Rusty Mahone: My plans for 2010

Where to start? Well--- the beginning obviously, yet its not that easy. You might say it started 30 something years ago when Phil Scarborough lent me his Parrot- that's an accordion not a bird. Some might say it started in 1985 when I left my day job to become a professional musician or 'busker' as most people called it. Perhaps it is about to start.

2010 for me is going to be a new start. I have been delving into the world of the midi accordion since September, and I'm having fun- I am enjoying the music for its own sake for the first time in years. Linking 'midi' to an accordion sends most people thinking in the direction of a squeeze box of manageable proportions. The horrible reality of the beastie is that a midi accordion talks directly to keyboards and computers and drum machines and vocoders and sequencers and and and...... in short makes even more noise than the original.

Most midi accordionists on you tube are distinctly cheesy, Scottish or both. I love 'cheese' and am not Scottish, but am approaching the new instrument like a keyboard player rather than a box player. Basically- at the end of the day, stirring cliché into metaphor, I am putting together a new set, making a new album and doing a tour, and its going to be totally the dogs bollocks man yeah baby!

There is still a lot to do, and I need your help.

I want feedback, I'd like some songs, and I need some gigs.

This 'solo' set is sitting alongside my work with 'the Family Mahone' and I already know it has to work on several different levels ranging from a pub sing along to a semi acoustic folk club set.

Buried deep inside me is this techno loving hard rocking 16 year old rebel (I've just reread that sentence, but on reflection double meanings are good). I wonder just how far to push the electronic envelope and how much of my rebel to unleash on the world. Over the coming weeks I will be uploading stuff to my-space and to you-tube, and I want you- my reader to let me know what you think- what you like and more importantly what you don't.

myspace.com/rustymahone

http://www.youtube.com/rustymahone

I'm hoping to have the album ready by the end of January for a release to coincide with the tour in March, and I'm looking for material even as I type. The tracks I have already range from Techno through to mellow electronica, but I need more, particularly lyrics. The working title for the album is “Death, Sex and Drinking”; the lyrical concept being firmly rooted in the 'folk' idiom- However--- I am rubbish at lyrics, so if you're not and fancy writing a folk song or a drinking song please get in touch.

I'm keeping the period around Easter free for solo gigs- and once again, I need help. I've not promoted myself since before we started 'the mahones' and that was 1998! Therefore my little black book is more loose than leaf. In short, if you want me to do a gig for you, and its late March/early April 2010 I just might. If you are reading this and you are involved with a folk club or a live music pub get in touch with me. If your venues are dog friendly even better.

If you are still reading- thank-you.. The coming year is going to be a busy one. In addition to the new solo stuff, we plan to grow nearly 100 varieties on our allotment, and squeeze in some full Family Mahone gigs. If you want to see the full band next year we are visiting Guernsey, Leek, Aberdeen and St Helens.

Thanks again, and Happy Christmas

Rusty