Nick Masons Saucerful of Secrets

Have just picked up a couple of tickets for Nick Masons Saucerful of Secrets shows.
Did try to go to the London dates, but there was not much chance of that really, tix sold out very very swiftly. Anyway looking forward to it as Saucerful of Secrets (+ More) are sort off my most played Pink Floyd albums. Setlist for the London dates here

Found Objects: Shadows 75 to 78

Found Objects: Shadows 75 to 78: Shadows was a Thames TV supernatural/mystery series that ran for 3 seri es from 1975 to 1978. A ll the stories were supernatural/Ghost...

Found Objects: zupa pamięci (olstagia polskie)

Found Objects: zupa pamięci (olstagia polskie): Polish counterpart to Look Around You - well, not exactly (the model perhaps more on the lines of  Poland's Communist-era equivalent...

Advisory Circle, Ways of Seeing

The new one from The Advisory Circle arrived on my doorstep recently, so I took it for a spin. By this I mean I went for a long drive and had a listen to it on my very pleasant journey (A rather nice drive along the A342 to Devizes works) And can happily say, Ways of Seeing is a delight. 
Ways of Seeing was inspired by late 70s and early 80s melodic electronic library music. Jon Brooks cites Alan Hawkshaw, Francis Monkman, Suzanne Ciani, James Asher, and John Hyde’s work as Astral Sounds as influences on his sound. But Brooks’ production has a definite contemporary feel making it something more than a simple reconstruction or homage and setting these sparkling tracks adrift outside of time.
Two members of Friendly Fires make guest appearances; Ed Macfarlane on vocals on No Way Back, and Edd Gibson co-production on Scuba. (Ghostbox Records 2018)

Ways of Seeing by The Advisory Circle 
is due for release on 25th May on LP, CD and DL
Pre-orders open 4th May. 

Feel Free to be Disjointed and Odd on May 28th

Disjointed Oddities and Other Such Things is the 1st EP of Odd Strange Electronics, Psych, Radiophonics, Drone and quirky Folk by Keith Seatman. Track five on the EP is a remix of the 2015 album track Broken Folk, the original version of Broken Folk can be heard on the album A Rest Before the Walk. Broken Folk Spiricom Shakedown Remix is by Revbjelde who appear courtesy of Buried Treasure Records.
Release Date: 28thMay 2018.
CD and Digi Dowload Available from Bandcamp 
Also later in the year plans are in progress for a 12 inch EP,
but how that's coming out and whats going to be on it........ is for a later date.

Found Objects: An Orgy of Poe

Found Objects: An Orgy of Poe: Spirits of the Dead is a 1968 Omnibus trilogy  Directed by Roger Vadim, Louis Malle and Fedrico Fellini, and staring a mighty 1960s ico...

Buried Treasure Records, Revbjelde Remix album

Some time ago I got an email from the mighty Alan Gubby (Buried Treasure Records, Revbjelde) asking if I would be interested in remixing a Revbjelde track for a remix album that he had in mind. After I hesitated for about a second, I said yes please. So here we are a lot later and my remix of Revbjelde's track Cloister is now included in this Limited edition (100 copies) 16 track cd.  Featuring remixes from Revbjelde's 2017 debut LP by Assembled Minds, Time Attendant, The Twelve Hour Foundation, Keith Seatman, Zyklus & Revbjelde themselves. Also features remixes of Tony McPhee (The Groundhogs), Klaks, La Mort Subite plus rare downloads, live recordings & exclusive new material.  Very pleased (well chuffed is another word I would use) to have been asked to contribute to this project. 
Available from Bandcamp on or around 30th of April.

 Buried Treasure Records Soundcloud

Severance - Revbjelde

Arriving in my inbox the other day was the wonderful new three track release Severance, from those multi instrumentalist chaps Revbjelde. Three top notch tracks featuring all the glorious and exquisite instrumentation that was 1st heard on their debt LP Revbjelde.
I strongly recommend you should visit the Buried Treasure Bandcamp page and
purchase this three track gem.

The End of the line for Print NME

So its finally the end of the printed NME. The NME has been a freebie since Sept 2015, and have to admit I was still picking up a copy (HMV, Train Station) and still quite enjoying the read. So its a massive goodbye to the printed NME, I will Miss you and thank you for the mentions and reviews many years ago (Band I was in had single of the wk and some nice reviews)

Wyrd Kalendar: The Wyrd Kalendar Album - February Artist - Keith ...

Wyrd Kalendar: The Wyrd Kalendar Album - February Artist - Keith ...: Last year we prepared for the publication of the book Wyrd Kalendar... This year we are making ready an album of  the same name... ...

All Hold Hands for one last time.

All Hold Hands for one last time. Only 8 left then no more.

Available from Bandcamp

Found Objects: Toppers Beezers Dandys and an Empire

Found Objects: Toppers Beezers Dandys and an Empire: Recently I was having a clear out of the loft and getting things sorted for a carboot sale, when a came across a rather large pile of ol...

Disjointed Oddities and Other Such Things EP (Excerpts) and Maybe a 12inch

Due for release later in the year Disjointed Oddities and Other Such Things is the 1st EP of Odd Strange Electronics, Psych, Radiophonics, Drone and quirky Folk by Keith Seatman. Track five on the EP is a remix of the 2015 album track Broken Folk, the original version of Broken Folk can be heard on the album A Rest Before the Walk. Broken Folk Spiricom Shakedown Remix is by Revbjelde who appear courtesy of Buried Treasure Records Disjointed Oddities will be available as a CD and Digital download from Bandcamp later in 2018. Also there plans and negotiations in progress for a 4 track 12 inch single release somewhere along the line. This single will be a totally separate release consisting of reworks/remixes of 4 other previously released tracks which were co-written and sung by  Douglas E Powell. More news on that later in the year.

Archive Reel 32 (1st one this year)

After a bit of a break have finally got round to another mix (the 1st this year) all sorts of oddities for your listening pleasure. We have music from Johnny Cash, Daniel Johnston, Wall of Voodoo, Dorothy Ashby, Nancy & Lee, Kimya Dawson, Woody Guthrie, Suzanne Ciani, The Cramps, Lee Renaldo, Bruce Haack and loads more.
So until the next time...........Hope you enjoy. Another mix will be with you later in the year.

A few memories of Mark E Smith

A long time ago the band that I was in got a call from our manager informing us that we had some tour dates supporting The Fall. We were excited and also a tad nervous, there were all sorts of rumours about how Mark E Smith (depending on his mood) would treat his support bands. A few days later at a newly reformed Bunnymen gig, we were chatting to Les Paterson (Bunnyman Bass) and mentioned that we were playing with the Fall, and did he have any advice for us? Les Paterson laughed and said "He's alright is Mark" "Don't show no fear"
We were told what time to get to the venue, and arrived at that time, we said hello to everyone and were polite. Steve Hanley (Bass The Fall) was very chatty and friendly, but there was a strange atmosphere in the hall. Mark E Smith was late, but on his way…….When he finally arrived he walked into the hall and looked at us and instantly spoke "Who the Fuck are theyeerrrrr?" He was informed that we were the support band, and we were duly informed to Fuck of to the dressing roomeerrrrr. We sat in the dressing room waiting to be summoned. About 5 minutes before doors we were told to sound check.The atmosphere in the hall was even worse than before. At the end of the night as we were leaving we briefly saw MES, the look we received.... or maybe did not receive??? (maybe we were not even worth a MES scowl…who knows) was chilling.
The next date with them we again arrived on time, MES and band were already there and set up, we sheepishly entered the venue and were greeted by Saffron Prior who at the time was running Cog Sinister. MES saw us and said "alright lads", we headed to the dressing room but were told we could stay in the hall and watch the soundcheck. After the show MES was chatty funny and cheeky, managed to get a lot of cigarettes out of us and when we left said goodbye.
The final time we played with The Fall, we felt brave and decided to knock on Mark's dressing room door and say hello. This we did , and after a short wait Mark Smith came to the door. At first he looked like he was about to verbally rip us apart and  just stared at us for what seemed an eternity, then his face crumpled he smiled and said "Hello lads" we chatted he almost cleaned us out of cigarettes, lit a fresh cigarette with the one he was putting out, he took the piss, he was funny and very charismatic. After a while he said he had to get on, shook hands, patted patted a couple of us on the upper arm and disappeared into the dressing room muttering/mumbling. That was my Mark E Smith experience.

RIP Mr Smith
1957 - 2018

Jeffrey Siedler Logic Formations DVD A Buried Treasure

Over 2 hours of vintage 1970's style video graphics & modular atmospherics inspired by the super rare 1970's EMS Spectron video synthesizer. Produced by Australian academic Jeffrey Siedler, the DVD comes with an illustrated booklet written by Jeffrey & EMS wunderkid Richard Monkhouse who designed the original Spectron. Plus a 10 track album download of modular electronic music composed to accompany the videos.
Available from Buried Treasure Records
Sunday Experience full review

Spring or Maybe Summer 2018

Disjointed Oddities and Other Such Things

5 track ep. Spring (or Summer) 2018

1: A Child the Hare and the
Old Wooden Chair
2: Grey Lake
3: Behind the Curtain, Red Room
4: Something for Nothing
5: Broken Folk*
(Revbjelde's Spiricom Shakedown)

All tracks
Words and Music by Keith Seatman
Except*  Seatman & Powell
Music* Keith Seatman
Vocals and Lyrics* Douglas E Powell
Revbjelde appear courtesy of
Buried Treasure Records* 

BROKEN FOLK - REVBJELDE'S SPIRICOM SHAKEDOWN

Here is an excerpt of the *Revbjelde remix of my track Broken Folk. The original version of Broken Folk can be found on the 2015 album A Rest Before the Walk. The full version of this remix plus four new tunes will appear on the Disjointed Oddities and Other Such Things EP, which is due for release in spring/summer 2018.
Broken Folk by
Seatman & Powell
Music*
Keith Seatman
Vocals and Lyrics*
Douglas E Powell
Revbjelde appear courtesy of Buried Treasure Records*

 

 Buried Treasure Records is a UK label specialising in archived electronic,
tape, radiophonic, jazz, psych, folk & library sounds
 Revbjelde are Richard Bentley, Roy Goss & Alan Gubby plus a host of special guests including Dolly Dolly, Emma Churchley, Stuart Henderson & Luke Daniels.

Found Objects: Finishing Line

Found Objects: Finishing Line: Monday, 2 May 2016 As far as 1970s Public info films go, The Finishing Line has to be the most overlooked and hard hitting of them a...

Found Objects: Photoplay Devil Movies

Found Objects: Photoplay Devil Movies: Photoplay Film Monthly was the Empire Magazine of its day. In the 1970s we would have Photoplay delivered to our house every m...

Seasons Greetings to you all

Time to wish you all a very
Merry Christmas/Seasons Greetings/Yuletide Greetings

and a mighty all the very best to you all.
People get very excited about Christmas songs, so just for the record
my favorite Christmas songs this year (as last year) are

Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire
Christmas 1979.

Or Viv Albertine's Its a Christmas Single

Both jolly foot tappers and singalongs.

A Winter Digital Discount

Its coming to the end of the year, so its time for the Winter Digital Discount. In preparation of all sorts of projects/releases and an EP or 2 in 2018. You can now (if the mood takes you) download all 5 of my albums (Digital format) for £13.75p. That should warm you up over the bleak dark winter months.

Focal Point Basic Design

Its that time again..........another Test Transmission Archive Reel. Lots of recent acquisitions on here (things I have received and picked up over the last few months) So this time round what do we have??? We have Bongwater, The Sweet, Tom Waits, Ruth Wall & Jim Williams, Kikagaku, Delia Derbyshire, Princehorn Dance School, Sproatly Smith, The Y'alls FC Judd a couple from Buried Treasure Records (Yuri Morozow and Alan Sutcliffe) Some Ghostbox (Belbury Circle, The Focus Group and ToiToiToi) and something new from the mysterious Bell Prover.
Prob not going to get a chance to do another Test Transmission Archive Reel this year, so until the next one, Thanks for listening and have a fine chilly Winter (If we get one)

Time for some Echopet

Echopet (Jez Stevens/Keith Seatman) formed more as an enthusiasts club for SH101 and Melos analog delays and despite having good intentions the duo lay somewhat dormant until they were pitched in to performing a live sound/foley track to a silent horror fantasy film made in 1929 called The Terrors. Having completed this mission, with no apparent casualties, over a year went by before work as a duo recommenced. Another year later and we have a rare glimpse of the internal workings of Echopet, a project, it seems , largely dedicated to performance only.Spirit of Gravity

Working Hard

At present trying to work on a couple of projects for 2018. Hopefully there will be a CD/Digital EP out and also a 7in Vinyl EP, featuring reworkings of four tracks cowritten with Douglas E Powell taken from the last two albums (All Hold Hands and Off We Go, A Rest Before the Walk).
The Reworks are Boxes with Rhythms in, Broken Folk, My Morning Ritual and Mr Metronome. At present we do not know when the 7inch EP will be released and are currently considering, and looking into any offers that come our way to assist with the release of this single EP. Here are a couple of images secretly taken of the team working hard on projects for 2018.

 

Outward Journeys/Belbury Circle/John Foxx

 The rather superb Synth Pop sounds of The Belbury Circle (Plus John Foxx on 2 tracks) release their 1st album. The last Belbury Circle and John Foxx release was Empty Avenues back in 2013. If you are a fan of 80s synth/library music, then this is going to be right up your street. With Track titles like Transports, Heading Home, Light Industry and Cloudburst Five  (my personal fav at the mo) you really can't go wrong. The Haunting Forgotten Town is classic Quiet Man/John Foxx.

A joyfully re-imagined soundworld that draws heavily on
late 70s and early 80s synth pop and library music. 

 

Last Few CDs and a bit More

There are still a few CD copies left of all hold hands and off we go, for sale on Bandcamp. The copies in the Ghostbox Records Guests shop sold out a while ago. Once these are gone that will be it CD wise for the time being. Of course digital copies of all my albums can be purchased from bandcamp individually or as a super bumper bundle

Thank you to everyone who has played, reviewed and purchased all hold hands and off we go. There are plans for a CD EP in 2018 and also a 7inch vinyl release with Douglas E Powell in 2018 (providing we have the time and the funds)

Black Meadow: Tales from the Black Meadow - The Play - A Look Ba...

Black Meadow: Tales from the Black Meadow - The Play - A Look Ba...: The idea of performing the play in Whitby occurred at the very start. It sounded like a great idea. Some were dubious... After a while, on...

The Quietened Cosmologists – Pre-order Release Dates and Audio Clips

Pre-order available 12th September 2017.
Released 3rd October 2017.

From a Year in the Country Another superb themed compilation. 

The Quietened Cosmologists is a reflection on space exploration projects that have been abandoned and/or that were never realised, of connected lost or imagined futures and dreams, the intrigue and sometimes melancholia of related derelict sites and technological remnants that lie scattered and forgotten.

It takes as its initial starting points the shape of the future’s past via the discarded British space program of the 1950s to 1970s; the sometimes statuesque and startling derelict artifacts and infrastructure from the Soviet Union’s once far reaching space projects; the way in which manned spaceflight beyond Earth’s orbit/to the moon and the associated sense of a coming space age came to be largely put to one side after the 1969 to 1972 US Apollo flights.

Featuring audiological explorations by: Field Lines Cartographer Pulselovers Magpahi Howlround Vic Mars Unit One (Dom Cooper of Circle/Temple and The Straw Bear Band in collaboration with Al Hill) A Year In The Country Keith Seatman Grey Frequency Time Attendant Listening Center Polypores David Colohan

Available from  

A Year in the Country Shop 

Bandcamp 
Preview audio clips can be heard at
A Year in the Country Soundcloud Page

A couple of new tunes

A couple of new tunes. These are the first tunes that I have produced since the last album came out back in April. Not sure if these will end up on a new album? or might try to release an Ep (Vinyl) Also maybe plans if possible to release an EP with Douglas E Powell (see previous post) of course all of this depends on time and finances, so who knows?
 

A bit of Pop/Punk/Psychobilly is good for you.

I have always had a soft spot for The Cramps. This should come as no surprise to anyone that knows me, but does seem to confuse some people I have met who seem to think that I sit around all day listening to strange and obscure Electronic/Avent-garde music Reading MR James, Robert Aickman and discussing Public info Films (ok sometimes I might)
So with that in mind here are a few albums that have been with me since teenage years and are played on a regular basis in the house whilst Hoovering and washing up and pottering around. There are other albums I could include here (Swell Maps Marineville a superb pop/noise/punk psych classic) but all three of these albums in my opinion are true singalong foot tapping greats. 1st up is The Cramps Off the Bone.

What more could you ask for here??? A Cramps compilation of obscure 50s Rock'n'Roll/Rockerbilly cover versions plus a healthy number of Cramps originals, all in a 3D cover (I still have the glasses) covering the Iillegal Records years 79 to 83. Garbage Man is a major foot tapper, and Some New Kind of Kick still reminds me of The Fall (Replace Lux's voice with Mark E Smith impersonation and you'll see what I mean)

The Ramones Its Alive has got to be one of the best live albums of all time. Recorded at The Rainbow Theatre London New Years Eve 1977 and was released in 1979. The album is an absolute cracker and contains most tracks from the 1st three Ramones albums (Ramones, Leave Home and Rocket to Russia) I remember when I first got this album I played it to death. Some years later I finally got to see The Ramones Live and was not disappointed. of course the ups and downs and inner conflicts within the band are now well documented, Johnny's Political views (Right), Joey's views (Left), Tommy leaving, Marky Drinking, Dee Dee's Rap album see End of the Century Documentry), Joey not speaking to Johnny for years. But all of that can never take away how exciting and bloody awesome this album and the band truly were.

Next up has to be the Undertones 1st album. I know its probably a cliche, but from the moment I heard Teenage Kicks on John Peel I was hooked, then seeing the band on TOTP shortly later just confirmed it all for me (Their Old Grey Whistle Test appearance is fantastic) As soon as the album came out in May 1979 I got a copy. The Undertones were in fact signed to Sire Records, the same label as the Ramones. I was also fortunate enough to see them on tour in March and Sept 79 and managed to meet the band on both occasions after the shows (I was still at School and got home late on both occasions) All members of the band were fantastic and very sociable and shared their drinks and cigarettes with all of us. As for the album it is a pop classic. Jump Boys, Billys Third, I Know a Girl, Male Model. All superb and very catchy sing along tracks. It really is a perfect pop album.

Found Objects: An Edwardian Railway and the Ghosts of Punks Past

Found Objects: An Edwardian Railway and the Ghosts of Punks Past: In June 1903 The Meon Valley Railway was opened and operated with passengers until 1955. Goods traffic remained on sections of the line u...

Hare and the Moon/Grey Malken Reviews all hold hands hands

A Review for all hold hands and off we go by
Grey Malken/Hare and the Moon (Active Listener 2017)

 

Hampshire artist Keith Seatman beckons us to return to his spooked, analogue world with his fifth album 'All Hold Hands And Off We Go', the follow up to 2015's masterful folk flecked slice of electronic pastoralism 'A Rest Before A Walk'. With a back catalogue of haunted gems as well as being the architect behind the highly recommended Test Transmission mixes, Seatman is quietly cementing a reputation as one of the foremost and most influential of electronic explorers in the inhabited by fellow travelers Belbury Poly, The Advisory Circle and Concretism. 'All Hold Hands And Off We Go' more than cements this; this is possibly Seatman's finest yet and an album which seems to unveil more depth, detail and riches upon each successive encounter.

The brief ominous hum and distant chatter of voice that opens 'A Lighthouse Might Look Long' provides a startling and pleasingly disorientating beginning to proceedings before the driven and urgent synth stomp of 'All Hold Hands And Off We Go' accelerates the listener into a metallic and neon filled dream. Electronic drumbeats propel the whirling strings and twisted carnivalesque keys and chimes; both exhilarating and disconcerting this ably sets out Seatman's stall and leaves some other 'hauntology' or electronica acts seem tame and plodding in comparison. 'Skipping Rope' goes even further down the rabbit hole, a descending synth motif merges with a children’s' song, music boxes and clattering percussion to create a truly spectral and ghost filled vision that begs repeat listening; nightmares have rarely sounded quiet so delicious. Next, 'Mr Metronome' eases the pace to a stately, dystopian glacial grandeur, strings framing vocalist Douglas E Powell's breathtaking performance; fans of John Foxx, should immediately seek this out. Should an alternative soundtrack to Ben Wheatley's 'High Rise' be needed then he need look no further; this is both chilling and addictive. 'Left behind, Lost Or Dropped' screams into view, propelled by insistent keys and increasingly frantic drumbeats, it's melody (as Seatman's seem to) getting under the listener’s skin and into the imagination; this music conjures visuals like almost no other. Next, 'Four Steps At A Time' shrouds its glistening melodies in a cosmic wind, echoes from a past within the present ricocheting and returning around the steady electric beat. Haunting and curiously uplifting, this track exemplifies the layers and careful construction involve din Seatman's mini symphonies, there is so much going on here that repeated listens are ably rewarded. 'Odd In A Nightcap and Cup' posits backwards effects amidst synthetic voices and analogue bleeps and whirrs before an organ harmony plucked straight from some decaying old Hollywood film hovers into view; this music is filled with ghosts. 'Tap Tap' is a foreboding slice of future sock; rasping keyboards and a colossal sounding drums give an indication perhaps of what Black Sabbath might have sounded like in alternate universe had they formed with a battery of Korg synths rather than conventional instruments. 'Boxes With Rhythms In' returns Douglas E Powell to the helm for an album highlight, a shimmering jewel of a song, banks of strings and keys creating a processional march of no small power. The album concludes with 'Of salt And candy', a children’s' nursery rhyme resonating against electronic howls and gusts; an ending befitting the otherworldly nature of what has come before.

This is a masterclass in atmosphere and mood but also in melody and song craft; Seatman has composed an album that lingers long after it has finished, it leaves its own ghosts behind and delightfully so. This is essential listening but don't stop here; seek out Seatman's earlier albums for more treasures. Available now from KS Audio on CD and as a download from Bandcamp
Grey Malken (Hare and the Moon 2017)

We are Cult Review

Short extract from the We are Cult Review of all hold hands and off we go

Sometimes it’s very pretty. Sometimes it makes you glance out of the window to make sure that there aren’t people wearing Badger Masks stood menacingly at the end of your drive. Sometimes it’s both of those things. It’s intriguing, inventive stuff, quite bouncy in places, and the propulsive title track motors along with infectious energy like a sort of 70s children’s TV version of Can. We Are Cult highly recommend all hold hands and off we go. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s some men with Badger Masks outside and I’m looking for a broom.

Martin Ruddock  (We are Cult July 2017)

For full review and many many other interesting things click on link to

We Are Cult

What Next????? There is a Plan (Maybe)

A while back I had the idea to maybe rework (polish and tidy up) four of the tracks that have appeared on the last two albums (all hold hands and off we go, A Rest Before the Walk) which feature the vocals and lyrics of Douglas E Powell. I trekked down to North Devon to have a bit of a summit meeting with Doug and to discuss this idea and maybe release four tracks on a 7inch EP. Doug liked the idea, so in July this year, after a long old slog in Doug's studio we finally finished the music side of this project. There are still some vocals to re-record, but getting there. The Tracks are Boxes with Rhythms in, My Morning Ritual, Broken Folk and Mr Metronome.

We are not sure when the EP will be released...........at first we were optimistic that it was going to get released by another label, but that has fallen through now, so unless we get interest and someone else picks this up, we will probably release the EP ourselves sometime in 2018. I have now also started to record new tracks myself. Not sure what I will do with these??? again might end up on an album or I might do another EP myself??? Who knows???