See above cover image for the "Mesh" EP, which is my first release of any solo material since "PVZ" in 2012.
I guess it's not strictly solo, since I am joined by my former Random Noise Generator partner Robert Peck (A.K.A. RJ) on vocals and guitar. Although initially Rob encouraged me to sing, he does a much better job of vocals than I can, and his guitar textures add a pleasing dimension I hadn't foreseen.
I have described the music as being an ideal soundtrack to moments of indecision and transition, and both states seem to occur fairly regularly in my life.
Five tracks and just shy of 20 minutes of music, "Mesh" is a digital only release and out now in the usual places: iTunes, CD Baby, and Burning Shed, and Bandcamp, where hi-res FLAC audio files are also an available option.
A full length album featuring further solo material in conjunction with RJ will be forthcoming later this year.
Next up in my bass collection is my Spector Euro 435LX.
I was unfamiliar with Spector basses until a US tour in the mid 2000's, when the Spector artist representative kindly lent me a Czech made Spector Euro, for some US gigs.
Being incredibly solid, well made and reliable instruments they have become a mainstay for me, standing up extremely well to the demands of travel and regular use, and sounding great too.
For some time previously I had been experimenting with playing lower than a Drop D, even with RNG going as far down as an A below the usual E, so my initial interest in this particular model was due to the extra scale length, which is advantageous for down tuning. (Note: the numbers in the model 435 refer to 4 string with a 35" scale, rather than a more usual 34")
I had this particular bass set-up at the Bass Gallery in Camden to play a semitone lower than the bottom 4 strings of a standard 5 string, (i.e. Bflat, Eflat, Aflat, Dflat) and I felt it a good fit for some of the Porcupine Tree material which invited lower notes, such as "Way Out of Here":
….and also more dub infused moments, here on the Ex-Wise Heads track "Gene Pool":
More recently, tuned a semitone higher, it's seen at lot of action with Obake, fitting in really well underneath Eraldo Bernocchi's furious baritone guitars, click here to listen to "Seven Rotten Globes".
Some detailed shots:
Bridge and Pick-ups.
Neck detail, it's a neck through, rather than bolt-on design.
Headstock and brass nut. Truss rod is visible, as I removed the truss rod cover to make some adjustments, and promptly lost it.
The bridge, note the tapered Spector strings.
Here's a recent live action close up :
I generally prefer 4 strings to 5, so downtuning is a solution that suits me better when I want to access a lower register.
The clearly defined lower notes make up for the extra hand stretches required, and the sustain is as satisfying as playing some of the lowest notes on a piano.
