Mother F*&king Neverending Story.

March 9th, 2011 – 12:31 am

Hundreds, maybe even thousands of bands could say they’ve opened for the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Just how many do you think are able to say they opened for Neverending Story?!?!

At this point, the level of my significant enthusiasm for this particular gig should be pretty self evident. So much so that I’m going to trial something here. If you actually read this blog, and want to come to this movie, then comment or email me and if you’re the first person then I’ll give you a free ticket. As much as it seems like blatant potential ego boosting to ask such a statement, it’s actually more that I’d genuinely like to meet the person that both (a) supports Cowper, and (b) finds the notion of seeing Neverending Story quite exciting.

So yes…a LOT of things have happened in the relatively short time since I last posted. For one, Letterbox Lullabies happened. What this is exactly probably isn’t as obvious as it should be, but rest assured you will find out soon enough.

Jaymis and I have also been filming yet another amazing physical-challenge film clip for a song.

I’ve been dragged out of album recording hibernation for both a residency and an awesome support gig.

[Not So Good] I’ve been diagnosed with a bad back so I can’t surf or do anything very physical for about 3 months; although this bodes well for my music!

My folks’ place is almost repaired after the flood! relief finally for my poor sister who has been hosting my parents the whole time since they found out that there is no foxtel at my place.

Did I mention Letterbox?!? I can’t wait to elaborate more on this one for you!

Soooon…! later!

Rowley.

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Letterbox Lullabies Live Stream

February 26th, 2011 – 1:44 pm

To view on your mobile device, visit http://livestream.com/letterboxlullabies

By Jaymis Loveday | Posted in News | Comments (0)

Yay-diohead

February 20th, 2011 – 11:43 pm
R3D

R3D

Wow. Is it me, or did the world just deliver in the music realm?  New Radiohead.  New Mountain Goats. New Fleet Foxes.  The Books and Lamb play Brisbane in the same weekend.  Should I go on?  I think you get my point. 2011 has officially been beaten into submission.

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

bitter, the saint…

February 8th, 2011 – 11:20 pm

I think my current mood is best summarised by pasting in an excerpt of a conversation i just had with a friend of mine:

Awesome Friend Who Shall Remain Nameless: Hi

Rowley: hi!

AFWSRN: how’s your tuesday?

R: pretty good.
 amazing in fact.

AFWSRN: oh yeah?

R: i decided that 2011 can go f#%k itself. i’m not standing around for it.

AFWSRN: lol

R: i walked right up to it yesterday and kicked it in the shins.

AFWSRN: sounds like a bad breakup
 clearly it deserved it

R: i bought a new bass guitar. and then went and filmed another music video demo. and then today my piano arrived.
 boo yah.

AFWSRN: letterbox woes?

R: Letterbox? nah, that’s awesome too. you should SEE the plans.

See?  Pretty darn self explanatory.  2011 hasn’t started well, but i’ll be damned if i’ll let that get in the way of my fun.

Oh, and that little bit at the end about Letterbox Lullabies?  That’s a teaser.  All I can say is that I have a bunch of hand drawn schematics that resemble a plan for world music one night only domination that is smeared in m n m grease and happiness.  it’s going to be amazing.

Cowper Family Photo, February 2011

Cowper Family Photo, February 2011

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

happy new year

February 3rd, 2011 – 12:01 am

i have 4 minutes to write this post.

well, i think it’s safe to say that 2011 hasn’t had the most amazing start for a lot of people. personal hardship, friends in need, shovelling mud out of the house of someone you don’t know…if any of these things sound familiar then you will know what i’m talking about – no further details required.

so for you, [and me], and anyone else out there who feels like 2011 should go get stuffed, you might be glad to know that in soon (2 minutes) it will be chinese new year. the year of the rabbit. monty python’s rabbit. so i’m taking this as a sign. an opportunity to start this year all over again. january you say? what the hell is that? it’s a new start. let’s make it awesome. and to the people up north about to cop the last of it, i see it as a sign that it makes final landfall at midnight, marking the pinnacle of crapness.

so, for you and for me, and for better or worse…5..4..3..2..1

happy new year.

i sincerely hope it comes good for you.

sufjan stevens, live at the tivoli

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

a musical christmas and a wet new year

January 19th, 2011 – 11:12 pm

this post isn’t really to say much more than “woah”. the picture above was taken from the front step of my parents place just about a week ago. since then a LOT has happened…but most of it has been focused around the demuddifying of many houses, including that of mum and dad and a lot of friends. at some point, half way through helping to sadly destroy a house, i realised it belonged to one of my primary school teachers.

i realise that i’m lucky to have been thrust into this thing because otherwise i would probably be on the fence somewhere wondering what it was like. making the decision to get involved was not an option. but now that it’s started, it doesn’t seem to end; and sitting at a desk doing work during the day doesn’t seem all that valuable in comparison to spending the time helping someone else. i guess i just wanted to say that regardless of the blah blah blahness and the channel 9 sized devastation of it all, the fact still remains that if you are capable of helping you should give it a shot and get in there and help. i guarantee that you’ll get just as much out of it as the people you give assistance too.

rowley

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged | Comments (0)

1.1.11

January 1st, 2011 – 11:04 pm

2011 is HERE!  Good lord, that was fast!

This afternoon I was standing in front of a stage at Woodford watching the incredibly talented Jackie Marshall playing to a little crowd in the mud and rain, and I was yet again amazed at how this person isn’t playing to much larger crowds.  Nepotism aside, she is amazing…everyone should see, enjoy and learn from this woman.

2011, I’m not going to blow smoke up your arse.  It’s going to be a big year.  It’s going to be a lot of work.  But it’s going to be a lot of fun too.

Whoo!

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Friends of Cowper

December 20th, 2010 – 1:21 am

I thought I’d jump online to quickly mention PJ Wolf. PJ is an amazing musician from Sydney who has just finished an EP, and if you listen carefully you may hear Cowper in the background for about 10 seconds of one song ;)

Regardless of this being my first real album plug, it’s an amazing album from an artist in my personal high rotation list. It’s worth your while getting his EP from http://www.pjwolf.net

The other artist that I like right now (if you haven’t worked out from the growing list of gig collaborations!) is Tash Parker.  Her debut album is out.  You should definitely give it a spin too!

5 days to Christmas! Ho ho!

By Rowley Cowper | Posted in News | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

2011

December 12th, 2010 – 7:46 pm

Just where has Cowper been?!

SO much has happened in the 3 months since I left on tour to Europe that it is best to save myself several thousand words, and just include four simple photos.

In order, they are (i) The closing of The Troubadour; (ii) the ‘renovation’ of the Bear Den studio; (iii) the closing of the Lofly Hanger; and (iv) the recording of the debut Cowper album.

Oh my, two thousand and ten…what more could you possibly have in store?

It’s been a crazy year, an exciting year, an eventful year.  So much so that I’m calling it done and taking it out of the oven 19 days shy of the official end of the year.  Because if one more thing is crammed in, I think it’s going to slump into a gutter with a kazoo whistle in its mouth, a smile on its face and bags under its eyes.  SUCH has been the magnitude of the year.

I returned from Europe refreshed and ready to dive back into the studio and keep working on the album with Matt Redlich at Massive Studios (yep that’s me i the 6th photo down, looking a little tired at 1am after a few takes) .  All is going very well and I’m extremely happy with the 4 tracks we’ve put down so far.  I expect to have the album finished by the end of March, so we might drop a few releases and bits between now and then.

But that was the easy part really.  The sad, more difficult part was returning home to the news that The Troubadour and the Lofly Hangar were closing their gigging doors for good.  This very serious double death in the family has resulted in 2 of the drunkest, craziest and fortunately happiest months of my life for many, many years.   Lots of love to Cori, Jamie, Phil and the Hangar crew for giving me so much happiness, and the opportunity to play some amazing gigs with Cowper and my other bands.

WHICH leads me to the next bit of news…in addition to playing Keyboards, Odds and Ends for Surface Paradise, I’ve also joined the Edward Guglielmino fold for a while as the bass player.  It all happened rather quickly after a few drinks at the Troub, 48 hours before gigs at both the Hangar and the Troubadour closing party in the same weekend.  The next gig for me is actually with Surface Paradise @ Rics on the 21st December if you are looking for an excuse to come and hang out!

Which leaves me to the last but by no means smallest bit…I’ve been working hard in the background on the Bear Den studio.  Two reasons – one, with the album coming out early in the new year, Jaymis and I have already begun working on the touring show.  Believe me, it is going to be amazing.  The second reason is that with the Troubadour and the Hangar closed, I’ve been working with some friends to organise a bunch of music events like last week’s Tash Parker gig around the traps for all the music orphans out there.  The first one will be at the end of January…more info to come; but stay tuned also to music/Cowper fans around the world as we intend to live stream these events straight to you too :)

Ok, that’s me done for a bit.  Expect a lot more writing now that the mourning/celebrating/drinking has levelled out a little bit!

R.

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Letterbox Lullabies Streaming Live Tonight, with Tash Parker

December 1st, 2010 – 7:48 pm


By Jaymis Loveday | Posted in News | Comments (0)