After the thrill of this morning’s exclusive interview with a Grammy award-winning video producer, I can’t but help myself and re-post a video on which my dulcet tones can be heard.
As I said, back on 2 March (just before COVID imposed its grip on all of us), this blogging thing has led to so many amazing things or events in my life, and just when I think it really can’t get any better, something else comes along and tops it.
There have been many occasions, and I’m going back decades to well before all this started, that I wished I could somehow end up in a recording studio doing something like contributing handclaps in the background, just so that I could say I had been part of something truly creative. I’m now almost 57 years old and I really thought that dream would never come true.
Until that day when The Affectionate Punch got in touch and asked if I would consider doing a spoken vocal version of a new song that the collective had just written. It was an immediate ‘yes’ from me but on the proviso that if my effort wasn’t good enough to the ears of the professionals, then I wouldn’t be offended if it ended up not being used.
Here is TAP to offer more in the way of background:-
The idea of a Scars e.p. came about following 2 individual comments that suggested the possibility of differing vocal interpretations of The Affectionate Punch songs. This was mulled over with interest resulting in a resounding yes.
The e.p. consists of 6 vocal interpretations of Scars in addition to 1 instrumental track. Each track has its own cover art.
Scars I has Holocaust Nancy on vocals
Scars II features the talents of Paul McKeever and Amanda Sanderson
Scars III is spoken by The Vinyl Villain with The Additions on vocals
Scars IV has Amanda Sanderson on vocals
Scars V is the instrumental version by The Affectionate Punch
Scars VI is the spoken word version by The Vinyl Villain
Scars VII is a remix by The Pocket Calculator Club
mp3: The Affectionate Punch – Scars III (featuring The Vinyl Villain with The Additions)
It’s a huge understatement to say that I’m incredibly thrilled by all of this. It’s very much a one-off on my part and I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity.
TAP has been quite busy in recent times, and has made a couple more downloads freely available:-
Golly Gee Whizz – a 4-track EP of DIY recordings made between April and September 2020. Click Here
Please Don’t Make Me Kill You/Honeysuckle Kiss – a digital double-sided single. Both songs were recorded on a laptop some 10 years ago and given a limited release with another project. These versions were remastered in December 2020 when TAP stumbled upon the files. Click here
You can’t say fairer than having six free songs as a wee Christmas gift, can you?
(But it would be especially nice, if you haven’t done so previously, to make a few purchases of the other excellent TAP material, including the Scars EP, to be found on bandcamp).
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Thoroughly enjoyed both the EP and the single. Well done TAP,
once again.
TAP wisely chose you voice over Mike Mills.
My hat (‘tis an imaginary hat) is doffed in the direction of JC. The repost caught me by surprise and is hugely appreciated.
P.S. Mike Mills will appear on the new TAP single as lead vocalist. Correction: That’s a bare faced lie (but … you knew that, of course).
TAP
Please Don’t Make Me Kill You/Honeysuckle Kiss is the best single to leave 2020 with! I downloaded it last night and I can’t stop listening to it! Both tracks are so accomplished and yet seem to come from very humble beginnings per TAP’s own explanation. Can’t wait to see what he will do in 2021.
Misery Kid, from the Golly Gee Whizz EP made it to #12 on my Top 50 of 2020. It feels like a lost track found on a master reel in a box marked Creation Records stuff.
Thanks for sharing this, JC. Your contribution to the Scars track was great – if only my voice had such gravitas! – but also for signposting me to TAPs Bandcamp page. I’ve not enjoyed the highlighted EPs, but I’m also looking forward to listening to (& purchasing) more.