KATIE JOY MUSIC, 5th October.

Heyaaa my lovelies and thank you so much for clicking on
this! And a special hello to the newbies who I met at our Red Box gig on Saturday! 

Thank you for showing interest in my crazy life and for supporting my music. Can't wait for you to hear a new song soon :)

Lets get into it with the weekly newsletter update…

Covering: 

• Studio: rehearsals, editing 
• Music video planning, & crowdfunding idea 
• Meds and operation recovery
• Lots of coffee
• Radio shows in London: live sets and interviews 
• Less horsegirling, but still some raceyard visiting as an invalid
• Thai takeaways, pub tripping, Cheltenham, cool jeans
• Full Red Box rehearsal day
• Having about 7 band members to stay in a relatively small house 
• Absolute car carnage, chaos on the way to our big gig
• Playing the gig, BUZZ, EXCITEMENT, AND THE BEST FANS EVER!
• Many, many new guitar parts.

But before I get into it, here's the bits and bobs of the week..

1. Songs I've been listening to on repeat and think you should too: 'Sedona' Houndmouth. & ‘Call Back Instead’ The Vulgar Boatmen. 
2. My watch recommendations: ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ (movie), & ‘The Diplomat’ (series).
3. THE cup of coffee of the week: Black Sheep vanilla and protein powder shot cappuccino with oat milk :)
4. Aims for next week: Get arm healed enough to get out of this sling, get a crowdfunding campaign going for music vid production costs, edit added guitars, and sing a couple more lead vocals. 
5. My pictures of choice to capture the vibes:

Studio. My music. Progress update on the first Katie Joy albumn.

Mainly, I've been full steam ahead preparing for the Red Box gig at Bush Hall in London. Doing some last-minute ticket sales and social media marketing, as well as London radio shows. Then also adding harmonies, extra singing parts, and coordinating having two keyboard players for a couple of our songs in the set, and Sam newly playing banjo and mandolin. 

So less time spent on my album production this week, aside from recording atmospheric guitar and some additional flourishes/icing while I had some good players staying in the house (who I could poach for a recording session here and there)… as well as ongoing editing of levels, and EQ-ing drums and guitar on what will be the first few singles I release!

As well as this, came up with and planned a super cool music vid idea with my videographer friend Nikolai, so we will start filming that at weekends as soon as I get this cast and sling off. It's for Dark Blues (the song I've been playing live with Red Box), and involves a fair bit of rage, some cool locations, and some galloping horses (not that shockingly!) So stay tuned for that.

Nik and I have agreed we are both gonna invest whatever we have in making the vids for my music as we're both really excited to get creative on the project. But we are very keen to invest in renting a proper vintage film camera, among other things, to do it properly and get the warm, classic, grainy atmosphere we want. Which does cost money we don't have (especially with a broken arm and a job that usually involves riding horses or shovelling shit). So actually going to make a crowdfunding campaign - anything we can get towards gear and resources for the videos is super exciting - as we've got so many cool ideas and stories to tell! So if anyone has recommendations, or may be able to contribute to the project, that would be much appreciated! 

There will be a bit more music detail to come throughout the newsletter, as I move through the updates of this week chronologically…

So, now moving on to Life day by day. 

TUESDAY.

Slowish morning, fair bit of coffee, lots of admin and video editing. Helped mum with some cooking where I could do so one-handed. Also organised the logistics of the horses' training schedule while I'm out of action with riding. 

Though there will be minimal jumping, I want to keep their flatwork, fitness and agility ticking over - and keep their brains active so they don't turn off when it comes to showjumping! As I want to be back improving their training, and out competing ASAP!

Dad and I drove to London Tuesday evening to be on a radio show in London, Shepards Bush. It was actually to both interview what it's like to work together in a band as father and daughter, as well as play some songs live to promote our Red Box  gig to our Polish audience in London. 

Lots of waiting around as the software kept glitching out, but friendly and kind people, and found a nice local pub with a good vibe. Though it was a long drive, and only one day post-op, so pretty knackered. And meds (MORPHINE STILL?!) are very much knocking me out. 

Mum was working a catering job in new Bond Street London too, so all very tired. Drove home late, and ate my body weight in pure dried mango dipped in peanut butter for dinner. Alongside a turmeric, vanilla and honey latte. Bit rogue. Really good though.

WEDNESDAY.

Visited work to see people and horses, and collect my car. Got driven up to the gallops with the trainer and a couple of jockeys who are also injured, to watch the fourth lot of horses get exercised and put through their paces. 

Then straight into the studio to make live recordings for another radio show. Three more songs, unplugged, with Dad (Green, Dark Blues, & Chenko). 

Ecstatic that my song ‘Dark Blues’ was requested again - sadly, I can't play the guitar on it myself again yet (under very strict instructions from mum and a doctor friend of the family).

Did some video editing. Managed to sell Horsebox today, so splurging on Thai takeaway for dinner. Still, ever, and always a whore for a green curry and some satay. Simple gal.  

THURSDAY.  

Headed into Cheltenham with lovely girlfriend Charlotte in the morning - I now have to be driven places and distracted like the toddler I am. 

Had a couple coffees, bought some chocolate and some jeans. (Good flares for £12!!). Had an appointment at the hospital, then drove home for a gig rehearsal…

In which I tried to play guitar. Really somehow thought my arm would let me, but as it turns out I definitely still can’t move it, hold a pick, turn my wrist to strum, or put a capo on, or take it on or off. So I guess that’s out of the question. 

Did a set list run-through anyway and went over the harmonies. Packed my rehearsal bag, and then our sound engineer (Fin) and one band member (Michal) turned up to stay.

Popped to local pub with Ciren friends and band. Made and ate veggie chilli, then popped out and made a new Cirencester friend. Drank wine and hot chocolate sitting on the street outside. Eccentric and brilliant. With great taste in music. And I’ve ended up with a perfectly ramshackle dressing gown. Which I will unfortunately have to give back in a few days, I believe. 

FRIDAY. 

(Full rehersal and sound set up day - rigging up backline).

Morning walk into town to get coffee. My brain's not used to moving around this little at all and finding it quite hard. By 9am: packing cars with rehersal gear and over to the lakes south of Cirencester, where we’ve kindly been lent a nice big rehearsal space in a dementia care home, that I played some songs for the residents of the other week :) Very kindly free!

Set up done by 11, then rehearsal till 5, besides lunch break of garlic chicken. Went over new arrangements, specifically of Saskatchewan, Don’t Let Go, Dark Blues, & Hurricane. I feel like an absolute melon not playing guitar on anything, and very sleepy on painkillers - but that can't be helped. 

Came home, changed, rested (Netflix and decompress). Then out to locals pub with Cafe Nero coffee group and co, as well as a lot of the band, for a drink before dinner. Now have Fin, Michal, and also guitar player Scotsman Ali staying. Packed and organised my gig bag with gear - doing outfit etc bag tomorrow am. All had smoked fish platter and picky bits for dinner. 

And an early night pre gig. 

SATURDAY.

BUSH HALL GIG DAY:

Well, the morning started very smoothly. Just as planned. If only we knew. 

Walked into town for a coffee. Came back, organised my outfit bag - a couple of options, some make up, lots of jewellery, trusty long leather boots, and a fringe vintage jacket!

Had a big argument with our printer about some extra notes for the gig later - lost that fight. 

Mum washed my hair for me over the bath, as I am a full invalid. Talking someone with straight hair through doing a curly gal routine with worryingly specific habits and huge amounts of product, is predictably, quite traumatic. 

Anyway, left home 12-ish. Stopped for lunch at Reading services with the whole band on the way. About two miles later things unravelled a bit…

A very dodgy noise from the car getting very quickly louder, and imminent overheating and loss of power. A full on M4 breakdown (car is long term dead unfortunately), but with half the band and the gear and instruments for the concert in a few hours. 

Anyway, needs must - managed to squeeze a few more members into Dad's car and send them on to the venue. So it was just mum and I waiting for the AA with a tonne of very heavy, very important gear that should probably already be being set up 👎👎. To top it off we discovered that due to our lack of paying car tax quite recently enough, the AA would not be able to tow further than to safety, or do any diagnostic work. 

Luckily, we had a lovely driver (called Paul, who gave us toffees) and he took us and our car on his lorry to a Tesco car park 10 minutes away, where we got the car off the lorry, unloaded all the gear and guitars, put the car back on the lorry. 

And then he took our car back to a service station not far from home. These moments of kindness really mean a lot in stressful situations. And he will deffo be on the guest list for our next Red Box gig :)  

So Mum and I were left somewhere near Maidenhead, outside Tesco’s, with very little time until the gig, most of Red Box’s gear, and one broken arm - waiting for an Uber to take us to Shepards Bush in West London. 

He eventually came, and again very kindly agreed to take us despite the heap of things we had to lug around. And our eta at the venue was 5.45 pm. Doors opening for guests at 7.30 pm, and our guest-list and friends arriving at 6.30 pm. This was going to be a very quick soundcheck. 

Got there, and the process of getting all 8 musicians an ‘in-ear’ mix, as well as good sound on the PA out front was honestly quite high levels of stress - but we got it done! 

A very quick change and bit of make up, my broken arm involving three friends, Pops, Molly and Jess, all assisting me in a teeny tiny cubical. Which we afterwards discovered there had been a queue for! 

Despite all of the stress, rallying and slight exhaustion - the gig went so so well, and the crowd were amazing. It’s a pleasure to play with Red Box. We were onstage for about 2 hours, including the encore, and chatty bits throughout. I stupidly didn’t take quite enough painkillers beforehand, but survived! 

I sang my song ‘Dark Blues’, which was brilliantly well received, thank god. Much mingling, signing records and T shirts, and catching up and giving big hugs to loyal fans afterwards. 

However - we then had the second half of our car problem - HOW TO GET HOME TO THE WEST COUNTRY THAT NIGHT, WITH ONE LESS CAR AND THE SAME AMOUNT OF GEAR! As well as meeting our friends who were trying to persuade the kitchen of an Italian restaurant to stay open till 12am when we would get there, to finally eat some food!

Luckily, incredible friends who live in London, Alistair (keyboard player) and Cheryl, insisted they fill their car with some of our gear, and the venue kindly agreed to store the rest. So we could drive down and collect it in the week. This left (a huge number of us) all cramming into Dad’s small Subaru for the ride home, punctuated, thank goodness, by a much-needed Italian meal before leaving London. 

A successful day despite everything, such a buzz, and such a supportive bunch of people. Got home at 3.30 am, bed at 4 am. Finally. 

SUNDAY.

Thank goodness my broken arm has meant I was not working at the race yard the morning after the whole affair with the gig yesterday!! So got a good few hours of sleep.

Guitar player Ali was flying back to Edinburgh late Sunday, in order for us to have a day recording guitar for a specific song on my album on Sunday. 

So got cracking on that immediately after breakfast, whicked we wacked a table outside the front of the house for…

The song I'm working on is called ‘The News’ and it’s intimate and delicate. So got a variety of really creative, atmospheric, electric parts from him. Some delay, harmonics, slide, shimmery bits, bleeps, etc. Fairly full on and tiring studio day - but extremely happy with what we got. Just got to edit it all now!!

Mum taxed and collected car with the AA today, and it is sadly a definite write-off. (Head gasket gone). RIP SCOOBY TRIBEC 2. Mum will be using my car ‘Crispy’ for a while I guess. 

Ali headed for airport around 6.30pm, followed by a much-needed walk, and an (unfortunately assisted) bath with a cling-film-wrapped arm 😂. 

Had Thai takeaway with mum and dad,  - huge whooop - (will still do unspeakable things for a green curry and a satay). While watching: “Big Mistakes” (very funny, very good).

MONDAY.

Morning coffee in town, followed by writing this, and starting to edit guitar tracks. Over to meet a friend in Marlow, to get a car into London for her birthday dinner at Le Petit Maison, I believe. Outfit of choice likely a red dress, more to come on that next week…

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So, a few general blibs and blobs of bad news: 

Dead car - scrap yard, football results not good, extraordinarily itchy arm, codine gives me stomach cramps, insane hyperfixation on sunflower seeds and apricot jam, not together.

The CIREN FC UPDATE: Brave run of performances, but Ciren's FA cup adventure ended at Truro 4-0 unfortunately :(

Next week: hopefully typing this newsletter with two hands, recording vocals, editing guitar, London dinners, Bristol besties, jumping horses with Toby, busking, social media, Reading town night out for Lottie's b day.  

Thinking ‘roadkill bunny’ for Halloween. 

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Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading about another week in the life of a singer-songwriter horsegirl, soon to release music ur gonna love. And her hectic type B, pro side-questing family.

There will be more stories, behind the scenes music and songwriting content, and general yapping on a weekly basis. Message me on instagram if theres something specific you want to know or see :)

*Stay tuned and active on the socials my pookies, be part of the team and help me get to where people can hear my music!*

@Katiejoyella

Signing off, bye, love ya.

Katie Joy xx