Artist News: Fish Joins Planet Rock, And With Heather Findley
As reported by Fish himself in his monthly e-newsletter, he has taken a position a broadcaster with Planet Rock for his own show "Fish On Friday," which kicked off this past weekend. "The show goes out every Friday (repeated on Sunday) until the end of June," Fish writes, "and I'll be playing an array of rock music including demos from The Thirteenth Star [his upcoming new album]. First show for example has King Crimson, Roger Waters, Genesis, Marillion, Led Zep, SAHB, the Faces - you get the drift! As well as stories behind songs and a plethora of anecdotes there's a weekly competition to win my entire catalogue of solo studio recordings with a draw from all who enter for a special prize for a lucky someone of a visit to the studio for the playback of the new album and dinner with me and the boys. I'm cooking!"
Plans are in the works for a special live performance at a venue to be determined in Central Scotland, "which will probably be the first show on the 'Clutching At Stars' tour. Admission will be free and tickets only available to fans who enter the competitions over the broadcast period. In fairness to The Company I will probably be arranging a warm up gig to this show as it will be recorded and broadcast on Planet Rock after my run of shows." Fish also notes that he'll have a blog at Planet Rock and a dedicated email address for show-related contact.
Work on the new album proceeds, his new studio finshed and ready to go, and writing sessions - with Steve Vantsis and Frank Usher - beginning. "It's been highly productive and the vibe on the sessions has been really positive and creative. I would go as far as to say this has been the best vibe in the studio and control room for years," Fish says. "The chemistry on this album is very different and the material strong and melodic and sitting on some wonderful grooves.The style is different but relative and I can hear echoes of "Sunsets" and ironically "Clutching" in the tracks we are working on at present."
Track titles so far: "Circle Line", "Arc Of The Curve", "Micklegate", "13th Star", "Dark Star", "Openwater", "It Ain't Easy" (working title), "Going Home" (working title) and "Where in the World?". "It is a concept album and in the next two months more will become clear (both to you and me :-)) as the writing progresses and more material takes the grid and others move forward to the intended band pre production in late April early May. I am fully confident we are on line to bring in Calum Malcolm in mid May to begin recording with an intended finished album by mid July." Joining - or rather rejoining - Fish's band is keyboardist Foss Paterson as Tony Turrell and Andy Trill have moved on; a second guitarist position has not yet been filled.
I saved the reportage on the more "gossipy" aspects of Fish's news for last, but as Fish fans surely know by now anyway, Fish and Heather Findley (Mostly Autumn) are engaged. As Fish writes, "This may take some of you completely by surprise however the more romantically inclined who have a sense of the undeniable will probably recognise that what I am about to announce was written in the stars a long time ago.
"On February 14th under the central arch of the Micklegate bar in York I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Heather Findlay. She accepted and we are getting married in Haddington in early August this year."
The couple had parted ways last October, but came back together in January. Fish details the story at his website here: www.the-company.com/email2007-02-28.htm, including how/where he proposed. Fish concludes, "I honestly never thought that I would ever get married again and that it would take a very special lady to capture my heart and fulfill that place in my Life. But I found one. A very special, beautiful, caring, talented and wonderful lady. I couldn't be happier than I am just now. Happy endings do exist!"
[Source: Fish e-newsletter]
