The Proc-Cast Andy Proctor

Hard Rock - THE RETURN OF THE PROC-CAST!

I'm so happy to bring you the first episode of the show in over a year! As some of you may know, I've struggled a lot over the last few years with my mental health. The podcast is something I love doing and as with anything like that, it's a real struggle to keep the motivation when you don't feel like yourself. As a part of my rehabilitation and rejoining the world, I felt that it was time to bring it back.

There's no easing you folks back in either, you've got a double dose of me. Sorry, not sorry. I'm on both sides of the microphone this episode as Motherless Child is my band! I'm joined by Abi, Arron and Martin and we tell you about how the band was kick started by Abi's arrival, people we're fans of and about people who eat pencils. The music is dirty, riffy, hard rock and I really hope you enjoy it!

I took the opportunity to catch up with an old friend for this episode of the show. Glen and I spent a year of college studying together until he transferred up to Leeds and we were pretty much out of contact for the next ten years. Fast forward through that time and Glen's music has progressed a long way and he's putting out some truly awesome work.

It was great to see him after such a long time and it makes me really happy that he would take the time to drive over from Birmingham to Nottingham to make the live session and interview happen!

George Gadd is a name I'd heard many times from Nottingham musicians that have been on the show as well as from friends who are clued into the Nottingham scene. He'd been recommended to me a few times and I hadn't gotten around to inviting him onto the show. Until I bumped into him randomly one day and we got chatting about guitars and he ended up coming and doing an interview. I really enjoyed our interview, he's a character and not afraid to speak honestly. A quality that I admire in a person.

I was introduced to John Craigie, known to some as a modern day troubadour, by last episode's guests Rainbow Girls. The group of friends from California has produced both of these excellent acts, as well as Marty O'Reilly and The Old Soul Orchestra. A truly talented bunch!

Talking to Craigie you can get a picture of this calm guy with a great observational sense of humour. It comes across in his live shows both in the music and the audience interaction. Although you can't let that detract from some of the wonderfully emotive sentiments present within his songs. If you have a chance to go to a show, it's a chance not to be missed. I was lucky enough to see his first ever UK show on his first tour over this side of the pond. I hope he comes back again soon because I want to see it again!

Nottingham continues to blow me away with the quality of musicians that originate here and come through this city when on tour. The latest ones to do this are Rainbow Girls. All the way from California they bring a blend of great songs and beautiful harmonies that stay in your head long after you've heard them.

Take a listen to this episode to find out about how and why Rainbow Girls came to be in their current guise. The social and political themes in their music and their desire to spread unity within all the communities that they visit.

Listening to Kate's haunting voice performing 'Don't Blame Me' was the point at which I knew I wanted to get her on to the show. It was at a show in Nottingham that I heard her first, after hearing of her a few times previously. She's a big fan of the Nottingham music scene and had plenty of good things to say about the people organising events and the musicians that she's played with during her time gigging here.

I really hope that she manages to get some more music recorded soon because she is a lovely songwriter with a beautiful voice that suits what she is doing perfectly. She's aiming to do this in early 2018, let's hope it happens! In the meantime, you can hear four of her songs in this episode!