A second entry for the school Talent Show. 'Human Fly' by The Cramps. I played it through my Devi Ever fuzz clone into my Frantone Brooklyn. It's not perfect as I did it quickly last night before going to bed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiRdv2up0WM
Sunday 13 December 2020
Talent Show Human Fly
Sunday 6 December 2020
Talent Show funk piano
School Xmas Talent Show funk piano entry. (With pink flamingo!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW1o5BO4jzA
Sunday 29 November 2020
Sunday 15 November 2020
Rawhide by Link Wray
My attempt at Link Wray's 'Rawhide'. There's a few duff notes, because string-bending and sliding hurts my fingers!
I'm playing through a Boss ME-25 into my MIJ Yamaha amp with real spring reverb! I'm also using my custom 'Link Wray' setting on my ME-25, which is based on a Fender Bassman (supposedly close to the Premier amp Link Wray used) with everything cranked up to 11!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O82OJAXF3SE
I'm playing through a Boss ME-25 into my MIJ Yamaha amp with real spring reverb! I'm also using my custom 'Link Wray' setting on my ME-25, which is based on a Fender Bassman (supposedly close to the Premier amp Link Wray used) with everything cranked up to 11!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O82OJAXF3SE
Saturday 31 October 2020
Sunday 18 October 2020
Sunday 11 October 2020
Friday 25 September 2020
Harley Benton JA-60 Mods #3
The guitar shop fitted the Catswhisker mini-humbucker in the bridge a few weeks ago, and it sounds great. But I think the CTS 300k pots made a big difference too, as they seem to have put a bit of 'life' into the Roswell Jazzmaster pickup.
I decided to fit a flashy pickguard just to finish the job off properly.
(Photo 1)
Taking off the old pickguard.
(Photo 2)
I had to slightly widen a couple of holes in the new pickguard because of the CTS pots!
(Photos 3 and 4)
The finished result! What do you think?
(Photo 5)
The internal electrics.
(Photo 6)
One of the CTS pots.
(Photo 7)
I was impressed that for such an inexpensive guitar, the pickup selector switch was made in Korea!
I decided to fit a flashy pickguard just to finish the job off properly.
(Photo 1)
Taking off the old pickguard.
(Photo 2)
I had to slightly widen a couple of holes in the new pickguard because of the CTS pots!
(Photos 3 and 4)
The finished result! What do you think?
(Photo 5)
The internal electrics.
(Photo 6)
One of the CTS pots.
(Photo 7)
I was impressed that for such an inexpensive guitar, the pickup selector switch was made in Korea!
Friday 18 September 2020
Songwriting Course
Because I couldn't do my Junior Jazz summer workshop, I've been doing a songwriting course on FutureLearn over the summer. Here is my final song.
https://soundcloud.com/user-879811118/my-version-of-my-town
https://soundcloud.com/user-879811118/my-version-of-my-town
Sunday 6 September 2020
NO Junior Jazz!
The past two years, I've done the week-long Junior Jazz summer workshop at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff but this year it was cancelled because of the virus.
So instead I did an online Jazz Improvisation course on FutureLearn, and some funk piano tutorials by Jonathon Wilson (groovewindow) on Youtube.
Here's some of the music I produced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE4gcDgYegs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV-R1dlWq4o
https://soundcloud.com/user-879811118/jazz-piano-2-615-autumn-leaves-root-position-colla-voce-in-time
https://soundcloud.com/samsswingnskank/jazz-piano-2-212-moanin-f-dorian
https://soundcloud.com/samsswingnskank/jazz-piano-1-314-higher
So instead I did an online Jazz Improvisation course on FutureLearn, and some funk piano tutorials by Jonathon Wilson (groovewindow) on Youtube.
Here's some of the music I produced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE4gcDgYegs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV-R1dlWq4o
https://soundcloud.com/user-879811118/jazz-piano-2-615-autumn-leaves-root-position-colla-voce-in-time
https://soundcloud.com/samsswingnskank/jazz-piano-2-212-moanin-f-dorian
https://soundcloud.com/samsswingnskank/jazz-piano-1-314-higher
Sunday 9 August 2020
Vinyl Fest #11 - Hunky Dory - David Bowie
It looks like this is the 1980 re-issue (possibly for the Dutch market). I chose it because my dad's friend is a big fan of David Bowie.
I quite enjoyed this LP. I think it is the 'right side' of 'foot-tappy'. I like David Bowie's distinctive voice and the other quality musicians on the LP. One thing I have noticed is that the piano seems to project out a lot more on my decent hi-fi system than on my computer! Although I do like the piano.
My favourite track is 'Oh! You Pretty Things' (Side A, Track 2). One peculiarity about this song that I like is that it actually leads into the next one (Eight Line Poem).
I'm not too fussed about the artwork, but I do like the handwritten writing on the back.
I quite enjoyed this LP. I think it is the 'right side' of 'foot-tappy'. I like David Bowie's distinctive voice and the other quality musicians on the LP. One thing I have noticed is that the piano seems to project out a lot more on my decent hi-fi system than on my computer! Although I do like the piano.
My favourite track is 'Oh! You Pretty Things' (Side A, Track 2). One peculiarity about this song that I like is that it actually leads into the next one (Eight Line Poem).
I'm not too fussed about the artwork, but I do like the handwritten writing on the back.
Friday 7 August 2020
Sunday 26 July 2020
Vinyl Fest #10 - Orkney Fiddle Music - The Orkney Strathspey and Reel Society
I really like this LP because of the repetitive nature of the music. It has waltzes, reels and jigs, but when does a reel become a jig?? Well, jigs are triplet-based, whereas a reel is a simple 4/4. Hornpipes have a dotted rhythm, and polkas are based around multiples of 2 beats to the bar. Here is a fuller explanation:
https://www.bitesize.irish/blog/jigs-and-reels/
The Orkney Strathspey and Reel Society is still going today. Here is their website:
https://sites.google.com/site/orkneysr/home
And here is another couple of websites with good information about them, including some players from this 1976 recording:
http://www.wrigleyandthereel.com/orkneystrathspeyandreel.html
http://www.nigelgatherer.com/perf/fiddlers/orkny.html
(You can also find them on Youtube.)
The LP was recorded at Craighall Studios, which was quite famous within the Scottish music world:
http://www.7tt77.co.uk/CRAIGHALL_STUDIOS.htm
There's a great picture of the Old Man of Hoy on the front, and this BBC documentary of the famous 1967 climb is a really great watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6aYKZwr15k
https://www.bitesize.irish/blog/jigs-and-reels/
The Orkney Strathspey and Reel Society is still going today. Here is their website:
https://sites.google.com/site/orkneysr/home
And here is another couple of websites with good information about them, including some players from this 1976 recording:
http://www.wrigleyandthereel.com/orkneystrathspeyandreel.html
http://www.nigelgatherer.com/perf/fiddlers/orkny.html
(You can also find them on Youtube.)
The LP was recorded at Craighall Studios, which was quite famous within the Scottish music world:
http://www.7tt77.co.uk/CRAIGHALL_STUDIOS.htm
There's a great picture of the Old Man of Hoy on the front, and this BBC documentary of the famous 1967 climb is a really great watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6aYKZwr15k
Sunday 19 July 2020
Vinyl Fest #9 - Stateless - Lene Lovich
This is the original 1978 gatefold release for the French market. It has got '33 tours' on it (rather than 33 1/3 rpm), 'Face A' rather than 'Side A', and also a SACEM (Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique) stamp on the centre label!
Lene Lovich is quite 'marmite', because of her distinctive voice, but I quite like this LP because it's a good 'foot tapper' with lots of rhythmic changes. My favourite track is Sleeping Beauty (Side A, Track 2).
The band is not the straightforward 'guitar, bass, drums' setup, but they used EMS and ARP Solina synthesizers, Hammond Organ and saxophone, which I think adds to the overall sound.
I really like the artwork. I like the monochrome, the font and the similar front and back images. The cover artwork was done by Keith Collie and he has done work which are at the National Portrait Gallery and he also has his own website:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp69665/keith-collie
http://keithcollie.com/kc/
Unfortunately, I cannot find any information for Glad Rocksoffski, who did the inner artwork.
Lene Lovich is still going today and has her own official website:
https://www.lenelovich.net/
Lene Lovich is quite 'marmite', because of her distinctive voice, but I quite like this LP because it's a good 'foot tapper' with lots of rhythmic changes. My favourite track is Sleeping Beauty (Side A, Track 2).
The band is not the straightforward 'guitar, bass, drums' setup, but they used EMS and ARP Solina synthesizers, Hammond Organ and saxophone, which I think adds to the overall sound.
I really like the artwork. I like the monochrome, the font and the similar front and back images. The cover artwork was done by Keith Collie and he has done work which are at the National Portrait Gallery and he also has his own website:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp69665/keith-collie
http://keithcollie.com/kc/
Unfortunately, I cannot find any information for Glad Rocksoffski, who did the inner artwork.
Lene Lovich is still going today and has her own official website:
https://www.lenelovich.net/
Saturday 11 July 2020
Vinyl Fest #8 - Join Hands - Siouxsie and the Banshees
This is the original 1979 gatefold release of the LP.
I quite liked the music; even though it is 'power chord' based, there is still enough going on to keep you interested. And even though it is quite 'dark', it still is a pleasant listen. My favourite song is 'Icon' (Side A, Track 4).
I like the outer gatefold design because it is quite minimalistic, and I also like the inner gatefold halftone design. I do like the sleeve design as well, with lyrics on one side and nothing on the other. The other thing is the unusual design on the LP itself; one side (black) gives the tracks, the other side (white) has a nice picture on it.
The photography was done my Adrian Boot, and he's still doing creative projects today.
https://adrianboot.co.uk/
The designer, Rob O'Connor, is also still working, and started his own company, 'Stylorouge'.
https://www.roboconnorphotography.com/
http://stylorouge.co.uk/
I quite liked the music; even though it is 'power chord' based, there is still enough going on to keep you interested. And even though it is quite 'dark', it still is a pleasant listen. My favourite song is 'Icon' (Side A, Track 4).
I like the outer gatefold design because it is quite minimalistic, and I also like the inner gatefold halftone design. I do like the sleeve design as well, with lyrics on one side and nothing on the other. The other thing is the unusual design on the LP itself; one side (black) gives the tracks, the other side (white) has a nice picture on it.
The photography was done my Adrian Boot, and he's still doing creative projects today.
https://adrianboot.co.uk/
The designer, Rob O'Connor, is also still working, and started his own company, 'Stylorouge'.
https://www.roboconnorphotography.com/
http://stylorouge.co.uk/
Sunday 28 June 2020
Vinyl Fest #7 - Armed Forces - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
It was one of the first releases of the LP, which is quite different from most other LPs because you get 4 postcards, a 7" EP which you could only get with the LP and a fold-out design!
I rate it as OK, as it is a bit 'poppy' for my taste, but has some good playing and is worth a decent listen. My favouite songs are 'Party Girl' (Side A, Track 6), because of the sudden contrasts in the song, and 'Sunday's Best' (Side B, Track 3), because of the 3/4 'oom-pa-pa' style.
What I really like about the LP is the artwork. It's a very colourful abstract, pop art style. My favourite panel is the Mondrian-style one.
The artwork was done by graphic artist Barney Bubbles (real name Colin Fulcher), who worked with lots of musicians, including Hawkwind, Kraftwerk and Billy Bragg. Type "Barney Bubbles artwork" into Google Images to see some of his artwork. And there's a radio programme on the BBC, "In Search of Barney Bubbles":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018wh7h
The front cover elephant painting was done by Tom Pogson, but I can't find out much about him on the Internet. I know he did a 'Somemonsters' project in 1980, but I can only find one image from that on Etsy.
Full album:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7Hsdhjbl9gVEPVNBhKNpjbuPGC-Dyul0
I rate it as OK, as it is a bit 'poppy' for my taste, but has some good playing and is worth a decent listen. My favouite songs are 'Party Girl' (Side A, Track 6), because of the sudden contrasts in the song, and 'Sunday's Best' (Side B, Track 3), because of the 3/4 'oom-pa-pa' style.
What I really like about the LP is the artwork. It's a very colourful abstract, pop art style. My favourite panel is the Mondrian-style one.
The artwork was done by graphic artist Barney Bubbles (real name Colin Fulcher), who worked with lots of musicians, including Hawkwind, Kraftwerk and Billy Bragg. Type "Barney Bubbles artwork" into Google Images to see some of his artwork. And there's a radio programme on the BBC, "In Search of Barney Bubbles":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018wh7h
The front cover elephant painting was done by Tom Pogson, but I can't find out much about him on the Internet. I know he did a 'Somemonsters' project in 1980, but I can only find one image from that on Etsy.
Full album:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7Hsdhjbl9gVEPVNBhKNpjbuPGC-Dyul0
 |
| Front cover |
 |
| Fold-out design |
 |
| Individual panels |
 |
| Album slip |
 |
| LP sides |
 |
| Postcards |
 |
| 7" EP |
 |
| EP sides |
 |
| Everything together! |
 |
| Tom Pogson image on Etsy |
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