Music made for the people by the people
By Ginger | August 1, 2011
I love music being independent. Always have.
The D.I.Y approach has appealed to me since I watched the original punks gatecrash the charts and infuriate the press. But the thing was, they couldn’t be stopped because the people were behind their militant stance and the mainstream could only stubbornly hope that they’d just go away. But we never went away. Revolution was born.
I remember thinking how cool it was to hear Jimmy Saville, on Radio One, refer to ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ as, simply, ‘Nevermind’. And when “God Save The Queen” stormed the charts at number one? Well, there just wasn’t a number one that week, the slot was left blank.
But we all knew. To the believers this was victory.
What I want to do is keep that spirit thriving. Music made for the people by the people.
This triple album will be exclusive to the people who pledge to get it made. The general public will have to make do with a single album of around 12 songs, which you Pledgers will choose for me – thanks! – while the 30 song extravaganza will only ever be property of the hardcore. The people who believe.
We will also bring you devoted pledgers studio video reports following every step of the recording process, allowing you into our inner sanctum, bringing you closer than ever before. Hey, you’re paying for this, it’s only appropriate that you get to see how your cash is being used.
And just to clarify, this is a completely different project to Ginger Wildheart Mutation ‘The Frankenstein Effect’.
Very different indeed.
Of the money you pledge we will donate 10% to Save The Children.
The catch? There is no catch. If this works we will continue to bring you great offers like this. Albums, holidays, exclusive performances and so much more. Believe me this is just the beginning.
I pray that your generosity and love of music makes this project possible.
Come on. I know we can do this.
Now, please just prove me right.
Gx
(Ed: See this post for full details on how to help with this fantastic project.)
PledgeMusic campaign for Ginger’s next project!
By Kris | August 1, 2011
Today we launch a PledgeMusic campaign that will aim to release Ginger’s next record – a triple album no less! That’s 30 brand-spanking new tracks up for grabs!
The way it will work is you help to fund the recording and production of the album up front, making you the fan a part of the “record company”, and taking the control away from the big labels to keep this a truly independent release. Once the target has been reached, pledged money will be drawn from your account, the album will be recorded and then released to you as soon as it’s finished.
If the target isn’t reached in time, then the project doesn’t happen at all, and no money will be taken from anyone… but we don’t want that now do we?
You can hear what Ginger has to say about the project here:
There are 4 options in which you can show your support:
Option 1: Digital album – £10
You will get all 30 songs digitally delivered to your inbox for just £10, as well as access to exclusive online content during the making of the album!! That’s just 30 pence a song. Bargain.
Option 2: Deluxe 3 CD Set – £20
Only available to those that pre order this triple album, this 3 CD set will contain all 30 songs recorded for this project and will never be available to buy in shops. It will be strictly made to order. You’ll also receive all 30 songs digitally & access to all the exclusive online content.
Option 3: Signed CD Set – £25
As option 2 above, but all signed by Ginger himself.
Option 4: The Ultimate Contribution! Special Thanks CD & Ltd Edition Vinyl Set – £100
You’ll be personally thanked in the liner notes of the CD booklet and receive a limited edition Deluxe Triple Album Vinyl Set, as well as a signed triple CD and the digital download of all 30 tracks. This is strictly limited to 300 copied worldwide, and is something a bit special indeed!
Please give what you can to ensure this project is a success. As an added incentive, if we get there then 10% of the pledge fund will donated to Save The Children, so it’s not just us fans that will benefit!
You can find the PledgeMusic page here, where you can offer your contribution to this unique project.
Test pingback to external site
By Kris | January 11, 2011
Test pingback to Kris site – let’s see what happens
CJ’s Special Rice
By Kris | October 25, 2009
This rice dish is so easy to cook and I really love it with a rare steak, but it can accompany anything from meat to fish, it’s great on its own or with some pita bread and it can be eaten hot or cold. A truly versatile dish that even a muppet could cook. Enjoy… CJ
CJ’s Special Rice – serves 4/6
Ingredients
- 250g Long Grain Rice
- 250g Brown Mushrooms( Any mushroom will do but none of the magic variety)
- 250g Pomodorino Tomatoes
- ½ cup of petit pois
- 1 Medium red onion
- 1 small tin sweetcorn
- 3 Cloves garlic
- 2 Vegetable stock cube
- 1 Level tablespoon Schwartz Classic Barbecue Mixed Spice
- Garlic Salt (optional) to taste
- 1 small knob butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- A good pinch of sea salt and black cracked pepper
- Sunglasses optional!
Cooking instructions
- Finely chop the onion, garlic and mushrooms
- Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and heat gently. Add the garlic and onion and fry for a couple of minutes – stir occasionally and make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Add a small knob of butter, mushrooms, salt & pepper and add a pinch of garlic salt (optional but really tasty – be careful as G salt is very potent and not for the faint of heart). Also add a dash of soy sauce and cook all ingredients until soft and brown and remember to stir occasionally. Put the mixture aside for later.
- Before cooking the rice it’s important to wash it to get all of the starch out. Put the rice in a sieve and into a bowl of water and wash until the water is clear – you need to do this approximately three times.
- At this point prepare your water for cooking the rice. There are many ways to cook rice and I use the boil and drain method, to be honest it’s the best method for this dish. I prefer to use Basmati rice, hey I am Indian. Before adding the rice to the water you must add the veg stock cubes and salt and pepper. Once the stock has dissolved taste the water – you want your rice to absorb the flavor of the stock so if the water tastes good then your rice will have a nice flavor to it. Add the rice to the aromatic water, bring back to the boil and simmer for approximately 8-10 minutes. When cooking the rice you need to keep tasting it in the final minutes as it’s so easy to overcook. This rice dish only work if the rice isn’t overcooked and soggy. When the rice is ready, drain and put aside until you need it again – there’s no need to rinse the cooked rice and you have already done this before cooking. If you want more details about how to cook the perfect rice, follow this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl1PfTy3C0E
- Add the cooked onions, mushrooms and garlic and rice to a large bowl. Dice the tomatoes and add them with the sweet corn, petit pois and the Schwartz Classic BBQ spice and mix well.
- You want your dish to have a nice flavor so feel free to add more spice (Salt, pepper, BBQ spice etc) if needed… and that’s it. You can serve it immediately at room temperature. I sometimes heat up the leftovers the next day, which is also delicious as by heating it again you release all those flavours again.
Ginger Birthday Show
By Ginger | October 18, 2009
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As the final tickets sit waiting for a good home I just want to share my excitement with you regarding this show.
Oh man.
The set will feature many rarely played tracks by The Wildhearts, SilverGinger 5, Clam Abuse, SuperShit 666 and the solo albums, some of which have never been played live before, and never will be again.
Then there is the band.
Oh man!
Consisting of a million special guests, friends and colleagues (okay, maybe not as many as a million but more than, say, twenty) each performing different songs all evening.
The vast array of familiar faces as well as the guaranteed bonhomie that will undoubtedly take place make this event one that is absolutely not to be missed.
Yeah, I know it’s my birthday but on this evening it will be everyones birthday, as well as an early Christmas.
I’ve never tackled anything so ridiculously involved in my life of playing live shows, but with the aid of Rich Jones and Chris McCormack (both kindly helping in the logistics and arrangement of such a ludicrous challenge) I presume that this night will be one that we’ll all be talking about for the rest of our lives.
I absolutely cannot wait to share this evening with you.
See you there, you lovely, lovely people.
Gx
CJ’s Portobello Mushroom Pizza
By Kris | August 24, 2009
First off, I make this pizza all the time at home and I refine the sauce recipe every time I make it. For me a good pizza must have a great sauce because, let’s face it, you can get great toppings and cheese just about anywhere. I use Jamie Oliver’s pizza dough recipe as it’s very good and makes plenty of dough which you can freeze. Here’s the link: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pizza-recipes/pizza-dough.
I must stress that you should add semolina flour and try and find a good Italian 00 Tipo flour, although strong white bread flour will do and you can use normal caster sugar, it does not have to be golden. Make sure you follow Jamie’s recipe to the T and you will have perfect pizza dough.
Right the sauce… OK, some of you out there will know I’m not Italian and I do not follow recipes when it comes to making most of my dishes. My sauce recipe has been worked on for a long time now and I will show you how to make a basic sauce – but I add different ingredients all the time. Try adding different spices and tweak it until it tastes right for you. I love chilli on everything so I add this to the sauce to make it extra spicy… experiment; you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with.
CJ’s Basic Pizza Sauce (enough sauce for two medium/large pizzas)
1 Tin chopped tomatoes – 400g
3 Cloves garlic
1 Medium red onion
1 Vegetable stock cube
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
A good pinch of sea salt
Garlic salt to taste (be careful, it’s very strong)
1/2 teaspoon black cracked pepper
A dash of balsamic vinegar
Cooking instructions
1. Roughly chop the onion and garlic, and blend in a food processor to a paste.
2. Put 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and heat gently. Add the garlic and onion paste and fry gently for a couple of minutes – stir occasionally and make sure it doesn’t burn. Make sure the garlic and onion paste is almost cooked before adding other ingredients.
3. Add a large knob of butter and the vegetable stock cube to the pan and stir well.
4. Blitz half the can of tomatoes in a food processor and add this, plus the rest of the can, to the pan and heat gently (save the empty can for the next steps).
5. Add the bay leaves, pepper, salt, garlic salt and Italian herb seasoning to the pan.
6. Using the empty tomato can – fill with water, and add to the pan. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar at this point too. **you may also want to add red chilli or BBQ spice**
7. Taste the sauce, but remember you will need to simmer it for 10 to 15 minutes – until the sauce is of a thick consistency and the flavours are intensified. Add extra seasoning if required.
8. Remember the sauce must be of a thick consistency and must have a strong flavor, you want your pizza to taste good, and as I said before it’s all about the sauce.
9. Remove bay leaves and leave sauce to cool to room temperature.
OK… So you have your dough and you have your sauce …now the fun bit.
Pizza Toppings (for one medium/large pizza)
2 Portobello mushrooms
One ball of mozzarella – approx 125grams
Mature cheddar – as much as you want, but don’t overdo it!
Parmesan
Italian herbs or oregano
Cracked Black pepper, or chilli flakes
Right, there are many ways to cook pizza and I’m cooking mine in a normal home oven. Pizza joints have ovens that heat up to a much higher temperature than your standard domestic oven but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook great pizza at home. I cook my pizza on a rectangle oven chip tray with holes. You can get these at any supermarket for around a fiver. You must cook the pizza on this type of tray with holes or you’ll end up with raw dough in the middle of your pizza. You could use a pizza stone but they are expensive I always end up with perfect pizza using my chip tray.
Turn your oven on full and heat up your tray (or trays if you are cooking more than one pizza) on the top shelf of your oven. I heat my oven for about 30 minutes – do not be alarmed if you tray buckles a bit, remember you have to get maximum heat from your oven.
I don’t make my pizzas round; I flatten out my dough by hand and then finish off with a rolling pin. Make sure you dust whatever surface you are rolling your dough on with plenty of semolina flour. Every pizza I make has a different shape and they look very rustic, which I think adds to the flavor as the first bite is always with the eye. You do not want to have the base too thick, so keep it thin and even, and make sure that it will fit in your tray. Coat the pizza dough with semolina flour to add a little crunch.
Once the oven is hot enough take out your pre-heated tray and be careful not to burn yourself. Put the rolled out dough onto the hot tray. Spread on a thick coating of pizza sauce, don’t be shy here, lots of sauce means lots of flavor, and work quickly as you do not want the tray to get too cool. Break up the mozzarella and place on top of the sauce making sure it’s an even covering. Then add sliced portobella mushrooms, be generous and then grate mature cheddar over the whole pizza and finish off with a good sprinkling of Italian spice or oregano, and cracked black pepper.
Place pizza on to the top shelf of the oven and cook for about 10 minutes. If you are cooking more than one pizza swap them around after 5 minutes. The pizza should not need longer than 10 minutes. The cheese should be melted and have some colour – be careful not to burn the cheese. Gently slide the pizza onto a chopping board. Grate a little or a lot of parmesan and add black cracked pepper or chilli flakes to taste. And that’s it! Enjoy either on your own or with friends and family.
Please let me know how your pizza comes out… All the best and good luck, CJ.
Chutzpah! reviews and interviews round-up
By Kris | August 23, 2009
With the release of new album Chutzpah! just over a week away now, more reviews are rolling in. Kerrang! magazine have awarded the album 5K’s concluding that ‘After all these years, The Wildhearts are still making music with wings, music that you can’t help but be swept up and away with.’ Click on the review to the right to see the full review.
Classic Rock rated the album 8/10 concluding “Never a dull day in Wildhearts Land, so job well and truly done here. And as the title implies, here’s a band with balls.
In the rest of the round-up, there is:
- an interview with Ginger following the RaboRock festival in Estonia with Free! magazine
- review in All Access Magazine
- review in Subba-Cultcha
The Wildhearts announce details of new album Chutzpah! and UK tour
By Rich | August 2, 2009
chutzpah album cover
The Wildhearts will return with their 9th studio album, Chutzpah!, on 31st August and head out on a full UK tour in September and October.
Recorded in Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, The Bronx, The Storm) the band are adamant that the new album will be no ordinary Wildhearts record and is described by lead singer Ginger as “unlike any that we’ve made so far”. Bassist Scott Sorry added “This album is not only my favourite Wildhearts record, but it’s one of my favourite records to have ever been a part of”.
The track listing will run as follows:
1. The Jackson Whites ?2. Plastic Jebus
3. The Only One ?4. John Of Violence ?5. You Are Proof That Not All Women Are Insane ?6. Tim Smith ?7. Low Energy Vortex ?8. You Took The Sunshine From New York ?9. Mazel Tov Cocktail ?10. Chutzpah
The band has also been busy booking a UK headline tour which will include an appearance at Sonisphere festival on August 1st as well as a headline show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
17/09/09: Concorde 2, Brighton ?18/09/09: O2 Academy, Bristol ?19/09/09: Rock City , Nottingham ?20/09/09: Waterfront, Norwich ?21/09/09: Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth ?22/09/09: Phoenix, Exeter ?24/09/09: O2 Academy 2, Birmingham ?25/09/09: The Sugarmill, Stoke-On-Trent ?26/09/09: Cockpit, Leeds ?27/09/09: Garage, Glasgow?28/09/09: O2 Academy, Newcastle?30/09/09: Club Academy, Manchester?01/10/09: Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Lead singer Ginger said;
“It’s always great to play to Wildhearts crowds, they really are the best crowd in the world. We are a very lucky band in that respect, and we never take it for granted. This time we’ll be promoting the new album which has Scott and CJ singing lead vocals too, so I’ll be in heaven being able to take a break from f***ing singing all the time. I can’t wait to see people’s reaction to the new material”. ? ?The Wildhearts’ album ‘Chutzpah!’ is released on 31st August on Backstage Alliance and is distributed through Cargo.
The Wildhearts announce details of new album ‘Chutzpah!’ plus UK September/ October Tour
By Rich | August 2, 2009
chutzpah album cover
The Wildhearts will return with their 9th studio album, Chutzpah!, on 31st August and head out on a full UK tour in September and October.
Recorded in Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, The Bronx, The Storm) the band are adamant that the new album will be no ordinary Wildhearts record and is described by lead singer Ginger as “unlike any that we’ve made so far”. Bassist Scott Sorry added “This album is not only my favourite Wildhearts record, but it’s one of my favourite records to have ever been a part of”.
The track listing will run as follows:
1. The Jackson Whites ?2. Plastic Jebus
3. The Only One ?4. John Of Violence ?5. You Are Proof That Not All Women Are Insane ?6. Tim Smith ?7. Low Energy Vortex ?8. You Took The Sunshine From New York ?9. Mazel Tov Cocktail ?10. Chutzpah
The band has also been busy booking a UK headline tour which will include an appearance at Sonisphere festival on August 1st as well as a headline show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
17/09/09: Concorde 2, Brighton ?18/09/09: O2 Academy, Bristol ?19/09/09: Rock City , Nottingham ?20/09/09: Waterfront, Norwich ?21/09/09: Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth ?22/09/09: Phoenix, Exeter ?24/09/09: O2 Academy 2, Birmingham ?25/09/09: The Sugarmill, Stoke-On-Trent ?26/09/09: Cockpit, Leeds ?27/09/09: Garage, Glasgow?28/09/09: O2 Academy, Newcastle?30/09/09: Club Academy, Manchester?01/10/09: Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Lead singer Ginger said;
“It’s always great to play to Wildhearts crowds, they really are the best crowd in the world. We are a very lucky band in that respect, and we never take it for granted. This time we’ll be promoting the new album which has Scott and CJ singing lead vocals too, so I’ll be in heaven being able to take a break from f***ing singing all the time. I can’t wait to see people’s reaction to the new material”. ? ?The Wildhearts’ album ‘Chutzpah!’ is released on 31st August on Backstage Alliance and is distributed through Cargo.
The Wildhearts get set to release new single ‘The Only One’ on August 3rd – Exclusive to iTunes
By Rich | August 2, 2009
The Wildhearts are following up their triumphant UK return at last weekend’s Sonisphere festival by releasing The Only One as the first single from their new album ‘Chutzpah!’.
Released via Backstage Alliance and exclusively on iTunes, it serves as one of the album’s most rabble-rousing, but also most poppy, moments. Taken from an album that the band describes as ‘unlike any we’ve made before’, lead singer Ginger said;
“I’m really excited about this song. It was written, and is sung by Scott who does an amazing job. I love the fact that the band is getting so confident in handling lead vocal roles, this is something that will make future recordings so much more interesting. This is one of my favourite songs on the new album. I never get tired of listening to it. And the lyrics are classic.”