We’ve been in the throes of pre-production this week – in preparation for recording the next single & b-side, including a couple of days down at Bakehouse studios in Richmond, banging out the new songs at volume. Nothing like hearing them live for the first time. The Bakehouse sessions will continue over the weekend. We’re due in the recording studio, first weekend in Feb with David Carr producing (as mentioned in yesterday’s post).

The On Fires live in Beijing 2011 – pic by Long Truong.

In the mean time, the drums will be recorded in Atlanta, Georgia. Kent goes into the studio there about a week from now. They’ll shoot the audio files across cyberspace to Melbourne, where Dave Carr will take over & weave his magic. Everybody’s excited about making a trans-Pacific recording happen. We’re trying to stay one step ahead in case there’s an unforeseen hitch – so far so good. The theory is sound.

Have a great weekend.
Checkya later,
Fires out.

Renowned producer, David Carr is set to work on our next recording, scheduled for early next month. We’re releasing a single & b-side to vinyl for upcoming tours of the States & China, March through May 2012.

David Carr at his Rangemaster Studio.

David is one of Melbourne’s finest producers, consistently turning out amazing work for a host of local and international acts. Many moons ago, in a previous band called Trace, I worked with Dave at his first Melbourne studio. We ran into him again a few years ago on tour in Berlin. He’s also a great guitarist &, at the time, was doing shows in Europe with his band.

Our paths are set to cross again in a few weeks time.

Checkya later,
Fires out.

China Tour News: We’ve just been confirmed for Strawberry Festival line-ups in Shanghai and Beijing (April/May).

Strawberry Festival Beijing 2011 – pic from festival website.

Strawberry Festival runs from 29 April to 01 May in Beijing and Shanghai. Our shows at these festivals will be part of a 3 week China tour, starting Saturday 21 April in Wuhan – including dates in Hefei, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Dalian and Shenyang. We’ll announce all the China dates & venues here, soon.

Speaking of Shenyang. It was the scene of a guerrilla hit-and-run style show when we toured China last year. We arrived late after a delayed cross-country train – with 45 minutes to set up, play and get back on the next train. It was an intense 25 minute blitz, crowd going nuts. Click the tour documentary video at the top of this page to watch part of the Shenyang show.

Checkya tomorrow,
Fires out.

Our photographer, Mat Ward, was on official business at the Dresden Dolls show on Sunday night at The Forum in Melbourne. Mat took some great shots of their New Year’s Eve performance – they liked them so much they gave him a photopass (to work in the photo-pit) for Sunday’s show.

Amanda Palmer, Dresden Dolls live at The Forum, Melbourne – pic by Mat Ward.

See more of Mat’s Dresden Doll pics at his eyehunger.com site.

There’s more to the story here too. I do believe Mat jumped up on stage, mid show & snogged Amanda Palmer, The Doll’s lead vocalist. I’m also lead to believe there might have been some tongue action.

Checkya later.
Fires out.

The first proposed US tour dates for March/April landed with us over the weekend. It’ll take us a few weeks to lock everything in. At this stage we’re looking at an extensive east coast tour including Florida, Georgia, North & South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, New York & Connecticut. We’ll announce confirmed dates & venues here soon.

The On Fires live at Midi Festival Beijing 2011.

We’ll be in the studio this month to record a new single & ‘B-side’. The new songs will be released for the USA & China tours (March through May, this year).

The On Fires live at Midi Festival Beijing 2011.

Checkya tomorrow,
Fires out.

Love this shot. I think it was taken at Midi Festival, Beijing, May last year.

Max just posted it on our Facebook. We’d just got off stage in front of an audience of 30 thousand. We had about 30 minutes to take pics & shake hands before being bustled into a van bound for the airport for another festival the following day (Zebra Fest in Chengdu).

Met with Tom, our China tour manager last night at the infamous Young & Jacksons pub in Melbourne. It was a great, but all too brief, catch up – and a bit surreal. The last time we saw Tom was out front of a hotel in Beijing at the end of a massive tour. The next time we see him will be in Shanghai at the beginning of the next China tour in April.

Tom, Max, Marty at Young & Jacksons Melbourne last night.

Checkya later.
Fires out.

Back in Melbourne today. Feeling good. The city’s still pretty quiet – most folks still away on holiday. Not too much of a pace shock after hanging with my folks in Tamworth (Australia’s ‘country music capital’) where everything runs a lot slower.

Looking forward to catching up with Tom, our China tour manager, tonight (while he’s momentarily back in town for Christmas).

…and the Sydney fireworks this year to ring in 2012. This is nuts –

Checkya tomorrow.
Fires out.

Happy New Year!

Yes – a couple of days belated but I’ve been kicking back here on the outskirts of Tamworth & things have definitely slowed to a crawl.

Back in Melbourne later today (about to make my way to the airport). Psyching up for the culture shock.

More live shots from China, taken from the May 2011 national tour –

Many thanks to our good friend Long Truong for these fantastic shots.

Checkya tomorrow,
Fires out.

Early yesterday morning, I caught a flight from Melbourne to Tamworth. Woke just before 4am after a big night & made it to the airport.

So now, I’m sitting here on mum’s balcony in sunny Tamworth, New South Wales, having a few quiet beers.

Mum’s balcony, just outside Tamworth.

Just got back from the shops, down in the town, & brought this back: One very fine bottle of AC DC Cab Sav. He he.

Long Truong, a friend in China, just posted a bunch of great photo’s from Beijing earlier this year – it was the last show of the tour in May at Mao Livehouse. I’ll post some more of those shots here in the coming days.

The On Fires, Live at Mao Livehouse Beijing May 2011 – Photo by Long Truong.

Checkya tomorrow,
Fires out.

We had a great night last night at Browns Reserve on Nicholson Street. Friends & neighbours started turning up around 7 – it was a great turn out. Things got a little hazy for me but I remember playing skeleton on an acoustic (& messing it up).

Max & Mat Ward.

A couple of years ago we met Simon & Jay in Warsaw (a couple of Aussies working for the Australian embassy in Poland). We haven’t seen them since, til last night, when they rolled up out of the blue – awesome. There were actually quite a few surprises including Aron, a neighbour down the street who found Mojo, our dog, wondering at large last week, and old house mates Camile & Eron.

Scotty & Daz.

We hung out til late before bringing the stayers back to our place, across the street.

All up, a fantastic night – & thanks to everybody who came along.

Have a great Christmas from The On Fires!