Author: larissamckay

Another hectic week in the bag. Sal Lyden my buddy from Uni was in town so we had dinner at Dim Sum and some cheeky cocktails. OMG YUM. I was the size of a house walking through Soho. Was lovely to see her.

Tuesday went to a studio to sing some bvs for the producer/drummer dude. I studpidly decided to ride cause I wanted to go to Greg’s after to pick up a cd with Ricocheted goodies on it. I had to pull over and take my coat, scarf and shirt off on the Highbury & Islington “hill”. I don’t care what you say, it’s a hill.

Macks tracks were cool. He mainly wanted me to mask his voice cause he reckons singing’s not his strongest point – he is English. He is a man. After the first few takes I thought, what the f have I got myself into? I am down the river without a paddle. Some of his suggestions were “don’t think about the melody. There is no melody”.  And, I have never spoke/sung before – mainly cause I sound like a tosser.

But by the end of the night, no joke, I sounded exactly like him. I couldn’t believe that voice was coming outta my head. I say this hopefully with a bit of modesty, but I am actually quite proud I pulled it off, cause it was looking preeeeetty grim there for a while.

Wednesday my work took us out for free dinner and drinks cause of all the overtime we’d been doing. We used and abused and it was a cracker of a night. Cocktails, appetisers, starters, mains, desserts, wine, after dinner coffees/baileys/whiskeys. Once again I was the size of a house on the bus home.

Thursday someone stole the left handlebar grip off my bike 😦 DEVO.  Who just takes the one?  Then on the way to the gig with Keith I couldn’t find my oyster card and realised I’d had it in my pocket when I rode home from work – and had lost it.

I had a mini freak out. Not about the oyster so much, but cause sometimes I commit to too much and life starts to slip through my fingers. But I played my gig at The Troubadour and it was such fun! It was the third time I’ve played there and it’s always a good gig. The audience were really attentive and appreciative and I played Heartbreaker and Hey You (new ones) with a good response. Two friends of Keith, my manager, came along who had seen me play my first gig in London. They asked Keith if I was the same girl who sang the first time and said I’d really come a long way. This made my night, cause you don’t feel the progression yourself, so it’s nice to to get some encouragement and confirmation that you’re heading in the right direction. (Is that a lyric?) 

Friday went on a bar crawl with Essy, Luke and Kel to Paramount, Lounge Lovers, Crazy Bear and The Sanderson Hotel. While you live in London, you always have lists and lists of places you want to go, and things you want to do. So we’ve checked a few off. Paramount is a members club – Luke is apparentlya movie producer 😉 – and it has the most wonderful view of London. We got a jug of Pimms and took photos near the window..  bahaha smooth.

Saturday went to Kent for a friend from work’s wedding. She looked amazing, and they sang gospel songs and I didn’t even cry. Took me three hours to get home. Not okay.

Went with Nick to see his bro’s band play in Holborn. http://www.myspace.com/tommckeanandtheemperors I was really impressed. They are really really good. The guy supporting was amazing too (standby for name) You could’ve heard a pin drop. Got invited back for a little partay with the band and they did some more songs for us.

Had brunch out, rode my bike to Chalk Farm to meet Luke, Bob, Es, and Kel at another place on Luke’s list. Apparently Kate Moss goes there. She was not there.

Thought I’d be sweet cause I’d walked home from Camden along the canal, but I obviously paid no attention whatsoever cause I got to Angel and had to detour off the canal cause of refurbs to the path. It started to spit as I guessed where I thought the canal was, and I was wearing ballet flats, a dress and my new swede bag (who buys swede in London?) Thought I’d keep riding blind cause as most of you know, I’m am quite the eagle. I ended up around Caledonia Road as the rain got a little heavier, I kept going, ended up near more roadwork in Kings Cross, called Luke, left a slightly distrest voicemail and kept riding. By this stage I’m a little damp – from the rain? From the sweat? From the tears? (no there were no tears) then out in the distance I see a stairway to the canal!! So I rode the rest of the way along the canal and made it there after pushing the bike through the sea of people at Camden Lock. Pretty sure I scraped a few calf muscles with the old pedals ahah.

Cause I’d just had brunch a few hours earlier, I just ordered a bowl of spinich. But then we got cupcakes after and rode my bike around the streets and doubled merely missing Mercs and Range Rovers. The ride home was easier and I’ve taken notes of streets and turns so I can do it again with confidence. Needless to say, my thighs, arse, shoulders and groin are bleeding.

Cooked  dinner with the flatties and got a relatively early night.

Monday we had a goodbye dinner at Jamie’s Kitchen for Kel as so flew back down under and we had to say goodbye 😦 I miss you already.. the burn is deeeep. Then, cause you do, we went and had half price martini’s on a Monday night.

Amy, Kel, Me & Essy @ Jamie’s Kitchen

I cooked my flatmates Mum style Burritos and no ones locked themselves in the loo, which is a great sign. I made chicken in sweet chilli sauce, cut up cucumber, cheese, avo, tomato, and put them in a wrap with philly and sweet chilli and they loved them. I kinda enjoyed making them too, so I’m going to try rissoles next. (tee hee)

Now I realise that I’ve left it too long and therefore skim on details so I will try my hardest to get my life in order and deliver a blog to you more often.

Love from London,

Larissa

x

Next gig –  Monday Sept 6th, 8pm. FREE. 93 Feet East, Brick Lane. London

Listening to:

Jonathan Boulet! Get his albums off itunes.. so good   http://www.myspace.com/jonathanboulet

Ricocheted FILM CLIP is launching this week. I know I’ve been telling you all for a while now, but it’s hard to organise it all so hang in there, and I promise it’ll be soon. I’m soooo excited!

Lans text me on Friday saying she was back from NYand ended up staying with me over the weekend till she goes to Greece on Monday.  Hit up the vegan bus with Es and her on Friday night and then talked till 3am. She spooned me.

Saturday slept in til midday. Ohh heaven. And just for the record – Lans missed her hair appointment cause, and I quote “your bed is so cosy and your room, so dark.” So I guarantee if you were in my position you would’ve missed the flight to Amsterdam too.

Got tix for Lans and I to see Jamie Cullum play at the picnic concerts at Hampstead Heath ( a park). OMG I’d never been there, but it’s just beautiful. You look back over the city and it feels like you’re in the country. Jamie Cullum – as always- blew me away. He is so talented and his new band (esp. the bass player ) are so damn hot. The people next to us were laughing cause everytime the bass’d kick in we’d go oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.

We bought falafels, wraps, lettuce, homous and maltesers and wine and had a wee old picnic. (I forgot cups so drank Rose straight from the bottle. Classy. Then with about three songs to go, these people gave us their good seat tickets! We ran around into the good area and then Jamie goes “everyone come up the front”, so Lans and I ran up the front and danced like lunatics in the mud and it was so much fun.

He did All At Sea and went into If I Ruled The World – I nearly wet my pants. There were oldies, young’ns, cool kids, nerd burgers- it was great. His music reaches everyone and his songs are so good. Inspiring  🙂

Had brunch with Whit, Lans and Amy at Balan’s in Soho and had major girly chats. Love. Then jammed with a drummer which was fun and met a guy who works at the studio who wants me to do some bvs. He sessions for Bloc Party. I played it cool.

I’ve got a gig at The Troubadour on Thursday night. Old Brompton Road, near Earl’s Court tube. They have good food and the place is nice.  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=140346112663314&ref=ts 

If you take any photos or film of me playing, email it to larissamckaymusic@music.com. I’m mucking around with a few ideas and would love you to get invloved.

Listening to: Band of Horses, Glee: Total Eclipse of the Heart, Playjerise, Hungry Kids of Hungry, John Mayer, Hot Chip, Jamie Cullum, Robyn.

Larissa

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Flight was planned for 7am from Stansted to Amsterdam Saturday morning. Had to get the bus toLiverpool St station and then the stansted express to the airport. I set two alarms for 3am didn’t I, and slept through both. I woke and rolled over to have a peek at the time on the old phone/peice of shit that sometimes just doesn’t go off, and it was 5am. Those of you who have gotten ready with me know I don’t mind a bit of a fart around, but you should’ve seen me move. I didn’t shower, clean teeth, bother with any personal hygiene or vanity and got to the bustop in 5mins. Made it to the airport 20 mins before takeoff and appraoched the man behind the easyjet counter half knowing there wasn’t a chance in hell I could make it. He reckoned if I’d checked in online I could’ve made it – but of course I hadn’t – so I decided that I’d rather get a bus back to central London, then the tube to get another bus to Gatwick airport to get a 1pm flight to the dam, than hang at Stansted til 5pm to get the next flight from there. At this stage I waspretty much loving life and hadn’t showered for over 27 hours.

Amazingly I made that flight from Gatwick and then got the train and walked to the hostel. I Showered merrily and went to meet Sof and her two friends Katherine and Rimi where they were shopping. Sof and I had a Hollywood hug and cried outside River Island without a care in the world. Oh how I had missed her and her suckle hugs 🙂

Amsterdam is a cool city and we walked round and caught the tram easily. Went to Vondel Park, Anne Frank’s Annex which was very moving and a really humbling experience. We had raw steak (mmm) and the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Did a bit of partying and wandered through the red light district. The vibe was much more relaxed and it kinda reminded me of a mix between Berlin and Melbourne.

Sof has been staying with me in London since Monday and she leaves tomorrow morning. We have done all the sightseeing stuff but also had a nice lunch and sat in London Fields and chatted. Whit has been co-tour guide aswell, and as a quick example of the high quality experience we’re giving Sof – today we we went into the gift shop at Westminster Abbey and read a brochure so we knew what it actually was. It’s an old, royal, medieval church.

We had a pint and went to Hyde Park and had a picnic in the SUNSHINE! Shopped our feet off at Topshop and H&M, walked round Soho and had some good coffee, saw Tap Dogs- so amazing!! Had dinner at Pizza East in Shoreditch – yum!! and walked around Knightsbridge and a bit of the West End.

So tonight’s Sof’s last night and there’s a little group of us going to Greg’s work to watch the Worldwide Exclusive Premier of Ricocheted!! I’m so excited! Then we’re going to Punk for a few drinks and a boogie.

Tomorrow morning Sof flies back home and I go back to work and I assume it will not be fun. It’s been so nice having her here and I wish you would all come visit London.

x

On Tuesday night I met Kelly, Luke and Essy at Trafalgar Square and we went through a hedge maze they have set up there for a while. It was pretty cool, until I managed to lose them. “Larissa.. follow. the. sound. of. my. voice!” Bless Kel.

We then walked up to Thai Square for a tasty meal and catch ups. Turns out I said Panang chicken in my head but Pad Thai came out of my mouth. What the? I’m losing the plot. So I had Pad Thai and a side of rice. Mmm carby. We then got snog (amazing frozen yoghurt) and had a merry time. Love those kids. Had missed central London.

Last night I went to check out my bike’s state and turns out I need four new brake pads and one new cable which’ll set me back 27 pounds, but I figure it’s better than a hospital bill. He’s booked in for Tuesday. Then I had a play and I finished Heartbreaker, a song I started to write just before I left Sydney six months ago. Finally coming up with a bridge has made my week. YAY! Then I went to Greg’s work to re-watch the two versions of the film clip and we have decided on a version and it will be launched next Wednesday! Exciting!! Then we went and saw Eclipse and I have to say Bella wasn’t as irritating as usual – mega bonus. The shirtless scenes are just ridiculous aren’t they, but I had to see it, even if I had to endure Greg’s sexual hand movements (I secretly loved them ha!)

So tomorrow I work, I pack, I try go to bed early and then get up at 3am (kill me) to get the train to the airport then the plane to Amsterdam. Then I will wait for 30 long minutes in disbelief for Sof’s flight to arrive. Promise I don’t well up just thinking about seeing her. Love you Sim.

It’s a strange thing living over here in London. I have experienced some of the highest, warmest, most incredible feelings of love, self-belief and happiness but also a deafening, engulfing sadness that I have never felt before. One day is totally different to the next. Sometimes I feel like this is exactly where I should be and other times I feel totally lost and very alone. But on a whole, I am really enjoying life (those hard times are rare) and I often wonder how I will ever be able to move back to Sydney. The idea of monotomy and being smothered makes me very worried. If you have thought about picking up and moving to another city, you should do it, home will always be there, but your choice may not.

So I continue to pack as much as possible into each day but I find this works for me. I tend to stress, but I’m more productive and entertained. Dad always says,  “It’s all part of the tapestry of life Riss. And at least you can write a song about it.”  And he’s not wrong.

Larissa

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Lans came home from Turkey and I got to see her on Friday night for dinner at The Albion in Shoreditch and then we had some drinks. I met her besties Lloyd and Bree from home who were lovely and they all had a ride on my bike.

Field Day was on Saturday and OMG. Hudson Mowhawke, Simian Mobile Disco and Phoenix were the highlights and I tell ya what, I lost it when 1901 was played. Those guys are amaaazing live, just so damn good. My hamstrings are raw from being on Lans’ shoulders and my voice so incredibly husky from laughing & wooing. But it was so much fun with a lovely crew and good tunes I also have a Field Day cup for keepsake.

Partied a little too hard I’m sure (again with the no self-control) cause I have an ulcer and a stye. Sexy. Prime rundown material, but nothing a good night sleep can’t fix  😉  (That’s my bung eye).

I’m still writing, and playing all the time and tested a new song at my gig on Thursday at Camden. It went down well, and hopefully I’ll record it in the next month so all you guys at home can hear it.

Pajak made a flyer for me, he’s so kind and bloody good so I can’t thank him enough. Greg and I are deciding on the clip release date this week, so start counting down.

Went for a bike ride with Nick and he took me on the main roads and up to Angel. I nearly got side swiped a few times, and I really appreciated it when he didn’t slow down up the hills. But he suggested we not attempt the Old Street round-a-bout which was a nice gesture. We road back following the canal and it was real nice. I ride my bike everyday and you could say I’m a little obsessed.

I finished a book called Kill Your Friends last week. I bought it after watching an interview with the author John Niven at The Great Escape. It’s a great book, I reccommend it, but let’s just say I warned you.

I guilt tripped the guys at work into letting me gatecrash the work charity game football team. August 30th it is, so gotta brush up on my footwork/ actually get some skills. Hopefully they just laugh and be gay like the Cheeky Tigers did. But I highly doubt that. Nothing is more important than football here. Nothing. Maybe this is a bad idea?

Lans left for NY today (lucky thing) and I’m missing her already, but I’m just going to focus on getting rid of my stye, seeing Sof in Amsterdam on Saturday and Bestival  (Temper Trap, Hot Chip, LCD, The Prodigy, The XX, Tensnake, Ellie Goulding, Dizzee, Mumford & Sons, Chase and Status, Delphic, La Roux, I Blame Coco and a thousand other mad bands I’m bound to love.)

O London.. you’re too much

x

Loving my bike (apart from the immense build up of lactic acid in my thighs). I’ve been riding heaps and it takes me one minute to get to Market Broadway, seven minutes to Brick Lane, ten to Victoria Park. Yes I timed it. I’ve been trying to upload a pic of my turquoise gem for a few days but somethings iffy so standby..

Had a drink and catchup with Whit in Brick Lane on Friday night and bought a truckload of Falafels to stock me up for the week. Saturday I bummed at home and Skyped the rents. I bawled like a baby when Dad answered – it’d been a while since I saw his face. Mum promptly made her way over and then Len too. Seriously people.. get on the Skype wagon, it’s amazing. On Sunday Laur, Mum and I did a three way conference call – pissed myself laughing pretty much the whole time. O family time.

Went to Victoria Park for a spot of FOOTball and boat building and I’m slowly getting better. I can nearly do the tappity tappy things.. kind of. Had some drinks at the Pub on the park and road to a friends place with the bike gang.

Sunday met some travelling friends in Brick Lane again and got a sausage bagel on the way home. They are actually AMAZING – just don’t think about who served you.

Doing some pre-production for recording over the next few weeks. Looks like Hey You (a new one) and Get High may be on a new EP and another one which I’m yet to decide on.

Works still hectic, so I worked 9-830pm yesterday and am slowly burning the candle at both ends (typical). So trying to stay in and watch Gossip Girl till my gig on Thursday night. Although, in London that proves difficult.

Haven’t played live now for over a month so I’m stinging to play on Thursday. Should be good fun!

Tommy Flynn’s

55 Camden High Street (Turn left out of Camden tube and walk along)

8pm

See ya there

x

So Lovebox Festival was pretty hectic.

Over Saturday and Sunday I saw Yeasayer (OMG), Cut Copy, Chromeo, Hercules & Love Affair, Empire of the Sun, Hurts (mmm didn’t really dig), Grand Master Flash and some amazing DJ I’m still yet to find out the name of.

The sun was out shining and the atmosphere was wicked. I had a vegie burger and drank cider on the grass, boogied till I could boogie no more and lost my shit when Yeasayer came on (not literally of course). Oh I had missed festival fun.

So I’m still trying to catch up on rest and work is killing me this week. But taking it easy this weekend cause I have Field Day (Phoenix- OMG) next weekend.

I finally got my internet working so when I’m home I’ll have skype on and although I’ll probably bawl cause I miss you all so so much, I’d love to see your faces.

Larissa

x

So I’ve noticed recently that I have a tendency to o.d on things.

I heard Yeasayer’s album, Odd Blood playing at a friend’s place last Saturday and loved it. Recognised a few songs from Triple J. The next day I bought it off iTunes and have played it twice a day since. It is an amazing record, so catchy and so clever, so I’ve decided to go to The Lovebox Festival to see them live. And while I’m at it I got a ticket for Sunday too. Yeasayer, Mark Ronson, Hot Chip, New Young Pony Club, Empire of the Sun, Booka Shade, Paloma Faith, Wild Beasts, Chromeo and Cut Copy are some of the wicked people on the bill for Saturday and Sunday!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKXujEphWS8

I’ve also finally (I knew I’d come round) fallen in love with John Mayer’s album, Battle Studies. At first listen I found it real samey and boring, but now I can’t understand how I didn’t hear the magic before. Jesus he’s a good songwriter. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if I went to jail and could only have one artist on my ipod, it’d be him 🙂

Also obsessed with Sara Bareilles’ new single King of Anything. Her second album’s due in September and I can’t f’n wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv0WrCoA3TA

And.. Band of Horses. Kind of Americana, layers, country, pop, dynamic mix of aural heaven.

http://www.myspace.com/bandofhorses

So these are my recommendations! I was stuck in a little music rut – listening to the same stuff all the time, so I’m a happy girl. I think Yeasayer and Band of Horses are touring Aus soon so get a ticket.

And on the food front – pretty much all I eat these days is bean salad, homous and falafels. Mainly cause I can only really cook pasta (and that makes me balloon like nothing else).

I’ve been working crazy hours the past three weeks at work – cause they let too many people go on holiday- so with my extra cash I thought I’d treat myself to the Lovebox Festival (I scored cheap tix too) and I’m on the lookout for a bike!

On a less obsessive note, I went to the second APRA networking connect meeting at Sound Advice in Covent Garden. The lovely Milly from APRA and Andrew Jenkins from Universal publishing spoke and gave us such a good insight to the workings of the publishing industry and dumbed down all the royalty info for us musos. We ate Vegemite Sandwiches, Fantales and Minties (aww) and I actually enjoyed learning more about the business side of stuff.

Larissa

x

I went to Greg’s office to have a sneaky peaky at a rough mix of what we shot last weekend. Ummm.. Greg is amazing and I’m pretty darn excited to see the end result. I nearly got tears in  my eyes (would’ve been so inappropriate). I love the song – it means so much to me.. and to have a visual representation of where I am right now (London aka away from my sister dearest) seems perfect.

I’m now fairly settled in my new flat in Hackney. My flatties are so lovely and enjoy it when I play and sing which is comforting. I’m a two minute walk to Broadway Market and a tenner to London Fields. Explored a little on Friday night and hung at the park drinking a few cheeky ciders with some locals. They’re into frizbee hard here.. I’m yet to master it and often opt for tossing the tennis ball about. (I’m not sure if anyone finds it as thrilling as Dad, Laur and I do).

Alana has left for Turkey with her family for a month.. I may die without her. But Summer is shaping up to be so damn fun. London is one hell of a city and once you get under all the London Eye, Leceister Square, Buckingham Palace stuff, it’s like a totally different beast.

Got burnt yesterday! (That deserves it’s own paragraph)

Been working my little arse off the past few weeks doing stacks of overtime, to save for Amsterdam at the beginning of August. But it doesn’t get dark til 10pm so there’s always somthing to do at night. I think our flatties are going to buy a mini bbq and hit London Fields up on Wednesday night.

Well this blog is a  little disjointed cause it’s been a while. Till next time,

Larissa

x

I made it!!

Wilson arrived and I was still packing my shit into bags. I stuffed one large suitcase, two small suitcases, my keyboard case,  and three other bags and then two food bags, my stand, ironing board, iron, shoe bag, stool, doona, three pillows, bed protector, wine bag and my handbag. HONESTLY.. in five months, how have I got so much shit?? So after lugging my stuff down the stairs and into the van – I’m pretty sure I was sweating and quite parched. (Wilson, not so much).

I had thought that maybe it was going to be a bit awkard riding in a car with a man I didn’t know. But first song of the trip was ‘I Want It That Way’ by The Backstreet Boys, so Wilson seemed okay in my book.

We chatted about music, and how I missed riding in a car and how expensive London is. Good times. Nice bloke.

Some of the gems that followed were Yomanda’s ‘You’re Free (To Do What You Want To Do)’, and Glee. O Wilson.

Got to the flat, no one was there.. no one answered their phones.. So I called James, the dude who’s room I was meant to be staying in and he told me he left a key out cause he thought this would happen. Awesome.

So spent the next two hours sweating more and throwing lots of paper away. Cooked pasta – forgot about it – it burned. The bed is slightly bigger so my sheets don’t fit. Mmm love it. ate Vegemite toast, went to bed.

YAY Hackney

x