Sara Hawley & The Bang Bang Club: Diary

Its ages since I updated this (slap wrists)..but I'm having a nice break. For the first time since I was 9 my life doesnt revolve around music and bands!! I am still writing and singing, but its just for me, no pressure! Now I have time to do things like going to the pub, seeing my mates and generally doing 18 year old things..haha!!

I love Christmas, its the best time of year. So hope you have a really good one and that 2007 brings everthing you wish for. For me its exciting to see what the new year will bring. Take care and see you all in 2007.

sara xxxx

Just a little note to say that we have almost sold out of the t-shirts...hope all of you who have bought them are enjoying wearing them and spreading the word. Also, for some reason I have had alot of people wanting signed photos recently..there is a bit of a backlog, so they WILL be sent out this week.

Remember the competition I ran a while back to win my Top Hat? Well the guy who won has sent me a photo of himself and the hat on his travels..this time in Hamburg..while following the superb Subways around Germany!!



The hat looks great..haha

I cant believe its been so long since I updated this journal!! Well I have been busy with stuff...Life And Music Baby mostly!

Anyways, It was Ashleys birthday yesterday..I organised a surprise party for him..believe me..he was VERY surprised! It was a great party..with the brilliant band Kreosote doing the honours

www.myspace.com/kreosotenoise

..best song of theirs? Has to be 'drinking heavily' as it summed up the night. DJ's Dan and James were fabulous..as usual!! Thanks everyone

I am back in the studio writing with James Bright next week..which is always brilliant fun and very productive.

The new songs received an overwhelming thumbs up on myspace with 3,000 people checking out 'far too long' within the first 24 hours.

Ok..thats it for now........

I added a couple of new tunes on myspace and on here...looking forward to see what everyone thinks!! And while I was at it I did a bit of redecorating on here, nothing like a nice clear out!!!

I just got a copy of the cd the British Tourist Board in the States produced as part of their 'Britain Rocks' campaign..its great to see my track on there and its a well produced package, which is a real bonus! Its been distrubuted to campuses all across North America, I'm not sure how many thousand were pressed, but I know its alot!

I have had literally thousands of comments, messages and e-mails showing support and encouragement over the past week. It has really made me realise how much 'real' support there is out there..something that sometimes gets un-noticed until something happens!! I have also had hundreds of replies to my bulletin looking for new band members, some even willing to relocate inorder to be in the band..VERY flattering!!..so it shouldnt be long before we are back out there..lurking round the rock dens of Britain!! Thanx SO much to everyone who has written to me.
We have been short listed by the NME as one of the top unsigned bands to play at their 10th birthday party. Amongst the judges are Kele( Bloc Party), Whiskas from Forward Russia!, Alan Mcgee (no explanation needed) and Kasabian..to be honest, the fact that I know they have listened to my music is good enough for me..I am a massive fan of both bands and have seen both live..brilliant! I saw Kele at the Ladyfuzz album launch ages ago in Camden and he really is as cool as he looks! Plus I met the lads from Kasabian at a Leicester City game one Boxing day..nice band..shame about the football though..lol!!

So really life is turning out to be very sweet now, funny how things turn out!

sadly pete and steve have decided to leave the band. it was a complete shock to me and I only found out on Saturday night. unfortunatley it means the forthcoming gigs will have to be cancelled, but also it has opened new doors and opportunities for me, which are very exciting!

Well we had another amazing gig at The Rock Garden in London on Wednesday..thanx for asking us back JJJ!! (the best promotor in london). We had a stage invasion..plus what is now a standard rendition of 'my old mans a dustman'..where DID that come from!..Shagga, winner of the last competition was at Reading Festival..but he called up to make sure that he was 'at' the gig, proper hardcore!! Neil and his entourage were their usual mad selves..with Neil storming the stage and adding to the full on party atmosphere..Italian fans wrote cool messages all over the posters..plus the support from the Bloody Tourists and Goodby Sergeants making it another brilliant night.

Well. I finally moved away from home!! Not far, I am sharing a house with my older sister and so far (2 days) its great!! The house is quite small, but really cool and funky, its old (not sure how old), probably an old weavers house when there used to be silk mills in the town. Also I have finally recovered from my cold/sore throat and the vocals have been recorded. The tracks should be mixed in the next 10 days or so, so we are getting there!!

We just missed out on the top 10 of the NME chart (currently number 12, although at the end of July we were at number 7, ) but its turned into such a fiasco (2 of the top bands are signed, one to EMI, which is hardly unsigned in my book!) that although we are dissapointed not to be there, I'd rather we were number 12 than in the top ten with whats been going on with some of the bands. Thanks for voting everyone, its been nice reading some of the comments. The Top Hat comp will be drawn on Friday and the winners will be notified over the weekend. Good luck!

well. for the first time since my op I have a cold..it crept up on me on thursday night..it meant I could'nt record the vocals as planned, but I'm better today so we will try again!! I must admit it's fun recording stuff ourselves, but also i miss Gordon like mad..anyone who has been lucky enough to record stuff with him in his london HQ will know what a great vibe there is and that gords is really the greatest person in the music industry. here is a pic of me and him at our last seesion last year, we shared a house togther and it was brilliant, although i had to show him how his mobile ohone worked as he left his other one in a taxi and lost it.

We ventured into Soho last night, courtesy of Noble events (thanx Gareth)..another great gig..the venue was pretty full and randomly there was a large group of Italians who all wanted pics with us..also i spent the ages talking to someone, who I THOUGHT was someone else and wasnt them at all..very weird and odd. Another random thing was we met a top band called the Headrons. Thanx to the guys who travelled quite a way to get to the gig..and neil..you look so fine in the t-shirt, shagga, not so good in the hat..haha!!

The NME war (cos thats what it is these days) is still going on..it ends at the end of this month (thank god)..ppl are still finding time to vote for us, so thanx for that and keep on voting!!

Our next gig is at the Edinburgh Festival and we cant wait..its at Studio 24, which I have been told has just had a new sound sytsem installed and will blow you brains out..lovely!

What a great gig we had last night..we really enjoyed ourselves..it was the first time family and friends had seen us as mostly we play so far away, so it was a really good vibe going on, despite the incredible heat!! Plus a big thanks to Chris Hudson from the Macclesfield Express, who wrote a cracking article about us.

We're still hanging on in the top ten NME unsigned charts, a MASSIVE thanx to everyone whos voted.

Next gig is POP in Soho, London, tix now on sale at ticket web (there is a link on the front page here)

well, another great session in the studio last weekend, steve got all his guitar parts down on three songs and now we are just mixing the tracks down ready for the vocals. Hopefully (fingers crossed) I should be able to do them this week/weekend.

We are playing a local gig next week..by local I mean REALLY local..Macclesfield! Its a long time since I played at 'home' and I cant wait!! Its at Cuban Knights on Wednesday if you fancy coming along. It will be the first time alot of my family and friends have seen us, as our gigs take us miles away all over the country, so it should be a good night!!

we had a great time down in Cambridge, playing the Loft...sadly it seems that the national chain Barfly are trying to take over this independent venue..they have all worked so hard, so lets hope it doesnt happen!! Back to the studio now:)

Ok, we are now number 6 on the NME charts..phew!! thanx everyone.

Also those fine people over at Bandwagon have included a geat review of us in their latest newsletter..it says

'Practically defined by the personality and style of feisty frontwoman Sara Hawley, the band effortlessly turn out top class power pop, with the attitude and rage of a punk band. This is relentlessly enthusiastic, and there are no apologies made for the noise.'

We have been the number one band on the Bandwagon site for quite a while now, so it seems someone likes us!!

Phew..its ages since I wrote on here..the big news is that we have reached number 10 in the NME unsigned band charts..thanx a million to everyone who voted..but keep voting, its a spot everyone wants!!

We have been recording new songs and have stepped up the momentum, so new stuff should be popping up soon(ish)!!

When I logged on here I thought there was tons to write about, but its so hot I can barely breathe and now I've forgotton most of it!!

We are looking forward to play the Loft in Cambridge on Friday, if you're around, it would be great to see you:)

And finally, dont forget the sunscreen!

we are currently number 17 in the NME unsigned band charts..we'd LOVE to be in the top 10!! If you log in and vote for us..you will be entered into our competition to win my 'famous' top hat..runners up will win a t shirt. The draw will take place in august and the winners will be chosen at random from all the comments posted on the NME profile..so what are you waiting for?

www.nme.com/newbands/the-bang-bang-club

Its hot, yep...even here in Manchester, its hot!

My sister has been ill as well..we think shes got measles, but we wont know till the blood tests come back, but shes been stuck in her room for days now, not nice when its almost 30 degrees!

My voice/throat is great since the op..I havent been ill once, for the first time in 18 years its been over a month and still I'm fine, no colds/sore throats or infections! This means we have been able to crack on with recording pre-production tracks.

More and more people have been joining us on myspace and on bandwagon (www.bandwagon.co.uk)
and writing great comments about the music and gigs! They (the fans and the comments) keep us going and constantly encourage us..so thanx! Keep 'em rolling in.

It was Petes birthday yesterday! last night we all got together for general celebrations and drinking!! Happy Birthday Pete.

We have also entered a comp to play at loads of festivals this summer..if we win, the fan who has voted the most gets to come along with us to at least one festival!! Click here for more details!!

VOTE FOR US!!

http://lheroes.bandwagon.co.uk/band/sara+hawley%26+the+bang+bang+club