Concord Joe

The Story Behind "Concord Joe"

2012-03-04T17:20:00.000+11:00

Live: "Concord Joe"

2012-03-04T17:18:00.001+11:00

Concord Joe Hit the Recording Studio in February

2012-01-17T11:44:00.000+11:00

STOP PRESS: Concord Joe has just landed a headline performance at Leichhardt's Bald Faced Stag Hotel. This is one of Sydney's oldest pubs and a true supporter of Original Live Music. Concord Joe will take the stage on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 at 10:30 and play one set chock-a-block full of their own rockin' songs. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door or from the band.

Sydney (Enfield, actually), Australia - This February, Sydney-based, blues-tinged, rock band, Concord Joe, will be locking themselves in Bloody Dog Recording Studio in Sydney's Inner West to record the first 13 soon-to-be-bestselling tracks.

The intent of the live music performances done so far was to hone the songs, give the songs a chance to get comfortable with the four-piece band, give the four-piece band a comfort level with the songs, and breathe life into them. The last gig felt great. Now the band is ready to play with the songs in a studio; to capture them so that everyone can listen to them, learn them, and sing along at the gigs.

The recording process will happen in stages. The band hopes to begin sharing the tunes on the Concord Joe website (www.concordjoe.com) in early March.

For more information, check out the contact page on the website and organise to talk to Ben or Wendy.

Live: "On a Roll"

2012-01-08T17:30:00.001+11:00

The Story Behind "On a Roll"

2012-01-08T17:29:00.000+11:00

Live: "Blue Sphere"

2011-12-23T14:43:00.000+11:00

The story behind "Blue Sphere"

2011-12-23T14:40:00.003+11:00

Hi guys. Here is installment 2 in our video blog series. This time: Blue Sphere.

Live: "Promise I Won't Be Sad"

2011-12-15T14:31:00.003+11:00

The story behind "Promise I Won't Be Sad"

2011-12-14T15:51:00.006+11:00

Ben Little explaining the inspiration behind the Concord Joe song "Promise I Won't Be Sad."

To hear the whole song in live acoustic mode click here.

Play It Loud, Play It Proud

2011-11-23T12:04:00.008+11:00

Hi y'all, I wanted to first of all say a big thank you to all of you who came on board Rocks Rhythmboat and rocked on the harbour with us!

What a great venue eh? One of the best backdrops in the world...our Sydney harbour.

The crew on board always do a sterling job with food and drinks etc. So a big thanks also to Alan and Tony (the captain) for helping make the occasion so enjoyable. A thank you to Steve for doing such a great job on the sound. A thank you to Gary and Paul from the Bandits duo for playing fabulous songs to get the evening rolling and to Angela the ticket Queen.

We will definitely do another one next year.

I called this blog Play It Loud, Play it Proud, because that's just what we did last Sunday. We got to play as a loud rock band and we played our own music.
What we did on Sunday was not unusual 30 years ago. We would walk into any bar, pub or club and that's just what you would hear.... a band playing original music...that actually was the norm back then. (Am I sounding old again?)

I won't go on and on about that era, but it did create Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel, The Angels, Noiseworks, Mental as Anything etc. etc.... All that wonderful music from those bands and a hundred others is considered cover music now. But back then it was all new and all original.

What happened?

As we all got older as musicians, it seemed the main way to earn steady money was to play covers or play in a tribute band.... The list is a long one as to why it has all changed... that's for another blog on another day. :)

While playing other artists songs can be fun (still is in fact) it can also be soul destroying to a degree... especially if you are a song writer. I think people seem to forget that the wonderful oz rock music that we all love, was original music in its day and we welcomed it all with open ears and arms!

Anyway, it wasn't too long ago that I was thinking..."What's the point? Who is interested? Why bother?" But then I thought... I know why I am doing this.... it's for myself. I love doing what I do... writing, singing and playing guitar in a rock band.

Much has changed since I was a young man, but my desire to play music has not diminished. And if anyone comes along for the journey with us, then that is a bonus!
Concord Joe will be doing some pre-production soon for an album... a collection of Concord Joe songs. Recording is also a very fun and satisfying process.

We would love you to come and see us play again. We have 2 more dates before the end of the year, so if you can make it to one or more, that would be awesome.

Sunday, December 4, The Kamma Wine Bar Neutral Bay, 4.00pm to 7.00pm

Friday, December 16, The Quarryman's Hotel, 8.30pm to 11.30pm

Once again , thanks for all your support and we are looking forward to keeping the music live and alive for the rest of 2011 and into 2012!

We would love any feedback by the way: advice, ideas, opinions, criticisms. Tell us anything you like... it all helps.

All I know, is that we don't sound like the Pet Shop Boys... that makes me a happy man. :)
Rock on!

Ben
P.S. Have you liked us on Facebook yet? :)

Band meetings bring back memories

2011-09-27T10:25:00.011+10:00

Hey y'all,

We had a band meeting last night. We have one almost every week now.

When I was a young lad (Jurassic Period), I used to love band meetings on so many levels.

I guess the social aspect was a big one. But there was also a feeling of moving forward and "conquering" as well.

These are aspects of any gang, group or club. But as musicians, you get to play music too!

So I was transported back in time last night when Billy, Vince , Wendy and I had a band meeting last night.

We looked at new photos, played new songs, reviewed the live footage from our last gig, put in rehearsal dates and discussed recording, arrangements and other marketing ideas.

One of the fun things about putting a band together is not only watching everything slowly improve, but also to be able to share all this with others.

And in today's world it is amazing just how many avenues there are to engage everybody in all of our activities.

The differences between Concord Joe and the bands I was in as a youth are many.

First of all, Concord Joe is not the number one priority in everyone's daily life. Secondly we are all better musicians with better skills and more to say....

So how far will we go? How long will we last ? These are all questions which we all wonder about but are not overly obsessed with either.

At this point, it is all still just great fun. And I imagine as long as it is, then Concord Joe will be around for a long time.

For a taste of Concord Joe , we have some footage from our last gig at the Kamma Wine Bar in Neutral Bay. Here are the links to Concord Joe, Happy Sunday Morning, and Confrontation Blues.

What is a Harbour Cruise?

2011-09-22T16:09:00.001+10:00

What is a Harbour Cruise? Well, I’ve been on a few in my day so I though I'd give you an overview.

The group of people who go on a harbour cruise are fun people, so make friends with people as you wait for the boat. At about 5:45 the Rocks Rhythmboat will pick up passengers from the Pyrmont Wharf (near the Maritime Museum - here's a map). Everyone will already have their tickets as they will be collected from you when you board.

When you board, the bar is open. You can grab a drink right away or move inside to discover the boat first. I promise they won’t run out of booze. There will be tables set up inside on the first level and then upstairs there are also tables and chairs. (FYI, the boat has proper toilets and enough seating for everyone; it’s all very civilised.) Personally, I suggest you pass the bar at first and find a place for your group to congregate. Unless you’re the first through the door – then grab a drink right away.

The boat will depart from the jetty and we’ll cruise around the harbour. The buffet dinner will be served pretty much right away, and each table will be called up in turn to plate up. I promise they won’t run out of food.

At about 7:00, Gary and Paul from the Bandits will do a set of music to start the entertainment. This whole time, the beautiful city of Sydney is drifting past and looking marvellous. The sunset begins and lots of people take pictures. Coffee, tea, and desserts will be brought out to the buffet after everyone has been served dinner.

And then at about 8:00, Concord Joe will start to play. Some will listen from above (the roof opens up). Some will come downstairs to get a better sound. Some will dance. Some will stay up top and might not even realise we’re playing. It’s really casual. The bar is open the whole time and the choice is yours for how you enjoy the night.

At about 9:00 the sun has well and truly set and Concord Joe will begin our last set. We’ll probably throw in some classic covers at the end to rock out a bit. Then at 9:45-10:00 the boat will get back to the wharf and all y'all will disembark.

It’s amazing how quickly it all goes. At the end, everyone wants more music, but the boat wants to go home. We should sell tickets to the next one right then and there, because everyone is asking when the next one will be....

It’s a great night. November is the perfect time of year for it.

Do you have your ticket yet? Don’t wait too long.... WLC.

Photo shoot

2011-09-20T13:56:00.006+10:00

Hey y'all,

Well, we had the photo shoot on Sunday and it was a long but rewarding day.

Peter Koudounas is the photographer and he does amazing work.

We went along to Callan Park, Glebe and Concord and Pete of course took advantage of some of the local surroundings and appropriate lighting as the day unfolded.

I have yet to see all of the photos. I am sure we are actually smiling in some of them (he told us to!) but we have to look tough you know....we are a rock band...lol

So here is a sample of some of Pete's work. These photos will be used for promo and eventually maybe the album.....

It is a must to have a good stock of promo shots.

Here is a link to his website: www.kuduphotography.com.au.

Tickets for the Concord Joe Harbour Cruise are selling very well. It should be a great day and night!

Blog ya later!

Ben

Are we having fun yet?

2011-09-16T08:30:00.000+10:00

Hey y'all,

I just wanted to let everyone know what is going on in the land of Concord Joe.

I am really excited because as a song writer, I am getting closer to being able to write specifically for the band as a band "sound " slowly starts to develop. One of the things that has made it easier for me to write is to accept that everything has been said before...and that all you can do is say it in your own way. That is really a liberating philosophy.

There is plenty to write about. The last 4 songs are about the power of the word, my beautiful neice Elizabeth, the confusion surrounding 911 and being in the middle of two friends as their relationship divides.

Musically, it is such fun to draw from so many amazing influences and genres of music.

What else is up?

We are soon having a photo shoot. I have always loved and hated photo shoots. But this time it is fun trying to put a cohesive image together for people like us (not 20 years old).

Anyway I will continue to keep all of you up to date as we move forward.

The cruise on Rocks Rhythmboat is starting to sell quickly and we have a few surprises in store.

We also have some footage from the last Kamma Wine Bar gig , so we will soon put up some footage of that.

Cheers, and see you soon,

Ben

2011-08-15T10:18:00.001+10:00

Hello!

Okay, we have a name and we have more new songs to share and we've even delved into the back
catalogue. We've also sprinkled the set with some classic covers.

It's time to ROCK!

Come to the Kamma Wine Bar (at 12 Waters Lane, Neutral Bay) on Sunday, August 28th from 4:00-7:00. Free entry and no need to worry about rain anymore because the courtyard is covered with umbrellas.

We have some very special guests joining us on the day to get the ball rolling. Wayne and Rosie Tritton will start us off at 4:00. Make sure you are on time to grab a drink, grab a seat, and listen to the fantastic Wayne and Rosie. It'll be sure to be a great mix of Wayne's original songs and quirky covers.

Concord Joe is Born!

2011-06-02T16:29:00.000+10:00

And the name is....

2011-06-01T11:25:00.000+10:00

Hi. We're not going to tell you quite yet... the video is uploading... But for now we wanted to share a great picture from the night. Thanks to Jadie for all her pictures. (You can see them all on Facebook.)

Getting Ready for the Big Day

2011-05-03T17:02:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone. Wendy here.

Well, we have 26 days to go until "Name the Band Day." Last night the four of us rehearsed in Ben's living room. Probably the last time we'll do that for awhile. From now on, we're going to the rehearsal studio to rehearse. That way we can be LOUD. :)

Not that we're a loud band. We're not. Not Angels loud or Billy Thorpe loud. But we are a proper band. Plugged in and amplified. Electric gee-tars and a full kit of drums. Yes, we need the studio to get the sound right.

We're going to do 3 sets of music at the "Name the Band Day." The first one will warm you up with some acoustic versions of Ben's older originals (I'll suggest that he bring some CDs to sell if you like 'em). The middle set will be the one with the 8 brand, spanking new original songs and the full band. The we'll get to talk to you a bit about how you liked it and what we should be called. At the end, we'll pull out some fantastic covers that we know you'll love. I expect a singalong and some good old fashioned floor stomping.

Angela (Ben's bride and my fantabulous friend) would want me to mention that the Kamma Wine Bar has happy hour that afternoon from 4:00-5:00, so it's important that you get there early to get the cheap drinks. I'm sure you will be more creative in naming the band if you have at least one drink under your belt. Multiple entries are allowed.

Above is a picture of the four of us from last night. We had a hard time not laughing. Hope you like it.

Hopefully you have all of the details in your diary already. So far, we know people are coming all the way from Adelaide for this gig. You'll be mixing with fans and friends and cool people... like you!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

4:00-7:00

Kamma Wine Bar

12 Waters Lane Neutral Bay

See you soon!

VLog 2

2011-04-19T17:17:00.002+10:00

VLog 1

2011-04-19T17:14:00.003+10:00

Name the Band Day

2011-04-05T11:23:00.005+10:00

The New Band: Home Rehearsal

Hey folks. Here we are at my house while it's raining, putting together all that we can using this wonderful world of technology that is at our disposal. (Thank you, Wendy.)

We had a very successful vocal rehearsal last night and it's very exciting listening to all of these songs slowly coming together.

I do want to tell you about naming the band. Because we can't use the original name we wanted (Little St.), we want you to be the ones to name the band. So we're inviting all of you to come along and suggest a name for the band.

The first gig will be a feature set of 8 songs on Sunday, May 29th 4:00-7:00 at the Kamma Wine Bar in Neutral Bay, Sydney. We would really love your participation and engagement in the development of this new project.

I'm feeling somewhat refreshed at the moment, playing new music. And as I've said and keep telling anyone who will listen... I feel like I'm 20 again.

In the meantime, if we do run into each other and you think of a band name that you think would suit us, please feel free to pass it on. And we are also very welcoming to any suggestions at all concerning the development of the new band. (You can comment here to share with everyone or just call us.)

See you all soon.

Ben.

Ben's Here Now....

2011-03-25T15:12:00.000+11:00

Hi folks. Yes, all of that's true; Wendy is the master of online stuff.

Nothing too much to add to what's already been said except that it's nice to feel 18 again because that's what it feels like to rehearse new songs with fellow musicians That's what rocked my boat when I was young and now many years later I'm getting that same feeling again. Only this time I have over 30 years experience and no real agenda except the fun of putting it all together and watching it grow out of nothing.

The 14 songs that have just been written came in such a flurry, and they all have a certain thread which links them all together. I felt that they really needed to be performed by a group of musicians instead of all by myself... which can be a little too subjective.

What started off as a disappointment, which was that we couldn't use the name Little St., I've tried to turn into a positive by letting everyone else listen to what we sound like and hopefully come up with a name that really suits what we sound like.

Please, if you can, leave Sunday May 29th from 4:00 to 7:00 free to come along and put in your 5c worth (or 10c worth) and please give us a name. We have called the gig, "Name the Band Day." It's in Neutral Bay and it's at the Kamma Wine Bar, just behind an Indian Restaurant. (WLC: YUM!)

If you come up with any names earlier, knowing who we are and being familiar with some of the songs I've written, please feel free to send any name suggestions to me.

Email Band Name Ideas

Rock on!

Hello World!

2011-03-25T06:23:00.000+11:00

Welcome to the blog for our new (yet to be named) band. I'm Wendy the one who knows the most about online stuff. Ben is coming over later today to help me structure this blog to be what he wants it to be. Ben is the founder of this band. He writes all of the songs. He has the vision for what we are to become. I will help make that happen online. (I'm also in the band playing guitars and singing. I might even hold a maraca once or twice....)

On this blog, you'll meet us all and get to know us better. You'll meet our bass player, Billy, and our drummer, Vince. You'll probably also hear about Andy (the bird) and Caesar (the cat) because they have been around for all of our rehearsals so far.

This site will chronicle our journey. We intend to hold nothing back. You'll get the back story, the liner notes, and the edits as they happen. We want to share the story... to give you the backstage pass. We hope you will be a part of it.

The name of this band was supposed to be Little St. But a quick search of the Internet showed us that there already is a Little St. We'd been using the name ourselves for months. The search took about .24 seconds. Oh well.....

So our baby is yet to be named. Let's just call the band "new band" for a while.

New Band is a band that has been put together by Ben Little to bring life to his most recent creations. In 2010, Ben pushed through a songwriting drought and was flooded with songs. He recorded them in his home studio and then mused over what to do next....

Stay tuned for more. We're on a roll!