Blake is a singer-songwriter from Bath. His music deals with issues of faith, politics and love. His latest album ‘Jubilee’ is due for release later this year. Blake’s musical influences include The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Bevis Frond, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac and Richard Thompson.
“Blake is a rising UK talent, a true conceptual auteur. Here, he’s set his compositional skills to work to create a rock opera version of the Nativity story. It’s a corker of an adaptation.” (Review of ‘Star Over Bethlehem’) – Oscar Hyde, CrossRhythms
“Your music evokes that magic San Fran psychedelic sound and resonates with a deep understanding and respect for that era.”
Steve Barilotti, Film maker behind ‘Rick Griffin: The Film’
“While Blake pays due homage to his influences, it’s his integrity that’s stamps itself over the 10 tracks contained on this long playing disc.” (Review of ‘Stay Human’) Simon Wells, author of ‘Butterfly on a Wheel: The Great Rolling Stones Drugs Bust’
My first album, Solomon’s Tump, was recorded in a Cheltenham bedsit in 2003 on a Tascam eight track machine, with an initial run of just 50 copies. The album was picked up by sound engineer Pascale Giovetto (My Bloody Valentine, Oasis) who invited me to sign to her London based Ectomusic label in 2004. I put together a band and under the name ‘Karmatruffle’ a single and album was released. I felt constrained by the indie-rock format, however, and in 2006 I left the label and Karmatruffle to release my own self-produced music. I recorded and released seven albums on my Rockhopper Records label between 2006 and 2010.
In April 2011 I began writing songs for a new album, Stay Human, after reading about the murder of the Italian peace activist and journalist Vittorio Arrigoni in the Gaza strip. The album was crowd-funded via PledgeMusic, with all profits going to the arts festival, Greenbelt. Stay Human was recorded at Gatehouse Studios in Swindon with contributions from many of my musician friends and was released on 15th April 2012, the first anniversary of Vittorio’s death.
On 9th December 2013 I released Star Over Bethlehem, a rock opera telling the story of the Nativity with all proceeds going to two charities working for peace in the Holy Land: Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation and the SIRA School in Bethlehem.
On 20th June 2014 I performed at the Bet Lahem Live festival in Bethlehem at the invitation of the Holy Land Trust. I performed songs from Star Over Bethlehem and Stay Human accompanied by my friend, fellow musician and sometime producer Joe Brown. On our return from Palestine Joe and I wrote and recorded a song called ‘We’ll Be Champions’ which was released as a single on 25th July 2014 to raise funds for the Amos Trust’s Emergency Appeal for Gaza.
On Record Store Day 2015, I released a compilation LP called Vinyl Junkie – the title track is dedicated to record collectors everywhere.
On 8th December last year, on the 35th anniversary of John Lennon’s passing, I released my latest single, ‘Going Back To Liverpool’, which will be featured on my new album, Jubilee, due for release later in 2016. ‘Going Back To Liverpool’ is available to download from Bandcamp. In fact, for a limited time, I am offering my entire back catalogue of thirteen albums at 90% off (just over £7!) on the site.
Music from Blake
Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Reverbnation
See Blake
YouTube Playlist | YouTube Channel