Tag: News

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News

Where Have I Been?

As usual, there’s a lot going on in my world. I’ve not done so well recently at posting about it here. I’ve been popping up online here there and everywhere though. One place is on Threads (you can keep up with my occasional writing on that platform here), writing a snappily titled piece called ‘Why The Marris Bill Frightens the Life Out Of Me’ (see what I did there?). Read that here

Yesterday, I appeared (at short notice, talking off the top of my head) on Helen Blaby’s BBC Radio Northampton lunchtime programme talking about the awkwardness of disability. 8 or 9 minutes of me on local radio. I bet you can’t contain yourself and have already clicked on the Listen Again link here. I start waffling around the 13.10 mark. Thanks to Helen for having me on, and finding me amusing.

I’m continuing to write as and when I can fit it in for Drowned in Sound and Clash. Click the names of the sites to find where I’ve been most recently.

There’s always more going on, but that’ll do for now!

I’ll be back with a roundup of what I’ve been enjoying musically recently soon.

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News

And Now For the News…

I’m alive and well! It’s been a great few weeks. A few bits of news from me:

I am ordained a Priest in the Church of England next Saturday. This is quite a big deal. I love the Church I’m privileged to be part of (find out more about us here). It’s been a tremendously fun and educational first year. I’m excited to see what’s next. This is what a large portion of my life these days is about and I couldn’t be happier. If you want to come next week (why not?!) get in touch with me.

I reviewed the new albums from Everything Everything (here) and Gengahr (here) for Clash Magazine. Clash is one of my favourite print magazines. It always smells lovely (!). Right now they’re between print publishers, but I hope before long that it will return to the high street shelves. It’d be nice to get some more writing into physical print. This is an especially nice development as I was contacted out of the blue as a result of a review posted on here, so I should thank Maribou State and Ninja Tune too! I really enjoy writing about music. It’s relaxing and restful, as well as sometimes exciting and exhilarating on those days you hear something truly wonderful.

I also had a piece published as last Thursday’s ‘Thursday Threads’ (here).

You’d think I was beavering away at a keyboard all the time. Far from it. I sat down to write this morning and realised I hadn’t sat at my desk for a few days. Life is good. Life is (the great kind of) busy.

Hope all is well with whoever reads these posts!

Haydon

 

 

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News

Lots of new Drowned in Sound reviews + whatever else

Hello everyone

I realise I’ve been negligent in my keeping in touch recently. To be honest I’ve been busy, enjoying life and mostly quite tired when not doing so. Apologies if you’ve been waiting on tenterhooks for me to pronounce on any particular topics. I figure there are enough opinions in the world without me constantly feeling the need to add my own.

I haven’t been writing much recently, but when I have, it’s been for Drowned in Sound. I’ve been reviewing various albums for them, which is a fun diversion. I doubt they’d be too happy with me if I started reproducing pieces here, but my writer’s page for that site is here so you can keep up with the various things that I’ve been putting in my ears recently there.

One of the things that’s happened since I’ve started doing pieces there is that lots of bands, artists and PR people have been emailing me. Mostly they’ve been pitching music to me that I’ve never heard of. This has been quite an aural adventure. I can’t write about everything for Drowned in Sound, due to the fact that they assign their own reviews, and I would struggle to write about everything I get sent because I have a job which I like, and a wife which I like a lot more, and so = lack of time. However, I’ve got in mind to write pieces about some of these bands and artists which are new to me every so often on here. There’s so much good music in the world. The majority of it never gets the attention that it is due. Anything small I can do to help that is worth doing. As a former independent musician myself, I know how hard it is to pour heart and soul into your work and then have it ignored by the world at large.

On that note, I hope by now you’ve heard Mirrors, my album from 2014, which is out worldwide (for free) on Come and Live! If not, now’s your chance.

But for now, real life calls and I must return to writing about Lazarus. See you around soon, and Happy Easter!

Haydon

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News

New Threads Article

Today I’ve had a new article published on Threads (Evangelical Alliance). It is a piece detailing a few tentative thoughts of mine about how the language of “rights” does not go as far as the love and grace of God in offering us life and the best way to live it.

You can read it here

I should point out that rights are very important, and that it’s easy for me, in a society which largely does not treat me as less than human (in spite of occasional attempts to and my loud protestations) to pontificate about rights when many, many people all over the world don’t have the rights that I and we take for granted. I do truly believe that God offers something better. I have tried to make the power mine. It is His.

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News

New Articles

Recently I’ve taken a step back from blogging and self-promotion (which I am too good at and have to be careful of, in my view) to focus on life and work and all the normal things. Whilst this is, I think, a healthy thing, it’s also meant that I haven’t kept up to date with where some of my published writing has appeared, so, in case you were wondering, you can now get to some recent album reviews I’ve been writing for the brilliant Drowned in Sound here. It’s funny how when I was predominantly focused on being in bands I would have given my right arm to appear on a site which has such a good reputation and gets so many hits (actually something ridiculous like 2.5m a month) but I’ll settle for appearing there as a very amateur music critic. It’s also a nice way to get to hear new albums before most other people do.

Also, you can find me in the current issue of Sorted Magazine, in which I write about the issues of disability and masculinity. My piece directly follows an interview with Brad Pitt, which is probably the only time I’ll be able to say that in my life. I also managed to get them to publish a picture from my wedding day, for which I may now have been forgiven by my wife. You can read the text of the article here. I would strongly ask and urge you to buy a copy of the magazine if you can though. It is available in 20 countries, or thereabouts, including in WHSmith. Helpfully, the one most local to me and my Church decided to miss out on the possibility of selling several copies by not stocking it, so i hope you fare better than I.

Musically speaking things are fairly quiet at the moment. Mirrors is out now, and I think at least 7 people have heard it. Some of them even liked it. I’m off to America on Monday to have a holiday and visit some of my favourite people, including Kevin Bruchert (producer) and his family.

Also, my good friend Harun Kotch has a new project which I would love you to view and support.

I think that’s everything for now.