Dec 20, 2018
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Weeks 18-21 Looking Good (also been a minute huh?)
I’m gonna make this as quick as possible, cos there’s a lot.
I’m drumming in a band called Fustercluck, kinda classic punk stuff. Very good and very fun, we’re gonna be gigging a lot. Very excited. Next.
Maybe drumming in another band? Don’t know yet. Next.
I might have a live band! We’re meeting on Tuesday to practice a couple of tracks and hoy shit if it goes well I’m gonna puke in a really good way! Next.
Might be doing a collaboration track with Sunset Beach Hut! Early days but hopefully it’ll work out good! That’ll be in May I think! Next.
Me and Chip started planning and setting up a Lego video game Let’s Play series that we’ve wanted to do for ages and ages. Should be doing a private pilot of that next week sometimes when we’re both free for an hour of two! Next.
I’m still doing music for Twelfth Night and now I’m also doing some for Hamlet for Chalice Media! Some really good progress with the first one, in so far as I have more of a brief for the sound and it’s a VERY GOOD BRIEF! Keeping that shit on the DL tho yeah?= Next.
That might be it... Let’s say that’s it! Lots going on, lots to do! I’m still working a lot in my actual paying job so still able to pay bills and rent and shit. So that’s great!
Got a switch for my BDay! Beat Mario Odyssey’s main game! Still playing it. Really want Celeste and Flinthook and a couple of other indies and Breath of the Wild with the DLC (already got it on Wii U but I want it some more (don’t have the DLC tbf)) But I gotta play through at least one of the new games I got on PS4 before I invest in a new game. t’s not like I actually play my Switch outside of the house anyway lol.
Right, that’s it. Gonna get back to doing these weekly, just been crazy stupid busy, as you can see. Might not be a regular Sunday thing but it’ll for sure be every week.
Take care of yourself.
OH! next week:
I dunno
Meet live band on Tuesday
probably Fustercluck practice
work
mario
Lego games with chip
i dunno
soundtrack was: a lot of Talking Heads, some Velvet Underground and Nico, Television’s first record, Everything Everything (as per), some other stuff probably
Week 17: IKEA Birthday Preface
The weekday stuff was usual. Worked. Did some transcribing of the Tom Wood interview, nearly done it lads! Overwatch League, I’m caught up on it now.
I demoed a new track, just finished the demo this eve and it sounds okay. Like it was a very very rushed demo but it’s not too bad tbf. At least it’s down now and I don’t have to demo it again. Still a great song. Oh, I had to split it into two tracks because the middle section drops tempo by like 12bpm, and then speeds up for the outro. Hopefully, when I have time to mix it good and cut it together it’ll sound somewhat coherent.
On Thursday I had a meeting with Phil from Coney’s Loft. Just a lunch, dead informal. It was nice. Good food in the place we were in. Got some extra work so I’m doing that before Sunday rolls around.
I made a friend on Friday! Customer who is a bit of a regular said we should meet up for coffee and whatever, gave me his number. Quite excited about it, if I’m honest. I told my colleges and apparently they really ripped into him about it when he came in over the weekend. I was vocally, like, mad about it. they initially made it sound like they were being mean to him about it but I think they were just joking with me and him... So it’s all good?
Saturday was just all transcription and demoing and League. Busy. Full. Tiring.
Sunday, went to IKEA with the fam. It was about as stressful as i was expecting IKEA to be. Which is, a lot. Got ourselves some shelf. His name is Billy. We love him very much. He is currently still flat-packed, but we should be erecting him tomorrow. Went to Egg Cafe for tea. Got some wine and cake and had some time with mum, which was genuinely lovely. We always end up talking dead serious about life and careers and crap. I always start it because I’m always in turmoil about it. She was very helpful though, in rooting some decisions I am/have made/making.
We did this because it’s my birthday tomorrow! I am 21 tomorrow! I did fucking loads this year! Still wasn’t enough maybe? Through the real talk with family and something I kind of wanted to do in my being 21 anyway, I have decided... 2018... I’mma do me. Fuck ‘em. Gonna do shit that I actually want to do, anything else, if it doesn’t help me or a greater cause, fuck it. No thanks, I’m full.
next week / today’s week:
work (except tomorrow, tomorrow is Mario Odyssey day)
extra work (not tomorrow though)
transcription work (it’s Switchin’ time tomorrow)
mix the demo
make a bookshelf
drink more water
do me for 2018
soundtrack for this week was: Everything Everything’s discography, Interpol’s discography
Week 16: Everything Everything is everything
So because this week hasn’t been that exciting in terms of new shit I’m doing or Just news, I’m gonna talk about how much I love the band Everything Everything. First of all though, I’m essentially a cook now. Been working six hour shifts, five days a week in the kitchen at the cafe. I’m ummm... Really enjoying it. More than I thought I would. It’s been stressful as hell when I’m there, during the lunch rush, but then when it’s done and I’ve not fucked up much it feels really fucking good. It’s like, “We good? We done? Sound.”
Been practicing the track list for A Moment, the new record. Really enjoying playing it. I just maybe need a day, set aside, to listen through my demos that’re already done and record the changes. Plus get the new track recorded that’s going on the record. After that, when they’re fully demoed with vocals and all, find somewhere who’ll let me record acoustic drums for cheap/work. I don’t want it for free, I want to do something for them or pay them, somehow. Don’t want to get anyone to do something for me for free in any way. Anything else... Probably not. So, Everything Everything. I started to listen to Everything Everything just after _Arc_ came out. I heard their single Cough Cough and fucking loved it. Got the record, and fucking loved that. But, not immediately. It was, for sure, a grower. It grew on me like a cooling moss in the sun. I think I got the debut when I got _Arc_ and really didn’t like it. I don’t think I got it. I liked the pop tracks for sure, Schoolin’ and the first three tracks. But eventually, both of them, just one day... They stuck. I needed some new music and found them in my collection like, “Oh yeah, I liked a few of these songs but not the records? Let’s give them another try” For whatever reason, this time, they blew my fucking mind and I’m still picking out the flecks from the wall. Flash-forward to the year Get To Heaven came out. 2015? Yeah. Chip, my girlfriend, gets me the CD of GTH for my BDay. I had no idea they’d released a new album so I, of course, put it on immediately. To The Blade was exactly what I wanted from the opening track of this album. Leading vocals take my hand, guiding me into what is the best riff I have ever heard in that moment, and it screams while squeezing my fingers, to let me know I’m still safe. Distant Past is very good. I don’t like that song. But it’s very good for reasons I’ll get into. I think my favourite track is either Blast Doors or The Wheel. Both just very good and 100% my kind of Shit™.
I’ve been listening to them for a very long time. Always go back to them, they’re a comfort band that I know I’ll be able to listen to. I’ll get sad listening to them, I’ll dance, I’ll sing, I’ll finish a train journey, I’ll be inspired to write. They’re so good.
A Fever Dream is all I’ve been listening to this week. I’ve woken up with Ivory Tower playing in my head everyday since Thursday. I’ve been singing Good Shot, Good Soldier everyday since Tuesday. Put Me Together made me tear the fuck up when I first listened to it. It’s a very very good album.
Everything Everything, is pretty much a perfect band right now. The have a big, solid fan-base. They get regular, large venue gigs when they tour the material. Every record, they give at least one very good pop song that the radio can play and they can make the most royalty money from.
They keep their label and management happy by doing this.
It’s not like these pop songs are bad pop songs either. They are in keeping with where pop stands at the time of release and even propels it forward with new ideas.
Every record they give tracks that are nothing alike, each very good, in their own way. A track with spat rhymes, a track with dirty guitars, a track with groove and a track with beauty.
This keeps their fans happy.
They just do it. And do it so good.
They present the way pop music and guitar music should be played in the next three years. “Yo! Music industry and artists!” they say, ”How about this? Why don’t we make interesting music that pushes each other to make better music?”
“What?” the industry and musicians reply, “Nah, I’m good staying in 1999 thanks”
I don’t know how to wrap this up. This isn’t an opinion piece on the band or anything. I’m watching Overwatch League while I’m writing this and I’m super tired.
next week:
Probably just cook
maybe something else?
Overwatch League
soundtrack for this week has been: Everything Everything - A Fever Dream
Week 14-15: Tired Busy Boy
I am him.
So CBF TBF video was uploaded and has about the same about of views as the the other videos, in a much shorter space of time. This is progress. Maybe not going to do any more videos from Mess and going to start on the recording proper of the next record’s tracks. Got the track list sorted this weekend. They are... Just so good. I’m really very happy with the songs as they are in my head right now. Need to really try very much to get them sounding just fucking stellar. Gonna use the new acoustic drum things I got very recently in the new tracks. So the drums are going to be out of this fucking world in comparison to my old stuff. Guitar might get recorded in a room as well, like as oppose to getting plugged straight into the recorder. Mess was, partially on purpose, very close and muggy. I’d like to try to create a lot more space in this next record. Bump that production value up by like a grand, without spending a grand, but spending more time planning recordings and perfecting the mixes properly; song by song. Also, like, maybe some more instruments? Different effects on the electric guitar for lifts and drops and cool shit. Better bass fuzz. Obviously good/better drums that I’ve talked about. Absolutely no idea how I’m going to approach the vocals yet. Probably figure that out once I’ve done the music.
But... Don’t think I’m going to have any time, like at all, to do it this month. The chef at my cafe has left this week so my hours have gone up to pretty much full time and that is going to be mega tiring. Gonna be cooking a lot I think? But all in all, stress is going to be high. For sure.
I’m going to try and do some full demos of the tracks after work and on weekends but I fear the urge to play and watch Overwatch is going to be too powerful.
Ummm... Shit that has happened. The wrestling and friend being over was really very nice! Royal fucking Rumble weekend was my first re-introduction to wrestling about two or three years ago and jeez it’s still my favourite wrestling weekend. Like Mania is kinda lackluster cos they build it up too much and SummerSlam is just the Cena Show so Rumble is just the right amount of hype and the right amount of actual good wrestles. First women’s Rumble was excellent and also like a 101 class in WWE Women’s Division History, which was cool as all hell. REY FUCKING MYSTERIO CAME BACK!! MY FAVOURITE WRESTLE PERSON FROM WHEN I SAW IT AS A KID WAS IN THE FUCKING RUMBLE AND I NEARLY FUCKING TEARED UP!! Takeover was phenomenal too. Dream vs. Ohno was great. Main men’s and women’s event were both amazing. Tag was fine, I hate AOP a bit so was fine with Era retaining even thought I really am not liking Adam Cole all that much. Red Dragon are super super good though so they can be tag champs all they want. Black vs. Cole Extreme Rules was very very very good.
We also, while waiting for the wrestles, watched some Overwatch League... And now I can’t stop watching the Overwatch League... I love the Zen main from NYXL... He fills me with life.
We was Veganuary and we did a best of Vegan stuff we can make and that was really lovely. I am now not Veganuary anymore and gosh I love chocolate.
And then work and writing and other work and other stuff and now... Today.
Today I went to see and interview Tom Wood. I’m going to start the transcribing of the nearly two hours of interview tomorrow evening after work. The piece will be going onto Coney’s Loft when it’s finished and edited and all that. It will be a very good piece. It was a very good interview. I’m very excited by it and about it.
The man played me Lou Reed’s Walk On The Wild Side from his very good hi-fi system on vinyl. It was a religious experience. I found God in this dynamic range. The double bass was doubled by another bass. I never knew. The sax solo made me cum. The backing vocalist saw it happen. I fucking love that record. I understand vinyl though good hi-fi now. Lou Reed showed me the way. Today was a good day.
next week:
work a lot
transcribe a big interview
demo tracks
maybe play vibeo james?
soundtrack for this week(s) has been; Adventure Zone and MBMBaM, Lenman’s Devolver again, SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTH JAAAAAAAAAZZ (from work), my new shit, the music that plays during the Overwatch League
Week 13 - Time Off
So I’m probably gonna release CBF TBF on Thursday. Still gotta finish the press release and like, proof read it and take a press photo and format it good and junk. Also gotta find a bunch of people to send it to. But I guess I could like, release the vid and then send the release later? So then it’s like, it got a soft release!? Maybe?
I had some time off this week. Went to see a friend and spent some days there. I Was still working. Writing news and that. But it wasn’t while also working the cafe or doing anything else. I think, I gotta stay very busy. Cos on the long train journey back with no room to write anything or do anything, I was getting kind of anxious. It was also late and I hadn’t eaten anything for hours so that probably had something to do with it. But I enjoy working. I like doing productive stuff. I’ve never been a fan of time off. Other than like, a day, of video games. Every month. That’s my time off.
Don’t think I’ve played guitar this week. Which is weird. I mean, been away from the house and been at work the other times so. Might do that today. For a bit.
Not really much happening to be honest. Kind of a short one.
Was good to see friend, seeing them again next week for the Royal Rumble and Takeover. Very excited about that.
Wrote a little more of a story I’m very slowly working on. I think I mentioned it before, Scape? Sci-fi thing. Anyway wrote some of that on the train back while some drunks tried to talk to us.
Think that’s it.
Next week:
finish the press release, photo and format
SEND IT!
work
release CBF TBF on Thursday
see friend
watch wrestles
write news
video game?
soundtrack of the week has been: Nala’s EP, I Told You I Would Eat You, Everything Everything, Front Bottoms, Aidan’s It’s Time playllist
Week 12 - Good shit, my dudes!
Before I get into the good shit. On the down side of things, someone tried to screw me out of an opportunity. No gonna go into it cos it’s being solved. Kind of a weird breach of trust though which I didn’t, and don’t, appreciate. A cat died; who we were going to adopt.
So that’s the sad stuff, here’s the good;
Twas a fucking corker this one.
Finished the CBF TBF video, it’s done! ready for upload. But Imma make y’all horny for it. Might be a while before it sees that good light of day. Gonna put together a press release for it too. Send that on over to literally any mag I can find the email address for.
Speaking of mag; yaboy is writing news for Coney’s Loft! Getting bylines! Got like, six or seven pieces actually online, about three are fucking stellar. All from press releases though, so not really doing much actual writing. That will come though. I got something brewing up a treat.
Actual real lyfe work was good too. Not gonna talk much about it cos it’s dull as hell. But it was good and fun. Weirdly enjoying making coffee fast again. And I can cook more than half the menu now.
Was practicing a cover with Chip yesterday, Martin by Monkey Swallows the Universe. It sounds really nice when we sing it.
Oh yeah! I joined a band as a drummer! We sound cool. Like Sex Bob-Om. Fuzzy as fuck bass, kinda clean but gritty guitar, I hit like just all the toms all the time! We’re called Faux Fox. It sounds really quite good and feels fucking great to get back into playing music with people again. Getting some breakables so I can be a real life drummer in a real life band holy shit!
Also, last thing, people seem to like the dumb videos, gonna keep doing them cos they’re fun to do.
Next week:
write a press release for CBF TBF
send it everywhere
keep that good content coming
work
write news
frends
soundtrack for this week: Great Grandpa - Plastic Cough, Everything Everything - _Arc_, Adventure Zone, MBMBaM
Week 9-10 (also 11?): December Sure Did, Didn’t It? feat. 2018
Been a fucking while huh? Huh! Wow! Yeah, sorry about that.
December just kind of happened, lots a stuff like work and visiting family and lots of not doing a lot of Just related things. Thinking about how I wanna do 2018. Where the hell this live band thing is going? What to do in the meantime?
Nothing happened in late December. Christmas. Spending maybe a little too long at home. Maybe a max of like 2 days next time? Mum’s BDay. Seeing lots of family. Got really depressed with my artist cousin about the state of the world and how the fuck artists are supposed to live in it. My auntie was like, “You just need that one big break right? Then you’ll be fine” We said, “Ummm... Like... Not really. Big break is like regular funding to do regular work and that just doesn’t exist unless you work for a company and that’s got zero freedom. Big break is like, “Here’s £10,000, make me a big thing” okay so that’s materials, time, and rent and food and bills. All gone within maybe 6 months and then there’s no guarantee you’ll get that deal again.” So we got really sad and a bit drunk at the dinner table about all that, which was genuinely like, quite nice.
CBF TBF animation is half way animated. Traced the frames which were exported from the video in pencil. Inked them. Scanned them. Am animating them now in Photoshop. Shouldn’t take tomorrow to finish it. Gonna do a teaser for the video on Tuesday and then upload on the following Tuesday.
Thinking about releasing the next album like, one song a month for the year? I’d be WAAAAAY behind on that if I did. Unless I started in Feb. Wanna do videos for each one too but that’s gonna take way too much time.
I’m gonna actually do these blog posts every Sunday now. As well as a post on the FB and Insta every Tue, Thu and Sun. Just like a little video or picture or something? Probably of me doing some dumb as hell shit that I think is funny, maybe?
The live band is officially no-where. I joined another band as a drummer just to get the lay of the land in the Liverpool music scene. Getting some breakables so I’ll actually be a functioning drummer! Maybe I’ll pick up some people along the way who’re splitting from their bands and want to join new ones? I dunno. I feel like I overestimated how easy the live band putting together would be. It’s hard. And will take time. But it’ll get there. Eventually.
Star War is good, just came back from seeing it (a second time)
next week:
finish animation
get y’all hyped as fuck for it
post some dope shit
work
practice with new band
meet editor and ask for a job
soundtrack for these weeks has been: Heat Rocks (podcast), Jamie Lenman, Broken Social Scene, Dead Man’s Bones, E-Mo-Tion