Machinedrum-dum-dum

And still, she will not shut up about it...! The Elektron Machinedrum is just savage. Savage savage savage. So intuitive, so fast to work with, so diverse-sounding. There are limitations, of course (a two bar loop length, for one, on the model that I have), but limitations make you work imaginatively. I'm just delighted that I have a means of making (proper) beats without having to fiddle with a mouse.
I'd attempted other ways before, using the mad bass of the cello and sharp filter cuts to get a nice sub sound, but definition was always a problem and a lot of the time the vague rumble produced was more in the way than an element in its own right. Likewise, heavily treating a vocal channel, and (very not properly) beatboxing produced interesting effects but it just wasn't enough.
I listen to a lot of dance music (the good stuff, obviously. Obviously, as well, what I say is good is good. Obviously!), but that wasn't represented really before. "Oh look, it's a winsome gerl singing nice songs, we'd better sit down the better to gaze up at her."

Saturday Gig

Out with the old

On Friday, I had my first taste of what Ed called "the curse of playing last". Sitting around denying myself pints that I can't afford isn't that much of a hardship, but, having my set lopped off three songs before the end, is. We were only allowed play until 1 a.m., so there was nothing to be done about it, but I didn't get a chance to play the new songs (avec Machinedrum), or "Dwell" my current favourite.

Of course, this was also caused by having some dead wood in the form of older songs. I read a lovely article yesterday in a Sunday supplement (it just fell open! After all my bitching about Sunday supplements too!) about felling trees, clearing and managing woodland. It seemed quite apt given what I'd spent most of Saturday thinking about. Much as I love the songs off the EP, enough already! They came about last summer from having to write stuff under time pressure for upcoming gigs, whereas recently I was a bit easier on myself in that regard. Surfing on old waves. So, for the gig in Block T on the 30th (Melodica Deathship's album launch), I'll try for a (mostly) new(-ish) set. I can't churn it out that quickly.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/17/tobias-jones-a-life-less-ordinary

Gig Tonight in the Stables

I've been a bit lax with the posting of late. Spent the last few month farting around with My New MACHINEDRUM which is frightfully exciting altogether. Not massively interesting to talk about though. Weeeellll, talking about "I'm doing this" and "I'm doing this" (as she talks about that she's doing) maybe isn't massively interesting. But hey, whatcha gonna do??

So, playing tonight in the Stables in Mullingar with FYED, Fuzzy Hell!! and Aidan O'Brien. Last night I decided to give myself a hangover today, the logic being that I'd be less nervous and jumpy. I questioned the wisdom of that this morning, but what's done is done.

My driving test looms as well, watch yer grannies! Following last night's rationale, I'll probably drink a bottle of poteen on Monday to prepare for the test on Tuesday. Yeow!