Celebrating Womanhood – IWD 2013

It means so much to be appreciated. As a woman on International Women’s Day – on any day – we rarely acknowledge ourselves fully. What a joy to share our gifts and talents, our time and energy. I’ve begun teaching guitar to a wonderful girl of seven. What a privilege to share what I have. To pass it on. To keep a spark alive.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, acknowledge yourself, your talents and the Women in your lives. For the wisdom for the nurture for the future.

I’ll be fundraising at The Dome for the Brighton Women’s Centre on Saturday 10-4pm. Hope you can join us!

Winter Solstice. Lots to Celebrate.

Supporting The Miserable Rich. Photo © James Kendall

Happy Winter Solstice folks. I hope the day marks a change in engery and we can all move on into 2013 with great positivity and happiness. This year has been remarkable and I don’t say that lightly. Releasing an album is quite a task – as I discovered – and it doesn’t end there. As you know I’ve been working on promoting the album and sharing the songs with as many people as humanly possible. Thanks for all your support along the way. I don’t want to get too gushy about it but without your support it really wouldn’t be worth it.

Almost time to reflect on 2012… After unwrapping the first box of CDs (and crying with relief on the carpet) – my highlights include the Album Launch at the Green Door Store, supporting Dawn Landes at The Water Rats in London, playing the Small World Festival, all the wonderful Acoustic sessions at The Bull especially last night’s Charity Fundraiser Singing Carols with Conrad Vingoe and Amy Hill round the fire! not to mention a super special House Concert in Kemp Town (more about that later) plus our debut performance at The Dome supporting The Miserable Rich… (flops on floor).

Next year is still full of possibility and hope. Let’s enjoy it!
With Love + Light
Dx

Music is a vehicle. Love is the engine.

I’ve been camping in Kent. I’m nursing some humming bites in hard to reach places. Driving back got me thinking. Not everything is about music. Sometimes I forget this. Sometimes I forget why I am doing it. Some people ask me if I’d like to be famous. No. That’s not it. I’m quite happy writing alone, singing alone and playing alone. The band make it fun and the energy is different. Not bad, good, better or worse – just different.

I like doing lots of creative things. This has always created something of a challenge. Like the meaning of the word Focus. Still working on that. The thing is – at the core of all I do is heart and care but that sounds wet. Attention to detail, quality and beauty. All of the above and more.

So I use language, add a human sound and six strings EADGBE and using this palette I write songs and share them. It’s a funny life when I think about it. Or rather it’s a funny aspect of it.

I’m enjoying this:
http://www.ohcomely.co.uk/

and this:
http://theotherwomanmusic.blogspot.co.uk/

playing here on Saturday – Castle Stage 4-5pm
http://www.smallworldsolarstage.org/smallworld/index.html

If you missed the Album Launch – catch the vibe here:

Precious Metals, Precious Moments.

Other than the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the flurry of Gold medals currently pouring in at the London 2012 Olympics – what else has been going on? In terms reaching goals and gaining accolades – these past few months have been unprecedented. In true form I give you a list – which is by no way comprehensive – just off the top of my head…

1 Released the Album Inner World (CD and Download)
2 Booked and played the Launch Party at the Green Door Store
3 Playlisted on BBC6Music
4 Supported Dawn Landes at the Water Rats, London
5 Supported Jack Savoretti at the Proud Brighton Ballroom
6 Played a Virtual Festival (Battfest) streamed live to over a million viewers
7 Played a Rabbit Barn in Essex
8 Went to Palma for 3 nights
9 Uploaded the Promo video -The Making of Inner World (on YouTube)
10 Wrote a new song called ‘Silence’

Not too shabby? Forgive the blogging lull. I hope the list format doesn’t diminish any of the above – to finally release the eleven songs crafted and captured in the studio over the last year to supporting Dawn Landes in London are right up there with some of my most precious moments. No medal required.

Also, some lovely mentions have occurred along the way, including some great Album Reviews from Fatea Magazine , The Source, Brighton Music Blog and a fab interview by Someofitistrue.

Do check them out. ‘Til next time friends – go for Gold in whatever makes you happy.
Namaste xx

Next Gigs…
Sunday 5th August – The Bull, Ditchling FREE
Wednesday 15th August – Amersham Arms, London
Saturday 25th August – Small World Festival, Kent
Sunday 2nd September – The Bull, Ditchling FREE
Friday 7th September – Headlinine Show, Jive Monkey, Brighton £6
Monday 10th September – Brahma Kumaris, Hove Town Hall, Brighton
Saturday 15th September – PV Sue Haseltine, Kemp Town, Brighton

More London dates and other UK destinations added soon.

Let the lyrics do the talking.

When I wrote the lyric ‘How we pull ourselves, from under the darkness that takes over us, some days…’ (Stone, Happiness + Victory, 2008) I wrote from real experience, a real day. Today was one of those days. Just when things begin to crack and threaten to fall apart, testing our values and rocking our being to the core, things fall away and light shines in.

Sometimes I forget the importance of my lyrics. Forget to acknowledge that for me they hold the essence of each and every song. Perhaps that’s why the rest pales in significance because the words mean so much. It’s not that I don’t value melody, chords, arrangement – I do – but the words! They are IT for me.

Which is why it was really rather super fantastic for Ruth Barnes (BBC6Music/Amazing Radio) to highlight my lyric as her favourite on Tom Robinson’s Blog (Freshest Faves), featuring my new song Restlessness.

Here’s the link to Tom Robinson’s Blog:
http://freshonthenet.co.uk/faves10/

Just to prove the point, I dedicate the following lines to the lyrics, so you can sing along with the track, if you feel it too?

Happy Beltane everyone xx

Restlessness (from the forthcoming album Inner World)

I’m homeless, penniless
And I’m hungry for success
And the ladder it gets taller
I feel smaller and depressed
And I’m working like a workhorse
But I’m earning less and less

Oh restlessness, Oh restlessness
Do you feel it too?
Do you feel it too?
Do you feel it too?
Do you feel it too?

Oh my looks are fading
And my body is decaying
But my mind is strong
And my heart will go on

Oh restlessness, restlessness
Oh restlessness, restlessness
Do you feel it too?
Do you feel it too?
Do you feel it too?
Tell me, do you feel it too?

Oh Restlessness
Restlessness.

You can listen here: http://soundcloud.com/donnafullman/restlessness-1

Inner World Countdown

I felt the urge to blog and rather than over think it I decided to just do it. There must be news – it’s been over a month since my last post.

I guess the focus is still very much on releasing my debut album Inner World and all that entails – artwork, promos, pr, radio, launch stuff… but mostly I’m crossing things off a very long list. Indie means busy. Stupidly this coincides with me quitting coffee. Week five and counting. I miss it every day. I could write the entire blog about it but…

Best not to dwell… Back to the real news! As I mentioned on a previous post, last year I had the privilege of working with the super talented local Artist Jake Spicer on some drawings for my album artwork and I’m thrilled with the results – I hope you will be too. They reflect so much of the music – light, space, truth. I’ve been handpressing the typography and pulling the whole thing together. I think we are there…

I’m also pleased to say I’ve booked the Album Launch – I hope you can come!
Here are the details… live show with full band – plus a fantastic support act and after party drinks in the bar! (*flops on floor*)
£7 in advance

ALBUM LAUNCH > TUES MAY 29TH – Green Door Store, Brighton
Here’s the event link to book: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/163893

Tickets will also be with local record shops soon – Union Music Store (Lewes) and Resident (Brighton).

So, back to rehearsals, launch planning and following up those jiffy envelopes sent to numerous bloggers, producers, reporters…

And this GIG:
The Pull and Pump, 1-2 Clarence Gardens, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2EG
Wed 25th April, 8pm
(I’m on at 9pm)
FREE

FULL GIG LISTING ON REVERBNATION – including a Headline Show in June at The Albert – courtesy of Drifter Promotions (check it out!)
http://drifterpromotions.tumblr.com/upcomingshows

The album release date is: May 21st
(Woop! Mine’s a large Americano!)

Some of us Work in Spirals.

I do. As I lay the guitar on the carpet after checking the battery for tomorrow’s gig, I go to the open folder and begin hole punching papers. I spy the bedroom/office floor is decorated with a trail of efforts and attempts of this nature. This is how I work. I have given up resisting my patterns – now I embrace them.

Not all habits are good. This might not be a good one but it is entrenched and no one can deny – things do get done. However, I long for more focus and energy for the things I love to do the most. To clarify (for my own benefit) to jog the memory, this is my short list:

1 Write
2 Create
3 Share

To focus. This needs clarity and stillness. After the spiraling ends I see around me lists of ideas and projects in motion whilst some things are ‘parked’ for a while. I’m just one woman. Laugh Out Loud! I cannot claim to have any sort of an answer to gaining clarity and improving productivity by using this ‘Spiral’ technique but I do know that it is important to do what you love. Make time for your creativity. Be utterly yourself.

Another way of viewing the list above is like this:

1 Investigate / Express
2 Manifest / Make
3 Serve / Release

That seems quite clear to me.

Next Gigs:
The Bull, Ditchling/Sussex Sunday 4th March 7-9pm
The Library, Islington/London Tuesday 6th March 8pm
The Coach House, Brighton/Sussex Sunday 18th March 7pm
Rook Lane Arts, Frome/Somerset Saturday 24th March 7pm

New Album:
Inner World will be out in May.
Hear a preview track, here: http://soundcloud.com/donna-fullman

Week Four. Weak For…

Finally I’m sat at my desk. I can actually see the desk – this is progress. Around me are the preliminary sketches that could form part of my album artwork. I’ve also been letter stamping all of the song titles by hand and enjoying every minute of it – satisfying the designer in me.

I’ve had the privilege of working with two extraordinary artists already on this project. Photographer Laura Stevens and fine artist Jake Spicer. All will be revealed.

As for the tracks themselves – sublime. The mastering process was completed without too much alteration to the final mixes. It’s hard to say stop – to say when a piece of work is finished, but I had to. I want to share it and it’s the best it could be – and who could ask for more?

Other Updates:

1 Alcohol intake – nil
2 Country walks – 1
3 Writing every day – 50/50
4 Extra Curriculum Activities: Philosophy, Sanskrit, Yoga – Check!
5 Started a Tumblr thingy for imagery

Things I’m currently Weak For:

1 Gin and Tonic
2 Decent publishing deal
3 Sunshine
4 Administrative help with planning and releasing an album
5 The energy I had in my twenties

Come on, what are you Weak For?

Week One of 2012: Hurricanes and Drought

A blustery start to the year – flying roof tiles, cracking trees and the recycling had its own party on the street – welcome 2012! Not like a Brit to bang on about the weather? I couldn’t resist. Regardless, somehow it has been a fairly productive start to the year with new gigs booked and cover art progress. Blowing the cobwebs away indeed…

After carrying the beloved tree to the collection point for its ‘second life’ (chippings), the sparkle and merriment boxed for its annual holiday, I did what every writer does and picked a new notebook for the new year. Fresh page. Fresh start, except I can’t stop thinking about getting on a plane in search of some sun. If you look closely, I’m actually translucent.

To pick myself up I headed to join Jake Spicer and the wonderful folk at Brighton Life Drawing class for a spot of – you guessed it – life drawing. I’m rusty, naturally. Here are my efforts (no shame):

I also did this: Listened to the final mixes over and over again, had a Jam with my friend Jenni, made my first curry with paneer cheese, applied for a writing post, went hunting for art books – found two gems.

Back to the album, I’ve been toying with idea of simplicity and sketches for the album cover or photography and realism? I’m exploring both as each have equal merit in presenting the eleven tracks I’m calling Inner World.

Here are the gigs I booked – for your new diaries, ahem:

Weds 1st Feb 8pm // Latest Bar, Brighton // £6
The Latest Bar

Sun 5th Feb 8pm // The Lansdown, Lewes // Tip Jar Yee Har
Union Music Store

Fri 17th Feb 8pm // Tic Tic Café, Brighton // Donations welcome!
Tic Toc Café

It would be great to see some friendly faces at these gigs as I’ll be playing solo – do say HI if you are there! If you can help share the events with friends that would be good too.

So, no big list of Goals this year – let’s just see what pans out eh? The year of No Goals? And for all you weather enthusiasts – the drought relates entirely to the ‘not drinking’ aspect of January – so far so good. Who’s with me? Who caved in?

ONGOING – Drawing:
Brighton Life Drawing / Draw

TUESDAY 10TH JAN – Fulfilling Work Event – Subject: Portfolio Careers (for creative folk who like doing lots of things – that’s me)
Fulfilling Work – Meet up groups in Brighton

New Year Wishes and Thanks.

I’m excited to be writing a new year wish to you all. It may just be the coffee – I’m on my third cup – I’m typing fast. It may also be because after the last 12 months I feel anything is possible and from the fruits of that 12 month labour comes my new album – Inner World. Set for a May release on indie label Lyrically Speaking, watch this space.

As a thank you I’ll be sharing a track with you all soon – but which one?! Some songs you will know from the live shows or the video perhaps – Emerald Eyes – that has subsequently undergone some fine-tuning and ends up all the better for it.

Anyway, I rattle on, HAPPY NEW YEAR – may all your dreams manifest – may you be clear with intention and consistent with action – and may I do the same!

Till next time dear friends, I leave you with heartfelt THANKS for all your support – by way of attending gigs, adding comments, Facebook Likes, Twitter following, and reading THIS blog… and when you Share these things you actually become more beautiful – it’s true!

May 2012 be full of special moments and may we not be rushing so fast that we miss them.

Love + Light

*For latest gigs check out www.reverbnation.com/donnafullman
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