The sun is killing all creativity and running away with my time. Since postponing the release of the now infamous album Disarm & Let Go I have been sat at my desk trying to figure out a plan. Now the summer is here with temperatures rising and the sea outside my windows looks just that little too fresh and warm for me to not be going for a swim. So that’s how my days have been the last weeks… I’ve been in the water cooling down my overheated head ’cause it doesn’t seem like I can figure out anything worth doing with my music while sitting in my office. And BBQs have been quite popular attractions… ’cause it tends to include beer. Which leads us to this film, or music video, if you like…

The Way We Are, the B-side of There’s One Thing from 2005. It was never released outside the UK. But I thought I let you hear it now in the wait of anything new. The film though is from last weekend’s BBQ. Focus on whichever of the two medias you like. Or both… of course.

-robert

I was more into filming the audience than the band this time it seems, or was it just my laziness that kept me from getting out there with my camera and place it at the sound board. The latter is more likely to be the matter and the fact. But I do find it cool to have captured a clapping crowd as we did our last song Beirut at Sentrum Scene, Oslo. So enjoy yourselves.

-robert

Hi friends,

we are working on a new website incorporating this blog. I hope we’ll have it launched just in time for next week’s shows with Jason Mraz. I have also gotten a designer to do some T-shirts for me exclusively for the Mraz dates (June 22, 23). I will sell it at the cost of printing them, so 150 NOK it will be. They are limited to the 15 we are running off. Also I am giving away a free download of my latest radio single at my indiestore (link to follow). And in connection with the support slot and a potential new crowd, I have dug deep in the pile of “stuff” that I have and found a bag of Ocean Sessions EP CDs that had the wrong print on it. So I will give them away for free at the shows… I guess it is a 100 copies. Stand in line.

The rarity of covers of my songs is well known, but it has just turned a little brighter on my behalf – my curiosity of finding such made me search myspace for possible versions and I found a few… and I do want to share them with you. So here’s the url’s you need, please go check it out! It’s worth a listen.

http://www.myspace.com/lauraemarco
http://www.myspace.com/alteaduo
http://www.myspace.com/theultimatebaggs

And if you want a free download, go here: http://indiestore.7digital.com/bobfloatmusic/

Peace + Love,
-robert

2012 update:

The free download is now available at this address: http://soundcloud.com/robertpost/try-the-best-you-can

A month of touring kept me away from too many drunken nights..
London being kind to me.
Even though cheap beer at local off-license…
Always came home with me.

Miles are laid dead behind me…
The body getting used to the driving. Even though…
The car’s engine coughing for a break…
And my belly aching for a steak.

The tour is over. I have so many shows that I haven’t written about. And so much material taped on video and so many pictures taken. So many people to thank. I will have to sit down when home in my flat in Ålesund and edit it all. Then post it.

It’s been 19 shows this month. It’s been all over the land. From the Isle of Bute in Scotland, through Pontypridd in Wales, Brighton in the South and of course London. Then all these cities too: Plymouth, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Southampton, Newbury, Oxford, Wargrave, Windsor, Cambridge, Leicester. And just before I left; Ålesund and Stavanger in Norway.

I played these songs: There’s One Thing, Got None, Silence Makes Him Sick, More & More, New Born, Everything Is Fine, Ocean & A Tear, Come Home, Far Away From This Town, Don’t Mess It Up, Message, It’s Never Gonna Be Perfect, Out Of Skills, Without A Heart I’d Rather Die, Perfect, Try The Best You Can, She Knows What Boy She’s After, No One Cares, Bigger Numbers, Beirut, Choice Marks The Master From The Fool, Bend The Rules and Frontline.

I guess that pretty much cover all my released material to date. Plus a few more.

I have already started the work on getting back on the road again. The summer will see me doing a few but really great festivals with my band, a couple of opening nights with Jason Mraz and the Norwegian leg of the European tour this autumn will take place from mid-August through all of September, meaning we are going to be 6 weeks on the road in Norway. Then mainland Europe, before I return, and this time with the Extended Band, to the UK in November and December doing bigger venues and bigger sound.

I cannot wait.

All the best,
-robert

I was asked to do an interview with a local music blogger just a couple of weeks before I left the country to tour the United Kingdom. A great location and beautiful weather made it the perfect day for a chat. David Pollen ( davidpollen.blogg.no ) who interviewed me is just the nicest guy!, We both are fond of Gram shoes… His brother Tomas, who filmed it all, seemed like a really cool guy as well and I honestly believe he’s got something going on there with his filming… it just looks great! Nice colors.

The chat is in Norwegian but includes subtitles in English.

All the best,
-robert

THE GRAIN BARGE, BRISTOL

After four hours of sleep on a hotel room floor in Brighton I woke up to take Harald to load-in at some venue I can’t recall the name of. The Alexandria Quartet was doing a showcase at Nettwerk record label’s party at The Great Escape. It was a 1 o’clock show so we had plenty of time to get to Bristol and the Grain Barge after they had finished. As always we forgot about the potential traffic jams and accidents. We had both on our way to the final goal for the night. So a bit late we arrived.

After sound check we checked in at the Clifton Hotel, a small but very nice hotel in the city centre, for a cup of tea and a biscuit. Blood sugar level at its lowest. A perfect warm up for a great gig. It turned out… great!

Pleased with the night we got back to the hotel for five bottles each of Bud and some crisps. Nutrition-wise not the best day of this tour. But it’s strange how my body can survive days on water, coffee, beer and crisps every now and then.

THE GLOBETROTTERS BAR, PONTYPRIDD

Just an hour drive from Bristol we arrived at The Globetrotters Bar in Pontypridd. No one there yet as it was still early in the day. I went for a stroll down the main street looking for a new T-shirt and socks while Harald took a nap in the back seat of the van. With stores closing and the rain pouring down the best buy I could find was a purple T-shirt with Joker on it smiling. Better that than my sweater with coffee stains on it. I travel lightly these days…

Even though I must admit there’s no better excuse for new buys than not having anything to wear. It’s a life of the pop stars, isn’t it?

Dah.

The venue of the night was on the right side of the town we were told as the city centre was a bit rough on Saturday nights. And locals known for fighting and trouble making police had to be in great numbers in this small city.

Such a lovely bunch of people organized the gig and I had the best time performing my songs in front of an unexpecting crowd. It turned out one of the better shows so far. Now at least a few people have my CD in Wales.

Thanks Dan & Richard.

And I also learned that it’s a good idea to wipe out the words “love” and “hate” out of every language on Earth as they are only causing trouble. They don’t mean anything anymore. So we should come up with new words for emotions like that.

What do you think?

THE CANAL BAR, NEWBURY

I introduced myself, played 4 songs and went back to London. This was supposed to be a night where I just turned up to play a couple of songs. So that’s what I did.

We were knackered after that long drive from Wales to London the night before and we couldn’t bother to stay around for long. It’s never my intention to be rude or anything… I just had to get back to bed.

THE BORDERLINE, LONDON

I had really looked forward to this show opening for songstress Miranda Lee Richards. She did not disappoint me. I loved her show. It was only her and a guitarist whom I was told had just been playing with her on her last three shows. So it was just that little bit unplanned that I like it… you know when the artists and musicians have to connect on the spot to make a great show. That guitar solos will be just that much off the track but still sound perfect and when singers ad lib and improvise. She even rehearsed the cellist of first act on for the night, The Lost Brothers, for one of her songs just before she went on. That is just the spirit I like.

The Lost Brothers were also very good. I bought their 12″ vinyl. I believe it to be a great record.

My show went down well with her crowd. Now well warmed up for Wednesdays headline show at The Slaughtered Lamb. Can’t wait.

All the best,
-robert

PS! This is a video from a gig we went to see after The Borderline. It’s a song by the fantastic Tommy Tokyo & Starving for my Gravy live at the 12 Bar in London. It’s this year’s best concert that I have attended. You just go on the web and look ’em up.

It was so comfortable staying in a hotel bed last night. After a gig of which I really enjoyed a lot I went straight to my hotel for a cold pint of lager, then twittering about it, off to bed and a good nights sleep. I woke up just in time for breakfast, had a cup of coffee and charged my phone. I was sat in the hotel reception for two or three hours waiting for my sound guy to come down to Brighton from London. At 2 PM he arrived with The Alexandria Quartet and a tired look upon his face. He hadn’t slept much due to an unamed band member’s interest of bringing girls and a party home for the night. Knackered he joined me for the ride to Plymouth. A four and a half hour drive by the sea with a thousand roundabouts… One gets so tired of them roundabouts after a while. Especially when being the driver… now I have muscular pain in both my feet.

Plymouth was a beautiful city. Just by the seaport and with a wonderful view. I took pictures and made a funny little stop motion video. (soon to be posted)

Meanwhile watch this that I helped make: http://tinyurl.com/q9wzfs !)

So after a not so good show we went all the way back to Brighton and a few hours of sleep. Harald had another load in at another venue at 10 AM, he’s doing the sound here for the A4. After that at a 100 miles per hour – next stop will be, Bristol and The Grain Barge!

-robert

For you Norwegians or people fluent in Norwegian. Have a listen to this radio interview that I did with Norwegian radio broadcaster NRK P3 and the program Banden. It’s a nice little chat about my newest single Beirut and a few words on the music industry!

http://www.nrk.no/banden/lata-ingen-vil-spille/

-r

Today, feeling like one of those Sixties troubadours travelling around with their guitars on their backs, I am going by train down to Brighton for my gig at the Western Front. Right now at the Apple Store, Regents Street, I am listening to this guy’s master class in Numbers. It all reminding me that I have to make sure to get my tax return delivered in time this year. I do suck on the business side of things.

Feeling bored already?

I was not going to say too much anyways… just thought I let you know that the last couple of shows has been nice quiet ones. I have had the chance to play most of my songs in different ways, trying out new twists and turns on guitar solos and Harald (sound guy) playing with all them effects build in in the mixer consoles. I do think the songs keep getting better as we go along. It’s been so long since I toured or even played solo shows so bits and bobs need rearranging.

I did film the shows. Now just need editing. I will get to that in my hotel room in Brighton. Now moving out of here. Down to Victoria Station. A bite to eat. A book to read. An hour on the train. All smiles.

PS! My album is now available as digital bundle through 7digital indiestore and is at the moment second in the indiestore chart! Buy here: http://indiestore.7digital.com/bobfloatmusic/

Best,
-robert

Last night was great. I even managed to play most of my recorded songs to date during that show. Something that I found quite exhausting as a lot of them I hadn’t played in a long long time.

People even came all the way from Birmingham to see me play. I feel honored. And thank you to everyone who showed up. I filmed almost the whole show till I ran out of tape… as it went on for so long.

Enjoy The Jolly Postboys-version of Silence Makes Him Sick!

Best,
-robert

Finally I got off that tourist thing that we’ve been doing the last couple of days. We literally walked all over London looking for great monuments and museums. So I guess I’ve seen a lot that I didn’t bother to visit when being a resident of the city.

We were now on our way to Wallingford for the first show of this tour. To be honest this was supposed to be a warm-up for the Oxford show, you know, to pull a decent crowd. Well on our way our promoter rang and told us tonight had to be cancelled. Nothing’s on. The place is closed. And there’s no one there. Great. That is the perfect beginning of my first UK tour in ages.

But you know, there’s nothing you can do except be polite and not make too much fuzz about it. At least that’s my take on it.

Then suddenly we were redirected to Wargrave and an unannounced show at the local pub The Greyhound. It turned out better than what I imagined. This old pub had been there for centuries and even had its own forge with all its tools laid out on the floor. It was just like traveling back in time.

With no amplifiers this must be the most intimate show of this tour. It sure wasn’t planned so it just had to be like this. I love when these things happen. The spontaneous feel of it, the intimacy, the look on people’s faces when some guy just walks in to play a show for them on a regular night out, and the connection to the audience when doing it all that simple and acoustically. I guess that was also like traveling back in time. To a time where music was about having a good time and make the night lively. This night turned out to be something like that.

Best,

-robert

This video is filmed in front of the forge:

It was August 2007 last time I was here. On a spontaneous trip to catch a show by fellow musicians The Margarets, I went here two summers ago. I remember getting in in the afternoon. They were playing the Notting Hill Arts Club and I didn’t tell them I was coming. London was warm and the air filled with enthusiasm from the guys coming all the way from Norway to play in this vast city. After a delicious meal of Sushi I showed up at the door. I already liked the place since I had been there a few times watching Norwegian bands play. The reason why I was coming was my longing for this city. I had fallen in love with London by the time I left, and I still don’t understand how I can be separated. I feel alive when I come here. And I know it won’t change.

Tonight I am back at the Arts Club. I stay at my friends’, The Alexandria Quartet, house in Waltamstow, so I do hang out with them a lot while being here. And I find it quite enjoyable. They are the coolest gang of four. Of course my sound guy Harald is here making it all a bit like old times, though this trip would define the new deal, it sure is good to have members of the family with you on the road.

We party and we play Poker. Anyone could join in if you ever want to win. We tend to drop out of the seriousness of the game after a while… even though I must admit that I stayed focused on the first night and won the pot.

Just enough to pay for the Taxi after we lost the last Tube tonight.

After watching a couple of bands play, one, which was said to have the lead singer be the cousin of Osama Bin Laden and the other band being friends of the A4 we decided to go home before we had to take the night bus. Well, we almost ended up doing so if it wasn’t for the great London cabs.

By the way, the bands were mediocre. It was just about as interesting as an empty glass of beer or watching a water balloon crack towards a tower.

I had a drink of Absinth and Champagne to cheer myself up a bit. Then it was night-y-night.

-bOb

I have so far travelled without my phone. I left it in the car just before I boarded the Hurtigruten, voted the `Best Niche Cruise Line´… And I tell you – you should try it! It is said that the Lofoten ferry, the vessel I took, has a classic charm that many find irresistible. Built in 1964 and listed a Historical Monument it sure has its charm… meaning it has its goods and bads.

I chose my sleeping bag and a sofa in the corner to be my companions for the night, instead of going for the fairly cheap but maybe less comfortable cabin. I could have ended up near the machine room and with no view, while they throw you out of your room at 10 AM. I was better off  on the sofa and the seagulls waking me up at half eleven.

I had barely opened my eyes before some crazy, drunk guy came up to me and offered himself a seat next to me. He’d already had one bottle of wine that morning and was now onto his second. He couldn’t wait till the bar opened so he could have a “proper drink”, as he called it. He wasn’t liking wine too much, he told me he drank it only because of the alcohol. He prefered home brew mixed with coffee and a teaspoon of sugar. We sat down for hours of conversations…

(…)

My sound guy picked me up in Bergen and we drove straight down to Stavanger for a small private gig. We had a great time hanging out with old friends… I love these people down here. They are such cool guys to be around. They make you so welcome and I couldn’t have had a better warm-up for my tour.

Tonight we are leaving with the ferry. Stavanger -> Hirtshals. But before that I’m gonna sit down at some local pub and watch my hometown football team beat the crap out of our neighbour city team. I might even gamble on that one…

Awrite, when back working on my personal mac (PM) I will post some photos. Photos of a bridge, a boat and the crazy Norwegian.

Peace + Love,
-robert

Come see me play at my favorite bar Ta Det Piano at ten o’clock tonight. I have tuned my mandolin, guitar and piano… and have put up a fuzzed-out microphone so that I can sing the guitar solos…

-r

Hi, 

it’s me again. Just to let you know… I have packed my bag. Now, just a little note about a “secret” gig tomorrow.

CITY: Ålesund
VENUE: I’ll let you know tomorrow at noon
TIME: 21:00

It’s just me warming up!
PS! Watch out for another “secret” gig this Friday… down the coast from here.

Love,
-robert

In a matter of days I will pack my bag and wander off into the unknown. This time around I depend on a paper map and a little help from Google Earth every now and then.

I have not hired a tour manager whose job would be to get me around the country safe and sound, I have no company covering my back if guilty pleasures appear, I most definitely will have to count every spending of every penny, and no roadie will make sure my guitar sounds fresh and crisp each night, ‘cause this time around I depend on myself and no one else.

Except from my sound guy. Harald is coming along. He will make sure the sound will be as good as it gets. Now that I plan on taping each night both with my cam and on my mac I must be sure the sound is okay. That’ll at least guarantee the bootlegs I will be selling after each show to be of a decent quality. And this blog to have nice footage and sound.

So that is my plan. So far so good.

I hope you guys show up. Both at my shows and for you who will not be able to make it either because you just can’t or that you are too many flights away… be sure to take part just by following this blog that I have created exclusively for this tour.

Join in. And be sure to take part in the poll below.

Love,

-robert

The tour will be solo acoustic, just like in this video: