It certainly seems like it. The pond has frogs in it, blackbirds are nesting in the garden, the sun is shining, and (metaphorically for a moment) I seem to have entered a period of rejuvenation. I don't quite know how but it seems a combination of circumstances - the 'Close to the Noise Floor' compilation, the stuff I've been doing with Tim, the gigs, the fab mynoise.net web project or making contact with some musicians I really respect and finding out they like my stuff too. (Nemesis, if you're wondering - check 'em out!).
Hey, these are the little things that keep you going in the face of disinterest and the general nonsense of the world! Picko has been working on scraps I can barely remember or recognise and turning them into gold, which demonstrates just how bloody good he is. Also, his new album (Vanguard II) will demonstrate that - I rate it 10/10. He did a remix of a noodle I did recently and made a very good job, subtle and light-handed but perfect. Its existence makes me think of doing another solo album just so it can be included. Perhaps if I release the live performance it can be a bonus item.
Anyway, I guess we artist types pretend to be thick-skinned and cope well with indifference but in truth it can all start to feel a bit limp and pointless if you never reach anyone. I seem to be happy enough though, despite many people assuming I no longer exist (these people will gush with enthusiasm once I pop my clogs). I keep making music because it makes me happy. I'm no great artist but this video really struck a chord.
Who knows, maybe this year my novels will take off. I'm going to put out 'Liminal Entity' soon; it's been a total waste of time trying to get people to read it. With a couple of exceptions that is. Have been working on 'Beer' again, not tackled the big problem chapters but have improved some of the others.
Tim deleted a comment about the video, a comment I thought was brilliant. In it we were compared to Little Britain, which made me chuckle. It made me consider playing it up in the next one. Might still do that to see if it annoys Mr Grumpy Pants. :)
Gear Love - Roland RC-505
Time to praise a piece of gear I've complained about in the past. But it's also very useful, (it took away my desire for an Octatrack). I can have up to 5 audio loops, long ones too, selected automatically by each P3 bank selection. This does almost all I wanted from the Octatrack without the pain, cards, complex saving. Well its saving is convoluted but as I'm on a positive spin we won't go into that. The RC-505 is the last chink in my live rig, I think and maybe the looping is in homage to Phil, or doing part of the job he once did. It could also be used with different selections of gear from the same central system. SH-101 effect processing added to each kit too, will probably take that along rather than Mini. At this stage I'm over-prepared. Any more work and it'll be overcooked. Six songs ready and sounding good.
https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/boink
I'm using the RC-505 to capture the Blofeld, itself dropped into the mush of the DD20 gigadelay. I can capture the mush, however it's served, and if I get something really freaky, I can save it, either for a future reminder of a melody of chord progression, or to use as is. I would probably have considered this cheating once. I don't believe anyone else would even give it a thought.
Monday, this cool thing comes out officially, a rather good use of my music.
http://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/paulNagleSequenceGenerator.php
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