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Something in the Air - RPM

The new, laid-back, version of the classic "Something in the Air", featuring the voice of Mick O'Toole.

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Latest News

Mick O'Toole

                           


It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our friend Mick O'Toole, pictured above in the recording studio.
Mick was a naturally gifted musician and vocalist who came into our lives quite by chance. In 2005 he was having a puncture repaired at the tyre depot under Hereford Music Studios when the sound of a guitar reached his ears... Putting his head around the Studio door, and in his broad Black Country accent, he asked the guitarist "Would yow like to form a band, like?". Pete, for it was he, replied "Of course", and so RPM was born.
Mick and Pete were joined by Phil Jacobs on drums, with a brief addition of a harmonica player. However, the harpist soon departed, and the group settled down as a trio.
RPM set out to emulate the great comic jazz performers - Louis Jordan and Louis Prima in particular - Mick singing, and playing double bass as if it was a ukele, for physically he was over six feet tall and built to match.
Blonde and blue-eyed, Mick, formerly of The Commitments, was the possessor of a sublime singing voice in the tradition of Georgie Fame, Duffy Power, Chris Farlowe and Zoot Money. Indeed, Zoot, on hearing Mick for the first time, made a point of congratulating him on his voice.
We may no longer have Mick, but his music lives on. In July an enterprising student from Hereford 6th Form College, John Pegly, voluteered to record RPM live at the renowned Jazz venue, The Queens Head in Monmouth.
Pete Goodall has now finished mixing the album 'Memorial to Mick O'Toole', which includes a quirky swing version of Thunderclap Newman's 'Something in the Air', and it will be available shortly on download from iTunes and on CD directly from Speakeasy Recordings.
RPM plays on.. Pete has moved onto lead vocals, and Mick Bigham, a long time friend of his from his London days in the 70's, has taken over the bass position. The drummer, of course, remains the unflappable Phil..


                         
 

                                   At The Queens Head, earlier this year.

                                                    Mick O'Toole, RIP.

 


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Live wire Pete!

Click the link to download Pete's interview with Steve Flynn on Live Wire (which is sponsored by Steve Osborne Management). www.sendspace.com/file/mnoysk

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DISTRIBUTION DEAL SIGNED

Speakeasy has signed a global online distribution deal with Pinewood Studios based OneMedia PLC. One is the brainchild of music industry and Pinewood veteran Mike Infante and will retail all tracks recorded by Speakeasy,and existing catalogue, through i-tunes and every other on-line retailer in the world with whom One has master agreements.
Mike is very enthusiastic about Speakeasy, and will start marketing Thunderclap "Something in the Air" and Gonzalez "Haven't stopped Dancing yet" albums in May, followed by tracks and albums from new artistes - Teresa, "Christmas comes once a year"; RPM, "One day the clouds will part"; Pete Goodall, "Feed the people"; Attic Revival, "Get back", throughout the summer. Samples of the tracks will be up on the site in a couple of weeks.
Speakeasy members will receive advance notification and free tracks in June...

Pete with Mike Infante, after lunch at Pinewood.


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