Oh my what an incredible day this was. Hats off to Ruth Pickett who created and directed this video, and to all those who lent their time and skills to making this happen.

The Line Of Best Fit said: “Endlessly fun and compelling in equal measure. The chorus explodes with tireless excitement and will no doubt become an earworm.”

Time Elastic album out April 13. Pre-order here

UK/France April tour dates here

Enjoy – and if you do, share! x

Blink of an Eye is a song inspired by my dear uncle Paul, who was recently diagnosed with a serious illness. I wanted to write something for him and I was inspired by the speech he made at his 40th wedding anniversary, a beautiful declaration of loving gratitude to his family. I wrote this song in response to those words. “40 years of my life in the blink of an eye”.

This song is taken from the Time Elastic album. Here’s a stripped back live version we recorded at Tim Bidwell’s Clockwork Owl studio in Brighton, where the album was made.

Recorded recently for an invited audience at Brighton Electric, this is an extended version of Time Elastic.

The album, Time Elastic, is out on 13th April via Talitres. Pre-orders of ltd green vinyl/cd/digital are available here.

Here’s the Spotify link.

APRIL 2018 ‘TIME ELASTIC’ UK ALBUM RELEASE TOUR 

Autosave-File vom d-lab2/3 der AgfaPhoto GmbH

Hey you!

I’m very happy to announce we have a new album and it’s called Time Elastic. It was recorded in Brighton at the end of last summer with a bunch of great friends and musical legends. I poured my heart into this one and I’m very excited for you to hear it.

Here’s the title track video and soundcloud link. Like, comment and share people!

The album will be released on April 13 via Talitres on vinyl/cd/digital. Oh and as you are my crew, you get first dibs on the LIMITED EDITION KELLY GREEN TRANSPARENT VINYL. I felt that deserved caps.

As of now it is on Spotify/Apple/iTunes preorder so do add it to a playlist and send it to your lover.

If you would like to help out, please share the video/song on your preferred social media. Also, feel free to drop me a line to say hi. I miss you guys.

Tour dates
We will be hitting the road in April, doing a series of album release parties – our first UK tour since 2013. Tickets available now.

April
13 Deal, The Lighthouse
16 Brighton, The Greys – tickets
17 London, The Borderline – tickets
18 Lancaster, Yorkshire House – tickets
19 Newcastle, Cumberland Arms – tickets
20 Stroud, Stroud Valley Artspace – tickets
21 Bristol, Cafe Kino – tickets

We need you for our live video! 
One last thing, we will be making a live video recording in Brighton on 10th February at 1pm at Brighton Electric and we would love to play for an audience. If you would like to join us for a very fun afternoon, then please mark yourself attending on the Facebook event page and bring your friends.

I think that’ll do for now. I’m going stick on a Fall record and imagine what Mark E Smith might say about my band.

Hope to see you in person soon. Stay strong.

Love
Danny Laish x

Laish – Pendulum Swing

Released on 4th November on vinyl/cd/digital via Talitres Records. Click here to order.

Launch party, with full band and support from Low Chimes (formerly Hot Feet) on  16th November at Courtyard Theatre: tickets

1 – Vague
2 – Learning to Love the Bomb
3 – Love on the Conditional
4 – Song for Everything
5 – The Last Time
6 – My Little Prince
7 – Pendulum Swing
8 – Wrote of Freedom
9 – Rattling Around
10 – Gambling
11 – We Haven’t Made Any Money
12 – Isolation

Danny Laish speaks: “I could feel myself becoming fossilised in Brighton, hardening into the grooves of my drinking and laziness so before I became fully set in amber, I dragged myself away and moved to London. Landing in the capital as a single and penniless adult was a harsh slap in the face, a mirror held up to my failure and lack of preparation for any kind of real life outside of music.

I spent a year of gradually learning to love the pace of life in the city and I finally found the nerve to book a real studio and get to work on the album that had been forming during this turbulent period. I was honest with myself about the sounds and the kinds of songs that excite my ears. I wanted to get across a simple truth but for there to be no barriers to the listener, for it to really sound vibrant, sexy and humorous.”

Here are the three music videos taken from the album, all directed by Ruth Pickett at Square Cat Films.

Here’s the third in a trilogy of videos by Square Cat Films, featuring comedians Hal Branson, Matt Green and also Talitha Gamaroff!

It was an absolute hoot to make. Hope you enjoy!

I am very excited to announce that I am supporting the amazing Icelandic band, Junius Meyvant, on their European tour in September. Here’s what the journey looks like.

Here’s what they sound like…

I am ridiculously excited to share this new music video with you for our song about growing up and embracing responsibility, Learning to Love the Bomb.

It was made over two days with the excellent film maker, Ruth Pickett, who also made our Song for Everything video.

Enjoy!

Last few hours remain on our Indiegogo crowd funding campaign. You know what to do!

It is partly a song about songwriting. I find it is a strange process. To begin with it is utterly solitary as I write alone, late at night and then later it becomes a public performance to be shared in a room or on a record. This process is quite harmful to me in many ways, but I do it anyway. The song is also a love letter to my girlfriend who has to put up with my strange existence.

The video was directed and produced by the wonderful Ruth Pickett who was inspired by the idea of manipulating the movement of time marching both forwards and backwards. We filmed it all in one short winter day before the sun set and I learned to sing half of the words the wrong way round and to follow her very precise direction.

If you enjoy, please share.

Hello!

I have just launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign in order to complete my new album, Pendulum Swing, and get it into your hands. This is the first time I am reaching out to my family, friends and supporters and I’m really excited!

Hello

Here is something amazing! Allow me to unveil the first instalment of the We Come Alive Covers Project.

I drew up a list of musical friends and heroes and asked each one to submit a cover song chosen by someone else on that list. I love hearing good covers, it is such an interesting process seeing how people approach performing and recording someone else’s material. I also wanted be part of bringing together the musical community that surrounds and inspires me through running We Come Alive shows in London.

Click here to hear four songs from the project right now which are:

1. Ezra Furman – Oxygen (originally by Willy Mason)
2. Laish – The Great Divide (originally by Pat Dam Smyth)
3. Left With Pictures – My Zero (originally by Ezra Furman)
4. Mouth 4 Rusty – Hard Hand to Hold (originally by Willy Mason)

Initially around 20 songwriters and bands agreed to participate. As I write this, 13 tracks have been recorded and I absolutely love them! The collection is an incredibly enjoyable, surprising, varied set of songs and I would like to begin sharing them in instalments as they are worthy of taking time to savour. More tracks are due to appear soon, including recordings by Willy Mason, David Thomas Broughton and This is The Kit.

Please show your support by sharing these and checking out more material by the artists involved.

And this Sunday it is the 10th We Come Alive show at The Harrison, Kings Cross with Laish (full band show – 6 piece electric new songs yeah!), Scarlet Starlings and Nuala Honan. It is going to be amazing, and a few tickets still remain here.

As a little treat, everyone who attends the show on Sunday will get a unique access code to hear all the 13 available songs exclusively before anyone else.

These great artists have already submitted tracks (clears throat)…

Ezra Furman
David Thomas Broughton
Laish
Left With Pictures
Mouth 4 Rusty
Chris Belson
Kristin McClement
Rowan Coupland
Alabaster Deplume
Ellie Ford
The Magic Lantern
Love V Fear
Office of Aurora
Also expecting tracks from:
Willy Mason
This is The Kit
Pat Dam Smyth
Nuala Honan
Scarlet Starlings
Hot Feet
The Gentle Good
and maybe a few more…

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy,

Danny Laish

Hi folks

It’s been a busy year with a lot of shows and festivals in UK, Switzerland and Italy (back in Italy, Jan 2016), running a new music night called We Come Alive, and also preparing tracks for a new full band Laish album.  Perhaps equally excitingly I have spent the last ten minutes knocking up this little poster to let you know about the London shows happening in the next few weeks.

(I have the new Julia Holter album on repeat this morning. Have you heard it?!)

For all those people in other, calmer parts of the world, or who prefer to keep me at arm’s length, here is that Laish Union Chapel show in full.

I am very excited to be playing with a band again.  It has taken shape over the last year or so, and I am grateful to be sharing my music with such wonderful musicians.  You’ll have to get down to The Harrison at one of the below, to check us out.

25 Oct – The Harrison, full band, All Day Folk Festival (stage time 10pm)
13 Nov – St Pancras Old Church, solo, supporting Junius Meyvant – sold out
15 Nov – The Harrison, full band headline at We Come Alive – tickets
15 Dec – Green note, solo – supporting John Lawrence – tickets

One last date for your diary – Sun 18 October, the next We Come Alive show features some excellent musical friends, female fronted joyous indie pop from The Graphite Set, songwriter extraordinaire Andrew Butler and one extra special guest I can’t announce but who is achingly brilliant.  Details and tickets.

Until the next time, where I trust the news will be less London-centric.

Thanks for joining me.
Danny Laish

Laish back catalogue is here.

Yes the next We Come Alive is on next Sunday.  I’m really enjoying curating these nights at The Harrison, Kings Cross – a pub with amazing ales, delicious food, smiling faces and a great sounding music room. We are quickly gaining a reputation for pin drop audiences and truly magical music.  Rozi Plain described it as a night of ‘relentless quality’.  A punter described it as like being at End of the Road Festival, but in a pub.  It’s what I’m aiming for.  Buy your tickets now and get down early for a Sunday roast.

Sun May 17 Line up:

• Secret Headliner (Full Time Hobby Records)
• Pat Dam Smyth (band)
• Shevek

Ticket | Facebook
£10 adv, £12 door

Secret Headliner
I’ve gone and booked a band who I can’t actually announce for legal reasons. They are sophisticated four piece with a magnetic front man. And I think you’ll love them. I can tell you they are on Full Time Hobby Records (home of Timber Timbre and The Leisure Society). You’ll have to place your trust in me that I would only book quality acts for you.

Pat Dam Smyth (band)

I heard this Northern Irish songwriter’s debut album, The Great Divide, and proclaimed the resurrection of John Lennon. Fantastic songwriting, it is a work of such depth, honesty and precision. I immediately called him up and booked him for a full band show. Very excited about this one. The Independent said: ‘The Great Divide conquers beautifully’

Shevek

Incredible guitarist and singer from excellent Willkommen Records band, Eyes & No Eyes. A glacial voice and prize winning songwriter. I asked him to play his first solo show for us and he obliged. Come and make history.

It’s going to be a special night. See you there?

Danny
We Come Alive

So the first video emerges from the Union Chapel show. Very happy to share this with you. If you enjoyed it, why not give it a youtube thumbs up and share it? That’s the world we live in right?

Next Laish show is supporting the amazing Guatemalan songwriter, Gaby Moreno at The Lexington. For this show I will be accompanied by Tom Chadd on piano and Sara and Talitha from the chorus you see in the video. Tickets are selling out and cost £14 but I have some £7 list, so drop me a line if you want one: laishmusic@gmail.com.

Then I’m off to Switzerland for a few shows there. Two of them are online. More details when I have them.

April 7, Zurich, Bar 3000 – Facebook

April 9, Nyon, La Parenthese – Website

And lastly our next We Come Alive show is happening on April 26th.  The incredible Left With Pictures, Mouth 4 Rusty and Dave Gerard are performing.  More on that soon, but take note that these nights are selling out, so don’t hang around if you want to get in the room!

Facebook | Tickets

This Sunday sees the next instalment of We Come Alive, my carefully planned evenings of entertainment at the best intimate venue in town, The Harrison.  Doors at 7.30, music starts at 8.  I recommend getting there early for a roast as the food rocks!

Tickets        Facebook

One reason I’m really excited about the evening is seeing Mary Hampton perform again.

Mary was such a positive influence on me during my long stay in Brighton.  I saw her play many times both solo and with an extended band and she never failed to completely silence me. The Guardian describes her perfectly: “Mary Hampton is a rare talent, her most potent weapon is a keening, haunting vocal that burns like a laser through her sparse songs and resonates with a rare and tender beauty.” It turned out we were neighbours and I spent a few memorable evenings at her place by the sea, drinking wine and discussing obscure treasures of film and literature. It seems Mary has been rather quiet on the scene recently but I am told she is crafting her third opus, and will not be disturbed, except just this once for us on Sunday.”

She will be supported by Alabaster Deplume who is quite an extraordinary gentleman who blesses every room he enters.  He is restlessly creative, collaborative and eternally grateful of his part in the game.  Part performance poet, part Leonard Cohen, part jazz saxophonist and something of the Ivor Cutler – yet these comparisons mean nothing for this unpredictable and hypnotic performer.

And to open proceedings is Benedict Benjamin, the man you may have seen fronting The Mariner’s Children and playing with Peggy Sue.  He has such a powerful and delicate voice and a magnetic presence.

The rain that night was intense.  There was an unusual energy in the room.  One girl got so drunk she starting repeatedly slamming one of the doors until she was forcibly ejected.  I was ready for the unexpected and also sweating profusely.  You can’t hide for one second in these house shows.

This song, Vague, is inspired by this trilogy of novels by Lars Iyer following a pair of drunken intellectuals as they ramble and pick each other apart with ferocious love.  The opening line is lifted wholesale from one of its pages.

Have you been to Sofar Sounds?  Intimate house concerts in locations across the world. You sign up on the website and when you get that email notifying you of a house gig in your area you have to be quick to reply to get on the guestlist as they are enormously popular.   https://www.sofarsounds.com/

I’m playing in the evening in the Haberdashery, Crouch End, on Sat 22nd Nov as part of The End Festival. It’s a wonderful festival organised by the good folks at The Local. You simply must.

Here’s the details and tickets https://billetto.co.uk/the-local

Today’s good news, The Wave Pictures are headlining the first We Come Alive night at the Harrison on 16th November!

The Wave Pictures don’t normally play venues this small.  I think it may be because I stole the name of one of their songs for my night so they wanted to check it will be good quality and what better way than to play it themselves?

That night I’m also playing and Rozi Plain too who is a personal fave.  I’m very excited – it will be quite some party.  And no doubt I will be nervous about it all running smoothly.  So do come along and join the celebrations.  Pre booking is advised on the link below.

Here’s the ticket http://www.wegottickets.com/event/292902

Here’s the Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wecomealivelondon 

Suddenly finding myself very busy here in the capital. Good, that was the idea.

I have been writing and recording a lot. Also co-writing with some new friends. I am aware that it’s been ages since I’ve released anything proper so there’s a little something for you below: two solo guitar instrumentals that I recorded at Dave the Well’s house in Brighton last year. I am fully intending to finish a new album with these songs that have been sloshing around, fermenting for a while now.

I have been teaching guitar, ukulele and music production skills to children and adults. It’s been a really rewarding experience. Always open to new students in the London area.

Got some wonderful gigs coming up. From Ninja Tune Records I’m supporting the excellent Grasscut at Vortex Jazz on Thursday 9th October.

I’m playing some instrumental musical interludes for the Daylight Music show at Union Chapel on 11th October. Here’s a taste of what it might sound like…

https://soundcloud.com/laishmusic/sets/laish-instrumentals

Playing at Surya, Kings Cross on Monday 13th October.

And then Bristol’s Lion Den at the Golden Lion on Tuesday 14th.

And then the really exciting news for me is that I am starting a regular monthly night called ‘We Come Alive’ at the beautiful pub, The Harrison by Kings Cross. I have played many times at their old night there called ‘Into the Warm’ for years and I will be running this as a night of handpicked bands, songwriters and musicians.

The food there is incredible and they always have a great selection of ales. I should move in…

The first night party is on Sunday 16th November and has some very special guest secret headliners who I really can’t tell you until November. I can tell you they have been going 17 years, and have released an album for every year of their existence.
+
(the amazing) Rozi Plain
+
(the me) Laish

Rozi Plain is a unique songwriter with a truly original voice. Poised, elegant and with a simplicity that invites interpretation, she is endlessly inventive and restlessly creative. She has toured the world and collaborated with the likes of Rachael Dadd and This is the Kit.
So far she has released two remarkable albums that possess a fragile magnetism and have been championed by tastemakers and audiences alike. She has played at all the best festivals like End of the Road, Green Man, Mandstock and Great Escape.

Laish is me. I am hosting this evening and will be opening proceedings. I may well be nervous and frazzled as it is the first night and I have booked a band that shouldn’t really play venues this small anymore. Expect to hear some new songs from me, doing my sweet thing.

When? Thursday 7th August  – doors 7.30pm

Where? The Good Ship, Kilburn. 289 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7JR

Who? Laish new full band, poised and ready.  And some other lovely bands – see poster.

Why?  Last gig of the summer.  New songs.  Pre-End of the Road performance.  For the damn heck of it.

Tickets?  Sure: http://www.thegoodship.co.uk/whats-on/events/7-aug-14-laish-the-good-ship/

Facebook?  I love Facebook!  Ok: https://www.facebook.com/events/644176175652606/

Got it?  See you then.

X

WHO?  Bridie Jackson and the Arbour, Daniel Green (me)

LOCATION: Phytology, Bethnal Green Nature Reserve,
Middleton Street, Bethnal Green, E2 9RR, London.

TIME: Saturday 12th July, 7pm

WORDS: You’re invited to join in the Campfire Club! In time-honoured fashion we will gather around roaring blazes enveloped in music and entertainment. High spirits will be maintained with good ol’ sing-a-longs, storytelling, special guests and who knows what else. Every fire will be a unique event with a magic concoction of spontaneity, rare talents and the unknown, all drenched in the sepia tones of firelight and tinged with wooded aromas.

More info https://www.facebook.com/events/1489999341236627/

Tickets

You there!  There is now a band of Laish.  The new sound is muscular and smooth. Come watch us do it for the first time in public.  It won’t cost you a penny, but it will cost us everything.

Weds 16th July, Strongroom 120-124 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3SQ, from 8pm, Free Entry https://www.facebook.com/events/454906261319378/

Daniel Green (shoutings, pickings)

Patrick Lawrence (rumblings)

Ollie Tunmer (battering)

Tom Chadd (plonking)

Talitha Gamaroff (screaming)

by Patrick Lawrence

Extreme pleasure to announce the word Laish is on this.  Click on each image for more details.

LAISH – Italian Tour 28^th March – 5^th April

Marzo 28 Verona at Rivamancina

Marzo 29 Milan at Ohibò

Marzo 30 Varese at Twiggy

Aprile 1 Rome at BlackMarket

Aprile 2 Gioia del Colle at Circolo Lebowski

Aprile 3 Foggia at Tolleranza Zero

Aprile 4 Civitavecchia at Il Balaclava

Aprile 5 Scafati at Circolo Culturale Tenax Ex Ferro 3 

Italy tour kicks off next Friday, but before I go I’m playing this rather lovely looking gig at the Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch.  I was there over the weekend recording some new material and it’s tremendous studio and equally lovely bar.  You simply must.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1458007827762740/

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I announce my first tour of Italy. Lovingly pieced together by the wonderful folks at Indie For Bunnies, Unplugged in Monti and Cabezon Records, I have 8 shows across quite a decent spread of Italy.  I’m very excited.

Ondarock Magazine who made our Obituaries album their album of the month in March last year, have already picked up the story.

More info to be added here.

Here’s a new solo song to celebrate.

See you soon!

DG

Mar 28 Verona @ Rivamancina

Mar 29 Milan @ Ohibò

Mar 30 Varese @ Twiggy

Apr 1 Rome @ Unplugged in Monti

Apr 2 Gioia del Colle @Circolo Lebowski

Apr 3 Foggia @ Tolleranza Zero

Apr 4 Civitavecchia @ Il Balaclava

Apr 5 Scafati @ Circolo Culturale Tenax Ex Ferro 3

See you soon!