Sticks/Strings/Leads

The end? The end...

2007-06-15T07:30:00.000+01:00

So we announced that it will be all over last night @ the Grey Horse. It was a good night. Partly due to Madox Ford who played a set that really was exactly what i needed to hear. It hit that sweet spot inside my head. The other reason it was a good night was because of all of you. It realy was good to see people down. We didn't even have to ask, you just kinda showed up en masse. Which is very much appreciated.

We played a mixture of a set, some old, some really really new. And there were plenty of mistakes. Some worse than others. Some of it was out of tune but either you guys were being nice or you really didn't notice that much. The new songs were:

-Laying like a Moses in the Sun
-DC to Daylight
-Blue

Glad we got to play them. It is a big bumer that everything's ending. I find that i don't know what to do with myself. Each morning i wake up feeling a little bit less here. But there are reasons, but i'm pretty sure I'll never quite fully understand why it all happened so suddenly.

oh.
well.

New vibes

2007-06-03T22:17:00.000+01:00

Like every relationship there are ups and downs. Don't know if you know, but being in a band is like being in a relationship. Its the longest one i've had (how sad) and i'm still in love (oh dear).

Today was a good day. New vibes man, new vibes. We've been putting together these new songs for a while and it's nice to have set vocals for most things. I was getting afraid of singing. I didn't want to go near a microphone. I've been at a creative block for a while, but recently i've had some time to face my demons head on. This usually means i lock myself away at rehearsal by myself [sometimes] and scream until something clicks.

Lyrics are hard. Either you write about something important or you make up gobbledeegook. Charlie said that people generally notice the lyrics when they are bad. I think he's right to a certain point. We've never been a vocally led band. We do like our 'music'. Now i'm not clever enough to write something with impact, nor is my imagination fertile enough to create crazy stories but i try. And more often than not i end up in a place between both states. A lyrical limbo. tragic.

on that note...

DC to Daylight:
The party has gotten out of control. Little bits of limbs, hair, skin and souls litter the floor.
If the lights go out then danger is set to come creeping around.
CONTRACT/EXPAND/RELEASE - The worst is yet to come.
The words spilled out even though i never moved my mouth.
And i'm out of touch with everything you say you love, but wait... the BEST is yet to come.
Loose tongues wrap around me & landscapes flood my eyes.
If the bastards confront me i'll be waiting with my BIG sword!

Synonyms for Swearwords:
Brother don't repeat to father what you said to me. Keep driving faster like this accident was meant to be.
We fly out of buildings.
Goodbye to the windshield.
Death, i'm rapping on your door why won't you answer me? Rats and plagues, the human race, and all the in-between(s).
The sky's not a limit, it's just a direction.
So goodbye to the buildings. I fly through the windshield.
I scream and i shout - The breaking of a heart will make no sound - "Mutha-Phuker Get. Out. Of. My. HOUSE!"
Bleed. Softly bleed.
Breathe. Barely breathe.

3 Shades of Blue:
I wrote you a letter i wish you'd read. Filled with voices stuck in my head. Go make your escape and lie in bed where you'll be safe, with him instead. It seems i've come apart at every seam - unthreaded by the words you sing.

Brighton Rocks... well pebbles.

2007-06-01T22:28:00.000+01:00

It was a good day. We had to drive down ALL the equipment for the gig even though we were coming all the way from from London - htat was a bit of a downer. Then the cheek of one of the guys organising to tell us to hurry up when the first band had an encore!!! In my head it was like - 'Fuck you man. We bought down all the equipment Without us there would be no show. Plus we drove all the way from London and will have to drive all the way back. If anyone is getting a full set... it's US' - But it came out like - 'Ummm... yeah, ok. we're ready, we're starting!' I hate being nice.

Truth is, I didn't think about how rude it was until i was driving home in the dark back to London. Then i got all angry and shouted at myself for being a pushover.. but i apologised to myself in the end.

The show was wicked. It was a small 'L' shaped venue and though there was a volume limit, we still rocked hard. There should be some videos of it up on Youtube soon as James filmed it. Thanks to Laura for organising the show for us. We will be back there soon.

Here are some photo's -

Moneymoneymoney... MONEY!

2007-05-11T00:40:00.000+01:00

CWe've been a little bit ot of the loop with whats going on in the world and have been lack in posting or mailing. We 'HAVE' been keeping to our plan though. We've been writing and have been narrowing down our songs so they're slim and sexy. They still have a little puppy fat but boy, won't you want to make sweet-sweet love to them once they're finished.

Here's a rough tracklisting i came up with at work today -

(1) To Err is Human...
(2) When Kids Attack
(3) From DC to Daylight
(4) Cat Cage
(5) 3 Shades of Blue
(6) Warehouse Throng
(7) ...To Forgive is Divine
(8) Clown
(9) Synonyms for Swearwords

I apreciate that half of those songs mean nothing to you as you havn't heard them... yet. There's been a lot of discussion about what we should put on the album, what we should re-record and how we should go about doing it. Its a little too much sometimes, bt then i remember that we're trying to get the BEST job in the world (well 'Billionaire-Astronaut-Cowboy' would also be cool).

Things are looking better on the gig front. Got a few out of London and looking to get some others too before we have to prepare for the recording. Ah, the recording. We're looking at producers at the moment and places to record but the biggest obstacle is the Money/Moolah/Green. There are only 3 of us, and between rehearsals, work, rent, food, petrol, we can only get so much together. But its not gonna phase us. Why stumble at a hurdle you havn't even tackled. right?

If it all goes to plan, maybe we'll make something we're happy with, something that you'll all be happy with? But then the world might end on NOV 23rd anyway (or is it 26th) when scientists at CERN in Geneva try to recreate the immediate moments following the big bang by using that huge particle accelerator and accidently end up creating a black hole that swallows us whole. scary.

Dipping toes into the pressure cooker...

2007-04-16T14:57:00.000+01:00

5 gigs in. We sweat more and more after each show. The last one we played was only to a handful of people but we were soaked by the end of it. I wonder why? Maybe because we're hungry. You know what i mean? This is it. With all the shit that gets sent our way because we choose to be in a band... It doesn't mean that we choose to be famous, that we choose to sign a record deal, or that we choose to be puppets for other people's ideas and direction... fuck no.

We just want to play. We just want to make records (great records if possible) to see if we can actually do it but there is a lot of bullshit that we don't have to be a part of it. It may have pretty lights and distract you for a while but you don't have to have it. You really DON'T. This applies to any walk of life. If all you want is 15 minutes of fame and a fat paycheck then sell out. I would do it in a heart beat if i didn't have this stupid consience and an un-natural tendancy to be idealistic and romantically moral, and i don't judge anybody who places themselves in that position. I think they are smart people, but they should be smart enough to realise that if you spread your legs, you must expect to be fucked. right?

When the record fell through with Spud it was like, great... what do we do now? But maybe now we see that the only way we're going to do this with any kinda sanity is if we do it ourselves the hard way.

But what does it all mean Basil??? It means...

(a) We're going to record again in August
(b) We're looking for the right producer
(c) ...and the right studio
(d) We're getting a plan together to do our first tour in Jan/Feb 2008

and we need to do this... like... now. Hence our diping of toes into a pressure cooker. It's getting a little hot. Maybe that's why we're sweating?

A shadow with no clothes

2007-03-30T00:50:00.000+01:00

Its been a while since we updated this thing. To be fair we've been prepping for shows. Played 3 now. Red Lion, Metro, Grey Horse.

Next one is at Fighting Cocks, followed by Archway Tavern (the next day). Got one confirmed in Hobgoblin, another at the Cocks, trying to sort out one at Project Orange and another one in Brighton. crazy. Its been far too long, well it feels like it.

In the rehearsal rooms we're making progress. We've started to create 2 seperate sets.

Set A is Heavy in your face
Set B is Chilled in your face

Hopefully for the upcoming Cocks gig we'll be playing Set B, which means tracks like - Riding The Biaxial (RTB), Left Arm in Love (LAIL), Travel in the Light (TITL), Mixed Inglish (MI)... Hopefully we'll pull it together in time. In rehearsal tonight, TITL sounded really good and groovy. We played it badly but thats only to be expected. I think we havn't played that song for close to a year now. RTB was gethering some magic momentum but amusingly fell apart when it went heavy. Just have to sort out the sound. LAIL is a mutha-phuka to get right. We need to sort out some more loopy stuff to fill in gaps. think of this as audio poly-filler(?).

But now there are some new songs emerging. I guess ones worth mentioning are...

The Castratition - Charlie was saying how it shares similarities with 'MI'. but only because there are lots of melodic parts that change very quickly from one to another. We've got the whole song, now its just a case of streching and squeezing phrases until it all fits together nicely. Oh, and its in 3/4 if that helps.

Blue - Its kinda like a ballad. Very soft and delayed guitar line. Some awesome swelling growly Bass lines from Sam. Not quite finished, but its got a nice vocal line so far. A nice head bouncing beat from Charles. It'll be interesting to see where this one heads.

Snail - as the title suggests its very slow. Kinda like Mogwai or Low. Not that close to being finished, maybe we'll attempt it again at some point later on.

Fly out of Buildings - Think Mars Volta meets Radiohead, but not quite as lovely as you imagine it to be. This is quite a tricky one because there is no obvious chorus or verse, its like one big bit of music. 7/8 this one. moving to 8/8 later, and then maybe back...?

This is what we are up to. This is what we'll be doing until July (this and playing more gigs). When something interesting happens we'll keep you informed. If you can help sort us a gig, feel free to so so and let us know. We're all open armed.

thanks for the nice reception at the last few gigs so far.

'Red Lion Rumble'

2007-03-05T13:25:00.000Z

Last night we played our first gig in...well, nobody actually knows how long, although one well-informed speculator claimed that five months was the approximate time period. Whatever, it felt like forever.

The gig was in aid of raising money for the B.S.S.K. Children's Fund in Pune, India, as organised by a family friend of the Sharmas'. The first time we've really done a fundraiser, I personally hope that there will be many more. The atmosphere and spirit was inspirational, a great time was had by all and the latest figures suggest that over £1000 was raised. Not bad at all for a rainy Sunday night, southwest of the smokey city.

And, to add to all of this, it really did feel most awesomely cool to be back onstage. If there was ever gona be any compensation for the bad luck of late (the most recent additions to the list being the crashing of band transport facilities and, a couple of days later, an equally unfortunate, but not quite so severe, incident with our backup vehicle!), then last night more than satisfied that requirement.

We hope it was enjoyed just as much by you guys. Thank you, to all, for coming on down. Your post-show comments were truly touching. Thank you, also, for making your contribution towards such a good cause and thanks to Ian for inviting us to be part of the event.

Think I'm ready for the Oscars?

See you at the Metro on the 23rd.

The Man with the Plan

2007-02-12T23:18:00.000Z

For those of you that read this really get the inside scoop.

Spud left us and we thought we were ok. We thought we could get someone else to mix it for us, but it turns out that everybody we've given it too isn't able to work with it. The time it needed to be done by... it passed us by. Shame. So no mini-album in May.

Now we're pretty down about this. We'd been writing quickly & uncomfortably since June/July 06 to record in Oct. Spent £[a lot of money] and stayed positive through it all to no ending. No closure. Just a wierd musical void. But i have an *idea*...

Before i get to that, i'll let you know what has happened so far. We ended up knocing on the door of 'Sean Genockey' He did Tom McRae's album, Reuben's new album, Boy Kill Boy, Manic Street Preachers and a few others (like Kubb - Haha - but we forgive him for that).

Anyway, he liked what he heard enough to offer to get behind the desk and record us in 4 days and then mix it in 2 more. That's the story so far. Havn't heard anything else so far. We're meeting tomorrow with Lee to see if he gotten back to us. fingers crossed eh? Maybe we'll see this mini-album by June <--- Now that's funny...

...So the *idea*. Anybody wanna remix the tracks we did in Lost Boy's? just ask. Its all there. Raw and Live (with spill). Its not done to a 'click' so cutting up beats would be a little tedious. They're in Pro tools format. Anyone?

Take Care.

nobbies & K-holes

2007-01-26T12:51:00.000Z

Spud isn't able to do the mixes. His heart isn't in the whole 'mixing & production' game anymore. I mean, who would want that after having toured with Nick Oliveri, getting paid to get mashed everyday on a tour that covered a different country almost everyday, playing to thousands of people? We wish him the best. He'll be in touch and maybe we'll see what the future holds for us and Spud.

However... he's left us in a situation that feels like a minefield. Somehow we've got to get this record finished otherwise we might just have to wait until september to release it. This... is just a little too depressing to think about. So we've been dishing out the files to people who actually want to mix it and maybe we'll see what happens from here on? All i know is that it has to be done by next week.

In other news, we've tried applying for the Great Escape festival in Brighton this year. fingers crossed eh?

(ps... i also read that scientists are using Ketamine as an anti-depressant... and its working!? - I'm not suggesting trying it, i just thought it was quite a bizzare thing to find out. Apparantly it works as a kinda reset button for your brain. People suffering from depression may not have enjoyed the actual 'K' experience, but afterwards, they felt elated, a little more uplifted. shhhhh!!!)

blue boy

2007-01-12T18:23:00.000Z

When is this mini-album coming out? I don't know. I really don't know. Spud is doing something, somewhere and he assures us that he is doing things. The artwork is almost done, just a few changes here and there, but all in all it looks great.

There might be a single (download only) and there might be a video and a b-side for it too, all released at the same time. How exciting... well, if things were moving then it would be. Right now it feels a little useless you know(?)

I've just spent today thinking and talking about video ideas with James (we did the 'Mixed Inglish' video together) and we got something that might be a little off-key, but should all go to plan it'll end up looking ace. Just need to get the band together for some of the shots and it should all be sweet. Anybody want to give us a hand? let us know. somehow. maybe.

Rehearsals have made us smile. There is a new song which could be contender for most magical piece of music we've ever written? maybe. We'll see how it pans out.

Gig wise, we're doing a few warm up shows but we're keeping it low-key. Why? There is a certain sense of monotony to a show when its played with the same songs in front of the same audience. I don't think its fair on you to pay money to see the same show over and over again, and i don't think its fair on us to constantly play to the same people. It dulls the experience. maybe. So we're not going to be publicising all our gigs, just mentioning them in passing.

There is, however, one gig you should all try to come to. Its on the 4th March @ Red Lion and its for a good cause. Listen to music, have a drink, a laugh, donate some money. It'll be great. maybe.

The ballad of oh six & seven

2007-01-08T00:10:00.000Z

New Year. Did you know that the real way to live forever is not to increase your time, but to sub-divide it? Never really reaching zero. But i've heard that the passing of time is an illusion. There is only 'now'.

Fresh from a rehearsal with a nice new number in the works. A gentle slow song very reminisent of Mogwai and 'The Tourist' by Radiohead. Well that's how it sounds to me now, and its only a work in progress with a funny name... 'Once again, this time with a biro in mouth'

Don't ask us why.

Its seems that there is much to do, but we're gonna push at it this year, like it means everything in the world to us. Because it does. We may not be playing much (yet) but that doesn't meant we aint swaying and sweating and beating ourselves with rhythms and rhymes.

Mini-album should be on its way. Spud is AWOL, but we're close to finding him. Artowrk has been done and needs a few minor corrections. It all looks and sounds fabulous.

ETA release? Who knows. I reckon... May?

Happy new year bruvs and bruvettes.

We have been...

2006-12-04T21:58:00.000Z

(1) Writing new songs
(2) Recording some new material in demo form
(3) Playing a gig
(4) Putting finishing touches on the mini-album
(5) Getting extremely drunk (individually, collectively)
(6) Participating in quiz nights
(7) Waiting...

Sometimes there seems like there is so much to do before you've even left the front door. You know what i mean? Try as we might it is still really hard to get our act together. It feels like there has been much more talking than action, but the truth is really not the case. We've been doing things, building things, tuning things, breaking things, ordering things, all in an effort to make sure we can still do this the way we want next year.

The Gig was great. New Songs, new clothes, new lights, new equipment. It came together in a freakish way and we came out trumps (or so we've been told). It was a nice night with no fights.

If you're out there and reading this... thanks

frustration...?

2006-11-02T13:31:00.000Z

Where are they now?

We ain't played together in nearly 3 weeks. Meetings keep getting cancelled and rescheduled. Only 1 gig in the pipeline. We need to get our shit together and get it together soon. I have no plans to work in a post room for the rest of my life.

final photo's from Lost Boy's

2006-10-15T12:02:00.000+01:00

Sam has yet to share, and these are the last i got. Hope you had fun, we did. Who knows how these songs will turn out, but already, all the mistakes are going through my head. Parts that need to be re-done, things that need to be taken out etc.. etc.. Just boring control freak stuff.

thanks for reading.

It gets scary on a farm at night...

When we packed up, the animals decided to hold a meeting...

I think this photo truly sums up the title - 'When Kids Attack'...

Day 5

2006-10-13T19:34:00.000+01:00

Well...

ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE ! ITS ALL DONE !

4 tracks -

A simple Way
When Kids Attack
How the West Won its Suicide
Left Arm in Love

Would you like to hear them? Us too. Spud's on the mix right now.

It's all a bit bizzare. Definately a week of extreme lows and extreme highs. They sit side by side.

AMIT: "We've worked hard for this..."
CHAZ: "Now we're gonna work even harder."

and you know what, he's right. There's no rest for the wicked, and it seems there's no rest for 3 boys who love music and want to play till the cows come home (that's us by the way). We've worked hard and now its play-time. Come see us in the playground and we'll play you tune's for cookies.

peace/piece

Friday the 13th @ Lost Boys Studio

2006-10-13T05:16:00.000+01:00

4 tracks to toy with. We're giving 'Warehouse Throng' a miss due to lack of time. No one could be more upset about this than me, but then, these 4 tracks are sounding pretty good, and the extra time we have to do things to this might make the loss worthwhile. Forgive me if i'm not making much sense. Its 5:16am and i've just attempted vocals to 'Left Arm in Love'.

Techically we're into our 5th day already and it's friday the 13th. Not long to go now.

Interesting info. the day Spud learned to use pro-tools (the program this is all being recorded on/in) was the day of '9/11'. Bizzare & true.

Sleep time. I'm missing you.

Whilst i was doing this...

Charlie was doing this.

ahh. Bless.

What next?

2006-10-12T21:26:00.000+01:00

Well, it seems that we've managed to get down the second half of WKA, 'How the West Won It's Suicide' and 'Left Arm in Love' today. It's still reasonably early, so that must be a good thing. I feel we may be working all night, however. Doing 'what' exactly... well, vocals and pianos for a start. And then... might have a cup of coffee or something, feels like we ain't done that in a while.

Left Arm in Love is playing in the backround as I write this. 'I don't want to speak soon' - take from that what you will (don't be cheaky).

I guess the point I'm trying make is that this is the final night in the studio. Let's get on with.

stasi + spud = Day 4 (?)

2006-10-12T18:18:00.000+01:00

This sucks. Should i be honest... I think it's the best thing. I feel like we are well and truly screwed. We're just not achieving. It's lazy, it's under-performed, it's useless. We've just come back from a shop so food might kick us into gear. There would be nothing that would make me more happier than if we just fucking did our shit and got more than one song done every two days. Who wants to be involved in something where the productivity is so low?

Well me, actually.

Maybe we need more time, but we're not giving up. Always move forward. It doesn't matter what you do or what cards you are dealt. This is in our hands, and in our hands we will move forward. One awful step at a time.

Don't worry. We're smiling our way through.

[A few hours later....]

Food must've been good. We finally shook out 'WKA' and now we're moving through 'How the West Won int's Suicide'. I don't want to say anymore and jinx it all.

more random photo's...

(F.Y.I - Motorways are evil things. Avoid at all costs.)

Day 4 cont...

2006-10-12T11:15:00.000+01:00

Sticks/Strings/Leads

This is more like it. Up early and arses into gear, we MIGHT actually get a full day's recording done and it WILL be mind-blowing. There's a lot to do today and the first task is, perhaps, for a few sleep-deprived souls to rise from the hazy mists of purgatory and spring back to life. I'll give 'em (us) five minutes.

Go.

Day 4 and an early start.

2006-10-12T10:01:00.000+01:00

We're here and up and this gives us an enormous advantage. Last night was a vocal night. Some nice new ideas for 'A Simple Way'. Here be some new lyrics (in no particular order)...

I like your structures, they're so well produced
Looks ke a soul-less, pitiful excuse
not very 3-d or very free
will it inspire coz it doesn't inspire me

Burn the house down with this noise
Just push stop on the machine
Go ahead
Go ahead
Go ahead
maybe Grow a head too.

A little bit more tension, but i think tired people just get cranky. I can't complain, the future depends on it.

If we get 'How the West Won it's Suicide' and the 'Throng' song down, maybe we can think about getting 'Left Arm...' done today too.

With an early start anything can happen. More pictures on the way (but later today)

Day 3 @ the 'Boy's are Lost' Studio

2006-10-11T21:09:00.000+01:00

We let late starts happen. This isn't good, it isn't productive. What is productive is an early start (post-run) with good breakfast and a prayer to the God of Rock. "Oh God of Rock...", we shall say, "Give us the power to play our songs awesomely. The tools to shred ears through your mighty distortion and power-house beats. In your name we will lay waste to the ears of the people, and bloody our hands with your prog tendancies and punk routine."

When kids attack is kicking out of the speakers and it sounds good. Its all so very rough but it's so nearly there. We've been recording live (as opposed to recording our bits seperately, then pasting them together in Pro-tools afterwars) and the sound coming out is much more alive. There's a long way to go, but the first few steps have been made and the ground is nice.

Photo's... (These were taken 2 hours apart)

(we work hard, we sit hard)
also, dont everuse otex eardrops (anyone) . the evil stuff gets stuck in ears and can piss u off for days ( pissed off)

cant think of anything to write now ... but i shall stall for a while as the laptop provides warmth to the lap which can be desirable when stoned and besides spuds going on about jazz so theres not much else to do
......

more phototototo...s

2006-10-10T18:29:00.000+01:00

And we're off with 'A simple Way'. Arguments have started but no-one has been hurt... yet. Troubles with Bass and Guitar sounds. Shit-hot drumming from Charlie 'cycles' Vessey. Maybe it'll explode? here's some pics...

Lee making us cuppa's...

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT !!!

[Random]

Day 2

2006-10-10T17:00:00.000+01:00

Sticks/Strings/Leads

D A Y 2 @ L O S T B O Y S

After this recording I need to learn some basic HTML coz I want to be able to post pretty-looking messages too... To be able to post pretty-sounding messages however, is something that - I'd like to believe - cannot be achieved through accurately learning how to code a series of less-attractive 0's and 1's. Nor can it be achieved through only having had a few hours sleep, after a long day of setting/testing up and a sllightly nerve-wrecking journey home (the sight of multi-ton articulated lorries approaching at seemingly wreckless speeds, ascending blind slopes in the pitched black of the early morning is an experience for anybody who's ever wanted to be fuckED like a rabbit IN THE HEADLIGHTS).

Anyhow, we have returned to our abode and, after having shed small fragments of crankiness built up from the previous night, we're ready to go. Time to unleash the beast, as it were.

Day 1 @ 'Lost Boys Studios'

2006-10-09T14:55:00.000+01:00

How fitting eh? Here's some pics. We've spent all morning getting our shit together and now we're here. Dude, this is so out of the way it's crazy. Time to make some music methinks, but first...

'They' toy with us...

2006-09-26T16:55:00.000+01:00

Anger expelled is anger vanquished, never to return.

It's holiday time now. Cycles left for 'Brat-tiz-lah-vee-ah' on monday and tomorrow i venture to Amsterdam. Upon return (next week) we'll have the gig coming up - 5th Oct @ Grey Horse - BE THERE - and then the following week it's recording time? I don't want to say anything about it until it is confirmed, so maybe it isn't recording time that week. But it better bloody well be. This itch is starting to tear holes in my skin and all my joy is slowly seeping out of these holes. But we'll get there in the end. One way or another we're doing this bastard before the year is up.

Dude to the extra practice, the songs are just a little bit fantastic now (though never finished). Expect a set full of surprises, new sounds, new dance moves, new equipment, new rush of blood and a sexual energy from Shakes that could endanger us all.

I'm out. enjoy your week.

So this is my life...

2006-09-12T14:12:00.000+01:00

Shit happens. Rehersals have been going good. New completed songs ready to be aired at our gigs. Where they'll end up in the set is completely in air now... As is our recording.

Spud still isn't back so i think things are moving back until october. I'm a little vexed at this. One hard thing about all this is when you give up everything to make yourself work to deadlines set by other people. This is all i want to do, but it seems like i can't do it because i'm working 'for' other people. Fuck this. I've let some people down that mean a lot to me because there was 'NO OTHER TIME' that we could record and now this?

Whatever. I'll stick by my boys and keep m,y eyes to the sky because everything works out for the best in the end.

Where's my face?

2006-08-28T22:39:00.000+01:00

All good in the house of stasi. I know you've been worried. I can smell indifference miles away. Its like smelling static electricity. It has a really funny smell. Doesn't it?

New additions -

'Clockwork' - and old riff from the Derby Sessions (april '05?), contorted to fit a new breed of groove by 'Sick note' Sam. Not heavy. Kind of like a muscular-man with lots of jumpers on.

'New riff led song' - according to 'Cycles' Vessey, its sounds a little fugazi. Quite possibly the fastest song we've done in terms of the drum beat. But layered with quite laid back grimy sounding guitars with a mogwai-esqe hook?

It feels like a joke writing these pointless blurbs. It's like - TECHNOLOGY: 1 HUMANITY: 0

now where is my face?

Lyrical progress for various bits & bobs your uncle...

2006-08-24T02:02:00.000+01:00

(1) The joke you make is met with a chorus of laughter. their hands collide in an applause of lies and with smiles made of plasitc they'll look you up and look you down until you falter so your disposition you must not change and no more words must you utter.

(2) I know you f**k and you think its love but its a fragile fantasy borne out of boredom and low self-assurance topped with a tragic 'I' want! 'I' need! I take a bite from your dream. A sudden thrust of my hips, a naughty lick of your lips and we're back to where we used to be. Armed with a vengance and no sexual preferance, attacking with a battle cry that brings me to my knees. Don't dissapoint the witness's out to mock and murder me.

(3) I speak softly when i'm spoken to (don't you?). I write words into the sand for you. God smiled and said go home to bed and rest - I'm about to erase the human race from this mess.

(4) Drive and collide my son, Jump, dance, f**k everyone. Keep peace (keep peace) and ask no questions worth dying for. Praise to the system that suffocates children, and watch how those children pass out in the sreet at night. Bullied by health freaks and fashion dysfunction queens. a Slow diet of nothing-ness. Perfect face. Perfect chest. Praise to the system that angers our children and watch as those children turn bread into dynamite. Riots riots riots riots riots riots riots riots riots riots riots (etc.. etc..)

Changes

2006-08-15T00:45:00.000+01:00

So we're still doing a mini-album, but now we're holding back on a tour. We'll go into record as scheduled (the 2nd time around), play a few gigs, write some more stuff, go back and record in Nov-Dec(?), then maybe tour come Jan-Feb-Mar(?)

What we do know is that some of the songs from the first session will be available to you all online @ the end of Sept, possibly early Oct. Then, when we go to record the rest, we'll make a physical copy with some brilliant artwork (fingers crossed), and take it on tour with us. Our little baby.

We've purchased some new equipment / almost killed ourselves with a curry / Jammed like there was no tomorrow / realised tomorrow was yesterday

New possible additions...

'a simple way' <--- The 'Where were you when you heard this song?' song.
'Warehouse Throng' <--- You never know until you get it right, right(?)

Don't foget... they're lying to you.

Clown

2006-08-13T11:57:00.000+01:00

Its happened this way before and now its doing it again... but its angry. First time it happened was with 'Mixed Inglish' (the song, not the single). We wrote it in 'quick-time' (the slang for very quickly, not the program), and it was good. We weren't too happy with it, but we weren't disappointed either. We were going to have 'Travel in the Light' as the lead single, but when it came to recording, something happened to 'M/I' that took us by surprise. It changed. All the pieces were there and we just moved fingers around our instruments and it all started to morph into this 'Zadkiel'(?)

'Clown' doesn't sound like 'Clown' anymore. 'Clown' doesn't feel like 'Clown' anymore. It sounds really fucking evil. Possibly the heaviest thing we've done, but its still not finished. Vocally, I'm just lost. I may not even stick to the old singing. It could become something incredibly different and completely new. But then you people might be really unhappy?

This is a hard thing to come to terms with. What are we doing, and who are we doing it for?

Update no. 6593

2006-08-07T17:00:00.000+01:00

The recording has been moved back. The guy producing this thing is going on tour with Nick Oliveri and his band - 'Mondo Generator'. Yup. He was mastering the recent 'Mondo...' album, got on well with him enough to get taken around and out of town to festival dates and bars and pub. He'll playing with 'M/G' here in London on the 22nd August @ The Underworld in Camden.

This does in turn mean that the orignal recording dates are now being pushed back so we won't be starting until september now. Ho hum. But now we have more time to rehearse and get songs sounding great... or we have more time to waste by taking days off and writing wierd computer based music, which is all fine and dandy. Just can't help feeling a little like there's not ENOUGH pressure.

Fav song so far - When Kids Attack
Secret curve ball potential (?) - Clown
Future Classic - Left Arm in Love
The Why? song - Me & JR (& MLK & FDR) <---- it won't last much longer now
The How? song - Ofamailyan Ovahmaiyan

Everything else is still sitting pretty in the can.

Titles

2006-07-31T23:48:00.000+01:00

Here it is. A list of possible songs for the new CD filled with pitfalls, traps, bears & elephants...

Cat Cage
When Kids Attack
Left Arm in Love
Tom & the Olive Tree
Me & Jessica Rabbit
Photomarket
Clown
Ofamailyan Ovahmaiyan
What Comes of Her
Pots of Gold and a Silver Whistle

Maybe we're thinking 6 will make it. Then again, maybe we're not. The others in the band probably won't know possibly two of them, but best to keep us all on our 30 collective toes eh?

On recording...

2006-07-31T20:26:00.000+01:00

Another CD about to be made. This time it hurts. We shall keep a record of our thoughts before going into battle, and reports of the beasts we encounter on here. It may not be funny, it may not be cool. It will be what it is and what you make of it.