News, Views & Sweaty Shoes

23/01/08

Favourite gigs of 2007

Scaramanga Six, Grapes, Sheff. 17/2
David Ward Maclean, G2 Studios, Sheff. 14/4
Young Knives, Plug Live, Sheff. 12/5
Simian Mobile Disco, Plug Live, 9/6
Mimas, West Street Live, Sheff. 13/6
I Am Kloot, Woodward Stage, Wickerman Fest. 20/7
Rezillos, Scooter Tent, Wickerman Fest. 21/7
LCD Soundsystem, NME/Radio 1 Stage, Leeds Fest. 24/8
Hopper Ward, Grapes, 13/9
The Clientele, King Tut's, Glasgow, 20/10
Cherry Ghost, Leadmill, Sheff. 15/11
CSS, Leadmill, 19/12

14/07/07

Baby Long Legs are going to be playing Live on the Radio soon! No, not that radio, BBC Radio Humberside. We'll be on 'Raw Talent' on the evening of Sunday, August 5th. The session will be syndicated to other BBC Radio North stations and is available on-line here.

04/04/07

OK! I surrender, I submit, I give in, I now have a Myspace site. www.myspace.com/nortonlees It has a selection of live photos from my indistinguished career and at some point it will have an alternative 'History'. One day, if I pull my finger out, it might even contain some of my own music!

09/01/07

Right, 2006, some of the best bits...........

The Carol-Anne Showband, Earl, Sheff. 21/1
Corleone, Grapes, Sheff. 11/2
The Yell, Harley, Sheff. 27/3
Clayhill, New Roscoe, Leeds, 17/5
David Thomas Broughton, Grapes, 21/7
The Condor Moment, Grapes, 2/9
Terry Hall (DJ set), Plug, Sheff. 2/9
Hot Chip, Leadmill, Sheff. 21/10
Zero7, Plug, 25/10
Calexico, Sheff Univ. 4/11
David Thomas Broughton, Grapes, 1/12

Credit where Credit's Due..........

Brian & Ash for the small & perfectly formed Grapes
Mark & Jan for Sandman Magazine
Adele & Scott for Plug Live
Mark & the Birkendale Crew for 'support'
Advanced Communcation Solutions for the Earplugs
and last, but certainly not least......
Kebabish for the consistently good Kebabs (It's those fresh Naans)

10/12/06

Baby Long Legs recently had a video made as part of a music video competition, '2 Weeks 2 Make It'. It was made by Sally Eldin-Dalziel & 'Little Heroes', a team from Sheffield Hallam University, using the track 'A Nice Idea'. As the competition title suggests, it was quite a rushed job! Is it any good? you tell me, you can watch it at YouTube.

24/07/06

Baby Long Legs have released a 3 track CD. The 'Beards at Dawn' EP features live favourites, 'A Nice Idea', 'It's Not Funny' & 'Floor Turtle'. All tracks wre recorded at G2 Studios, Sheffield, earlier this year. It's available at gigs and on-line at The Laundrette.

30/05/06

The Chicken Legs Weaver album, 'Nowhere', produced by Johnny Dowd &
Justin Asher in 2003, is now available on Riverside Records. Tracks may also be downloaded from iTunes.

20/04/06

Don Valley & The Rotherhides will be reforming to take part in a celebration of the life of Linda Smith, who died in February. Linda was based in Sheffield for many years and shared the bill with The Rotherhides on several occasions. There will also be appearances from Betty Spital, The Chuffinelles, Jeremy Hardy, John Hegley & many others. The event will take place at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield on Sunday
May 14th at 7.30pm. Proceeds to Linda's favourite charities- Macmillan Cancer Relief, Marie Curie Cancer Care and the British Humanist Association.

05/01/06

I seemed to spend more time in clubs last year, but still saw some great gigs - these were the best;

Benjamin Wetherill, Grapes, Sheff. 8/1
Richard H. Kirk, Corporation, Sheff. 20/2
Clayhill, Boardwalk, Sheff. 21/2
The Magic Numbers, Truck Festival 24/7
Viarosa, Grapes, Sheff. 28/7
Bison, Shefstock, 31/7
The Bees, Shambala, 14/8
Infusion, .Zero, Sheff. 9/9

Other highlights;

Shefstock, 30 & 31/7 (My, how you've grown!)
Trailer Park Tent, Truck Fest. 23 & 24/7
Kerri Chandler, Plug, Sheff. 5/11
This Way Up, Everyone Centre, Sheff. 26/11

25/09/05

Ian Hutchinson (Rumpus) has put a band together recently to perform material he's written over the last couple of years. 'Baby Long Legs' is; Ian - acoustic guitar & vocals, Dave (Rumpus) - drums, Me - that bass thing wot I do, and the duelling guitars of Hannah (ex Yamaguchi) & Dan (Supersonic Winds of Neptune). It's great fun but may be a short term project, so see it soon or miss it! 1st gig at the Boardwalk, Sheff. supporting Aziz, Thurs. Oct 20th

04/08/05

16/06/05

As you may have noticed, I've not been gigging with the lovely Hazel Leigh of late, due to her other commitments. However, we have managed to finish a mini-album! It was recorded & produced by Justin Morey, and we're both really pleased with it. There won't be an official release until we start working together again. If you can't wait that long, (and it could be a long time), then get in touch to obtain a very special copy. Enjoy the summer - I will, Norton.

24/03/05

There's a 'new' Chicken Legs Weaver album out! It's called 'Wishbone Hands' and is a limited edition, vinyl release on the Ecstatic Yod & Shagrat labels. It's a collection of live recordings from 2001/02, with the wonderful E.J.Tankersby on drums. I haven't heard it yet, 'cos I ain't got a turntable, but I'm told it sounds really good. In Sheffield, you can get it from Jacks Records. On-line you can get it direct from the Ecstatic Yod Store and various other distributors.

10/01/05

Nobody has ever asked me for my 'Best of 2004', or any other year, and I doubt if they ever will. Now I've got my own site I'm going to do it anyway. I saw some excellent gigs last year, mostly by unsigned bands. These were my favourites:

Damien Rice, Octagon, Sheff. Univ. 19/2
Richard Masters, Green Room, Sheff. 3/3
Kings Have Long Arms, Club.Zero, Sheff. 6/3
Fonda 500, Grapes, Sheff. 3/4
Hiem, Fez Club, Sheff. 14/4
Johnny Dowd, Musician, Leicester 16/4
Tony Joe White, Cognac Blues Passions, France 23/7
Washington Rays, Spitz, London 2/8
All Live Dynamics, Shambala Festival 14/8
Twelve Stone Toddler, Vale Earth Festival, Guernsey 29/8
P.J.Harvey, Refectory, Leeds Univ. 7/9
The Rebel, Spitz, London 10/10
David Thomas Broughton, Lantern Theatre, Sheff. 24/10
Corleone, Grapes, Sheff. 30/10

Other 'Events':
Shefstock, Edale 31/7 & 1/8 (big thanks to all involved)
Headcharge Party, Clay Wheels Lane, Sheff. 28/8 (same again to the whole crew)
Iration Steppas, Everyone Centre, Sheff. 5/11

Special Awards:
The Frank Spencer 'Falling Into/Over Drum Kit' Award goes to..........Andy Weaver, Borderline, London 16/2 ( 3rd year in a row - Nice one Andy )
The Norton Lees 'Sandwich of the Year' Award goes to..........Hazel Leigh, Spitz, London 10/4 ( Cheese salad in a Cheesey Baguette, with extra Cheese! - Cheers H )

15/11/04

After a lot of soul-searching, I've decided to leave Chicken Legs Weaver - musically, it's the hardest decision I've ever made - but I feel it's the right one, and time to move on. I told Andy, Mik & Martin in September that I'd be leaving at the end
of the year. As things stand, my last gig with them will be at the Boardwalk, Sheffield on Sunday December 12th.

I'd like to wish Chicken Legs good-luck and all the best for the future. Thanks to Martin Bedford for all the time & effort he's put in, to Mik Glaisher for his energy & commitment to the cause. And finally, a massive thanks to Andy Weaver, we've been making music for almost 10 years, and been through a lot together. Andy, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Cheers,

Norton.

17/10/04

I've finally done it - got my very own web-site together. Of course I didn't do it on my own - Big thanks to:

Nick Robinson for his expertise & patience, Trish for all her help, support & creative input, Olive Grove, not only for being there, but also for remembering some of it.

All those who have contributed photographs.

And finally, a huge thank you to all those who I've shared music with through the years - it's been a privilege.

Please check back soon for some proper news!

Best Wishes,

Norton Lees