VICTORY, one of these during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The other on fire watch during WW11 1939 to 1945.

9) In 2009 Sam was nominated for a BT DIGITAL MUSIC AWARD but lost out to Kylie Minogue. Sam was embittered and locked himself away for minutes.

10) Amongst Sam's favourite modern movies are The Life Aquatic With Steve Zizzou, Lost In Translation and Fantastic Mr. Fox. And Sam's favourite actor is Bill Murray.

twitter.com/sam_beeton

New Song on Sam's music player - Sweet Luigi

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:49:52 GMT

Sam has uploaded a new clip on Soundcloud of his song 'Sweet Luigi'. Sam said "Sweet Luigi was recorded years ago, and the man himself is a local Italian man who was a great inspiration to me. So when It came time to name my record company I decided "Sweet Luigi Record Store" was just the thing.. anyway, here's a clip of the song that started it all off!' ps. DANGER (I sound very young)

Sweet Luigi [edit] by sambeeton

Sam Beeton Music Club

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:00:00 GMT

Hi guys and ladies and members of the animal kingdom!

I've been thinking a lot of late about interesting and novel ways of releasing my music. Whether to stay with the majors or go independent and release records in a traditional manner, or just go it alone. The most accurate thing to say would be that I've done both. It is my great fubblewomping to inform you that I have created, along with a few learned gentleman - SWEET LUIGI RECORDS STORE- A micro record company that will see my records heading to your post box month by month by moth (NOT BY MOTH THOUGH THAT WOULD BE CRUEL)

Start your own record music club you say? - I'll send you a song a month to enjoy, savour and digest. The great thing being that these songs will be HOT of the press, brand spankers, rough around the edges and raw and by the end of the year you'll have an albums worth of non traditionally released material - whatever I'm feeling that particular month, plus my own artwork. AND it would be at full CD quality, none of this compressed digital nonsense, although you can whip it on to your IPOD playlist if you so wish it right then and there!

Something to look forward then; the postman bringing something extra special upon his aluminium horse every month- a freshly delivered musical pizza fresh from mine and Luigi's oven.

I have been working on the artwork for said record club - its looking truly fantastic! It's gonna be the best thing to come through your post since last weeks gas bill! Begins in November- along with the new website on which you'll be able to order it...a years worth of music and content at a reasonable price.

Membership of the record club also gives you exclusive membership of this website - and I'll be posting some extra surprises on there too!

ps. If you sign up for this in your hundreds and thousands plus 2 more, you'll make me a very happy young singer\songwriter so happy in fact that I shall feel compelled to tour once again...

See you soon folks!
Samuel x

Record Covers

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:08:30 GMT

Hullo!

I've also been looking at finalising the artwork for a new EP of songs I want to release in November. I'm thinking about a 4 track EP, its going to be quite acoustic and have a mixture of songs that I've written over the last four years.

I went to Northern Ireland around a month ago and had a great time, anyway whilst out exploring in County Down my walking companion took a few snaps of which this is one. Ireland was a truly stunning and inspirationaI place to visit and I have good memories of how the countryside looked on the afternoon of this picture, almost, very nearly dreamlike, with boundless rolling emerald hills and the occasional smell of wood-smoke...and cow shit yes, but apparently you get used to that, so I'm told =S

It's interesting what happens by accident, so I'm posting it here for you to have a look at. With just a bit of swish lettering, it almost looks like a record cover. What do you think?

Exclusive iPhone version of Rain Down on You

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Sam Beeton Member exclusive

Sam Beeton - Rain Down on You - Exclusive iPhone version
right click to download, or click the bottom right download arrow