Yakobo

Bienvenue brethren.

At this moment in time I'm sitting in my home studio/office at "Yakobo HQ." The desk is strewn with pens, to-do lists (about a third crossed off for today - not bad), guitar picks, strong black coffee and headphones. This, of course, denotes that I am busy.

There are lots of exciting things to share with you in terms of what I'm actually busying myself with. Right now I'm teaming up with some clever clog types to create a whole new website - apologies for the lack of yakobo.co.uk available at this time. I've also been finishing up work on the Xbox One game soundtrack for Pneuma: Breath Of Life which has been an absorbing process. I'm booking live dates in for a series of mini tours this year, lots to be announced very soon.

And most importantly, I've been working towards a set of new music releases to be made this year. Since making Glimpses I've been writing and refining new material, some of which you may have heard already. I'm now at the stage of putting together almost-complete demos for each song, and talking with top level producers who want to work on the final recordings. Around this I'm putting together plans for music videos, artwork, press, marketing, tours, summer festivals and all that goes along with new releases.

It's certainly going to be the biggest thing Yakobo has ever done, and it stems from the fact that this is the best collection of songs I've ever had.

There will be a steady stream of announcements keeping you posted on all of the above in the near future. Don't be a stranger, keep in touch on facebook, twitter and YouTube, sign up to the mailing list and come say hi at a gig when I'm in your neck of the woods.

Making music would be useless without you guys to listen.

UK copyright law has just been changed to allow for parodies of songs, TV programmes etc. to be made without the owner's permission. But according to the BBC the criteria for a parody work's legality is whether it is sufficiently funny. Judges may have to decide if Cassetteboy's latest YouTube video is chuckleworthy in order to reach a verdict.

I applaud the decision to recognise the artistic value of parody work, but surely this is the wrong way to go about it. It is far easier to objectively decide whether a reasonable amount of creativity and originality has been put into a work than whether it elicits a giggle.

Anyone who knows UK copyright law knows that a lot has changed since the design, copyrights and patents act of 1988. It's time for a change, but I'm not sure this is the right way about it. For a while now, certain researchers have been calling for 'collaborative copyright' law, in which artists who utilise pre-existing ideas but add their own artistic value to the work can claim part ownership of their version. Take Dangermouse's "Grey Album" - his unique fusion of The Beatles' White Album and Jay-Z's Black Album. The work relies completely on the samples used, but it is clearly a new, unique work with artistic value that deserves credit. But Dangermouse is not able to collect copyright royalties for The Grey Album under current law.

The Grey Album might not be judged as funny, but it's worth something. The same can be said for remixes and certain cover versions. As far as I can see, the new law doesn't allow parody creators to collect copyright for their works, but simply to make and publish them without infringing on the original artists' copyright ownership, so it's really doing something different entirely.

Dear Songeist (if that's how you pronounce it),

It was with excitement that I clicked a friend's link to "The new home of emerging music" and was tantalised by the idea of joining "a new music revolution". But once I got past this hyperbole I am sorry to say that I was left just slightly nonplussed.

Now maybe I'm a luddite, or just worn down by the innumerable similar claims of discovery and revolution bandied around by supermarkets, comedians and music websites alike (revolution seems to be a real buzzword at the moment, perhaps a little insensitive in the light of actual revolutions that have been shaking parts of our world recently, no?). I hope I'm not just being argumentative. But it seems to me that Songeist just isn't the way forward. For anyone, musicians or fans.

After reading the "Why Songeist" section of your site I can't quite see what would draw me to join, or what is really revolutionary about it, when I have identical opportunities elsewhere online.

You allow artists to distribute their own music (like Tunecore, CD Baby and the increasingly crowded market around them do), except you don't distribute to the stores all of our potential fans already use (iTunes, Amazon, Spotify etc.) - you actually expect fans to register their own account (and sign up for yet another 'revolution') before they get their hands on the stuff. So you're not actually a distributor; you are a store, if that's not splitting hairs. As an artist I want people to be able to access my music as quickly as possible, and as a fan I get switched off when I have to jump through extra hoops to get what I want.

However, you do allow artists to name their own price (like Bandcamp), but I can't seem to find what cut of that you take. You also allow fans to share music through social networks (I'm sure I've heard of some way to do that already but I can't quite remember... oh wait, EVERY music site in existence).

As the digital music world becomes ever-more accessible, integrated and crowded surely there isn't much need, or room, for another aspiring giant. And for artists the list of places to post, stream, sell etc. is becoming a little bewildering. Time will tell, in a year or two you might be floating on the stock market and I might be eating my words. It's never been easy to predict the success of these kinds of things, and the sites that do become huge always have their share of naysayers.

But please don't take this as total condemnation, whatever you do. I have to take my hat off to you for championing the undiscovered artist, and the artist showcases you've started to run sound super.

I wish you all the best in your quest for success. But please, oh please, don't ask me to join another revolution. I'm frankly tired of the things.

Yours sincerely,

It's been nearly another week now, but I had such an amazing time in Sheffield that it's still fresh in my mind. I rocked up last week with a guitar and a suitcase filled with portable PA, merch and some clothes, having never been to Sheffield City Centre before. Straight away the place was brimming with good vibes (including a welcoming coffee from Motocafé pitched up in a tiny vehicle on the Hallam campus). I busked each day (gaining a bad cold and a bit of spare change, but nearly losing my belongings in the gale-force winds in Thursday) and saw some of the city's charms, then gigged and open mic'd in the evenings.

Played some great little venues and met some fantastic musicians, promoters and avid listeners. This is something I'm doing in cities all over the country now, it's a pretty cool adventure. I have the best job in the world.

The picture above was taken at New Roots New Rhymes, a charity gig I played which raised funds for the fascinating New Roots shop, which is run by volunteers, puts on interesting talks and screenings and also puts lots back into some great local charities.

Other performances at West Street Live, Delaney's, The Royal Standard and The South Sea were also a joy and a privilege. The idea is to bring the full band back to Sheffield, and that will be happening on 17th January at another South Sea event. No hanging about for us.

Further trips to Cambridge and Bristol are on the horizon. If love the city you dwell in and the music that resonates from it, drop us a line.

'Til next time.

James

(Yakobo singer-songwriter)

Following from last month's Norwich escapade, I'll be heading to Sheffield this week for another stint of busking all day, gigging all evening and crashing on sofas each night.

As well as pitching up and rocking out on the streets Wednesday - Saturday I'll be Playing West Street Live on Thursday as well as possible open mic slots at Delaney's and/or The Royal Standard that night.

Then on Friday I'll be playing at South Sea Live and at New Roots, New Rhymes, a 2-minute walk from each other.

I'm dead excited about all of these opportunities. Can't believe we've never set foot in the City of Steel either as a band or a solo act, but this will hopefully be the first of many outings there.

Pete has been an inspiration and something of a mentor for several years now. His passion, energy and single-minded integrity should be something that turns heads no matter what background or beliefs you carry.

For me Pete was a key figure in bringing my Christian upbringing, musical ambitions and bizarre sense of humour together to help build the person I've turned out to be. We first worked together when my first (gruesomely bad) band Erode were asked to join with him to play worship music for a 5-day youth conference. We were 14-16 years old, and he, aged 22, took us under his wing, taught us a lot and became a great friend.

We carried on gigging with him for a few years, before he made the move to London to push his music career further. It was a steep learning curve, and some of the most fun I've ever had. Pete gave us young, rough-around-the-edges lads a chance to step into bigger shoes in faith that we would grow into them. Everything about us was developed and pushed to new levels, from our playing to our praying.

Pete's songs are as electrifying and as genuine as his stage presence, but his off-stage character is no different. That transparency is what makes him a class act, and is what makes his music so good - even when he's snapping strings, singing in some wild, unrestrained manner or making a failed attempt at jumping from the drum kit. And his latest project is as genuine as it gets. It's a bit mellower than the 'Animals in London' era, but it's Pete all the way.

The new album is uncompromisingly focused on Jesus, and on the listener's journey. Pete's certainly not afraid to make that obvious, so neither am I. If Jesus isn't your thing, then it's understandable you not backing Pete's Kickstarter campaign. But whatever your viewpoint, I recommend you to take a look at the video and see a guy who is as real as it gets.

Follow the link at the top to read more and pledge.

Got back from a great time in Norwich yesterday. It was my first proper attempt at busking, and the first in a series of trips where I rock up in a new city, crash at somebody's house and take to the streets by day and the music venues by night.

This grassroots means of marketing is an idea that has formed through numerous conversations around dinner tables and pub tables with family, friends and fellow musicians. At first it just sounded like a ridiculous idea, then the more I thought about it the more excited I got about the prospect. So to have finally done one is a very cool feeling.

I got to Norwich on Tuesday and caught an incredible show from Villagers and We Were Evergreen at the renowned Waterfront venue. Then first thing Wednesday morning I was off to work. I set up shop in a great spot on Gentlemen's Walk and played all morning. Managed not to get too hoarse or tired of my own songs (had to scrape the barrel with a couple of very old tunes and very new works-in-progress) so I grabbed lunch then did it again all afternoon.

That evening I hit The Brickmakers for an open mic night. As open mics go, this was pretty good stuff. Great venue with a big stage, grand piano, stonking sound and the chance to get a good recording and filming of your set. I met some lovely people and caught up with some old friends too. 

Thursday involved more busking, an improv duet with a very good MC who stopped on his way past, and a train ride back to Derbados. I learned a few things from this trip:

1. Busking is hard, and not necessarily profitable as far as money goes (maybe I just need to get better at it) but a great experience all the same

3. The Brickmakers is a nice venue, and I want to take the band there for a proper Yakobo gig some time soon

4. Norwich truly is (as the sign on the way in says) a fine city. I love it and its folk.

Massive thanks to Ben, Abby and Morgan who put me up for two nights, yous is lovely.

We're playing Derby's Bookcafé tonight

https://www.facebook.com/events/1418100768417161/

It's a lovely independent café/bookshop/nic-nac store/live music venue famed for its pizzas.

Busting out a cajon for the occasion, a rare feat for us. And once again we get to share the stage with Martha Bean, who wows us with her carefully crafted and beautifully delivered songs every time we get to share the stage with her. I think this is the 5th time now, lucky us.

https://www.facebook.com/events/175696585968616/

Today also marks a global day of prayer for persecuted Christians. This is a big issue on our minds, and we really think people should have the right to stand up for what they believe. We want to stand with them, tonight we'll be busting out On Your Own Shores and keeping our thoughts and prayers with them.

Yakobo's singer-songwriter James Currey writes:

Before Yakobo I was a wandering hermit, musically speaking. The Plans In My Head EP, which originally came out in 2010, shows some of the early development of my songwriting voice before joining with the host of musical comrades that make up Yakobo. Thank God for the addition of a drummer who can play in time, and that sort of thing.

But I'm still very fond (though at certain points embarrassed) of these songs, and the title track is still staple at most Yakobo gigs. Not to mention the early, rough-around-the-edges live recordings of Faceless Love and Goldmine added to 2011's extended edition, which have now found their home as two of the biggest, rock band-iest tracks in our repertoire.

Hard to believe it's been 3 whole years since the first release of Plans. But time flies, and the EP has faithfully served its time topping up the pockets of Apple, Amazon and Spotify. So from now on it won't be available in those usual places, but will be availabe to stream and download absolutely free at Bandcamp.

Enjoy the nostalgic sounds of an old work in progress.