Accidental Love by Sterry Cartoons
Valentines day is not my favourite day of the year, but it is a nice marker on the way to pancake day and Easter (cue unexplained tonnes of chocolate).
Available on Cards and all sorts of things here.
This cartoon is available on t-shirts, mugs, cushions and other gifts from the Sterry Cartoons Shop.
Silly Methods of Musical Transport:
Paddling to a gig in a fibreglass double bass. Apparently someone used to make fibreglass double basses in Salcombe, and they were perfectly fine if you used the body of the bass as a boat.
Walking back from a gig with a very, very heavy keyboard because me and H had missed the last bus home and the taxi companies weren’t answering!
I have played a few jazz gigs on a ferry. We had to connect the keyboard up to a car battery for power and it was strange playing at any tempo that didn’t match the whirring of the engine, but it worked.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to catch up with some amazing friends in Bristol. We played board games, drank mead and ventured in to the City Centre for a quick bit of Christmas shopping!
This week has been a bit quieter, so I’ve been working to improve the selection of products available in the Sterry Cartoons Shop (note: prices may vary).
The new products available include:
I’ve not been on here for a while, but while I’ve been away, some of my favourite bands have been very busy! I’ll be telling you about a few of these bands over the next few weeks, but the first band I’d like to give a big shoutout to is Dubclass!
WHY I LOVE DUBCLASS
Dubclass are an energetic Space Reggae band from the deep dark South West!
Transporting you to a world of relaxed sci-fi reggae madness, the band were united by their mutual love of Dub and have a stomping 6-piece line up that includes guitars, flutes, keys, drums, bass, and vocals.
I’ve seen them at festivals, parties and local pub gigs an each time the Dubclass have created an amazing, immersive atmosphere that’s just as suitable for wild dancing as it is for chilling with friends in a field on a beautiful sunny day.
NEXT GIG: FREEDOM FIELDS FESTIVAL, PLYMOUTH
Dubclass will be headlining Freedom Fields Festival, Plymouth on Sunday 29th May.
The festival is FREE, so I highly recommend you get down there and get a taste of one of the hottest bands in Plymouth!
For a full list of gigs go to http://www.dubclass.co.uk/
WHERE CAN I GET THEIR ALBUM?
Reap What You Sow is available for download on Amazon and iTunes.
CDs are available at their gigs and (I believe) at The Nowhere Inn, Plymouth.
I wrote this zombie apocalypse parody of George Formby’s “The Window Cleaner” a while back and finally got round to recording it earlier this evening. You may have read earlier versions of the lyrics, but here are the newest ones, if you want to join in or sing your own version!
WHEN I’M KILLIN’ ZOMBIES
Now I go killin’ zombies to keep m’self alive
Wandering round the suburbs with me handy MP5…
Now it’s a job that don’t suit me
But zombie killer you would be
If you could see the hell I see
When I’m killin’ zombies
Armageddon’s just a blast!
T-Virus never worked this fast!
The things I do to save me arse
When I’m killin’ zombies
In my profession I’ll work hard
But I’ll never stop
I’ll kill these blasted zombies
Until I’ve had me lot
The zombie bride, she looks divine
The groom escaped her just in time
A wedding’s just a battle line
When I’m killin’ zombies
The living dead just want your brains
Don’t care for your cash or chains
The streets run red until it rains
When I’m killin’ zombies
In my profession I’ll work hard
But I’ll never stop
I’ll kill these blasted zombies
Until I’ve had me lot
My comrade clutches his behind
Got bitten on his… never mind
Natural selection isn’t kind
When I’m killin’ zombies
—— Clarinet Solo ——
In my profession I’ll work hard
But I’ll never stop
I’ll kill these blasted zombies
Until I’ve had me lot
A zombie staggers down the street
One head shot and that guy’s dead meat
I’ll shoot ‘em back until I’m beat
When I’m killin’ zombies
I’ll shoot ‘em back until I’m beat
When I’m killin’ zombies
——————————
Lyrics to “When I’m Killin’ Zombies” ©Hannah Sterry 2013. All rights reserved.
I’m an experienced jazz and classically trained flautist regularly performing with a variety of local and visiting musicians (see Live Music & Events). Most recently I’ve played with Hamer & Isaacs gypsy swing band and The Sterrys as well as being involved with a number of local events, including Malborough Amateur Dramatics Pantomime and Hope for Howard. I am also available to perform solo on the harp.
I have recorded a short selection of relaxed pieces, all available for free download.
“As a professional musician for nearly four decades, I have been very impressed by Hannah Sterry’s contribution to our gypsy swing band as a deputy flautist over the last few months. She has deputised at short notice for both our lead guitarist and swing violinist, not easy roles to fill, and I have been awed by her levels of competence and creativity. Her improvisational techniques display an intuitive flair and inspiration well beyond her years, and she exhibits the stage presence expected in a seasoned veteran. I would heartily endorse her as a flautist to any potential employers, whether in the fields of jazz, rock or classical music.” ~ Julian Isaacs of Hamer & Isaacs Gypsy Swing Band
“[Hannah] is a brilliant musician and I love working with her in the gypsy swing band. Her flute solos inspire me to up my game!” ~ Melanie Scullion B.A Hons.P.G Cert. P.G Dip.Perf. Professional violinist, violist and peripatectic music teacher.
Feel free to ask any questions or have a friendly chat online using the contact form, tweet @HannahSterry or comment on this blog!
If you like, you can also follow my musical adventure on facebook on the Hannah Sterry Music page.
Hope to hear from you soon! 🙂
Here are a selection of images from performances around South Devon. The pencil sketch is thanks to Jazz Greenhill.
Sterry Cartoons began with a simple interest in illustration and comedy. The comic has received a great deal of interest online, partially due to the viral success of “Musical Compliments” (a cartoon featuring a joke about naturals and sharps), which has been shared by over 20,000 people worldwide.
Inspire us to create more amusing cartoons and help share the smiles (and groans) by supporting us with your thumbs on Facebook / Google+ / Twitter / Tumblr.
Here are just a few of the products I’ve made so far. They’d probably make great gifts for your musician friends and music teachers, or (if you’re anything like me) you might just want to treat yourself because it makes you giggle. There are all sorts of products to choose from on my Zazzle and Redbubble shops.
Sterry Cartoons is a webcomic featuring educational music jokes and animal-related humour. The comic has received a great deal of interest online, partially due to the viral success of Musical Compliments (a cartoon featuring a joke about naturals and sharps), which has been shared by over 20,000 people worldwide.
Find Sterry Cartoons on: Facebook | Google+ | Twitter | Tumblr
My latest artwork hasn’t had anything to do with Sterry Cartoons. Most recently I’ve been designing this logo for Hamer & Isaacs gypsy swing band. The band have had a number of successes in the South West and London, with performances at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow and upcoming performance at The Royal Albert Hall on March 8th (see their shows page for more information).
Don’t let me carry on though – see for yourselves! Here’s a video from one of their performances at Plymouth Jazz Club!
Hamer & Isaacs play volcanic, swinging gypsy jazz. Whilst portraying the influence of Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club of France, the unique addition of Rosie Corlett’s soaring, flaming vocals is guaranteed to turn the thermostat up a notch.
Let me know what you think, and if you like the music, feel free to head over to the Hamer & Isaacs website for more!
**EDIT**
As of 2015, Hamer & Isaacs has morphed in to two separate groups:
Both groups can still be found playing in venues around the South West.
Sharks may have become my favourite thing to draw.
They have such a bad reputation, but all they really want to do is eat fish and turtles and get on in life. My remedy to this is to draw them doing silly things because – as we learnt from Defense Against the Dark Arts in Harry Potter – if you turn something that scares you (Boggart or Shark) in to something that makes you laugh, somehow it stops being scary.
You may see more shark comics appearing soon, because I love drawing them doing ridiculous things.
This design is available on t-shirts, mugs, cushions, bags and lots of other things from the Sterry Cartoons Shop on Redbubble.
Hannah Sterry 