Brett Stokes Biography Brett Stokes
Genre: Acoustic, Folk, Rock, World
Fresh New Music - from a veteran of the SA independent music scene, a pioneer of the guitarsynth . . .
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Ziggy Zoom, Rebel Lion, The Outstanding Fines, Diamond Jim, the Post-Cynical Neo-Hippie Dolphin Boy - some old labels I have used when performing and recording.
What next? ... I have been mutating ...
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** Gigs and CDs *** (updated November 11th 2008)
Fringe Festival March 2009 - three shows arranged - see poster - book early ...
Every week - see Brett and percussion master Costa playing at the amplified acoustic open mike session at The Daniel O'Connell Hotel (Tynte St North Adelaide, between Wellington Square and O'Connell St) on Wednesday nights. (Great sound, quality live music, easy parking)
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May 2008 -
New CD - LIVE LOUD APRIL 2008 - available at gigs ... or email me or phone me to arrange your "home delivery"...
Costa and I are really happy to show off what we can do - great drum solo by Costa on track 1 (Live For Real) ... guitar synth going off on track 2 (Welcome Stranger) .... super tight track3 (Slam That Door) ... plus three more of my favourite tracks ... lyrics printed on the inside of the insert ...
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May 2008 - Our two gigs at the Squatters were great for confidence and for building the fan base. The compliments from new people were most welcome, we were happy to have played 27 different original songs, we were relieved to know that we can do "marathon" gigs playing for well over three hours with just a few short breaks ... and we have recordings of both nights.
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Our gig on Friday April 25th 2008 (8pm to midnight, at the Squatters Arms) went well - many thanks to all the fans of original music who were there. Also many thanks to Austin and to David Robinson and to Mediocre Folk (Paul and Justin) for playing short "amplified acoustic" spots while Costa and I had rests between sets.
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Following recent feedback from Marty (of Tribe FM) that he "laughed and laughed" when he listened to the CD "Rebellion of 1996" which I gave him years ago, I have repackaged and re-released this time-less classic which features ten live songs by Rebel Lion (Brett Stokes on vocals and guitar synth and toe-synth, Alan Bindig on guitar, Greg Fryer on bass and Terry "Gi" Little on drums) plus 30 minutes of hilarious and strange Police Action. Available at our gigs (or email me).
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Our gig on Saturday April 19th 2008 (9pm to 1am, at the Squatters Arms) went fantastically well - many thanks to all of the large full moon crowd of excited fans of original music. Costa was in devastating form on the drums --- and I was very happy with the guitar synth sound. We can't wait to hear the live recordings made by Sound Engineer extraordinaire Anna Buntovnikova. Also many thanks to Austin and to Jimmy Williams for playing short "amplified acoustic" spots while Costa and I had rests between sets.
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Costa and I enjoyed playing (despite the heat) on Sunday 9th March 2008 at the Crown and Anchor (Grenfell St Adelaide) - thanks to everyone who braved the heat and joined the appreciative audience.
I really really enjoyed Mayfield's set, especially their fine rendition of the old Doors classic 5to1 which was my favourite song a long long time ago.
Granny Flat were impressive.
Amundsen's Flag sounded awesome.
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I am looking for gigs - acoustic or amplified - solo or with backing - please contact me if you can help..
May 2008 -Lately I have been playing a few songs (with my voice and acousitc guitar and mostly with master percussionist Costa) every week at an amplified acoustic open mike session at The Tonsley Hotel (on South Road, near the Mitsubishi factory = 1274 South Road Clovelly Park) on Thursday nights. (Great sound, big room, lots of fun, including karaoke, easy parking - come along)
Also at another amplified acoustic open mike session at The Daniel O'Connell Hotel (Tynte St North Adelaide, between Wellington Square and O'Connell St) on Wednesday nights. (Great sound, quality live music, easy parking)
Also occasionally at another amplified acoustic open mike session at The Queens Arms Hotel (Wright St Adelaide, between Whitmore Square and King William St) on Tuesday nights. (Great sound, quality live music, easy parking)
I am so happy that the indoor smoking bans have started and are being observed = smoke-free live music in Adelaide.
I am also looking for airplay - please contact me if you can help.
I have a bunch of CDs available - email me for details.
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** song lyrics for Carolyn*** (updated February 29th 2008)
My friend Carolyn looked at this web page recently and was a little miffed that I had not mentioned her name anywhere - so here we go with lyrics of one of my favourite songs about one of my favourite people ....
Carolyn you are so cool
You are so sophisticated
You have been everywhere
You have done everything
Solitude can feel isolated
Depending on how you are situated
It could mean everything
It could mean nothing
Carolyn - please let me in
Carolyn - please let me in
Let me in to your heart
Let me in to your heart
I want you to know that I love you so
Carolyn
(c) copyright Brett Stokes 2000-2008
an MP3 of this song is now available on this web page (recorded 14th Feb 2008 live at the Tonsley Hotel with Brett on acoustic guitar and vocals accompanied by percussion master Costa on the snare drum with brushes.... recording by Jason and Ben of Action Voice, mastered by Brett Feb 29th 2008)
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** about the MP3s *** (updated May 14th 2008)
An MP3 of the song Slam That Door is now available on this web page (from LIVE LOUD APRIL 2008) with Brett on guitar synthesiser and vocals, accompanied by percussion master Costa on the drums....
An MP3 of the song I Am Free is now available on this web page (recorded 14th Feb 2008 live at the Tonsley Hotel with Brett on acoustic guitar and vocals accompanied by percussion master Costa on the bongo drums.... recording by Jason and Ben of Action Voice, mastered by Brett Feb 25th 2008).
An MP3 of the song Carolyn is now available on this web page (recorded 14th Feb 2008 live at the Tonsley Hotel with Brett on acoustic guitar and vocals accompanied by percussion master Costa on the snare drum with brushes.... recording by Jason and Ben of Action Voice, mastered by Brett Feb 29th 2008).
There are also six earlier recordings of my original songs on offer:
From my solo acoustic live CD "Easy Love" from 2001, the song "I Am Free" which earned me money for Radio Airplay in Ireland (see below for details).
An unreleased song "Dolphin Love Energy" by the Outstanding Fines, recorded live in 2003, with me on guitarsynth and vocals - many thanks to Trish (backing vocals) and Terry (bass guitar) and Marc (drums) for helping to make this song work so well.
An unreleased instrumental version of the song "SpoonFed" recorded live in the studio during the year 2000, with the last line-up of Rebel Lion (me on guitarsynth, Tont Pedicini on bass and Terry Little on drums).
A ten-months-ago (June 2007) studio version of "Walk On To Freedom" with a lot of input from the amazing Anna Buntovnikova (me on acoustic guitar and vocals, with arrangement and production by Anna). Review comment - "An engaging groove".
A twelve-months-ago (May 28th 2007) live version of "Trying Too Hard" with me on guitarsynth and vocals, plus master percussionist Costa on the drums - recorded live at Billy Bob's BBQ Jam at the Grace Emily Hotel, around midnight on May 28th 2007. Thanks to Billy Bob and Brian and the rest of the crowd for the atmospherics.
A twelve-months-ago (May 28th 2007) live version of "Automatic" with me on guitar (borrowed from Billy Bob - I had just broken a string on the guitarsynth) and vocals, plus master percussionist Costa on the drums - featuring a drum solo by Costa - recorded live at Billy Bob's BBQ Jam at the Grace Emily Hotel, around midnight on May 28th 2007. Thanks to Billy Bob and Brian and the rest of the crowd for the atmospherics.
If you enjoy these, please let me know.
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*** Message from Brett Stokes - June 11th 2007 ***
Hi
For many years I have dreamed of being a professional singer/songwriter performing and recording artist.
For many years I have worked to make this dream real, getting my act together, doing performance and recording projects as I could afford them, interspersed between spells of other work.
Since 1996 I have been a Writer Full Member of APRA (the Australian mob who collect and distribute royalties for songwriters), following some local radio airplay of my recorded original music.
During 2005 and 2006, I did little practice and few performances, concentrating on physical fitness and financial survival while spending lots of quality time with my beautiful friend Anna and her young twins who are nearly four years old.
Early in 2007, after a few years of not keeping APRA informed of my contact details (and names of my songs), I emailed APRA telling them of my current address.
A return email from APRA said they wanted my bank account details to pay me some royalties.
I did not reply as I thought the amount concerned would be negligible, maybe one dollar or less.
A few days later I received another email from APRA saying a cheque was in the mail to me.
When the promised cheque arrived, I was amazed to find it was for radio airplay in Ireland of one of my songs - royalties of $266.29 during the second half of 2003, plus just 54 cents for further airplay during first half of 2004 - so I figure the song must have been played many hundreds of times.
And even more amazing, the song (wrongly) credited was a 50/50 co-written song called Free, so the royalties earned were actually more than $500.
As far as I can figure it, the actual song involved was I Am Free from my 2001 solo CD Easy Love.
I believe that the airplay occurred as a result of the return to Ireland in mid 2003 of Terry Boosey who had played with me for about a year in an Adelaide-based band which we called the Outstanding Fines. Before he returned to Ireland, I had given Terry a few copies of my Easy Love CD (as well as recordings by the Outstanding Fines). I have since contacted Terry and he is unaware of how the airplay occurred. Also, APRA have been unable to help me to find out any details of the radio stations involved. Maybe one day I will get to Ireland somehow and find out more ...
On the same day that I received the APRA cheque for radio earnings in Ireland, I had an expensive car accident. I was exhausted from working hard at a job where I had to travel a long way to work each day. Luckily, no one was hurt in the accident, which was caused by me being impatient and not caring about the consequences.
I have decided that it was a big wake up call to me, a message that I needed to follow my dream.
So I have been working at my dream - practising, performing, recording, reviewing and re-mastering old recordings, improving my instruments, writing new songs, reviving and refining old songs...
I have been practising and performing with Costa, an accomplished and ambitious percussionist, with great results.
I have been recording with Anna Buntovnikova, a brilliant film composer and sound designer, recently arrived in Australia from Russia.
I look forward to maintaining a dynamic web presence on musicsa.com.au and I thank Elizabeth Reid and all the musicsa people for the opportunity.
from Brett with love
