baxter dury

Strange times…and I must be bored if I’m resorting to regular blogging again!

My day job’s on lock down, and being asthmatic it might be a while before I’m back in the physical realm.

As the whole of the self employed creative world struggle to plan how to earn their living, I assume OBS are seeing record downloads, and I’m one of their new users. Finally set myself up to try some live streaming for some student virtual lectures over the next few weeks. Yes, I am now that idiot living in the corner of a screen. Thanks to Mark Towers for helping me set it up.

Screenshot 2020-03-22 at 19.01.58

This enforced down time will hit us all in so many ways. Financially tough, but a lack of contact with your loved ones is already strange.

If there is a plus, it’s the potential headspace to work on/finish some projects. I’m writing / tweaking some new units for RSL Awards : a level 3 vocational qualification. It’s about to be the marking period for external units for them, too…although that work may completely dry up this year for obvious reasons.

I’ve got a handful of albums on the go to shop to various libraries. These range from shiny beds and reveals to some really dark piano and beats stuff….aiming for 5 albums this year but thats wildly optimistic!

I’ve just had three songs signed to a library on a new imprint…..sort of ‘Killing Eve’ type soundtrack stuff: I love the Unloved albums, so it was nice to win the pitch.

I wrote a couple of tracks for my friend John’s library over the weekend…. I find it so much easier writing for other people rather than my own projects! Just got to finish the mixes.

I’ve got a stack of albums pretty much ready for my own library , so that’s sort of ticking along….planning an album a month for the next 12 – 18 months, then I’ll see where I am with it.

Anyway….new music from Morrissey was out on Friday in the form of ‘I Am Not A Dog On A Chain’ , his 4th album with Joe Chiccarelli on production duties. I dread to think what it’d be like without him producing…..he highlights how vital a good producer is: he’s single handedly halted the decline of Moz (creatively that is, not politically obviously) by essentially breaking all of Moz’s sonic rules…it’s got loads of synths for one. The songs, like the last 15 years, are patchy, but the production is ace: muscular and , well, very mad in places.

‘Darling, I Hug a Pillow’ is brill with some lovely deadpan words: ‘Loving you is a trauma no-one else should face , or sit still for’ : highlights are few and far between though with some proper clunky lyrics and awkward melodies. Overall though, like the last 3 albums, some genuinely great stuff marred (!) by some crap songs and a lack of self editing skills.

Baxter Dury’s album was also out on the same day. Very much a one and a bit trick pony, the last single ‘I’m Not Your Dog’ is perfect: sexy, seedy, simple and very French

Stay safe, all x

Busy busy!

Lots of recording, mixing and mastering this year, as ever.

Released a few albums with my music for media company, went to Abbey Road studios , started moderating for RSL Awards , recorded and mixed another album at the Simon Says festival again , and, it turns out, was my last as manager at Leicester College music and sound department as I move onto a new job running the Music, Music Tech and Live Events department at Confetti in Nottingham: really excited about this: lots going on there: new degrees locally and nationally, new building with 6 studios, loads of practice rooms and new staff and students to meet. It’s worth saying over and over, that my time at Leicester College has been an immense learning experience, but, overall, the best part has been the people: peerless as a team in FE: I’ll miss every one of them.

I got a release on a cassette for a song I wrote for the Dark Outside..it’s now sold out

I decided to start a Masters degree in songwriting: am one term in and I’m loving it. My course leader, Davey Ray Moor is in torch bearing band Cousteaux from the late 90’s. He’s great..I really look forwards to our weekly tutorials. Term one’s module has resulted in 5 songs I’m currently mixing: they’ll turn up in some form on future music for media albums I’m sure either as they are or as instrumentals: it’s been a great excuse to write and record: I’ve loved singing loads. It’s been great knowing I can work to exercises and ‘turn on’ my writing chops when I need to.

This year’s gig of the year was New Order at the Manchester International Festival : it was just perfect

Playing ‘Vanishing Point’ live….it hit me where it hurt and plumbed directly into 16 year old me. Was just amazing. Then you look at the place it was, the stage show as well as the set list..then add in the exhibition at Manchester Gallery and it made for one of the best musical days and nights I’ve ever had.

Unknown

Albums of the year: I will forget some , I’m sure, but

Taylor Swift: no irony here, it’s such a great pop album!

Baxter Dury: Loved his last album more, but, the new one’s great

St Vincent: effortlessly cool pop

Morrissey: Hmm….I’m a die hard fan, but need to seperate the art from the artist (he really has said some stupid stuff again this year), El Moz turned in a solid album, and as with the last one, the true star is the production by Joe Chiccarelli

Anna Of The North. Patchy but some good stuff..not as good as Shura’s album last year but treading similar water

Charlotte Gainsbourg : I LOVE the ‘Deadly Valentine’ single.. really great!

Paul at Seamus Wong told me about Protomartyr : some good stuff on their last album: love the fact they’re unlikely rock stars.

LCD’s return was great: a journey through James Murhpy’s record collection (again) and not a disappointment

Father John Misty’s album was great: my favourite album of 2015 : very rare I can listen to an album start to finish , but that album was great. 2017’s Father John Misty’s follow up was not cut from the same lyrical cloth: this time he avoids love…so for me, was harder to get into, but it’s worth the work: he’s a proper headliner now: so obvious when I saw him live in a couple of years ago. One of my favourite gigs ever.

Really love the Nadine Shah album, too if only for this song

Beck’s album was pop-tastic:

Arcade Fire’s album was patchy but had its moments

Bits of Lorde’s album was also great…..I still don’t think she’s the artist that critics see, and God knows how she got Bowie’s patronage , but she’s certainly got ‘something’