Ben AWOL

That's good to know then isn't it...

Heheh - Bob Rock; now there's a name. He boasts about Metallica's drum sound which has got to be one of the worst ever recorded(in my opinion). The snare sound is just so hollow. Obviously with the advent of more and more home studios more and more people will be doing a lot of their own production. However, it really shouldn't be taken lightly. In the same issue of aforementioned Sound on Sound magazine there's an excellent article on soundproofing the room your going to be mixing in. It's imperative that this gives an uncoloured mix, otherwise you could have thousands of pounds worth of gear and still not be able to mix for shit...

Respects to you all...

I'm really sorry to report that we've split. Thanks to all the lovers and the haters...special thanks to Hookers Green, Dr Drakes, The Lemon Tree, The Unknown Pleasures crew, Andy at Fopp and Mike at Cavern... Peace and Love ben

The last time I saw Tortoise they were very clinical. Seen them 3 or 4 times now. 1st time when they came over for the 1st time down in London. Much more organic then. Saw them at ATP when they were curating. Amazing weekend - Boards of Canada, Autechre,The sea and cake, Hamid Drake, Television...oh yeah! Interesting slant on Tortoise and the whole Post - rock thing in this month's wire magazine.

Milton Naciemento for sure. Check out his work...

Piano is such a wonderful instrument. I love to compose ideas at the piano. Being self-taught means I don't feel restricted by any codes of practice too. Once I have an idea I can go to the midi keyboard and put it down as midi - then feed it back out to electronic instruments. So many possibilities. Check out Robert Wyatt's use of piano - stunningly simple and beautiful...

That's funny Sharon. Maybe we were there on the same night. It was easily the best club I've been to. I'll try and get down to Jungle Nation for sure... see you soon

Music magazines have just become like tabloids, tied in with their respective satellite channels and, as a recent article in the paper pointed out, they just serve American bands mostly. How many of the same bands making the same music can be written about anyway? Jet - why not just call themselves the Beatles revisited. The Strokes - erm, Velvet Underground were doing it 30 years ago 100 times better. Just all fuck off and get some originality - PLEASE! The Observer music magazine - just keep it. Try the Wire - at least it really is about musicians making interesting music... The NME is a tabloid and they have a place, which is to sensationalise and trivialise...that's not what music is about for me...

Overhyped and overexposed...cya!

Oh man! When Drum and Bass first evolved out of Hardcore and Jungle(or is it Hardcore Jungle?) back in the early 90's I used to go to this small club in London called Speed. The music was truly underground and so inventive - you know, before the Marketing execs started using it for everything. You'd go to the club and Bjork would be their dancing away - probably how she met Goldie. So much quality Drum and Bass... Try and get hold of the 1st Metalheadz album. Pure quality label compilation. It has perhaps the seminal Drum and bass tune - "Pulp Fiction" by alex reece. Get this tune at all costs. Anything by Dillinja... Anything by Photek... Yes - Goldie's "Timeless" Roni Size and Krust. The old stuff by T-Power... Yes - I was and am a massive fan of Drum and Bass - but like everything, there is a lot of crap too...

Awol will be in the house - Damo can't be missed can he?

LOL!

Nice one...

Oasis are so shit...

Yeah. New album reviewed in this month's Mojo...

Yeah it's true. BOC's production is fantastic.

It's no different to Heat magazine and the likes. A fucking hamster on a wheel - perpetuating the same sterile bands playing the same sterile music. Pathetic...

...anyone interested in music pushing boundaries and yet still being incredibly soulful should check out Ultravisistor, his new album on Warp. Alot of reviews are saying it's unlistenable in places but it sure sounds right to my ears...

Excellent thread monsieur. It is down to perception mostly but it is also a gift to humans - like many things in this life, which often become overlooked. Let the great mystery prevail and recognise that it is undefinable - but to question is also necessary. If when we were young we were told that the sound of fingernails on the blackboard and various other "harsh" sounds were musical what would happen as we grew up? Would we develop a more rounded and adventurous musical outlook. Maybe it's too extreme an example. I've done various musical workshops with primary school children. I've played them evrything from Squarepusher to John Coltrane. When they heard Coltrane they were immediately moving to it - they recognised it as "music"? When I asked what they thought one said it sounds like a bunch of people who don't know how to play their instruments. Another said it sounded like monkeys playing in a room! I was interested by the difference in the physical reaction and the intellectual reaction to the music...sorry sound - erm.....

unfortunately that's what we're up against these days my friend - pricks like that. He probably wanks off to the Darkness every night...

who is BigTom? My brother is about 5'10 and his name is Tom. It's not him is it?

Thanks for the info dave. We're big fans of the Chicago scene. Seen Tortoise and Sea and Cake quite a few times now. We've got most of Isotope, Tortoise and the Sea and Cakes' output...

who gives a fuck....?

Hey Ziggy Ben Awol here. Happy New Year to one and all at Drakes - may it be a positive and creative one for everyone. I just wondered if you could mail me the details for the 30th. We'll all be playing if that's cool? Love the vinyl too. Talk more when I see you. Email Funkidrumma@hotmail.com respects