My first release of 2016, Endless Tapes "Brilliant Waves" is streaming for a limited time on Italian website Sound36, please click here to read an interview (in Italian) and to hear the album in full.
Please note the release date of 4th January mentioned on Sound36 refers to the digital edition of "Brilliant Waves" , physical CD's will available on 15th Janury, and a pre-order link the for the physical release can be found here:
A previously unreleased Astarta/Edwin track can be found on Ukrainian musician Eduard Prystupa's latest release "Gabriel's Message, an EP of seasonal songs.
I have to thank Eduard for getting me involved with Astarta in the first place, he also remains the only person ever to have given me a horse made from cheese…
Jon Durant joins in on guitar too.
Please check the links and see below for my thoughts in English:
Завтра – офіційний реліз міні-альбому Gabriel's Message.
Про співпрацю з Ділею і дуетом AstartA розповідає британський прог-рок басист Colin Edwin, який долучився до роботи над EP:
"Працюючи над треками для проекту Astarta/Edwin, я цілком свідомо уникав будь-якої прив'язки до змісту пісень. Українська мова лишається для мене суцільною таїною, тому увагу я фокусував на підтримці парного вокалу і намагався створювати обволікаюче звукове супроводження, яке б допомогло виставити вокал на перший план.
Незважаючи на те, що я не розумів, про що йдеться у піснях, у деяких випадках, слухаючи вокальні партії, я цілком чітко відчував атмосферу треку. І кращим взірцем є "Різдвяна", яка абсолютно не приховує своєї святковості – я одразу відчув атмосферу Різдвяних свят і Нового року. Навіть незважаючи на те, що традиції святкування у наших країнах різні.
Тому я розпочав трек дзвіночками. Так, звичайно, це кліше. Але й абсолютним кліше є твердження, що музика – це універсальна мова. Хоча водночас це так і є".
ПРЕМ’ЄРА: Діля – Gabriel’s Message [міні-альбом]
Щиро вдячні усім, хто доклав свій талант до його створення – від невідомих нам прадавніх українців і баскійців до знаного британця Коліна Едвіна і вельмишановного американця Джона Дюрана (send special thanks to Colin Edwin and Jon Durant). А також вдячні усім тим, хто цей міні-альбом слухатиме.
На відео – особистий message від Ділі до кожного з вас smile emoticon
Whilst working on the Astarta/Edwin material, I purposely stayed away from attempting any sort of interpretation of the lyrics, instead remaining in wilful ignorance of the actual lyrical content. The Ukrainian language remains a mystery to me, so my focus was always on supporting the twin vocals and trying to create a sympathetic musical content to wrap around and highlight them. However, in a few cases, on hearing the vocals, the meaning, if not the exact words was very clear to me, the best example of this is probably "Rizdvyana", which has an undeniably "festive" atmosphere. Even without any musical accompaniment, and despite the obvious differences between how we might celebrate the season, the bare voices made me think immediately of the atmosphere around Christmas and New Year....
For that reason, starting the track off with the sound of a bell was an obvious choice, it's a cliche of course, but it's also a cliche to say that music is a universal language, and at the same time, it's absolutely true. #dilya#dilyaGM#colinedwin#astartaedwin#christmas#xmas#діля
I had a great time with Eraldo Bernocchi, Raiz, Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari and Jacopo Peirazzuoli playing versions of the Ashes material, with a few Almamegretta tunes thrown in too…..there may be more…for anyone unfamiliar, start here:
In support of "Inflamed Rides" O.R.k. will be touring Europe in early 2016, I will be announcing the full schedule in due course, but for now please see the poster for the forthcoming London date.
The Astarta/Edwin album is finally finished, mixed and mastered and I am presently awaiting a firm release date from the label.
In the meantime, see below, "Chornomorets" a tune which hasn't made the final track listing.
Left off for reasons of album sequencing rather than quality, as always, great vocal performances from Inna Kovtun and Yulia Malyarenko, and Jon Durant joins us with some extremely lyrical guitar playing, please enjoy:
I'll be joining Andrew Booker (drums) Mike Bearpark (guitar) and Stephen Bennett (keyboards) playing a new set of Tim Bowness material live at the dates below:
Click here for tickets for the UK dates (via burning shed), alternatively tickets can be bought direct from the venues using the links below:
I get a lot of use out of this unusual late '70's designed Magnum II bass from Ovation.
Featuring a highly distinctive body shape, a thumb rest, unique bridge design and a rarely seen approach to active pick-ups, these instruments were replaced by the later Magnum III and IV before being discontinued.
It's a comfortable, but solid (heavy) piece of wood, also with a longer than usual scale length, which meant initially sourcing strings with windings that went past the nut was a little tricky, but I have settled on D'Addario ECB81 XL Chrome flatwounds.
It's capable of some grinding rock sounds, but it's appeal for me is either for thick rubbery dub type bass, or, with the foam mute in place, played pick style (sometimes in conjunction with a delay pedal) for a retro bass sound that my other, more modern instruments can't get close to.
I also sometimes use an Ovation Magnum I, which is the passive version of the same bass, you can read more on the differences between the two on this original Ovation manual.
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Two pick-ups, and foam mute.
Close up of the tone/volume controls and pick up selector.
The Musicraiser campaign for "Inflamed Rides" has now finished, and all pre-orderers should now either have access to their digital versions, or be waiting for their CD's.
The good news is that we are preparing a more general release of "Inflamed Rides" through Cargo distribution, so, on October 2nd, it will be available through the more usual outlets, digital pre-orders can be made now through Amazon, itunes, please check your local record store too…if you still have one.
Burning Shed CD pre-order can be accessed here
More details on all this in the very near future….the ride continues….
When I had the chance to try them, I always liked playing Musicman basses, and whilst searching around for a replacement for my Wal, which (thanks to some negative airline experiences), I temporarily retired from service, I briefly used a very nice natural wood Stingray for a tour or two. However, I much preferred the Bongo as soon as I tried one, it felt more comfortable to play, flexible, expressive and with a very pleasing even response.
I was surprised, in a good way, by the very clearly defined low end, a lot more of it than you might expect, given it's actually quite light. The tonal possibilities make it a very good all round instrument, and I have experimented with different string types from time to time, switching back and forth between round and flatwounds, currently I'm back to using round wounds.
I was lucky enough to get this bass direct from Ernie Ball and along with the simple black "Stealth" colour finish, I opted for dual humbuckers.
Two tone split controls, giving a 4 band EQ, pick up balance and volume control pots.
Bridge close up.
Distinctive 3 + 1 Musicman Headstock
I believe the design team from BMW were involved in designing the stylistic aspects such as the body and headstock shape, it's certainly a different take on the bass guitar, "marmite" perhaps…..but I like it.
You can see this particular bass getting a workout on the Porcupine Tree "Arriving" Live DVD:
As well as a few other tracks here:
More recently, I have used a (borrowed) fretless Stealth Bongo live with Burnt Belief:
Now approaching the end of the pre-order period for the debut O.R.k. album "Inflamed Rides".
Very pleased to report that "Inflamed Rides" is now at the manufacturing stage and we are on course to have the CD's shipped out to all pre-orderers in early to mid July.
For anyone unfamiliar, a little background on O.R.k. can be found by clicking here to read an interview with Pat Mastelotto, Lef and myself on The Musical Melting Pot.
Our winning "Jellyfish" remix was Coldlight's "The Insignificant" which will be included as a bonus track on the CD:
We also decided to have Unungordium's "Manipulation" as an extra on the digital version of the album:
A select few journalists have been given access to the full album, and there below are some links to some early reviews:
At time of writing there are still a few days left to grab Inflamed Rides on Musicraiser, but this by no means the end, more activity is planned so please keep an eye on www.orkband.com (and the FB page) for any updates.
(Edit: official release of "Inflamed Rides" will now be October 2nd through Cargo Distribution, please see www.orkband.com for updates)
A couple of recent Guest Spots.
I have contributed fretless bass to the title track of Chilean guitarist Javier Sepulveda's ambitious "Pulse of Nature" project, you can hear below an edited version:
And secondly, Atlanta-based guitarist Jared Leach's Ghost Medicine, below " the track Desert Spring" A full length album is completed and should be out sometime later this year.
I have contributed upright and both fretted and fretless electric bass (and some ebow textures as well) to various tracks on Tim Bowness's forthcoming album "Stupid Things That Mean the World" and below you can hear "Great Electric Teenage Dream", which is the first track from the album to be made public:
I will be joining Tim, Mike Bearpark (Guitar), Andrew Booker (drums) and Stephen Bennett (Keys) for some upcoming gigs, the first one confirmed so far is in Poland at the end of August, see poster below:
At the invitation of self confessed "Nerd Composer" Paolo Fosso, I have contributed bass parts to the new album by Armonite entitled the 'Sun is New Each Day'.
Also featured are violinist Jacopo Bigi and drummer Jasper Barendregt.
See the website for more details: www.armonite.com
Thanks to Adam Phillips of Bass Players United for sending the new iPad (and Android apparently) friendly magazine app my way, and also for featuring Burnt Belief's Etymology in their first issue:
Lots of other good content too…and this first issue is free...
Shown above is my only five string, a fretless Rob Allen MB-2.
I first became aware of Rob Allen basses on a visit to the bass department of Rudy's in New York City some years ago.
I was extremely close to laying out for a very nice four string version, when a moment of realisation struck me that, at that point, I simply didn't have the money.
These basses are not mass produced so sometimes a little hard to find, and subsequent "cashed up" visits to Rudy's and also Bass Northwest, in Seattle (the only other place that seemed to stock them) left me with the choice of either five strings, lined fretboards or fretted versions, and not the unlined 4 string fretless that I was really after.
Eventually, after some searching, I bought this five string second hand in the UK, and realising the rarity of them, I was happy to forego my usual preference for four strings.
I have no idea why it never occurred to me to simply get one direct from the source….but in any case it's proved useful for me to have the low B on occasion.
A 35" inch scale.
I am using the recommended LaBella strings.
Piezo pick up is located under the bridge, the only control is the volume pot.
The sound is somewhere closer to an upright bass than most fretless basses, I guess because of the semi hollow body construction, and even with such a simplistic control, it's an extremely expressive instrument, responding sonically to changes in touch and plucking position.
It's also a fantastic piece of craftsmanship, and a real joy to play.
I have made a lot of use of this bass with Ex-Wise Heads, especially on the more recent material, and it can be heard on these tracks below:
