Full URL<blockquote><blockquote type=cite>Jem Finer Live
You could be forgiven for thinking a little slice of the Deep South had transported itself to Newcastle when Jem Finer accompanied DM Bob on stage at the Full Moon recently.
Nicky Taylor was there...
The former Pogues musician made a welcome return to his home-town in a new collaboration on this 'Twomanband' tour.
Support came from The Trent Vale Poet Band (local poetry accompanied by musicians), followed by Nemo (same musicians, different singer) and Benny Boy (Eminem-style rapper with, you guessed it, the same musicians).
What started as a relatively promising set descended into what could kindly be described as drunken karaoke, as one band under three guises seemed to forget that they were actually in a support slot and not the leading role.
Finally, enter Deutsche Mark (DM) Bob and Jem Finer. Bob hails from Louisiana, USA, while Jem was raised in sunny Stoke!
International
So how did a former Keele University Sociology/Computer Science student team up with an ex-pat American living in Hamburg?
"Bob's girlfriend and my wife are friends, they met while studying at the Slade School of Art," Jem explains.
"Bob's girlfriend put on a show as her contribution to an international art show in Bremen. We both played in the house band as well doing our own acts.
" Later in the year I went back to Hamburg and we recorded some of the songs from the show. After that, Bob was approached to do some dates over here and asked me if I'd accompany him."
Laidback
Even considering the Full Moon's ailing PA system, this is a venue perfectly suited to an intimate gig with a laid-back rhythm and blues vibe.
The material played on the tour is DM Bob's, whose raw, Southern vocal combines perfectly with the skilled playing of numerous instruments by both men.
There's a hint of everything in this set - country, folk, bluegrass, r&b. Jem switches from banjo to saxophone with ease, although he modestly claims that,
"I can't really play anything very well! I'd love to play drums, piano … the sax, guitar and banjo better… accordion, trumpet. I'd like to master them all."
Down-to-earth
Jem's fame as the key musician in the Pogues has clearly not affected his ego!
The result of this partnership is a highly polished sound that could only be produced by musicians who obviously enjoy what they are doing.
Jem confirms this,
"Touring as an occupation can be a pain in the arse. So can some audiences! I like Bob, I like his music, all I was doing was going about the business of playing music I like with someone I enjoy hanging out with."
Artistic
As well as his musical career, Jem has enjoyed being taken seriously as an artist. He is the artist in residence at Oxford University's Astrophysics department, and his Longplayer experiment attempts to produce a continuous piece of music to last one thousand years!
So, after all his experiences, does Jem still see Stoke as his spiritual home? Apparently not!
"The last time I was in Stoke was when a train taking me to a football match was delayed and I had to run out and find the nearest pub!"
And of his time at Keele?
"I learnt how to learn things. Since then I've taught myself all kinds of stuff!"
It seems there no substitute for experience, and Jem Finer has certainly made the most of his opportunities!</blockquote></blockquote>Copyright 2004, BBC
This web site makes no claims to the copyright of this material.
[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/music/2004/04/finer.shtml]Full URL[/url]<blockquote><blockquote type=cite>Jem Finer Live
You could be forgiven for thinking a little slice of the Deep South had transported itself to Newcastle when Jem Finer accompanied DM Bob on stage at the Full Moon recently.
Nicky Taylor was there...
The former Pogues musician made a welcome return to his home-town in a new collaboration on this 'Twomanband' tour.
Support came from The Trent Vale Poet Band (local poetry accompanied by musicians), followed by Nemo (same musicians, different singer) and Benny Boy (Eminem-style rapper with, you guessed it, the same musicians).
What started as a relatively promising set descended into what could kindly be described as drunken karaoke, as one band under three guises seemed to forget that they were actually in a support slot and not the leading role.
Finally, enter Deutsche Mark (DM) Bob and Jem Finer. Bob hails from Louisiana, USA, while Jem was raised in sunny Stoke!
International
So how did a former Keele University Sociology/Computer Science student team up with an ex-pat American living in Hamburg?
"Bob's girlfriend and my wife are friends, they met while studying at the Slade School of Art," Jem explains.
"Bob's girlfriend put on a show as her contribution to an international art show in Bremen. We both played in the house band as well doing our own acts.
" Later in the year I went back to Hamburg and we recorded some of the songs from the show. After that, Bob was approached to do some dates over here and asked me if I'd accompany him."
Laidback
Even considering the Full Moon's ailing PA system, this is a venue perfectly suited to an intimate gig with a laid-back rhythm and blues vibe.
The material played on the tour is DM Bob's, whose raw, Southern vocal combines perfectly with the skilled playing of numerous instruments by both men.
There's a hint of everything in this set - country, folk, bluegrass, r&b. Jem switches from banjo to saxophone with ease, although he modestly claims that,
"I can't really play anything very well! I'd love to play drums, piano … the sax, guitar and banjo better… accordion, trumpet. I'd like to master them all."
Down-to-earth
Jem's fame as the key musician in the Pogues has clearly not affected his ego!
The result of this partnership is a highly polished sound that could only be produced by musicians who obviously enjoy what they are doing.
Jem confirms this,
"Touring as an occupation can be a pain in the arse. So can some audiences! I like Bob, I like his music, all I was doing was going about the business of playing music I like with someone I enjoy hanging out with."
Artistic
As well as his musical career, Jem has enjoyed being taken seriously as an artist. He is the artist in residence at Oxford University's Astrophysics department, and his Longplayer experiment attempts to produce a continuous piece of music to last one thousand years!
So, after all his experiences, does Jem still see Stoke as his spiritual home? Apparently not!
"The last time I was in Stoke was when a train taking me to a football match was delayed and I had to run out and find the nearest pub!"
And of his time at Keele?
"I learnt how to learn things. Since then I've taught myself all kinds of stuff!"
It seems there no substitute for experience, and Jem Finer has certainly made the most of his opportunities!</blockquote></blockquote>Copyright 2004, BBC
This web site makes no claims to the copyright of this material.
