Hi all!*
*I say 'all', I really have no idea if anyone reads these, so if you are... thank you! To be honest, I'll keep writing them even if not, as doing a blog makes me feel 'hip'. It also reminds me what I've just done and what I'm doing next!

Just a quick peep out of my winter hibernation hole to say hey and I hope you haven't forgotten about me. The musical gears are starting to crank and my spidey sense is tingling that it may be a bit of a busy year ahead...

I'm playing my first gig of the year at The Crown & Horseshoe open mic this Friday (3rd Jan - BS30 8TU) doing a set of my own songs (including a couple of new tunes - more on that later) and a set of covers that will be decided by the assembled throng. Full details here if you'd like to pop down!

On the horizon I also have a hefty support slot at The Exchange in Bristol with south west king bard of the punk-folkers Gaz Brookfield! Again, details here - let me know if you'd like to sneak in on my cheaplist!

Anyway, last word on those new songs for Friday; One of them ['Peasant Poet'] was written with the band in mind ('Descendants Of Gentlemen' - see previous blog post) but, as our individual schedules are preventing imminent get-togethers, I'm going to give it a debut in solo form. Also, another brand new Sam Eason tune 'Open Book' will get it's first ever airing - its basically a calling card for me and my music, letting people know what I'm about!

Anyway, more news as we get it and hope 2014 sees you happy, healthy and prosperous!
Stay beardy xx

So, yeah... we formed a band! I've joined forces with three beautious musical compadres - Tom Turner & Liam Rodda (both of the 'Ten Pound Suit Band' among others) and a lifelong friend with immense musical talents, Adam Cutler. Together, we are... *dun, dun duuuun* (that's not the name...) "Descendants Of Gentlemen". We have now gotten ourselves in a room and 'jammed', laughed, talked nonsense, shared musical ideas and actually come up with some really great song sketches. As of today, we have had only two sessions (8hrs total) and already have our first finished song  (woo!!) written together from scratch, as well as another one on the way and another FIVE in the embrionic stage.


We are all calling on a load of influences to our playing styles, but musically we currently seem to be straddling the ground between Elbow, Frightened Rabbit and The Lumineers. No bad place to be I guess!


It feels amazing to be playing together with people who I not only call great friends but with whom it feels like we have been playing for a million years. We have a website and a facebook, so if you want to keep up with how things are progressing, maybe 'like' our fb page or call in to the website now and again. Also, maybe try and keep Friday October 18th free...

To complete the picture on recent Sam Eason beardy action, a few notes on Sunday's Louisiana gig as well as some exciting news (that I pretty much can't say much about at the moment!).

I've been lucky enough to almost call The Lousiana my second home at times this year, playing there in 4 of the last 6 months. It still never loses it's magic - I just love the intimacy of the place; the fact that often the first few rows of people are sat on the floor which accentuates the feeling of playing in someone's living room. The audience is always so respectful and receptive too, and I don't think a bad job has ever been done by the great sound guys. Both The Fleece and The Louisiana (who are programmed by the Fleece guys) do a great job of providing opportunities for local acts and helping them to get a foot up onto the gigging ladder which I for one, very much appreciate. 

Sunday's gig was another great coming-together of a variety of acts which despite offering very different musical textures, still somehow still felt cohesive as a lineup. Eddy Hill kicked the night off with a great attitude-led singer-songwriter set reminiscent of Jamie T's more acoustic based material. This was followed by Hayley Chillcott who had people enraptured and transfixed by her beautifully fragile, yet dreamily ethereal voice over some finely crafted, softer acoustic songs.

I then played a set that, while not among my absolute best, was still memorable for a few reasons. Firstly, I decided to put 'Cliches' mid-way through the set for a change, in order to finish on 'Across The Sky' which I thought might be a nice one to leave people with. Secondly, I played a new song which despite being unconvinced by a few days before, with a few added harmonies from Beth, I finally 'got' the song and feel that it offers something to the canon that I haven't really had before. It's tentatively called 'Ever Decreasing Circles', and it's about the slightly downbeat idea that once we all get to a certain age/point in our lives, the knocks we take start to have a longer lasting effect and we're never quite able to get back to our levels of 'wellness' - the song is about getting to the point of no return really, where it may be better to let go than to hold on. As I said, a bit of a different angle to the usual Sam Eason love and happiness malarkey!!

I'm never a really good judge of how the gig comes across but, lots of people took CDs and said some nice things, so even if they were all doing it out of pity or duty, I felt like I did a good job! It was nice to catch some of headliners 'Scott James & The Revolution' - acoustic soul/folk with an urban tinge. Very different but it worked and there was some real talent up on that stage!

Finally, I'll leave you with the news that I'm working on doing the 'band thing' with some incredibly talented people that may or may not yield something special - the initial ideas and discussions have been awesome, but we have yet to meet in a room and get our instuments out.... ahem. That comes next week.
Watch this space, if it goes well, I'll tell you more (if it doesn't, I won't.)

Beard love xx

Photo credit: Mike Harley, http://bristolbands-mikeharley.blogspot.co.uk/