Rebecca Jones

Bio:

Hi.

Those of you who notice things may well notice that not much has happened here in the way of new recordings, or gigs. This is because I took some much-needed time out to find myself in India, nearly lose myself again in Nepal, eat waffles in Brussels, give up drinking in London, and work on an organic sheep farm in Yorkshire. It was highly necessary, and had been for some time, that I do all of these things, and properly at that. As you can no doubt imagine.

So yes, it's been a while, but it's not like I haven't been keeping busy. And one of the great things about music is that you can take it with you wherever you go, like the lady with the rings on her fingers and the bells on her toes did in the nursery rhyme. And I'm on my way home.

The difficult (they aint kidding) second album still fervently hopes to be born (I think I just felt it kick). In the meantime, things are happening...

This here is the recently recorded (in Newcastle, right beside Byker Bridge as it happens) ex libris webcast hosted by yours truly. Essentially it's a radio program sent into cyberspace over the internet, which we recorded live but which will not be heard by you as such. It features wonderful music chosen by me, interviews, live performances from me and the band, my attorney, and blue screem of death, readings by the lovely Miss Elodie Roy and Mr Andrew Gardiner himself, and a lady gaga cover. So if you have an hour or so spare, don't watch E4 (it'll only try to sell you stuff), give this a listen. You can even do your nails, make origami birds, or paint landscapes while you do. And if you're still up for it, check out the ex libris website (www.exlibrisrecords.co.uk) for webcasts hosted by some of the other artists on the label, all of which are wonderful in their own strange and unique way.

Webcast Part 1:

Webcast Part 2 (which is just as good as part 1, mind):

My own impassioned reasons for choosing the songs I chose are explained in full detail in my blog on here (the one called 'The Webcast and Why') and will also soon be available on the ex libris website (www.exlibrisrecords.co.uk).

And if you read all that, then God bless you. Good on you for trolling the internet looking for what's best for you, and good luck. x

Here's some older (but still relevant) stuff:

The album was launched in Sept 'O8. We broke a miniature bottle of champagne on its side and sent it floating down the Tyne. Actually we had a rather marvellous launch party at the Star and Shadow, with Richard Dawson, Nathalie Stern and Jeans Goes Pop playing support. Thanks to everyone who showed up and made it great and to all the volunteers who helped to hang giant pink origami birds from the ceiling etc.

You can buy the album from me, or online at ex libris records-just click on the 'order now' link below, or visit their website at www.exlibrisrecords.co.uk.

Various reviews from nice people who could be bothered are below. Negative comments (though few) have of course been excised. The album was played by Steve Lamacq on radio 2. Alas, I missed it and couldn't get the iplayer thing to work but was still immensely pleased, as you can imagine.

On the whole people seem to like the thing, so I feel very proud.






Order Now


Reviews:



"To place this as a new folk standard would not be to over-praise" - The Cuckoo Press



"real potential to break into the mainstream. A deeply introspective collection of songs, her mix of baroque instrumentation, sweeping vocals and acoustic-dashed folk particularly effective on album highlights Walking In The Rain and Dragonfly." - METRO newspaper



"frightfully good" - NARC magazine



"Jones rejects the verse/chorus, guitar/voice straightjacket of most acoustic albums" - Hotpress



"Rebecca's fantastic voice is somewhere between folk singer and drama queen. Overall it's an intriguing album and enough to make her stand out in a world of female singer-songwriters" - Indie mp3 review



"anyone who can write a song entitled Byker Bridge and make it sound appealing is worth a listen in my book" -NARC magazine



Thanks, guys and gals! x

Huge thanks to all of the wonderful people who lent their talents in the form of saxophone, clarinet, cello, accordion, violin, bass, piano, cymbals, wine glasses and kitchen implements in the making of the album. Thanks too to Andrew for opening up a world of possibility and making my demanding dreams come true. Some of these wonderful musicians are now playing with me live. We're after a drummer/percussionist if you know anybody (James if you're still game when I get back then the position is filled).

There' s an ep called 'fairfield road recordings' of a few of my songs, played sololy and acoustically many years ago (it will be worth millions when I'm famous and dead) available for free download from the ex libris website. They have a few more songs on the website jukebox, with other libris gems (www.exlibrisrecords.co.uk)

Anyway here's the about me bit: Sex: female, Nationality: nondescript, Star Sign: Scorpio, Religion: none (biophile) A Few of My Favourite things: birds (and everything), flight, mountains, red earth, dreams, eyes, dragonflies, rusted old farm machinery, people being nice when there's nothing in it for them, comfortable silences, poetry, staying up late, graffiti, eggs, the weather, the many ways that noise can be made, the alphabet(s), monsoon storms (although I could go off them at this rate), autumn, libraries, lighthouses, natural history museums, rats, trains, berries, surrealism (when it's not too sollipsistic), single malts, red things, blue things, green things etc

I'm a dilettante that has been known to paint (or ink) and scribble at poetry. Some of the results of these self-indulgences are also available for your perusal on this site. Pictures below, poems as blogs

The video shows Sarah doing her cello part for 'December's burning', which is beautiful. Some videos of me and the full band playing live are on their way. I hope.

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Member Since:

February 23, 2007

Members:

Me on guitar and vocals, cuarto, recorder and percussion



Becca Evans on saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet, glockenspiel



Andy Warmington on gold guitar and trumpet, backing vocals



Ian Leaf on bass, keyboards, backing vocals



Patrick John Lawrence on violin, percussion



Laura Hewison ..o, backing vocals



Miki Noune ..boards, backing vocals, cymbals



We change the name of the band every time we do a gig because a) we can't agree, b) there is no name that can fully do us justice and c) it's fun

Names we have had: Rebecca Jones and the last crusade, Rebecca Jones and the homewreckers (an in-joke), Rebecca Jones and the Dark Knights (in hommage to Heath), Rebecca Jones and the Terrible Braves, Rebecca Jones and Steve Albini's teeny weeny meanies...

Various other wonderful musicians featured on the album include Sarah Gill, cello, Patrick John Lawrence on violin, Jeremy Williams on accordion, Andy Warmington on guitar, Adrian Martineau on bass guitar, James Emsell on bass guitar, Alex Hall on cymbals, Joe Fowler on piano and keys, Andrew Gardiner on guitar, keys, backing vocals, kitchen implements, lamps, the cupboard under the stairs etc...

If you play something and would like to join the band, then get in touch: I won't be happy till I have a full orchestra

Influences:

Various folk songs of hangings and broken hearts, Del Shannon-Runaway, The Ronettes-Be My Baby, The Mamas and the Papas-California Dreamin', The Scissor Sisters-I don't feel like Dancing, The Smiths-Heaven knows I'm miserable now, Tom Waits-Tom Traubert's blues (4 sheets to the wind in Copenhagen), Sam Cooke-A Change is Gonna Come, Jerry Lee Lewis-Great Balls of Fire, Dick Dale and his Deltones-Surf Rider, Billie Holiday-Stormy Weather, Jacques Brel-Madeleine, Edith Piaf-Milord, Melanie Safka-Alexander Beetle, Blind Willie Johnson-John the Revelator, Tina Turner-River Deep, Mountain high, Shin Jin Rui-The Queen's Complaint, The Tornadoes-Telstar, The twin peaks theme tune, Magnolia Electric Company-Farewell Transmission, Sid Vicious-My Way, Dexy's Midnight Runners-Geno, The Clash-The Magnificent Seven, The Beach Boys-Good Vibrations, Jefferson Airplane-Eyrie, Kate Bush-This woman's work, Rusted Root-Simeomiway, The Bugs-Yeah, I really know what you mean, Paul Simon-Gracelands, Jacques Brel-Le Plat Pays, Leonard Cohen-Famous Blue Raincoat, Jeff Buckley-Corpus Christi Carol, Jimmy Cliff-Many Rivers to Cross, Nina Simone-I got it bad and that aint good, Queen-I want to break free, Aretha Franklin-The House that Jack Built, Bob Dylan-Visions of Johanna, Prince-Kiss, Gershwin-Rhapsody in Blue, Tim Hardin-Reason to Believe, Hank Williams-I'm so Lonesome I could cry, Eddie Cochrane-something else, Big Brother and the Holding Company-a Combination of the Two, The Rolling Stones-Gimme Shelter, U2-Running to Stand Still, Holly Cole-I can see clearly now, Bruce Springsteen-Dancin in the Dark, Elton John-Tiny Dancer, Dire Straits-Brothers in Arms, Ray Charles-Georgia, Shivaree-Goodnight Moon, Ultravox-Vienna, Sister Rosetta Tharpe-Moonshine, Gershwin-Summertime, Bob Marley-Three little birds, Antony and the Johnsons-Spiralling, Dr John-Such a Night, Dusty Springfield-Son of a Preacherman, The Grateful Dead-Friend of the Devil, David Bowie-Sound and Vision, Christmas-God rest ye merry gentlemen, Edith Piaf-Autumn Leaves, Woody Guthrie-big rock candy mountains, Elvis Costello-Mischievous Ghost, Fats Domino-Blueberry Hill, David Bowie-Quicksand, Audrey Hepburn-Moon River, Joni Mitchell-Amelia, Guided by Voices-Gill Hives, The Small Faces-I feel much better, The Pixies-Caribou, Marilyn Monroe-Diamond's are a girl's best friend, Pink Floyd-the gnome, Roxy Music-Ladytron, Martha Wainright-Factory, M.I.A.-Paper Planes, Pulp-Common People, Rage against the Machine-Killing in the name of, Nirvana-lake of fire, Liza Minelli-Mein Lieber Herr, The Replacements-Unsatisfied, Patti Smith-Gloria, The Staple Singers-when will we be paid for the work we've done?, REM-I will try not to breathe, Will Oldham-I see a darkness, The Magnetic Fields-When my boy walks down the street, Judy Garland-Over the Rainbow, Micky 3D-L'Histoire de l'etre Humain, Grandmaster Flash-White Lines, Paul Robeson-Go down, Moses, The Band-Up on Cripple Creek, The French-The Animals, The Pogues-Fairytale of New York, Neil Young-Helpless, Buddy Holly-I guess it doesn't matter anymore, Brecht & Weil-Alabama song, The Animals-Bring it on Home, Gwen Stefani-Hollaback Girl, Meiko Kaji-Urami Bushi, The Everly Brothers-Dream, Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris-Love Hurts, The Mamas and the Papas-Monday, Monday, These United Sates-Can you Picture That?, Wilson Pickett-the dark end of the street, The Shirelles-Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, Otis Redding-Hard to Handle, Janis Joplin-Work me Lord, Van Morrison-Caravan, Bobby Darin-Somewhere beyond the sea, The Doors-LA Woman, Simon and Garfunkle-the only living boy in New York, The Beatles-Long, long, long,The Gypsy Kings-Hotel California, Al Jolson-Swanee, Led Zeppelin-Going to California, Radiohead-Punchdrunk Lovesick Singalong, Jimi Hendrix-Little Wing, Bessie Smith-Mistreater, Josephine Baker-J'ai deux amours, Bizet-Carmen (the whole thing), Grieg-Pier Gynt, Mozart-clarinet concerto in A (and the whole of the Magic flute), Tchaikovsky-Swan Lake, Beethoven-Pastoral Symphony, Busta Rhymes feat. Rah Digga-Stay up in ya house, Clipse-whamp whamp (what it do), Britney Spears-Circus, La Marseillaise, The Supremes-Baby Love, Girls Girls Girls-Going the distance, Marvin Gaye-heard it on the Grapevine, The Miracles-tracks of my tears, Credence Clearwater Revival-Bad Moon Rising, Mariza-Loucura, Chavela Vargas-Paloma Negra, Carly Simon-Nobody does it better, Dolly Parton-Jolene, Henry the 8th (?) -Greensleeves, Haydn-Orpheus and Eurydice, Hole-Violet ...

Voices: Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Chavela Vargas, Mariza, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Lotte Lenya, Carmen Linares, Linda Jones, Antony Hegarty, Kate Bush, Jerry Lee Lewis, Freddie Mercury, Prince, Steve Marriot, Jim Morrisson, John Fogerty, Sam Cooke, Tom Waits, Paul Robeson, Martha Wainright, Rufus Wainright, Amy Winehouse, Black Francis, Marilyn Monroe, Judy GArland, Mihaela Jackson, Jeff Buckley, Teresa Berganza, Kurt Cobain, Robert Plant, Diana Ross, Leonard Cohen, Ute Lemper...

Other: Blake, Kipling, Keats, Yates, Coleridge, de la Mare, Ginsberg, Conrad, Nabokov, Pasternak, Bulgakov, Steinbeck, Lessing, Du Maurier, Bronte, Tor Seidler, Kerouac, birds, frogs and butterflies...

These are some of my paintings (or inkings)

snow geese



blue geisha



autumn

Record Label:

Ex-Libris Records www.exlibrisrecords.co.uk