The Return of AlKandAlC and a really good weekend

February 24, 2009

Hello

although it’s now Tuesday, and the happyness and enthusiasm are fading, I had a very good weekend. It didn’t start too well: The Pussycats’ gig at the Ark was a bit crap. Turning up for the soundcheck only to find that we’d been double booked with somebodies party didn’t really help set a good scene. Luckily, we managed to negotiate a 30 min set. But still, somewhat of a downer as the last gig at the Ark back in December went pretty well, and the Cab gig was pretty good too. But hey, you win some you lose some.

Things improved though, with a surprise phone call from Ali on Sat morning.

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Gigs, gigs and more gigs

February 19, 2009

20th Feb – The Als and the Pussycats at The Ark. 8pm.

Yeah, the Ark. I hope Ralph is doing the sound. Fingers crossed I can get a another live recording so we can hear what we actually sound like. Probably cost you £4 or there abouts.

22nd Feb – AlKandAlC at The Listening Room (Blue Blazer). 9pm.

Our first duo gig of 2009! Hopefully we can piece together a new set  this weekend. The evening starts at 8pm with some open mic acts, and Ali and I are on around 9pm. Free!

10th March – The Als and the Pussycats at Whistlebinkies. 11pm.

The first gig at Whistlebinkies for the cats.

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Melodic Minor Modulate Major Etude

February 17, 2009

ok, Maybe etude is over doing it a little, but hey.

melodicminormodulatemajorex

This was mainly done as an idea for Cantor (a reprise/coda/outro) for Interlock, But Matt doesn’t like modulating, he’s got something about major keys. I guess maybe I’ve been playing with Ali for too long, as I quite like like major these days. So anyway, I quite like this, and I might try and expand it into a piece in it’s own right. Already some happy accidents are suggesting new ways to develop it.


Oooh. It’s complicated: Korg DS-10

February 12, 2009

My Korg DS-10 arrived today. Had a play for 2 mins before starting work. It looks pretty deep, like a cut down version of FL Studio or something. Once I’ve got some PhDing done this afternoon I’m going to hook the DS up to Cubase and record whatever I come up with while trying to figure out how to use it! Should be fun. :)

[EDIT] Ok, I failed to record. For some reason I couldn’t  get a signal from my DS to the Saffire. However, this problem will soon be sorted. Once I find out what’s causing it. Anyway, I just had a play around. This thing is awesome!


Matt James’s Cyan

February 10, 2009

Well, that’s one track down. Several (about 10 I’m told) to go. Woo. I think the new tune is up on his myspace. I’ve been given permission to try adding a ‘cello part, so all I need to do now is relearn the ‘cello.

It's amazing what you can do with kitchen paper and a rubber band

It's amazing what you can do with kitchen paper and a rubber band


the AlKandAlC Recording Weekend – Guitars

February 5, 2009

It’s important to have the right tool for the job. With this in mind, we assembled a whole forest of guitars :)

Yes, we love each and every one of them. Well, almost.

Yes, we love each and every one of them. Well, almost.

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Pussycats @ Cab’ Vol. Gig; AlKandAlC @ Viewforth; McMurtry @ Oran Mor

February 3, 2009

Well, that was a busy weekend. First off, The Al’s and the Pussycats played at the Cabaret Voltaire. Good gig – probably one of our best yet, although we only got a 30 min set. I think it’s only beaten by the last Ark gig we played which had the benifit of a longer set, debuting new songs, and the glock :) Plenty more gigs coming up too. Anyway, Friday night was fun. Playing early mean drinking early. Which was fun.

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Upcoming AlKandAlC weekend (fingers crossed) and I Want a DS10!

January 28, 2009

Hello, the week’s gone so so so far (that is grammatically correct isn’t it?). Work is ebbing up and down. I’ve been givning the task of doing a preliminary lit. review for a new project/grant proposal my boss is thinking of submitting. Which is exciting in theory (lots of interesting research etc) but boring in practise (trying to find relevant lit. review). No doubt this will change by the end of the once I get a handle on the field.

I’m currently looking forward to the weekend! The Als and the Pussycats are playing the Cab this weekend. Which I have low expectations of. But because of this, I actually expect to be pleasantly surprised when I realise that we’re better than I give us/the rest of the band, credit for. Which will no doubt put me in a good mood. Not that I’m a bad mood just now. But you know.

Hopefully, Ali permitting, we’ll spend the weekend sorting out a set of duo material and making some progress on the album. Which i guess is about a 3rd done. Or nearly. Anyway, I want to keep it down to 40-45 minutes long which means we don’t have much to do as Sweet Moves, Stranger and Talk All Day are in pretty good shape. Add in the possibility of resurrecting the original Amy, with a new Jaco inspired fretless bass intro (I’ve got some new ideas, it’s just a matter of distilling them all into 30 seconds or so! Anyway, I think that will fit the vibe set up by the three tracks we’ve recorded so far. (Don’t) Come Look For Me will probably be on it too, as the token blues track, and I’m hoping to record a little ‘cello part for it. Then a couple of Trees, Car, Wolf, Sailor Song, She Cries, All Breaks Down, Who Needs Who, etc. Y’ know, Ali’s written a lot of good songs!

I made some good progress in learning Three of a Perfect Pair last night. No Cantor rehearsal tomorrow, (Matt’s birthday), but we should be back next week. :)

Amazon have Korg DS10′s back in stock! I really want one. Not sure if I can justify the money though. Not that it’s expensive by any means. Hmmm. Maybe it will provide the Pussycats with whatever it is I seem to think is missing. Or could be a secret weapon for Cantor. Hmmmmmm. Strokes beard.


Bread Blog 2

January 25, 2009

Hello,

the other day we put the bread machine to great use and made a calzone:

Calzone............yum

Calzone............yum

Worked a treat! And there was some left for lunch the next day! It was even better than the pizza we made with Ali the week before!

And bread fans, yes, you!, currently, I am in the process of, making, can you tell I can hardly contain my excitment, no, me neither, anyway, currently, I am trying to make….. baps! For my lunch tomorrow! The world of bread is indeed an exciting one. I think i’ll buy some of the Wallace & Gromit branded flour next time I’m in Waitrose. :)

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Cantor: Taking the obvious step.

January 22, 2009

Well, this should be interesting. I guess it will be a good reality check for Cantor. Although, of course, if it doesn’t work, we will continue with the elitist arrogance, at least for a while longer. Cause it’s fun. And we’re better than you.*

So, anyway, on tonight’s menu, we will be by doing the obvious. Now you may ask, does doing the obvious not go against everything you pretend to believe in? Well, we would answer that question with a “yes, but…” with the but being we have a band with a Warr Guitar and two normal guitars, one of which is being enticed to play in NST. So of course we’re going to bloody well try and play a King Crimson song.

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