Today's Tidy Tune is a wee bit different to normal Tidy Tune posts because I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce to you a couple of youngsters from Germany who are currently impressing me and not many of you reading would be aware of them. So apologies if you were hoping to just jump in, play the song and go on your merry way. There's a bit of introductory information to get through and loads of links to live performances, so please take some time to pursue them. - Doug
'By Myself' is the debut single from Meg'n Jez on Drumming Monkey Records and is taken from their up and coming debut album 'Follow It Down'. The album is due for release on 30th May and can be obtained from Amazon (in the UK) or Amazon's German site, iTunes and Drumming Monkey Records.
Click on the links to enjoy the music.
This is their story so far (taken from their Official Website):
Meg'n Jez originally met in January, 2001, at the side of an arctic cold
swimming pool in a hotel complex on the tourist ridden south coast of
Gran Canaria. Their respective parents had decided to get away from the
German winter and got to know each other in the hotel.
Meg
was 4 and Jez had just turned 2, but they already had a lot in common.
They both lived in Germany, Jez in Düsseldorf and Meg close to Mannheim,
but both were growing up bi-lingually as their respective fathers both
came from England. They were daydreamers and very playful. (The kids,
not the fathers!)
......and
12 years later it would become clear that they shared much more. Not
only a love of music, but talent. Musical talent far beyond their years.
The ability to surprise and delight and even bring tears to the eyes of
old-school punk rockers!
Meg’s
parents noticed when she was 9 years old that she had an ear for a
melody. Not only could she sing, but she could already accompany songs
in a different key and sing backing vocals. They contacted a local vocal
coach, who was also a friend of the family. Lorna Dooley took Meg under
her wing and helped develop the sound and confidence we all love today.
Lorna
still plays a major role in Meg’s life and musical development and is
now helping both her and Jez with song arrangements and vocal harmonies.
The
two families kept in touch over the years, meeting in Düsseldorf or
Mannheim, but it wasn’t until the Spring of 2011 when Meg turned up in
Düsseldorf with a recording of a song she had done for a school project.
Until
then, the subject of Meg’s vocal coaching or the fact that Jez had
started to play the guitar, had hardly even been mentioned
On this evening, the foundations were set. Jez picked up his guitar and started to play along.
But,
what had attracted Jez to the guitar? As son of Essex-born drummer Vom
Ritchie, (ex Dr. and the Medics) you could be forgiven for assuming a
genetic affinity to the drums and he did actually try it out. Briefly;
when he was six years old. He obviously had music in his blood, but his
heart beat for another instrument and years later and out of pure
curiosity, he picked up the guitar and never put it down again.
As
fate would have it, a little while later, his parents took him to an
AC/DC concert where he experienced the legendary Angus Young. Jez’
mother remembers how he lost control over his jaw muscles and spent over
2 hours with his mouth opened in amazement.
That
was the beginning – the great inspiration. After this, 8 hours every
day were spent practicing. At the start he taught himself, picked up
riffs and licks from Youtube videos or books and then from other
musicians who helped him out or from whom he simply picked up the style!
In time he learned how to play almost every AC/DC song and thought, "What more do you want in life?".
On
this special evening in Düsseldorf in the Spring of 2011, when he
picked up the guitar and started to play along with Meg’s song,
everything seemed to fall into place. They soon realised that there were
thousands of songs they could try out together.
Songs
were selected. Fortunately they noticed that they had a similar taste
in music – and humour, as time would tell !). They began to rehearse.
Saturday night visits to Düsseldorf developed into a showcase for the 2
young musicians, where they would perform newly practiced songs in the
basement bar to a more than willing audience. Very soon it became clear,
that they were learning incredibly quickly and that they had an almost
intuitive sense of making music together. They weren’t just good – they
were "really" good.
The
distance didn’t stop them. In the last 2 years Meg has been backwards
and forwards to Düsseldorf by train and Jez to Mannheim in order for
them to spend weekends rehearsing.
Then the first public performance! As mini-support for TV Smith and Vom in KuBa in Jülich in December 2011 they played 3 songs.
The
feedback was instant and exciting. Any thoughts of "Oh, how cute", and
smiles of non-expectation as they came on stage were quickly sent
packing, over the border, yelping into the woods of no-mans land!
On
stage the musical talent took on a kind of magic. Jez’ dynamic method
of playing, at the age of 12 was incredible and Meg, at 15, had such a
clear and powerful voice that the audience immediately fell under their
spell. Jülich was the first audience to fall in love with their dynamic
youthfulness and magical clarity.
Time
and rehearsals went by. Meg sometimes travelled alone to Düsseldorf by
train and Jez to Mannheim. As often as possible they would get together
to practice. A colourful mix of old and new songs packaged in an
entirely new way. Their humour and sense of fun would come across and,
of course, their talent.
All
this rehearsing and self-discipline and the speed in which they were
developing resulted in a support gig at the release party for the second Cryssis CD, 'Kursaal Nights', in February 2013.
Meg
and Jez played 6 songs and the applause started in the second bar of
the first song. When they launched into 'Lion and the Lamb' as a nod to
TV Smith for the support slot in Jülich, the magic really unfolded and
it has since become something of a trademark. So much so, in fact that
TV Smith himself asked them to join him on stage in Düsseldorf at an
acoustic festival in March 2013.
That
was a wonderful moment. One that nobody present will forget so quickly.
It was, however, at the Cryssis support gig in February that Campino
and Andi from the longstanding and hugely successful German band Die
Toten Hosen, which Jez' dad Vom joined in 2001, saw the kids perform
for the first time.
'Son
of a Preacherman', and 'Lion and the Lamb', especially, are songs that
remain in memory. The first, a song by Dusty Springfield from a time
that their parents only just remember and the other, a ballad from a
punk icon.
Maybe
it was this mixture and the element of surprise – hearing these 2 songs
from such young kids. Maybe it was simply their love of music and their
incredible talent that presented them with the opportunity in the
summer of 2013, to perform on the biggest stages in Germany, as special
guests for the Toten Hosen.
The
first, major performance as guest appearance was on 10 May, 2013 in Pier 2, Bremen. The excitement was tangible, the performance magical and
the feedback from the audience simply fantastic.
Then
came the jump to the football stadium in Bochum. In two steps from a
small stage with a handfull of fans to an open air spectacle with 27000
people. An opportunity which most people can only dream of.
We
are at the beginning of an exciting journey. Where the future leads,
remains to be seen. We look back at the performances with Die Toten
Hosen in Bremen, Bochum, Hannover, Heilbronn, Kassel, Cologne, Freiburg
and Schweinfurt – more than 250000 people in 8 weeks! – and ask
ourselves where we will find them next.
The Album contains covers* of Die Toten Hosen's 'Call of the Wild', Oasis' 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out', TV Smith's 'The Lion and The Lamb', Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here', Sarah McLachlan's 'Angel' and Dusty Springfield's 'Son of a Preacherman'.
*The links are for live versions of the songs performed by Meg'n Jez and not the studio versions contained on the album.
For more information on Meg'n Jez check out their Official Website (Click Here).
Meg'n Jez Live 25th April 2014
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd Cover)
You and I/Hey Jude (Lady Gaga/Beatles Cover)
Angel (Sarah McLachlan Cover)
Rockaway Beach (The Ramones Cover)
Stop Crying Your Heart Out (Oasis Cover)
Everybody Hurts (R.E.M. Cover)
The Scientist (Coldplay Cover)
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