Veteran Collecting Donations

 

Singing Harmonies

Gina has invited me to sing backing vocals for her, with Jenny and Marie, for a couple of songs when she supports Jack White at The Trocadero on the 28th of February. We had a rehearsal last Thursday, four of us sitting around her giant kitchen table choosing harmonies to sing and singing together over the bare bones of the track. I have words to learn: it's not the words necessarily, but rather getting them in the right order. We sang for probably an hour and a half, and it was lovely to have the experience of slotting into a set of harmonies. On the recording I sang all of them (actually I think they may have replaced some of me with them, so to speak), but in real time, singing in harmony with other women is a unique experience. We were focused and each came away with notes and phone recordings to get the details right on the day.

I've had a long break from properly singing, and am hugely relieved to still be able to do it. Today, I've sung through some of my songs for Tuesday's live Loud Women broadcast on Resonance FM, which will be my first live 'gig' since November. I am looking forward to that: last time I was there was with Dexter Bentley for his show, so I know the studio (and some of the staff there too, probably). I'm trying to do at least two songs from the new album that I didn't sing on his show. Fingers crossed my voice will be with me on the night!

I am so looking forward to gigging again. I've had enough poor cats and dogs, stairlift and walk-in bath, cancer and funeral daytime adverts to last more than a lifetime. The same emollient voiceovers, sad piano, off-the-shelf graphics and gently threatening message runs through all of them. Then in the evening, it swaps over to gambling, fast food and cleaning products with an uplift in energy underpinned by barely-heard dance music tracks. I have not been tempted to buy a single one of the products on offer, and indeed have silently vowed never to do this in my lifetime, so there.

The Mojo review, and having lots of people play my songs on their radio shows, has been invigorating. If you know me, you'll understand how much this was needed.

Oh yes- a visit to the Tirzah Garwood exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery and the William Morris gallery in Walthamstow last week also were really uplifting. Three cheers for art, and three cheers for music! We need these cultural joys in these dismal, grey and threatening times.

Album Launch

Album launch gig alert!

Extra guest musicians: Robert Rotifer, Ruth Tidmarsh, Terry Edwards, Jack Hayter, Karina Townsend The Would-be-goods Three will be playing too Ding-dong! Betsey Trotwood, afternoon 5th April Advance tickets from here: https://wegottickets.com/event/646434

Adrian Goldberg's Brum Radio Show

Here's the link to Adrian's show that was broadcast this morning; Adrian interviewed me for the show and will be playing a couple of new tracks and an oldie too:

https://www.mixcloud.com/BrumRadio/adventures-in-music-with-adrian-goldberg-ft-helen-mccookerybook-15022025/

Mojo Review

 

More Airplay

Many thanks to Iko Cherie for playing Reaching for Hope on the Soho Radio show Little Trouble Girls.

Link here- there's a lot of really great music on this show:

https://sohoradiolondon.com/show/little-trouble-girls-feat-sassyhiya-01-02-2025/

This album is getting more play than anything I've done for years, and is getting a three-star review in Mojo in the next edition. It was worth all that hard work!

The Porter Rose at Dawn had its first play on Big City Radio's Beautiful Freak Show last Saturday by Wayne Moseley, and he'll be playing another track tomorrow.

Piglets

 

March Gigs: April and May Coming Soon

March 25

27th Pelirocco, Brighton Art Exhibition w Gaye Black & Charlie Harper, songs from Charlie & Helen

28th Prince Albert, Brighton Bob Piranha tribute w Piranhas Four, Attila the Stockbroker, Del Strangefish, Asbo Derek & more

https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/bob-grover-tribute-concert-the-prince-albert-tickets/13705084

Celebrating Bob Piranha

The gentleman punk. We will be celebrating his life at The Prince Albert, Brighton on Friday 28th March.

https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/bob-grover-tribute-concert-the-prince-albert-tickets/13705084

The Pop-Up Chefs

A couple of years ago, my brother James suggested that we should record guitar duo versions of four songs by The Chefs: Records and Tea, Food, 24 Hours and Let's Make Up. We actually played these songs live together- once at The Betsey Trotwood in 2023 on Burns Night, and again in Woodingdean, outside Brighton at a gig at Nusoul Studios. They were wonderful gigs, well-attended and great fun.

The recordings sat on ice for months. Finally, we are planning to release them on the Gare du Nord label, mostly digitally but also as a very limited edition 7" vinyl e.p.

I've had to edit down two of the tracks because getting four tracks on a 7" e.p. is hard; if you squash the cut grooves too closely together, the needle jumps. It's hard to make the grooves deep (good bass sound) because the sides will collapse, too.

It will take a couple of months because vinyl takes ages. You have to join the queue, and the big labels are always in front of you, even in the dedicated independent queue, because they bribe their way to the front of that. I wish I didn't know these things.

Anyway, I'll be designing the cover over the next few days. The master masterer Ian Button has done his thing and they are sounding fab. It will be great to get these tracks out there, both for me and for James.

Man With Bluebells At May Day Parade

 

Submariners Having A Bevy In Whitehall

 

New Badge Design

Just like miniature vinyl LPs, here are the next lot of badges. So shiny! I love things like this!

The other ones are sold out.

You can get one here: https://helenmccookerybook.bandcamp.com/merch/showtunes-from-the-shadows-badge

Naughty Gull At Bin

 

Back Cover Of Showtunes from the Shadows