A bumpy start...

11 days in, and 2009 and has had it's ups and downs already!



As we mentioned in the last blog, the end of 2008 saw a huge increase in activity for the band; the release of the charity single, a new guitarist, the recording of the EP, the release of the EP, the gig... it all happened so fast!  And 2009 looked set to continue in the same vein.



But things never quite go to plan in the real world, do they?  And, unfortunately, the real world is what it's all about at the moment.



We've been offered a number of gigs over the last day or two which, after much deliberation, we have had to turn down.  This was not an easy decision for any of us, we want to be out there, playing live, giving you what you want.



There are several reasons for the decision and the following is what we can tell you just now...



First off, Grae had the flu over the Christmas period but persevered and performed both the Freeway and Morpheus Rising sets on Boxing Day. It was a risk and he feels that, at present, he is still paying the price for that decision.  His throat was damaged by singing through the illness and he feels it is best that he doesn't attempt to sing for another week or two to allow things to improve.



Secondly, Gibbo has somehow managed to perforate an eardrum over the holidays and is currently operating in mono!!  Even limited exposure to loud noise (such as you would find at rehearsals or gigs!) could damage his ear further... and it's not worth it.



Both of these should be cleared up in a few weeks and the intention was to start looking for gigs towards the end of this month... but once again, reality bites.  As anyone in the industry knows, unless you are gigging constantly, signed to a major label or raking in the royalties, you don't get paid!!  And there's the rub... we all have commitments in real life and need to be able to pay the bills.  So, Pete is off on tour with Marillion again at the end of the month and has further commitments with them on and off into April as well as other jobs lined up over the period.  Andy has plenty of work lined up for now, not to mention his commitments with Mostly Autumn over the next few months.  In addition, personal circumstances have meant that Grae has had to take some time off work over the last week or so and, at a really hectic time in his schedule, is going to have to concentrate on that aspect of life for a while...



All this means that the aspirations of the band will have to take a back seat for a short while.  We will still try to arrange some more gigs, probably not before March, when all of the members are available... and once things calm down we will be back with a vengeance!



But the news isn't all bad!



The time we now find ourselves with will be well spent.  Grae is currently working on the lyrics for a couple of new tracks which the band have written over the last couple of months, Pete is producing some amazing work and Daymo is adding his personal touch to some of the older material as well as the newly written tracks... a couple of the tracks we intended to air online have been sent back to the drawing board for a re-work, and they are being worked on as we speak!!  The two latest tracks look like becoming storming pieces of work building on the style we have forged with tracks like Save The Day and Fighting Man.  Once we're happy with the material it will be recorded and you'll get to hear it, so please be patient ;)



Add to all this the fact that Grae can now recover gracefully from the damage he did to his throat and things are looking great.  He's got back into the habit of doing vocal exercises and is beginning to gain some of the range and power he felt was missing in some of the recordings he did over the last year.



From a performers point of view all of this has been very frustrating but, in all honesty, it can only be good news for the band.  We now have the time and space to produce the songs we have written, as we saw them, rather than something close, we have the time to hone the set and get ourselves back to the top of our game and that can only be a good thing.



We'll be out there soon, bigger, better and more determined... we'll see you there!



All the best,



Grae, Pete, Daymo, Andy and Gibbo

Morpheus Rising

resurrecting British Heavy Metal!

Holiday in hindsight...

It's been a hectic few weeks... time off from work doesn't necessarily equate to 'time off', especially at Christmas.  Preparing for the family visits, friends coming over, shopping for gifts, decorating the home, cooking, learning lyrics for a complete set you've never sung before, writing new material, releasing your first EP... it all adds up to a frantic time :)

 

But it was fun... all of it!!  The visits from friends and family were great, the parties were an experience (traumatic for some!!) and the gifts were greatly appreciated by all.

 

Then there was the gig.  There is a saying that no plan survives contact with the enemy, and this was definitely the case with the Freeway gig on Boxing Day.  As we'd said all along this was a Freeway gig with Morpheus Rising appearing as guests to play a couple of numbers.  Unfortunately the Freeway vocalist had made arrangmeents over the period and was unable to make the gig, in order to avoid a cancellation several vocalists were invited to sing numbers from the set...  As the day approached the other vocalists dropped like flies, other commitments, holidays etc. meant that they were unable to perform on the night and with only a day or two to go it ended up with Grae looking forward to the task of performing the entire Freeway set, and the Morpheus Rising material.  All was going well, the lyrics were printed (in case he forgot them on the night) they were rehearsed around the home and all was set, then...

 

On Christmas Day Grae woke up with another, unexpected, gift from good ol' Santa... a healthy dose of 'man-flu'!!  You could feel the tension, panic was everywhere, and Google was pummelled for quick and reliable remedies for sore throats, wracking coughs and impossible levels of congestion... ginger tea with honey, lemon and honey tea, no 'normal' tea or coffee, gallons of water, benelyn, honey, sudafed, more ginger tea, more honey... and a good dose of port all aided in the partial rescue of the night.

 

As Boxing Day progressed the remedies were continued and things seemed to be ok for the gig... 5 tracks in and it was the Purple Medley, the cracks were beginning to show, as Woman From Tokyo sounded out from the PA the high notes began to croak a little, only one more track to go until the MR material and it was looking decidedly dodgy!!

 

The set began with Save The Day which sounded great,  the band managed to power through the track and the voice held up to the challenge of the long high notes.  In The End and Those Who Watch followed and were similarly despatched with professionalism and power, then it was the turn of Fighting Man... half way through the cracks became a gaping chasm!!  The chorus had to be dropped an octave and things were looking dire for the finale of Lord Of The North, but it held together, in fact it did more than that, the song rocked, it was awesome!!  Despite the tentative rendition of Fighting Man and the pressure felt from that performance the shear power and drive of Lord Of The North carried it onwards and upwards, a great end to the Morpheus Rising set for the night... and then it was back to the Freeway set...

 

Some guest vocals from Olivia Sparnenn (Mostly Autumn, Breathing Space) helped to finish the night off in style and saved the last vestiges of Grae's voice for the after show banter...

 

All in all a great night was had by all... it was Freeway with a difference, and the Morpheus Rising material went down well, it's now time to concentrate on the year ahead... 

 

Bring it on!!



All the best,



Grae, Pete, Daymo, Gibbo and Andy

MORPHEUS RISING

resurrecting British Heavy Metal!