Kit Marsden // Musician

Tag: news

  • Production Rehearsals With Ultra ’90s

    Production Rehearsals With Ultra ’90s

    Kit Marsden

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    I have played drums for Ultra ’90s almost since the show’s inception in 2008 – and more recently, I have played percussion with the new Ultra ’90s Fresh lineup as well. However, with the popularity of Ultra ’90s expanding quicker than ever, I am very excited to have been offered the chance to take on a new role, leading yet another lineup as an MD, keys player and vocalist.

    So despite playing hundreds of Ultra ’90s gigs on drums, I am spending four days this week at Thatspace in Rochdale with Chris and Kelly from PX Productions, relearning the set on keys and programming my synth rig with the correct sounds and samples – plus developing new skills, including working in Chamsys to patch and programme lights, and rapping!

    Synths with Ultra '90s
    For The Gear Nerds… Synth rig With Ultra ’90s: Nord Stage2, Nord Wave, And Moog Little Phatty

    The rehearsals are long days – there is a lot to get through in a ninety-minute show packed with high-energy ’90s dance classics – but I am relishing the chance to push myself to be better and become and more versatile, more well-rounded musician with a plethora of skills to offer.

    I will still being gigging with Ultra ’90s and Ultra ’90s Fresh as a drummer and percussionist this coming year as well, but I am enjoying seeing the show from a new angle, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to gig a set I know well in a totally different way.

    There will be ‘official’ publicity shots for the latest incarnation of Ultra ’90s online soon, and I will be posting the dates of my first shows as MD when I can – so keep an eye out for all of that… In the meantime, here is a gallery of shots from the first couple of days in rehearsal.

    Dance Music Piano Face · Kelly Borkertas
    Keys Rig With Ultra ’90s Jam · Kelly Borkertas
    Nord Stage 2 And Nord Wave
    Moog Little Phatty
    Jump Around! · Kelly Borkertas
  • Jamie Roe Band CDs Arrive

    Jamie Roe Band CDs Arrive

    Kit Marsden

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    The long-awaited hard copies of this spring’s Jamie Roe Band EP, Reach For The Tide, have finally landed!  Contact Jamie through the website to order your copy now.

    Reach For The Tide – Jamie Roe Band
    Reach For The Tide – Jamie Roe Band

    Unsure? Listen to a track from the EP now:

    Just A Man(Jamie Roe Band)
  • Sistema Europe Summer School In Milan

    Sistema Europe Summer School In Milan

    Kit Marsden

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    I am delighted to have been chosen to be one one of the tutors going to this year’s Sistema Europe Summer Camp, which is being held in Milan, Italy; a colleague from Sistema in Norwich and I will be going with a delegation from Sistema England, to work for eight days with students and other tutors from Sistema-inpired projects based across Europe.

    This is a very exciting opportunity for me to work with some fantastic music professionals and to learn from them – and to be more involved with the Sistema movement as a whole, to just here in Norwich but throughout Europe.

    Keep checking back here after 21st August for more updates on my time working with the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra in Italy, and all the wonderful activities we get up to!

  • Carrera Drums Announcement

    Carrera Drums Announcement

    Kit Marsden

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    As most people will know, I have been a proud ambassador for Carrera Drums since the start of 2011, and have been honoured to play their drums and be involved with the company for the past four years.  Everywhere I go – on live shows and in recording studios – I get compliments on my Carrera gear from artists, from other musicians, and from engineers and producers.

    Sadly, however, Carrera Drums is winding up in spring of this year, and will cease trading as of the end of March.  This is the official announcement from the Carrera Drums website:

    It is with the deepest sadness that we have to announce that Carrera Drums will stop trading as of the 31st March 2015.

    Dave Carrera has fought serious health issues over the last 3 years which have now deteriorated to such a level that he has decided to focus on attempting to recover or stabilise his condition which, even with good extraction, a dusty workshop hinders.

    We have all had fun making some fine instruments for some of the finest drummers active today and want to thank everyone for there support, kindness and love over the last 5+ years.

    Any works currently in progress will be completed and shipped before end of March 2015 and customers have been notified.

    We are also selling all tools,stock and items via our eBay page, search for Carrera Drums, but welcome direct emails to info@carreradrums.com with sensible offers for our drum shell making molds and tooling which if agreed to, must be collected by end of March 2015 

    Again, thank you to everyone who has helped us over the years and we wish you all every success in your futures. 

    Yours sincerely 

    The Carrera Drums Team

    Carrera Drums website

    For my part, I am gutted to see Carrera Drums end in this way; their extraordinary attention to detail, high-quality craftsmanship and innovative way of thinking will be sorely missed in the UK drum building scene, and by the musicians who use and work with their products.  Of course, the health of Dave Carrera – whom I am lucky to consider a friend – is the most important thing, and I fully respect his decision – which can’t have been at all easy – and the reasons for it.  I will continue to use my Carrera Drums live and in the studio, and will be very proud to keep flying the flag for this amazing, ground-breaking company.

    Carrera Cherry Custom
    Carrera Cherry Custom · Freshpack Photography
  • New Witchers Music

    New Witchers Music

    Kit Marsden

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    As you may have noticed, Witchers have been on something of a ‘hiatus’ lately.  We’ve been through a couple of line-up changes, and various of the band members’ personal lives have taken priority recently.  However, out long-awaited self-titled album Witchers will be finally be released this year, in May – after three years of work! – and tomorrow you will have an opportunity to listen to Undivided, one of the tracks from the album, on Soundcloud for the very first time.

    'Witchers' cover art

    Personally, I’m extremely proud of my involvement with Witchers and my playing on this album; it’s been a long time coming, but I can’t wait for people to hear the fruits of all our hard work!

    The idea is that, as we get closer to the release date there will be some live shows (our first live appearances since Cambridge Rock Festival in August 2013!) to promote the album, and to get people talking about Witchers again.  I will be able to reveal more about these shows, and more about the record in general and its release, nearer the time.

    In the meantime, however, please ‘Like’ Witchers on Facebook, and follow our Twitter account – and, most importantly, check out Undivided online tomorrow!  We love it, and we hope you will too!

  • Bones From My Back Release Date

    Bones From My Back Release Date

    Kit Marsden

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    I am delighted to be able to announce that my debut solo album, Bones From My Back, will be released on 8th December – and available to stream here at www.manek.org.uk from a week before (1st December).

    Making this record has been quite a journey for me, and I can’t wait for people to hear the music I’ve been working on for the past year; I hope you’re all as excited about it as I am!

  • Witchers To Appear At Cambridge Rock Festival

    Witchers To Appear At Cambridge Rock Festival

    Kit Marsden

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    Witchers will be taking a break from finishing up work on the forthcoming album to make an appearance at the Cambridge Rock Festival on Friday 2nd August in a rare ‘back-to-the-roots’ set as a four-piece.

    Our set is at midday on 2nd August, for forty minutes. I’m really looking forward to playing live with Witchers again, and getting back into the festival scene.

    If you want to come along, we have some tickets available from the band – you can get in touch with me here, or contact us through the Witchers Facebook Page.

  • Sistema In Norwich At EPIC Studios

    Sistema In Norwich At EPIC Studios

    Kit Marsden

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    This Friday, the Sistema In Norwich Martineau Orchestra will be performing live at EPIC Studios in Norwich, in the biggest, most exciting end-of-term concert to date. This will include linking up with In Harmony Liverpool over the internet to perform simultaneously via a live video stream, as well as the involvement of In Harmony Lambeth and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

    Doors open at 7:00pm, and the performance begins at 7:30pm – tickets are free, but must be booked in advance (details below).  For those who can’t attend the concert in person, the whole event will also be streamed live online, on the EPIC Studios TV website.

    Having worked hard all year with the children from Sistema In Norwich, I am very excited to be involved in what is believed to be a world first (two Sistema orchestras playing together through an online video link) with them, and I am looking forward to everyone being able to see the results of all our efforts! Please tune in and watch, if you can’t make it to EPIC Studios on the night.

    Click here to book your tickets for the concert.
    Click here to watch EPIC TV live online.

  • New Release: Axel Loughrey – Poets Road

    New Release: Axel Loughrey – Poets Road

    Kit Marsden

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    Axel Loughrey’s new EP, Poets Road, to be released on All Sorted!?! Records on 20th April 2013.  I am playing drums on four of the six tracks on this record.

    Poets Road will be available to buy online, on iTunes, Amazon, Play.com, etc. from the 20th.

  • Jimmy Roe Trio

    Jimmy Roe Trio

    Kit Marsden

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    I’m very excited to be playing drums on a gig with the Jimmy Roe Trio, and hooking up with my good friend and ex-Cardiem guitarist Jimmy on stage again. I can’t wait to jam with Jimmy again, and to play the blues once more!

    The gig itself is on Saturday 2nd February, at The Flowerpot in Derby, and is supporting well-known blues guitarist Ron Sayer Jr.

Kit Marsden // Musician