Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 which bands from up here do u reckon could play well over in new york alan?You lot would go down well enough, for a start. An "Aberdeen Night" showcase in NYC with Optimum Dose (ex Delicate AWOL), John Cromar, Kathryn Sawers, Carmen Higgins (sober), and Sidca (all off the top of my head) would get good reviews, I'm sure.________________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics...................................................come on ye reds........................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RockMonkey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I think the real reason we don't see much innovation in music is that we are really spoiled for choice nowadays. It's a bit like people being crap at maths because we have calculcators or why people don't remember phone numbers, because they have a mobile phone. It's not that the technology inhibits creativity, more that option anxiety kicks in. We stick with what makes us comfortable, and there really isn't anything wrong with that. I guess it's complacency I have more of a problem with. And also self-praise where little is due.As far as Portishead are concerned, from the music I have heard from them, they managed to combine innovation with palatability. Which is no mean feat.Each to our own.Eat more cake... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Of course I have. I hope you realise things have progressed a bit since the days of Isao Tomita. I only mentioned portishead and tricky and roni size because we were talking about the bristol scene.Fair enough.......your mention of Tomita confuses me....I trust you're using him as an example of easy-listening non-creative electronics ("Snowflakes are dancing" was hardly cutting edge).I was thinking more about 50s stuff like Luciano Beramo, or Ilhan Mimaroglu.......not "dancey" tunes._____________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics..................going off now, as Emmerdale is on!!!!.......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ibid Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Stripey of course has confused the underground/alternative scene discussed on this board with the much wider music scene. The underground/alt scene is very much a minority interest. The country scene is bigger, as are the folk, jazz and blues scenes. I'm talking of the North East in general of course and not specifically Aberdeen. Projects I'm currently working on include a country duo, an accoustic folkie, similar to Kate Rusby and an interesting duo who play dance music live using synths and a battery of computers. To me they're a bit like The Chemical Brothers but with a harder edge to them. Their songs are based on themes and last for about 15 minutes, building layer upon layer of sounds and samples (including guitars, flutes, basses). They're very good but of course they're real musicians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 You lot would go down well enough' date=' for a start. An "Aberdeen Night" showcase in NYC with Optimum Dose (ex Delicate AWOL), John Cromar, Kathryn Sawers, Carmen Higgins (sober), and Sidca (all off the top of my head) would get good reviews, I'm sure.[/quote']...and Le Reno Amps. Could we organise a bus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Forget it, if you can't take the honest opinion of someone who isn't part of your clique, then there's no hope for the lot of you. You are all too comfortable with the way things are and too used to fawning and uncultured local audiences. I don't see anyone anywhere in the scene actually being genuinely critical of what local bands are doing, out of fear of offending someone most likely. It's pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nikola Tesla Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Why even critisise them? If you see a local band and totaly dislike them, simply avoid their gigs. This is of course unless your aiming for constructive critisim, which i think should definatly encouraged, so long as its constructive and not just bitching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Why even critisise them? If you see a local band and totaly dislike them' date=' simply avoid their gigs. This is of course unless your aiming for constructive critisim, which i think should definatly encouraged, so long as its constructive and not just bitching.[/quote']The whole point of the thread was talking about wether there is innovation in aberdeen, and I reckon there isn't. There's nothing worth listening to atall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RockMonkey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Forget it' date=' if you can't take the honest opinion of someone who isn't part of your clique, then there's no hope for the lot of you. You are all too comfortable with the way things are and too used to fawning and uncultured local audiences. I don't see anyone anywhere in the scene actually being genuinely critical of what local bands are doing, out of fear of offending someone most likely. It's pathetic.[/quote'] We are all too comfortable? I hardly gig in Aberdeen, mostly covering other ground. I am aware that there is a tendency of personal backslapping in Aberdeen, but it is the same everywhere. I don't critisise other bands work, not because I'm afraid of a bitchslapping, but because most bands are trying their best to be good at what they do. Genuine critisism requires forethought and real consideration, not just a "yer shite", which is not in the least bit constructive and is offensive without anything to back it up.However, I think anyone who seriously thinks that Aberdeen is that "thriving" needs to consider the fact that if it were indeed thriving, record labels would be falling over themselves to be here. Instead a meagre few pop up for Go North, get pissed and try to get laid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RockMonkey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I would agree with Stripey in that I haven't seen/heard much on the innovative side. However it's a bit much to say there isn't anything worth listening to at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 We are all too comfortable? I hardly gig in Aberdeen' date=' mostly covering other ground. I am aware that there is a tendency of personal backslapping in Aberdeen, but it is the same everywhere. I don't critisise other bands work, not because I'm afraid of a bitchslapping, but because most bands are trying their best to be good at what they do. Genuine critisism requires forethought and real consideration, not just a "yer shite", which is not in the least bit constructive and is offensive without anything to back it up.However, I think anyone who seriously thinks that Aberdeen is that "thriving" needs to consider the fact that if it were indeed thriving, record labels would be falling over themselves to be here. Instead a meagre few pop up for Go North, get pissed and try to get laid.[/quote']I do criticise other bands works, and think it's important that people do that, because at the end of the day it helps things improve. I usually offer constructive criticism without being offensive, but we're talking about the scene in general here and frankly I'm a bit sick of the smugness and the blandness.Totally agree with your last point there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 If your criteria is record label scouts, then we don't have to worry....they're after a saleable asset, not creativity. I believe Kathryn Sawers was so disappointed in recordings done for a record company that she refused to have the recordings issued....that's the spirit, in my opinion.______________________________________________________________________----Kitchen Cynics...................................................actually I love folk music............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I would agree with Stripey in that I haven't seen/heard much on the innovative side. However it's a bit much to say there isn't anything worth listening to at all.I've not heard anything from local bands which has held my interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nikola Tesla Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 May i ask exactly what local bands you have seen, stripey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Probably the most "rivetting" thing I've seen recently here was the Damo Suzuki gig....the improvisation of the local musicians was absorbing......(and there were computers interacting with guitars etc).________________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics................................................................all aboard for Tonic!........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RockMonkey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Yes, I see your point Stripey, and constructive critisism is always good, unfortunately rarely taken on board by most bands. Alan, I wouldn't say that label interest is the only criteria but it is a good indication, especially with the number of indies kicking about. I know how Kathryn Sawers felt as i have been in a similar situation, although my reaction to hearing my stuff "produced" by a label was..."You can release it if you like, but if you think I'm going to sing on it you must be f$%^ing insane". Probably less diplomatic but it got the point across.I'm not chasing a deal, I do it myself so i can do what I like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Sorry, R M ....I wasn't meaning to imply you were chasing a deal. I respect your approach. I DON'T respect labels (although my dealings with small labels have all been excellent, so I suppose I'm talking from a position of ignorance here.)_____________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics..................................................Paul's dead!!!!!....(hooray!)............(Emmerdale reference) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RockMonkey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Small labels can be just as good or bad as the large ones, I guess you have to be wise to it or just lucky! Aberdeen currently loses out on any real large label interest (I have seen the map of britain on the back of an A and R man for a very large label, there are red rings round Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and central London. When I queried it, his answer was, anything outside of those areas worth listening to will go there eventually). So anyone who wants a deal needs to get out of Aberdeen and gig where the A and R guys are. Unless someone gets signed to a big label from here, you're unlikely to find other labels trawling the venues. And unless someone gets all innovative on us, it is not going to happen soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I've found that a few good reviews in international magazines leads to (small) label interests. I have never played outside Aberdeen (apart from once near Redditch, and a wee bit in Boston and NYC), but have had a few albums out on German and US labels. I'm with Stripey inasmuch as I reckon the home recording types can have as much impact as gigging folks. (Unless I've misread your earlier posts, Stripey?)_____________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics.............................................................going on the piss tonight.....(not a witticism....more a statement of fact) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RockMonkey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Reviews are a great way of getting interest, definitely. Have you got anything online I could listen to? Enjoy your night on the piss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 There are some songs "out there" on the net, but I'm not telling you where, cos Stripey will have a listen and discover that I'm a crap singer/songwriter. Then he'll tell me it's because I'm an Aberdonian. Then I'll weep copiously into my 1970 Dons cup final scarf, before disappearing under my Harry Gordon ( the Laird of Inversnecky!) print duvet. And I'd rather be at Drakes surrounded by my fawning acolytes, being bought pints and hand-fed skirlie flavoured crisps by Leanne and Sharon. All the while Philip will chant gentle Indian mantras into my ear, and Lester Burnham will allow me the honour of plucking her chest-hairs (with diamond-encrusted tweezers, of course!). Just like every other open-mike night._________________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics..............................................waking up soon................................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I've found that a few good reviews in international magazines leads to (small) label interests. I have never played outside Aberdeen (apart from once near Redditch' date=' and a wee bit in Boston and NYC), but have had a few albums out on German and US labels. I'm with Stripey inasmuch as I reckon the home recording types can have as much impact as gigging folks. (Unless I've misread your earlier posts, Stripey?)_____________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics.............................................................going on the piss tonight.....(not a witticism....more a statement of fact)[/quote']Of course home recording types can have impact, I don't think gigging is a prerequisite atall.There is stuff you just simply can't do live, and maybe it's wrong to restrict your possibilities because you MUST be able to perform live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 There are some songs "out there" on the net' date=' but I'm not telling you where, cos Stripey will have a listen and discover that I'm a crap singer/songwriter. Then he'll tell me it's because I'm an Aberdonian. Then I'll weep copiously into my 1970 Dons cup final scarf, before disappearing under my Harry Gordon ( the Laird of Inversnecky!) print duvet.[/quote']I'm interested to have a listen actually. I'm not having a go at you with this thread by the way, I haven't heard anything of your yet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 ......and I don't want you to, either!!! I know you won't like it................................._____________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics..................................................offski....booze calling!!!................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripey Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 ......and I don't want you to' date=' either!!! I know you won't like it................................._____________________________________________________________________Kitchen Cynics..................................................offski....booze calling!!!.................[/quote']Too late I'm listening to "seasoning" now in it's entirety. Only heard the first few tracks, but it's quite good, reminds me of dougie mcclean, but a bit more spacey and bit more psychedelic influenced maybe... will you be going to the stonehaven folk festival? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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