Flash track of the day: Gemma Hayes '4:35 AM'
It’s time for some heart-felt Gemma Hayes appreciation
Today's ‘Flash Track Of The Day’ blog post will be a bit more detailed than usual. This one is all about Gemma Hayes.
I listen to her music since 2002, when she first came out. Okay, her first ep that features today’s Flash Track ‘4:35 am’ came 2011, but anyway, it is quiet some time.
Gemma Hayes is one of a few artists that had never disappointed me with the artistic work. And just yesterday she was on the ‘Top Albums From The Last 50 Years: 2008’ blog post.
Anyway, I’ll try to tell you her story with my own story. 😉 #soundtracksofmylife
Gemma Hayes comes on the radar
When I was 21, drummer in a band, a student, soon to be moving out of home, a sometimes writer and CD and DVD seller in Zurich, Gemma came on my radar in 2002. The first thing I saw of her was this promotional video on a DVD from a German indie distributor. It was a promo clip with short interview sequences and concert clips. It was promotion for her first album 'Night On My Side', with which she later also came on the shortlist for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize with her stunning debut.
Gemma Hayes is an important inspiration for me
With my band we watched the DVD of Gemma Hayes' recordings several times during these times and we all thought her music was great. And at our young age we were also magically taken by her whole appearance.
Moreover, there was a little side story that I don't want to withhold from you at this point. In her song 'Let A Good Thing Go' from her debut (also a great song of hers by the way) there are the following lines.
"Now every feeling it kicks me to the bone
And takes me under to a place that I have known
There goes my quiet life I used to keep me warm
In the shade of this moment I am born
I let a good thing go"
Sometime around 2004/2005 I had a music project together with some friends. Instrumentation was vocals, cello, acoustic guitar, basic drumming with hot rods sticks. Just Nirvana-Unplugged like. We rehearsed a few times in our band room in Horgen. And we gave ourselves the name 'There Goes My Quiet Life'.
The story of the first and only ‘There Goes My Quiet Life’ gig
Soon after starting the rehearsals we had a gig in prospect. In Pfäffikon at the lake of Zurich in some occupied alternative artsy area near the train station. That was actually perfect. I wrote (as the drummer of the band) all lyrics for the singer... very emotional lyrics... I would never do this again today!!! ... anyway, we had a set of five or six songs together and were rehearsing a first set of songs to play live. And I really liked the stuff we were working on.
So the concert was announced, but I jumped out if I remember right on the day of the concert. Not because I couldn't play - at that time I was playing all the time with different formations and had already gained a lot of live experience - but due to an interpersonal incident with me and a band member right before the gig. I cancelled it. That I did until today - and it is then nevertheless approximately nearly 300 concerts, if I calculate briefly over the thumb - I did such a thing, thus a gig at short notice to cancel, otherwise never again and have it also before never done. I won't tell any more here and I won't mention any names, but we are still friends and that's the main thing.
To make the story even funnier, I have to mention, the gig happened not completely without me though. So they played without me on the stage in this venue but I was in the very back of the audience. I had my gig later that night with another band. But during the concert the band tried to get me on stage. Over the mic!
Damn, sometimes I can be a stubborn goat. I didn't go. And the feeling of what it was like to hear my lyrics and music without drums in that strange environment in the middle of a clueless audience is something I'll never forget. It was the only gig the promising Sad Core band ‘There Goes My Quiet Life’ ever played.
Sorry for the digression. It goes on immediately with more Gemma Hayes content.
More inspiring moments through the music of Gemma Hayes
Although, the story not only just stays with Gemma Hayes but also with me. That was the intention. So, let's try it like this.
Much years later we played 'Let A Good Thing Go' from Gemma Hayes' debut album with my band Asleep. at our gigs. I loved drumming on this song and singing backings. And at the last Asleep. concert so far, which is now considered quasi legendary in the Asleep. hood, because so far the last, because career-spanning, because Open Air in the summer of 2014 in the middle of Zurich on the beautiful Bäckeranlage, because completely rained out and for me especially because we were allowed to play together with many great musical friends on this for me very emotional evening and we also played the Gemma Hayes cover. And it was great. With Anna Känzig on guitar and vocals, Domi Chansorn on drums and Ronja Rinderknecht on vocals and cello (she played the whole ‘Igloo’ tour and was incredible). It was epic... I ramble. This is really going too far. Oh, those sweet memories.
Gemma Hayes sadly never played in or near Switzerland
That from her debut album on, unfortunately, despite consistently great music, she never became better known, I never understood and I never will. If this were a fair world... you know. And I think this is also the reason, I’ve never seen her live. She never played in or near Switzerland, as far as I tracked it… and the last few years she was not very active with her music anymore. She became twice a mother. But I hope she’ll be back, of course. I’m sure there are more amazing songs in her.
#gemmahayesfanboy
Did you know: Gemma Hayes collaborated with Reza Dinally
Like Sailing For Peace and like myself, the singer/songwriter Reza Dinally is also from Zurich. He collaborated with Gemma Hayes for his latest album ‘Depths Of Montmartre’ in 2014. Gemma supplied backing vocals on the tracks ‘Into The Rush’, ‘Bastard Mute’ and ‘Commotion’. The album was produced by David Odlum. Especially his song 'Rust' is an absolute highlight for me…
… and that's why the song together with the song of Gemma Hayes is from now on also on the ‘Flash Track Of The Day’ playlist. A song to kneel down to.
One thing about Gamma Hayes makes me very sad
The third Gemma Hayes album ‘The Hollow Of Morning’ from 2008 was never released on vinyl. And that’s just a shame! I think it is such a damn good album and I don’t understand why this isn’t out in the world on vinyl.
So, let’s just do something against it…
Dear Gemma Hayes
I hope that somehow, somewhere, sometime, someone from your circle or you yourself will come across this blog post.
I’m Patrik from Sailing For Peace Records and we’re a music, artists and vinyl loving record label in Zurich. We would like to release your album ‘The Hollow Of Morning’ on beautiful vinyl for the first time. In two years there would be the 15th anniversary of this precious album to celebrate. We know how to do this. I'm officially writing this on behalf of Sailing For Peace and a lot of music fans out there. If you are interested, please contact us via contact@sailingforpeace.com .
Sincerely and in awe of your great work,
Patrik + The Sailing For Peace Crew
OH MY GOD, it would be like a dream...
“Ain’t you the lucky one?”
Some items of my never ending list #pressitonvinyl ;)
‘The Hollow Of Morning’ is such a beautiful album in my opinion. ‘Home’ from this album was nominated ‘Flash Track Of The Day’ before and if you read this blog you know that I love all of her work, but I think if I have to choose one album, it would be this one!
… it’s maybe not the best record to start the Gemma Hayes experience, but make sure you’ll listen to it anyway. 😉
Fun fact: check the time the blog came out today.
As a representative track for this blog post I have chosen the title track of her first EP '4:35 AM'.
Gemma Hayes ‘4:35 AM' and Reza Dinally ‘Rust’ are part of the ‘Flash Track Of The Day’ playlist on Spotify. Feel free to follow anytime.
