Now, we're not the best at social media considering how long it took us to make a page with our music on it.

(For some unfinished EP recordings click here https://soundcloud.com/preciouspennypluckers)

But we've only gone and made a facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Precious-Penny-Pluckers/640175689374715

There you go.

We'll update that a little more regularly than the blog.

So, with some solid tracks recorded, we returned from Skye weary and tired but excited to build upon the good takes we had. Boy can recording be tough! Of course, it's fun and exciting and we're lucky to have been surrounded by the wonderful Skye mountains and also so very lucky that Paul is not only a terrific double bassist but also a very skilled sound engineer who really knows his stuff and makes us sound the best we possibly can. I, on the other hand, cannot tell you what any of it means technically!

Whilst we had a few blips computer wise and problems with attempting to work to a click track, we figured that the best way to do it was to do what we usually do. - Play alongside each other until we get the best possible take and edit any minor timing issues later. Vocals are something I can do anytime so I sang alongside (in a different room but the band could hear me only through headphones) to help keep time. My vocals can be edited out and I'll sing over the finished tracks, which is a very exciting thought!

Our aim of having some sort of brass input to the band is starting to take shape in the form of Tasha who plays trumpet so that's something that's going to be incorporated into the ep tracks and perhaps live. We've also got a sax player on our radar just to add another dynamic. Paul's a talented man with a generous selection of instruments so banjo, mandolin and autoharp are definitely some other options to add to the mix. If you'd like to hear the takes we got with just bass, guitar and my rough vocal recordings, we've put them on our soundcloud. All in all, we're proud of our work and can't wait for everything to come together. And then all that will be left to do is sit back with a gin.

https://soundcloud.com/preciouspennypluckers

We've also got some more exciting news under our belts..

In the meantime, here's some pics from our latest Settle Inn gig.

    

   

The Precious Penny Pluckers are a swing, jazz, blues band based in Stirling, Scotland. I sing. Corry writes and plays the guitar and Paul plays double bass. Here's a picture of us playing at the Allanwater Brewhouse's open mic night not too long ago!

This is not an official band blog by any means but the band's only internet presence for the moment. This will hopefully be the place where all band matters reside!

For those interested in how the band came to be formed, you'll really need a large drink and a comfy chair! But for now, I'll tell you that they rose from the ashes of the Lincoln County Regulators - an energetic seven piece bluegrass band. Whilst a chaotic affair, it was one hell of a ride. One year, genre change and downsize later and we have the Precious Penny Pluckers, playing as a trio with double bass, guitar and vocals.

If I had to tell you what our sound and lyrics are based on, it would be incredibly difficult. Corry loves Bob Dylan, Paul loves Two Man Gentleman Band and my music taste, although at times shameful, is most in favour of Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside at the moment! We're all very different musically and inspired by lots of different people so I'd be here for a terribly long time but I'd say that, collectively, our main influence has been Pokey LaFarge.

So far, we've been focusing on working on original material with the odd open mic night to keep us in the gigging spirit but we often play at Stirling's finest, The Settle Inn. (Worth a visit if you're in town!) Most excitingly, on Saturday, we leave to record our EP in a cottage among the beautiful scenery of Skye. It's really been a long time coming and something we're all feeling  passionate about. Coming back and beginning the search for a brass soloist for our recordings will also be exciting! There's so many possibilities. And hopefully my new tambourine (with cupcake and kitten stickers, of course!) can be put to good use!

So, with our instruments, lots of gin and my hamster Dwight, we will venture up north! With exciting news to share when we get back!

See you on the other side!

Nikki.