Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER profile picture

Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER

Hitting a sleazy bar near you

About Me


E-MAIL MIKE AT: mikedawesmusic[at]hotmail.co.uk
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Hi i'm Mike and as you probably know i play acoustic/semi/electric guitar in alternative styles. The most popular of these styles is laying a guitar (or 2) on my lap and playing without strumming much like a piano or keyboard. The music i write and perform is very visual and through a long string of live shows i can see has a very broad appeal, not just with guitarists, most of all with rowdy students from Surrey University (cheapest drinks in the land)
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I have been playing guitar for 6 years now specialising in metal and untill june 2007 i had no idea this style of music existed let alone how to play it. In August i wrote and performed a lap tapping composition called 'Still' at an open mic night in Guildford on an old beaten up Les Paul to an overwhelming response. Since that night 4 months ago i have gained a snowballing reputation as a primary guitarist on the Guildford music circuit and composed 9 more tapping pieces including: Lap tapping, Lap tapping on 2 guitars, Acoustic DADGAD tapping, 8 finger tapping with delay, Tapped arrangements of 'Black Betty' and 'Jump' as well as experimental loopstation guitar.
Needless to say i've been very busy. I have played over 50 shows in these past 4 months and met some of the nicest people in the world, including some high profile musicians and people within the industry. I am currently working towards recording my first full length album which is being funded by sales of my demo as well as money from live shows. The demo tracks on my player (in unmastered format) were the first 4 songs i wrote as a solo artist (Still,Camel,Story,Resolved) and i've written a short paragraph about the techniques used. (The mastered versions of these tracks are available for £4 from my shows and soon directly from my page)
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If you want to see/hear more of my stuff just whack my name into youtube. I try to keep the player updated but you never know whats up there. I'm available for bookings and guitar lessons, just drop me a message or grab a business card/CD at a show. Cheers for the support, its been a great 4 months and i guess i'll see you at a show soon (tell all your friends) cheers.

Mike - 23/11/07

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 8/26/2007
Band Website: myspace.com/mikedawesmusic
Band Members: Me, Crafter SA, Taylor ES, lots of pedals and long fingers
Influences: Jon Gomm
Kaki King
Tuomas Holopainen
Bulb
Thomas Leeb
Kelli Rudick
Justin King
Opeth
Sonata Arctica
Christophe Godin

Quotes: 'Definitely worth checking out' - Newton Faulkner

'He can make that guitar "talk" just how he wants - with no effort!' - Jamie Bell

'If Mike made noodles, they would be crisp, clear, rocking, Leonardoey (hey, he does do the Titanic song after all) and very tasteful. That is, tasty. As for his guitar playing, well, it is indeed very very good, and tasty. That is, excellent. In an ideal world we would have both, but I can more than live with the guitar for now... Vote Mike!' - David Goo

'Stunning stuff from a very talented musician. Watch this space' - Alister Cowan

'You've got it the wrong way up mate' - Andy Little

Tracks: 1. 'The Anchor'
This was the first song i composed and recorded on my Taylor ES acoustic and was my first real classical based song, but to be awkward i've thrown in some body percussion and a bit of tappety tappety. I also like it alot. Much thought and effort in this piece.

2. 'My Heart Will Go On(cover)'
This is a pretty popular live song, its a lap tapping cover of that cheesy tune we all hate. Verses are picked and the choruses/bridges are tapped, i also threw in some intensely processed guitar and sea sounds for that extra cheese.

3. 'Still'
This was the first song i wrote in the lap tapping style - by laying the guitar on my lap it enables the use of both hands to tap various simultanious melodies and bass lines (and ultimately my hands in a twizzle)

4: 'The Camel Struts His Hump'
This song was written in standard position making use of slap guitar and elbow percussion amongst other techniques (such as my flailing limbs)

5: 'Resolved'
This was written in standard position using various tapping techniques including 'crab tapping' - a technique i kind of developed (the recording is quite quiet for this so crank it baby)

6: 'Ordinary Story'
This was the second song i wrote in the lap position, the difference from 'Still' being i make use of plucking the strings as well as tapping, this song also features mild percussion (and yes the title was nicked from an old In Flames track - why? - because they're kick ass)

Ads:
Sounds Like: Acoustic Shredding/Nile
Record Label: get in touch
Type of Label: None

My Blog

EVERY SHOW CANCELLED

Hey guys,unfortunately my hands are not improving so i've had to cancel every show untill i start university in sept/octbut hey music theory woop!it was a sarcastic woop if i'm being honestobviously a...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Wed, 07 May 2008 11:08:00 PST

Talent contests, hands and such

Righti figured i better update this blog thing as i have alot of time on my handsi have recently performed at 2 talent contests (18th and 26th of april) with an overwhelming response and 'podium finis...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:15:00 PST

TENDONITIS STRIKES

As some of you may be aware, i have been cancelling my upcoming shows, this is due to the dreaded musician killer Tendonitisi’m very gutted to say i’ve got this in both hands and wrists, i...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:16:00 PST

TABS/REQUESTS

Hey guys, i've decided to start to tab some of my songs (a very long and tedious process, trust) to be available as files on my 1st album out in the summeri'll probably have about 5/6 transcriptions f...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:00:00 PST

www.soundclick.com/mikedawes

Loads of unreleased bits and bobs on here spanning many genresbasically i plan to put most of the music i create on here so keep checking back every so oftenso far its got some symphonic epic metal, c...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:38:00 PST

BAND MEMBERS WANTED 8/12/07

basically i'm looking to put together a unique band based around my music to gig regularly and hopefully turn heads and drop jawsthe main instruments i'm looking for are vocals(M or F) drums/percussio...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Sat, 08 Dec 2007 06:40:00 PST

Lost my phone 28/11/07

Lost my phone up in London so i've got a new number - which is irritating as i've got 1000 business cards with this old number onif you need my new number just send me a messagecheersMike...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:45:00 PST

The Dawes/Fisher Gigantour

The tour so far has been varied, There have been ups and downs and both physical and mental challenges. Myself and Mr Fisher have experienced the true harshness of mother nature as well as timing and ...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:38:00 PST

DEMO 2007 AVAILABLE NOW

FINALLY     basically thanks to the wonderful Mr Nich Harvey, my 4 demo tracks have now been mastered to make them well peachy n stuff   these cd's are limited in number and will be ava...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:53:00 PST

DEMO 2007 AVAILABLE SOON - Very limited - Reserve here

Hey guys basically within the next week or so i'll be selling 50 copies of my summer 2007 recordings The tracklist will be the 4 songs on my page, remixed/mastered, in an unconfirmed order 4 tracks - ...
Posted by Mike Dawes NOT BOOKING ANY SHOWS UNTIL OCTOBER on Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:58:00 PST