Be-Jaysus!

It's all good, as they say. Channel 5 came through, definitely ready for a new module or two, praise be!

Keeping very busy, done more eurorack reviews, getting some good stuff to play with although they still didn't send the power supply for that case. Not great I ordered my Doepfer ribbon from the UK deliberately so I didn't get a fucking euro adapter - BUT I STILL GOT A EURO ADAPTER. There, capitals, grrrrrr!

Working hard on new 'minmal electronica' tracks for a new library project. They sound good to me so far, got 10 of them, should be a couple more if I get time. Time where does it fucking go?

I finally got 'From Beer To Eternity' redone and out there. No idea how to make Amazon re-deliver to people with the earlier version though, sadly. Must try and sort that out. It still isn't perfect because every time I try and read it I see typos, spelling mistakes or general shit. Why don't I see that stuff from the text editor screen?

BEER

Colin and Tony may be coming tomorrow. Really should find out. If so, must tidy up!

Slow down world,please, I want to take a day off the whole spinning thing!

PRS day

Well, not a great PRS payout but I think Channel 5 is delayed so it might still be OK. Interestingly, back in March I'd thought I heard one of my new drones on a BBC4 documentary (The Beginning and End of the Universe) but wasn't 100% sure because, well, drones are drones. Turns out it was, which is well cool! Another of mine also got used in that one, hey that's actually an ambition satisfied, almost the last one. Hmmmm, best think of more.

Tim down for a few days, should get some music done, have just sent some review stuff in so can relax a bit. Until the other looper arrives only 2 apps and 2 sample shop to do. Should do at least one. Plan to go to Airsculpture gig Saturday but making music could overrule that.

3rd box of Dark Side of the Moog arrived - fantastic stuff too.

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It's later. Of course I didn't go to the gig but can blame Tim. He brought beer, we made music, I was happy. Have ordered a Doepfer ribbon jobby but it's taking forever to arrive. Ditto for the modules I want to review, the power supply I was promised and so on. Almost bought a Microbrute but after borrowing Tim's again decided against it. Better ways to blow my cash.

Korg finally issued an Electribe 2 update. It mentions 'minor bug fixes' which I hope includes the save glitches and synced delay bug - neither minor IMHO. They added pattern chaining too which is of no interest to me. And there are new models, coloured like the old ones to try and cash in on the popularity since the new models are so drab and anonymous. Hey ho.

The Minilogue got an update - seemed to help the click but not the rtz envelopes. Shame, it's only that preventing me getting one. The new Behringer could be good though - 2DCO and 6 voices (I think). If it has FX and sequencer and costs £500... :)

Sent in 10 new library tracks, which is good. And I started some new ones - chilled, sequencey for a change. If it ain't too hot will work on them over the weekend along with doing sequences for the Binar gig and maybe polishing a few novel chapters. Would love to just do that for 2 weeks solid!

This is cool
https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com/album/forms-3-controls-sources-treatments

And this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHsX8L4qVI0

It doesn't take much

I mean it. One person writes to say they read Future Art Factory and enjoyed it and I'm made up. It's so much harder to get feedback about writing, well Kindle books anyway because we all know they aren't proper books.

I have almost got the rewrite of 'From Beer To Eternity' into a fit state to read through and fine-tune. Lack of time meant I didn't throw it all out. In fact, deleting a load of stuff has really helped it and the changes I made help everything click into place. Basically the plot works for the first time and I ditched all the stupid loops and reality glitches that seemed so clever when I was writing them but not so when I tried to make sense of it later. Hey ho.

My old mate Dave who died perished not from any disease of the liver but that old favourite lung cancer. He went very quickly, in a week basically and they only knew what it was 2 days before he died. How depressing. Sorry, this blog is really for the stuff I don't write anywhere and only for myself, I've probably said that before.

Pat made a wonderful meal tonight but she's gone to bed tired. I'm watching Coldplay's performance at Glastonbury. Everyone hates them, everyone cool anyway. I don't dislike them so I guess that makes me uncool. If he could curb that strained falsetto I could even like them. Well, ish. There is that catchy one I like, bound to be more.

I recorded a new track the other day with just one mono synth and a looper. I did add some Microgranny samples that Tim reckons spoils it. He's probably right, he usually is. It's like 6-7 instances of this synth, no spoilers but it's new, stand-alone and doesn't have a filter.

https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/bollockaroo

The RC-505 is almost able to work with polyrhythms now too should have mentioned that. Still seems a bit iffy but the combination of making blank tracks and Sync=Off does seem to let you prepare tracks of any length. Will soak-test it when time. Time, yeah.

A busy week ahead. Started review of the above synth, will progress that and with luck start a 'Rio' track or two. Must up my workload. Binar gig to think about, was informed it'll be a 90 min slot with encores on top. Hmm, seems a bit long to me especially as I intend to wing it almost entirely. Think Airsculpture playing soon, must go along.

Oh, and I joined the Labour party. I know, amazed myself. I just really hate bullying which seems to be the culture we adopted, whether it's to those who come here to sell us their skills and effort or those who try to change politics from the grimy, self-serving game it's become.

Life, Death, Caterpillar, Butterfly

A gloomy brain-dump this one. I write this stuff, like my novels, mainly for me. I usually keep my misery in check, but not always.

Another old friend has died. As yet I don't know of what, although knowing him, I have my suspicions. We lost touch after he got married and moved to Manchester, meeting only a couple of times after that. Three times perhaps, as there was a chance meeting at Piccadilly Station one morning back when I used to travel across to Sheffield regularly. He was heading to a meeting, bleary-eyed, thick with alcohol despite the hour.

Social Media is a strange place for the important things.

I also unfollowed another old friend on Twatter. Indeed, it's a quote of his I've used to head this depressing post. I'll follow him again once they kill off Jeremy Corbyn (figuratively or literally) and he ceases being just another baying hound, If I wanted that I'd subscribe to the Daily Mail, Express, Sun etc. etc. I don't think the Labour MPs, Murdoch press or the rest of the media mind how JC ends his career, just as long as he does soon, ideally before the Chilcott report is published.
Nobody wants an honest, decent man at the top of politics, especially when he so clearly struggles in the toxic, lie-ridden environment. It's like we threw a kitten into a septic tank and everyone's now watching and waiting for it to go under so we can return to business as usual. My friend likes to post multiple sarcastic witticisms per day, yet humour isn't a strong point of his. (Wistfully reflecting on loss, on people and times past, if you were wondering. He's a wonderful writer).

So I'm still in a post-referendum funk. A friend of mine was told to 'fuck off paki' and had a bottle thrown at him. I look to those who lied to put us here for hope and see none. The rift we've opened up won't close any time soon and the scars will last. That there isn't any kind of plan has been obvious from before we voted, but people voted to take the risk anyway. We gave the mob live ammo and just sorta hoped it would all turn out alright.

Now I throw myself into work as best I can. Fortunately there are a few interesting things to write about as I try and forget the world outside. My novel continues being improved, although I have another issue to resolve now. It doesn't matter too much if I never finish but I'd like to. Writing is the refuge music used to be.

Downing tools for a bit

I know, I don't take much persuading. Mr Sequentix and Mr Oakley Modular are coming to visit, put the world to rights and eat curry. So I worked hard(ish) to get a review in - fortunately something I liked so could just sit and write fairly quickly - and now I've tidied the studio so it's presentable.

With the Binar gig coming up, I've brought in the KS4 in place of the CS30 to work on a few sequences. Sometimes think I should sell the CS30 as it is so large for a monosynth. Actually I may not work on the gig but it's ready anyway, the P3 driving it and the A4. Alas Colin doesn't have any spare euro CVIO but I guess I could've given him more than a day's notice. Will be able to discuss Cirklon development properly now he's getting them made. At last! :)

Still totally loving the Microgranny 2 - added yet more samples, more ethnic stuff, synth noises, big boomer percussion and more. Of course I forgot my naming standard so some are going to be hard to find. I see there's a euro version of it too - although limited to just 35 samples which might just be too few. The thing I like most is the multitude, variety and great length of them.

I replaced the old pond liner, we can now sit and look at the refurbished pond while having breakfast - or will once I move a few plants. Other than that, the garden's going wild (again). Ah well.

Continuing to work through 'From Beer' and have arrived at the really sticky part. I think I'm just going to delete all the nonsense chapters right up until the finale scenes. At least the parts I have done work now and the one character that was bugging me now has personality. Man, how did I ever think it was finished though? After this is finally done I'm going to write an uncomplicated sword and sorcery novel, I promise. No more cynical, apathetic lead characters ambling through, no more unattainable super-babes, no more National Lampoon juvenile humour...

Thought I had some new pix but guess they're still in the phone.

Oh yes, I'm voting to remain in the clutches of the slightly less nasty half of the tory party in perpetuity. Some choice. It's like choosing between the school bully and the school prefect when you know both are utter tossers with anything but your best interests at heart. How fucking depressing.

Seems we're in June now

I looked around and there it was: summer. Despite a hot week got a few reviews in, including the difficult one I'd been kicking around helplessly for too long. Still quite a bit to do but nothing that's hard I think.

Eurorack case arrived - not so tall because it's curved but still 3x84hp. Nice wood but will take up more desk space. Wider base due to curved shape. Will chase Ross about that other one, try and make it a giggable one. You never know. Power supplies can be added as modules, who knew? So one is on order... might eventually be able to use all those Dreadbox modules!

Went to see some great live music last night, took Pat but not sure if she enjoyed it. She was away like a greyhound after a hare at the end, barely had chance to say bye to my friends let alone hello to Rick, the violinist. Pretty sure I told Pat he was the guy who played on Lore, but my music means nothing to her.

Finally solved a long-standing problem with one of the main characters in 'From Beer To Eternity'. In the end, a surprisingly subtle adjustment needed and magically everything clicks into place - or will once I go through with my comb. With two weeks solid I could finish it but in reality it will take months. Ah well, at least I know exactly what I need to do now, belatedly.

I got the Wav of the gig - minus a bit right at the start - and loaded into Logic. Ended up making a few tweaks, trying to curb the harshness of the percussion, the bloat of the lower end. Surprisingly few bloopers and really they weren't obvious mistakes anyway but I tried a few things to make it more long-term listenable.

You can download my tweaked version of the gig if you like.

Bank Holiday (apparently)

And also our 28th wedding anniversary and my mum's 76th birthday. Perhaps I'll remember this weekend best for the Headshock session on Saturday in which we started late and without direction and accidentally stumbled onto 30 mins of ultra-cool music.

It turns out that to use the modular with our stuff isn't going to be too easy because of the time it takes to set anything up and break it down. I resorted to capturing sections in the looper, which worked very well. Also enjoyed giving the Microgranny 2 another good workout and of course the Synthi never disappoints. Freaky and avante garde were the results with Tim really enjoying the new Roland stuff.

Oh, last weekend's gig was OK actually. Considering it was totally off the cuff, it only started to feel limp towards the end when I started to wonder what time it was, how much I should still do.
Here's the raw link. Yes, everyone spells my name wrong...

What else? Well, I still have lots of work to do but am having a nice relaxed weekend in which I'll even do some gardening. Took some photos Saturday morning and Mr Picko introduced me to Luminance HDR...

Quite impressive results, probably wouldn't use it all the time but it sure makes an average photo look good.

The sun is still shining!