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It was announced yesterday that the one person responsible for my main passion in life is no longer with us. Sad times for anyone who has ever mic'ed a guitar cab, twiddled an EQ-knob, or shown frustration towards a tempered multiband compressor; with the world's guitaring population most likely feeling a similar tinge of upset.

The next time I boot up the Tascam, it's for Les.
xx

Drum kit-sized peg in a car-shaped hole

Sometimes you find out who your friends are, it happened to me only yesterday.
Although this wasn't down to some form of gargantuan betrayal, where a devout group of intimate confidants is forced to take sides between two disputing parties while causing an irrecoverable rift in the process (like in that F.R.I.E.N.D.S programme. Or M.A.T.E.S).

Instead, and on a somewhat smaller scale, a cheery pal planned, aided and executed the loading of a tiny, tiny car with a many-pieced drum kit (about three hours pre-gig) when he probably had some better things to be doing for himself.
We had to remove the whole parcel-shelf, detach the speaker cables and everything. Manic.

(artist's impression)

A kind favour soon to be returned. I think I'll buy him a packet of Gary Barlows as a thank you.

He likes them.
xx

Cream of Tomato Sloop

Mammoth recording sessions are the best.
Especially when a less-than-favourable guitar tone can be fixed with a single tilt of a mic. And the mammoth is woolly.


Although next time Marshall are compiling a product manual, perhaps they could make mention of their amplifiers' tendency to begin receiving local radio transmissions during an otherwise perfect solo take. Irate engineers and guitarists will always ensue.
Still, 2CR FM's "Better Music Mix" soothes even the savage beast. Even if it is called 'Heart' now.

We are half-way through the 'Open Mic Tour', stopping off last night at The Sloop for another jovial acoustic sing-song.
Unfortunately, Health and Safety dictates a restriction on campfires and marshmallow-toasting (something to do with roaring naked flames, alcohol, and wooden-style buildings with walls and a ceiling I think they said)
Only a few more dates to go and I still need the lyric sheet for 'Run' by Snow Patrol.
We nearly had t-shirts printed although not enough people really cared in the end.




My Dad has just walked in with another newly-traded guitar.
Instruments under our roof have a higher rate of turnover than the Labour cabinet.
xx

Only one June-based post then (sorry about that...)

These laptop keys are currrently being depressed by quite blistered fingers (as in, the keys are having pressure applied to their surface - rather than being made to feel very sad by the fingers).

This isn't to say that the keys don't also feel very sad at the same time - this could be a potential side-effect of the pressure being felt upon their surface - although I haven't yet managed to ask them and find out, so it's pure speculation at this point really.
I like to clarify things.

Yesterday evening I was fortunate enough to play alongside Sham 69 so the blistering is very much drumming-induced. Great show, and once the initial equipment issues were resolved the night ran relatively smoothly.
Always be cautious of venue managers who have handed in their notice.

Opposite my chair sits a window with a big grey cloud in it; I'm sifting through a large pile of demos I've been sent for a festival while the trees thrash around violently outside - looks like the one in the middle has the manliest branches, he's just hit the two baby conifers either side so they know who's in charge.
Time to see if Mike Oldfield has anything new to teach my ears I think. As unrelated as these two scenarios are.
xx

Let There Be Light

I recently revived the CD half of "A Cross The Universe" - had it virtually on a loop for the last few days or so, and can feel my ardent enthusiasm for French House/electro slowly beginning to reintroduce itself. I'm brimming with ideas, and can't wait to get them down and start messing about with some of my gear again!

Imagine having one of your ultimate passions stolen away from you without warning and for reasons beyond your control; inspiration becomes non-existent and any current projects are practically written off. Endless possibilities immediately become finite and every note, sample and morsel of hard work ever produced is essentially rendered irrelevant.

Now imagine that, just as suddenly, one fortunate day presents the opportunity for conversation with an occasional but loyal friend; conversation which gives you reason to revisit the neglected depths of your music collection, to sit and listen with an entirely renewed perspective, and to begin feeling that same buzz that brought you such energy and ambition so many months ago. You would feel a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude.

These are hopeful times :)
xx

Punk's not dead

It was a bit smokey backstage, although this was to be expected - the UK Subs are law-defying punk legends. Twenty-three seconds later, and the smoke was quite clearly emanating from the kettle in the corner of the room, as opposed to the initially suspected freshly-opened packet of Silk Cut or some form of illicitly anarchic substance.
They quite liked their tea (milk, two sugars) and even ventured outwards for some Peking Duck at one point.

Four of the nicest and most talkative people I've ever had the privilege of sharing a stage with. Charlie even congratulated us personally and took some photos of our set! We must have stood chatting for a good half hour afterwards - plenty had happened on their current tour, and he and Alvin were more than happy to share.

A truly enjoyable evening which brought with it some fascinating people.
Meeting those who genuinely have their own stories to tell is one of the most rewarding experiences on Earth.
xx

On the move

Happy day. I appear to have mobile dashboard access, which means I can now blog from anywhere that isn't a tunnel or Lulworth Cove.

These words come courtesy of an LG KC550 which limits the amount of characters I can donate before the GPRS demons begin gorging themselves on my credit balance. So no replication of petitions, legal documents, or Holy scriptures then (sorry).
It's also purely text-based, meaning anything of remote visual interest will have to wait until I can reunite my laptop with a WIFI hotspot. I don't actually have anything that you might want to look at for now though, so it's worked out quite nicely really.

Onwards and upwards.
xx