Greets. I changed my mind about Twitter but it might take a while for it to get going. You can find me here http://twitter.com/mikeoutram.
More interactive evolution coming this way v.soon, bear with me while I learn.
Other news – My album is taking shape, slowly. Some great contribution so far from Sebastiaan Cornellisen, Rob Mullarkey, Ross Stanley, Gareth Lockrane and Tony Woods, all of whom sound utterly amazing. There’s much more to do and then I’ve got to edit it all which takes forever :-) Seems like I’ve been staring at computer screens all day, every day. Will remember to post pics and maybe some audio soon!
My website has been redesigned, hope you like the new version. www.mikeoutram.com
See below for details of what’s new.
1. Link page removed
Most of the musician links are (will be!) either; linked to from the discography page of my site, lurking somewhere within these blog posts or now live at the MySpace page
www.myspace.com/theelectriccampfire. Three links didn’t fit into any of the above so let me tell you about them.
All Things Emily – This is an amazingly well put together site to remember the guitarist Emily Remler, one of my favourites. Also on the site is my transcription of Emily’s ‘Softly As In A Morning Sunrise’ solo from the ‘East To Wes’ record.
Also if you are ever in Ealing there are two very good places to visit. Gardonyi’s music shop – stockists of all things musical and Munson’s coffee shop which sells very good coffee.
Right, adverts over.
2, The Education page is now nested within the Guitar Lessons page.
3, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter? Not really. Never say never though. I’m on Facebook but it’s such a waste of time, in a bad way. Web 2.0 needs to evolve. I won’t be on Myface, Witter et al. until the human microchip is implanted and then I won’t have to make so much effort to tell you that ‘Today I’m editing my blog’. It’s probably me that has to evolve but I’m feeling more hermitic the colder it gets. We’ll see.
4, Removed the listen page. I’ll put samples of my album on the MySpace site when it is finished. Below are the two tracks that were on the listen page. A gtr and piano duo jam with Phil Peskett and a solo from a live gig with a 13 piece funk band. See if you can spot which one is which.
So, a few months have passed and things have happened. Here’s what…
Contributed Guitarmageddon to the following albums/recordings by
1, Steven Wilson – I play on his new solo album ‘Insurgentes’. Also on the album are Gavin Harrison (drums), Tony Levin (bass), Jordan Rudess (grand piano), Clodagh Simmonds (vocals), Sand Snowman (acoustic guitar), Theo Travis (flute, clarinet), Dirk Serries (guitar drones), Michiyo Yagi (koto), and a full string section.
2, Talc – I play on 2 tracks on their record.
3, Gareth Lockrane – New album plus we recorded one of my tunes.
4, Tony Woods – New album. Should be out in April 09.
5, Laura Rossi – Guitar/engineering on a short film called Precious and a TV comedy called The Site
6, Issie Barratt – New contemporary big band album, recorded at Angel Studios
I helped produce a new CD by composer extraordinaire Laura Rossi. It’s called ‘The Battle of the Somme’. Here’s some info about it…
The score was a commission from The Imperial War Museum in 2006 to mark the 90th anniversary of The Battle of the Somme as a soundtrack for the digitally restored film to be released on DVD on November 3rd 2008. In 1916 this film was viewed by over 20 million people, making it one of the most successful British films ever made. Laura’s score was recorded in London by the Philharmonia Orchestra and mixed at Abbey Road Studios and was recently inscribed into UNESCO’s Memory of the World register in recognition of its importance – the first British document of any kind to be included.
I’ve a few gigs coming up, check the gigs page of my site and hopefully the site will be getting a full overhaul soon. With the addition of some new content…
I have taken up Glockenspiel. My instructor is Robert Millet, he is a percussion genius. I have 5 simple goals – (we all need to dream)
1, I want to read the music without looking at the notes (not the notes on the page, that would be foolish) When I attempt this task it sounds like Schoenberg in a doorbell factory.
2, I want to hit it well, however there seems to be no good method for Glock. Perhaps when I get good, and after the purchase of my helicopter from the proceeds of my Glockenspiel school, I’ll record the world’s first Glockenspiel instructional DVD.
4, Ruth Underwood. She’s eye-wateringly good and will be persuaded to come out of retirement to record a Glockenspiel/Marimba duet album called ‘Rock Around The Glock’
5, I want a mug with a glockenspiel on it (Update – I have now, with the help of the utterly fantastic Ellis Hynd, achieved this goal. I have the mug. Life is good.)
Mark Jones and I, Monsters of Rock Festival, Castle Donnington, Saturday August 22, 1987
Headlining are Bon Jovi. Also on the bill are Dio, Metallica, Anthrax, W.A.S.P. and Cinderella.
It rained a lot.
Cinderella were up first, here they are
Can’t remember anything about what they played but they look tremendous.
It seemed like the entire crowd decided to rain down sods of grass, mud, bags of piss, beer bottles and so on.
I’m sure the band had fun.
Lovely.
W.A.S.P were up next, and Blackie Lawless’ exploding cod-piece did not disappoint.
Unfortunately I can’t find a picture of it, but I carry it in my heart.
Here it is! Not sure what exactly he’s saying by this.
Anthrax were splendid, see here for actual concert footage.
Metallica also good.
Dio was a God. 3″ high.
Stargazer is one of my all time favourite songs.
Dio is my favourite singer ever.
Very good lyrics —
“High noon, oh I’d sell my soul for water
Nine years worth of breakin’ my back
There’s no sun in the shadow of the wizard
See how he glides, why he’s lighter than air?
Oh I see his face!
Where is your star?
Is it far, is it far, is it far?
When do we leave?
I believe, yes, I believe”
—
And I do indeed believe.
Bon Jovi. I’d just figured out the guitar solo to Livin’ on a Prayer and to see this live was brain-meltingly good.
Can’t remember much about how we got there, where I stayed or anything else but I had a nice day at Monsters of Rock.
There’s a very good book called ‘Hair Metal’ which I can recommend for those interested in the genre.
