MARTY DODGE - songwriter & avid blogger

1 What have you been up to so far this year and wehat have you planned for the next few months?

We are working along on our debut album 'By the Grace of...' We did our second and final all day session in Bracknell at Park Studios. We recorded 'Searching' and 'Cry Freedom'. While not planned, Paul Stead of Sacred Heart. Mitch was looking after his voice as he is recording his own album so we drafted in Paul to sing. Mitch's CD will be out in September followed by a tour. Not only did he sing the chorus of 'Searching' he interpreted it in his own style. His style influenced John. In the end they both produced their individual best ever track. John & I sang 'Cry Freedom' as well. I managed to hit notes that John thought I was incapable of hitting. It was my 'Shine'. PO, over from Norway, to lay down some riffs for us put in an absolute blinder of a performance as did Mitch. John was his normal musical genius, coming up with music on the fly at an alarming rate and last but certainly not least Rob laid down some killer bass riffs. We hope to have the CD done and dusted ready for release by early October aiming to have a CD launch in mid to late October.

2 Best live gig(s) this year & why? (Can be your own gigs and/or other bands)

I thought the 30th Aniv Motorhead gig was pretty impressive, as were Sacred Heart a few weeks ago (tight as all get up), Slunt in London and Suffragettes. The Answer were damn impressive live (even in a rubbish venue) as were the impressive Tokyo Dragons. (Forget Towers of London see TD instead far better live.)

3 New msuic/books/films you've discovered/bought this year and why are they so good?

I rather liked Funding Evil a book about how terrorism is funded around the world. A good book on a more Rock & Roll theme is a book about the Whiskey A Go-Go in LA. Team America: World Police was the funniest damn movie I have seen in a long time. A couple of bands I have heard recently that blew me away are The Answer and Sacred Heart.