Fran's Blog

This year is the second year running where I have joined the club for Banuary, giving up alcohol for 1 month in, well, January (some go all the way and give up snacks and caffeine too).

Now, I do it mainly for the feeling. I miss a couple of ales mid-week, a couple over the weekend, I like getting the appreciation back though. By the end of January last year, I was back to appreciating a decent beer. I went to a pub and ordered after carefully choosing rather than a generic crap beer. This year I’ve even decided if there is the general crap lager I’ll probably even do without, there’s no excuse for serving only generic crap lager when we are brilliant at making very good ales (though that’s a whole other post).

I’m now on the 3rd week when everything changes and everything feels fresher. This is the good bit. Waking up is a little easier and things are a bit brighter. I won’t lie, it isn’t easy to get out of bed in this weather, your head just feels clearer. It’s lovely! I look forward to a good BrewDog ale at the end of it, lovely!

Many moons ago my ambition was to work on A&R for a record company. Way back in 1996 I decided to apply to some record companies to do work experience. Acid jazz, one of my favourite record labels of the time answered my call and I spent a few weeks working in their warehouse and offices in Hoxton Square. Life began at this point. I ended up going to the Blue Note on the guest list and helping on radio shows run by Eddie Piller who is a bit of a hero of mine. I spent many years going back to them to see how everyone was until I started working, then it became trickier.

Anyway, in this magical time, there was a programme launched to try and get some great talent into the company. One day I stepped into Ed’s office and he had just been listening to a demo tape of a group called Torino. I thought it was a new Jamiroquai track, it was really very good. I went to some live shows by them to promote the band at nights like The Magic Bus. It was exciting. Then, they disappeared. I’ve never quite been sure about the full story, but I think the singer 2E left and there was a cock up with the master tapes leaving the original demo that I had heard with 2 songs. I always listen to these songs and think what could have been. Searching for them usually brings up some other lesser group with the same name. Oh well.

Torino – Sun is on my mind: [audio:http://blog.whoisfrancisgilbert.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/14-Sun-Is-On-My-Mind.mp3|titles=Torino Sun Is On My Mind]
(15 years of lost and found rarities)

Torino – It don’t bother me: [audio:http://blog.whoisfrancisgilbert.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/10-It-Dont-Bother-Me.mp3|titles=10 It Dont Bother Me]
(Totally Wired Series 2 Vol 2)