This picture was taken on Sunday 19th January 2014 and marks my first meeting with the band City of Kites, in the case of Joe (yellow t-shirt) it was the last time as he left the band a while ago. I knew who Gerry Trimble was and had communicated with him on Facebook and Twitter but had yet to meet him. The Sunday Alternative was broadcast live from 1pm-3pm at this point, my favourite time slot if I am honest and the first time that the show seemed to have found its correct format. Of course it is also the final days of the show on radio as changes happened at Trent Sound that didn't suit this show or NottinghamLIVE so we gave up. I wasn't sure what to expect from this programme as the band were in their infancy but they all turned out to be thoroughly charming and thus my association with the band was formed. Gerry was particularly impressed with me (I found out much later) because I ended our interview on air by playing an old demo track from my collection of Nottingham music, which of course proves that despite my outward ramshackle approach I did actually do research.
My biggest regret is that their appearance is one of the 'lost' shows that wasn't recorded due to some technical matter at the station so doesn't even exist in my own archive. It was a great semi-acoustic set so the fact that it didn't record was a shame. On a brighter note I made good friends that day and have worked with them regularly since then. Gerry is an almost permanent fixture of The Random Saturday Sessions, (he and Ant played together on one episode) and they played one of my Maze gigs and appeared on my Hockley Hustle stage last year. In addition to this I have played them on the radio and on my podcast.
So of course they were destined to split up and keep my record going.
I am not going to write about a situation when it isn't my place to do so, but I have been aware of internal issues within the band for some time and although they wanted so badly to resolve this, it wasn't to be. If you have crossed paths with any member of the band then you'll know that they are probably the nicest people you could hope to meet and I wish them all the best for the future. Their last gig is on October 11th (their last gig was for me incidentally) and I am in two minds about going. On the one hand I want to support them, but I would prefer to remember the band in happier times. They will not be quiet for long of course, and maybe will work together in some capacity later on down the line. Will has the perfect voice for audio book readings, something that I helped him to get started with and I recommend a visit to his page.
There can't be many bands left in Nottingham now, but if I have played you on the radio show or podcast, supported you, watched you play or said in the public arena that I am a fan, then I apologise now for what is to come.
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