2 Canadian Girls and Toilets of the World

Have just got hold of a copy of Sian James and Morna E. Gregory's wonderful book Toilets of the World. Published by Merrell of London,  Toilets of the World is basically a book packed with pictures and discriptions of..........................................Toilets. Yep its that simple, and its that great. Fastastic high Tech toilets to holes in the ground. These ladies have been there, written about them and photographed them. As it says on their site. 2 Canadian girls, 6 continents, 27 countries, 9 months, 142 toilets…Works for me. In fact I did read some of it on the toilet.

Django Django

My friend Mr Heartfield recently lent me the album by Django Django entitled Django Django.

What a wonderful album it is indeed. I will make no attempt to review the album as its seems to have got the thumbs up across the board, so nothing I can ad would do it justice. Having said that I will say, if you like jangly guitars wobbly sounding synths strange old reverbs Robyn Hitchcock, and Sid Barrett era Pink Floyd then go check Django Django. My fav track is Hail Bop. For more Django Django bimble along to Soundcloud.

Behind Blue Eyes and Sam The Record Man

I got an email last weekend from Anne Marie Klein asking me if she could use my photo of the Sam The Record Man shop in Toronto. Anne Marie wanted to use the photo on the Facebook page for her new Novel Behind Blue Eyes. The story starts in Sam's on summers day in 1978. For more info on the book and Anna Marie visit Behind Blue Eyes Facebook page or to purchase go to lulu.com. Of course I did say yes to Anne Marie with regards to the photo. Having spent quite a lot of time in Toronto, how could I ever have said no. 

Splitting The Atom VI

Its that time again. Popping into Brighton on Saturday 7th April with my friend Mr Stevens who will be playing a live set sometime that day at Splitting The Atom VI at The Green Door Store Really enjoyed the last one, all very interesting with electronic oddness. Just up my Street plus a nice day out in Brighton.

Seatman Separator Mercury Trax 4. On Bandcamp

After quite a few years, at last here are 3 new tracks by Seatman Separator. Seatman Separator are Simon Heartfield, Jack Packer and myself.  Since 1999 Seatman Separator have released 6 albums and 3 EPs. MercuryTraxVol 1 Spring 1999, Claw Summer 2000, Music of..... Summer 2001, Basic Electronic  Principles Summer 2002, Auto Suggestion  Summer 2003, MercuryTrax  Vol 2 Summer 2004, Navigation October 2005, Ten minutes after the end of Gravity Jan 2007, MercuryTrax  Vol 3 2009. Mercury Trax IV is their 10th release and is available to download from Bandcamp. The cover was designed me, and the lovely artwork photo is courtesy Grebo Grey.

The Woodcraft a new tune and vid

Here is the video for The Woodcraft a track from my new album. The video was filmed at Avebury, West Wittering and The South Downs. I hope to release the album in Aug/Sept this year. Many thanks to Allison, Caitlin, Amelia and Matilda.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Finally got the widget to work

Test Transmission Archive Reel 7 by Keith Seatman on Mixcloud

Been having a few browser probs recently. But finally got the widget to work. I am now living in the jet age.

Bruce Haack

Up to 4 years ago I had never heard of the musician Bruce Haack. I 1st came across his work when I picked up a copy of the Rough Trade CD Electronic: 01. There was one Bruce Haack tune on the album, Mean Old Devil. With its odd and quirky electronics and vocoder style vocals I decided it was time to find and hear more. Bruce Haack was born on May 4 1931 in Alberta Canada. In 1954 Haack met what would be a lifelong friend Ted Pandel. Haack and Pandel appeared on the I've Got a Secret Show demonstrating The Dermatron which was a touch and heat sensitive electronic instrument. Bruce Haack was a musically inventive children’s songwriter of the 1960s and ’70s, and teamed up with the childrens dance Teacher Esther Nelson whom he collaborated with on childrens music. Haack made synths and modulators out of any gadgets and surplus bits and pieces he could find. As the 60s progressed Haack released his 1st rock influenced album Electric Lucifer. Up to then Haacks recorded output was mainly chidrens educational records The Dance Sing and Listen series
In 2005 the documentry film Haack The King of Techno was released. In places the documentary is a tad poor, with not a lot of info about Haack's recording techniques and the technology he used and developed. Also would have been nice to have more on the work produced by Haack and Esther Nelson. That said there is still enough interesting bits in there to make it worth a watch. Bruce Haack passed away in Sept 1998. 

Religious/Christian Album Covers

 Are You Really?

 And very excited they are to

 Steady on now

Should I call Social Services

 Take that unbelievers

mmmmmmmm......no thanks

He is!!!!!............Run away

After a busy old day trawling around the internet here are a number of awesome religious/Christian album covers.  Its all very touchy feely with this lot. 

Robert Rental and The Normal

I recently rediscoverd The Robert Rental and Thomas Leer Album The Bridge. I had forgotten how great this album was. So I thought time to see if there is anything on Robert Rental and Thomas Leer on Youtube. I was very pleased to discover on my search, not just Robert Rental and Thomas Leer but a short film on the Robert Rental and The Normal (Danial Miller/Mute) collaboration. Robert Rental and Danial Miller collaborated on the 1979 Rough Trade tour supporting Stiff Little Fingers and Essetial Logic. The only recording of this collaboration was the one sided Live at West Runton Pavillion EP (Rough US 2) So I was very very pleased to find this short film of their live performance. Robert Rental only released two singles the excellent Paralysis/ACC. Released on Rentals's own Regular Records and Double Heart on Mute Records. Sadly Rental died of lung cancer in 2000 at the age of 48. For even more in depth info on Robert Rental, Thomas Leer and The Normal go check out The Same Mistakes music blog

The Modern Antiquarian

I recently got hold of a copy of the Julian Cope book on Stone Circles and Megalithic Britain The Modern Antiquarian. I visited Avebury last year for the 1st time and was blown away by the size and scale of the place. So this coffee table colossus was a must. I have always liked and followed Mr Cope's music, even though sometimes I admit I have drifted from it. But likewise I always seem to drift back to him. Now I know that Mr Cope has been called Barmy, Nuts, Bonkers and other such things. His exploits of the past are well documented. Performing Passionate Friend on Top of the Pops on Acid or cutting himself up and quoting Kenneth Williams from Carry on Cleo "Infamy infamy they've all got it infamy" during  Reynard the Fox at The Hammersmith Palais.  Julian Cope may be a tad eccentric, but nothing wrong with that. Julian Cope spent 8 years compiling and writing this book, and it leaves you in no doubt about Mr Cope's passion for this subject. The book is packed full (and I mean Full) of photos essays information  and Ordnance Survey grid references, regarding these Megalithic sites. What is particularly enduring about the photos in the book, is at times its like a glimpse into Cope family world. With images of Julian's wife Dorian and the kids sitting and standing at all these old megalithic sites and even a picture on page 285 of the remains of the family car, after it had blown up. The BBC produced a programme of the same name in mid 2000. In 2004 Julian Cope released his 2nd book on this subject The Megalithic European. For more and up to date info visit The Modern Antiquarian. Also have a visit to Dorian Cope presents On this deity. Its definitely a family affair in the Cope house.

Vintage IBM

Found these wonderful old Vintage IBM ads here at the IBM site. Lots of lovely vintage IBM ads and photos. definitely worth a look. 

Sunday March 11th

Keith Seatman and Simon Heartfield will be playing from 7.30pm at The King St Tavern Southsea on Sunday March 11th. Dub Funk Post Punk Radiophonics Electronics Soundtracks Soul Krautrock and all sorts of other Audio Oddities.

Sam the Record Man

On a visit to Toronto a  few years ago I was a bit sad to see that Sam the Record Man on Yonge and Gould had closed. Over the years I have visited Toronto many times, and on these visits would always pop into Sam the Record Man for a Coffee and a Browse. Sam the Record Man closed in June 2007. The Iconic neon record signs were lit for the last time in October 2008. I only recently found this photo and movie I took of the shop front. You can just make out the large neon records of Sam's lit up towards the middle of the movie. For more images and info on Sam the Record Man and Toronto things, check out the Lost Toronto Blog.

Test Transmission Archive Reel 7

Finally at last after countless upload problems here is Archive Reel 7. This time round we have music from Spacedog, Kevin Ayers, The Caretaker, Wall of Voodoo, Bruce Haack a track from the new Belbury Poly Album Belbury Tales, and loads more.

New Album Tracks (excerpts)

I have finally uploaded 4 new tunes (excerpts) to Soundcloud. The 4 tunes are to be included on my new album, which I hope to release in Sept/Oct 2012. The tunes can be heard here.

Some Old Apples

I have been a user of Apple computers for a very very long time. I have always refused to get into the Apple vs PC debate because basically you use whatever tool is good for the job you are doing. And if you use a PC or Apple then thats up to you. I went from a Spectrum to a Commodore to a Mac SE30 and stayed with the Mac from then on. Anyway I do like these old ads for Macs, but not sure what is going on with the Girl and the chap in the 3rd ad down. I will try to not worry about it to much, but I am a tad concerned.

Amazon.com not .UK???????????

Finally have found out why my album is not available to download from Amazon UK. It would seem that Tunecore and Amazon UK/EU have had a bit of a falling out over money (no surprise there), and so Amazon UK/EU have taken all music distributed by Tunecore down. The daft thing is that Amazon.com are still selling all this music. Tunecore are blaming Amazon UK/EU and Amazon UK/EU are blaming Tunecore.  For the next album might have to try someone else. But for now though my album can still be downloaded from iTunes (UK Worldwide) Spotify and good old Amazon.com. 

Not Quite What They Wore

From Mechanix Illustrated March 1961, we are informed that "This is what they will wear on the Moon" Nope.........................I do not think Neil Armstrong wore one of them. But its the thought that counts. It does remind me that I do need a new swing bin. I picked this copy up at a car boot sale. Lots more images from Mechanix Illustrated at Found Objects.

Coming Soon in Feb

Coming soon.................but not yet.