DAY SIXTY-ONE

Ninth track in the last ten days. Bit bored now, but haven't felt like doing anything else.

Just some simple blues twanging on my trusty 6-string. Only used two strings, bit of distortion and echo.

settle-down blues

DAY SIXTY

The moon was at it's brightest all year. My camera couldn't cope with the brightness.


















The first full moon of the year is known as the 'wolf moon' which derives from the Native American name.

Good name for a track too. Simple bass, acoustic, 12-string guitar lines.

wolf moon

DAY FIFTY-NINE

Slapped a beat on this one. Ten years ago I'd've been horrified. I used to painstakingly cut it up into bass drum, snare hihat etc and re-arrange, but here I've only slightly amended on 4th and 8th bars.

Played the bassline to the beat, but it still comes in rather abruptly. The beat works better in the second part where the guitar lines get more complicated.

breaking out

DAY FIFTY-EIGHT

http://bln.kr/8UA

6 and 12 string strumming with some weird phasar and sweep echo in the background. I'm struggling to think of names for tracks now. This one is called 'untitled'.













Someone posted this on twitter with no explanation or nuffink. It'd be lovely to randomly drive past this.

DAY FIFTY-SEVEN

tH..argh. This track I kind of sung on. But lots of FX on the vocals, which are sparse and rubbish so you can't here them. It's an anti-folk track with similar 6 and 12 string lines overdubbed. Lets call it everything's fine.

Also, there was a face in my Espresso. I'm pretty sure it wasn't jesus, so I drank him.


DAY FIFTY-SIX

Went for Wooden Shjips style rolling bassline, and some no-wave style guitar. Guitar was too feedbacky with more than perfunctory twangs, so used my voice on the same tone to get the effect.

Arbitrarily called 'no love'. Well, Josie has decreed it's love week, like the crazed dictator she is. So there we are.

http://bln.kr/8Q3

DAY FIFTY-FIVE

I tried to play a bit of guitar today, but wasn't in the mood and didn't find anything worth recording.

Shouldn't feel bad, I've recorded about 20 tracks now. Of variable quality, sure, but that's good going.

DAY FIFTY-FOUR

 Is it possible to remix a track you've never heard? A track that might not even exist?

This album by Boards of Canada was apparently released to friends and family and has never been leaked.

The band put a discography of unreleased albums up on their website, with album covers, track titles and duration, catalogue number etc.

Some of the titles were remarkably evocative, and me being a huge fan, used to wonder what they sounded like.

The one that stuck with me was 'Infinite Lines of Colourful Sevens', it reminded me of a simple BBC BASIC program that filled the screen with coloured words.

I managed to get a Boards of Canada-esque bass sound using buzzsaw and u-vibe mods on my guitar. Then by reversing a guitar line, and another simple guitar line played forwards. I'm really pleased with how this turned out.

sevenism - Infinite Lines Of Colourful Sevens

DAY FIFTY-THREE

A long ambient drone made by placing a guitar close to a speaker to create feedback, then carefully increasing distortion and amending wah, distortion tone, and bass and treble on sine chorus, so that it gradually shifts in tone and texture. Also some 12 string strumming very low down in the mix.

It sounds icy and crunchy hence the title:

frozen dew

DAY FIFTY-TWO

This poster is always on the bus. It gets to me how bad it is.

I couldn't get a decent photo on my phone without looking weird, but it says 'no school uniforms, just great courses'. Its for a college.

The layout is bad, the faux-graffiti backdrop is pointless. There is no link between having to wear a uniform and the courses being great. Are you supposed to wear the course?

But my main gripe is the people. The girls are doing model smiles and model stances. And there is a man who appears to be wearing a school uniform. A shirt and tie. These are not students, a student is not going to wear a shirt and tie upon being told 'no school uniforms'. Those three on the right are too old to be teenage students.

Just that one on the left. Hey, they found a student. Isn't he cool, with his hair and his clothes, and his uncomfortable look? Punk Rock, that is in isn't it?



Also, recorded a quick track. Simple echoey bassline, distorted 12-string, and clean acoustic guitar. Its ok.

The Helvetica Scenario 

DAY FIFTY-ONE

 http://japanesetranslator.co.uk/your-name-in-japanese/?forename=James&style=1



My name in Kanji.






Looks better than my name in that ABC alphabet, whatever that's called.

Played a bit of guitar too, but didn't find anything worth recording.

DAY FIFTY!

Halfway through #100days:

15 drawings/arty things
13 photos
17 tracks recorded
1 poem
1 jar of marmalade

I like those stats! Am I half-way to becoming a better person?

Yes.

Actually, that's the wrong way to look at it. Being creative is important, because it's natural. As children we are always drawing and making things, and yet it's not a childish pursuit, but a human one.

Tried to go all out today, and record a track using all instruments at my disposal. But I was lying on my bed, trying to keep my eyes open, not wanting to do anything.

Glad I got up. I'm really pleased with this. So: simple bassline, fuzzy acoustic guitar, sparkly 12 string, and my out-of-tune voice humming for a bit.

It starts off like it's too slow, but once the 3 main parts are up it's ok. Reason it's slow is I wanted to add some augmented radio too (so had it at the same BPM as the echo), but it was too muffled in the mix. Listening back I should've used my voice more in this, it doesn't sound too bad. But hey, it's not bad for an hour and a half.

sevenism - halfway home

And it's an important lesson: regardless of how I feel, how little I want to do something, it's worth making the effort.

DAY FORTY-NINE

I've wanted to do this for ages. Feed Classical music into guitar FX.

I had Radio 3 on, speaker close to a vocal mic, and just added a load of distortion, echo, and wah.

It's a lot of fun amending the wah while guessing where the music is going. On this take there's a load of speaking but it sounds cool.

sevenism - augmented radio

DAY FORTY-EIGHT

Recorded a quick track on both 6-string, and 12-string, guitar.

Wanted to use bass guitar too, but didn't have time to tune it up. I don't think my bass likes this cold weather.

Was trying to play the different parts out of phase but wasn't really paying attention to the metronome, so just comes out a bit lackadaisical. What the hell? I thought it was pronounced lax-adaisical. Dear me.

Anyway

DAY FORTY-SEVEN

I made a card for ShakeHands MidWinter Day.

This is a traditional British celebration (and not at all made up by Graham Linehan to confuse Americans into thinking we have our own version of Thanksgiving). Fox-Rabbit is eaten by most people and games such as Tease Cheese and Shout Peter Stupid are played.

While it is seen as bad luck to actually shake hands on this day, observing others shaking hands is portentous as you get to watch 'the devil dance away'.

More details here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188906458996


















DAY FORTY-SIX

Despite using whisky instead of a lemon, too much sugar, and not simmering properly, I got what appears to be marmalade. OK, yes, it tastes more like golden syrup with a consistency to match, but I made it, and whatever it is, it tastes good on toast. 'tho not so good that I'll give any to people in the other flats to apologise for setting off the alarm so much.



Heckled a spammer too. This one seemed a cut above: it was translated into Italian, and it beat gmail spam detection which is pretty impressive. I like to try and match the feel of the original message, but haven't had a response until now.

I do not know you...

Ciao!
Trovo la tua e-mail su internet e ho voluto scrivere per voi.
Tu non sai di me ... e non so voi ... Ma ho fiducia nel destino e mi auguro che il destino, mi dia una possibilita ....
Voglio trovare un tipo, uomo onesto e intelligente.
Il mio nome - Elena. La mia eta- 26 years.It e difficile da dire su di me. Se questo e di alcun interesse a voi, scrivete a me
Mi auguro, vedo la vostra lettera al piu presto. Nel seguente lettera che ho a dire su di me e di inviare le mie foto. Scrivi sulla mia email personale -@mail333.com ora scrivo con il lavoro e il mio capo non si sa in proposito. Cordiali saluti,
Elena.
Hello!
I find your email on internet and I wished to write to you.
You do not know me... and I do not know you... But I trust in destiny and I hope that destiny give me a chance....
I want to find a kind, honest and clever man.
My name - Elena. My age-26 years.It is difficult to tell about myself. If this is of any interest to you, write to me
I hope, I can see your letter soon. In the following letter I to tell about myself and send my photos. Write on my personal email -@mail333.com now I write with the work and my chief does not know about it. Sincerely,
Elena.

Ciao bella!
Your email it finds me.
Hope is only the love of life. And without hope where is destiny? and what is life?

I know nothing about you, and yet there is a familiarity within your words. I also am finding difficulty in talking about myself, and yet I feel you know me. I am 29, no it it is too soon, this cracked, winding path to my heart.

I await your response and cannot work until then.
Yours
Jamie
-------------
Hello Beautiful!
La tua e-mail che trova me.
La speranza è solo l'amore per la vita. E senza speranza, dove è il destino? e ciò che è vita?
Non so nulla di te, e tuttavia c'è una familiarità entro le tue parole. Anch'io sto trovando difficoltà a parlare di me, eppure mi sento mi conosci. Sono 29, no, è troppo presto, questo cracking, tortuosa strada al mio cuore.
Attendo le vostre risposte e non può lavorare fino ad allora.
Yours
Jamie

Hi Jamie!! I have received your letter!! Certainly, it not a correct way of acquaintance. But I to trust in destiny. It is very original - to write it to the stranger. I to send the picture! If it was pleasant to you, if you to wish to continue acquaintance to answer me!!
Not to worry, I opened for dialogue.
If to you to like, I with pleasure will tell about myself and to send new pictures.
I will wait. Kisses Elena 















The English isn't as good in the second email, and it's pretty much the same email but in a different style. I love the phrase 'I opened for dialogue'. I checked the email address on google, no hits, but the domain is Russian, and I went into a flight of fancy about the Russian mafia googling me and finding where I live! Ridiculous, I know, but I didn't reply, and I've removed the user part of her email address.

Ach I say 'her' but it could be some guy who wrote those. Or maybe I'm just cynical, and have ruined my chances with Elena.

DAY FORTY-FIVE

Finally got a microphone for my 12-string guitar. And it works nicely.

This track is really enjoyable to play, holding off the lower strings for as long as possible. I got a bit excited though, and played bits in the wrong order and it's a bit bum-notey once or twice.

solstice

I put two different types of echo on, which is why it sounds almost like a sitar.

Tried to make some whisky marmalade, but turned my back for a second and it boiled over, put the heat down, went to turn smoke alarm off, wouldn't go off, went back it had boiled over again, smoke everywhere, unset marmalade all over hobs, surfaces, washing machine, floor, and smoke alarm still going off.

Salvaged about a jar full, and when smoke had dispersed enough to re-enter kitchen, I tried again and it boiled over again. I don't have high hopes for marmalade on toast tomorrow morning.

DAY FORTY-FOUR

Played a bit of guitar but didn't record anything. Just some bluesy noodling.

DAY FORTY-THREE

When I was at Primary School, aged about 10, I used to draw these weird polygon structures, impossible three-dimensional sprawls, and sometimes they'd end up looking like something. Some kid thought it would be 'rad' if I etched one of these designs into his skateboard but I knew I wouldnt've been able to.



















Bored at work, I drew this. It ended up like a tortoise I think.

Also I did a track based on yesterdays bassline. Still doesn't work properly. Noisy, a bit atonal, and too similar to other stuff I've done:

headfog

DAY FORTY-TWO

Started another track, got a bassline down, but I couldn't play to it.

Hey-motherfucking-ho

DAY FORTY-ONE

Wrote a poem:

These ghosts of meaning,
Flicker like grace notes;
Virtual particles;
Mere logical flaws.

I like putting sciencey stuff in poems. it seems obtuse. This is about how sure we can be of our thoughts, feelings, perceptions; and how we're often wrong.

It's been getting to me recently. This democracy of opinion, judgments made with little, or no, thought.

Like Harlan Ellison said,

"Everybody has opinions: I have them, you have them. And we are all told from the moment we open our eyes, that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Well, that’s horsepuckey, of course. We are not entitled to our opinions; we are entitled to our informed opinions. Without research, without background, without understanding, it’s nothing. It’s just bibble-babble. It’s like a fart in a wind tunnel, folks."

DAY FORTY

This seems like a milestone. 40 days.

Another milestone: 5 days in a row recording tracks. This one didn't come out so well. I used a technique of recording one string at a time. So the bassline is one guitar string, then go back and record the high E string, then another string, and so on.

apparitions

I was setting up a hifi amp and needed some light to get to the tangle of wires. Used the flash on camera phone. Took a photo:








Somehow a little Hitler ghost popped his head out of the wall while I took the photo. There can be no other explanation, it's certainly not an upturned plug. 

DAY THIRTY-NINE

Had a friend round and she wanted me to play something, but I went shy and couldn't really think of anything.

Later on I recorded another track, and I'm pleased with how it came out. Sounds like it's played on rhodes rather than guitar.Only problem was I didn't bother with metronome or bpm so wasn't sure when the bass should come in. Messed it up a little the third time.

stillness

I recorded this about 1.30am and outside it was still, just white snow on the ground, and the glow from street lights. I live on a main road and usually there's traffic, even at this time, but it was momentarily peaceful.

DAY THIRTY-EIGHT

Found a nice chord progression. Rather than play it properly, I just went back and overdubbed until the mistakes were a bit hidden. It gives it a nice quality. I wanted to sing over it but haven't really got the confidence or the lyrics.

the eden topology

The title is from a misread poster for a student theatre production. The actual title was far less interesting, and I've forgotten what it was.

I didn't want to do anything creative, wasn't in the mood, but I'm glad I made myself.

DAY THIRTY-SEVEN

I was watching a film about Edith Piaf and was struck by how similar she seemed to an ex: the same brittle charisma and destructive nature. There was a phrase that reminded me of someone else too. And then, later, I saw another ex refer to her boyfriend as 'fiance' on facebook!

So recorded a slow acoustic track. Again, quick and imperfect, the building feedback didn't work exactly how I wanted, but the sense of melancholy comes through I think.

booyah

Got some more details about a tape a small American label are putting out though, so that's cool.

DAY THIRTY-SIX

Rushed a quick track out. I was plucking away while watching The Wire, and found a note sequence I liked.

Rather than work out how it should sound, I just recorded it and added lots of distortion and some sparkly echo.

sevenism - all that glitters

The baguette and the tape from yesterday had gone, but one of the gloves was still there. Iced snow somehow removed the context, it didn't seem imbued with sadness any more.


DAY THIRTY-FIVE

Saw some odd things on the way to work.

Outside my house; a pristine baguette amidst a tangle of ivy. Dropped, I imagine, while rustling for keys then kicked slightly in annoyance.

















And just outside of work; a cassette covered in ice. It's called 'The pros and cons of hitch hiking'! I can only imagine that someone had thrown the tape to the ground in anger, freezing cold, weighed down by a heavy backpack, the cons of hitch-hiking far outweighing the pros.
















I also saw some discarded toddlers gloves at the bus-stop. Hopefully those weren't thrown down in anger. I didn't want to snap them, it didn't seem funny.

DAY THIRTY-FOUR

Been working on a zine to collect a load of art together. It's the size of a cassette inlay card, so that constrains what can be done.

In the interests of self imposed constraints I used the leftover bits when you rip out notepad paper (what are they called? the leftovers from hole-punched paper are called chads so I'm gonna call them chets), where was I? So I used the chets from notebook paper to make up letters just by ripping them.














I did manage to make all the letters with single chets but it looks better with the O and D constructed 2 each. I think the serifs on the T and M look cool.


DAY THIRTY-THREE

Recorded a quick noisy guitar track. There's too much distortion on it, well, too much treble. But it was 2 am, and I was trying to get to bed early in preparation for work on monday.

It's the same notes as the track I've been working on on 12-string, but spread out, slowed down, fucked up.

brap brap

I forgot to get a mic again.

DAY THIRTY-TWO

Really tired today so just had a go on my 12-string guitar. It has such a lovely, warm, tone. Must get a mic for it tomorrow.

Also, the last track I recorded was so awful (the oranges track) I think that put me off a bit too.

DAY THIRTY-ONE

nEW yEARS eVE.

Oh whoops. Here we go again.

This project counts as a new years resolution I reckon. Ironically, I did nothing creative today.

My friends said I could count dancing creatively, and dressing creatively, as being creative but I'm not sure I agree. I dance like Usher/Justin Timberlake and I was dressed like a 20s gangster.

DAY THIRTY

I woke up anxious and unsettled. Which is really weird because I'm back at home and should be relaxed.

So in this state I recorded another quick track (about an hour).

yes!

I was trying to work out the colour of anxiety. I wasn't playing the blues; I wasn't playing the yellows (fear); and I wasn't playing the reds (anger).

Anxiety lies somewhere between fear and anger so I guess I'm playing the oranges. But that doesn't seem right. Orange is a relaxed, sassy, confident colour.

On the other hand, one of my parents friends is synaesthetic and perceives colours when hearing a word. My name 'Jamie' is orangey-red.

DAY TWENTY-NINE

Good to be back in my cold lonely flat.

It was so cold in the toilet that I could see my breath, and I couldn't go to the loo.

Anyway, a nice, frosty, echo-y bass & guitar ting:

crank it up!