The Wedded Bliss profile picture

The Wedded Bliss

About Me




The Wedded Bliss is a labour of love for singer/songwriter Randall-Blair. The band places its faith in the holy trinity of music – blues, country & jazz – and delivers it in an intimate & acoustic setting.
His songs blend old school country, blues & swing with the skewered sensibilities of a modern troubadour. He weaves honest tales of love, drunkenness, poverty, desire, faith & hope.
After appearing as a busking finalist at the 2004 Tamworth Country Music Festival, he formed the Wedded Bliss. Since then, he has performed solo & band shows at events such as:
* THE NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL 2009
* CORINBANK 2009
* 2009 MULTICULTURAL FRINGE FESTIVAL
* The 2008 AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL OF BLUES MUSIC (Goulburn)
* The 2007 CANBERRA MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL
* ‘Music at the Creek 2005/06’ - The Major's Creek Folk Festival
* The ‘2006 Weereewa Festival of Lake George’
* Canberra's Multicultural Fringe Festival (04/05)
* IndyFest (04/05/06)
* ‘Sunday in the Park’ (05/06) Festival
The band has also played countless pubs gigs and supports with acts like Lior, The Kill Devil Hills, Conway Savage (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds), The Angels, Lloyd Spiegel, Maurice Frawley & the Yard Hands, King Curly, Gina Villalobos (USA) and Mad Violet (Canada).
Randall-Blair has recently collaborated with contemporary dance choreographer Vivienne Rogis of the Miramu Dance Company. Vivienne used seven of R-B’s songs to create ‘Cry Baby’, a work that was performed - with live backing from the Wedded Bliss - at Canberra’s 2007 MultiCultural Festival.
‘Tattoos & Tail-lights’, the band’s debut album has been featured on various public (666 ABC, Radio National) & community radio. The album was also ‘Feature album of the Week’ on Melbourne’s PBS FM.
'Triple Truth', a tune from that album was recently a featured song on Triple J's 'Unearthed' website, where it received some airplay as well.
Randall-Blair is currently recording a follow album, under the working title of 'The Swingin' Arms Hotel', and will be released in 2008.
‘Tattoos & Taillights’ and the second album, 'Swingin' Arms Hotel' are available now through Longhaul/MGM and iTunes. Click below if you wish to order from Waterfront Records, Sydney.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 5/6/2006
Band Website: www.randall-blair.com
Band Members: On any given day the lineup would include...Richard Bray - Drums/traps, Matt Nightingale - Double Bass, Phil Daniel - Banjo/mandolin, Fiete Geir - eletrical guitar.Special guests have included: Dan Eprhamsen (Fiddle), Gregor 'Blind boy' Murray - guitar, Deane Toohey - Bass & guitar, Ben Wilson - Drums & vibes, Sam from 'One Night Jam' on guitar...
Influences: Son House, Big Bill Broonzy, Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell, The Louvin Brothers, Woody Guthrie (& Arlo too!), Lightnin' Hopkins, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Carter Family, Cash, Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, Hank Williams, Missisipi John Hurt, Josh White, Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings, Lucinda Williams, The Byrds, Gram, Townes Van Zandt, Calexico, Neko Case, BB King, Albert King, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Paul Burch, the BrianJonestown Massacre, Jimi Hendriks, Lloyd Cole, The Congos, Burning Spear, Joseph Spence, Rory McCleod, The Dirty Three, Yabby You, Smog, Gregory Isaacs, Wilco, Son Volt, Desmond Dekker, Marley, Nick Cave, Will Oldham, Ron Sexsmith, Neil Young, Michelle Shocked, The Pogues, Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers, Emmylou Harris, Mick Harvey, Robert Cray, Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys,PJ Harvey, Doc Watson, Lonnie Johnson, Chuck Berry, Sonny Terry, Brownie Mcgee, Rev Gary Davis, Dylan, Tosh, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington, Robert Johnson, Mahalia Jackson, Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Christian, Roy Orbison, John Lee Hooker, Scott Joplin, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Washboard Sam, Pavement, Ray Charles,Steve Earle, Giant Sand, Wil Eisner, Harvey Pekar, Cormac McCarthy, Italo Calvino, Ishmail Kadare, Melville, Twain....too many more to mention.
Record Label: Longhaul Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

NEW ALBUM 'SWINGIN' ARMS HOTEL' IS OUT NOW ON ITUNES!

Hey there. Just a quick note to say that yes indeedy, after years of procrastination, scrimping, saving and bludging, our 2nd album 'Swingin' Arms Hotel' is out now on itunes. You can also order a har...
Posted by on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:15:00 GMT

2008 - Album update

I know I've been banging on about this for a year or more now, but the album is almost done. I have been quietly reminded that we started tracking the demos in late 2005, and now that it is 2008, it i...
Posted by on Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:30:00 GMT

’Randall-Blair &the Wedded Bliss’ now on itunes.

You can now download tunes form our first album, 'Tattoos & Tail-lights' from the good folk at itunes.Look under, 'Randall-Blair & the Wedded Bliss'.I'll have to thank Ethel Malley - from the Longhaul...
Posted by on Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:47:00 GMT

Save the Remains Fundraiser!

There are some perils of working your arse off in a country band. Late nights, long drives, bad odours, big lugs, hangovers, hernias, hopeless longing for fame and recognition, bitter twisted jealousi...
Posted by on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:55:00 GMT

Cutting 'Randall-Blair' from The Wedded Bliss.

Ok so this has been happening by default for the past year or so...but I'm starting to drop the 'Randall-Blair' from the all of the posts regarding the band etc. There are a few reasons for this:1. It...
Posted by on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 01:05:00 GMT

Changing of the Canberra guard - Sticking up for Bill.

This week I got the goss that two of Canberra's more reliable venue managers and bookers were resigning or moving to greener pastures (pardon the irony there Gaz..).Bill Arrnett (of the Merry Muse fol...
Posted by on Sat, 19 May 2007 18:11:00 GMT

The Kill Devil Hills support.

Ok so I'm on holidays now so I've got a bit o' spare time to write, have a coffee, lounge around & listen to some Lee Hazelwood.I've had a bit of a weird week with gigs thus far...last thursday night ...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:14:00 GMT

Recording notes....

We are still recording! It is getting closer...Yesterday we were blessed with a visit from Mr Aaron Peacy (of Fire On The Hill or the 'FOTH as we called them affectionately around here...please click ...
Posted by on Sun, 08 Apr 2007 17:31:00 GMT

Refreshing 'top' friends...

I've decided to 'refresh' some of my 'top friends' and place up some new musicians & sites today. I'm not sure what the etiquette of this is, so if you've been relegated I'm sorry. I'm just going to t...
Posted by on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 21:55:00 GMT

The Front March 11th

Just a bit of info about the March 11 gig at the Front Cafe & Gallery, Lyneham Shops, Canberra. You can order tickets for this gig through Pete Gare's myspace at :http://www.myspace.com/petegareor jus...
Posted by on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:15:00 GMT