Statement on TAP 1973 shows and COVID-19

Hello everyone, Simon here. I trust you’re all keeping well under the difficult circumstances.

I hope you’ve all had chance to digest the statement released earlier by The Playhouse Theatre. In light of recent developments and government announcements on the spread of the COVID-19 virus we have unfortunately had to make the decision, supported by the theatre, to postpone our 1973 shows. I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to you and to explain the decision making process that we went through to get here.

We have been following all developments and pronouncements in regard to the medical situation for the last couple of weeks and we were well aware that the situation could indeed come to this. We have been liaising closely with the Playhouse management, factoring in audience, staff, and performer welfare. We have been waiting for direction from central government based on their scientific and medical advice as to whether large gatherings would be banned, or in fact concerts, play performances and the like. Today’s statement by the PM did nothing to clarify the situation and he instead rather threw the entertainment industries under the bus by leaving it up to each venue to make the decision, and to lay the onus on attendance on the individual. I suspect there may be a financial motive behind all of this, but I’m rather a hardened cynic. Suffice to say that my understanding is that the industry is now in an uproar. As well it should be. Many livelihoods are now in jeopardy across the sector.

On behalf of myself, Pete B, Tom, Pete T, Darren and Grace can I extend our heartfelt thanks for your support through this tricky time and to apologise that we’ve had to postpone these shows for a second time. I’ve already been in receipt of a number of messages supporting us this evening. It means a huge amount to us all that we have your understanding. This really is a set of circumstances way outside of our control.

The good news is that we have agreed alternative dates to perform this show in the Autumn. Further details will be announced soon once some technical aspects have been sorted with the ticketing. The theatre will soon be in communication to explain how tickets will be transferred if so desired. I do sincerely hope that you’ll stick with us on this one, we’ve put in an incredible amount of work on it and although it has seemed cursed we were very much looking forward to performing it at the weekend. There are some cracking songs in the set list, the guys we have in this line up are all extraordinary musicians and we were even taking to the stage with a brass section for the first time. To have to delay bringing that to you is an enormous disappointment.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate in commenting or sending us a message. I will of course reply as soon as I can.

Stay well everyone, look after yourselves and your loved ones, we’ll soon be on the other side of this. Sending love, best wishes and positive vibes through the ether to you all.

Simon

Hello and welcome to this, my first ever blog post on our website! To be absolutely honest here, in trying to set up my login to the backend of the web page a few months ago, I made an absolute Horlicks of it and it ended up in a total bugger’s muddle. And in effect, I gave up on the whole sorry affair. But our resident photographer par excellence and web guru Mr Richard Olpin has once more exercised his remarkable powers in patience and taught me how to do it properly. Again.

I thought I’d take this opportunity just to address a couple of issues that have surfaced over our Winter break. I really needed some time away from the band coal face, for many reasons – some band related and others personal. But now, as many of you may have realised, there has been something of a personnel change within the ranks of TAP. I really don’t want to go into the details as I feel it’s unnecessary and disrespectful to all concerned, no matter whose feelings are hurt or whatever resentment is felt. In the history of just about every band there has ever been, members come and go. It’s just the way of things. It happens. Think of your favourite band. Remember that member that left? Or was fired? Or went out for a packet of fags and joined a cult? Well, TAP is no different and we say goodbye and thanks to JK. We’ve taken this time out to plan ahead and decide where we want to take the band. And it definitely is “we” – just because I originated the concept of the band, there are no arbitrary decisions. I have canvassed the views of members past and present on our situation and future plans. Everyone has had a say and that is a good thing. We know the road we now want to take and we feel it’s going to be an interesting and exciting journey. There will be some familiar faces along the way, some new ones, and a big hairy fella sat at the back trying desperately to keep the time.

An announcement will be made very soon about our September show. Thanks to everyone for your continued support, it means a great deal.

Onwards!

Simon

Hi everyone!

The dust has settled on our Beatles shows in Cheltenham followed by the Floyd show the following week in Witney and it’s now time to let you know what is happening going forwards.

I came up with the idea for this band around 13 or so years ago. I could never remember the how or the why, but it had a long gestation. I subsequently discovered that it originated from a drunken conversation at a party with an old friend named Dave Sturdy. Ask me about it over a beer in the bar after a gig, it’s a fun story. His band, The Long Players, are based in Malmesbury and do their occasional one-off album tributes in a very different way to us. It’s a community of players, sometimes up to 40, all getting involved to raise money for various local causes. For them, it’s about the participation for musicians and audience alike. I’m happy to admit I unknowingly plagiarised the concept if not the methodology!

But now, after 7 different projects in over 3 years, many gigs in various venues utilising 4 different PA companies, and most importantly benefiting from the expertise of 29 different musicians, it’s time for us to take a little bit of a break. These shows really take some organising and are incredibly time consuming. The commitment required from all those involved on stage is huge, and not just in the time spent at home learning the material. There is the rehearsal requirement which needs to fit in around everyone’s work responsibilities and other musical projects, the evenings and weekends spent away from home, the time spent travelling to and from our rehearsal venue deep in the Cotswold countryside. We do of course pay everyone for their performances but we are, unfortunately, not in the position to pay them to rehearse, or even to reimburse travel expenses. Looking ahead, I hope one day we may be in a position to remedy this. Everyone that has played in this band has gone above and beyond in their enthusiasm and commitment to what we do. I cannot praise them too highly or thank them enough. They are all wonderful people and I am forever indebted to them for their total professionalism and good humour. And that’s not even mentioning the friends of the band that have been with us along the way. They have also played a massive part in getting us to this point and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to them as well.

This is NOT the end of The Album Project – far from it! Once batteries have been recharged we WILL be back. I have bookings already offered to us and pencilled in for the second half of 2019 and ideas are being considered for future shows. I’m already fairly decided on what the next one will be based on audience feedback. But these projects need to be more appealing to the musicians involved and therefore need a life outside of the venues we currently play. This means that in the coming downtime, some more planning and thinking about rejigging what we do and how we do it is in order. There are currently ideas for a couple of slightly different shows to go alongside our current format. I will of course announce these as and when we are ready to go.  We just need a bit of a rest and a breather.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support over the last 3 years. It has been a privilege to play for you. I can’t wait to play for you again.

Thank you.

Simon