Thursday already. Seem to be resolved to playing Bearded totally live, gonna hold off on the Octatrack until I get one to try at length for review. Should really think about SW7 and what I'll do there, may take Synthi, Repeater, Electribe and Eventide effects. That should be enough to make some wacko noises. Should have something in mind I guess but don't seem to. UFOs, hmmm.

I seem to be resolved to selling the Filterbank 2 now, and possibly the Minimax. Could so easily sell that Virus C and replace it with a B actually. I truly hate the orange screen on it, wonder how easy it would be to replace?

Great night, stopped over with Dave Fell watching the stars and tripping nicely. In the morning saw dancing hares. Most excellent. Still sunny today, work boy if you can!

Up early this morning, not sure why. I started the Neal Stephenson but didn't get far. A style of writing I'm not keen on: smug, self-satisfied, wordy without reason. Moved on to the Paul Auster and was instantly pleased I had. I can see why Tim recommended it too, like a (much) better version of how I write. And already I want to read it all. The sun is shining today too, a perfect day to sit in the conservatory and read, which I must force myself not to do. Work boy, work!

Haha! I did three tracks yesterday, three that had been started in some form or other but basically I completed 'em and sent off. I think one is good, one OK and the other I ain't sure of yet... I did have a wee smoke to help me along so judgement could be impaired. :)

Sold Perfourmer. Will I regret it? At least to a nice guy. Didn't get much work done today, pottered with "machine" a bit, a track with some potential. Explained to Spectrasonics again about envelopes. Got recording of gig (good) and cleaned it up very slightly. Only one really odd part, which was a random loop I dialled up on the Repeater. Having dedicated controls handy would have helped me save that bit I think, taking it down to 1BPM always does something interesting.

Asked some questions of Elektron, the reply should help me decide whether to sell more gear and get an Octapad now. Octatrack. Octatrack, why can't I remember that??

Got gig video too, looks good, not watched more than a few mins so far but will. Not a busy day if I'm still typing eh? Not gonna touch novel again unless I get some feedback, it'll remain a flawed and weird thing. Sketching out new one in my mind. Started the other day but held back now until I have an actual plot! Otherwise another start that goes nowhere.

Read my latest review and I think I was less critical than I'd intended. Not sure why, perhaps one revision too many. Still makes the points I wanted but in a wishy-washy way I think.

Um, had my bits looked at today. Cleaned and tested Perfourmer. How come stuff sounds its best when you're about to sell it? Will I regret selling? Sigh...

Gig went well, very pleased. Got all put back together today in the studio so I could continue with review tonight. Good progress there, hope to finish tomorrow if I can.

Tired though, the late drive last night still taking its toll.

Future Art Factory

My novel was published today, on Kindle. Which is nice. I sent out loads of spammy emails to folks telling them to invest 71p in it. They'd better. :)

Started new track: the nuclear option.

Colin added some nice preset MIDI CCs that control the Repeater, Proteus and Fantom. Forgot to ask for the Lancet's two or three CCs but that's OK, I'm happy.

uploaded new track "polymers" today and did a few little jobs but nothing substantial. Took the frogspawn.

Good progress last night, did most of a new track and polished the last one's drums. Happy now. Had a quick look through gig and decided what songs I'll play, should be no probs. Hoping Colin can sort my Repeater CC control or I'll have to take the Remote 25.

Worrying noises from both the V-Synth and Virus. Will make sure I only use low resource Virus patches to avoid disaster.

Some very surreal news about M&T. Looks like it may even make the nationals.

Today did very little but got review deadline and wordcount, will start this evening. Should not be bad to do as I've played it quite a bit and have stuff to say. Thinking the Octatrack could be my solution to live gigging of polished-mixed-with-live material. Must chase getting one so I can be sure it's as good as the manual reads.

Bought more mouse poison.

Phew, last night's Kulu was a blast. I'm definitely struggling to keep up though. Took all my chems early so I'd be able to function again in the morning (horse duties). The result was that by about 3:30 I was flagging. Not totally sure about this Bearded Theory thing now, everything was so loud and full on last night, my quiet, ambient noodlings really won't work in such an environment. Talked to AstroD about potential collab (time?).

Got vid from sb, great stuff but only 20 mins. I need to put it together with Tim's stuff, if Tim can think of a way to get it to me. Seriously thinking of just putting on Arcs & Angles. Just watching it now for the first time in a while and the visuals are really, really good. Not massively colourful but not bad. Could just run that or Vic's DVD (if I can find it in this fecking tip!) or splice them together with the coloured blocks in between. All time though...

Had intended to polish "tortured earth" today and/or start the Swarmy review. Have done neither. Listened to what I have in Cirklon and decided what is playable. Synthi sounding good, that and the looper offer much fun. Looks like a busy week next week, dunno quite how it'll pan out.

Oh and to really help things out, the V-Synth old motherboard problem seems to have recurred. Nasty distorted noises on some patches. Damn and buggerations!

It's Friday. I'm knaggered (as Nick would say) but at least have a track in the bag. It's still not totally sci-tech I think, it's called something cheerful like "the tormented earth" and I was thinking of all those gloomy documentaries about the way we're gobbling up resources like there's no tomorrow. Whether this is the right thing I don't really know but it's something.

I put off M&T, but now instead of working on more tracks I truly feel like going back to bed. Rock and roll eh? I think I *am* going back to bed... no chance to make it through the night otherwise. Synthi back and lovely as ever. The sync mod in particular makes a difference, the shape mod I'm not so sure about yet.

Pat looked a bit woozy before, if she's still like that I'm gonna drive her up to the horse just to keep an eye on her. She may have to wake me up though!

Feel like crap. Going to Kulu anyway so will probably take it easy.

Off north today to see Tony and get my Synthi back. Taking John's Wasp too. So another day of no work but has to be done. May put off M&T tomorrow as I really have to get something done this week.

Funny day. Took my bits to see the nice lady doctor who probed me. I've got to go to the knobologist and the arseologist. Brilliant. The joys of being nearly 50!

Wrote track "leaving orbit" today and sent to Liz cos I thought it was quite good. Initial reaction is good - I was afraid it's a bit 90s - so a good day.

Filled in the census. I said I was a Jedi again, childishly enough. It's as valid a religion as any other, although I was tempted to say buddhist as I'm closer to that than owt else.

Synthi ready, gonna go get it on Thursday. Excellent, Tony rocks!

Frozen Shite

I took a walk one winter's night

and chanced across some frozen shite

well 'chanced' isn't quite the perfect word

for such oft-encountered icy turd

It's like dog owners just don't care

Their stupid mutts squat everywhere

This causes general consternation

I'd love to give them constipation

but instead I whitter and I whine

and write stupid poems that don't even rhyme.

You may not worry, fret or care

that frozen shite is everywhere

cos being cold it hardly smells

so just step by, what the hell?

But a trillion dogabytes of data

Splattered round for now and later

Can't be good to step around

It isn't clever or profound

We must do something, purge this shite

that I chanced across one winter's night!

great day! Did my Omnisphere review, a bit of polish tomorrow will see it done. Jeez I was in Florence and missed David! Went for a fecking coffee instead? Oh, did a part 2 for E-Ville, both parts are pretty wicked I think. But I am stoned. Wibbled with the Swarmatron in the background, didn't realise it was recording - but it sounds ace, fortunately. Must try it with the looper. Suspect it will rock!

In fact can capture some of it in the Repeater and use at gig. Heh!

great fun with new review toy yesterday, finally started to get it having worked out all the controls (I think). Did a little filming with Tim but didn't achieve a lot. An old-style Friday. Agreed to play Bearded Theory, not sure how yet. :)

I think I agreed to play Bearded Theory today. That'll wake me up! Two flightcases and a keyboard to play has to be my aim to make it as easy as poss. Hopefully it will be dark though.

Did a new track today "Newton's Cradle" which is a bit dancy, I guess the festival was in my mind. Might be OK for some science/tech though. Also wrote to Apple woman, pretty sure that iPad is faulty cos it poofed out a few times today. Can't be arsed with it anymore, I know enough to write my review and will do that this weekend.

Wonder if I should ask anyone else along to play or keep it as just me?

Sent Superboss some CDs. Synth went back to Livid.

lol, spotted my "frozen shite" poem again, could never put it anywhere visible of course.

Frozen Shite

I took a walk one winter's night

and chanced across some frozen shite

well 'chanced' isn't quite the perfect word

for such oft-encountered icy turd

It's like dog owners just don't care

Their stupid mutts squat everywhere

This causes general consternation

I'd love to give them constipation

but instead I whitter and I whine

write stupid poems that don't even rhyme.

You may not worry, fret or care

that frozen shite is everywhere

cos being cold it hardly smells

so just step by it, what the hell?

But a trillion dogabytes of data

Splattered round for now and later

Can't be good to step around

It isn't clever or profound

We must do something, smite this shite

that I chanced across one winter's night!