Stroopy121

Long video, but the first couple of minutes are just a song that was made purely using the digital techniques that I mentioned, just taking DI guitars and MIDI drums etc. xx

I used to be a total purist when it came to recording and making music - I used to HATE the idea of digital amp sims, sampled drums, anything like that. I even used to loathe the notion of using guitar pedals, which I realise now was nonsense but I was young and stupid and being PUNX as fuck, looking for shit to be angry about. Anyway, I've always made a habit of transcribing songs I write, particularly songs that I'm having some problems with arranging or finishing out, into guitar pro or similar so that I can listen back and try to fix shit. I've recently started playing about with Superior Drummer and Amplitube and have been tweaking some old acoustic demos and turning them in to "electric" demos with a surprising amount of success. Mainly just as an exercise in fucking about with stuff, but I'm now actually considering re-recording the guitars and bass, laying down some vocals and making an actual demo/EP out of this. Listening to some of the recordings that are floating about using this kind of tech, I think the results may be just as good (but far easier to come by) than micing up a drum kit and doing it the hard way. That being said, I don't feel like I could SELL a recording that was made digitally, but I honestly don't know why. What do y'all think? Digital recordings: a fun set of tools to help with writing music, but completely unacceptable to actually release these, or a perfectly acceptable way to utilise available technology to create the best product you can without all the intricacies, difficulties and expenses involved in live recording? xx

Fucking foreigners. Coming here, hiring our Ford Fiestas and eating our cauliflower pesto wraps. xx

The awesome thing about the internet, and the horrendously shite thing about the internet, is that there are no real borders to it, so the concept of "local" just doesn't have the same clout. If I were to have a look through a load of new bands, then limiting the selection to what's local to me would leave me with well under 1% of the total available pool of emerging art... the double-edged sword is that if you fall in love with a small-scale band from the US, you'll probably never see them live, vs the fact that if you limit your search to 50 miles of home you have WAY less to choose from. Bands seem to be using social media in all its forms to get fans and followers but what is really striking to me is how many musicians have made a full time career out of YouTube videos. https://youtu.be/5pR-voFbxzo https://youtu.be/G0jN1MT4TBA Honestly, I'm starting to think that the sheer amount of incredible talent, the quality of live recordings and the sheer convenience of it all being at your fingertips in internetland is turning a lot of people off the idea of actually going out to local gigs to FIND good bands. Instead of going to a bunch of local gigs and finding the bands they like, they're finding bands online and going to their gigs when it's convenient. xx

I thought you were in Poland now? And the polite thing to do is peep your horn at him (oo-er) and make a scene. xx

"It's not theft if the thing you steal isn't for sale." - James Broonbreed. I like that philosophy. I think I might make a meme and attribute the quote to John Oliver or Gandhi. xx

I like the article and I agree with pretty much all the content within it... there's just some unshakable air about it that feels like the writer is looking at it all through a rose-tinted lens. I can't explain any better than that, there's just something about it that feels a little naive. Like we're the 'other side' with the greener grass. xx

The originals came out in '77, '70 and '83, so the most recent one is over 30 years old. I'm not sure it's feasible to create a sequel to that which really has a continuity in anything other than the characters. My problem (one of millions) with the prequels is that they're trying to go back in time while using all-new sparkly technology, which made them feel really fucking weird. I think (HOPE) that the new ones will be able to strike a better balance. Since Han et al are in this movie, then it's set (presumably) the same 30-odd years after the originals. Going by bits of dialogue in the trailers, in the new ones the Jedi/Sith are now completely off the radar and most people don't even believe they really existed. What this points towards (again, I hope) is that the new movies will be able to have a bit more freedom, a lot more licence to create it's own canon and generally have a bit more artistic freedom. I HOPE. Also, I think that JJ Abrams is enough of a heavyweight in the industry, along with the fact that Lucas knows how badly the prequels were received, that he'll be able to give Lucas a wee slap and a reality check if he tries to Jar Jar these movies. And finally, since Disney own the franchise I don't doubt that they'll also be in there ready to kneecap Lucas if he starts fucking everything up. I feel like a total pisshole for thinking that Disney will save Star Wars from it's creator.. but the recent track record from Disney has been pretty amazing. xx

I'm excited as balls. Midnight showing and all that shit. If it's terrible I'll kill myself, then everyone else. xx

Locking wheel nuts. Got a flat tyre yesterday, couldn't change it out because the car has a locking nut on it and the dealer didn't supply a fucking key for it. They're now saying I need to get the car towed in so they can get it sorted out, rather than just letting me come by and pick up the fucking thing they should have supplied in the first place. Shower of useless pissholes. xx

I'd applaud the balls on any bar willing to advertise "dick flavoured" cocktails! xx

I think this hits the nail on the head, but I think it's absolutely universal now. Everyone wants to feel like they're splitting fucking atoms nowadays. The first I started noticing it was with these cunty memes: Nobody gives a fuck what you do. We all just pretend to give a fuck what everyone else does because we want them to pretend they give a fuck what we do. Also, cunts that make coffee are exactly as arseholeish as these barcunts too. You push buttons on a machine that makes coffee... It's not an art, it's a sequence of remedial tasks. Calm down. xx

Fuck those cunts in that video. They complain when people ask for recommendations, then they also complain when people say "no sugar". So people are meant to respect your ability enough to assume you won't use corn syrup or some shit, but not enough to ask for a recommendation for a fucking cocktail? Also, "craft cocktail bars". EAT A FUCKING PIPEBOMB YOU SACK OF ARSEHOLES. xx

They're not bartenders, they're MIXOLOGISTS now. Wankers. xx

Unusual miss for the EE. xx

The head is really light and portable - especially by tube amp standards! 11kg according to the datasheets. Really lovely piece of hardware - though definitely less portable and heavier than the ~2kg TC head you have! I read everywhere that the cab makes a shitload of difference, but I can never make it out... but I don't have the best ears! xx

I'm using an Ashdown Little Bastard. 30W tube head and an ABM210 cab. Though I am considering switching for the VS212 used in the video below. I fucking love that wee head though. xx

2x10 will be great for most cases. It's what I have for my bass now after scaling down from a 4x10. If you find you need more oomph you can add a 1x15 if you're playing a bigger venue, but I'm not hugely enamoured by a 115 on its own. Xx

Just finished The Colour of Magic and fucking loved it. It's a crime that I've never read Terry Pratchett before now, given that Douglas Adams is one of my favourite authors! xx

Bacunt. xx

Today has been my favourite day. #Snoutrage. xx

A brave stance. Brushing aside the discussion of online misogyny and abuse, instead calling it out as a publicity stunt. You're a real fucking hero. xx