Live in melbourne, summer early 09
Ok this is finally working now. Cheers to Jody for the video.
Barry Smith of Hamilton
Without much further ado,
We, Tono and the Finance Company, are proud to present to you ‘Barry Smith of Hamilton,’ the first single from our forthcoming EP. It was recorded in October with Tex Houston and the awesome folks from Haunted Love.
Now, come to a show! Details below. North island shows will be happening very soon so keep an ear out.
Also, from Friday the 20th, you’ll be able to vote for Barry in the Radio one Big Day Out competition. And please do! - go to www.r1.co.nz after next friday.
Dunedin: with Sex with Bowie and Baraka and the Finish Hims
At the Cook, upstairs,
This Saturday, 14th November, 8.30pm doors
$10 Entry
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=164516318772&ref=mf
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Lyttleton: Harbour Sessions
At Wunderbar
Saturday, 21st November
$10 Entry
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33063663554&ref=search&sid=745937513.1648248799..1
Banjo ditty
I can’t play Banjo. And I’m a really terrible whistler. But that didn’t stop me recording this instrumental at a friend’s in Wellington recently - banjo ditty
A new EP is coming…
We recorded six tracks with Tex Houston a couple of weeks ago. Its sounding very cool. We just need to add some shoo be wop wops and an EP will be forthcoming sometime in the near future. Keep an ear out eh?
I should have learnt bass.
Bugs from the Finance Company will be playing bass for The Verlaines when they open for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks on the 18th of September in Auckland. He doesn’t seem to get what the big deal is.
Seriously, buy the new Verlaines’ Album. It’s a masterpiece.
Tono and the Something Quartet - this Saturday in Wellington
Hello Wellington.
It’s really, really, stupidly cold in Dunedin, So Bugs from the Finance Company and I decided to spend the weekend four degrees to the north. To pay for our romantic holiday, we have made a new two-piece band, called ‘Tono and the Something Quartet,’ and we’ll be playing at Mighty Mighty this Saturday at 9.30pm! $5 Entry.
‘The Something Quartet’ is also the name of Bugs’ new solo project. He is releasing his amazing debut album ‘The Time I Made an Album’ very soon so keep an eye out.
On Saturday, we’ll be playing a mix of new Tono and the Finance Company songs, and Something Quartet songs. We like to be frank about our influences, so if you’d like an idea of what to expect, we think we sound exactly like the Hasselhoff Experiment meets the Smiths meets the Wiggles listening to Portishead. But if that doesn’t do it for you, have a listen to this song from Bugs’ album which I guested on. We’ll sound a bit like this, but completely different.
See you on Saturday!
Tono’s singing and creative studio: open for business!
I’ve just moved into my new studio in King Edward Court on Stuart Street. Only in Dunedin would you get a space like this so close to town. King Edward Court is developing a great little community with all the creative people who have studios there. The manager of the building is lovely and runs a little common room with a pool table and free tea and coffee.
I’m really excited about having a full time office to make music, and already I’ve made good progress writing some music with Paul Cathro and Bugs for some future projects.
Now that I have my own studio, I can also expand my singing lessons. I now have space for about half a dozen new students on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I have a MusB and I specialise in contemporary vocals - covering subjects like increasing your range, vocal control and breathing, and expression.
I’m always asked if anyone can sing, and I do believe anyone can. You just need to learn singing in a different way to, say, the piano because you can’t see the notes you’re playing. I can’t make a single note on the flute, but I know it just takes time to learn to breath and shape your mouth in the right way. Singing is similar. I was a terrible singer when i started in high school, but through sheer persistence and later training I learnt to hear myself better, and make better use of my breathing and projection.
I also offer sessions and consulting on songwriting. Again it’s something that some say you can’t teach, but I think that’s like saying you can’t teach someone to paint. You can give people the tools they need to express themselves, work out what they are trying to convey, and suggest how they might improve things from your own experience. It’s not about giving people formulas to write, it’s giving them tools that they can use in their own way.
If you’re interested in lessons, give me a call on 0273623064, or email me at anthonie dot tonnon at gmail dot com
Uncompetition
You can now read my most recent critic article over at www.critic.co.nz
!&@!!er
I did it. I never thought I would. It was a moment of weakness. I was procrastinating from other, more pressing things. My reasoning is this: I am clearly not good at posting here even though I have lots to say, so perhaps I’ll get more of my thoughts out by ‘micro blogging’.
So. you can now find me on twitter. www.twitter.com/tonoandthe
Sigh. This will be interesting…
The Original Beatles
I’ve been working on a new project with Paul Cathro of Alazarin Lizard fame.
Here’s a little preview of what we’ve been up to.THE ORIGINAL BEATLES - PREVIEW
The Original Beatles
In mid 1959, while staring at the mirror, John Lennon discovered the eleventh dimension, a tiny, wormhole-like dimension that led to a parallel universe. In that universe it was 21st century Dunedin, and Leith Valley beneficiaries Paul and Tono were writing songs for a band called ‘The Beatles.’ Lennon’s wormhole allowed him to hear their music, which in his characteristic style, he basically copied, along with their name. Unfortunately, Lennon’s Beatles became so big their influence extended into the parallel universe. When Paul discovered that all of a sudden there had already been a band called the Beatles, who were kind of a big deal, the boys realised something was up.
After reading Albert Goldman’s biography of Lennon and catching up on ‘m theory’ physics, Tono realised what had happened. But rather than become disheartened that their work was being stolen by a Liverpudlian from the past, Paul and Tono agreed that they had a duty to continue influencing John Lennon, otherwise the Beatles might never come to be a great as they were, and pop music as we know it might never exist.
Now renamed ‘The Original Beatles,’ Paul and Tono have an EP of new songs, and invite you to buy it and help them tour the world and become famous. Becoming a fan may just save pop music.
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Love & Economics
