Alistair Griffin From Nowhere, the new album – a sheepish review

From Nowhere is Alistair Griffin’s third album with an interesting little twist. Announced by Griffin as the sporting anthems compilation, it’s an album’s worth of songs he’s written or pitched for sport soundtracks, and they’re not even all on it!

With tongue super-glued in cheek, I suggested in my review of his previous album that sports-mad Griffin should put all his sporting-montage songs on an EP and call it Maniacal Montage Mayhem, never thinking that he’d

Alistair Griffin’s single The One with Leddra Chapman and a striking sleep aid

It’s a bit noisy in here as since the incident with the ironing there have been 26 striking sheep with little placards blocking up the landing, bleating about overtime rates.

The last thing I need is grumpy, uncooperative sheep when I’m trying to get to sleep. One has broken ranks and is

Alistair Griffin at George IV Chiswick, London for foodbank tour gig

A gig first for me, I turned up with tins that weren’t beer.

Exactly like a Chiswickian Diagon Alley, the venue was cunningly hidden out the back of the George IV pub, disguised as a Tesco Express complete with supermarket trolley. I hope Alistair got his pound back OK.

Reviewing Alistair Griffin’s new single Always No. 1 whilst a load of woolly jumpers is drying

Today sees the release of Always No. 1, the third single from Alistair Griffin’s Albion Sky album. But don’t doze off album owners because it’s a new mix of the song you’ll want to hear.

We review Alistair Griffin’s new album Albion Sky aka “Who dumped a helter skelter in the garden?”

Scrap your DeLoreans, the new Alistair Griffin album Albion Sky has been released in our lifetime* on Dramatico Entertainment!

This is a monumental occurrence which would only be surpassed if Roseberry Topping were to suddenly sprout a Vesuvius-like lava flow, as it’s

Alistair Griffin and band at the O2 Academy 2 Islington – 18 May 2011

Wednesday night found me at the O2 Academy 2 in Islington to see Alistair Griffin play with his band. He sang a bit too. There hadn’t been a band gig in London for two and a half years, so anticipation was running highish. What would his new band sound like? Would it be like the album? Would he play anything even a little bit new? Since trekking here last with a van full of amps and stuff, he’s announced a new album, hung about in a few studios, had a little tune played on the BBC, and done a few re-mixes of re-mixed mixes of already mixed songs.

It’s almost right…plus The Critical at The Cavendish Arms – 4 May 2009

I went to a gig recently with the most unintentionally funny moment ever. You probably had to be there to get it, but it was at the Bedford in April when a singer* introduced a song, played the intro and sang the opening of an entirely different one by mistake. Singer jokes about stopping writing songs in the same key with the same chords. Second attempt and he blanks altogether and

Chris Sheehan and Alistair Griffin at the Cobden Club (Again) – 27 January 2009

I went to this gig to see what Chris Sheehan was like having missed him at the Cobden Club in December when he’d been due to appear but was ill apparently. And Alistair Griffin was on again too! So once again I climbed the million stairs to the Cobden’s Grand Hall to listen to Brooke Parrott, Abi Barnett, Chris Sheehan and Alistair Griffin. Each played two sets of about three songs each, doggedly accompanied by the cocktail shaker at the bar, which was a bit out of time at one point.

The Critical at the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill – 8 November 2008

On Saturday, I went to see a band called The Critical play at the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill. They were supporting Sally Cranham, a singer songwriter whose musical style I’m not really into although she was very good at it, but as it turned out it was well worth staying until the end, more of that later.

I trekked to The Critical’s Redhill gig as I could get there on the train from London fairly easily and as it was a theatre, I knew I wouldn’t end up in a strange town confronted with a venue I’d not even cut my toe nails outside of, let alone actually have to go in.

Is it a bird? Is it The Kaiser Chiefs? No, it’s Alistair Griffin!

Live at the Bull and Gate, London – 20 October 2008

Seeing as how I’d wished for another Alistair Griffin gig I could get to in London it seemed churlish not to go to it, so off I went to the slightly chancy Monday night slot at the Bull and Gate in London’s Kentish Town, or Camden if you’re trying to sound upmarket.

Alistair Griffin and band live at Storm, London – 21 August 2008

On Thursday I went with a feeling of slight trepidation to listen to Alistair Griffin again, this time at Storm’s weekly Chu-Bu evening in London. Why trepidatious? Some of Alistair Griffin’s music is special, but last time at the Clapham Grand it just wasn’t as good as I was expecting.