A few new tunes

Have been working on some tunes for the new album. Have not really got a clue when it (The Album) will be done. I have 6 or 7 audio ideas at the mo. So thought it was time to put a couple of these ideas here on Soundcloud. All work in progress.

Happy Christmas

Well people  its that festive time again, and this wonderful Christmas card I received was made by my friend Mr Palmer, and what a lovely picture it is. I am now currently working on new tunes for my next album plus sorting out Test Transmission Archive Reel 7 for Feb 2012. Also recording some new Seatman Separator tunes with Mr Heartfield and Mr Packer. So a tad busy. I thought I would leave you with some classic K-tel and Ronco ads. I hope you all have very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. TATA.

Spacedog Album

Back in March 2011 I heard Spacedog for the 1st time on Phantom Circuit 66. I was fascinated by them. Spacedog are Sarah Angliss Jenny Angliss and  Stephen Hiscock.  "We create live music for theremin, vocals, saw, percussion and our famous uncanny musical robots. Our work reflects our obsessions with defunct machines, faded variety acts and the darkest English folk tales". If musically you like the weird the wonderful the odd and the eccentric, Tommy Cooper, Robots and Theremins. Then you really should get this album.

I have been informed by Sarah that CD copies of Juice for the baby will be available very soon. In the meantime you can download Juice for the baby from Bandcamp for just £7. I did.

Davros v Bond

I should have posted this a long time ago but forgot. This short film was made by the wonderful Bollops. What makes this so good??? Is it the motorbike sound?? Godzilla arriving on a bus??? is it the strings on Thunderbird 2??? Is it that it took 2 years to make. Whatever it is, it works for me every time I watch it.

More Sainsburys

More images from the truly wonderful Jonny Trunk book Own Label Sainsburys Design Studio 1962 - 1977. Have a bimble over to Trunk Records there are all sorts of very interesting things to buy. I got this book. In fact I got 3 copies to give as Christmas presents. How lucky these people will be.

Wire de-construct

I like the band Wire. Have liked them for decades, and have always been impressed with their approach to songwriting and performing their songs live. Wire's attitude is this. Once the song is written recorded etc, thats it for that version. Their reluctance to play certain songs live or in the stye that the audience anticipated or expected was always very interesting. You could never hear the same version of Pink Flag twice. As Graham Lewis said once when people were calling out for their favorite Wire songs to be played "we are not a Jukebox" Wire's knack of de-constructing their own songs has always led to some very interesting developments musically. One of my favorites is the Peel Session version of the 154 album track The Other Window. Listen to the Peel version then play the 154 version. Both versions good and both completely different. Finally the album was called 154 because it was said at the time that the band had played 154 gigs. 

Some old Synth Tat

I have recently started work on some music which I hope will be the the basis for my next album. I also recently got a new camera, so I decided to head up to the loft and do that cheesy thing and take a picture of my Keyboards/Synths. At the back we have an SH101. In front of that is an old Yamaha SY1 with a Melos echo chamber on top followed by a Yamaha DX100. In front. of the DX 100 is my old Boss DR-220 and next to that is a Casio PT-1. To the right is a Yamaha CS01 and on the far left is an Oxygen 8 midi keyboard. Not forgetting my old Dynatron Headphones which I do love. So there you go thats the lot. Now back to work for me.

Highdown Si Heartfield Re-mix

My good friend Mr Si Heartfield has done a wonderful Re-mix of the Consistently Mediocre and Daydreams album track Highdown. You can hear it here at Soundcloud. Its very good you know. It will appear on the forthcoming Rehacer Volume 4 due 1Q 2012.

Own Label Sainsburys Design

Very pleased today. After a bit of a wait the truly wonderful Jonny Trunk Own Label Sainsburys Design Studio book turned up.  Published by Fuel. This book is a must.

It all started in the mid 1970s, when I used to go shopping with my mother, in the local

Sainsbury’s. I remember all sorts about it, the hard brown tiled floor I used to crawl around on, the split sugar I used to stick my wet fingers into, and the own label packaging.

Jonny Trunk

Strange Albums

Now as you all probably know I do like strange and odd album artwork and The Thrift Store Art site has four galleries of strange and very odd album artwork from the 50s 60s and 70s. Some of it is quite good, some of it is out right racist and sexist and bloody odd in a very creepy way. Who came up with titles like Living with Lesbians, Game calling in HIFI, Where are the Dead? Jews for Jesus and Mr Ts Commandments? These are just a small selection of the album titles here. Definitely worth taking a look at.

Test Transmission Archive Reel 6

After some delay Test Transmission Archive Reel 6 is here. This time round we have music from The Cardiacs, North Sea Radio Orchestra, Johnny Morris, Simon Fisher Turner, Wendy Carlos, Douglas E Powell and much much more. Its a chilly old mix with some bright spells here and there.

Creepy Kids

This is one creepy freaky picture. For a lot more strange and also interesting things like this, then pop over to Childrens Bizzare. There's Captain Kangaroo and the Panda, Bottled Babies and loads of Clowns. Thanks go to Phantom Circuit who originally posted the Childrens Bizzare link onto Found Objects.

Discarded Photos, Mid-Century Book Design

Recently found this wonderful site VadeRetro, EarthGirl. Its full of wonderful found photos and images from 1950s 60s and 70s America. Also some very good childrens books. Here's some text from the site. My name is Anne, and my other tumblr is @judithsmutler. I only post original scans - if you see it here, I own it. The images I post were salvaged from being discarded by archives, bought at flea markets and estate sales, found, or inherited. Sometimes I will post interesting family photos, but generally the images are of people I have never met, and will never meet. I also post interesting books and ephemera and whatever else I find. Everything is high-res (or at least higher resolution than is evident at first), so it is worth clicking on them to see the better version.

Definitely worth a look.

DJ set Sunday 6th Nov

Another strange old evening of odd & intriguing audio at The King Street Tavern Southsea, Portsmouth. This time round I am joined by Mr Foot. It all starts at about 7.30/8.

A Short Break

Just got back from a short break in North Devon. Went to see my friend Mr Douglas E Powell.

Drunk some funny old beers and had a very nice time with the Powells. Myself Mrs Seatman and small wee Seatman went to Saunton Sands. Lots of exploring and Kite flying. Some lovely old Beach Huts there. On the way back to East Fuddlewitch we stopped of at Glastonbury Tor and did the long old walk to the top. For more Beach Huts go to my Flickr Page. 

Orbit Offsite 28th October

I was very excited to find out about this event on the Isle of Wight. But alas I can not go. So I thought best give it a mention. Quay Arts 2010 Open Winner; Katayoun Dowlatshahi investigates the hidden story of the rocket testing site in West High Down, Isle of Wight. 'Orbit' is a site specific response to the artist’s exploration of the Island and this work will be on show in the West Gallery at Quay Arts from the 22nd October - 3rd December 2011. The West Gallery, Quay Arts, Sea Street, Newport Harbour, Isle of Wight PO30 5BD
For the first time since the closure of the site in 1971, the event will see the return of working pulse jet rockets to the site by 11 apprentices from Astrium* in Portsmouth and Stevenage. The launch of a scale model of Black Arrow; three eminent speakers covering topics ranging from a historical, scientific and business perspective; a memory wall for those associated with the British Space Programme to contribute to either in the form of memories or artifacts; interactive activities for all ages, finally leading to a lantern launch at dusk. THE EVENT IS FREE! 

Daphne Oram at the Science Museum

 

On one of my weekly visits to the Sparks in The Electrical Jelly  blog page. I was very pleased to see a very in depth and informative post about the Daphne Oram Exhibition at The Science Museum. On show at the museum is Daphne's Oramics Machine. The exhibition is running until the 1st of December 2012. I'am of to pay it a visit at the end of the month. For more info on Daphne Oram check out Dan Wilson's article on Daphne Oram in the The Wire issue 330. And for all things Oram pay a visit to Daphne Oram an electronic music pioneer.

Its Now Time To Let Go

Have just uploaded a new tune to Myspace. The tracks called Its Now Time To Let Go. Have been working on a number of tunes for the next album. Three of the new tunes were played on Phantom Circuit 78 back in July. If all goes to plan the album should be finished by Spring/Summer 2012 (I Hope) Anyway have a bimble over to Myspace and have a listen.

At Last a some Vids

I finally have some vids for three tracks of my album Consistently Mediocre and Daydreams. Dazzling Display and Shipping Forecast was produced by my friend Mr S Heartfield. using clips from The Haunting The Innocents Light Houses and Stormy Seas. We Always Lose was put together by me. And was originally shown at Shndg 6.

Musical Oddness that I like

I quite like the Musical Oddness. And here are some fine examples of musical oddness that I like at the moment. I am not a huge fan of Alex Harvey but The Sensational Alex Harvey Band performing Jacques Brel's Next on the Old Grey Whistle Test works very well for me. Next up Mr Ivor Cutler playing his little ditty I'm Happy, and you just can't not feel happy watching it. This is followed by the wonderful Cardiacs with their promo vid for the song Tarred and Feathered.  Sadly Alex Harvey passed away in 1982, Ivor Cutler passed away in 2006. Poor old Tim Smith of the Cardiacs suffered a stroke and heart attack in 2008, and it is unlikely that we will hear from the Cardiacs in the forseeable future. Which is a bloody shame.

Pattern and Shape

Picked this up quite cheap a while ago.  There are four of Looking and Seeing book,  Pattern and Shape, The Development of Shape, The Shapes we Need and The Shape of Towns.

For more images from Pattern and Shape go here. Lots of pics of Harlow in this one.

A Day out by the sea with Noise and Oddness

Went to Brighton on Saturday with my friend Mr Stevens, who was playing at Splitting The Atom IV which was at The Green Door Store (just round the corner from the station. Very handy) We arrived a tad early so headed of down to the North Lanes to visit my favourite eating place in Brighton Kensingtons. Mr Stevens had one of the big Kensington Veggie breakfasts, and was more than satisfied with it. I had a rather wonderful Bacon and Avocado sandwich. After eating this we decided we should head back to the Green Door.
The Green Door Store is under Brighton Station (sort of) and is all stone cobbled floors and bear brick walls.  We hung around for a bit and had a beer, dropped our bags and cases of and headed back into Brighton. This time we popped into  Snoopers Paradise where I spent all of £2 on a couple of old Cine magazines from 1961. Mr Stevens picked up a couple of photos and a book. A swift pint in another pub and it was back to The Green Door Store to watch the excellent Noteherder and McCloud. Lots of throb and drone from an SH101 accompanied by a beautiful echo drenched Saxophone, what more could you want. Another fav of mine on the day was the wonderful Aqua Dentata  who for the duration of his set sat on a chair crossed legged and played a very haunting sweepy drone for about 20 mins. Nothing more nothing less, and it worked for me.  He also wore a very fetching jumper. Mr Stevens played a blinding and blistering noise set using an SH101 and a childrens flashy toy thing which was all going through his home made contraptions.  Mr Stevens was not to happy with his set, but I can assure you it was very good. After a few more swift beers it was of to the station for us to get the 9.33 home. I must briefly mention the annoying woman on the 9.33 who decided to talk to someone on her phone very very loudly about her holiday in Spain. Her top comment was "wel yer see there was only bout 7500 peeple killed in the Spanish inquisition over 300 years, so it won't that bad really, was it? know wot I mean" Rumour has it that there will be another Splitting the Atom in March. I def hope to go. So should you.

A couple of fine tunes and vids

Just a couple of fine tunes by Douglas E Powell and Simon Heartfield. Both totally different musical styles and totally different vids, and both hit the spot with me. Well done Gents.

Electronic Space Age Exotic Album Covers

If like me you love old obscure record cover Artwork, then you can not go wrong by having a look at Space Age Pop a Go - GO. Above is just a selection of some of the wonderful covers collected by Christopher Evens on this site. If Albums with titles like Hi Fi Fo Fum, Astro Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000, Bachelors Guide to the Galaxy, Hawaii goes a go - go, Mmm Nice! and Mallet Mischief are your thing, then you can't go wrong with this site. There does seem to be a lot of Pop - up - windows on this site, so make sure you have them pop ups blocked.

Test Transmission Archive Reel 5

Test Transmission Archive Reel 5 now on Mixcloud. This time round we have Sisters Of Transistors, Current 93, Carya Amara, The Seekers, Belbury Poly , Klaus Sultze and much much more.

Peter Zinovieff and EMS

A quick documentary on Peter Zinovieff founder of EMS Studios and inventor of the VCS3 Synth, Synthi 100 and Synthi A. I do not have one of these Synths, but I know a man who did.

VCS3

Synthi A

Something else from my past....Hydropera

In 1996 my friend Jack Packer and I were asked to produce an 18 minute piece of music to accompany a film produced by students at Plymouth University. The film was called Hydropera.  Film Students from Plymouth University had recently been to the Red sea to do some underwater filming. They decided that the film needed some weird old sounds so approached myself and Mr Packer to supply this sound/music. At the time Mr Packer and I were working together as Blister Sound Workshop. Which was us basically making lots of weird and odd sounds in our studio for other people.

We recorded Hydropera in one take on our trusted old Fostex Reel to Reel. We were sent the finished film spent a week or so getting the sounds that we wanted and then one Saturday afternoon we started recording. Just over 18 mins later we had finished. There was no over dubs everything was recorded live onto tape and then mixed. The cranky old equipment used was Yamaha CS-60, Sy-1 Synths. One set of Ring Spanners all hanging from a boom mike stand going through a Melos DE-1 echo unit. Roland R-5 Drum Machine, Roland S-10 Sampler, Yamaha SG 1000 and a couple of Yamaha SPX-90s.

So after rediscovering this piece of work, we have decided to make it available for all you out there. Please feel free to click on the Soundcloud link and download a copy of Hydropera for yourself. Thank you. Its FREE.

http://soundcloud.com/keith-seatman/hydropera/s-olEEc

Napster, Spotify, iTunes and Amazon.

Consistently Mediocre and Daydreams is now available to download from 

Napster. As well as Spotify, iTunes and Amazon.