tamaramusic.co.uk

Yes! I finally have my own website that links to everything I do, solo and collaborative.  You can check it out here.  My new solo EP also recently got a review from Music in Oxford blog. Read it here.
EP II is all written and ready to be recorded. The Martyrs start recording our album on Sunday and we can't wait. Phew! Blog will resume its normal volume of banter soon.

T x

Amazing Radio: The Other Woman Show

Last night I got played on The Other Woman Show, hosted by Ruth Barnes, along with some fabulous songstresses. If you missed it then you can listen again here.

Happy New Year!

My Dear Friends, Happy New Year! I hope my first missive of 2012 finds you very well indeed. I had a most refreshing Christmas vacance, taking in a little sea air and watching too much Poirot, it would seem..
While I was away I wrote a song called 'Waiting for You' and made this little video of it.
Waiting for You from Tamara Parsons-Baker on Vimeo.

It's still in its early stages (written and recorded within a few hours) so let me know what you make of it. I was thinking some cello might sound good on it..

Photo by Pier Corona

I've already played my first gig of the year. It was the Pindrop acoustic night at the Port Mahon on the 2nd January set up by Seb Reynolds. There were loads of great acts including Joe from Borderville, the Epstein, a band I saw first a year ago, Swindlestock, and the people's favourite, Huck, of course, with his new brand of baladeering. Huck's forthcoming narrative, cross-genre album of intoxicating Americana, 'Alexander the Great', is shaping up to be something quite else. You can see videos from the night here.

Swindlestock by Pier Corona

I'll be taking a little break from live performance for a month or so. I want to concentrate on recording and writing new songs. Plans for the Martyr's album are finally coming together. I can't wait to get back in the studio with the boys, o the boys.. I'm also looking forward to recording my second solo EP at the end of the month. O yeah! I have a fresh batch of my first solo EP, 'Lover', waiting to wing their way to your door. These solo EPs will form a sneaky little series. You can order the first, the white disc, from the store if you haven't already got a copy. It is available to purchase online from here. It'll also be available on Itunes "soon". I'll keep you updated..

Although I won't be performing live for a while I will be starting work on another new project "The Loft Sessions". These will be live acoustic sessions, recorded in my attic, featuring collaborations with a whole host of Oxford's finest. The first session will be up by the end of the month (fingers crossed) featuring a very talented chap I met up with before Christmas. So, till then keep on feeding "ze little grey cells, n'est-ce pas?"

Merry Christmas! It's my 60th blog!

If you didn't make it to the Jamboree last Monday, boy, did you miss a great night! It was a festive frenzy with George forcing Christmas hats on the audience. He had a vision, a sea of bobbing red and white. He got in return - steely eyes and quaffed bangs.. The Martyr's headlined what turned out to be an eclectic night of music and poetry with a whole bunch of performers, all very different but almost all uncannily unified by an inclination towards bestiality and innuendo. Weird! It was a great laugh, though our set ended with me almost trashing tommy's drumkit but remembering, first, that I'm not really that "rock and roll," and, second, drum kits are expensive. Damn you conscience! Thanks to everyone who made it down to celebrate the "Jingly Jamboree" and our see our last gig of the year.

And what an amazing year it's been! The Martyrs formed in February and played our first gig at Mr Wolves, Bristol, in March. My solo songs were played on BB6 Music and London Radio and at about the same time we slickly converted from a 5 piece to a 3 piece band, around Easter. Having signed to Big Red Sky Records, we supported the fabulous Secret Sisters in May. We then recorded our debut EP in the same month, before appearing on The Joanne Good Show and BBC London Radio.  And then there was the nervy journey to meet Tom Lewis from Decca Records in June (OMG!).
We played loads of awesome festivals including Cornbury and Wilderness Festival in July and August. Spetember was the gig that almost never happened at The Croft, Bristol,  which turned out to be one of the most fun gigs ever. I recorded my solo EP, "Lover", in September, which has just arrived through the door (so if you want one for a stocking filler, head to my store and I'll get it in the post). Another highlight was when The Martyrs and I were filmed on the roof of the O2 in October and then supported Charley Coombes and the New Breed for BBC Intro O2 Upstairs. November was about chillaxing and rehearsing with Tom Sharp, our new guitarist. The Toms are weary from "beers, beers, beers" (so good, apparently, they named it thrice..), Huck's red leather hang-over suit is beginning to curl at the edges (a sure sign of overuse) and me, well, I need a whole tanker-load of beauty sleep.

Hopefully see you in 2012 for another epic year, and our debut album. Eek! Merry Christmas!

Upstairs at the O2

Photo by Becks Compton

What a night! The Martyrs and I had been looking forward to this gig for quite some time. It was an awesome line up. ToLiesel played a fine set as in streamed the undead masses of ghouls, gremlins and some guy dressed up as a tall box?!? Samuel Zasada were brilliant as always. I loved the way they were dressed up as dead music icons. Buddy Hollie on bass and Billie Holiday on keys were especially cool! By the time we got on stage the O2 was heating up nicely. It was great to play to such a big crowd. The best part of the evening might just have been turning round to see Humphrey and Tommy rocking out in their Zoro masks! Actually, bringing our new guitarist, Tom Sharp, on stage for the first time for the final three songs might just beat that. It's a mighty honour to be playing with Tom! Charly Coombes and the New Breed brought a classy end to what was a really fun night of bands, booze and bad-ass costumes. Thanks to everyone at the O2 Upstairs team and BBC Introducing. Click on the pictures here to view more images from the night. There will also be a special feature on the BBC Introducing in Oxford show this Sunday. Tune in from 9pm.

Tamara and the Martyrs on the Roof

The Roof Team

On Monday night we clambered up the fire escape of the O2 Academy and played our new song 'Get Him Out,' for the cameras of the O2 Upstairs/BBC Introducing team. The sun quickly set and the wind was ahowling, which led to a spooky scene for the video. Just right for the Halloween weekend show. If you still haven't heard then we are playing at the O2 on Saturday night with Charley Coombes and the New Breed, Genuine Freakshow, ToLiesel and Samuel Zasada. Thanks to Vicky, Dan and Sam for making such a cool video, here it is:

EP Review by Oxford Music Scene Magazine

Oxford Music Scene Magazine have reviewed our EP in this month's issue. Read the full review here on page 26. And, if you still haven't got your hands on a copy, then you can purchase one in our store here.