Author: darren

Raffle. A song about your dog.

Posted on by darren

This is a charity raffle for a song written about a dog by Darren Hayman. The bloke that used to be in Hefner.

The raffle is aid of Manchester and Cheshire Dogs, who suffered an arson attack on their premises in Manchester this week.
The winner will have a song written for them about their dog, living or dead. Or if they don’t have a dog, an imagined or metaphorical dog. Darren will ask some questions, gather some facts and information from the winner.
The winner can chose if it’s a piano or guitar song. The winner can choose the key and if it’s major or minor. Then Darren will write it, record it. Put it in a sleeve, draw the cover and send it to you. (give him a week to do this.)
It won’t be a joke song or a left over. It will be good and Darren will work hard on it. He’ll sing his heart out. Each ticket will be £5 (or more if you wish).
When the raffle is over (Tuesday night 8pm). Darren will collect all of the emails, print them. Put them in a hat and pick one out. Maybe we’ll get an independent adjudicator or something.
Any questions? ask Darren or his friend Peter who organised this on twitter at @darrenhayman or @Pedro_Dee

Buy a ticket here.

Papernut Cambridge Album Launch on a Tube Train

Posted on by darren

As some of you may know, one of my favourite bands at the moment is Papernut Cambridge. I’ll admit they are friends and I also do get to play with them. I play drums live and on the record I contribute saxophone and synths.

They really are strangely familiar but also completely unique. Like all the best bands they create a magical world where only they exist.

They are about to launch their new record on a 3 seven inch boxset with free download. That’s the type of band they are.

The album is called ‘There’s No Underground’ and will be launched at a special show on a disused underground train in Walthamstow on the afternoon of Saturday 18th October. There are two different times you can book for due to the restricted nature of the venue.

I’ll be there, playing drums, singing my socks off.

Show 1: 1.30pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/287905

Show 2: 4.30pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/287908

Dog E.P.

Posted on by darren

I hand-painted 20 covers for 20 CD EPs for the Independent Label Market on Saturday 12th July 2014 at Spitalfields. I’ll be on the WIAIWYA stall.

The EP features four new recordings of dog songs including one cover and one new composition.

I’ve also made the EP available for download from Bandcamp below. You get high quality scans of all the paintings with the download.

Buy from Bandcamp.

This Time (We’ll Get It Right)

Posted on by darren

Just hours before our crucial deciding match I’ve decided to lend my musical support to the England World Cup Campaign.

Occupation 12 – The Essex Trilogy

Posted on by darren

….and so we come to the final Occupation and it is perhaps apt that we return to these three albums for these shows. The shows where I played Hefner songs obviously sold out quickest and on a few occasions we ran over to two nights. However these three albums, I feel, represent the best of what I do and I’m happy to indulge in these songs for an evening.

It’s about the place I come from and, despite the character lead songs,they are more about me then you might realise.

I will have the Secondary Modern with me for this show and support will come from Enderby’s Room (featuring Dan and Emma from the SM). We’re also trying to sort out some DJs for a post Occupation party downstairs afterwards.

Tickets Here. http://www.wegottickets.com/event/274091

13th June 2014
The Vortex
11 Gillett Square, London N16 8AZ
www.vortexjazz.co.uk
Doors 8pm
£12 Adv

www.hefnet.com

@DarrenHayman
@VortexJazz
@ThePopside

Darren Hayman’s Occupation is a series of monthly shows at The Vortex, Dalston. There will be a mix of sets showcasing different albums, themes and special guests. This is not your standard indie gig:

“I love gigs. I hate gigs.

I want to play live and I love what shows can be, but I’ve found myself frequently stifled by the limitations of my career. I can’t play the plush, seated venues and I can’t experiment with a string section or play 20 minute opuses.

My music was born in the sticky floored rock venue. I like the sticky floored rock venue but I have had a hankering for something different recently. My own taste has veered towards free improv and jazz and although it’s hard to imagine that music influencing my own I do love the culture of live music in this genre.

Long sets, sometimes two, comfortable venues and a reverence and respect for the event and the moment; less talking, less cameras, more dynamics, less microphones.

I wondered if these would let an indie rock interloper amongst their ranks. My show at the Vortex back in last November was successful enough to make me think of playing a monthly residency there.

The idea is that each show is themed. I don’t want to go the whole predictable route of playing complete albums, but rather group, types of songs together for different evenings. Experiment, sometimes play two sets, sometimes have unlikely guests. I will be playing with members of my bands from through out my career as well as old friends like the Wave Pictures and Allo Darlin.

The Vortex is a beautiful venue. I’m trying to do something different; something, smaller, prettier. I hope you can come.”