Music

Blogging from bed! Fantastic.

Been endlessly listening to music during the last 3 or so days and, starting with The Cribs I feel I'm becoming significantly more enthusistic about music and am certainly enjoying it more.

I'm mainly refering to 80's jangly pop rather than Coldplay or The Police or something like that. Indie. More raw and therefore less refined. Hopefully more soul too.

Not keen on the endless derivative bands of the mid and late 80's who don't seem to last longer than 3 years and only make 1 album or 3 singles or something. The Popguns are great. Of course The Wedding Present are brlliant. I've listened to a whole lot of lo-fi and folk too.

Vocal melody is far more important than I've previously given credit for. As is dynamics and instrumentation. Even which chord inversion to use. All this music I'm sure is doing me some good though. It's inspirational.

This on-screen keyboard is highly forgettable though.

Martin

Inspiration at last

Been sort of unemployed for the last three months with the exception of some self employed gigs and a little bit of other work but am determined to continue with confidence that we will still be provided for no matter what the situation or whatever the future holds for us in the way of work. Interesting developments very recently for PA gigs and more interesting agency engineering stuff also.

Have been almost continually listening to last.fm, utube and spotify for 80's jangly pop, folk and others in the last 36 hours - finally seem to be getting inspiration for writing again. Feeling like I need to do it - I've kind of forgotten about it for the last year or so but it's tapping me on the shoulder now so I have started to get back into it again. Have to start playing live again even if it's just guitar and vocal.

The Popguns, remember the popguns?

Martin

Library humour

I first discovered the video blog-a-holic 'nalts', through his fantastically funny youtube film which is very easy to look up and show on someone elses computer - you just search the following on google: fart library. This should give you an idea of what you are in for.

Best watched in twos or threes to extend and increase that initial hit of viewing pleasure, it's also long enduring - I've been viewing it over a period of about 2 years and it still hits the spot.

Enough said. Have a look - Farting in Public

Martin

President Elect

Well here we are. It's 5:45 am and the race for the Whitehouse has been won.

As I watched the speeches from the candidates I couldn't help feeling a touch of jealousy. Both candidates were as you would expect sincere, with McCain generous in defeat, and whilst omitting thanks for his wife he summed up very well. Obama came across to me, (an Englishman) as an inspirational character, a statesman, one who is young and, to some extent may be feeling his way but one who carries with him the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans not to mention many others worldwide. He seems to have captured the imaginations of those Stateside and this is what we seem to be missing in our country.

We have a Prime Minister who has been in the job for what seems like only a couple of months but feels like a lifetime and the outlook looks grey and bleak. The only alternative, a Conservative, who has worked hard to shed the old Conservative image (in fact he has - he's replaced his party's old triumphal and pioneering torch logo for a green half scribbled tree thing) but he's not captured people's imaginations like Tony Blair did before and during the 1997 election.

So I shall be looking to Mr. Obama for hope and inspiration of a political nature and I hope he fulfills his promises and carries out his duties to the approval of his expectant fellow Americans. Perhaps he will inspire a similar pioneering change in my country's leadership. I do sincerely hope so.

Love to mum,
Martin

Mobile blogging!

Cor, it works!

Lovely.

Bye,
Martin

Turn over your papers now

Good day to you.

I've been thinking for a little while about recording some of my favourite links/music/videos etc. on some form of media which would be available to me on more than one PC, without having to copy favourites/bookmarks between machines. Somewhere web-based was logical and since I quite enjoy writing, a blog seemed a sensible option.

So this blog is mainly for my benefit; Somewhere I can write and record items of interest to me. Of course since these pages are also available to everyone who has access to a web connection (including anyone reading this now) I hope you also will find it interesting and amusing.

Of course a blog would not be a proper blog without audience participation so I would welcome comments from anyone who can be bothered to put finger to keyboard. (Frankly I'd be grateful to receive anything.) Abuse aside obviously. I mean I don't want to invite abuse do I? That would just be stupid.

Silly. I'd much rather be silly than stupid. Ooohhh it's a snake - Now that's silly.

Told you: This is somewhere I can write and record items of interest to me. And I hope you also find it interesting and amusing. I said that earlier.

Good. Enjoy yourself. I wish you well on your quest for internet fulfilment, wherever that may be. See you next time.

Hopefully.

Love to all,
Martin