Hi Figsters,

At the start if the 21st Century the Fig were busy recording demos for an album: Notes On A Fashion Dump. By the time all the recordings were done and artwork completed the live Fig sound had moved into a different direction (think… RAWK!). The recorded sound no longer represent the live sound, so the recordings and thoughts of releasing an album, were shelved. Shame really. In retrospect, the recording quality isn’t the greatest but the song arrangements are pretty good. In fact, these recordings are more like the Fig now than the live Fig of 2002.

So, rather than leaving them sitting on a shelf, we’ve put most of the tracks from the Fashion Dump sessions into a public Soundcloud set, which is available on our FIG MUSIC page and in this post. Take a listen.

If you’ve seen us live then you’ll recognise some of the tunes because they still turn up in our sets, though often quite different from the originals. Li’l Broken Brooch is still a live favourite, though now Keith sings the main vocal. As for Timebomb, well, that not only still gets played live but it’s on the new album Trouble At The Rubber Plant, though you’ll notice it has changed slightly!

Hey Figsters!

It’s been a long time in the making but Trouble At The Rubber Plant was released online on 31st March 2011! You can get it now from the iTunes Store, Amazon, Spotify and Tesco Entertainment. Take your pick and Get Figged!

Holdable, throwable, coffee-mattable CDs are in production and will be available in the early summer; again, watch this space for news.

Making this album has been a labour of love for us Figs. As Keith said yesterday in a Facebook post about the album: “This is what blood, sweat and tears sound like”.  It’s a big task to take on the writing, playing, engineering and production of an album of songs, with steep learning curves and rocky patches of self-doubt. On top of that, we’ve been interrupted by BIG SHIT… TWICE… no more of that, we hope.

We’ve made the kind of album we want to listen to and it really is an album not just a collection of individual songs. The tracks are not ordered by commercial viability, with the big hit first followed by ever decreasing quality as so many albums are today; they are in the order they need to be in to provide the ups, downs, peace and trauma we all experience in life. This is how albums should be. Hey, the ones with the most commercial tracks first might sell more but as albums, they’re shit.

So, some people will hate it. Some people will like some tracks and not others. Some people, who like an eclectic mix of songs which don’t allow you to quite settle into one pattern, will enjoy all of it… we hope!

It hasn’t been all Tim and Keith, of course: we’ve  had help from some great friends, so big Fig thanks go to the following:

• Ewan Beck (bass on Body | Soul, Tsunami Of Soul and Rusty Car), Owen Curtis Williams (drums on Body | Soul) & Harriet Bruce (cello on Sirens) for their figtacular playing.
• Paul Gilbody and Andy Mallarky whose double bass and cello work never made it onto the final master, sorry guys!
• Wing Commander Jimmy Hooverfish for his ears and expertise during track mixing.
• Admiral Colin Douglas Usher for his  testing regime and constant badgering (and for his drum banging during Fig live sets).
• Simon Kirby and Paul Gilbody (again!) for Acoustic Edinburgh: one of the best monthly acoustic music evenings there is; and for their unending encouragement and repeat invitations to perform.
• All who have played with the Fig over the years and helped shape what we are today.
• All our family and friends for their love and support through it all. Fig bless you all!

We have gigs coming up and will be organising an album launch event in Edinburgh during the summer, so keep your eyes on this blog for more news.

Thanks for your on-going support, we really appreciate it and we hope you enjoy Trouble At The Rubber Plant.

Cheers

Tim and Keith.

Hi Figsters!

Yes, it’s been a figgin’ long wait but at last, the Fig album, Trouble At The Rubber Plant, is to be released this Spring! Yep, the album will be available to purchase and download through all the usual popular online store VERY SOON. A CD release will follow later in the summer (when we have enough cash!). We’ll also be organising an Album Launch gig, which will feature a bunch of great friends and musicians. More on all these things soon.

In the meantime, take a listen to the low-res preview of all the tracks, below. If you love it, that’s cool. If you hate it, that’s cool too.

And as always, many thanks for your support!

The Figs.

Hi Figsters

Great News! The Fondoo event in November 2009, has raised £320 for Macmillan  Cancer Support. Thanks to Ken and Colin for donating the evening’s takings. Thanks also to a great crowd and all who played: Kris Barnett, Ken Barrett, Paul Gilbody, Douglas Kay Band. The Fig played too of course.

The donation of this money  to Macmillan means a lot to me. This was my first time performing with the Fig since being diagnosed with cancer in October 2008. And it was because it was my ‘come back’ gig that Keith and I wanted it to be a belter! And such it was – joined by Colin Usher (drums), Paul Gilbody (bass) and Hooverfish (beats, samples, percussion) we Figged like we had never Figged before.

But this Fondoo was also special, because it was the last ever Fondoo. Colin and Ken have consistently delivered brilliant line ups at every Fondoo event and it’s a damn shame it’s come to an end. I guess the guys figure it’s time to move on to other things. This last Fondoo though, was sooo good, they must be having some second thoughts!

So it was a night of celebration. Celebrating the return of the Fig, celebrating triumph over adversity, celebrating quality local music and celebrating Fondoo itself. And now we can  celebrate raising this money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Figgin’ fantastic!

Thank you Fondoo, thank you Macmillan.

Tim Fig

Hi Figsters,

With near completion of the album (really!) and album design underway we’ll be redesigning the Fig website. As an initial step, we have moved from Blogger to WordPress (which, you now are looking at). We’ll design a new look and apply it as soon as it’s ready. from the new site, you’ll be able to listen to Fig tunes and of course buy our album when it is out later this year! There’ll be t-shirts and maybe even underpants!

News soon on forthcoming gigs!

Keep on Figgin’

HF

Hi Figsters,

So, where the Fig are we? when are we coming out? Will we look and feel the same? It’s been over a year since the last post. Terrible. But we were busy! Busy with getting the final mixes for the Fig Album completed. We want it to be right. We want it to bright. We want it to be tasty.

Then bad shit happened.

Cancer really does screw up plans like not much else. It screws up minds, families, friendships, income; assumptions… most things in fact, especially your health. So Fig… Fell silent.

But there is a new dawn. Health and hope are returning. A lightness of the soul, not felt for far too long, is cleansing.

Cut the pretentious twoddle man, where’s the figgin’ album? When’s yer next gig?
Well, Tim Fig is performing spoken word stuff at Underword on Monday 10th August, part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Piano Bar, Frederick Street, Edinburgh). So come along! This will be T-Fig’s first time on stage since his illness, so your support would be greatly appreciated.

The album? Well, with a return to feeling good, will be a return to getting that done and dusted. So please watch this space for news.

And Fig gigs? Well we’ve got a lot of practicing to do, and chemotherapy has left T-Fig with numb fingers, which ain’t so good for twangin’ a geetar. But gig we will, when the time is right.

So the Figging continues!
Tim Fig’s fight continues too but HE WILL OVERCOME!

Keep happy, keep healthly.

Lots of love

Hoochie Fig.

Please click on the image above to support MacMillan.

Hi Figsters!

The Fig are now playing at the Ark on 1st July (see gig list in the side panel for details). Be great if you can come along and shake off the not-quite-the-middle-of-the-week-yet blues.

Keep on Figgin’!

Just a quick newsflash to say…
We have been asked to support Ten Storeys High at their album launch night at the Voodoo Rooms on Friday 27th June.

We are on stage at 8.30 prompt and it’s free to get in, so no excuses! There will be press etc. there so we’d be keen to get as many folk along to support us and cheer for the Ten Stories boys too. Should be a fun night.

Colin (Usher) from Ten Stories High said nice things about us on his blog too… (Colin Usher’s Blog: Hoochie Fig Blatant Plug)

K-Fig

Figs!

Great to see you all over the weekend at gigs in Peebles and Edinburgh – and to meet new Figlets who’ve joined the mailing list – thanks!

Saturday at Fondoo was a blast – thanks Ken and Colin. Great guitar work and songs from Kristian Labak. I didn’t get chance to speak to Kristian though (Did you Keef?). Katie and the Dull Fudds were cool too. They reminded me of early Gong – and I told them so. “Who the hell are Gong?” they said. So off I went talking about Radio Gnome, pot-head pixies and flying teaspots. A little later I came round in the toilets, with no Fudds, dull or otherwise, to be seen. Gecko3 were as groovy as usual. Apologies to them if the ad lib Fig backing singing behind the 21st Century recording device has made the gig recording worthless. What can I say, we were having a good time man! Get back in the Vaaaaaaan!

Oh yeah, and Hoochie Fig played too. Seamed to go down well though I wasn’t there. Well my body was, but I didn’t seem to have control over it. Felt like I was tied to a chair watching someone else control me and that someone didn’t have a clue. Anyway, hopefully no one noticed. Keith was fine I think.

However, the next day, we had a gig at Hamiltons, Edinburgh and Keith was a bloody mess! You’d think we were about to perform in front of Neil Young and Bianca Beauchamp! (their Canadian nationality is a coincidence) Jees, I wish. I was fine though, fully in control again. Stress is a wierd thing. Keith figged fine of course, having put in his mind an image of Bianca with big grey side-burns and Neil in a latex catsuit and high heels. I really enjoyed the gig and again, thanks for the great feedback and interest from those who figged with us!

The Fig draw inspiration from Great Canadians.

So what next? Well, we’ve got to get more gigs! But we have to get our recording finished and the debut Fig album packaged and delivered. It has been a long time coming. Some demo mixes of the new recordings are in our MySpace and will be here soon.

So watch this space and keep on Figging!

Tim Fig

Well hello there!

It’s been a while my bloggy chum(s)… we have been very lazy figs indeed. We left you alone for a while but now we need you to summon your strength once again, click the mouse and read some slightly drunk, pot-bellied meanderings… and maybe come to a gig or two.

So what’s been going on since Christmas – the last time any new content worked it’s way out of our fingers and onto the wobble-u-wobble-u-wobble-u? Read on MacDuff!

Village People

The 30th December gig at the Village in Leith was a brilliant night. Good skills (as monsiuer le hooverfish would say) to those of you who made it, see you next year to those who didn’t! We had excellent support from Gerton Govers and the chaotic, mighty and late (grrr..) Dead Beat Club. I joined them to ruin their set and therefore ensure that we appeared even more glorious when the time came to Fig.

Most of the assembled audience (that’s you guys) seemed to enjoy it and since they even bothered to show up, most were invited when we removed to my abode apres gig to consummate the evening’s entertainment with a “Pass the Guitar” session that has my downstairs neighbours in Ninja Karaoke mode every Friday night since – so’s I learn my lesson I suppose! (Sorry Gwen!)

My wee boy Murphy even got up at 4am to join in (shyly at first – he’s only just 3 years old! Aww! Hope social services don’t read this).

A top, top, night. Andy Tucker gave up drinking for a month afterwards. He was drinking actual pint glasses of Gin and Tonic though, kindly provided by my darling wife, Jennifer. Not sure why she was trying to burst his liver. Perhaps she thought was entertaining the ghost of Mr. Oliver Reed?

After that, the first “dry” Hogmanay in nigh on 20 years was witnessed in the Paton and Tucker households. ROCK, and indeed, ROLL.

The biggest shout out of the evening though indesputably goes to the 3 hardy souls who sat through our sound check and me swearing and stressing about Andy and crew being late and then liked us enough (or were drunk enough) to want more! They stayed to the end of our set and I have only just managed to et around to adding them to our mailing list – they’re probably sitting at home right now going “who the f**k are Hoochie Fig?”. Never mind. Fig love to you guys anyway!

The Other Stuff That Happened Since Christmas

The Album

We have managed to nearly finish 7 out of the 11 songs for our album, due out whenever we get it finished! We have struggled with self-doubt, “psycho-aural impairments”, and a variety of recording locations so far. Things are sounding really nice though and the Fig are pleased with the ripening fruits of our labours. The man known as Andy the Cellist has been instrumental (if you’ll pardon the rather cheap pun) in helping us realise our ambitions for a couple of tracks so big up Andy!

Other peeps who have assisted us so far, besides the aforementioned Andy, include: Paul Gilbody (double bass), Ewan Beck (electric bass) and Hooverfish (drum programming, light engineering, spare ears). Shouts to them too!

New Songs

As if there isn’t enough to do, some new songs have also been written since the turn of the year. It’s one thing you just can’t stop – like when Tim opens a fresh pack of McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives!

So since I wrote ‘em and then showed them off at a wee Songwriter’s slagathon some pals and I had, I thought I’d share them with the readership. Have a wee gander at the links below and let us know what you think. One of them’ll be on the album (it’s been partially recorded already). Some of this is work in prgress, so comments please.

-> Stain Training (working title)

-> Out of This Will Come Sunshine

Old Songs

We have resurrected an ancient song entitled “Can’t Rely On Men”. It’s been rehearsed and shows all the potential of becoming yet another Fig classic. Rearranged and gently coaxed back into life by the genius of “Fygnamics”, we look forward to presenting it to you at our next gig (spot the segue!)…

GIGS – Yes, that’s right, GIGS!

We have managed to drag ourselves away from the mixing desks and headphones and home poured fine malt whisky for 2 gigs in April. Typically, they’re on two consecutive days. We’re calling it a Mini tour, since it involves playing in two quite separate geographical locations.

So it’s off to Peebles on Saturday 19th April for Fondoo at the Eastgate Theatre (doors 8pm). Also on the bill are the excellent Kristian Labak and the mighty, superlative, groove inducting, 3 piece: Gecko 3. Aaaiiiiight! Come tae Peebles, it’s braw! If you get there in the afternoon, you can have cream teas in the town and browse a vast selection of knitwear and textiles. Lovely.

Then to Hamilton’s in Stockbridge, Edinburgh, on Sunday 20th April, for a set at Kerbside Prophets – an excellent early evening musical showcase that coerces musicians into touting their wares in return for some free beer and scran. Chris, you are a genius! We’re on at 6pm. Come along. Bring the kids (it’s kid friendly too). After all, Sunday is by far the best night of the week to go out and have a few wee jars – it’s sooo naughty!

Thinking about firing up to Spectrum 08_v1 afterwards (at the Queen’s Hall) for a bit of post gig relaxation…

Et Fin

Ok. If you got as far as this bit, I bet you’re tired out. I could go on all night, being that I’m stranded in one of the plushest hotels in Dublin with a belly fool of Thai food and Erdinger Weissbier, but I won’t. Hope you enjoyed this post and by the time you finish reading it, the pesky gigs will be but a dusty memory and you’ll be desperate to buy our album.

Nice one!

K to the F I G