7thfade the early months!

Formation

Alex Clowes former lead singer of Ruperts Tartan Scarf was introduced to Nick Jenkins (see www.jenxwebsite.blogspot.com) by mutual friends.
Some weeks later they got together and started working on some songs they had individually written.

In August, Mike former drummer of Oblivion and Rush, joined followed by Haydn the bass player formerly of Countenance.
Many nights had been spent rehearsing in the cramped 6ft by 6ft garage, on a Haverhill estate.



Let out on good behavior

On Wednesday 15th November 2006, 7thfade escaped the cramped garage, and went to the open mic night at the Five Bells, Newmarket.

The audience, did not expect to see a band perform were captivated........with melodic songs like "one lump or two" and "lover" through to "Ton on your shoulders"
"Life too fast" was the final song from the band the audience were wanting more.

7thfade & Jenx Christmas Party

On Saturday 23rd December, the management of Jenx and 7th fade held a Christmas party for friends and family of the bands at the Palomino, Newmarket.

Brothers Nick and Mark, alias Jenx, opened the night with "Mr Tambourine man" by The Byrds, and progressed with covers from the 1960's through to today.

The audience warmed up, and ready to rock.7th fade opened the night with "In decay", the band rocked! Alex strutted around like a prize peacock, getting so hot he removed his shirt driving the women into a frenzy with his unique natural style of entertainment.

Mike's performance grabbed much attention his style compared to that of Keith Moon! The cool rock bass of Haydn, and the brilliant solos from Nick, brought the whole performance together.

From the melodic "one lump or two", "Lover" and covers of "Creep" and "Where is my mind" to "on the edge" "Clockin' in" and ending the night on "Life too fast".
The crowd wanted more.........and that is how 7th fade left it as usual, the crowd begging for more.....................


It is official....7thfade are now sponsored by RedBull.Thank you.



7th fade are proud to announce that Eva Wright
has joined the management team! As from 01 January 2007, welcome aboard!

7th fade are playing at The Priors Inn, Bury St Edmunds on Monday 1st January 2007, starting at 6.30pm. Entrance £4.00

7thfade Battle it out at Wolverhampton

On Monday 8th January 2007, 7thfade complete with their two managers made the journey to Wolverhampton, for Battle of the Bands at the Little Civic.
The upstairs venue was spot on!
Posters promoting bands were all over the walls, from The Divine Comedy, Suede, The Levellers, Alarm, Echo and the Bunnymen, Manic Street Preachers, Saw Doctors, Tom Jones even Lynard Skynyrd!!
So, we made sure that the walls got their fair share of 7th fade stickers too.
There was 120 entries, broken down into groups of five bands, per heat in round one.
The competition is also the World's first ever Battle of the Bands to be broadcast live on the internet!
You can also vote for your band, one vote per e-mail address,
"http://www.botb.wolvescivic.co.uk/" (please vote for 7thfade!)
Sadly two bands had dropped out of our heat so there was to be three bands battling it out to make it to the next round.
The bands were to be marked out of 20 points on each category which were:
Presentation and Delivery
Song writing
Originality
Vibe
Audience reaction
The sound check went very well a huge thank you to Steve!

The first band to take the stage was Analog who were a young local 5 piece band, friendly and sociable, they put on a good performance, which was well received by the audience.
The second band to perform was 7thfade.
A warm welcome to Wolverhampton and the World from Alex, opened up the maximum 20 minute set, and straight into "Ton on your shoulders".
The second song "Freedom" was introduced by Nick who wrote the song some time ago, which was followed by "Clockin' in, Wake up" and then slowed down for "One lump or two", leading the audience into a "false sense of security" as they went into the final song of the set at 157mph "Life too fast", and still had 1 minute thirty seconds to spare. The performance was outstanding.
The organiser could not wait to congratulate the lads on a good performance.
Not being biased, the performance was outstanding.
Last up on stage was The 88's, who seemed to come across as bland, and monotinus, but had lots of fans there......................
The lights came up.........it felt like an eternity for the results to be announced, in 3rd was Analog, just 3 points ahead of them in 2nd place was 7thfade, and in 1st place just by 1 point The 88's.
So all the votes count now to get 7thfade into the final, so log onto and vote for 7thfade!!
It has been requested that 7thfade go back up to Wolverhampton and perform some gigs at various venues..............so watch this space!

7thfade photo shoot

On Sunday 14th January, the lads from 7thfade went to various locations in Haverhill for a photo shoot, despite the cold it was a glorious sunny day, and they had lots of fun.After 3 hours of standing, sitting, walking, it was off to The Scarlet Pimpernel, for a well deserved drink!

Recording the "clockin' in" ep at Purple Recording Studios, Trowse, Norwich
Saturday 3rd February 2007
A very cold and frosty morning. The thought of a recording studio in a grave yard is quite an eerie feeling!After quite a late start the boys got all prepared for the next two days hard work. The sound engineer for the day is Richard Hammerton.First up was Mike on drums, he played all four songs......then Richard asked Mike to "Hold it darling!"Richard said that Mike sounded great.



Next up was Haydn on bass, he was great, followed by Nick on lead guitar, he was great too, playing some brilliant pleasant solos, followed by Alex on rhythm guitar.Now they required Alex on lead vocals, the sound man was in there, when his phone rang, cheekily Mike answered the phone in a "posh" accent saying "Hi Purple Studios here".....
All day Arron took photos.Back to Alex, the sound man asked Alex "How's your bum for love bites?"......to keep Alex talking!The band played "Clockin' in", they sounded fantastic, even the sound man was tapping his foot.... now for the recording!The band came through to listen, plenty of booze flowing now, the band having a great time, relaxed, happy, interacting, like a band of brothers.Arron couldn't help but dance to the music as he was taking photos.The next song was "Wake up", a lovely beginning to a lovely song. It sounded great.On to "Death sounds fine thanks"...all is going so well, Lawrence Eaves said they are really on it", he loved them.Finally onto "Ton on your shoulders".After recording the band chilled out by going over to the pub, and having a laugh with the bar staff.Off into Norwich and into "Squares" to see Scott, Mike's brother, who was DJing there.A few drinks and then back to the studio.Purple Studios is a nice place to be, we were well looked after, tea, coffee, kitchen, beds, and a sitting room....and to finish off Saturday night....spooky things were encountered!A set of steps leading up stairs had Eva wondering what was up there? Unable to resist any longer she walked up the stairs, then she stopped in her tracks, she could hear a choir singing, with very soft angelic voices. She turned and came back down and thought nothing of it... until the sound man said that sometimes when he went up stairs some "ghostly things used to happen, and that he used to hear a choir singing with angelic voices".



Sunday 4th February 2007Here's some good advice! Never stay in the same building as a drummer - everybody was asleep, until Mike got up very early and started playing his drums, what an alarm clock! Haydn went for his daily 4 mile run.



Late start in the studio, 10am, at 10.15 Haydn went through his bass recordings from yesterday, and finished off his final pieces.The sound man for the day is Lol, he's lovely.Everyone is quiet and relaxed today.By ten past twelve Haydn has finished recording his bass, with a big grin and
arms out stretched above his head he claimed "I'm good! Finished within 2 hours!".
Next up, at 12.30 Nick. One thirty and in just one and a half hours Nick had finished.
Two pm, Alex goes to record his rhythm guitar, then at 3.30 Alex disappeared into a booth the voice that came out of there was amazing!Two songs later and all is going well, until the backing vocals were to be recorded, the lads crammed into the booth to do the line "for the last time", what a shambles! They sounded like a football crowd!Eventually that bit was sorted out. A check through all of the individual recordings of the past two days, everybody is delighted by what they were hearing, then it was all put together for the end product, the "Clockin' in" ep.Downloaded onto cd... what a product!May I just say that because the lads are so talented, most of the recording was done on first take.At 8.30pm and all expenses were paid up, then Eva's car wouldn't start, so it had to be jump started, then the next car wouldn't start, wouldn't go with a jump start, eventually a set of jump leads were found, got car two going, Haydn's car started first time, everyone bid their farewells, and finally departed just after 9pm.

On Sunday 28th January 7thfade are meeting the press for interviews and photos.

Good Luck!

Good Luck to; Alex Haydn, Nick and Mike at Battle of the Bands, being held at the Haverhill Arts Centre on Friday 9th February...

Questions were put to the band and this is what they had to say.....
Favourite food?

Alex: British steak/Lamb
Mike: Minge
Haydn: Anything soft enough to digest, otherwise it painfully passes through
Nick: Chips

Favourite drink?
Alex: Whiskey/Tea
Mike: Laprerage / Banana milkshake
Haydn: Something wet
Nick: Guinness, Ale, Whiskey

Which tv programmes do you watch?
Alex: Panorama, News 24, Match of the day
Mike: No
Haydn: N/A News occasionally

Nick: Bottom, fools and horses, Discovery Channel, Ray Mears

Films?
Alex: Platoon, The Doors

Mike: Back to the future
Haydn: Something that brings my emotions out
Nick: Oliver

Books?

Alex: Bible, World famous Dictators

Mike: War and Peace

Haydn: Everything! lone Sci-fi and fantasy
Nick: None

Most like to meet...
Alex: Everyone!

Mike: Keith Moon

Haydn: Someone interesting

Nick: Mike Peters, Eric Clapton

If I wasn't me I'd like to be...

Alex: In Heaven

Mike: A tree
Haydn: A Woman
Nick: John Lennon

If you could hold a dinner party and invite 5 people from the past or present, dead or alive, who would you invite and why?

Alex: Kurt Cobain - Artistic conversation

Saddam Hussain - Fearless Inspiration

Axl Rose - Childhood hero

Joan of Arc - Voices from God

Florence Nightingale - Someone to give me a massage

Mike: No one so there'd be more food for me!

Haydn: Carol Vorderman, Richard Whitely, Richard and Judy and Cherie Dale

Nick: Eric Clapton - Brilliant guitarist

Mike Peters - Brilliant singer song, writer, and so amazing to fight cancer twice and still perform.

John Lennon- Bet he could tell some stories!

Jethro - So funny!

Bruce Springsteen - Find out what he's been up to

If you could be a cartoon character who would you be and why?

Alex: He Man - split personality

Mike: Road Runner
Haydn: Penelope Pitstop. She's so oblivious to everything and care free

Nick: Road Runner - He's quick!

Most embarrassing moment?
Alex: Yet to happen!

Mike: Being caught by the in -laws!
Haydn: Two hours to get the bass down on EP!
Nick: It's yet to happen!

Proudest moment?
Alex: Yet to happen

Mike: Kids
Haydn: My older brothers' wedding. That was a lovely warm tingly feeling

Nick: Kids

The song I cannot stand is...

Alex: Tom Jones - Sex bomb, makes me feel sick!
Mike: Cheeky Girls
Haydn: I don't have enough space for this!
Nick: Too many to mention!

Album I listen to most is...
Alex: Oasis - Definitely Maybe

Haydn Fire and ter/ Wishing well
Nick: Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

Favourite record of all time?
Alex: Guns and Roses - Welcome to the jungle

Mike: Basket case
Haydn: Fire and Water/Wishing well
Nick: Got lots!



Song I drive to ...
Alex: Don't drive - Environmentalist
Mike: Queen Bohemian Rhapsody
Haydn: Classic FM
Nick: BBC Radio 2, Virgin Radio and various cd's.


Album or song I'm most proud to own...
Alex: Nirvana - Bleach
Mike: My own
Haydn: A Jango Rheinhart compilation
Nick: A limited edition by The Corgis

Song that sums up my life ...
Alex: Cigarettes and Alcohol
Mike: I'll tell you when I find one!
Haydn: Clockin In
Nick: It hasn't been written yet!

Best gig ever played...

Alex: Haverhill Town Hall, in 2001 with Ruperts Tartan Scarf
Mike: Sum 41 Maidavale BBC Studios...just for being cheeky!
Haydn: December 2005 the Palomino in Newmarket with Countenance
Nick: Worlington Hotel with Jenx

7thfade are unique not just because they have two managers...... they are both female too!



They have been asked the same questions as the band...

Favourite food?
Eva: Cheese on toast
Louise: Egg custard


Favourite drink?
Eva: Babycham
Louise: Redbull, Cherry Brandy

Watch tv programmes?
Eva: Yes I do!
Louise: Not enough hours in the day to watch TV! If I do, mainly news and weather, discovery/ history channel.


Films?
Eva: Titanic
Louise: 10 things I hate about you, Young Guns 1 &2


Books:
Eva: Love ones
Louise: Welsh Trilogy by Alexander Cordell, and most of his works. True stories like ones about rock stars.

Would most like to meet...
Eva:7thfade!
Louise: Kiefer Sutherland, Jonathan Ross, Miles Hunt.

If I wasn't me I'd like to be...
Eva: A rose bud
Louise: A guardian Angel

If you could hold a dinner party and invite 5 people from the past or present, who would you invite and why?
Eva: My dead relavtives
Louise: Aneurin Bevan - to hear what he thinks on the state of the NHS and politics at the moment
Kiefer Sutherland - I love the way he talks
Jack Vetriano - the best artist of our times
Mike Peters, always smiling, down to earth guy, brilliant singer, so brave to fight cancer twice
Paula Yates - One hell of an amazing woman

If you could be a cartoon character who would you be and why?
Eva: Sweet Pea - I like the little curl!
Louise: Stewart Little - So cute and adventurous

Most embarrasing moment?
Eva: When I fell off stage!
Louise: Had a few "moments" but nothing outstanding

Proudest moment?
Eva: When I gave birth to drummer and DJ
Louise: When I get compliamented for my work, either at the yard or the band - it's a wonderfull feeling to feel appreciated!

The song I cannot stand is...
Eva: ?
Louise: In the living years, Mike and the Mechanics, it was all they ever seemed to play on the radio at the time when a friend got killed on his daughter's birthday

Album I listen to most...
Eva:Phantom of the opera
Louise: There's quite a few, depends on my emotions!

Favourite record of all time?
Eva: Loads
Louise: Got quite a few! Mainly Alarm, Inxs and Wonderstuff ones...

Song I drive to...
Eva: Drive to Australian guy on sat nav!
Louise: Can't stand me now by the Libertines, any Alarm, Wonderstuff, Ruperts Tartan Scarf, and of course 7thfade!

Album or song I'm most proud to own...
Eva: It isn't released yet!
Louise: 24 crt. gold limited edition "Need you tonight" by INXS

Song that sums up my life...
Eva: Smile
Louise: Bury my head in the sound by Ruperts Tartan Scarf and Creep by Radiohead

Best gig...
Eva: Green Day
Louise: The Alarm and The Escape Club

Battle of the Bands, Haverhill 2007

In the morning Eva went out and gave out about 50 flyers that the Arts centre had sent her to give to people.

Just to advertise the event.

Well she redecorated them! Eva printed at the top "You have seen them in the papers, now come and hear them" and She also highlighted the band.

When Eva spoke to people in the streets she told them about the band Eva also said she’d also heard that the rest of the bands were good.

Normally you get leaflets thrown and screwed up.

But not this time, they were being read.

The band unloaded and got ready for the sound check.

The sound man was very good and patient.

He needed to be with a band like 7th Fade that only wanted perfection.

They sounded very good.

But there was a problem with the band not being able to hear each other.

But outside the stage it was good.

In the dressing rooms, Eva was not allowed to go in.

They had an interview on video.

Eva was not told this; she would have sneaked in if she’d known.

Eva was later told from the band that Mike had been in his teasing mood.

Talk about Hypo Mikoy!

Bands were coming up to us and saying they had heard our band was good.

People were also saying that they like the blogsite and were always going on it. Mike said they had gone up to him and said the same.

Eva’s not sure maybe the others had this too.

The man that was running it said that Eva could stand up with the sound men to take video of our band.

This was a very good move.

As she could make sure that they remembered to put the Cd in for the beginning of the show.

This track was the A team. This made the audience giggle. What a great start to the show.

From then on you knew the band was going to be loved.

They all performed well, they were loved.

They did their 30 minute set.

People were dancing and having fun.

They were very impressed with the band.

Their music went down well.

Their set had finished people were cheering and clapping.

The Manager of the "Scarlet Pimpernel", Haverhill, was there to see the band.

After seeing them he told me they were very good, and wanted them to appear at his place.

Many people had come to see 7th Fade, they were some of the people that Eva had given flyers to.

A lot of these people left after 7th Fade had been on. They had come to see just them.

It was a very good day and we all missed the presence of Louise the other band Manager we also missed the Haribo sweets she normally brings along.

Another successful show it just goes to show 7th Fade will never fade out the music scene. They are here to stay.

The Palomino, Newmarket On Saturday 17th February

Before it's over and 7thfade came to Newmarket.

Eva and Louise had been busy advertising the event at the Palomino.

Before it's over had a little technical hitch, the bass guitar strap had broke...a few cocktail sticks later from behind the bar ...they performed.And what a performance too!

People were still coming in when Before it's over were performing, so by the time the instruments were changed over The Palomino was full.

The atmosphere was electric it seemed to come from the band it was like an epidemic, they opened up the night with the "A Team" theme tune, then straight into "Ton on your shoulders".The audience were clapping, cheering, dancing......Mike was like an animal on the drums, with his young sons on the side playing "air drums" in time, what a wonderful amazing sight.

Haydn swaying and dancing while playing bass, brilliant performance, Nick played his solos brilliantly.....as for Alex....what can I say?Talented, amazing, brilliant? From the first word on the first song all the way through eleven songs, he sang, danced, he had the audience captivated, eating out of the palm of his hands, you just couldn't take your eyes off him and Mike......in case you missed anything!

The final song of the night was "Life too fast", performed at 157mph!

(The record at the moment for performing Life too fast is 1min 26 secs, without dropping a word or a note! The slowest time is 2 min 03 secs)
The audience clapped and shouted for more.
Eva got up onto the microphone and asked if the audience wanted more? The response was a definite YES!
So 7thfade took to the stage and performed "In decay" a song that they had been working on a while ago, but it had got left to "the side" while they concentrated on recent Battle of the Bands set.
It went down a treat!
The band proved how brilliant they are, the audience left on an "adrenaline high" the comments from the audience any band would be proud of, here are some of them:
"Wow! They've got the x factor!"
"Really good sound, good lyrics, good to watch, brilliant!"
"They're gonna go far!"
"Amazing"
"Fantastic, best band I've seen live for years!"
"I never thought anybody would be better than Rupert's Tartan Scarf, but these guys really are, they've got it all there"
"Brilliant"
"Awesome! They're brilliant, absolutely fantastic!"
"More"
"What a performance!"

The posters and flyers the managers had put up and given out had done their job...
May the management take this opportunity to say

"Well done Alex, Nick, Mike and Haydn, for working so hard, putting on a brilliant performance tonight, and for being such wonderful people to work with, you're the best!"

We would like to thank the people who came to the gig, your kind comments, and for supporting 7thfade.