Thursday, June 01, 2006
Friday, April 21, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Look out for The Futureheads...
oh uh-oh... oh uh-oh... oh uh-ohoh uhh-ohh! oh uhh-ohh!
I went to see the Futureheads on March 10th, the best band on the scene today. Their energy on stage was incredible. Really bright lights. Crowd danced like mad. You can see the conviction they have for what they are doing; just watch Ross wrench around the stage in a vivacious manner for evidence.
Seeing them live was incredible. Vocally they were spot on. They provided a dazziling array of variety in their album, and it was nice to hear they were able to pull off all the complicated rhythms and guitar sequences in a live environment.
The highlight was without a doubt Hounds of Love. I immediately knew this was the case when I was thrown into the moshers, and then headbutted back to where I was again. I knew I was never gonna get the chance to take more than two photos, with the fear of being hurled into the pit again. It was fun though.More catchy offerings in their new material, but little effort in improving musical ideas. It seems they have kept to the same mish-mash of noisy rock punctuated by crunching guitar riffs. I'd like to see them ditch those guitars for a few more a-capella style songs like Danger On The Water.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Monday, March 06, 2006
A Rant That Will End It All...
Dear Mr. Weatherman,
It's been snowing on and off for three days now, and we're already into March. I couldn't help but bring to attention the subject of global warming. This matter is a serious threat to life on Earth, and I know you aren't responsible (or are you?), but why is it so cold? Climate change has come to my attention recently as an important aspect that will affect our children and already affects us now. Scientists have linked the increased levels of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere to human activities like burning fossil fuels and releasing toxic emissions into the Earth's atmosphere, causing long-term effects such as increased temperatures and sea levels. Aside from global warming for a minute to another global catastrophe that affects us all. It's been cold for so long now that I want to start wearing my summer clothes, because I don't have any winter clothes left. They're all waiting to be washed...
If you are wondering where all my snow photos of the last few days are, I basically used up all the best shots from November's coating of snow. I didn't plan my photo-taking very well; I guess you could compare it to the inconsistancy of Badly Drawn Boy's albums... instead of building up a sequence of one great album after the other, release all your best work at the beginning all in one go. From my point of view, don't follow Damon Gough's footsteps, and that goes for me too. The similarity between me and you is that we don't know what we're saying, I'm just ranting, but so are you.
There's a staff strike at the uni tomorrow. I can't understand all this business with lecturers wanting more money. I'm missing out tomorrow on my favourite lecture because of this, but this is not the fault of weathermen, don't worry. I'd like to see a student strike one day. That'll teach those lecturers not to mess with England's future workforce.
It's been snowing on and off for three days now, and we're already into March. I couldn't help but bring to attention the subject of global warming. This matter is a serious threat to life on Earth, and I know you aren't responsible (or are you?), but why is it so cold? Climate change has come to my attention recently as an important aspect that will affect our children and already affects us now. Scientists have linked the increased levels of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere to human activities like burning fossil fuels and releasing toxic emissions into the Earth's atmosphere, causing long-term effects such as increased temperatures and sea levels. Aside from global warming for a minute to another global catastrophe that affects us all. It's been cold for so long now that I want to start wearing my summer clothes, because I don't have any winter clothes left. They're all waiting to be washed...
If you are wondering where all my snow photos of the last few days are, I basically used up all the best shots from November's coating of snow. I didn't plan my photo-taking very well; I guess you could compare it to the inconsistancy of Badly Drawn Boy's albums... instead of building up a sequence of one great album after the other, release all your best work at the beginning all in one go. From my point of view, don't follow Damon Gough's footsteps, and that goes for me too. The similarity between me and you is that we don't know what we're saying, I'm just ranting, but so are you.
There's a staff strike at the uni tomorrow. I can't understand all this business with lecturers wanting more money. I'm missing out tomorrow on my favourite lecture because of this, but this is not the fault of weathermen, don't worry. I'd like to see a student strike one day. That'll teach those lecturers not to mess with England's future workforce.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
GREAT LIES...
...to tell small kids.
(Selected Favourites)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340834056/qid=1141240798/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/203-3011005-4435148
(Selected Favourites)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340834056/qid=1141240798/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/203-3011005-4435148
Monday, February 27, 2006
Express Yrself
"Popular songs are the only art form that describes the temper of the ties. That's where the people hang out. It's not in books, it's not on stage, it's not in the galleries" --Bob Dylan
Music is an art, an expression of human emotions, an interaction between the performer and the listener. Additionally, songs are like paintings that tell a tale; the colours are the sounds, the frame is the story, the paintbrush is the instrument and the artist is the songwriter. Folk/rock/grunge/techno/pop singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur combines both imagery and feeling in his music, blending painfully honest lyrics and beautiful music, with expressive paintings. In this performance at the Sugarmill in Stoke, which I went to see on Wednesday 22nd February 2006, I witnessed an artist of incredible raw and creative talent.
At 6:30pm I found my way to the entrance door of the Sugarmill, after a short 10 minute walk from my house. Being probably the first to arrive, I walked from the numbing cold into The Stage Door (not literally… it’s a pub right next door to the venue) and familiarised myself with my shiny Canon Ixus 50 before I began using it during the gig (I could never get the right exposure in gigs, but I think I found the right settings this time). After containing my excitement after a pint of Strongbow, I waddled over to the entrance and made my way in. The Sugarmill is a very small venue in Stoke-on-trent that lands some exciting old and new bands from the underground scene such as Dirty Pretty Things and Futureheads (slightly too small for them), and in the past, have hosted the likes of Coldplay, Muse, The Coral, Ash, and Grandaddy & Hope of the States (in one night!). After a heavy influx of Metal bands over the few days, tonight was going to need a rest from the noise, and who better than Mr. Arthur to take the stage.
The show began very intimately, with the entrance of Jeff Klein at 8:15pm. His set was a shower of emotionally-charged songs all on acoustic-guitar and voice. I felt he showed a lot of talent and seemed like a suitable performer to precede Joseph Arthur, as I thought he sounded very similar. Then at 9:30 came the moment of truth. You could feel a tension in the air, a sense of intrigue and excitement. I think the fairy lights on the stage creating a luminous glow on the stage provided some of the more mystical and romantic moments. Other than the focus being on Joseph Arthur, his female companion/helper person began setting up a white board and some paints just before the set, which became something of a centrepiece later in the evening. A big cheer and whistles are heard when he makes his way to the back of the stage (although it’s not really that big), and begins to paint a picture on the white canvas: An image of a face, almost skeleton-like. I figure he’s going to finish it later. He then staggers to the front like a drunk Stoke City fan with a Theremin making noises through the microphone and adjusting buttons on his many pedals and buttons. Being right at the front, I’m so close I could push him over.
Arthur’s live performances are remembered for his keen use of multi-tracking guitar and vocals. His use of implanting this technique into a live environment is impressive to say the least. Is Technology taking over? It certainly branches an infinite number of possibilities for musical ideas. Arthur's a fine songwriter, although his reliance on repeated motifs grows tiresome after a while, but the effect is pulled off, particularly in ‘Can’t Exist’, where he loops the lyric “I will wait for your Brother, I will wait for your Sister”. This was my favourite song on the night, followed closely by ‘Honey and the Moon’. He also played probably his most famous song ‘In the Sun’, with Chris Martin of Coldplay calling this, "The greatest song ever written". Some big shoes to fill but I do believe Joseph Arthur has the potential to become a very popular and successful artist. His music and artwork will continue to keep our faith in knowing that there will be more to look forward to in the future.
Music is an art, an expression of human emotions, an interaction between the performer and the listener. Additionally, songs are like paintings that tell a tale; the colours are the sounds, the frame is the story, the paintbrush is the instrument and the artist is the songwriter. Folk/rock/grunge/techno/pop singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur combines both imagery and feeling in his music, blending painfully honest lyrics and beautiful music, with expressive paintings. In this performance at the Sugarmill in Stoke, which I went to see on Wednesday 22nd February 2006, I witnessed an artist of incredible raw and creative talent.At 6:30pm I found my way to the entrance door of the Sugarmill, after a short 10 minute walk from my house. Being probably the first to arrive, I walked from the numbing cold into The Stage Door (not literally… it’s a pub right next door to the venue) and familiarised myself with my shiny Canon Ixus 50 before I began using it during the gig (I could never get the right exposure in gigs, but I think I found the right settings this time). After containing my excitement after a pint of Strongbow, I waddled over to the entrance and made my way in. The Sugarmill is a very small venue in Stoke-on-trent that lands some exciting old and new bands from the underground scene such as Dirty Pretty Things and Futureheads (slightly too small for them), and in the past, have hosted the likes of Coldplay, Muse, The Coral, Ash, and Grandaddy & Hope of the States (in one night!). After a heavy influx of Metal bands over the few days, tonight was going to need a rest from the noise, and who better than Mr. Arthur to take the stage.
The show began very intimately, with the entrance of Jeff Klein at 8:15pm. His set was a shower of emotionally-charged songs all on acoustic-guitar and voice. I felt he showed a lot of talent and seemed like a suitable performer to precede Joseph Arthur, as I thought he sounded very similar. Then at 9:30 came the moment of truth. You could feel a tension in the air, a sense of intrigue and excitement. I think the fairy lights on the stage creating a luminous glow on the stage provided some of the more mystical and romantic moments. Other than the focus being on Joseph Arthur, his female companion/helper person began setting up a white board and some paints just before the set, which became something of a centrepiece later in the evening. A big cheer and whistles are heard when he makes his way to the back of the stage (although it’s not really that big), and begins to paint a picture on the white canvas: An image of a face, almost skeleton-like. I figure he’s going to finish it later. He then staggers to the front like a drunk Stoke City fan with a Theremin making noises through the microphone and adjusting buttons on his many pedals and buttons. Being right at the front, I’m so close I could push him over.Arthur’s live performances are remembered for his keen use of multi-tracking guitar and vocals. His use of implanting this technique into a live environment is impressive to say the least. Is Technology taking over? It certainly branches an infinite number of possibilities for musical ideas. Arthur's a fine songwriter, although his reliance on repeated motifs grows tiresome after a while, but the effect is pulled off, particularly in ‘Can’t Exist’, where he loops the lyric “I will wait for your Brother, I will wait for your Sister”. This was my favourite song on the night, followed closely by ‘Honey and the Moon’. He also played probably his most famous song ‘In the Sun’, with Chris Martin of Coldplay calling this, "The greatest song ever written". Some big shoes to fill but I do believe Joseph Arthur has the potential to become a very popular and successful artist. His music and artwork will continue to keep our faith in knowing that there will be more to look forward to in the future.
The atmosphere that acoustic gigs create is genuinely raw and emotive. Despite the lack of noise, the performer provides an emotional connection with the audience. At one point in the middle of his set, Arthur loops a lush guitar motif and begins singing a reflective song ‘Failure’ while finishing his painting by slapping a few slobs of red and blue here and there wherever his feelings took him, eventually producing an expressive portrait of a woman’s face in the style of abstract art. His feelings intensified when he suddenly and unexpectedly clobbers the microphone on the floor in a ferocious rage and reels off the stage in front of a shocked crowd (or was it just me?). Rock n roll. After some glimpses of confusion around the audience, Arthur makes his way back on stage and without hesitation continues his set. He picks up his graffitied hippy-style guitar that matches his shirt and returns to multi-tracking guitar and vocals. He colours his music by his magnificent voice, bearing his soul in front of an intimate crowd of 200 dark-clothed folk (mostly female art students); I felt I was a little too colourful on the night with my green Sufjan Stevens t-shirt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovered by Peter Gabriel in the early 90’s, Joseph Arthur (born in Ohio, Texas) follows his mentor’s footsteps with tunes that follow a variety of styles, layers, distorted sounds, melodies and beats. His music can be funky like Beck, soft and melancholic like Simon & Garfunkel, strummed-out Bob Dylan-style accompanied with his harmonica, or hard-hitting chorus-chanting like Radiohead. I think he’s a very versatile musician with some hard-hitting lyrics and melodies, but he just needs some more stand-out tunes. He is a genius though, and I’d never give up the opportunity to see him again… with a band perhaps? Even without a band, Joseph Arthur as a solo performer is captivating through his performance and artwork. There aren’t many musicians that have such as heart full of emotion, ambition and natural talent. Here begins the war between art and commerce…
“This years best singer/song-writer has arrived” –Q Magazine
Joseph Arthur is currently on tour in the UK. His latest album ‘Our Shadows Will Remain’ (2005) is available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009U5628/qid=1141006012/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/203-3011005-4435148
Friday, February 17, 2006
No Message Given
Noise against noise
Private against public
Take me out of myself
Life turned a black soul
And fed up completely
Devils crashing stations
Visitor of the 21st Century
A creation of chaos
A bureaucratic tension
Dream yrself a star
There is no trust
No-one gets signed
Friday, February 10, 2006
Music Is My Energy
Hi Internet,
It's me again. I'm just gonna load a bit more extra weight of heavy music on you with my new brand-spanking new track, known only as: *turns on echo* "THE SOUNDS OF UKIYO-E".
ahem.
My inspirations were, as follows:
musically: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enjoy_Your_Rabbit, and
visually: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e, annnnnnnd...
here is the track you've all been waiting for, folks: http://s60.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=27ET357TY82WN19YIN4SGCACB1
It's me again. I'm just gonna load a bit more extra weight of heavy music on you with my new brand-spanking new track, known only as: *turns on echo* "THE SOUNDS OF UKIYO-E".
ahem.
My inspirations were, as follows:
musically: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enjoy_Your_Rabbit, and
visually: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e, annnnnnnd...
here is the track you've all been waiting for, folks: http://s60.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=27ET357TY82WN19YIN4SGCACB1
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Another Track!
"Annus Mirabilis"
in the sigur ros style. improvised. distortion and mistakes galore.
http://s61.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0RELIPZBW9ZI31POTYEEP0UO0A
in the sigur ros style. improvised. distortion and mistakes galore.
http://s61.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0RELIPZBW9ZI31POTYEEP0UO0A
Thursday, December 29, 2005
A new track, yessir...
I call it "42-Year Voyage". Baked and roasted using the best sound transformation program Soundshaper. Shined and dusted on Adobe Audition, which i think is still the best sound program around. I've written some programme notes for this composition... so read on you like. You can hear the track by clicking on the link below...
The idea of humans and travel was my first level of thinking when I began working on this composition, which I hoped to further develop into the concept of space and time travel. I felt there was such a broad palette of sounds I could experiment with that it would be almost impossible to begin, although I also believed that in this way I could achieve whatever I wanted to create. So to make a start I would have to think about reducing things down, dividing parts into sections and focusing on one or two sounds at a time. My preliminary sounds were obtained from a library, which corresponded in relation to my opening narrative. Sources ranged from musical instruments, ambient backgrounds, animal noises, mechanical noises, and a collection of human voice excerpts.
I am excited about the genre of science-fiction, and establishing this as the main style of the piece invites the listener into an unknown world (or a distorted vision of our real world) where there is no grasp of reality. I took the idea of time travel (which also can be compared to space travel) and explored this concept using time-stretch, pitch-shift and reoccurring themes. The narrative focuses on the account of a traveller embarking on a journey and the beginning section conveys the start of a progression into a territory unfamiliar to the protagonist. From here forward, the traveller ventures into a space-age future as he shows you a world through his eyes and it is up to the listener’s imagination to continue creating new images that will maintain that emotional connection until the end of the composition. I think the piece has some significance with human exploration. To compare it with sound experimentation, there’s the gradual process of adding ingredients (of which are sounds) and mixing them together (sound transformations) to produce a new sound that is completely out of the ordinary, but aesthetically appealing, like in the discovery of a different or unfamiliar environment. I was inspired by Trevor Wishart’s concept of applying metamorphosis to sounds to create 'musical metaphors'. The sound processes I have applied were done through sound transformation applications that enabled me to produce intense and extraordinary effects through filtered processes achieving a science-fictitious element as a result, thus achieving the narrative development.
http://s61.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KDZMF7F995PO1LEF6FLNGS69B
The idea of humans and travel was my first level of thinking when I began working on this composition, which I hoped to further develop into the concept of space and time travel. I felt there was such a broad palette of sounds I could experiment with that it would be almost impossible to begin, although I also believed that in this way I could achieve whatever I wanted to create. So to make a start I would have to think about reducing things down, dividing parts into sections and focusing on one or two sounds at a time. My preliminary sounds were obtained from a library, which corresponded in relation to my opening narrative. Sources ranged from musical instruments, ambient backgrounds, animal noises, mechanical noises, and a collection of human voice excerpts.
I am excited about the genre of science-fiction, and establishing this as the main style of the piece invites the listener into an unknown world (or a distorted vision of our real world) where there is no grasp of reality. I took the idea of time travel (which also can be compared to space travel) and explored this concept using time-stretch, pitch-shift and reoccurring themes. The narrative focuses on the account of a traveller embarking on a journey and the beginning section conveys the start of a progression into a territory unfamiliar to the protagonist. From here forward, the traveller ventures into a space-age future as he shows you a world through his eyes and it is up to the listener’s imagination to continue creating new images that will maintain that emotional connection until the end of the composition. I think the piece has some significance with human exploration. To compare it with sound experimentation, there’s the gradual process of adding ingredients (of which are sounds) and mixing them together (sound transformations) to produce a new sound that is completely out of the ordinary, but aesthetically appealing, like in the discovery of a different or unfamiliar environment. I was inspired by Trevor Wishart’s concept of applying metamorphosis to sounds to create 'musical metaphors'. The sound processes I have applied were done through sound transformation applications that enabled me to produce intense and extraordinary effects through filtered processes achieving a science-fictitious element as a result, thus achieving the narrative development.
http://s61.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KDZMF7F995PO1LEF6FLNGS69B
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The Mighty Booooooosh...
(top to bottom: scott, myself & neil -- noel & julian on stage -- the moon)
Monday 19th December, went to see the Mighty Boosh in a live "warm-up" show at the Pleasance Theatre in London. Finally a chance to see the best tv comedy show performed on a stage! The jokes were hilarious (old & new), crazy dance routines and songs, brilliantly timed ad-libs and funny catchphrases, and slipups and miscues which were more funnier than the jokes themselves...
I'm definitely going to see them again in Stoke in March, which hopefully will be more rehearsed than on Monday...!
Monday 19th December, went to see the Mighty Boosh in a live "warm-up" show at the Pleasance Theatre in London. Finally a chance to see the best tv comedy show performed on a stage! The jokes were hilarious (old & new), crazy dance routines and songs, brilliantly timed ad-libs and funny catchphrases, and slipups and miscues which were more funnier than the jokes themselves...
I'm definitely going to see them again in Stoke in March, which hopefully will be more rehearsed than on Monday...!
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Monday, November 28, 2005
Snow Day!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Sufjan Stevens - 17th October 2005
A new addition to the world of modern folk/rock music, Sufjan Stevens is here to save the day. I saw him playing at the Shepherd Bush Empire last month (above is a really bad picture), and i'd write a review if I was bothered, but i'll post a link instead.
It was amazing... http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article321863.ece
Saturday, October 29, 2005
10 Favourite Songs
- The Beatles - A Day in the Life
- Radiohead - Paranoid Android
- Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
- Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
- The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever
- Ultravox - Vienna
- Stranglers - Golden Brown
- Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
- Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
- The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
also...
Here's a link to some lists i've been busy making (including favourite films & albums):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/cm/member-fil/-/A3FFES4ULC02YG/026-9532486-5676443
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away...
Wow...
I've never felt so happy leaving the cinema.
'Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith' was fantastic. I saw it last night and it was just the perfect end (or beginning I should say) to the Star Wars Saga. Plenty of lightsabre battles, flying limbs, amaaaaazing special effects and a decent space battle, this episode is definitely the best since 'The Empire Strikes Back', and rises up from the awfulness of Episode I & II. Even better, Jar Jar Binks only has one word in the whole film.
9 out of 10
Unmissable
I've never felt so happy leaving the cinema.
'Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith' was fantastic. I saw it last night and it was just the perfect end (or beginning I should say) to the Star Wars Saga. Plenty of lightsabre battles, flying limbs, amaaaaazing special effects and a decent space battle, this episode is definitely the best since 'The Empire Strikes Back', and rises up from the awfulness of Episode I & II. Even better, Jar Jar Binks only has one word in the whole film.
9 out of 10
Unmissable
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