Sometimes you read that a song had a really long gestation, and then you read Wikipedia only to find out what differentiates a ‘long’ gestation from a short one is the number of hotel rooms and hookers, multiplied exponentially, the guitarist had to pass through in order to come up with the band’s next hit.
In contrast, the main riff to ‘New Electra’ was one of the very first I ever came up with on picking up a guitar. Which was in the mid 1990s. As a reminder, ‘Battletech’ came out in July, this year.
The base of the song was laid down in the late ’90s, early 2000s, and pretty much left to rot. I never brought it up for consideration in any of the bands I was in, and never considered it for recording in my my previous solo iteration, luna spark, which wasn’t as ‘rock’ oriented as ‘Battletech’.
But new technology and such let me try it out, and though it evolved greatly in the mix, I don’t think it could have come out any better. It’s a far cry from what I imagined in 1996 or whatever, but if you knew what lyrics used to hang off the riff, you’d be worshiping the ground Charles Darwin used to listen to music on.
‘Cause really, the whole song is pretty much that riff. And to have some whargarbll over the top of it, with some crappy AutoTune, w0uld just be lame.
The verses aren’t so hot, so AutoTune there is required, for sure.
If you’ve got the album, and it’s a free download, so if you’ve read this far I’m guessing you do, you’d notice the snare sound is different to most of the other songs. It is, yeah. I used a different sample, and to this day, I’m not entirely sure why. It has a more generic session-bad pop sound to it.
The synth sound in the second verse you’d recognise as one I’ve scattered throughout ‘Battletech’, and it’s cropping up a bit in the new recordings I’m working one - perhaps a little too much! I’ve had some troubles with one of my wrists this past year, and combined with the fact I’m now a freakin’ dad (”freakin’ dad” ’cause it’s still a freakout that I’m a freakin’ dad) I’ve not been on the guitar/bass so much.
In its place is that pulsing, so-very-1990s sound. Or ’80s. I”m not sure. Needs more guitar to sound like Rob Zombie, less to sound like Ultravox - the dilemma of my life.
I sat my restricted driver licence test yesterday, at the grand old age of 28. The timing though not deliberate, seems apt.
Young guys in their cars statistically die more often between 16 and 25, and I’m past that. Rock stars die at 27, so I’m free of that obstacle too. In more ways than age.
I was always convinced when younger I’d die in a car accident - my suspicion was it wouldn’t be whilst I was in a car, but cycling or jaywalking, but I figured with accident rates as they are for young guys, my rock star ambitions and the fact I grew up in a car-less family in a flat city, I’d be better off not getting behind the wheel too soon.
Still, there was never any conscious decision to wait this long - I began learning in 2003, with lessons from Rob - as a part of my post-freakout/Aropax, get in line phase - which never got beyond practise drives around Flagstaff. The theory was if we (I) hit anyone, the family would either be nice and rich enough to handle it, or evil and rich enough for us to be doing the universe a favour. Then again, getting to speed where injury was even a possibility was a problem, with my inept gear-changing skills.
I barely touched a steering wheel again till late last year, when Parker’s impending arrival, the realisation I had a real job, being past 27 and Tariqa’s … encouragement, got my motivation back up.
I ran out of money a couple of times, and had to cancel what I thought would have been my last lesson - driving on busy motorways, lane changes and parallel parking - because Parker decided to arrive a few days earlier than we expected. That night was my first time driving by myself, which despite the disaster of getting completely lost, gave me the confidence I could actually make a car go forwards in the direction I wanted it to, etc.
Now, after spending a couple of months sometimes bussing, sometimes driving to work with the well-rehearsed (in my mind) ‘But officer, I’m 28 - I have a family - I’m not some 15-year-old hoon, I’m just trying to get to work,’ spiel ready to go, I have my restricted licence. The testing guy was a dick (’For the love of god, look out!’ when I was travelling 30km/h down an empty road towards a deserted pedestrian crossing), but gave me a pass, despite not saying a single nice thing about my driving skills from the time we met till the time we parted (where he took care to lock his door, but left the window wide open).
I was driving home today in heavy lunchtime traffic, and realised, holy shit - I’m an Auckland commuter, in my own car, driving home from work to my family, listening to the Rolling Stones and Floyd on a Friday afternoon with the window down.
In my defence there are no buses at 4.30am for my morning commute, and even if there were, I’m sure they’d still find a way to take 45 minutes to get to Eden Terrace. And I was listening to Bis and the Talking Heads, which are still cool. Aren’t they?
Posted 1 year, 3 months ago at 6:21 am. Add a comment
And in this dream, Depeche Mode recorded an acoustic album, made up songs written by Paul McCartney (music) and Mark Mothersbaugh (words). Weird… but awesome.
I’m close to finishing the Radio Over Moscow recordings. Might see if Rob’s keen to do the The Purpose of Man vocals while he’s up here for my Planet of the Apes Mid-Winter Movie Marathon (yes, it deserves capitals).
Picked up the new Manics album on the weekend, and have been listening to it almost non-stop since. I’m not sure how much any of you care, but it’s good hearing James singing Richey’s words again, even knowing it’ll never happen again. It’s a grower of a record, only the first couple of songs (Peeled Apples and Jackie Collins Existential Question Time) really stand out on first listen, but the rest soon show themselves - I’d have to say apart from those two, This Joke Sport Severed, All Is Vanity and Marlon JD would be my favourites. Steve Albini’s production is nice and heavy, but it’s been given a proper shiny mix so it’s not unlistenable. Rating at 83/100 on Metacritic at the moment, which is impressive for any major label album there. Nice artwork too, and all the lyrics printed out, which made the first listen (on my big headphones after a couple of drinks) all the much more enjoyable and eye-opening.
Anyway… that morning I was trying to catch a bus to town so I could pick up the CD before work, but didn’t have enough credit on my card. I figured I might have time to get some money and race onto the next bus stop, so hoofed it to the ATM and began navigating the long-winded menu.
I then heard this woman yelling, and turned around to see she was yelling at and approaching yours truly. WTF? I thought maybe I was being robbed - checked she wasn’t holding a knife - then listened to what she was actually saying: “GET OUT OF MY BODY! I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT OF MY BODY!” Err, okay… she was shouting this whilst wearing a bum bag and rocking a boy’s haircut, waving her woollen-gloved hands in my face.
Then she attacked me - it wasn’t hard to block her blows, but it felt faintly ridiculous - I was being attacked by an insane lesbian. She then stormed off, much to the amusement of everyone standing around watching. The bus went past, and I thought shit, my bus to town, and ran off after it. I caught up, and for once the bus driver was accommodating, and pulled over for me.
All I wanted was to get my Manics album before work…
TOP TEN ALBUMS OF THE LAST… MONTH!
1. Sounds of the Universe - Depeche Mode
2. Journal for Plague Lovers - Manic Street Preachers
3. The Holy Bible - Manic Street Preachers
4. Doves - Kingdom of Rust
5. Screens - Mint Chicks
6. Day & Age - Killers
7. Years of Refusal - Morrissey
8. Modern Life Is Rubbish - Blur
9. Cardinology - Ryan Adams
10. Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future - The Bird and the Bee
Posted 1 year, 3 months ago at 4:31 am. Add a comment
I’m reading a book at the moment (Shock! Horror! But I’ll have you know I used to read like… some kind of reading… machine…), Alex James’ autobiography, Bit of a Blur. It’s entertaining, but worthless if you want any kind of insight into Blur’s songwriting and recording processes.
As a result I’ve been relistening to Blur’s catalague (I’m not so sure about my ‘listen to every song on my iTunes in order of shortest to longest’ idea anymore), and I have to say because I had such crappy stereos and headphones as a kid, I never realised what an awesome bassist Alex is.
It’s easier to read on a bus than it is walking, which is one advantage of living out here in Avondale. The other, I suppose, is that we miss the new motorway by a kilometre or two, give or take.
In other news… Parker did his first tummy-to-back roll today! Then wouldn’t stop doing them.
Posted 1 year, 3 months ago at 4:41 am. Add a comment
I’ve decided to listen to EVERYTHING on my iTunes. It sounds hellishly dramatic, and in some ways it is, particularly this first 10 minutes or so. Why? Because I’ve decided to listen to it from smallest file to largest - which means I’m currently privy to bursts of introductory drumbeats interspersed with short vocal pieces, comedy skits and John Lennon quotes. I know eventually it’ll become punk songs a minute long, followed by those new wave sellouts who could play for two, the perfect three-minute pop songs, the post-45″ four, the rock five, metal six, prog-rock seven, eight, nine and beyond, then a few days.. weeks… later the epic classics, followed by the full-album-downloads-noone-ever-bothered-to-cut-up and then wrongly miscast Lost fan podcasts on how Faraday will change the future I haven’t deleted by then.
Provided I go through with this insane plan.
It’s Mothers’ Day tomorrow/today. Tariqa hates surprises, so I bought her a dress she indicated she would like, and it arrived a day or two ago with an outdated, yet impressive price tag in the triple digits. We’ve kept up this ludicrous facede it’s actually the cross trainer I bought a day or two ago, which actually cost triple digits, which is the kind of thing I’m buying cause we have all this space to fill in the new place.
After 15 minutes of listening to my iTunes from smallest file to largest, I’m a little disturbed that I’ve heard the Who sing how worried they are little Tommy is going to be staying with paedophile Uncle Ernie three times already. Do the Faraday and tell him not to go, already!
My cross trainer hasn’t arrived yet, so despite shaving completely yesterday, I still don’t get ID-d at the supermarket.
Next week my new, music/tech blog goes live on 3news.co.nz. It’s called ‘Eight Track Mind’. I’ll link when it arrives.
Posted 1 year, 3 months ago at 7:47 am. Add a comment
‘Peeled Apples’ - from the new album, Journal for Plague Lovers. Produced by Steve Albini, all the lyrics by Richey, and you can tell. I’m not sure about the song itself, but the sound is immense and just what they needed after a couple of nicely polished records.
You can find it on YouTube - no music video, cause apparently there aren’t going to be any singles.
I’m fucking excited now! New Depeche Mode in a few days, then this. Awesome.
Picked up the new Manics album on the weekend, and have been listening to it almost non-stop since. I’m not sure how much any of you care, but it’s good hearing James singing Richey’s words again, even knowing it’ll never happen again. It’s a grower of a record, only the first couple of songs (Peeled Apples and Jackie Collins Existential Question Time) really stand out on first listen, but the rest soon show themselves - I’d have to say apart from those two, This Joke Sport Severed, All Is Vanity and Marlon JD would be my favourites. Steve Albini’s production is nice and heavy, but it’s been given a proper shiny mix so it’s not unlistenable. Rating at 
I’m reading a book at the moment (Shock! Horror! But I’ll have you know I used to read like… some kind of reading… machine…), Alex James’ autobiography, Bit of a Blur. It’s entertaining, but worthless if you want any kind of insight into Blur’s songwriting and recording processes.
