What a crazy year 2020 has been!
February seems so far away now when we recorded the E.P but the ride we've been on since has been amazing. We have made an unbelievable amount of new friends and fans and the response to the E.P has blown us away.
Here are some of the highlights...
Producing our own music videos has been particularly enjoyable part of the last few months. Nick set about learning the skills needed to pull off professional looking videos. After the Voodoo Blues video in the woods, the challenge then was to move from the amateur to the professional. The Rambler was to be the one where it all came together. Shot in the live room of Factory Studios, Bristol we used the one shot idea with the band moving positions throughout. It was such a great experience! We are so happy with the result.
We even made a "making of" video...here it is.
ISSUE 117 DECEMBER 2020
Sometimes a band comes along that just fits. Hugely talented individuals, The Terraplanes are an extraordinary blues band who have cemented their position at the forefront of the UK blues scene with a debut E.P that’s quite simply superb. Released in May 2020, Midnight Train hit the top 5 of the IBBA (Independent Blues Broadcasters Association) chart and there it stayed, for two months, a sign that they got their marketing just right.
A hard hitting, polished live band, The Terraplanes are a four piece blues explosion. Tom Turner’s drums have a subtle touch and metronomic timing which marries the perfect backbeat to the classic, dirty blues bass lines laid down by Mark Clark. Eduardo Allen is an enthralling harmonica player influenced by the original masters such as Jimmy Reed and Little Walter with plenty of his own swagger to go with it.
Guitarist and singer Nick Scrase, the creative force of the band having written all the bands original numbers, is just as comfortable singing a sweet blues ballad, emotive and heartfelt as he is belting out a barrelhouse jump blues or gritty R’n’B number. The same can be said of his guitar play, not overstated or flashy, even though his command of the bottleneck is a joy to see. The influence of 50’s and 60’s rhythm and blues and a devotion to dirty slide guitar riffs gives The Terraplanes their inimitable sound - finger pickin’ country blues and high energy, raw R’n’B.
Having crafted their style through consistent gigging and sheer hard work, the band broke out of their local Bristol scene. A fantastically diverse city, Bristol has some great venues for all genres of music, along with an enthusiastic gigging community who love the rich pickings to be found any night of the week.
While the band have not relied on management or external promoters to help them along, Nick Scrase is quick to acknowledge the role MAS Records have played in their development and in helping them to fulfil their undoubted potential.
The brainchild of internationally renowned artist Robert Plant, former vocalist of Led Zeppelin, MAS Records provide mentorship and guidance for musicians, helping bands identify and achieve their goals. They select only the most promising of bands and it was something of an honour to have been chosen.
With a top 5 E.P under their belt, The Terraplanes are looking forward to the future, keen to get back into the studio and record a follow up for 2021. The group are hoping for a return to something resembling the amazing live music scene we all remember. Their latest single Malted Milk was released 3rd October and is available now on all platforms.
What a great feeling it was to read this in the latest edition! Can't thank the guys at Blues Matters enough..especially editor in chief Alan Pearce. A truly amazing way to end the year! Thank you
BRISTOL MADE MUSIC is a run by a great guy called Simon Campbell. A musician in his own right, Simon also hosts a podcast called The Simon Campbell incident where he talks to all kinds of homegrown band and musicians. Just before the release of the debut single, Nick Scrase sat down via zoom and talked about the bands journey, their hopes and aspirations for the release and obviously, life during lockdown. In September Nick and Eduardo caught up with Simon for a great chat about everything...Listen to both interviews here.
The Terraplanes Blues Band
Midnight Train The E.P
available to buy on amazon now