During the general election, I was contacted by an eye-opening number of people about the stigma surrounding mental health. I was absolutely shocked about the abuse and vitriol people received from attempting to discuss their issues with their mental health. In response to this, I put this at the forefront of my campaign. However, I felt there was more I could do. Following this, I decided to write an album based on the music I wrote during the worst year of my life, in an effort to encourage other people to talk about their mental health and fight the stigma.
This album is a guitar-centric story about my year last year, one of highs and lows, laughter and sorrow. It completely changed who I am as a person and put me through at least two periods of mental health problems, where I’d previously had none at all in my life.
This is for all of you who’ve been told to “get over it”, that “it’s just a phase” or been cut off from friends of family. It is a reminder of the fact that you are not alone.
I’d like to personally thank, from the bottom of my heart, all of those who have stuck by me over the last year. Friends, family, everyone. Thank you.
I’ll be recording and mixing this album over the next few months and I aim to have this out on SoundCloud on January 11th 2018. It will be called “Caught in a Storm”. Any revenue I make from this will be donated to the mental health charity Mind.
My EP “Keeping My Sanity” was released early on in May 2017 – you can listen to it HERE.
It’s been a “hot minute”, whatever that actually means. Anyway! I’ve got a bit of an update for whoever stumbled across this website. I’ve (finally) been doing some more music stuff. It’s been just over three years since I worked with some legends and made “Funk Right Off (Major C)”, since then I’ve not been doing any projects whatsoever since I decided to up and leave the UK (Grexit). This is a similar format to how I did “Isolate This!” except a bit more effort was put into mixing and mastering, especially from the experience of listening to a lot of cool stuff when I was actually doing Call That Music? I digress…
In an effort to boost traffic to conjure some advertising pennies and pretend like I have a couple of peeps interested in buying some merch (I don’t have any) – I’m going to do some forecasted (not) frequently asked questions.
When will the track be released?
I just told you! The end of the month (hopefully). Maybe when it is confirmed by the publisher that it’s set for release I’ll put it up early on my Bandcamp, so I can get my first-ever sale. I’ve been looking for something to hang up on the wall.
What is this “tune” going to be called?
I had a working title that seemed dramatic but after a good conversation with my dear chum Mark Poulter, I’ve decided to call it “OnlyGrindz” cause it does seem naughty. Great banter, still laughing.
Is this another one of those “jazz” instrumentals again?
Well, it’s a bit more rocky but, er, yes! I have had a lot of fun working with many singers over the years(!!) and I very much intend to for other projects with some lovely musos I’ve come to know over the last year and a bit.
How long have you been working on this?
I started writing this on Saturday, mixed it Sunday and Monday (it is a bank holiday). I think there’s bits of it I’ve been messing with for years trying to make it work. I actually started this because I bit the bullet, purchased a licence for Midi Guitar 2 by Jam Origin and then went down a mad rabbit hole with it. Whilst I was trying to compensate for the ultimate musician’s sin of mixing and mastering yourself by working with Mark, I also upgraded my Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin to something they’re actually supporting and that really benefitted the sound quality (it was way too loud before). So, all in all, not long at all.
Who else features on this?
Me, myself and I. Honestly, this is just a bit of fun. If I even make a single penny from this, I’ll be stunned.
If you’ve made it this far in this post, congratulations – have a biscuit. I’m looking forward to it coming out and not being paid until it hits 1,000 streams on Spotify.
I’m putting this here just in case I need to refer to it in the future because you never know these days…
Following the announcement that X (formerly Twitter) plans to remove the feature to block users, I have made the decision to delete my account. In the, highly unlikely, event an account is created in my name or uses my image does not have my endorsement to do so and more importantly is not me.
Wow, who knew a website could gather dust? Bloody hell! Oh, I’m writing some sort of blog post. Christ. Well, I’d figured I’d write something sooner rather than later – so it might as well be about this. If you are one of the few people who notice what I posted on Facebook, a lurker on my Instagram or one of the many, many people who saw the post about this on TikTok – you’ll know. I am releasing a brand new track!
The journey? Well let me tell you, I didn’t go far because I’m reducing my chances (drastically) of getting that bloody Covid bollocks. BUT! A lot has happened to get to this point. It all began sometime in March when I was doing my usual thing of creating a project in Logic Pro, naming it something very rude and then moving onto something else. Well not this one! I was messing with some Guitar MIDI thing, now this is pretty neat because I could plug my guitar into my Focusrite Clarett and then the software effectively “chats” to Logic and lets me play anything (even Tibetan Singing Bowls – I read that wrong originally but I’ll spare you). Whilst on this crazy, crazy rabbit hole of a musical experiment, I started playing with the Sax MIDI alongside some composition I just conjured up. It was starting to feel pretty good.
So I put it all together, wrote a rough solo, then I realised it could be really, really cool. I sent it first to Cam Lynn, who responded with a photo of himself holding his six-string headless bass and it was then I knew immediately he got what I was trying to do. I then realised that, as good as EZ Drummer is to a simple minded guitarist like myself, I needed some real drums in this thing. It was at this point that a lightbulb “eureka” moment happened and at long last, I could finally get Adam Wolfe to play on something of mine – and so it was. The final part of this musical puzzle was trying to work out whether or not I wanted a Sax player… I’m kidding! Of course I was gonna get a real one in! So that’s when I enlisted the stylings of the epic Nick Willsher – whom I have played with at a few jam sessions and had heard he was doing some stuff remotely at this time.
Now all along that part, I told Nick Bowen at Quay West that I had wanted to work with him again for quite some time. I was pretty convinced he was fed up with me constantly saying that I had something but then it fizzled out. Nope, not anymore! I like to think I always come through, eventually… but anyway. I had seen some angry Canadian on YouTube give excellent advice about recordings and I can’t remember his name but despite what I’ve just said he seemed like a very nice bloke who knew his stuff. I digress, when Nick W’s Sax came through – it was go time. So everything bounced down, numbered, named and in a folder – it was sent to Nick B.
“MY CHRIST. GOOD GOD.” were the thoughts that went through my head when I first heard it back from Nick B (and trying to fight off a full blown heart attack – because of how insane it sounded, I was fine really – very happy). A few more tweaks however and now its set for release in a teensy, tiny bit over a week from now! Cam, Adam and Nick W did an exceptional job to say the least and I am honoured that they played on this track, especially how stellar they did. I am also incredibly grateful for the work Nick B put into Mixing and Mastering the track, I am certain this is my best sounding release (so far…)
Since announcing this on social media, the most surprising thing about the response is the fact that two posts on TikTok about the track are (as of this writing) a little under two thousand views – not much in the grand scheme of the platform but for little ol’ me – I’ll take it! Couldn’t care less normally about the views but taking positives as they come!
Anyway, have fun, stay safe and get ready for Funk Right Off (Major C)
CAUTION: This article contains NSFW language and an insight which to some may be somewhat unsettling, or may cause instant death upon reading certain parts. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
WELL! It’s been a fucking long time since I wrote anything here and bloody hell, it won’t disappoint – well maybe you, but I’m getting quite the thrill just starting this. As you may or may not be aware aware on September 18th 2020, my second album – “Isolate This!” will be released worldwide. You’re welcome.
Now this wasn’t meant to happen, yes you read that correctly, because since about this time two years ago (or maybe it was June or July, bugger if I can remember) I began work on a second album. A great deal of work went into it. I even went to Atlanta, USA (if you’re reading this and think “oh here he goes again”, you can go fuck yourself – I digress). However, primarily because of this whole Covid-19 utter wankery and secondarily because of some behind-the-scenes BS that won’t ever be aired for at least 30 years, maybe in an autobiography (perhaps for future cats, literally) – I began work on a new, second album… which is Isolate This!
The album has 8 tracks, yes some of you who got a link off someone who wanted to get stimulated over a bit of gossip may be thinking 8 is a bit short but quite frankly you can’t spell gr8 without 8, so piss off. The whole audible escapade features some truly great moments, from Laurence Henderson’s epic solo on “Back To Business”, Eric Rupert doing some insane shit on “Nothing But Sweet Memories”, Richard Jewer laying down cool grooves on “Have It Your Way” and Sonia D singing brilliantly on a track she co-wrote called “Someday” – all of these tracks and the others on this album are, at least in my opinion, brilliant.
Isolate This! was born from this moment in our history, without sounding too fucking self-absorbed. I am glad that other artists and/or musicians were kind enough to play on it. There are a lot of people who I greatly admire and who inspire me that I would have liked to have had play on the album but I know that this will not be the last, far from it. There is, despite this period, all the time in the world.
I dedicate this album to Mark Poulter, for the years of friendship, encouragement, inspiration and guidance he has given me over many many years not just in terms of guitar playing or music, but in myself as a person as well.
I make no apology for the strength of feeling or language I may use in this post.
The murder of George Floyd is undoubtably a tragedy. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel horror towards this situation. As I write this I feel pain, a great sadness. To black and minority folks across the world who suffer as a result of the great injustices that are happening because of racism, I am with you in solidarity. My heart goes out to George Floyd’s friends, family and indeed all communities who are suffering and have suffered from this and other, abhorrent, murders because of systemic racism.
There was a part of me who did not, and is still not comfortable about writing this. Why? Believe it or not I can’t stand conflict and controversy. I hate the psuedo-intellectual “debates” on social media. I hate the gaslighting by racist individuals trying to claim that black people are, by their own genetics, criminals with some dodgy statistics. I hate the lies and I hate the hate. I was brought up with the idea that we were past this kind of behaviour. I recognise this was a result of growing up in an area choc full of white privilege. Over the years, the haunting reality is that racism is still a problem, an awful one – to put it mildly.
I feel if I do not speak out or write something I would be a hypocrite to all the black artists whose music I have enjoyed, learned from and continues to inspire me. Even at a base level, I was named after the legendary Jazz artist, Miles Davis. I wholeheartedly agree with Mrs Smith that the very community the music I play birthed is the same community that is suffering today – “Electric guitar music is black music“.
This song, written almost 100 years ago, is still sadly relevant today.
From the end of 2018 to around this time last year, I was in Atlanta, GA. The very place where today, we are seeing mass protests against racism. During my time out there, I saw and heard things that made me uncomfortable. I was not silent about this. I made it very clear to folks that I thought it was not only strange to me, but also excessive that to pull over a black man in a pickup truck it took two police cars and four police officers to just talk to the guy (I was in a car driving past at the time). I made my views clear that it was NOT OKAY for someone I knew to use racial slurs to express their road rage (N****r and C***k to be precise). When I first got there in November 2018, I was fortunate enough to go to a “birthday show” by Emmanuel “Chops” Smith. Upon leaving the excellent show, a white man came up to me and said “Bet it feels weird to be in the minority, huh?” I replied “I didn’t even notice and now you mention it – what’s the problem?” without hesitation.
The scourge of racism is not unique to America, even though the whole country was founded on racial oppression. We here in the UK have our own problems with race, extremist Far-Right terror organisations hellbent on white supremacy have already murdered an MP (Have we forgotten Jo Cox?). Whilst also expressing solidarity with communities in the US, we must also do better ourselves too.
As I wrap this up, I want to make clear that my intention about this article is to speak out about racism and quite frankly I couldn’t give a flying shit about your dissenting opinion because Racism is never justified.
Black Lives Matter.
“Yes, all lives matter. But we’re focused on the BLACK ones now, OK? Because it is very apparent that our judicial systemDOESN’T KNOW THAT. Plus, if you can’t see why we’re exclaiming #BLACKLIVESMATTER – YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM” – (A protestor’s sign in the USA)
In between working a part time job (which I have now left), dealing with a flat that can only be described as “maximum dinge”, finishing my degree and starting a new band – it’s been quite a rollercoaster as of late. I’m set to move out of Brighton, for how long I don’t know, and my sights are set on one thing – music.
Caught in a Storm has received better-than-expected results, not just in terms of how much money it’s raised for Mind – but also how far it’s gone. Now understandably, when you’re not gigging it’s somewhat of a hindrance because obviously it’s a great way to increase your exposure as an artist. But the fact remains that during my final assessments it was something that needed to be sacrificed otherwise the three years spent studying in Brighton would’ve gone to waste.
However, because my Mac had effectively died and I had very little money to get a new one or get the necessary parts to repair it – I had be practical. Now at the time (this was about March), I worked with an incredible guitarist, Ash Purchese, at my part time job and I had a thought one week as I was fighting the flu “what am I waiting around for?” so I called him up and we decided to get to work on finding the necessary folks to start our quest for music. Indeed we did, in our (now) ex-supervisor, Tom Wilton as our bass player. Things have been in the works with this band which we named “Classic Tactic” and we hope to get some songs recorded very soon though as I write this we are still looking for a singer and drummer.
As of this moment in time, I am gearing up ready to move back to the home nest – unlike other moves I don’t know when I’m going to move back to Brighton, if at all, but one thing is certain in that I’ve got some other musical shenanigans in the work. A new album maybe while CT comes together? It very well may be a certainty.
The decision made yesterday to allow hundreds of homes to be built in Warsash can only be condemned in the strongest possible terms. While I am unsure of the background forces that encouraged senior Conservative councillors to vote in favour, one thing we can be certain of – it stinks. One thing we can take from this as a positive, is the inspiration from those who fought so hard against this shambolic decision – we must show them our thanks.
So where do we go from here?
Well first of all we must look within ourselves. We must realise that politics was the reason why this monstrosity and others (such as Welborne) went ahead. Democracy is only as strong as the means to facilitate it – if we shy away from discussion, decisions like this are made on our behalf by people who do not represent us. Politics caused this problem, but politics can also fix it – everything is political whether we like it or not. Secondly, groups that have fought this decision must unite with other groups across the borough. The will and determination of groups across the borough can only be effective if we all work together and unite to defend our communities, our quality of life and our environment.
If nothing else, the decision made last night is a wake up call to residents across Fareham – Get informed, get organised and vote against career politics.
You are now able to pre-order “Caught in a Storm”.
Pre-order via iTunes and Amazon and get EXCLUSIVE access to the track “The Way It Should Be”!
“Caught in a Storm” is the first album by Miles Grindey, proceeds from the album and other tracks will be donated to the UK mental health charity, Mind. The album will be released January 11th 2018 and available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Tidal and more!
Caught in a Storm is the debut album of Miles Grindey, it will be available on all digital platforms on January 11th 2018. Pre-orders will begin on December 11th on iTunes. You can follow more updates by following Miles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and his website.
Miles Grindey 