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It’s funny how you can release music all day every day, but have people only listen when you make a video and stick it on Youtube. As a result of the ‘be suspicious…’ video a pile of people have commented on it in real life. I’ve gotten used to only those directly involved in the whole musical world knowing about the whole bowtie project and interacting with it, so it’s strange to have it bleed out into other areas. It’s something I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable with, as as soon as that happens, inherently all of the criticisms and harsh scrutiny come along for the ride as well. I’m not entirely sure that it’s what any of this was designed for, so who knows how it’ll unfold or what it’ll withstand. It seems a stupid thing to say when writing on a public blog about songs posted on public sharing sites, but I’m sure there are those of you out there that will understand and see through the seeming duplicity.

Contemplations aside, the collaborative idea is beginning to take some sort of semi-tangible shape in the form of actual, proper recorded songs from all the bits and pieces that I’ve been sent so far. The first full track is almost finished, and has some awesome drums from Ally Craig of Bug Prentice, and nice synthy electronic blips from the legendary Does It Offend You Yeah?

I’ve realised that the whole thing is going to be a big mish-mash of different genres and feels, with each track totally different to the others… I hope that the bowtie can bring some sort of common thread to the whole thing. That’ll be the challenge.

Introducing Pulco

Sticking to the same subject, I’m really chuffed to announce that the wonderful Pulco is sending stuff over for inclusion. Since coming up with the whole thing, I’ve wanted to get him on board. He’s a perfect fit – recording things DIY on a whole host of strange and wonderful everyday household items and keyboards.

His own latest album is out this very month of June, so check out the link above, and get a flavour of what’s possibly to come by watching the awesome video below.

~ Clicky Steve ~ Leave a comment

Those times where you desperately don’t want to sleep even though your body’s crying out for it, and you simply want to create… to write or sing, or strum, or pluck, or do something… but you can’t cos everyone’s asleep. One of those times where you feel like you could just speak to a long lost friend and have all and every issue fixed without actually saying a word. One of those times where time and work and money and the past and present all seem to collide into one big nothingness. That’s just now.

I had a big interview a few weeks ago. They saw the music and photos and other stuff I do and after saying how it was a good thing, went on to ask what I saw my career as… when really it seems like the question was actually about dedication and commitment to a single purpose; to check you aren’t going to run away halfway through a lifetime deal for some other ‘fleeting’ dream. There seems to be no middle ground because nobody lets there be one.

More importantly, it’s amazing how a musical saw can sound so wonderful one minute, and so awful and out of tune when played with headphones on. Clearly there’s a dark art to be mastered.

Or maybe I just need to turn the volume up.

~ Clicky Steve ~ Leave a comment

The best kind of songs are the ones that you can still play with friends in the pitch black on a beach after too much alcohol.

One set of commitments has finished for the next few months, and another set have taken its place. There never seems to be the balance that lets you survive to a reasonable degree whilst leaving space and time for music, or other… stuff that’s done purely for the love of it.

Once things settle down, hopefully there’ll be some tangible progress on the whole collaborative-sample-thing. The wonderful FOE have agreed to send some bits and pieces over, which is incredibly brilliant. You should have a follow of them over on their site.

Infact, they’re so good that you should watch the video below. Hannah plays all of the instruments on the record herself…. parallels to the bowtie, although I can’t claim to be quite as good looking as she is.

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A collection of recordings and samples is building up nicely now for what will (hopefully) be a rather interesting semi-collaborative record. Even if that will take months…

On that point, if any musicians out there fancy submitting some recorded bits or samples or song structures or anything else for that purpose, you know where to send them to. They’ll definitely get used somehow.

~ Clicky Steve ~ Leave a comment

With habeas corpus all packaged up (digitally at least) and off of the workbench (literally with respect to the Amiga tracks), minds turn to what’s on the horizon.

The collab project, involving samples and sounds recorded/given specifically for the purpose by some rather wonderful artists is slowly trickling in. Does It Offend You Yeah?, Moor Hound, French For Cartridge, Shoes and Socks Off and Yer Beauties are some of those that have donated already. It could take months before anything’ll be ready, but it’ll be worth it.

That aside, there’s a few 8-bit tracks coming together that may be destined for some sort of compilation; everything else going a bit quiet till the summer months start proper and time gets freed up.

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It’s done!

Since we’d already posted up the album cover for habeas corpus, here’s the back cover/inlay/whatever you call such things in a digital-only release.

Another fifteen tracks of music in handy downloadable/streamable format… although if you loved the first set, we can’t guarantee you’ll feel the same about this.

Click on through to get your hands on a copy. Or two. Or as many as your bandwidth can carry.