Road to Music Video - Part 4, 2nd days shoot

Well it's all wrapped up, done and dusted and now we play the waiting game while it's all edited, colour graded, cooked, seasoned and uploaded. The second day of filming the video went better than we'd hoped even though there were around 20 mins, mid morning where the heavens opened up. Needless to say after the sunshine of the previous day's shoot and the thought of continuity in the back of our minds, we shat ourselves. Luckily it didn't last and towards the end of the day the clouds gave way and we even had some more sun come out.

We spent the day solely at Belper River Gardens, starting at 8am again and working through until 6pm, after which the band treated all the crew to a drink or two in the local as way of a thanks for all the time and effort they've put in for free, cheers guys.

There also has to be a huge thank you to all the fans who came down to be in the crowd shot, we really really appreciated it and you all did an amazing job of jumping about like silly buggers over and over again while we got the shots we needed. There will be a special thank you message and an unreleased track winging its way to you all shortly. If anyone didn't put their email address down on the day please email us at band@jameswarner.co.uk and we'll put you on the list (and yes, I can remember who was and wasn't there, so no freebies for the rest of ya!)

We will be previewing the finished video at our gig on Nov 1st at the Vic Inn, Derby (you guys who were in it will get a special link to it before then though). So come down and see how it all turned out. I think it's going to be lovely.

Thanks again
Sam

filming weekend

Its been a really great weekend, thanks so much to James, Kelly, Blue, Scott, Carl and everyone for being awesome!! Thanks to the weather for being good, thanks to everyone who turned up to dance around like crazy people today! I am soooo tired now! Have been getting up really early to get to the filming and it has been worth it. Wasnt sure how Id feel about being filmed and stuff but it was fun and really interesting to see all the filming gear and how they were working with it all. Cant wait to see it all:) kate x

Road to music video - Part 3, first days shoot

I'll keep it short and sweet for this instalment as I'm knackered, as are we all. We spent most of today in Matlock by the riverside in the glorious sunshine filming the first half of our music video. A crew of 5, another 2 assistants (Carl and Scott, I'm sorry, you'll now be referred to as 'the bitches' from here on in) and the 4 of us all working hard and lazing about in the sun from about 8am till 5pm.

 

Joe singing at the top of his lungs to the recording because lip syncing just didn't seem very natural, the rest of us making small kids cry by not letting them use the swings and roundabouts and me realising I didn't need to play the right notes on bass, just look like I'm having fun.

We were all amazed by the sun today, it had been forecasting rain all week and it turned out to be one of the nicest days of the last few months. There must be a catch.

Here's hoping for another good day tomorrow. This video is going to be simply lovely, take it from me.

Sam
XXX

What happens when you tape a camera to Joe's head during band practice?

Well, here for your viewing pleasure is a video depicting just that. Also check out the relatively new song 'Fashionable place of birth'... 2nd single material? What do you think?

Road to music video - part 2

Here are the actors we've got for the music video shoot next weekend, complete with costumes.

David Lankester & Amy Scott

More pictures coming soon plus details of when and where to be, to be in the video.

JWP
XXX

Orange Unsigned Act - Voting open now & hear the new single 'Sing'

We're asking for your votes this year in the Orange Unsigned Acts competition for channel 4. The voting has started and will go on until the 14th September, you can vote once a day, so please do if you get the chance!

This is the ONLY place you can hear the new single 'Sing' so if you want to check it out then please leave us a vote in the process... We owed it to ourselves and to all you guys to try and reach a little higher and give it a go, so lets try and put us and the Derby music scene on the map. Plus lets face it, it would be really funny to see us on TV.

All it takes is for you to sign up here (takes 34 seconds, I timed it)
http://orangeunsignedact.co.uk/users/new

Then go here and vote for us once a day for the duration of the competition.
http://orangeunsignedact.co.uk/acts/the-james-warner-prophecies-2

 

The Unsigned site isn't the best one ever made but stick with it and try to cast your votes, we'd really genuinely appreciate all your help with this. Thanks guys
Sam, Joe, Kate & Dan

The weekend that nearly killed us

It's been a while since I had such a packed weekend and a while since I was so desperate for sleep afterwards.

On the Friday we hired out a hall in Murry Park School for a practice with ourselves and the members of Sinfonia Viva, who we've been collaborating with since we performed 'Paper Aeroplanes' with them at the Assembly Rooms earlier this year. The session on Friday was 8 hours long in which time we practiced the old material and also wrote and arranged a whole new piece. From scratch. It's about 9 mins long and entitled 'Air Bourn'... we think... for the time being anyway. We even managed to incorporate a really old bit of James Warner music we never got round to using in a proper song into it. Recycling is good kids.

Saturday was an even longer day starting at 11am with Kate picking me up and driving to Off the Tracks festival down in Castle Donnington where we'd been drafted in to fill a slot left by a band pulling out, well two slots actually, and who do they call when they're in a tight fix? Good old trusty James Warner and his Prophecies. So with no thought for our own safety we stepped up and played two sets for them, one at around 2pm on the main stage and an acoustic gig at around 6pm, both of which seemed to go down pretty well. Sold a fair few albums, made a few new fans, some contacts, all in all a success, if a little tiring.

We made the most of the break in between sets by creating works of art.

Kate was so in awe of Joe's creations she asked for an autograph, which he graciously gave.

As soon as we were done at Off the Tracks it was off again to play our third gig of the day at the Bell and Crown in Snaith as the headline band at Snaithfest 2008. For the drive up we enlisted the help of our old friend Scott and his magical driving powers (legend has it he vowed only to use his powers for good many years ago).

upon arriving at the Bell and Crown we were met by masses of people packing the place out, so much so that it was difficult to even get the equipment into the place. But goddamn it, we're professionals and barged our way in very... professionally. We then played probably the most sweat filled gig but entirely enjoyable set we've played in a long time. We topped off the set by playing Hazel as a special request, but an awful rock tit version of it. Fun to play, but not for human ears as such.

Joe was actually wringing his T-shirt out by the time we'd finished.

Home at 2am that night listening to a spot of Iron Maiden on the drive back. Did you know they do guitar solos from time to time? No, neither did I, was pretty surprised.

Up again on Sunday to be at Darley Park at 11:30am to set up for our performance with Viva. Man it was wet, the rain started at about 12:30 and didn't let up until we'd left. Kudos to the people who came down in their droves and braved the miserable weather, I especially like the "fuck you British weather" attitude of this couple...


Here's some more pics from the day.



Kate was impressed he was given a stand, forced me to take picture. She scares me.


Deirdre and Tim from Viva


Marianne from Viva braving the rain.

The performance went really well, we opened the concert with two pieces of music that seemed to go down really well. I think it may have been the largest sound system we've played through yet, it was certainly big enough to carry across the whole park which made me a little nervous as I had two or three sections where I take the lead with bass. I think I started to over think it all but I think I got away with it and didn't mess up to any degree where people would point and laugh at me. Had some great feedback from the people in charge so maybe there's a chance of being invited back next year, wild speculation of course, but would be cool.

I'm ashamed to say that we didn't stop till the end of the night as the rain and lack of sleep was just too much for us, we needed to get home and rest up, we'd played 4 gigs in two days and driven over 200 miles, so until the next time we do something daft it's good bye from a tired but happy James Warner.

Sam
XXX

P.S
Yes we did cancel band practice the next day. Sleep was a more appealing option.