Thursday 21 April 2016

The Bukowski stops here

Charles Bukowski serves the same purpose as punk rock, or myself doing karaoke.
His 'purpose' could be to remind any budding artist that talent isn't everything, and hey, chin up, keep at it because grey people can be feted too. It's a comfort, isn't it boys and girls? I based this sudden insight on one book of 'poems', bought for reasons I cannot recall, but which, after a quick skim, seems to make my own feeble limericks appear, well, fractionally less feeble. In my opinion, ephemeral though that is.

So today has mostly been Monday. I booked tickets for Hawkwind, or rather Tony did, then I discovered Tim Blake has left the band, which was probably the only reason I was going. Well, apart from Tony asking. And it being a Monday, the gig, as well as today.

I read some more today. Bukowski, that is. Today being Thursday. It's pretentious twaddle of exactly the type beloved of that Other Worlds festival I attended in Blackpool. That said, get stoned and it's tolerable. Some of it. I really think so. I could probably knock some up.

Twaddle
Widdle, waddle, woddle
Hamster, how do you
do
what you do
the noo
no don't rhyme
just
toss
off
toss it off
and think of Selina Scott
not the other guy
jumpers, bumpers and terminal slumpers
obviously.
An orange or unruly hedgerow
Twaddle
I know
Some point or other


For April
the sun was bright today
for April
the clothes were white today
but I'm not going down that road
self-aware
Red Adaire
the little mouse
on the stair
but I'm not going down that road
except I'm on it,
been on it
on and on it
I know how this goes
but I'm not going down that road
the sun was bright today
for April.


If only I was 13 again,
it would all
make
sense
recurring dreams
stringent creams
Buko doesn't rhyme
which makes
him
smarter
than
what's with the random new line
thing
me
anyway?

Friday morning now, I've a load of writing to do so let's hope the day isn't too pleasant. Fuck that, sun you're most welcome!



Excellent day (Friday). Worked on novel and two review things came in, played with one and it's very cool. Started some arrangement on new hs track, needs editing down and maybe some overdubs.
https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/mofoblitz

Wondering what the odds are I'll make Clit hero tonight to see Dreadzone. Series 5 GoT awaits.

Friday 15 April 2016

Been North, came back

Yes, I actually left the house for a few days to go visit Sequentix HQ and eat lots of curry. I should go out more often to try and clear the fog and tar from my brain, not that my brain shines too brightly in the light of two such powerful intellects. But hey!

Got my Eventide pedals done - turned out to be more work than expected as the ribbons needed de-soldering. Hopefully they'll be OK now and I can sell the Pitchfactor, since I rarely use it.

PRS came in - not bad too. As well as the usual Ch5 weirdo and psycho stuff there was a decent payment for BBC1 primetime. Yes, Crimewatch. I should have guessed. Anyway, in the position to treat myself to something, just no particular idea which something. Will see if owt fun turns up for review or perhaps just buy more euro, although I seem to have enough given how rarely I touch it. Colin's Synthi double clone sounded awesome, so perhaps I'll get mine some upgrades.

Live album sold pretty well (for me) so doing the obvious stuff appeals to people - who'd have guessed?

This morning I sent in a review so will have a day taking it easy. Need some new walking boots so perhaps a trip out is in order. Wotta life!





Wednesday 6 April 2016

Live album done

I'd planned to release the whole gig but in the end, there were sections where I went off the boil. So this is most of the gig plus a bunch of bonus studio stuff woven seamlessly in. Well, only one of the studio tracks is 'arranged', the other two are still played live so I think it works as a thing. It was helped to sound sweeter by Andy Pickford's sympathetic mastering and of course none of it could have happened without Phil Booth. I feel like some chump at an awards ceremony blabbering on. Anyway, it's here

https://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-l-dopa

I'm uploading with Distrokid too but that's turned out quite disappointing. It transpires you have NO control over album pricing unless your albums have tracks less than 10 mins each. So I've priced each track as low as Distrokid will allow and put the lowest album price too ($2.99) to see what happens.

Been a fairly busy few days, tidying up one outstanding review (awaiting bug fixes and a new feature) and getting stuck in with the current one. I may go see Colin next week so he can gloat about having Florian Schneider buy him a beer at Superbooth, rubbing it in that I should have gone. I should, I know. Will see how work goes before I decide about the trip.