Halfway There With Skinny Lister

I went to see Skinny Lister play their biggest London headline show to date at The Scala last week. I'd made contact with the band last year, and I was really happy, not to mentioned, excited that they agreed to support the new fundraising book. Singer Lorna sorted me out with a photo pit pass, which gave me the first three songs to photograph the band down at the front. This was pretty special I have to admit. The gig was an absolute belter! A sold out enthusiastic crowd responded to the band who were simply on fire. If you enjoy your life music and what to see a band who enjoy themselves every bit as much as the audience, if not more so, then go and see Skinny Lister...

The plan was to meet and photograph the band as well before the gig. The mayhem around the gig meant unfortunately this didn't happen, so we had another opportunity to do this a few days later when the band was supporting Frank Turner at The Roundhouse. Fate was against me again though and I didn't manage to meet up with them. So we are kind of halfway there with this chapter. I will have to wait for another opportunity, which hopefully happen over the next 12 months, whilst I continue putting the book together. Another great adventure in progress...

The biggest challenge I am going to have with the photos I took is, which ones to use in the book? These photos are in the shake-up, although I have some other great shots not included that are perhaps the favourites at the moment. I think I will have to include a few photos from the gig in the chapter as I am sure I won't be able to pick one favourite.

The book, now being done under the title of The Record, will raise funds for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity, and is the follow up to Lives & Times, which I put out in 2015. Once again every penny raised will be donated to the charity. My Mum was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in 2012 and she bought it with with courage and dignity for 4 years before passing away in August, 2016. Bowel cancer remains the second highest cancer killer in the UK, claiming 16,000 lives each year, but is one of the most treatable ones if caught early in over 90% of cases. As well as raising funds this book will hopefully raise awareness about this awful disease.