On Signing Off

I recently had the pleasure of introducing someone to a phenomenon in the world of vinyl collecting of which they had no previous knowledge. And the subsequent discovery that six degrees of separation may actually be no more than two. That is the inclusion of record plant engineers and artists run-out groove matrix inscriptions. And the subsequent revelation that one of the 'Prime' instigators is possibly a friend of a friend.

Greetings from the folk in the record plant lacquer cutting room who expertly scratch that spiral of sound onto the face of your precious plastic platter. Expert engineers who can pull off mighty magic by squeezing the last few grooves onto a side right down to the label, without 'Groove Cramming' and losing sound quality, or spiraling two tracks concentrically onto one side to make a "three-sided" record! (Monty Python's "Matching Tie" album, or Handsome Beasts' "Breaker" EP, and others). Depending where you drop the needle it will play a different track!

Often It's the cutting engineer signing off or leaving his moniker on a plate. Good to know who cut what on what shift at the pressing plant, and a vital recognition of engineering skill.  These are not just helpful for identifying pressings. More than just "Kilroy was 'ere"! Often they can prove critical identifiers in sorting your Mint first pressing from your budget reissue. Some bands and artists had more to say, some made more of a habit of it than others - some, who you would expect to embrace the subculture, never did. And sometimes, run-out messages show up in the least expected places.

There are coded messages, sound advice, whimsical meditations, political manifestos, hopes, worries, literary allusions and declarations of joy. From a simple signature to cryptic cocktail hour wisdom and enlightenment, the run-out matrix is a cutting engineer and artists playground. 

Thanks George!

More about the King of the spiral scratch Here.

And I've started to catalogue the fine examples found in my own collection on Discogs. 

That list can be found via this link 

It's A Porky Prime Cut -

Messages from the cutting room.

A selection from my collection.

Embrace the subculture!

     

As for the connection to the erstwhile Mr P.,  I've no wish to be boastful or indiscreet, but my brother in law had some amazing connections.

Nuff said. ;)

BIRDS :: Take One

 

 

Brand new track up on the Bandcamps again today. 

Based around a couple of field recordings of the dawn chorus, with a few carefully chosen acoustic instruments to keep that fresh early morning "live" feeling. The dawn chorus where I live has a richness and intensity like black strong coffee. In the summer, there are often as many as 20, 25 different species of birds audible from my back garden. And then there is the rookery just down the road which is well-established and home to maybe upwards of 200+ birds. It's a far cry from the city centre where I used to live.

On this track, I started with two early morning recordings of birdsong during the dawn chorus. To this I added synths and strings, acoustic guitar, kalimba and flute. All played by me. There is no AI on this recording. It's all me blowing and plucking and strumming and playing synths and literally waving a microphone at the trees

The image is the earliest I could find of the birds I used to make by recycling used disposable bbq grills that I collected from Southsea common.

That all feels like a lifetime ago, and I think that a little of that feeling comes across in the music.

And I think I can say this here, I am more pleased and happy with some of the music that I've made in the last ten years, than I am with any of the pictures I've made in the last forty.

On - A Path From The Floating World

 

New track on the Bandcamp. An excellent remix by Rusty Sheriff of the most recent Caustic track.

The original track was made on my old Moto G6 using the long obsolete Caustic 3 synthesiser app. I love using this app. It's got an astonishing depth and detail to it and yet, it's amazingly easy to use on the most simplistic level. Caustic is akin to an audio form of Photoshop or an MORPG, in that as you use it and develop your familiarity with it, you are drawn deeper and explore and learn. I have learned more about music and music production... Don't get me wrong, clearly I am not Ed Kramer or Steven Wilson... I have no delusions about being actually good. But I have (ridiculously) high expectations of my self and my art, and I publish work that I feel I can be justifiably satisfied, even pleased with. Or, at least, I like to think so. I very rarely get any honest, truthful critical feedback, so it's hard to tell.

This track clearly shows the progression I have made since I started to make music of  my own.

 

 **Side Note: :> "Instant Artwork"

 

The artwork was produced by working directly into a scanning scanner with a lit torch and a sheet of handy printed ephemera.

It took a few goes to get the composition, then edit it (crop) for uploading. Total time for the entire process, maybe 30 minutes - including uploading it to Bandcamp.

* No Photoshop (or equivalent)

* No AI

As long as there is oxygen in my lungs, and music in my heart I will sing to the stars.

To All Of My Friends In Portsmouth

Saturday 11.th April

I'll be having a quiet pint in the Northcote with some friends from about 7ish.

My last night out in Pompey before I leave you all in peace,
and my last chance to thank you all, in person, for the last 33 years.

If you can make it, even if it's just dropping in for a couple of minutes to make sure I'm
definitely going, I'll be happy (and sad!) to see you and say cheerio.

Thanks for some spectacular memories Pompey people.
I'll miss ya!

X
D

On - Erik Satie - Gnossienne in Asia Minor.

Inspired by Forgotten Fish Memory Orchestra

Shared from @harrypartch on YouTube

Enjoy