clingmusic

04/09/11

2011-09-04T14:44:00.002+01:00

Only one word for Scotland- amazing- I just loved everything about it and there was such powerful energy there, must be all those mountains. It feels like we've been away for ages, so it must have been good.
Every day we just walked and walked, through forests and heather-covered moors, up hills and mountains, besides mountain streams and lochs. I filled up my water bottle from one of those streams, it was the cleanest water I have ever tasted, cold as well. I ate raspberries from the sides of pathways whilst gazing at swathes of wild flowers and saw toadstools the size of a hand. Even saw some red squirrels and the backsides of a herd of deer.
Despite suffering from a phobia of heights, I managed to walk over a huge dam wall, cross a river on a very wobbly suspension bridge (terrifying!), and climb up a very steep mountain, Ben Vrackie, it was so high, I couldn't bear to look down till I had reached the top safely. I was brave and managed not to cry, not even once!
We discovered a tea shop where they blended all the teas themselves and served the most deliciously huge slices of cake, and there was nothing better than to come back knackered after walking and stop off there. Then when we got back to the hotel we would go and have a sauna and jacuzzi, for our aching muscles.
Lovely things to buy, tweeds, tartans, beautiful jewellery.
Would I go again? Deffo !!

Cling News

2010-06-30T11:52:00.000+01:00

Hey everyone, it's been ages, I know, but we really have been going all out to promote our new video. It was a tough time, Gerald was up all hours of the night, every night, I told him to slow down , but he didn't listen and now he has come up with an abscess in his mouth, the size of a golf ball! I don't know how he walks around in so much agony, I wouldn't have even let it go that far!!
Beyond Your dreams has had a fantastic response , we have had a few dozen TV stations in the USA request it for broadcast, I'm sure you all know that we submitted it to a few in the UK as well, including MTV, but we are still waiting to hear back from them. It seem that people are a lot more open to electronic music in the States, it seems to be bigger over there. We also got on a lot of Internet TV stations , including Moon1 TV in France. So generally, we are pleased with the result that we had, a lot more people are aware of Cling and it has upped our profile loads and of course given us more credibility as a band. lets face it, if we had a lot of ££££££'s to hire a good PR firm, I'm sure you would see it in more prominent places,money talks.
All is well in the Cling household, Princess Cocolina is a s spoilt as ever, after over a year she has decided that she likes her smart basket after all and she curls up in there every night now, She is so plump that she takes up the whole basket!
My sister's house in Chicago caught fire and burnt down. It was a faulty humidifier. Fortunately no-one was living in the house at the time, but still, it must be a terrible thing to have to sort out. I was very shocked when it happened and now I feel quite paranoid about fires.
We finally had our conifers trimmed. Typical English workmen, all they did was complain about what a hard job it was and how much they'd under quoted us, what a cheek, they got really good money for half a day's work, they were so lazy anyway, kept stopping to rest every 10 mins! Anyway the result is that we have a lot more sunshine in the garden so it was worth putting up with all their moaning!

Cling News

2010-06-08T09:46:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, it's now been a week since we put the video for Beyond your Dreams online and the response has been phenomenal, the best ever, everyone seems to like it, I don't think we've had many critical comments at all, which is amazing really as you always get a few that really slate you off. So basically we are over the moon that it all turned out so well.
A big thanks to Matt and all the crew at LondonMusicVideo.com. not only are they a great bunch of people, but they truly deliver the results that they promise, a rare commodity. Thanks guys, love you .....
So now we have something good, you can imagine we are going all out to promote it, Gerald will work himself to the bone and become even thinner and I don't know what will happen to me!
If by any chance you haven't seen our new video, check it out and see for yourself! Beyond your Dreams Video
Ciao for now, Beautiful people!!!

Sunday

2010-05-24T21:47:00.000+01:00

The last couple of days have been amazing, so beautifully hot and sunny, it seems as if everything was waiting for the sun as all the flowers in the garden have suddenly blossomed. Even my yoga room/study was warm yesterday, normally it is the most freezing room in the house. I ended up getting sunburnt in patches l, as obviously it has been a very long time since my skin has seen the sun and I was absolutely lily white! If the weather is like this when we go to Cornwall we are going to have the best time ever!
Anyway, we took my Mum out for afternoon tea at this old rambling church in the countryside near where we live . They have resorted to serving tea on a Sunday to try and raise money to do repairs on the church. It was lovely actually, we sat outside under a tree next to the gravestones, with a magnificent view of the hills and fields, and it was so peaceful and quiet. Quite a few people started to show up after that, Gerald and I were the youngest by far, some of the old dears looked on their last legs, but they were very sweet and typically English, one nice old lady even commented that my dress was very pretty. Oh yes and I made some off the cuff remark that they should mow the lawns and I was quickly put in my place and told that the church gardens were a wild flower sanctuary, hence the uncultivated look.
Gerald and I secretly returned there tonight on our way out to dinner, we sat in contemplation as the sun was fading from the sky, there was a lovely energy all around us, don't know if I'd ever go there in the dead of night under a full moon though!

Cling News

2010-05-16T10:53:00.000+01:00

It's been a tough week to get through, apart from having this nasty cold, which I'm sure you're all sick of hearing about !! On Monday I got a rancid email to say that I had flunked one of my exams, this put me on a downer as I have had distinctions in most of the other subjects, so it kind of demotivated me. In fact I avoided going to study at all this week, Gerald said I was too ill to go anyway, but it's going to be hard, mentally, to go back tomorrow and sort everything out. I will have to sit the damn exam again as well.
The next thing was the video, after waiting for so long we finally saw a version. Unfortunately we weren't quite happy with it so more work has to be done, which means waiting even longer now. Honestly, I get quite despondent at times, I think, "what is the point of it all?" I can understand why so many give up. If it wasn't for the fact that I believe in our music and know that it deserves to be heard, I would probably have reached the final straw by now. Something good must be around the corner ...
I'm finally getting better and so looking forward to singing and running and yoga again !!

Don't grumble, be happy!!

2010-05-11T19:21:00.000+01:00

Having one of those weeks where everything goes pear shaped,still, mustn't grumble, there is always someone worse off than you are! Yesterday I just collapsed on the sofa in the afternoon and didn't really stop coughing until the early hours of this morning, it was terrible, I was even too scared to fall asleep in case I choked! Gerald is keeping his distance from me, can't say I blame him, it's not a pleasant thing!
Sometimes it's only the sheer will to succeed that keeps me going . It's nothing logical or sane really, but I've sacrificed too much to give up over yet another setback or disappointment. And this week has had a couple, it must be said. Being the eternal optimist, I believe that there is nothing in this world that can't be sorted out, it's just a question of having some patience... and some faith... and some courage.
I've talked myself into feeling better already, excuse me whilst I zoom out the door, I have a very early morning call tomorrow, I love getting up at the crack of dawn, it reminds me of when I used to go to meditation classes!

Mooching around

2010-05-08T12:28:00.000+01:00

Imagine my horror to wake up the other day coughing and spluttering, with a sore throat , this has developed into a nasty cold, very frustrating as I can't sing or run. I'm trying to take advantage of the situation by resting a lot and catching up on other things that don't really require a lot of exertion. What a pain, but nothing can be done, just have to wait for it to go away. Just mooching around really, it doesn't help that Coco keeps waking me up after a few hours sleep, typical cat, she gets us all up then goes back to sleep herself a little while later!!
Went and voted the other day, I don't understand why everything has to be made so complicated, to me the person with the most votes should win, keep it simple. All this palaver just starts to get on your nerves in the end.
Can anyone solve an enigma? We have a garden bench and no matter where we move it to in the garden, it always ends up full of bird poo, is it a magnet or something? Any solution will be considered.
Saw a lovely little island in a travel brochure, that I would really love to visit. It seems to be the only way that we are going to get some sunshine. I believe that pesky ash is back again and loads of flights have been cancelled.
Hope you all have a great weekend xxx

Paranormal??

2010-05-05T11:53:00.000+01:00

Watched Paranormal Activity last night, didn't get a chance to watch it at the movies, I found it really scary actually, considering I believe in all that stuff.
Reminds me of our house in Bulawayo, there was just something about that house that I didn't like. I couldn't stand to be alone in there, even in the daytime sometimes I would feel a presence there, that was quite uncomfortable. The worst times were at night, the feeling of something being there always grew stronger, I would always be very afraid if I woke in the middle of the night, I would cower under the bed sheets, as if they could offer me protection.
Shortly before my Dad died, when he was very ill, I was awoken suddenly one night and I was frozen with fear as I looked out and I saw people in robes carrying a coffin past my bedroom window, (my parents room was adjacent to mine) I know I wasn't dreaming as I got up and put the light on and called for my mum.
We continued to live there even after my dad had passed on, my mum took on an extra job in the evenings and no matter how hard I tried I would always end up sitting outside on the front porch with the light on and the pets to keep me company. I would wait there till she came home, I just couldn't bear to be inside.
My mum continued to live there even after I moved away from home and when I went back to visit I wasn't so bothered by anything, except for the odd reminder now and again.
Well, I could go on ...

Cling News

2010-05-03T10:23:00.000+01:00

Well, it's been a long time and I'm sorry!! We do still exist and the blog is still going! Two weeks ago we filmed the video for Beyond Your Dreams, it was such a surreal and amazing day! We worked with a great bunch of people as well and it was all done in a professional manner, but that didn't stop us from having a laugh. Now we are still waiting, they say that patience cures everything and it sure has wiped the smile off my face, how much longer is what I want to know!!
We did have some lovely weather for a little while, it really felt like summer was almost through the door, but for some reason it's turned all chilly and nasty again, even my mum is saying that she's fed up of it. I'm fed up of her being stubborn that's for sure. About three weeks ago she wrenched her knee whilst walking and despite me begging her to rest and go to the doctor , she continued to ignore my advice and it gradually got worse, to the point now where she can barely walk at all. It was only when the old bats at the church told her to go and see the doctor that she conceded. I didn't say anything, I was forced to sellotape my mouth for at least she is going to go now.
Gerald has locked himself in the studio ever since he got Ableton Live. He is busy working on our live set and it sounds mighty fine so far. It is a big step forward for us and very exciting.
I have plenty of things to keep me occupied as well believe me , it is hard to catch a quiet moment. I would rather it be this way though, it's better than sitting around doing nothing!!

Princess Cocolina Chanel Linxen

2010-04-05T20:09:00.000+01:00

This is Princess Cocolina Chanel Linxen, I'm sure you will agree that she is a very pretty cat indeed and ever so spoilt.
Today I can't concentrate on anything as I have to take her to the vet in the morning to have her teeth cleaned. Not only does she have to have anaesthetic, I have to starve her for 12 hours before, this is not easy with such a portly creature, she just loves her roast chicken legs fronm Tesco! I can't bear to see her look so accusingly at me as if I am being cruel.
I hope she will be ok tomorrow xxx

The day is mine

2010-03-31T09:22:00.002+01:00

Morning, it's a bit chilly, just after we all stopped wearing our winter coats, then Scotland got covered in snow and we are feeling the after- effects. I have a few days to rest and gather my thoughts, put things into perspective and get stronger. Not because of the weather but because we have both been working really hard and sometimes you just need to chill out. It's like diving for pearls in the ocean, sometimes you've just got to surface and breathe.
It's Gerald's birthday over the weekend and it would be lovely to get out of London, but we are scheduled to film our video as well, so we can't go very far. I would love to go to a spa and just have massages and treatments all day, but my birthday is only in July!
I have to write an exam today, I am not looking forward to it, especially since I think I fluffed the last one. I will have to overcome my trepidation, it's no use dwelling on the past after all. Apart from that, the day is mine to make the most of.

Cling News

2010-03-30T09:53:00.003+01:00

Great news folks, our Live Versions Cd/ Download is now available on iTunes, eMusic and all other major download sites:

http://www.emusic.com/album/Cling-Live-Versions-MP3-Download/11851277.html

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/live-versions/id359861713

We are also scheduled to film the video for Beyond your Dreams this week which will be a perfect accompaniment for the Cd.

Working hard on our live set, this is one thing that we felt needed a lot of improvement. Gerald now has an Akai APC 40 performance controller, which we will use to make our set live, in the true sense of the word. It has opened up endless possibilities for some exciting performances!

We are also working on new material, we have three very unusual songs that we would like to share with you.

Thanks for all your encouragement and support folks!
Best Wishes
Cling xxxx

Be good to yourself

2010-03-09T12:53:00.002Z

I am slowly coming to learn the importance of being kind to yourself and looking after yourself and not necessarily from a perspective of vanity. For example you might think that I look after myself as I go running and do yoga etc etc, but quite often I skip meals and then end up with headaches. Gerald once pointed out to me that I wouldn't let anyone I cared about go off to work without eating, so why do it to myself? So yesterday I conducted an experiment. The simple act of going for a coffee and a piece of cake in the middle of my studies set about a snowball of good feelings. So I decided to be kinder to me from now on and attract better things.

The end is nigh

2010-03-03T09:26:00.002Z

The night before last, Gerald choked in his sleep and it was the scariest thing ever, partly because we were fast asleep and it was pitch black. I was running around in the dark trying to switch the light on, fortunately Gerald started to breathe again otherwise it could have turned nasty, but we were both a bit shocked by the experience, so was Coco who took ages to get back on the bed with us again.
Anyway yesterday I took advantage of the sunny weather and spent the most part of the morning in the garden, there is a hope of spring in the air now. My mum is off to Madeira in a couple of weeks , I hope it is alright thereafter all those landslides.
Someone was talking the other day of those people who used to walk around with sandwich boards that said "The end of the world is nigh", you never see them anymore, is that because we are close now to the end? With all the natural disasters and global unrest it seems that way, the prophecies are coming true.
Gotta go, just burnt my hot cross buns on the toaster!!

Character Building

2010-02-27T11:33:00.003Z

Sometimes life deals you a little blow to shake you up, just as you thought everything was going well. That's what happened to me yesterday, I received some unexpected news and it's been really hard for me to see the situation clearly. Sometimes I think I try to defeat myself before learning from my mistakes and giving myself another chance. Makes me realise I still have a long way to go down the road of spirituality. If I can't even think positively when a small upset occurs, how on earth will I manage when things start to get even tougher? I think a lot of it comes down to ego and not wanting to admit failure. The right thing to say is that it's all character building! An old saying also springs to mind- fools rush in where angels fear to tread!

What did we do without them??

2010-02-08T10:49:00.002Z

What did we ever do before the advent of the mobile phone?? Is it only in the UK that we call them mobiles?? Yesterday mine packed in and it's as if I've lost one of my limbs, I can't bear it. Thank goodness I have a spare phone , but it's so old it's almost embarrassing. What did we do before them? Can you ever remember arranging to meet someone and just waiting patiently for them to turn up, instead of ringing them constantly to see where they are? Imagine going out now in your car without your phone, what would you do if you broke down? Or if you were stuck on a train, late for work?? The scenarios are mind boggling. Technology has taken over the western world. How different to rural Africa for example , where some people don't even have electricity, heating water and cooking are all done over open fires! Part of me wants to be that person who lives a simple life, close to nature, it's just a different kind of struggle. I think it's hardest for the people caught between the two worlds.

PJ's in the supermarket??

2010-02-02T20:06:00.002Z

I am shattered to say the least, all this studying business tired me out yesterday, I will have to get used to it pretty quick, for when we start rehearsing for gigs again, it will be even worse. As long as I don't turn into one of those slobs that goes to the supermarket in their pyjamas, I mean that is pretty vile, don't those girls have any self respect? I hope they clean their teeth before they go out, judging by the photos of them in the paper , they look like a right bunch of bruisers, I feel sorry for their kids. My Mum and Aunt were always so smartly dressed whenever they went out, indeed if my cousin and I accompanied my Aunt on her weekly visit to the city centre on a Friday, we were expected to present ourselves in our smartest attire- jeans were strictly forbidden. This didn't do us any favours however as we rebelled against it all and ended up wearing some embarrassingly strange outfits in our teenage times. Then my aunt would hoot with laughter as we staggered off on a night out, us thinking we looked so cool. I still actually cringe at some of the things I wore, no no no no no no , I can't bear to remember!!

Don't believe it, snow again

2010-01-30T11:32:00.003Z

Just looking out at the garden , which is covered in hard frost , the remnants of snowfall that we had in the early hours of the morning. As chance would have it, I was driving home through the forest, quite a trippy experience because the roads hadn't been gritted and they were just white, you couldn't even see the markings, then the snow was coming at the windscreen , as it does, which can be quite transfixing.
Coco (our cat), decided that I it was time for me to get up today, she came and stuck her face in my eyes and just purred and purred till I arose. I kept telling her that Gerald was up already , but she wasn't having it. The last couple of days she has allowed me to do nuzzling belly rubs on her plump tummy, she is such a cutie, it's impossible to get annoyed with her. She is the prettiest, most spoilt cat in the world!
I'm starting a course next week, I need to learn some new skills, I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to it or dreading it, at least it's not home study or else I would never get anything done.
I must be a glutton for punishment, as if I'm not doing enough already!

Hats off!

2010-01-27T19:16:00.002Z

Had a very disruptive few days, I don't know whether I'm Arthur or Martha? I had to help Gerald get around a bit as his car had to have some work done on it! There's a saying from somewhere, "God laughs whilst we make plans. Well the car thing was a bit unexpected. Not to mention on Monday there was more messing around by the dentist, who changed Gerald's treatment plan at the last minute. I was all ready to play Florence Nightingale and I even cancelled lunch with a friend I haven't seen for years so I could go with him. Plus he had felt nervous all day for nothing!
We did manage to record vocals for a couple of tracks, however, so I was pleased about that, I love recording vocals.
Today I went running and this bloke bellowed "Best Exercise! Hats Off!" I don't know why, but this made me giggle so much that I felt weak and I wanted to collapse, it was so funny. It was also very cold, like now, can't wait for spring!

We're in Computer Music

2010-01-20T10:18:00.002Z

Hi everyone , Computer Music issue 148 is out now and we are in it, Beyond Your Dreams was reviewed by top producer John Reynolds, who has worked with some top Irish artists including U2 and Sinead O'Connor. We were more than chuffed with what he had to say, he actually paid us some compliments. Also the track is featured on the front cover CD, so hopefully it will bring us some good exposure.
Have a great day .....

2010-01-18T14:38:00.002Z

We were awoken early this morning as we were having some repairs done to our roof. It's very disruptive having people thudding around all above your head, don't talk about the junk that they found up there, it wasn't even ours so they took it all away for us. After they left I decided to go running, which felt good at the time, I always feel so free when I run, sometimes it's an incredible feeling of strength, plus it gets rid of all my angst. So that's what I shall tell all those negative souls who cannot understand why I do it. There is also the aspect that like most exercise fanatics, I am a total control freak, ha ha. I'm not used to getting up so early and now I feel ever so sleepy, but I have to take Gerald to the dentist, tremble, tremble.

The thaw

2010-01-14T13:32:00.002Z

Ok folks, we've had the big freeze, now we're in for the big thaw, it's the big everything in this place, still it's good to see the lawn again and I won't miss all the skidding around.
The media attention is now on Haiti and the earthquake. I have read so much about Haiti in the past, from books like Serpent and the Rainbow, and Mr Clarinet, so when I hear the names of places they are not unfamiliar to me, even though I have never been there. Still, I would rather not see it on the news under such circumstances. Nature shows no mercy.
Early this morning, the rain was pounding down on the roof and it was bitterly cold and blowing a gale and I was so grateful to be inside and all snuggled up and cosy. It's so easy to forget the little things that we take for granted. xx

Where is my peace?

2010-01-12T20:11:00.002Z

Hi everyone, I have been busy over the last couple of days,trying to sort out some aspects of my life, decisions, decisions, I shall have to consult the I-Ching.
I feel like bitching and moaning but what's the point? I get angry with people when they treat me badly, but really I am angry with myself for allowing them to get away with it in the first place. I think I've become too materialistic again, things were so much simpler when I was all spiritual, sitting on a mountain top in India, dressed all in white, with my foot in my ear, chanting. I seemed to have so much more discipline.
Anyway, best to just get on with things. I am working on a new song, it's coming on well, I have some words and a melody, so really I just have to think of some more words. I'd like to sing of my anguish, but let's face it, who wants to listen to a load of sanctimonious self-pity? Rather write about things that make people feel good, innit?

2010-01-08T10:03:00.002Z

Not so freezing today, it appears the really vicious weather is over for the time being, it's still cold and the snow is still lying thickly over the ground, but doesn't seem quite so treacherous, so I guess it's back to normal until the next onslaught. I'm not very good in the cold, like yesterday, I just couldn't get warm and in the end it makes you so sleepy that you can't be bothered to do anything! I was trudging around in the snow for a little bit, feeding the wild birds and scraping the car windscreens, I even started to make a snowman but couldn't get the snow to stick together and my hands ended up so cold that I left it in the end. Even going up the road became an ordeal as it was so icy, we were sliding around all over the place, fortunately didn't have to drive anywhere or else it would have been with a bit of trepidation! It seems that today however, the whole country has got a grip and it's business as usual - well I say that, but I suppose it's still a bit grim up north and in Scotland.
I'm sure you've noticed we have some new Cling photos, taken by Jon Lilley, we are more than chuffed with them , so have a look if you haven't already. Jon can be contacted at jon@twistedsix.co.uk
Have a great weekend xx

And the snow came down ..

2010-01-06T21:00:00.003Z

Today the snow fell continuously in a thick blanket all day, we were unable to go anywhere except by foot. Just made it to the supermarket in time at 2.30pm as they were closing and sending all their staff home, imagine being stuck out here with no milk or food, not a joke. The rest of the day I spent in a kind of shocked stupor, watching endless news bulletins etc about traffic , blah blah blah. Up until about 6pm , I thought I might have to travel into London, so I couldn't really relax as I kept thinking I might never get home again with all the treacherous ice etc. Fortunately I was saved from making my journey and cooked a lovely hearty pie for Gerald and my mum instead!
Felt so sorry for Coco as she had to go out to do her business, she was so upset as she darted across the lawn,snowflakes catching in her thick black fur. She looked almost like some exotic snow leopard as she ran back to the door, mewing loudly in protest.
Tomorrow I am going to enjoy the weather and I will be making a snowman. The forest is bound to look amazing with all the trees heavy with their icy burdens, a real winter wonderland. What are my two favourite things about snow? How it is ultra-violet, luminous in the moonlight, and how it muffles out sound and everything seems so quiet.
Stay safe and warm in the UK tonight x

Ice, Ice baby

2010-01-05T12:14:00.002Z

The cold weather continues, it is absolutely the finest example of winter I have ever experienced. with more snow and ice forecast to come this week, it should be interesting to see what happens. I have just come inside from the garden, i went out to put some food down for the wild birds, it must be tough for them in this weather, but they are hardy little creatures who are designed to survive, which is more than we humans can do at such temperatures.
Recorded some vocals yesterday, they came out well and I have been working on some new material as well. Dare I say that the Live Versions CD is almost finished now? I maintain that you can't rush a genius, meaning Gerald of course, and that I'm sure you will agree that it has been worth waiting for.
I have also had a sneak preview of the photos and they are everything we wanted and more , so I am pleased about that, two things to look forward to from Cling !!

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T10:13:00.002Z

Happy New Year everyone, let's hope the new decade brings us all lots of good fortune. The winter sunshine is streaming in through the window as I write, as soon as you step outside it is freezing cold however, like yesterday. When I went running, my face was so cold that it went all stiff, I could imagine that's what it's like to have botox!
So anyway, it looks like we are going to have to work harder and be stronger than ever before, this is what I expected, the world is changing so quickly every day and you can only survive if you are a step ahead. So you can definitely expect some killer tunes on the way from us!
Be happy, be kind, believe in yourself and never give up- this is the advice I will be following!

All set for the New Year?

2009-12-29T13:26:00.002Z

Hi everyone, hope you all had a great Christmas, ours was lovely , just chilled at home with good food , no stress and the normal excess. It has taken me a few days to recover, but I am fighting fit and strong again, ready to face the challenges of 2010! What a year it has been, quite tough on a personal level, but for Cling it is another story, we made excellent progress , played more gigs and sold more downloads than ever before, so we mustn't grumble! We can only get better and stronger.
Don't know what we will do on NYE yet, we haven't exactly planned anything and left it all to the last minute as usual. Quite a few people I have spoken to say that they are not even going out, and to a certain extent I can understand, it is one night that is always very overpriced and overcrowded, especially in London. It will be interesting to see what we end up doing.
I'm still thinking carefully about my resolutions ...

Can't wait to see the photos

2009-12-16T11:46:00.003Z

We had a blinding photo shoot on Tuesday, despite everything that happened , we managed to achieve something good. The problems started at the hairdresser, I asked for curls, but they didn't do it how I wanted and by the time I got home, my hair was all flat and out of shape, in fact I could have done a better job myself. I tried to fix it , but started to get stressed out. I got Gerald to call the hairdresser and complain and I ended up having to go back there so they could do it properly. So this made us very late for a start, then because I had to paint my nails, Gerald ended up driving and I was navigating, a disaster as I wasn't concentrating on the roads and we ended up getting lost twice. Gerald made me feel like I was having an anxiety attack because he was yelling at me so much. It didn't help that we were caught up in the rush hour traffic which was also totally rancid. It's also very unprofessional to keep people waiting. Anyway, we got there in the end and everything ran smoothly,with all the right ingredients. The make up artist did a fantastic job, I even had jewelled eyes!! It has been confirmed that we got many excellent shots, so we are just waiting to see them now.
We are having our first snowfall of the year, but it doesn't seem to be settling. It did turn really cold last night. The garden looks as if it's been sprinkled with icing sugar!!

Gerald and the tree

2009-12-12T01:09:00.003Z

Well, I bet you're all dying to know about Gerald and the tree. What actually happened is that he got all paranoid because the police were behind him and for some reason he thought that they were going to stop him. This in turn made him think he was going to be late for his dinner, so he made a dash round the corner, hoping to speed into the drive and turn off his lights in order to vanish from before their eyes. Unfortunately, he failed to make an accurate manoeuvre, there was an awful scraping sound, the smell of freshly cut tree, his bumper fell off and the headlight was totally smashed. Then I had to stand there in the freezing cold, holding our pathetic torch, whilst he patched the whole thing up with gaffer tape. (the car that is, not the tree). In his defence, I must hasten to add that ours is a very awkward driveway to get into, it looks straight, but is actually at an angle, even I scraped my little car on the gate.

Yesterday I was stuck in the traffic jam from hell, it's so depressing that getting anywhere in London by car has become so stressful, at least if you go on the tube you know roughly when you will arrive at your destination. I could have done without it to be quite honest, but anyway that's life!

I have the outfit

2009-12-08T10:15:00.002Z

Hi everyone, I'm pleased to report that all aches and pains have gone now, I must admit I was going to go to the doctor today if I still had any troubles, but there hasn't even been a twinge , I can walk without bellowing, at last! I suspect the whole thing was caused by me being in a rush and having 100 things on my mind , I probably didn't do my warm ups or cool downs properly when I went running. Or maybe I overdid it in a yoga position or something.
Anyway, we are going to be doing some photos soon and I have been getting my outfit together, I am excited about this one, but I won't say too much more. All I can say was my mother was shocked and disapproving when she saw it, which to me is a good sign , because if she did like it I would know it was too tame!
I was in Regent Street yesterday and was taken aback by the Christmas lights, they are quite astounding, absolutely spectacular. It seems that everyone's really gone to town this year, too right and all, this ongoing doom and gloom in the world gets too much, I bet this year people will spend more than ever and guess what? I'll be one of them!

Tune in tonight

2009-12-05T01:26:00.002Z

Today I was still in good cheer about being in Computer Music and I took full advantage of the sunny, dry weather to go running. It was absolutely cold though, took me ages and ages to get warm, especially my poor little fingers.
Now I can hear rain pounding down on the roof yet again, and it seems so dark and uninviting outside. I'm so grateful that we warm and cosy in here,it must be tough to live rough, especially in the winter.
We got our Christmas tree down from the loft today,didn't have time to put it up though because I couldn't remember where I'd put all the decorations . I love this time of year, where we live is very traditional and you can't help but get into the spirit of things. I love Christmas,the lights, the tree, the food, the presents, carols on the green, the excitement, the joy- and people do actually seem kinder towards each other.
Don't forget to tune in tonight 10.30, if you live in the Canterbury area, on CSR 97.4FM. We will be doing a live radio interview

Some exposure on the way

2009-12-04T00:51:00.002Z

Well anyway, we've had some exciting developments over the last few days. Computer Music magazine is going to feature Beyond your Dreams on the Readers Music Page and it will be on the front cover disc of Issue 148 (in a few weeks time). This is excellent stuff, not only will it give us tremendous exposure, it will give us some serious credibility as a band. A good little snippet to pop in when one is doing a radio interview or something.
By the way, we are going to be on air again Saturday 5 December 10.30pm, on CSR, 97.4 FM, in the Canterbury area. Do tune in if you can, anything could happen.
The only glitch in my life is that I have done something to my back and any small movement seems to trigger enormous pain. Actually it is in my rump area, if you catch my drift. I don't know what to do, I'm going to have a hot bath now, I'm sure it will help.

A mix up!

2009-12-01T10:51:00.004Z

Just lurking around now, waiting for our radio interview which is to be conducted over the phone. I hope we can understand their Scottish accents! If in doubt, let Gerald do all the talking! I wonder what they are going to ask us? When I'm put on the spot, I always seem to say the silliest things.
It got so cold last night that we had to leave the heating on all night, it seems that winter is upon us all of a sudden, I'm not too fond of the cold. This morning I got a flashback to my days of growing up in Zimbabwe, I could almost feel and smell the heat of the sun on my skin and all of a sudden I missed it so much. How on earth did I end up somewhere so cold and grey? Will I ever return to that sleepy little town called Bulawayo?
By the way, I've just learned that someone got the days mixed up- we are on the radio tomorrow, grrrrr!!

2009-11-29T10:37:00.002Z

Hi everyone, it seems it hasn't stopped raining for days and don't talk about how cold it is as well, there was even traces of snow the other morning. Can't believe it is almost December either! Coco(our cat), makes me smile because when it's raining and she wants to go out , she will make me open all the different doors in the house, like she thinks the weather will be different from each door. If she does get caught in the rain, it makes her coat lovely and soft, I could just cuddle her for ages. Sometimes when I'm doing my vocal exercises and my voice hits a certain timbre, it sends Coco into a frenzy, she tries to climb all over me and purrs and purrs, it's almost like being the Pied Piper!! I've never experienced that with an animal before.
Our nutty neighbours from next door have gone, they just moved out all of a sudden, they didn't even say goodbye! It will be interesting to see who moves in next, maybe the house will just stay vacant for ages like it was before. It does seem strange that nobody can live in there for very long.
Must confess that I have been watching XFactor, it's the only " reality" tv show that I do watch. I try to imagine what the judges would say about us if it was us up there. It is a bit boring without the terrible twosome now, I think that Joe should win, but then Cheryl will be all smug!
Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend ..

Raise the stakes

2009-11-24T18:41:00.002Z

Well, it's been an interesting few days since I last wrote. We've hired a PR firm to up our profile a bit, after all there's only so much you can do yourself, so we'll see what they can do for us. I think they've already lined up some interviews for us, so as long as we get lots more interest and feedback from using them, then that will lead to more gigs etc. And course there will be the new Cd to promote as well. Gerald and I were discussing how if you want to be successful,you have to be so much more than a performer or producer, you to do absolutely everything for yourself that a label would do for you,and more. In the end it takes over your life, so it's great to be able to invest some money and get someone else to do a bit of hard work as well!
Gerald has started work on the final track now for the Cd, and you may wonder what I get up to whilst all of this is going on? Well, I write stuff and keep my voice well exercised and I also work on my live performance. And you thought it was all glamour and excitement! Last night I was so tired, I fell asleep in front of the telly just after 10.30pm- not very rock and roll, I might lose all my street cred.

Thoughts

2009-11-21T10:49:00.002Z

Another windy , grey, November day. The floods in Cumbria have been terrible, I feel so sorry for all the people whose homes have been wrecked, and what happens to their pets I wonder? The perils of living near water.
Cling has now hired a PR firm to help us get more exposure, after all there's only so much you can do yourself and its time to take things to a new level now. Let's hope it brings us some good fortune. No stone must be left unturned in the quest for success. As I write, the sun has broken through the cloud and is streaming in through the window, making it look deceptively warm. The fields however are waterlogged and all running is now confined to roads and probably will be until the spring.
Sometimes it feels a s if life is a movie and you wonder what on earth your part is in the grand scheme of things. I've been asking myself this for ages.
Have a great weekend xx

Good times

2009-11-17T11:04:00.004Z

Hi everyone, we've had a great response to Beyond your Dreams so far, if you haven't already listened to it please do and once again, any feedback will be appreciated.
Had a lovely day yesterday, spent all morning being pampered, had the most amazing facial massage which left me totally relaxed and also my skin looks fab now. Since I was up in London I combined the trip with some shopping. I forgot what the shops are like in Oxford Street, such an amazing choice, it's like you don't know where to look sometimes. No wonder people come from all over the world to shop here.
When I got back home, I met Gerald for lunch, then went shopping with him again, cos he wanted to get some stuff. Later on, we went for a lovely walk in the forest,which, as you can imagine , is carpeted in a sea of leaves. We didn't really get to see that much however, as it grew dark really quickly, in fact we ended up walking back in pitch blackness, it was quite exciting, I want to go down there in the middle of the night, under a full moon, it would be so trippy !!
By the way we are going to be doing some more photos soon, looking forward to that...

Chillstep is here

2009-11-13T11:10:00.002Z

Hi everyone, if you don't already know, Cling are pleased and proud to announce that our new track Beyond your Dreams is now available for you to listen to online. We are very excited about this track as it is a fusion of genres and totally unlike anything we have ever done before. We invite you to have a listen and any feedback, adulation etc will be greatly appreciated! Enjoy our new track!

Excitement....

2009-11-11T10:52:00.003Z

Great news , our new track is finished and we will put it online by the weekend. So excited about it, it is quite different to anything we have done before. Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks. When you hear a song, it creates so much emotion , you don't actually think of the practical side of it , like how many hours work goes into getting it sounding right and all the pain and sweat the artists go through.
Same thing when you go on stage, the audience don't think about what it's taken to get there, they just want to be entertained!
Life is full of magic and things can change so much from on day to the next, don't close your eyes to the beauty that surrounds you and live life for the moment.

My little bird

2009-11-07T11:30:00.003Z

Received some good news today that we were played on BBC Radio Essex last night, yes please, we'll have some more of that!! This was a welcome diversion because Nyo has been really ill and each day that she survives now is like a miracle. My poor little friend, how attached I have become to that ball of feathers and it was horrible for me because I wasn't at home yesterday and I kept thinking I would phone to check up and she would be gone. She seems a bit better today though. I have never come across a creature with such a will to survive and that is something I will never forget about her, apart from all the joy and laughter she's brought me over the last fifteen years. She is an irreplaceable character.

Memories..

2009-11-05T13:53:00.003Z

Bonfire night tonight, of course as any Zimbabwean will tell you, this is something we missed out on as kids because you just couldn't get fireworks and I think for a while they were banned anyway as they sounded too much like gunshots. Anyway, I've just been reminded of the history of bonfire night on the radio. I bet there will be some spectacular firework displays about, either tonight or the weekend.
Talking of Zimbabwe,some of my earliest memories are when my mum used to take us for walks in the bush, always in the when my dad was sleeping and didn't want to be disturbed. It was so fascinating to discover everything, all the sights and smells. How comforting it was to sit under the umbrella of an acacia tree, chewing on a long blade of grass, watching all the insects and birds going about their business. My mum was forever pointing things out to us and teaching us, like some live National Geo programme. The time would pass quickly and would always end with us drawing pictures with sticks in the sand.

Chilly Days

2009-11-04T16:13:00.003Z

Got up early this morning and went for a run while it was still sunny and I 'm glad I did as the weather has taken a turn for the worse and it's got very chilly. A few months ago I discovered some new fields to go running across. I very rarely see anyone there, on one occasion I saw a man training what I thought was a hawk and then another time I was nearly trampled by some horses and riders. I like going there because it feels like I am in the middle of nowhere and the scenery is stunning. Like there is this panoramic view of the countryside and in the middle of a field stands this enormous tree, which despite being completely bare at the moment, has such an imposing and majestic aura, it totally dominates the autumn skyline. So it's pleasant to be distracted from all the physical exertion. And now it's warm and cosy inside the house and I just feel like falling asleep!!

Our delightful neighbours

2009-11-03T10:42:00.002Z

I'm sure the house next door is haunted because everyone who lives there seems to go off the rails. When we first moved in here our neighbours were a young couple and another guy who had a pit-bull terrier. My mum befriended the guy with the dog and he was OK , but eventually moved out because the couple were having really violent arguments and had not paid their share of the rent for months. They were a mean looking pair and obviously used to drink a lot, on more than one occasion the police were round there because their fighting got so bad, she was just as bad as him and used to give as good as she got.
Thankfully they moved out and peace reigned once more, the house was vacant for a very long time, until the arrival of our new neighbours, a couple and their toddler. At first they were all respectable and friendly, I always liked the woman , but there was just something about her husband that wasn't totally genuine, something shifty in his eyes and the fact that he always seemed to be lurking around in the garden, peering over into ours. Anyway one day I came home and he had cut down all the trees and hedging separating our gardens, I was horrified and mad with him, but managed not to confront him about it, all we did was put up a fence which turned out to be much better. The only one who used to speak to him after that was my mum as he used to wait for her to go outside in the mornings. One day I saw this really rough looking character coming down the road, as we passed I realised it was him and was quite shocked by his appearance. Then he started doing all weird things like pacing up and down his garden in an agitated manner for ages. One morning he rang our bell at 830 to ask us for cigarette papers, we were so groggy and shocked, I still can't believe it. Then we saw the police around there a couple of times and he disappeared for about a week. He always seems to be arguing with his wife, who looks like a frightened rabbit and yesterday he was hammering on their front door for several hours, demanding that she let him in. So don't ask me what's going on there, something tells me that house will be vacant again soon.

Focus

2009-11-02T11:56:00.002Z

Woke up a bit groggy, trying to get some order and discipline back into my life. I have a terrible habit of starting to do something , then in the middle of it I'll think of something else and get totally sidetracked. But I think even being away for a few days was good for us, just to be somewhere different and away from what is normal.

Later I will go running for the first time in a week, I notice if I don't do any exercise for a little while, my body seems to start to seize up. I still do yoga, I aim to do a little bit everyday at least, as it is good for balancing and focus.

I love the lazy life of cats, all they do is sleep, take Coco for example , stretched out like the queen on the sofa, lying on her back sunbathing, with her front paws covering her eyes and her little pink tongue sticking out, what a cutie! She has been in that position all morning, after sleeping all night with us. The only time she got up was to have some roast chicken and go outside briefly. Where do you go in your dreams, beautiful Coco???

A day to be curled up in bed

2009-11-01T12:43:00.003Z

I noticed during our museum tours of Amsterdam that we were struck by a mysterious condition where although we were meandering around really slowly and not exerting ourselves at all, we found ourselves really exhausted, barely able to place one foot in front of the other and could quite easily have fallen asleep instantly. I wonder if anyone else has ever experienced this be kind of thing? Maybe that's what the chairs are for in galleries, to stop people collapsing.
Lovely autumn day today, windy and hammering down with rain, the kind of day to stay curled up in bed, or alternatively go to China Town, have steaming bowls of dim sum and then return to bed. Personally, I quite fancy putting on my raincoat and going for a muddy walk across the fields, but I can't find any volunteers to come with me. I think the best that will happen is that we'll go out for a coffee, no complaints.
All is quiet in the Cling household, Gerald is doing some promo work, Coco is sleeping on the sofa, Nyo is sleeping in her cage , my mum is pottering about and I am here in my yoga room/office looking at the enormous amount of leaves on the lawn- I only picked up a whole load yesterday!!

Who am I , where was I ?

2009-10-31T10:49:00.003Z

Who am I , where was I , the last few days passed in a haze and that's how you know you've had a good time in Amsterdam. What I love about going there is that there's something different to discover each time, after all, there is a lot to do apart from the obvious. So this time we decided to give ourselves a little education and go and check out some galleries and museums. I've never really been one for art, but I was completely taken aback by Van Gogh, when I saw those paintings something just moved me deep inside and at last I understood what all the fuss was about. I could have just gazed at those paintings for hours , particularly the landscapes and flowers.
Other memorable moments included seeing some huge bloke pass out in a coffee shop, and eating the world's most expensive stale, awful doughnut (£2.50!). We also discovered the most tranquil garden in the grounds of the Biblical Museum, where we sat and contemplated for a while.
I do love strolling along the canals, it always seems so quiet and peaceful, sometimes it's as if you're not even in a big city. On our last afternoon we took a cruise around the canals and it was a wonderfully relaxing way to see all the sights, Gerald even fell asleep for half of it.
So all in all, we had a great time and to come away feeling that had really gained something from being there was an added bonus.

The blog is back

2009-10-26T11:07:00.003Z

The blog is back, the veil is slowly lifting and inspiration to write is returning. "Where have you been?" I hear you gasp, "What's been going on?" Well, the truth is, I'm a bit of a fruitcake really, like all creative people. I started to get anxiety attacks , this was all brought about by circumstances that occurred at the beginning of the year which threatened my security, and even though nothing happened to me in the end, I started to wake up every day with knots in my stomach. After a few hours this would get even worse, sometimes I would even shake and feel sick. Anyway, needless to say this was not good for the creative process, even though I did make up silly songs about it and tried to joke about it. One day Gerald said to me that none of it was real and this made me look at it in a different perspective, slowly I began to look at it and started to deal with it. Deep breathing exercises, meditation and healing all helped me, but as it was something in my mind, it was more complex to deal with. To cut along story short, I am getting over it now and I am feeling more like myself again. Loving life.
Will be in Amsterdam over the next few days, can't wait to tell you all about it ....

2009-09-24T10:37:00.004+01:00

Why do I feel so shitty? It's like I have no motivation and I'm so, so, blocked, sometimes I can't even think of a silly status to write on FB, it's so scary and I feel a bit shocked after the events of the weekend, I mean it's just been one disappointment after the other lately and all the hard work and effort that goes into everything and not to mention the cost of doing everything, and all you get rewarded with is a kick in the teeth and not so much as even a thank you from any of these b**** and w******* promoters that we've been involved with. So we've had to have a rethink about the way we are doing things, there are lots of things I can do on a personal level to improve what I do and I will be addressing these, but sometimes I feel so much despair because it really is difficult and soul destroying and without wanting to wallow in self pity, I can understand why loads of bands become disillusioned. So my emotions are in a crisis, at least I managed to write all this

I'm back

2009-09-15T12:05:00.003+01:00

Oh God, why have I been so blocked? I haven't been able to write anything for ages, let alone lyrics for new songs , I don't know what the hell is wrong with me but something has to shift, well at least this is a start it is a bit like doing the morning pages. I think the whole mess started when I thought I was going to be made redundant from my job and all of a sudden it was like, who is going to pay the bills and my whole security went out the window. Since then I have suffered panic attacks just about every day before going to work, as I fear something will happen to make me late, sometimes I am in such a state that I have to take Valium! And it's like Gerald said to me, none of it is real because it hasn't actually happened yet. So I have been doing my best to get this under control and it is getting slightly better, but still, I can really do without it. I didn't even feel rested when we went away to Cape Verde, it's like something deep inside of me has gone to sleep and I need to wake up my feelings and emotions again. Sometimes I get freaked out because I struggle to remember what Africa and my childhood was like , have I become so European now, I never wanted to lose my identity, which is ironic because for years I didn't know where I belonged, which might seem a strange thing to say, although it makes sense to me.
Then there was all that nasty business with Zeus, the stray cat and how I thought I was really helping him, by transporting him all the way to South London to his new "owners" and then he ends up dead because of some selfish idiots who didn't deserve to have an animal in the first place. I feel guilty because he was so desperate to be loved and he trusted us. What suffering humans cause.

Sal

2009-07-29T10:54:00.002+01:00

It's already a week gone by since we got back from the beautiful island of Sal, I don't think I've ever been anywhere quite like it. The barren lunar landscape gives way to endless stretches of powder white beaches and the cleanest, most azure sea you can imagine. The hot days are fanned by a constant comfortable breeze which makes ideal conditions for all kinds of surfing. In fact the waves can be quite rough, one more than one occasion I was treated to a washing machine effect of being tumbled around like a rag doll and emerging flabbergasted, minus various bits and pieces of bikini.
We often ventured out of the confines of the hotel which was very luxurious and also very big, wandering down to the colourful town of Santa Maria, where we met some interesting and friendly people. The motto in Cape Verde islands is "no stress" and it didn't take us long to get accustomed to the slow pace of life.
We decided to go on a tour of the island one day, we had to go in a convoy of white jeeps like the UN, there is only one main tarred road on the whole island and most of the time we had to drive on dirt tracks or sand, depending on your driver this has the potential to be quite harrowing, but still very enjoyable. Anyway, we saw three really amazing things, the first two didn't even really exist, sounds strange, but it is true.
First, we went to see something called the Blue Eye, it lies in a vast underwater cave, to see it you have to hang over a sheer precipice of rock and the water seems scarily far away, you are so high up, not an easy thing to do when you suffer from vertigo. It was so worth it though , you realise that you are standing over a hole in the roof of the cave and where the sunlight streams through, it reflects back off the water and creates the illusion of a giant blue sparkling crystal in the water, it is so beautiful, it literally takes your breath away.
Still buzzing from the experience, we drove through some very lunar type landscapes, you could say that we were in a kind of mini desert. All of a sudden the drivers screeched to a dusty halt in the middle of nowhere, we looked in the direction from where we had just come and before our eyes was a mirage, it was so astounding. In the distance, it looked like a vast lake heading out towards the sea, I couldn't stop staring at it, never in my life did I ever think I would see a mirage.
The final stop of the day however was the piece de resistance, it is an old salt mine located at the bottom of an ancient volcano crater. A salt lake has formed there, so rich in minerals that the water has turned a pinky brown colour and is actually very warm. It is so salty that you can't stop yourself floating, in other words it is like the Dead Sea. It is also said to have strong healing and rejuvenation powers and it did have an effect on both of us in different ways, and another funny thing was that everyone who bathed in the water came out laughing and smiling, so it definitely had the feel good factor. Afterwards we suffered the discomfort of leaving all the salt to dry on our skin for as long as possible. It was so itchy, but our skin was so soft afterwards.
The rest of our time was spent relaxing and we had many walks along the infinite beaches where there was not another person in sight....

Report on Kelvedon

2009-07-12T21:20:00.004+01:00

Yesterday was definitely the best birthday of my life. After preparing for months and working even harder, the day of the festival arrived. Although it wasn't raining, it was quite a cloudy day. To be honest, I didn't think that there would be that many people there, after all it is only in a tiny village in Essex and no- one I had told about the festival had ever heard of it.
Imagine my shocked delight when we arrived and there was hundreds of people there and more and more arriving by the minute. By the time we finally got onstage, there was over 2000!! It was such an amazing feeling to look out from the stage and see loads of people, it really was one of the most thrilling and surreal experiences I have ever had and to see loads of people enjoying and dancing to your music is very uplifting, you think to yourself," Is this really us?" One of the highlights of the performance was when Gerald grabbed the mic out of my hand and got the audience to sing Happy Birthday to me. How romantic!
Needless to say, we had a brilliant time and it was great to see Geno Washington perform, he is fantastic . Which left us driving home discussing what we could do to make ourselves even better.
Well, we've got time to think about it. Our last assignment was this morning, we went down to 1017 radio in Harlow again to record another session. At least we had some interesting news to tell them, about all the festivals and about the deal for Bodiless and Free with Yummy Records in the Netherlands.
So we're heading off to cape Verde Islands for a break. I'm gonna miss Coco and Nyo. I'm gonna really enjoy the beach.

Snippets

2009-06-24T12:42:00.002+01:00

Well, we have been enjoying the fantastic weather, yesterday we went for a long overdue walk across the fields. One field was purple in colour, I'm not sure exactly what was growing there, but it had purple flowers. This looked absolutely stunning against the blue sky and the other green fields. Of course it was lovely to be in the sun and feel warm for a change. Then last night we had a barbecue and ate al fresco which was also very pleasant, it did get a bit chilly towards the end though, but fortunately the house was warm inside.
Today I am full of anxiety, I don't know whether it is pre- festival nerves or something to do with the fact that I have been a victim of identity fraud and am in the process of sorting it all out. I have to constantly tell myself to put my energy into creating as worrying is unproductive.
We had a good rehearsal the other night anyway, no major hitches which was a relief.
I'm off outside now to soothe my soul a little.

Cling News

2009-06-19T15:04:00.002+01:00

It's all go in the Cling household as preparations now start in earnest for Kelvedon Free Music Festival, I'm starting to get really excited and looking forward to it immensely. The weekend before I have decided to enter a charity run, I think it is about a five mile run through the forest, it's a yearly event , so if I can win then it will be good publicity! And now that I've told everyone I'm entering, I can't back out.
After Kelvedon, we are going on a well deserved break to Cape Verde Islands and upon our return we will be preparing for the rest of our festivals this year. we are now confirmed to play at Jackdaws Birthday Festival and also Alchemy Festival, plus another to be confirmed.
We are also in the process of signing a deal for Bodiless and Free, with a small label in the Netherlands, it will be interesting to see how we go down over there and opens us up to a whole new audience.
As for the fox, it transpires that my Mum has been feeding him on all sorts of scraps, even bananas. This made me feel so sorry for the wretched creature, I went and bought him some food. As long as he doesn't upset Coco, then I will try to help him. The RSPCA said if we can get him to come regularly to our garden then they can send someone round to catch him and then hopefully they can sort out his leg and everything, otherwise he's not going to make it, poor thing.
Details of our gigs can be found on our profile pages, and of course our website www.clingmusic.co.uk

Foxes and Bees

2009-06-06T11:47:00.003+01:00

I know when we moved into this house we were told that we might see a bit of wildlife in the garden, but this is ridiculous. The lame fox keeps on returning,although I wasn't too amused to look up one day and find him dragging his backside all along the front lawn like dogs do after they have had a poo, I must admit that he has managed to make me feel guilty about chasing him off all the time. The thing is he comes so close to the house, he was even sniffing around Coco's litter tray (yes, we probably have the only cat in the universe that uses a litter tray outside!) The other thing is he if full of fleas and mange, poor thing. Despite numerous calls to various organisations, no-one seems interested in helping him. Anyway, the other night at about 1am, Coco wanted to go out, Gerald noticed the fox lurking around the front door, tried to chase him off, but to no avail, the fox just stared at him and didn't budge. So Gerald sneaked round the back of the house , armed with a torch and a tambourine. Although that would be a terrifying sight and sound for most creatures, even a person would be a bit alarmed to have such an apparition leaping out at them from the darkness, our dear friend was unperturbed, he did slink off into the darkness briefly , but was waiting at the front door again a few minutes later. One wonders how it's all going to end, I hope he is caught and helped soon as he looks hungry.
We finally found an explanation for the curious humming sound that we have been hearing recently in the living room, late at night. When it was hot last week and we were sitting outside, we noticed all these bumble bees kept disappearing into a hole in the wall by a pipe that runs underneath the house and realised exactly what was going on down there. At first I was a bit concerned, I kept having visions of waking up one morning and finding the living room covered in bees, like some horror movie. Fortunately beekeepers are more interested in helping than the fox people, and a couple have been in touch with us. Apparently bumble bees are quite harmless and their swarms not much bigger than 50, they will also leave us after the summer, at which point we must block up the hole. Until then we must live in harmony with each other and consider ourselves fortunate that they have chosen to visit us as they are an endangered species.
Hmmmmm

Foxy Business

2009-05-19T23:54:00.003+01:00

This afternoon I was just warming up my voice to do some recording, when lo and behold, I looked up to see a fox staring at me, he was not more than a metre away, but obviously behind the patio door. I shrieked excitedly for Gerald to come and have a look as the creature did not seem perturbed by my company at all, in fact when we opened the door and went outside to peer at him, he didn't even flinch. In all our wisdom, we came to the conclusion that there was definitely something wrong with it, he was behaving like someone's dog. Since he was also limping, Gerald said I should give him some chicken, I was astounded, after all this is Coco's garden and I have never been that keen on feeding wild animals as it leads to nothing but trouble. I was then accused of being cruel, well what about poor Coco, why should she have to go wandering around in danger of being attacked. Anyway, I begrudgingly donated some chicken, in the meantime Coco was going mad as she had spotted the intruder. We decided to call the animal rescue centre and were told that this particular fox was quite famous and had been spotted numerous times. The lady on the phone then told us to feed it cat food and try and keep it in the garden till someone could come and collect it. Whatever next?Let it come inside? Of course an altercation ensued, in which I was once again accused of being cruel, then Coco got out the door and charged fiercely at it, hissing with claws outstretched and it was actually more scared of her than us! Anyway, I needn't have worried because after wandering gingerly around the garden expecting it to all of a sudden dart out the shrubbery , I was relieved to ascertain that it had, in fact, moved on. I suppose he was quite sweet really....

Snippets

2009-05-11T11:13:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone, hope you all had a great weekend, just getting ready for the photos tonight, Gerald said I should be writing blogs everyday and that if I couldn't think of anything to write then I was a sad case!
Well, he has been working exceptionally hard as usual, we have a D&B remix of Slipping Away that we use on our live set and that is the first track to be finished for our Live Cd. I can assure you that once you listen to it , you will be amazed by what he has achieved.
We have just been offered another festival as well at the end of August , so we will be posting details about that soon. Of course at the end of the month, we are travelling up to Swindon to do the radio interview, I suppose it we be quite scary as it will be a live broadcast and of course I will be singing live, so there's no margin for error.
I'm enjoying the spring, the warmer days and the lighter evenings, watching the garden come to life. I'm still running despite my knee having some kind of injury, it really hurts in certain positions like walking up stairs for example. I don't know what I did to it. I'm still playing the guitar and my strumming is getting quite good now, well significantly better than it has ever been so I'm glad that I persisted, it took me ages, but now I am pleased, and now I have to get ready to go out, so I bid you farewell...

I'm back

2009-05-07T11:17:00.002+01:00

Hello it's me, yes I'm here, it has been absolutely ages since I've written a blog, shocking and disgraceful really as I'm always inviting people to read it, but perhaps I needed the break. I'm looking forward to our photo session next week, mainly because it's going to be done properly, by that I mean professionally, in a studio with makeup artist and all. So it will be interesting to see what I look like in the finished product. See how music involves so many other things as well. Be prepared to work very hard if you get into music.
Anyway, yesterday I had the pleasure of going for afternoon tea in one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever visited. It nestles in the heart of London and from the outside just looks like a very old fashioned building. When you enter however, you are swept up a white marble staircase into the most opulent surroundings and as you look up you realise that the entire ceiling is glass, it is quite magnificent. I love going to places like that, London has so many well- hidden secrets.
Nyo survived another nasty accident , her cage was toppled over by a strong gust of wind when I was outside with her the other day. That little bird has had more lives than a cat!! She is getting so old now and spends most of her time sleeping, just like a cat.
Speaking of cats, we grow more and more attached to Coco every day. She has the sweetest nature, like when I return home from somewhere, she charges up the passage to greet me, she is quite plump and her belly almost drags from side to side as she runs, she looks so cute.
Enough of my ramblings, I have a load of admin to do!

The Tree

2009-04-16T14:29:00.004+01:00

Look at this majestic tree, a sentinel of the fields across which I go running. Gerald said how amazing it was that I have such scenery on my runs, I must agree, no wonder I have such a feeling of well being afterwards. I love the sense of power and freedom it gives me.
Think of how many years this tree has watched silently over the landscape, how many changes it must have seen. How did it come to be the only tree left in an area that was probably all forest before?
Stability, endurance and strength. There is a lot to be learned from the wisdom of a tree.

Cling on Phoenix Radio, tomorrow!

2009-04-13T13:22:00.005+01:00

Hi everyone, a little while ago we recorded a live radio session for Phoenix 98 Fm at Creative Studios, and we are pleased to announce that we are the featured artist, tomorrow Tuesday 14 April. We will be featured every hour, but if you can't tune in , you can listen to us on their website www.phoenixfm.com
Hear Cling as you have never heard us-all three tracks are acoustic numbers, so let us know what you think.

The Creative Sessions are an annual event organised by Phoenix FM and the Creative Rehearsal Studios/Seahorse Recording Studios in East Horndon, Brentwood.

This is the fourth set of recordings. A little while ago fourteen local artists recorded between 3 and 5 tracks - and you can now hear them exclusively on Phoenix FM over the coming weeks.

All Set

2009-04-08T09:59:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone, we are making a our final preparations now for Cosmic Puffin, what a couple of weeks it's been, I can't believe everything that we've gone through to get our show on the road, at times it seemed as if it was never going to happen, but we persevered and finally managed to sort everything out. Let's just say we had some technical problems, it's the only way I can explain it.
We were discussing the state of the music biz the other day, it was brought about by the demise of the music player in my car and how the only music I can now listen to is commercial radio. It seems strange that in this day and age with such tremendous progress in technology, that very few people are able to come up with anything original and unpredictable. It all starts to sound the same after a while. How many more samples from and remixes of old songs do we have to endure? And if I hear one more voice with auto- tune whacked all over it, I'm going to scream.
Surely it is the duty of commercial radio dj's to seek out music that is innovative and inspiring as well? That's why I love internet radio, there is so much good music out there that would never had been heard otherwise and there is just so much to choose from.
This doesn't solve the problem of what I can listen to in my car, perhaps I will have to start chanting, could be good for traffic jams.

On the edge

2009-03-28T13:51:00.002Z

It's been another hectic and stressful week, with all manner of things going on. How am I meant to look gorgeous and seductive with all this going on, I might be stronger to emerge from it all , but I don't want to end up haggard!
Basically what happened is that we needed a power supply for a firewire interface, we went to all the trouble of ordering one from Jersey and waited all week for it to arrive and when it did it was the wrong size, Gerald ended up having to do some soldering to try and sort it out, we spent loads of time and money all for nothing, because eventually we discovered that it was the actual socket on the unit that was faulty. Then we had to rush around to buy a brand new interface and now we are having problems to get it to work with the laptop, which we obviously need to go out and play live with. In the meantime the festival is looming and we really need to get it sorted.
I have had antics and games with Coco this week, she is a funny cat. Today she doesn't seem interested in going outside, can't blame her really as the weather is atrocious, but she has been exploring quite a lot on her own, even managing to get trapped in-between the fence and the hedge and going off into the gardens next door. To be honest I thought she would be outside a lot more than she is, but perhaps she is still a bit overwhelmed by it all. Like most cats, she seems to spend most of her time sleeping, she even snores loudly!
So the clocks go forward tonight, summertime officially here- where? Looking forward to the light evenings and the promise of some heat.

Amiestreet

2009-03-20T15:30:00.002Z

Hi everyone, it has been an exciting week with the arrival of Coco. It is wonderful to have a cat again, it feels like a proper home. Everyone just loves her, she is very gentle and still a bit shy. She hid for the first day that we had her, in fact I thought she had somehow got out the house and run away. She is black in colour and almost impossible to see in dark cupboards and under beds. She is slowly becoming confident about going outside and her favourite place to lie is in front of the patio doors in the sun, watching all the goings on in the garden. She seems happy, I hope she is.

If you haven't got a copy of Sonic Spells yet and would like one, we are now on Amiestreet, it is currently selling for only 65cents, so grab it now before the price goes up!
http://amiestreet.com/music/cling/

Only three weeks to go before the festival, at least my leg is better now so I am fit and have enough stamina. Gerald is stressing to get everything finished in time, I just have to remain strong and focused.

Hope you have a great weekend, hope the weather stays beautiful like today!

Coco Cola

2009-03-17T10:45:00.002Z

Today is a very exciting day as I am going to pick up the latest addition to the Cling household, our lovely Coco. She is a beautiful Persian cat who desperately needed a home with a garden, so we decided to help her out. We were meant to get her on Sunday, but her arrival was delayed. I have to take my Mum with me to get her as I have never driven alone with a cat in the car before.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, quite warm, I even sat outside in the garden for a while, I love this time of year, when you know that the summer is coming and everything starts to grow. I decided to go running just before twilight, there is a cricket field close to where we live and I sometimes do laps around there as I like running on grass, it is gentler on one's back. I love the evenings , just before the sun sets and the earth goes quiet, all of nature seems to settle down before the nightfall, everything gradually gets quieter and quieter. Last night I had the added bonus of trees and houses silhouetted against a crimson sky. It was quite dark by the time I got back home, I got spooked by a car that crept up into the car park , so I jumped over the fence and left, it was probably someone quite innocent, but better safe than sorry!

Phew!

2009-03-11T12:36:00.002Z

What a week, I narrowly survived being culled from my place of work. I feel relieved, but upset for some of my friends who didn't fare so well. It's a pretty sombre affair. Everyone seems to be in a state of shock. I have to get my head together and focus, how do you remain stable when everything is going crazy all around you? It takes a lot of effort. I have been doing a lot of deep breathing recently!
Anyway, I've learnt a lot from my experiences and I know what I must do to protect myself.
The world becomes tougher everyday, I can't help but feel that we are moving faster and faster towards the end.

My words of wisdom for the day.....

2009-03-05T13:07:00.003Z

Careful what you ask for , it might not come in the way that you expect. At least I have our music and all the preparation for the festival to channel my energy into. It helps me to stay strong and positive when problems occur in other areas of my life.
Have you ever been in a situation where you've become complacent and stayed for all the wrong reasons? You dream of escaping, but when it becomes a reality, it's a bit like balancing on the edge of a cliff! And no matter what you do your destiny will push you over, no matter how you try to resist. So what I'm going to do is fly beyond all these negative clouds, maybe it's time I had a little more faith.

Have a great weekend!

2009-02-27T15:39:00.002Z

My leg still isn't better, ever few days I attempt to run , but I never get very far. It is annoying as it is such perfect running weather. Today is very warm actually, 17 degrees, it's been very spring-like, even flowers seem to be shooting up everywhere. I planted some bulbs , but there is no sign of them, I probably planted them the wrong way up or something. I have always kept a lot of houseplants, but gardens are something quite new to me, not that I've never had a garden of course, I've just never had to look after one with such intensity.
It was a challenging week as Gerald had a lot of computer problems which he did manage to sort out in the end, but it was looking a bit scary at one stage as the songs wouldn't even load up. Not the best thing to be happening when one is preparing for a festival. It's been a strange year so far, lots of upheavals coming from all sorts of directions, it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.
Learning and growing is definitely an ongoing process!
Have a great weekend !!

Fear is like a weed...

2009-02-24T10:39:00.003Z

It seems like the whole country is living in a climate of fear as more and more people lose their jobs and the news is just full of doom and gloom. Even people I know are really struggling and I don't remember the UK ever being like this before. I was chatting to an old friend of mine, we used to share a flat together and we went to India together on a spiritual quest. She reminded me of how important it is to be strong. In the last year she split from the one she truly loves and now she has just lost her job as well, but still seems more concerned about others than she is for herself. It doesn't seem fair that all of that happened to her, but she just sees it as another lesson that life is teaching her. She has always been a bit further down the path than I have been, some people have tremendous insight and can understand things really deeply. I suppose that combined with a lot of faith, it can lead you to remain calm and positive in any situation.
Still there is the promise of spring to look forward to. The days are getting longer now and the birds in the garden are getting raucous and frisky. They start to sing very early in the mornings now and there is evidence of nest building going on already. I'm glad they all survived the nasty winter.

Don't be a pumkin

2009-02-19T14:47:00.002Z

Hi everyone, so we have started preps in earnest for the festivals now, it's a very strange and challenging time as there is so much going on in other aspects of our lives. Yesterday I set off for a run and had barely gone round the block when something gave way in my calf muscle and I was gripped by excruciating pain and had to abandon all thoughts of going further. I was forced to hobble home and even though it wasn't that far away, it took me ages and I was cold as I'd been brave and left my sweatshirt at home. Oh well, to cut a long story short, I am much better today and hopefully by the end of the week I will be charging down the country lanes again.
I've realised I'm actually afraid of a lot of things and I don't know why because most of the things I worry about never actually happen. I don't like to admit to my weaknesses, but it's true. The other day I allowed myself to be completely overtaken by negativity and the only thing it helped to achieve was to set me back as I had a totally unproductive day and just couldn't get out of that space. I could have channelled all that energy into something creative. And when I think of what some people have to go through, my issues do seem trivial. So don't be a pumpkin like me!!

Friday 13

2009-02-13T12:44:00.002Z

I love Friday 13, to me it the most auspicious day, I don't know why everyone thinks it is so unlucky. Many strange things have happened to me on Friday 13, so I wonder if something will happen today. So I guess you're wondering where I've been for such a long time, just really busy is the answer. I've also been helping Gerald with some online stuff as he is now getting the music ready for the Cosmic Puffin. We are the Grand finale of the festival, not that's there's much pressure or anything, we have some very creative people helping us with some visuals as well, so it should be good!
Last night I foolishly drove into London in the middle of what seemed like another blizzard. the roads were so slippery that I was skidding every time I accelerated, everyone had to drive like snails so I was exceptionally late. I even saw a taxi that had gone off the road and overturned, people were just so unprepared for it all. I seriously doubted that I would get home, but later most of the snow was melting so it wasn't so bad. The forest looked amazing in the darkness, the snow has a kind of ultra- violet luminosity and it bathes the trees in an eerie light, so beautiful and almost celestial.

Before and after

2009-02-06T14:05:00.003Z

I think I mentioned last week that I have finished wearing my braces now and the other day I had to return to the orthodontist to have some 'after' photos taken. The previous night, for some inexplicable reason, I had decided to curl my hair and because I have never been able to curl it successfully in the past, I decided to use the old fashioned remedy of curlers. So I put loads in and wound them really tightly, leaving them in for ages, even fell asleep with them digging in my head all night. When I awoke early the next day and took them out, my head had been transformed into a giant, uncontrollable, almost- Afro style, I was totally flabbergasted. I couldn't even get a brush through it , it was so thick and intense, even Gerald looked a bit apprehensive. Not only that our cars were covered in thick layers of snow and ice and it took me a good 20 minutes to clear my windscreen, so I was exceptionally late and didn't have time to attend to this wild and uncontrollable mop that was now my hair. When I arrived at the surgery everyone looked slightly taken aback, they are used to seeing me perfectly groomed, like my 'before' photos. Even the orthodontist looked shocked and then when he was taking the photos he was like "can you just move that hair to the side please, I can't see you mouth." I have been chuckling about this for days, the ironies of life!

Winter Wonderland

2009-02-02T18:22:00.004Z

Woke up this morning to a blanket of snow, I've never seen it so thick and abundant, there is a tree in the garden whose branches are actually straining under the weight of it all. Our little town now looks like an alpine village and was really quite deserted, I didn't even see one car attempting to go down the street the whole morning, and I'm not surprised as the roads are treacherous and sludgy.
No trouble to us, we decide to go for a walk in the forest and it was like going into a winter wonderland, the trees looked as if they'd been dusted in a thick layer of icing sugar, the thick snow hard and crunchy beneath our feet. All around the air was silent as if the whole world had been muffled, even the birds seemed too cold to sing. Mind you as we were walking the snowfall just became even more and more intense, thick flakes clinging to our scarves and our hair, we were pleased to come home and escape their icy grasp and I am now sitting here yawning in front of the fire...

Edgy

2009-01-28T11:52:00.003Z

I have finally stopped wearing my braces now and for the first time in my life I have straight teeth.
My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. I would certainly recommend orthodontics as there is minimal pain involved, at it's worse it is uncomfortable.
We have been working on some exciting new material, it has quite a dub step influence, but with a Cling twist. I tried a new style of writing lyrics, I just stood in front of the mic and let it all flow out, I just sang the things that came into my head, and I had such fun, it was kind of liberating to feel such creativity flowing , without the confines of any structure, it appealed to the wildness in me.
Plus I'm always more creative when I'm a little bit on edge, sometimes when life runs smoothly it can make you too complacent.
Was in London yesterday afternoon with Gerald, walking down Oxford Street. Was it my imagination or did it seem less busy than I ever remember it? There seemed to be lots of empty buildings around and lots of shops closing. Evidence of recession?

One door closes....

2009-01-24T13:51:00.002Z

Life is full of surprises, never take anything for granted as it can just change overnight. I try to see change as something positive and challenging, even if it is a bit scary. It makes you realise what is precious to you and makes you search deep inside yourself to become stronger. It's easy to become complacent and maybe it's just the universe's way of helping you change direction and lead you out of something stagnant, or something that is no good for your soul. I hope I can remember my own words of advice when things get a bit rocky.!!

Drummers and bass players wanted

2009-01-20T17:54:00.003Z

Hi everyone, I got the day off to a healthy start by going for an energising run on the country roads, followed by some tidying up of the garden. Even though I spent a couple of hours bagging up leaves etc, it still doesn't look like I was ever out there. I suppose I should do a little bit everyday. I like to be outside, touching the earth, you soon forget about the cold and I find it helps me relax and sort things out in my head. I bought some lovely wind chimes the other day, they are quite Japanese in design, wooden , with a moving bird on top. Now when we go to sleep at night we can hear them clattering gently by our window. The other night poor Gerald had to go out in the middle of a storm,it was so violent that the wind was howling and I thought that the chimes would snap, so I asked him to go and rescue them for me. He was so sweet, he didn't even complain.
It's been a strange week really, it's like we are in limbo at the moment waiting for everything. We are currently searching for a bass player and a drummer to join us for live performances. If you are reading this and are interested, send us a message. You must be 21+ and live in London area, and preferably have some experience.
Have to go out now and do some shopping! Happy Days!

2009-01-16T13:25:00.002Z

I've been recording some vocals this week, we've had some equipment hitches so it wasn't as straightforward as it sounds, no pun intended. I'm still waiting for the famous letter, despite going to all the effort of chasing it up and being told that it was on it's way.
We have a sign on our door that says no cold calling, but still people insist on ringing the doorbell when I'm trying to sleep and invariably they are trying to sell something. Can't they read or what?
It's quite annoying.
I happened to be driving through the forest in the early hours, it was all misty and I saw loads of deer grazing by the side of the road. I thought one was going to run out in front of the car, he looked quite young with spindly Bambi type legs, very cute, I had to slow right down which gave me the opportunity to have a good look at him, then he ran off away from the road so I was pleased.
The sky has clouded over, gun metal grey, looks like we're in for a rainy afternoon! I got the gas bill today and I was too scared to look at it, Gerald had to stand next to me to catch me if I fainted.

Thank you all you talented people!!

2009-01-13T18:29:00.000Z

Thank you all you talented people!!
Current mood: inspired

Hey everyone, we finally finished judging the remix contest! We have sent the list of winners and runners up to DJ Puzzle and he will announce them soon. Thanks a lot to everyone who entered. It was actually a very difficult task , because apart from getting a lot more entries than we expected, there were so many good ones and you could tell that a lot of people had put loads of time and effort into it. Thanks again to all of you cos you helped make it a great success and something that we would consider doing again in the future!
This week is rather taxing as I'm waiting for an important letter and of course it hasn't arrived yet. I also managed to have a confrontation with someone who was meant to be my friend in the middle of a major power cut! And of course there was the big freeze which didn't help. I am now longing for warm seas and tropical islands. Is there such a thing as the January Blues?

2009-01-09T13:01:00.002Z

Well, we've been delayed with the video now, there have been some problems which need to be sorted out, so hopefully , fingers crossed, all the issues will be resolved. the problem with being a perfectionist is that you want everything to be perfect and not everyone sees it that way.
It's been a difficult week as Gerald has been really ill and I have been doing my best to look after him! not to mention the weather, I have never experienced such coldness in my life! When I came home in the early hours this morning it was -4 !!
Yesterday a thick, freezing fog descended on the forest and you could barely see a few feet in front of you. I must admit it was quite picturesque and very wintry, not that it helped much with driving because when I tried to clear the windscreen, it all just froze up. Wonderful!
Someone mentioned that tonight is going to be even colder, I haven't been able to get out running all week because the pavements are just frozen over with treacherous black ice, but I might go today, it looks like it's melted a bit now.
One of my friends had the misfortune of a blown gas main in their road and they had no heating or hot water for days, I couldn't imagine a worse nightmare.
Have a safe and warm weekend xxx

The video is finished!

2009-01-04T17:15:00.002Z

Today I saw my uncle for the first time in over 7 years. He is my mum's half brother and has a successful business in Cape Town. I was at odds with him a couple of years back because of some family issues and because I was being over protective about my Mum. I learned a very big lesson, never interfere in anything unless someone asks you to. I felt bad when I saw him today and wish I hadn't been so hot headed. My mum was tearful when he left, he is limping from an operation and has aged a little bit. It's quite sad that my family is spread out all over the world, the only advantage is that I can get to visit them in places that I might never have been otherwise.
Tomorrow I am going to see the neurologist about my headaches and migraines. Apparently there are many new treatments available. Gerald says he is going to come with me again. I hope I don't get the giggles like last time. I was being examined by a very stern and serious doctor and started to giggle uncontrollably, I was trying to disguise it and the doctor thought I was distressed and kept telling me to relax!
Bigger news tomorrow and more importantly, the video is finished and we are going to go and view it! I can't wait!!

What a night!

2009-01-02T12:32:00.002Z

Hi everyone and Happy New Year to you all, Gerald and I had the best time ever, we went to a HedKandi party and danced our way into the New Year. In fact we just danced solidly for a few hours. It's got to be the coldest NYE I've ever spent out, I had to meet Gerald up in London and I was waiting for him in Holborn Station where the icy wind was ripping through the entrance like a Siberian gale. After some time, I spotted Gerald making his way through the throngs of merrymakers,but we still had to continue to our destination. I think I should mention that because it was NYE and we were going to a club , I foolishly decided to dress up in a variation of one of my stage outfits, so I was wearing 6inch heels, not the wisest of choice when one is walking around everywhere, especially down steep subways and the like. Plus we didn't have clue where we were going and it was impossible for me to walk quickly, so we were literally freezing our bums off. All that changed however once we were inside the club and started dancing. It was a funky little venue, quite small and not overcrowded, we found a good place to dance and that was it for the next few hours, until I could no longer ignore the searing pains in my thighs and feet from those killer boots. Gerald also had a big blister on his foot because he had decided to come out in new shoes, so we looked a sorry sight as we staggered out of the club, he was limping and I was teetering, and we had to contend with the awful cold again. Even though it was some obscure hour of the morning, the tube was still packed like rush hour and my next remarkable feat was to jump onto a crowded train, across a huge gap between the train and the platform, as the doors were closing, I remember swaying wildly and Gerald almost pulling me on. The journey went quite smoothly, until we were two stops away from home, the train lurched to a halt and the driver informed us that there were people on the tracks ahead and that all power would be shut down till the idiots were removed, so we had no idea how long we were going to be stuck there, by this time I was bursting for the loo as well, couldn't believe it. Eventually got on our way again, no taxis to take us home from the station, so we had to walk. Unfortunately this entails going up a very steep hill, we must have looked a sorry sight, Gerald was hunched over, shivering and limping, and I was shuffling along in minute steps, very tall and erect like a robot! What should have been a ten minute walk took us half an hour, I was so pleased when we stumbled through the front door of our home, sweet home!

We'll be dancing

2008-12-29T12:58:00.003Z

Hi everyone, we've actually sorted out something to do on NYE, actually a DJ invited us to a club and stuck us on the guest list, so we thought it would be a good thing to do, as opposed to being crushed to death at the fireworks. I'm looking forward to a night of dancing, haven't been to a club for ages.
Did I mention that we filmed the video last week, it was such good fun doing it. I had to mime the song and pretend that I was doing this mega performance and everyone was just gawping at me, at the end I felt like asking where the applause was. It was a great afternoon as we were all very relaxed and that made it fun to do, also I didn't feel self- conscious at all, which always helps when you are in front of a camera. I can't wait to see the finished product.
A few people have asked what's happening with the remix contest, we are still waiting to listen to the entries, the problem being that many people submitted more than one entry, so the organiser has had to write to each individual and ask them which version they want to enter. We are looking forward to listening to them all, so hopefully we will be able to soon.
Yesterday I was out running and it was cold but sunny, I realised that it won't be long now before the spring and every day that passes gets a little bit longer.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-27T13:53:00.002Z

Hi everyone, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, ours was ! We just relaxed which is always a big treat for us. It was a lovely day, lots of delicious food and every present I opened was something that I really liked. I picked up my new mountain bike on Christmas Eve and we immediately went to try it out on some trails in the forest. I found it exhilarating to sat the least, so yesterday we were out again, cycling down the country roads which was great as well, apart from being bitterly cold and our faces nearly being ripped off by the wind. I guess it's all part of the great outdoors and an effective way to clear any cobwebs on the mind!
Still don't know what we're going to do to see in the New Year, as usual we've left everything till the last minute. Hopefully we'll find something!
In the early hours of the morning, everything was covered in a thick frost and the temperature had plunged, it was quite icy and the countryside looked like it had been covered in glass! I forgot to mention that whilst in the forest the other day, we saw two proper country foxes, they were much larger than their urban counterparts, their fur was long and thick, and bright ginger. They ran across the path we were on and were soon well hidden in the camouflage of the trees. It's very true that each season has it's own magic.

Recovering

2008-12-20T11:00:00.002Z

I've had a forced relaxation over the last few days, I was overcome by a nasty cold and for once in my life I just let it happen and did all the things one is supposed to do like lie down and stay warm and nothing too energetic. I've watched so much TV that my eyes feel square. It has been lovely to just stay at home and not have to go outside even. I'm looking forward to my recovery because I just ordered a mountain bike and I can go and collect it on Christmas Eve, I can't wait to go riding in the forest with Gerald and of course he is pleased that he doesn't have to go on his own anymore, my Mum said she will ride it as well, ha ha.
My Mum is going on a excursion to London this afternoon, to see the Christmas Lights, it definitely is worth going to see, some streets are quite spectacular. So many people complain that the magic has gone out of Christmas, I don't think it has , I just think you have to look a bit harder for it.
Ventured out yesterday for a little while , but didn't fare too well as we couldn't find anything that we'd originally set out to purchase, I was trying to find some candles for the dining table and instead came home with two exciting books that I can't wait to read.
Bodiless and Free is ready and sounding wicked, don't forget to gain access to the free download just join our mailing on reverbnation.com/cling , it should be available tomorrow!

It's the season of cancellations

2008-12-16T16:24:00.003Z

Hi everyone, it seems everything's ground to a halt this week. On Sunday I had a terribly sore throat and since then I have had various symptoms of colds and zero energy. We even had to cancel our gig, which is not something that we ever like to do. Then today we were meant to film our video and the person we are working with informed us that she has flu, so now that is postponed till next week. Gives me more time to perfect everything and to be honest I'm not at my best because I feel so strange, and I'm also really feeling the cold, partly because it is really cold.
This morning I was sitting in a corpse- like state in the living room, out of the corner of my eye I observed a fox running about in the garden, I was surprised as they are nocturnal creatures, but closer inspection revealed that he had been injured by something as he was holding his back leg up as he ran. I felt sorry for him, I felt like yelling out that he could stay in the garden and rest , that no-one would harm him here, but he was in a panic and soon escaped from our garden, hobbling swiftly up the road. I hope he found refuge somewhere safe. Wouldn't it be amazing to really be able to communicate with animals? what goes on in the mind of a snake for example? I like to think that Nyo and I can understand each other. She certainly recognises different voices and different tones of voice. I can also tell what mood she's in by the way she shrieks. But it would be wonderful to have a deeper understanding, like a telepathic conversation. One thing I would ask her is what our burglar looked like, she's the only one who knows!
I just feeling like dozing in front of the telly and the fire, first I have to venture out again, to get something for dinner. Christmas preps are going well....

Getting that festive feeling

2008-12-12T13:27:00.002Z

Yesterday evening we were treated to the sights and sounds of a brass band playing Christmas Carols under the frosty streetlights of our road. It was very atmospheric and for the first time in ages it is beginning to feel like Christmas time.
Of course where I grew up , Christmas is in the height of summer, however this never stopped my Dad from getting a huge tree, which we would decorate with glee, I used to love the smell of the leaves wafting through the house, but best of all would be in the evenings when the twinkling lights would be turned on and mesmerise us for ages. The excitement on Christmas Eve was always unbearable. I always imagined Santa to arrive down our chimney on a sled, even though there was definitely no snow outside. We would always leave a big glass of beer on the mantelpiece as well, just in case he was thirsty.
Never had a problem getting up early, my sister and I would sneak into the living room, sometimes so early that it was still dark outside, and when I used to see all those presents under the tree, it was just the most wonderful, magical feeling ever.
How upset I was to be told one day that Santa wasn't real. I think I cried a river.

Check out our song visuals

2008-12-10T11:14:00.002Z

Hi there everyone, Gerald and I went to a Christmas party the other night. we only lasted an hour, not because we're unsociable or anything, but the music wasn't all that great and when all the cheesy Christmas songs started, it became too much for our sensitive constitutions, so we made a speedy exit. I think we only managed to dance to one song whilst we were there.
It's been so cold, I'm sure that it wasn't this cold last year, I've been waking up in the middle of the night absolutely freezing and having to hold on really tight to Gerald to try and warm up. I like this house, but it really is a draughty old wreck of a place and in the winter it's like a fridge when the heating goes off. The open fire is a life saver, it is now a necessity, not a luxury. In fact I have just been outside to fill up the coal bucket, we are going to light a fire and it's not even noon yet!! Our Christmas tree is up and looking very pretty indeed, makes us even more drowsy, unable to watch a whole film without falling asleep.
We have been working with visual artist Tony Pinfold, who has created some visuals to go with our songs. You can check out Slipping Away OTD Remix on Myspace and U Tube, here are the links, enjoy!!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=47969480

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZuS03g6Nbk

It's Cold!

2008-12-03T15:51:00.002Z

Hi everyone, I have had great success with my choreography and have got through a third of the song, I have enjoyed doing it actually, let's hope it ends up looking good on the video. I remember the first video we ever made, with a group of students. It was all very badly planned, most of it made up as we went along, and we had to film outside in the freezing cold as well,which made it worse. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that by not planning we ended up with a video that was only good in parts and we never used it for anything because it just wasn't right. This time though everyone appears to be organised so I hope it goes smoothly.
Yesterday I was outside in the garden ,trying to tidy up, mainly the autumn leaves that ended up like a thick carpet on the lawn and everywhere else. Even though I had gloves on my fingers were still icy cold, I can't believe how cold it actually is, I'm sure it wasn't like this last year. The worst thing seems to be the wind which literally bites straight through you. Well, maybe if we get a proper winter, we'll get a proper summer as well.
I love the winter sky when the sun sets, it seems very fragile and often the earth is bathed in a pale lilac light, try and catch it, it is truly enigmatic and peaceful.

December already

2008-12-01T10:31:00.002Z

Sorry for not writing for so long, my only excuse is that I have been really tired, it was quite a week.
The gig was great, we put on a good performance for the handful of people that turned up. They all enjoyed it immensely. I really wish more people had showed up, but if this game was easy then everyone would be doing it. We won't be beaten, we'll just carry on getting better and better so that by the time crowds of people flock to see us, we will be blinding!
We did another performance the next night, it was for more of a holistic crowd, and there was quite a few people there. We met a guy that does visual light shows , so he is going to work with us at some gigs, it will be amazing to have some visuals to go with our music.
So I will be busy preparing for the video which we are going to shoot in a couple of weeks. I have to prepare some sort of dance routine. I sort of know what I am doing, but I am not a trained dancer and I don't have the benefit of a choreographer, so I am looking forward to the challenge.
So I will be recharging my batteries today, I'll go running, it is the perfect day, dry and cold, I love running in the winter as I don't overheat. It is very chilly when you first set off though!

2008-11-23T23:04:00.002Z

It's been a trying week , I must admit. Things like that are supposed to make you stronger. Someone who was meant to be my friend let me down badly. Actually we were only starting to become friends, but I'm not sure what will happen now, it could go either way. Nobody's perfect, but because it was to do with me being able to get to the sound check for the gig, it made me rather peeved and a bit edgy to say the least. Fortunately another, colleague of mine is going to go out of his way to help me, without even thinking about it. It's fortunate that there are some decent people around.
Last night was freezing cold and we awoke to snow this morning. I happened to be coming home from London on the train, but they were all messed up again and once more I found myself on a freezing platform with a ten minute wait, I just couldn't be bothered so I decided to take a cab. The driver was local, quite an old fellow and he was telling me lots of interesting stories about the area and the forest, in particular about the deer. There are so many deer in one part of the forest, that when people are horse riding they are often confronted by small herds literally jumping out from underneath them.
I am always enthralled by the beauty of the forest, like this morning there was a spattering of snow and all the trees in the forest are nearly bare, and it was a lovely wintry setting. Well, I'm just gonna chill out by the fire now, goodnight!

Fabulous outfit!

2008-11-19T10:39:00.003Z

Found the most fabulous outfit yesterday, took a trip to Camden Town and it was easy to find things because I knew exactly what I wanted. Can't wait to wear it now! Roll on next Wednesday and Thursday as well. I don't know if I'll be wearing the same outfit at Thursday night's gig, it might not go down so well as it is a holistic type evening. It's been a strange few days really where I've had to deal with all sorts of unexpected situations, but today I have emerged from my sleep with a clearer head and feeling much stronger.
Apparently, it's going to get really cold over the weekend, like a few degrees below zero. I had quite a chilly end to my shopping expedition as there was complete chaos on the trains. The driver of the train I was on decided he was too ill to continue working. This eventually led to us all being turfed off the train onto a dark platform in the middle of nowhere and left waiting for ages in the cold. The joys of public transport.
I ordered a new mic yesterday, wireless, which will give me more freedom to move around on stage,so I'm hoping it's going to arrive before the gig. I'm busy rehearsing and stuff, but I'm sure I will get to catch up with you in the next couple of days!

2008-11-16T22:16:00.002Z

Hi everyone, hope you had a fantastic weekend. I ended up giving myself a headache, after just saying to someone that I hadn't had to suffer one for ages. It feels suspiciously like the aura of a migraine. This is the result of a stressy few days where I allowed myself to be wound up by silly people and circumstances. Instead of finding a solution, I've been asking all the wrong questions. Where's my head at? I'm having a blonde moment.
So anyway, there has been a good response to our new photo, the most comments we've ever received. So thank you Mr Norrin it was everything we were looking for!
I was freaked out by a hairdresser this week, I should have known better! I went for highlights and ended up with white and brown stripes in my hair! For the first time in my life I actually went back and complained that I didn't like it, but the only thing that they could do was make it blonder, so now it's blonder, but like really , really blonde. I can't say that I'm having more fun yet. Gerald has just told me I look ill and I should relax. So I'll say goodnight and catch up with you in a couple of days xx

Exciting times

2008-11-12T12:30:00.003Z

Hi everyone, hasn't it been ages since I wrote? But as you can see we have been mega- busy! Last week I had to sort through over 1000 photos of our gig and the shoot we did at home for "Yours- Live Version. " We were delighted with the results, as you can see! This is one of my favourite shots from the live gig, you can see them all if you are on Facebook, just search for Cling if you are not already our fan on there.
We met someone the other night with a view to making a video for Yours Live Version and decided that we are definitely going to go ahead with it, so we are going to film it next month.I can't wait! I have to now sort out some kind of dance routine amongst other stuff! Preparations are also starting in earnest again for our 2 forthcoming gigs in 2 weeks time. I still have to decide on my outfit, what on earth I am going to wear this time? Also I am in the process of trying to recruit a backing singer for when we do our festivals next year. I am working with someone at the moment , but Gerald has yet to hear us together, so nothing is definite. There are so many good things happening at the moment, I have to be more focused and disciplined than ever!

Bring it on!

2008-11-03T10:08:00.002Z

Wow , what a weekend , we were so busy with Cling stuff that we barely had time to breathe. After the gig I was feeling a little bit down the next day and really tired as well. We had had a nightmare of a rehearsal before the gig. one of our pieces of equipment decided it just wasn't going to work anymore, it is like a vocal processor and enables me to have "live" harmonies when I sing, so for the first time I was faced with the prospect of going onstage with very raw vocals, completely out of my comfort zone. There was nothing we could do and Gerald had overworked himself to a point where he had a migraine for two days, so we really had to have faith in the thought that everything happens for a reason and to cut a long story short, it was actually the best gig we have done so far, and a really nice venue, it even had a dressing room which I totally took over and it was wonderful ti sit there and collect my thoughts before I went on. I learned the next day that several people missed our show because there was a fire on one of the main roads and there was traffic chaos in the area. But even so, we still need loads more people to support us at our gigs, so we will be promoting ourselves even more fiercely. We had the perfect opportunity over the weekend, we recorded two different radio shows. On Saturday we did an interview plus performed three songs live. We actually did acoustic versions, with Gerald playing the guitar, just to show that the songs do stand up on their own, it's not just all about wizardry. Then yesterday we recorded another interview, which was more in-depth and will be broadcast just before we do one of our gigs in November, the one at Harlow F.C!
Yesterday I had to take my mum to see one of our friends that has come over from Zimbabwe for a wedding. We had to drive in the depths of a horrible area to get to where our friend was staying. It was an awful journey, I got lost and it was dark and just a general nightmare. Anyway, we found it in the end and my mum was pleased to catch up on all the goings on, it all sounds a bit grim over there. When we came out someone had parked so close to my car that their car was touching my number plate, people are such pigs sometimes, no consideration for other people's property. We were glad to get out of there, my mum even said how grateful she was that we live in such a lovely home.

Cycles

2008-10-26T22:22:00.002Z

Hi folks, I don't know if I'll have much chance to write over the next few days as the gig looms ever closer. Gerald has now got even thinner from even more late nights as he is preparing the music. The clocks went back last night, so we got an extra hour's sleep and now it officially coming up for winter. It is also a year to the day that we moved into our house and there's still a picture that needs to be hung on the kitchen wall! I still don't have any regrets about moving here, it was definitely one of the best things we've ever done. As I was running the other day, I realised that I have watched the seasons change during my runs and it reminded me of how everything in life goes in cycles. I've watched the fields go through their cycle of planting, growing and harvesting, an I've seen the forest wear all her glorious costumes and now I've come the full cycle! It's even the time for seeing deer again in the early hours of the morning,as I did a few nights ago. Life just seems so magical at times and I never want the magic to end, why should it?
We were offered another gig today, it's great, it's exciting as well. Gerald says my nerves should even come into my performance as we are there to entertain the audience!

Chilling in the chilliness

2008-10-21T20:59:00.001+01:00

I've almost forgotten about that rancid person, because I got it all out of my system.We did go round to the flat last night , but the woman wouldn't open the door to us. Might have had something to do with the fact that I had been unable to contain my anger earlier, and I had phoned her up and given her a piece of my mind. Anyway, I found out her name from the landlord so I just wrote to her and told her what I intended to do, so hopefully that will put an end to it.
Today I went to the best yoga class ever, taught by an Italian guy. It was very dynamic and by far the most intense and demanding yoga I have ever done. I found it quite tough and I have been doing yoga for a long time, I'm glad that it wasn't my first time, it was rather demanding and precise. So I am more than pleased that at last I have found a yoga class again, one that is challenging.
It grew quite nippy this afternoon so we lit the fire and I have been in charge of keeping it going, so I just chucked two more huge logs onto it. It's lovely when you go outside and the air is so cold and biting, then you smell the smoke coming out of the chimneys and there's something so lovely and English and comforting about the whole thing. So I don't really mind anymore that it's going to be cold.

Someone tried to impersonate me

2008-10-20T11:12:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone, it's a blustery day here in the forest. I have been a bit edgy over the last few days as I have been the victim of fraud impersonation. Someone living at our old address applied for an account in my name, but thankfully they don't know all my personal details, so they were stopped before they could do any damage. Apparently the person living there is a single mum with three kids, so she will be very surprised tonight when I turn up on her doorstep and ask her if she knows anything about it. What a cheek and heaven alone knows what else she's tried to do using my name. She must be very thick to think she can get away with it. At first I was really worried that my details had fallen into the hands of some professional gang, but now that I know where it's coming from I'm more peeved than anything else. Anyway, I've got more important things to think about, like our gig for example, I've got butterflies already. Gerald is working flat out as usual to get everything ready on time and I'm doing my usual preparations and paying more attention to what goes on in my mind. Like at the moment my mind keeps projecting stuff about that unsavoury person who tried to impersonate me and I have to keep telling myself to let go as I can't do anything about it right now.
The other day I bought a skipping rope and I skipped for half an hour, it is really strenuous and my calves were quite sore for days afterwards. When I got tired, I kept losing my co-ordination and tripping over it, amazing how something so simple can be so difficult for an adult!

The heat is on

2008-10-16T07:01:00.002+01:00

Bet you all wondered what on earth had happened to me. Whilst out the other day, I decided to hire a carpet cleaning machine, we have cream carpets in two rooms of the house and they were looking a bit grubby. I thought to myself that I could just go over them really quickly and that would be it. I should have known better, they turned out to be a real mission just like those wretched conifers. Two whole days later and they still weren't properly finished and everyone's lives were disrupted as they had to go out the front door and walk all the way round the house just to get to the kitchen. And because the house was in turmoil, it felt like we were moving again, it was all very unsettling and time consuming, I couldn't get my head round anything else , let alone do anything else or go anywhere. Then when all the furniture was back in it's place and everything looked spotless and tidy, I suddenly became myself again and realised the enormity of what we have to accomplish for this up coming gig. It's wonderful to have such opportunities and that's what I keep reminding myself when things get a bit pressurised!Writing is therapeutic though, it helps to get rid of all that unnecessary clutter in your mind.

Focus on the good things

2008-10-10T21:33:00.004+01:00

Hello everyone, it's been another hectic day. First of all we caught two intruders prowling around the vacant property next door. We are rubbish detectives as we failed to get photographs of them, I had just got out of the bath and was reluctant to pursue them down the road so inadequately dressed, bathrobe trailing in the wind and my clumsy, fluffy slippers. We have a plan for if we see them again. They were only a couple of silly youths, but there have been some break-ins in our street and it might even be the same ones that robbed us. It brought back all those horrible feelings.
Then, I got into my car to go to London and when I stopped to get petrol, was horrified to discover I had a puncture, drove over a nail. My mum thinks it has something to do with the youths, is it too much of a coincidence? My tyre wasn't like that earlier, I moved my car this afternoon and surely would have noticed. I'm sure I felt something popping as I drove off from the house. Maybe I wasn't meant to go out on those dangerous roads tonight.
We have just been offered another gig and we also have another radio thing- I was going to say appearance, but how can you appear on the radio? All Gerald's hard work is starting to pay off, but it hasn't ended, as now we have to prepare like crazy. All my mundane and tedious complaints have paled into insignificance

Morning, or is it goodnight?

2008-10-10T06:17:00.003+01:00

Did I mention that a friend of ours on MySpace called Liquid transformed those photos that Gerald took of me lying in the bath and made me look like a mermaid! I can't wait to release Bodiless and Free so that we can show off the song and the photo to everyone. It's 6am and here I sit like a weirdo writing my blog. Gerald made me go gallivanting with him today so I didn't have time to complete everything, then he gave me a filthy look when I said I hadn't been online at all. So here I am!
Yesterday morning my phone rang whilst I was in the middle of a deep sleep. I couldn't believe I had left it on, so I staggered over to terminate the call, falling back into bed, full of expletives. All of a sudden I heard a voice in the distance "Hello , hello?" and realised with a sense of doom, that I had answered the call instead . How embarrassing, then to make matters worse I just turned my phone off altogether, so then the person started calling on the landline eeeuh! No rest for the naughty ones. It was no-one important anyway.
My deadline is up, I must get some sleep now. this is quite a refreshing time to write actually, quite often I sit and write little things down just before I go to bed, I find that I can be very creative at this time, providing I am not too tired!

Changing rooms

2008-10-07T19:39:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone, it's been non-stop for me theses last couple of days, I have done so many things, yet there are still some outstanding. I have, however, been taking good care of my soul. I went to meditation class again today with my friend and then afterwards we went to try out a pilates class, which is something I've never tried before and completely different to what I thought it would be like. I really enjoyed it and will go down there on a regular basis, because they also teach inyegar yoga, which is a type of yoga I've never tried before either. It was so funny because when we got to the pilates class, my friend had to change, luckily I was already in my gear, and when we got to the changing room we discovered it was unisex, all these guys and girls happily stripping off in front of each other. I was shocked , this is something I've never come across, it's all very European! My poor friend was even more mortified, she said that she couldn't do the class if she had to change in front of all those blokes. I must say, I would have felt exactly the same, so I ran off and found a spare therapy room for her to use and I had to stand guard at the door. Morale of the story is one should always dress for the occasion!
I feel mega- chilled I didn't even get annoyed when I tried to use the self service checkout at Tesco, I couldn't get anything to scan and had to call the assistant over several times, by which time an irate queue had built up, still I refused to get flustered, but wished I'd gone to the normal queue in the end. It's hard not to feel all those impatient eyes glaring at you!