Category Archives: Music

Journalisticism

Posted on by
Reply

mercuryWell, if a single column write up in the local paper is any barometer of rock stardom, we have arrived. Or, should I say, if a single column paraphrasing of our press release is any barometer…

Still, it says reasonably nice things about us (which it would want to, considering we basically wrote it ourselves) but I’m sure I didn’t say any of the things they’ve quoted me on. I’m not sure about “Local Lads” either – I feel like we should have scuffed knees and be playing conkers, or making lemonade to sell at 5p a glass or something.

I must admit I find myself a bit disillusioned with the state of the local scene vis-a-vis recognition. We rate nary a blip on most peoples barometers, but I would imagine we’ve outsold a number of more recognised artists in terms of CDs. It was a conscious decision to skip the local bar scene and concentrate on a great recorded piece of work and the ensuing securing of a distribution arrangement, and it seems to have worked pretty well.

But it’s still a tad bit frustrating being marginalised by the local “taste makers”.

All you need is a DAW

Posted on by
Reply

love

I picked up the “latest” Beatles album the other day as a Christmas present for Dad, but I couldn’t resist giving it a spin myself before I wrapped it up and stuck a ribbon on it. Now I think I’m going to have to get another – this is a rather intriguing musical journey into Beatles-land.

Mind you it’s certainly not one for the purists – there are some pretty huge liberties taken with the material here – but as far as the “how is it to listen to?” test (always the most important one, I think) it passes with colours of some sort.

George & Giles Martin have mangled & recontextualised this incredibly familiar material (as well as some lesser known and unreleased snippets) into something that’s great fun to listen to. The orchestral crescendo leading up to Get Back brought a huge smile to my face, and the acoustic/orchestral version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is worth the price of admission all by itself.

Caveats – it’s a bit odd hearing the Beatles recordings sound so clean. I’ve been reading some griping on this front from audio engineering folk who feel that it doesn’t have the character of the originals, and that it’s basically tantamount to trying to cut the Mona Lisa into little circles and re-assemble it as pointillist art. I suppose they have something of a point, but I must admit I find the simile is a bit troubled. For starters, you haven’t actually destroyed anything; the originals are still sitting safe and sound on the shelf, so at worst it’s a poor derivative work which you are fully at liberty to not listen to!

For me? Well I grew up listening to the Beatles (thanks Dad!) and I don’t see this as a betrayal of the material at all. Is it a cynical marketing/moneymaking exercise? Well… maybe. Do I care? Not really in the slightest. I’m enjoying the music too much.

In other news, we ran through all the covers for the T3E gig last night, and it seems I had managed to forget large swathes of my keyboard parts. Not good. Nose to the grindstone today then, as we’ve only got one more rehearsal before Saturday (although we’ll probably have a little bit of time to run things in soundcheck). 24-track recording appears to be the order of the day, so hopefull there will be something to show for all this…

…now we just need to play halfway reasonably :)

I’m not superstitious – that’s bad luck

Posted on by
1

In exactly 25 hours, The Third Ending will hit the stage to play the majority of the album in front of people for the first time. Naturally, I have a cold.

I’m a semi-believer in tempting fate, so I’m not going to tell you that I seem to have worked the kinks out of the live rig. Nor am I going to let you know that the rehearsals have been going reasonably well.

I’m hoping to bribe somebody to hold the video camera for me, so hopefully I’ll have some sort of record of the momentous occasion that I can steadfastly refuse to post anywhere online.

Hurrah :)

Fuss

Posted on by
Reply

And what’s more, Bother.

I’ve got more bloody gear to play with. Normally that’s a very very good thing indeed, but it comes at a fairly busy juncture in Nick-land. Gear in question is a Roland VG-88 guitar/amp modelling system, on long-term loan from our drummer’s Dad. Thanks Knotty’s Dad :)

I’ve been having a play with it, and it’s very cool. The hex pickup thing means each string can be processed individually, so I can do all the alternate tunings & capo parts at the jab of a footswitch. Also, it does a perfectly serviceable acoustic guitar simulation. Of course the Gk2a pickup makes my guitar looks like it’s been assimmilated by the Borg, but that’s a small price to pay for the sonic advantage. If the money fairies decide to visit, I shall have to spring for one of the internal kits so I can use it without looking like such a ponce.