Charity Shop LP Finds

Have had some really good charity shop LP finds recently. BBC Hi Tech FX, Honky Tonk Nickelodeons, The Many Moogs of Killer Watts, Mike Sammes Singers, Pentangle and a very Persuasive Percussion. Side one of the BBC Hi Tech album has lots of Computor/Fax/Printer/Disc Drive effects, but side 2 has some wonderful compositions by Dick Mills, Malcolm Clarke and Simon Hancock. Killer Watts is an odd one lots of Moog variations of film scores. Good the Bad and the Ugly is entertaining but Amazing Grace is down right dire and cringe worthy. The last track Now Here This is a composition by Derek Scott who plays most of the Moogs (and an ARP 2600 as well) on the Album and is an absolute corker. I do intend to use this track and others from these LPs on Mixcloud later in the year.

Splitting the Atom VII a Grand Day Out.

Had a wonderful time playing at Splitting the Atom VII in Brighton on Saturday 23rd June. Got there a tad early with my friend Mr Packer (who carried my extra baggage and bought me beer) but we also had to leave early later in the day to get a train so missed AK/DK, but really enjoyed all that I saw. Before I went and got my lunch I caught The Bald Knobbers. I have seen these chaps before and really enjoy the wonderful cacophony of sound that they create with Drums and Bass and Sax and Bells and Violins and everything else that seems to come to hand. Also bumped into one of the Noteherder and McCload chaps, and had a chat. Saw Noteherder and McCloud at a previous Splitting the Atom, and very much like what they do. Later in the day I caught Andi Brown (These Feathers Have Plumes) Andi produces what can only be described as a beautiful haunting soundscape using 3 or 4 large Brandy glasses filled to a certain level with water. Then by running her finger round the glass rim and also using a violin bow the sound is treated using various effects to create her soundscape. Definitely worth catching if you can. I also played a set myself which was very well recieved, but alas due to my stupid camera deciding not to work I have no movies pics or audio of my set. A great day in a good venue organised by the very helpful (thanks for the table)  Mr Graham Newbury (Club Zygotic) who informed me that he had in fact recorded my set. So there is a chance that I might get a copy of it at a later date. Thanks to Graham Geoff and everyone else who helped me on the day and made me feel very welcome. I hope to return?

Len Lye

Len Lye was born in 1901 in Christchurch New Zealand and is mainly known for his work as an experimental Film maker and his Kinetic sculptures. As a Student Lye became interested in experimenting with kinetic sculptures and developed a desire to make films. In 1926 Lye moved to London and joined the Seven and Five Society (later to be renamed The Seven and Five Abstract Group), and began to make films for the GPO film unit and later The Crown Film Unit producing wartime public Information Films. A collection of Lye's work and Kinetic sculptures can be seen at the Govet Brewster Art Gallery New Zealand. "One of my art teachers put me onto trying to find my own art theory. After many morning walks...an idea hit me that seemed like a complete revelation. It was to compose motion, just as musicians compose sound. [ The idea ] was to lead me far, far away from wanting to excel in...traditional art." Len Lye

New Album track A Slight of Hand (excerpt)

Yet another track of the new album, which now has a title and artwork (more of that later). The album will probably not see the light of day until the New Year. This tune was jointly written with my friend Mr Packer, who also plays Bass on it. For the 1st time in a few years I dug my Guitar out of the loft and used it on this track.

The New Sound of Music

In 1979 the BBC produced this documentry, presented by Michael (Screen Test) Rodd which was about the rise of new technology in music. From Barrel Organs Pianolas and Phonograph to the VCS 3, The Yamaha CS-80. Many faces from the BBC Radiophonic workshop. Malcolm Clarke demostrates the Synthi 100, Dick Mills works on sound effects for Doctor Who using a VCS3 unit, and Elizabeth Parker uses bubble sounds to create music for an academic film on particle physics. The presenter Michael Rodd tinkers with some tape splicing and creates some Musique Concrete. Peter Zinovieff of EMS fame (VCS3 Synthi A) is featured using his computer music studio to create some electronic variations on classic vintage scores. 
I personally loved this program, because many many years ago I was in a position where I had to create sounds from nothing and work with Reel to Reels Tape Splicing and some very old analogue equipment (some of which is still around) All good fun really. In fact I recently converted quite a few of these sounds to digital files. Should do something with them one day.

Paulus The Gnome

Paulus was originally a Dutch Newspaper comic strip and also book character created by Jean Dulieu. Paulus the Woodgnome was broadcast in the UK from 1967 to 1968 and was narrated in the UK by Arther Lowe. The story of Paulus is this, Paulus is the keeper of the wood and is assisted by all his animal friends. Out to get him is Eucalypta the witch. Thats it really story wise. I remember watching this on what must have been re-runs in the 70s. And I can tell you now that Eucalypta the witch scared the hell out of me. In hindsight of course Eucalypta the witch does not look that scary, in fact she just looks like a character out of the Muppets. But to me at the time as the intro song said "she's out to get you" I am sure she was, and still is.

Live at Splitting the Atom VII Brighton 23rd

I have been asked to play a live set at Splitting the Atom VII at The Green Door Store in Brighton on Saturday June 23rd. I have not played live for about year so a tad nervous, but also a tad excited. Have been to a couple of these Splitting the Atom events with my friend Mr Stevens who was playing there himself. Really enjoyable event, with 1st class atmosphere, so very pleased to given the chance to play at one myself. You can expect all sorts of strange noise, drone and electronic oddness to go on. For more info go to Splitting the Atom Facebook.

Simon Heartfield, Secret Self

I have had the good fortune to have known and worked with Mr Heartfield for about 25 years, and in that time I do not think there has not been a moment when Simon has not stopped recording and writing music. Mr Heartfield recently remixed my album track Highdown and I still am one third of Seatman Separator with Simon and Mr Packer. I also did the vocal duties on Simon's track Once at the Border of his Venom and Eternity album. Simon's new Album Secret Self on Wolftrap records has just been released, and the other night I went to Simon's album launch, which was very packed. Personal album favs of mine are the tracks Under the Beach and the haunting and errie Babal Stalker. Simon's meticulous remix of the Ipso Facto track Six and Three Quarters (Six Point Seven Five on the album) is yet another fine remix by Simon. The slow teasing build up and climax on the track Greenwood Place just leaves you wanting more and checking over your shoulder. In the words of John Le Mesurier "Its all been rather lovely"

Phantom Circuit 98

Phantom Circuit #98 (6th May 2012) by Phantom Circuit on Mixcloud

The ever wonderful Phantom Circuit has included Simon Heartfield's remix of my album track Highdown on Phantom Circuit 98. What top chap he is.

Beltane/Beltain, Burning the Wickerman

At the weekend I attended The Festival of Beltain (spelt Beltane or Beltain) at Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire. The highlight of the event was the burning of the Wickerman at 9pm. Beltane is a celebration of the glory of spring at its height and also marked the beginning of the summer. Beltane translated means "fire of Bel" or "bright fire" A wonderful time was had, and the burning of The Wickerman was very spectacular and quite eerie, and no one mentioned Edward Woodwood which I was expecting. With a beer tent selling lots of strange ales and cider everyone seemed in very good spirits (I was driving so a tiny tiny sip of Cider was all I had) I will def go again next year, just have to work out how to get there without driving. For more images go to my flickr page

More Christian Album Covers

I am sure they did not look like this on Top of The Pops when singing their hit Street Life.

Not Today ?????

I promise I will be in Church this week.....honest

 

I already said I would

mmmmmmmmmm not to sure about that

Now on Bandcamp

My album Consistently Mediocre and Daydreams is now available from Bandcamp.

To my knowledge it is still available on iTunes and Amazon until May 5th. After that date this album and any future releases will only be available on Bandcamp.

Splitting the Atom Brighton June 23rd

I was very pleased to be asked to play at Splitting the Atom in Brighton on June 23rd at The Green Door Store.  I do not play live much, and this is an area which I am sort of trying to address, but other things always seem to get in the way. Last year I played live twice and also performed  four DJ sets, so not really a full diary there. So getting asked to play on the 23rd has got me quite excited. Not sure what time I am on, as soon as I get more details I will update this post. For more details please visit Club Zygotic on Facebook. Best I dust down the mixer and the synths and get them ready. The line up so far is  AK/DK+ THE BAD BLACK DOTS(Drum Eyes/Crayola Lectern)+ AQUA DENTATA+ THESE FEATHERS HAVE PLUMES+ PHIL JULIAN/JOHN MACEDO+ HUH 5 PIN+ DALE CORNISH+ CASTLE FREAK+ LEGALLIENNE+ THEE BALD KNOBBERS+ KEITH SEATMAN+ Dj DYLAN NYOUKIS

Happy 30th Birthday ZX Spectrum

30 years ago today the ZX Spectrum made its 1st appearance. After saving every penny I had, by June 1982 I had one. I also had the games Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy, The Hobbit and Death Race. The next 6 months of my unemployment sailed by.  For more on the design and concept behind the ZX Spectrum go here. Happy Birthday Spectrum. 

Sesame Street & Phillip Glass

Every Friday and Sunday when I get the chance I try to catch Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone and Freakier Zone. What I like about the shows is that you can always hear something new or odd or just downright bloody interesting. Last weeks Freakier Zone was a perfect example. The show was all about Childrens Music. Stuart Maconie played music from the series Vision on, Children of the Stones, The Moomins Ivor The Engine and a collaboration between Moondog and Julie Andrews for the album Songs of Fun and Nonsense. If all that was not enough he played The Geometry of Circles, which was written for Sesame Street by Phillip Glass. The Geometry of Circles can be found on YouTube, but of course I have included it here.

Highdown Remix/Rehacer Vol 4

Simon Heartfield's remix of my album track Highdown, is available to preview now on Soundcloud. Highdown is part of the new Rehacer Vol:4 ep from those lovely Under Your Nose Chaps. Other remxes by Simon Heartfield on the ep are tracks by Udy, Mr Meeble and Kamikaze Space Programme. For all formats visit Bandcamp.

Moving to Bandcamp

After nearly a year of being available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. As from May 6th (or thereabouts) I will be moving my album Consistently Mediocre and Daydreams over to Bandcamp. My new album which I do hope to release later in the year will also be available from Bandcamp. Bandcamp link will be posted on all my sites and places after May 6th.

GPO Film Unit & Lazlo Moholy-Nagy

This wonderful old film was produced by The GPO Film unit in 1933. What is really interesting about this short film is that the Abstracts are credited to Lazlo Moholy-Nagy.

Moholy-Nagy was born in 1895 in Austria-Hungary (now The Republic of Hungary) and from 1923 to 1928 Moholy-Nagy taught and worked at The Bauhaus. In 1935 Moholy-Nagy moved to London and designed the sets for Producer Alexander Korda's film Things to Come. Alas these sets were never used. In the GPO film Unit's The Coming of the Dial we see that as soon as the films titles and the trumpet intro fade, a fine example of Moholy-Nagy's modernist abstract light scluptures start. For more info on the GPO film unit go here Also worth checking out is Len Lye's wonderful work for the GPO Film Unit Rainbow Dance and A Colour Box.

Test Transmission Archive Reel 8

Test Transmission Archive Reel 8 by Keith Seatman on Mixcloud

This time round we have  music from Kemper Norton, Belbury Poly, 13th Floor Elevators, The Mighty Sun Ra, Julian Cope, Keith Mansfield, Lower Dens and much much more.

Yet again another Old Recording from my past 94/96

Recently whilst rummaging through an old suitcase in the loft. I found a box containing a number of cassettes. These cassettes were recordings I did from 1994/96. All sorts of musical oddness and some  musical crapness on the cassettes. But on one particular TDK cassette there is a long synth drone type tune that I quite like. I remember recording this track on an old Fostex X-15 4 track. I also used a Roland SH 09 a Roland R5 Drum machine, Roland S-50 and an old Yamaha CS-60. The track is 13.25 mins long and is untitled. I have left all the tape hiss on the track and have not attempted to tidy it up at all. If you would like to hear it, I have uploaded the track to soundcloud.