Great news!
After months of wrangling with my website, editing CSS, poring over XHTML, digital image manipulation, search engine optimisation, plug-in conflicts, and the like. I now have a new Webmaster!
He goes by the name of Bill. But, being modern, he prefers to be known as ‘Webmeister Bill’. Since his kind offer to take over the running of the site he’s really ‘pushed the envelope’ and taken it to a whole new level. AND he says this is just the beginning. Exciting times! He’s really into Web 2.0; although, he would agree with Tim Berners-Lee that the term “Web 2.0” is a piece of jargon, and an example of Techno-utopianist rhetoric, even.
That said, he’s persuaded me to let him introduce himself so you can get to know him. He’s welcoming comments about the latest additions, his design aesthetic and implementation of the latest technology.
Over to you Webmeister Bill…
Went to the science museum last week. Saw some valves. Here’s a picture.
There’s nothing more to it than that really.
What else? Well, last Monday and Tuesday was made excellent by recording some bass and drums for my album. Rob Mullarkey played the bass and Martyn Kaine played the drums. I had them attack three tunes of mine, and attack them they did. They were alarmingly good.
Also, I’ve been touring with the Tony Woods Project. The line up is: Tony on saxophones, wood flute, alto clarinet and hulusi; Rob Millett on Vibes, Marimba and Gongs; Andy Hamill on Double Bass and Harmonica; Milo Fell on Drums and Percussion; and me.
The tour is going well. No fighting yet, but there’s still time! Highlights have been: selling-out the Pizza Express, Dean Street for the CD launch, a live DVD recording on the Isle of Wight as well as some great gigs at Way Out West in Kingston, The Hare in Bethnal Green, and Matt and Phred’s in Manchester.
The new record, ‘Wind Shadows’, is one of the best we’ve made. It captures the sound of the band and the character of the players due, in equal part, to: taking more time to record it, playing together as a band for a long time, and making use of Rob Millett’s engineering and mixing skills. It’s fun music to play as there are lots of textural and dynamic variations, technically challenging bits, the content is varied with folk tunes, rock, jazz, ambient and, for want of a better term, world-music influences, as well as some great writing and great playing from the chaps in the band – my rabid caterwaul notwithstanding.
Anyway… We’ve got a few more gigs. Come and see us!
August:
2nd: Lowestoft, Milestones Jazz Club.
September:
23rd: Swansea, Swansea Jazzland.
24th: Cardiff, Cafe Jazz.
October:
11th: Ascot, Jagz.
Here are some reviews so far from –
If you’d like to review the album, send Herr Woods an e-mail and I’m sure he’d oblige you with a review copy. If you’d like to buy a copy of the album I’m sure he’d oblige even more.
I just got a nice DIY electronics kit. Why? Well let me tell you. But first, sit back, relax, maybe put the kettle on, have a biscuit if you’ve got a minute…
Settled?
OK, I have several effects pedals. These effects pedals are very broken, and have been sitting on my shelf, in pieces, for many years. Here, then, are my potential avenues for joy:
- Take them to bits, have a poke around, change the battery, try a mains power source, tighten things up, check for obvious things like dry joints or a cracked circuit board.
- Ask my Dad. He’s trained in the dark art of electricity and can solve any problem known to man. But, I like to picture him doing something he actually enjoys, and not staring at a circuit board, bored.
- Figure it out myself.
At this point I realise I don’t know what I’m doing. So that’s why I’ve bought this kit; to try to understand what everything is, what it does, how it’s put together, and so on. So far, I can turn on some LEDs.
Looks pretty good, I think. Maybe I should forget about the pedals and just have a party with some Smurfs or something.
So, that’s it. Top marks to anyone who can tell me what effects pedal the circuit board at the top of the page is from. And, if you can, and god knows how you could, maybe you know how to fix it? Or, maybe somebody out there knows someone who will fix effects pedals [In London]. But best of all, maybe there’s someone out there who will teach me how to fix them. Or, perhaps I’ll just figure out a way of using my awe-inspiring LED machine to power my glockenspiel. It’s a modern world kids – watch out…
So, you made it to the end? Well done you! You have my sympathies if you came here expecting something to do with music. Somehow, I think the comment count for this will remain at zero. But then, somebody must have the capacity to comment, cannot resist it? Ohm my god, etc.
Today has been one of those beautiful days when I’ve heard some new music that I really like.
Chris recommended this Tomatito clip. Amazing flamenco guitar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BCoZiSbGtY
Andreas recommended this zeibekiko dance. Beautiful Greek music that I would never have heard in a million years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGdu-u9-leU
I’ve always picked up new music either by chance or by recommendation. I love it when someone says, “check this out!”, and it’s something I just wouldn’t have come across normally. So – in Internet we trust! Let’s share some recommendations for hidden gems; preferably via a link to something we can hear. The kinds of things that you probably know we’ve not heard.
Over to you…
** Rob Mullarkey has set up this Spotify playlist that you can add to, and check out some new music. Feel free to add to it. **
Ran into a wall with an idea a while ago. Not literally, although I might have more luck with it that way. Anyhow, this is forcing me to come up with ways to kick-start den kreativen prozess.
Things I’ve tried so far –
- Take a long walk, think about how I want it to sound.
- Imagine a story to go along with the music.
- Sing [or in my case, mumble] ideas into a recorder, transcribe, edit, etc.
- Go through old ideas to see if anything can be spliced together.
In Stephen King’s book, ‘On Writing’, he talks about the idea/work/whatever as being a fossil, and your job is to reveal it. I like the idea that somewhere out there my track is already complete and exists, and all I’ve got to do is uncover it and record it. It makes me think about the whole of the piece instead of the detail. And that’s no bad thing. We’ll see if it helps though.
In the meantime, check out this scale: G A Bb C# D Eb F# G. It’s like a harmonic minor with a #4. Lydian Harmonic Minor. I’m sure someone out there will know all about it. If you are that person, please enlighten me.
Sorry, no time for blog post – Wimbledon has started.
This is one of my favourite times of year. Two weeks of incredible tennis, huzzah! No idea how last year’s final could possibly be topped, but I’m hoping for a Murray/Federer 5 set nail-biter with Murray eventually scraping through. Blake’s out – bit of a surprise there. Robson out too – she’s going to be great in a few years though.
So now, how does one deal with all this super-available, streaming-on-demand, coming-at-you-every-which-way, glut of the greatest game?
By making bigger distractions, of course.
Today’s distraction was recording Tony Woods making splendid noises on alto clarinet and soprano saxophone. Forgot to video or photograph any of it; but, take my word for it, it’s much, much better than Kenny G.
So, you’ve got this far – well done! As compensation I’ll again offer this humble doodle but with a few of my favourite chords added. [just realised it looks like I’ve written ‘sing the D -‘, that’s a dash not a minor symbol. Try singing though, it will cure your asthma].
Why not embrace the joys of the internet and use this as an opportunity to post your favourite chord[s] in the comments section below…
