Rory Howie - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Scottish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, currently based in East Yorkshire along with a pile of guitars, keyboards and amps of varying sizes and destructive capabilities. Recorded two albums of original, self-penned material under the pseudonym The Farewells - "The Brandy of the Damned" (2006) and "The Distance and the Darkness" (2008) - to muted (actually, non-existent) public acclaim. Currently living the pub rock dream as keyboard player and guitarist in a Beeford-based covers outfit called The Retrofits apparently. More grisly details at http://www.theretrofits.co.uk

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 19/04/2007
Band Website: theretrofits.co.uk
Band Members: The Farewells (solo stuff): Rory Howie: electric, acoustic and bass guitars; piano and keyboards; mandolin; harmonica; lead and backing vocals after a fashion.The Retrofits: Paul Bakes - Bass; Andrew Dixon - Lead Guitar; Rory Howie - Keyboards & Guitars; Nigel Nicholson - Drums; Lee Rodmell - Vocals
Influences: In no particular order....Kevin McDermott and his erstwhile Orchestra, Neil Young, Justin Currie/Del Amitri, Bob Dylan, The Band, Roddy Frame/Aztec Camera, James Grant/Love & Money, Classic Quo (1971-1981), Led Zep, The Eagles, The Jayhawks, Teenage Fanclub, Cowboy Junkies, Lindisfarne, The Buffalo Springfield, Springsteen's "Nebraska" album (home recording like it used to be), Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown, Fountains of Wayne, Nick Drake, John Martyn, Otis Redding, Creedence Clearwater Revival, CSN&Y, The Waterboys, Glasgow pubs, Viz Comic, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Dave Edmunds/Nick Lowe/Rockpile, Ally MacErlaine's slide guitar playing, Ivan Drever (peerless Orcadian singer and guitarist), Fender, Gibson and Washburn guitars, Yamaha pianos, Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny), The books of Christopher Brookmyre, Douglas Adams and Nick Hornby. Driving through the Scottish Highlands in a bashed up old Astra, Boo Hewerdine, Gram Parsons, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Henrik Larsson, I'll need to come back to this.
Sounds Like: A swift one to the pecker with a rolled-up Daily Record
Record Label: Unsigned

My Blog

Cairns, the Daintree and back to Sydney

There's a song by some US hat act that goes "It's only half past twelve but I don't care - it's five o'clock somewhere". I liked the song but the line used to rankle with me a bit. If it's half past t...
Posted by on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:36:00 GMT

Alice and Chains (and Iron Bars)

This holiday blogging is turning into a bit of a trial. Most internet connections here especially the free-to-access ones are dial ups and even the wi-fi connections (which you pay through the no...
Posted by on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:44:00 GMT

Sydney Footnotes

I promised myself I'd only do one blog from each place, but I feel I need to say a wee bit more about Sydney. I liked the city straight away, but I've really come to love it in a big way in the few da...
Posted by on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:43:00 GMT

You look British and Stupid

It's fair to say that I'm no long haul traveller. I'm no short haul traveller either to be fair. However, it has to be said that the journey from Kelk, Yorkshire to Prymount, Sydney NSW could hardly h...
Posted by on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:23:00 GMT

Well, you wouldn't want a warm one now...

It strikes me that there are few dafter things you can do in your life than project yourself halfway across the planet in a jet-propelled tin can with wings in the company of hundreds of flatulent str...
Posted by on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:40:00 GMT