Owls, 2nd Hand Marching Band, Sarah Banjo, and RM Hubbert

Yep, as I'm writing this at 2.51am there is an owl hooting in the street outside - brilliant! Hope it eats the slugs and snails that have been massacring my basil and sunflowers. Wee bawbags.

Anyway, asides from that.

Been experimenting with my iPod touch and I think I'm finally managing to make friends with it, though blow me if the rubber bit on the end of my special stylus isn't wearing out and producing burning smells! I have to say, the NOKIA appears much more dependable so far, simpler, although I have just recently purchased 6 new stylus since I've lost 4 already. It's just so easy to lose that darned stylus when you whip your phone out your back pocket/handbag/shirt pocket etc. I wonder how long 6 will last me. :)

Anyway. Just going to upload the iPod drawings I did tonight, plus a few more showing my progression from total rubbish, to getting used to it.

Great night tonight at the 13th note. Second Hand Marching Band, Sarah Banjo (freshly heard and much enjoyed), and RM Hubbert. Class line-up, finished off nicely with Peter, the band leader, leading everyone to sing a chorus at the back of the room, and those that had been notified/seen his posting about writing a verse (see my post below) stood very tentatively around a microphone with their 15 seconds of fame or complete humiliation thrust upon them in friendly manner. I felt the latter.

Nah, not totally. I'm pretty sure my singing was sh**e, as my voice has been locked away in a cupboard for 3 years and I've been shouting through the keyhole all day, hence tonight I was warbling away quite unlike the nightingale I fancied. It's all in the words of the verse right? Ha.

Intense though. Felt like a baptism of fire, but luckily everyone was freakin' nervous so I didn't feel quite so bad. Apparently all the verse writers/singers will get a cd through the post of their efforts. I'm looking forward to experiencing that! ;)

Damo Suzuki, and this Thursday at 13th Note - Marching Orders with the Second Hand Marching Band

I did not go to see Damo Suzuki on Saturday at the CCA, Glasgow.

Since my decision not to go and see him play 2 performances - one with Vars of Litchi, and the other with the Glasgow Sound Carrier Collective featuring members of Ug and Tattie Toes amongst others - my stomach has been in knots at my knowing creative sado-masochistic deprivation. I missed, what sounds like, a total experimental, exciting, improvised quality evening of legendary status, with the chap who was found busking in a street in Germany only to be recruited that night as front man of the leading avant garde krautrock band Can. This was back in the days when their experimental music/artforms were kicking boundaries open with the force of a cornered man witnessing his freedom diminish.

This blurb is from the CCA website. Cry Parrot incidentally are a great collective that are increasingly becoming respected for booking excellent and quality experimental/revolutionary musicians/artists

'The goal is simple, for musicians to communicate with each other and with the audience. There are no ego's involved. Musicians send smoke signals to each other. They respond in kind. Damo selects musicians who have the potential to communicate freely and who are able to respond honestly to each other in the here and now. This also involves a respect for and dynamic communication with the audience. Both Damo and Can refer to this process as Instant Composing. Each concert is a unique event. There are never any rehearsals. Mistakes are moments of opportunity. For the musician, this process is in equal parts exciting and terrifying.'

With so much mirroring my own style of drawing music, why oh why oh why did I prioritise an alternative. I have my reason, and I'll just have to suffer it. But damn. I really wish I'd gone.

Meanwhile, I'm unable to attend this great little event, but I would thoroughly recommend it for any musically tainted folks with an itch to get creative. Second Hand Marching Band are great folks, as is RM Hubbert. Both with beautiful musical talents of their own. Check it out.

http://www.thesecondhandmarchingband.co.uk/me/

Vile Imbeciles, 13th Note, Glasgow

They were great. They played to a non-audience and they were still great.

Infact, they ARE great. You better see them next time they're up.

Iain Campbell was also entertaining with his collection of detritus with sound making potential. I don't think anyone could replicate the dark menace in which his crisps were munched. A John Cage/found sound/simultaneously creative piece.

Cheer produced an inspired aural atmosphere for all that he was playing to a vacuum of non-audience. This chap is talented, but it's the second time I've seen him and there's been a distinct lack of folk. Is he too experimental? Does he support those that are too 'alternative'? Are there too many venues in Glasgow now?

Glasgow is indeed spoilt for places to play and to listen. As an audience, we've become lazy in our aural learning capacity. Is it possible to have too much music-oriented enlightenment? It is however much easier for bands to hone their talents at live performance, with the support of technicians and promoters. As long as the lack of an audience doesn't dishearten. Persistence get's you everywhere.

Union of Knives, 20/02/09, The Arches, Glasgow

Union of Knives - Prelude - 'Perfume Exctraction', The Arches 20/02/09

Union of Knives - Full Complement.

To Hear Our Music...Lighting Celtic Connections and the Second Hand Marching Band

Lighting the Torches, Procession for the Opening of Celtic Connections
George Square, Glasgow


The Procession reaches it's destination.



Second Hand Marching Band - Happy Birthday!
(Also sax player's birthday)
Supported by Seventeenth Century and Burnt Island
Is This Music?, 13th Note, King Street, Glasgow.
(First time I've ever been there - criminal isn't it)