My songs

My sister Daisy took up the guitar when I was about 13. I took such an interest in her songs and what she was learning, that she bought me a guitar for christmas, and a blank book to write songs in: the best present I've ever been given. She taught me to play and sing songs by the Cranberries, Michelle Shocked, and Dire Straits, and I vividly remember hearing her play Midnight Special by the Cowboy Junkies for the first time. I began writing my own songs on the school roof in break times. As a classically trained cellist and pianist, it was never something anyone thought I'd take seriously, but after moving to Glasgow and performing one of my first songs at Jim's Bar I discovered a new kind of encouragement - which did not demand clever interpretations of Ravel or Bach, but only that I played what I wrote, which suddenly became as simple an objective to me as writing a diary.
    It was easier writing songs when I was a student - as soon as things get busier or more time-consuming songs go out of the window. I don't give it enough time at the moment. But luckily the old ones never go away, and I feel like there are always more songs drifting about around my head and home, waiting to be written into words and turned into melody. I have found that the more intensively you do it, the more complicated and intricate your style becomes..and reverting to a more simple style, I have realised that what you lose in being different, you gain so much more in being play-along withable! Originally I suppose my influences were the people mentioned above, plus Suzanne Vega's 'Gypsy', Nick Drake, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone. Now its the Be Good Tanyas, Gillian Welch, Roy Harper, people who sing Robert Burns songs and Sam Beer who constantly conspire to inspire me. Not to mention Dicky Hart and the Pacemakers.
    My favourite performances have been when there have been power cuts, fire or candle flame and other people singing with me, planned or unplanned, friends, strangers, musicians, children, people who didn't think they would. And even though she wouldn't be seen dead on a stage, the person who I love singing with the most is Daisy.

Photograph by Mike Warr  



Click on the picture above to hear some of Adelaide's music.

Places Adelaide has Played

The Rhythm Factory, Camden Jazz Cafe, Sangam Yoga Centre in Clapham, Old El Paso, Barfly, Half Moon Putney, The Railway, Bread n Roses, Raison d'Etre, New Cample Farm Shop, Cargo, Bar Lorca, The Spitz, Monkey Chews, Clapham Common Colourscape Festival, Pub in the Park, The Devonshire Castle, Bush Hall, the palm centre in Ham, Wellington's Bar in Ayr, Nice n Sleazy's, The Uisge Beatha, Gilmore Theatre, Captain's Rest,  Kilchattan Bay, Moniaive Folk Festivals 2007 & 2008, DG One, Allanton Sanctuary World Peace Day, Dunscore Village Hall, Wickerman Festival 2008, The Butcher's Arms, Balscote; Weddings & Birthdays in France and England; The Muse in Cuzco;   Pulse Radio;  Otavalo Market in Ecuador; Tongabezi in Zambia; The Baverstock Beano in Wiltshire, South West Sound Radio and the Small World Festival, South England.