Virtuoso guitarist Jon Gomm, talented son of our own Elizabeth, is helping the Happy House with the release, on September 28, of his pay-what-you-want single download, Passionflower .. with 10 per cent of each payment going to our family.
And by helping in this way Jon, who has fans across the the world, is also helping to raise vital awareness of our work at the Happy House.
"I know how much the Happy House means to my mum (she leaves today to help out there for three weeks), and Natasha and I hope to visit there sometime in the future," said Jon, whose international tours have generated a huge cult following.
Regarded as one of the world's most talented and innovative guitarists, his videos are watched thousands of times within days of appearing on Youtube, and his home-recorded debut album "Hypertension" sold over 10,000 copies with no industry backing. The next, Don't Panic, sold out on Amazon within 5 days.
Now, with a nod to the early days of recorded popular music, when people just loved one song at a time, or before that when they bought the sheet music and learnt it for themselves, Jon is releasing a set of five singles, beginning with Passionflower - a beautifully uplifting track, inspired by a plant took over the whole of his little backyard in inner-city Leeds, with blues and folk inflected vocals and percussive cracks and bangs created on the body of his well worn guitar, Wilma.
Now, with a nod to the early days of recorded popular music, when people just loved one song at a time, or before that when they bought the sheet music and learnt it for themselves, Jon is releasing a set of five singles, beginning with Passionflower - a beautifully uplifting track, inspired by a plant took over the whole of his little backyard in inner-city Leeds, with blues and folk inflected vocals and percussive cracks and bangs created on the body of his well worn guitar, Wilma.
"People say the internet has killed albums. Well I thought about that, and actually I love the idea of a return to the early days of recorded popular music, when people just loved one song at a time, really intensely. Or even to a time before that, when they had to buy the sheet music and learn to play it for themselves.
"So, I've made some singles to be released in a series this Autumn, available by only as downloads (no CDs this time), only from jongomm.com, and on a Pay What You Want basis – each song will cost you zero pence, or a million dollars, or anywhere in between! You can listen to it first for free, then choose how much you think it's worth / what you can afford.
"Or you can receive the song by post, in the form of a specially designed, hand-addressed postcard which will have a unique code allowing you to download the tune.
"10% of your payment will go to The Happy House .
"So, I've made some singles to be released in a series this Autumn, available by only as downloads (no CDs this time), only from jongomm.com, and on a Pay What You Want basis – each song will cost you zero pence, or a million dollars, or anywhere in between! You can listen to it first for free, then choose how much you think it's worth / what you can afford.
"Or you can receive the song by post, in the form of a specially designed, hand-addressed postcard which will have a unique code allowing you to download the tune.
"10% of your payment will go to The Happy House .
"I'm also transcribing the guitar tab for each song so you can learn to play it yourself if you like."
His Domestic Science Singles Tour is now underway and he has an extensive gig list in the UK and Europe. This weekend he is in the north west playing Fleetwood tomorrow and Bolton on Saturday. Find out more at www.jongomm.com
His Domestic Science Singles Tour is now underway and he has an extensive gig list in the UK and Europe. This weekend he is in the north west playing Fleetwood tomorrow and Bolton on Saturday. Find out more at www.jongomm.com
