Season's Change

Mr Sam Airey is very excited to announce the release of his debut EP 'Season's Change' on 1st March 2010.

I mentioned his of course, because the EP was recorded at House of Mook Studios, by myself - and a thoroughly enjoyable and successful experience it was too.

The record also features some friends of Sam's - Jim Morrow of Just Handshakes (drums), Hannah Wilson (backing vocals/additional keys), and Kieran O'Malley (fiddle).

Sam talks of the EP as "the culmination of what I have been working towards for the last year or so, and am very happy to be releasing it" - and it really is a fantastic collection of songs and I'm really pleased to have been involved in

The EP track-listing:

1. Oh (When It’s Gone)

2. Home

3. Stars

4. Row Upon Row

5. The Oak Tree

It will be available on CD at live shows, also from http://hideandseekrecords.bigcartel.com/ and from independent record stores

Check out a preview of the tracks on Sam's myspace page here:

http://www.myspace.com/samaireymusic

Sam also plays my 'Friends Before Glory' night at Nation Of Shopkeepers, Leeds on Sunday 24th January. More details of that here

Soundtrack to this post: The Low Anthem, Low

The Whiskas Story

As mentioned as a frequent amend-um to talk of studying my Masters degree, I have also been known to partake in the odd guest lecture at LMU and infact a few other educational institutions. Traditionally these have been my anecdotal recollection of how I started Dance To The Radio, and talking about Forward Russia.

In the last few weeks, however, I've been lucky enough to talk on a variety of specific subjects, such as production techniques, label / producer relationships and songwriting. However, I still got wheeled out to talk on what LMU dubbed 'the whiskas story'

The idea behind this lecture, as part of the music industry module, was to give an idea to the students of what you can achieve through building connections, and also that sometimes you need to pursue a variety of different paths to make a living in the music industry. LMU filmed it and stuck it on YouTube - so I thought I'd write a bit more about it and put it in context.

I've never actually thought about what I've been doing, and quite often just doggedly followed a path that I've ended up on, and in hindsight, a lot of things come across a lot more thought out than they were at the time. As I say in the lecture, it isn't telling people how I did something, it's not me bragging about what I've done - it's a story about what I did with a few ideas and some friends I guess

Watch the full quality version here

Soundtrack to this post: Johnny Cash

100!

I've been meaning to blog all week, but have lacked sufficient time and inspiration to post something truely worthwhile. And lo - I come to muse and notice it's the 100th post!!

First - THE NEWS. Am very confused to be trying to operate in the real world, though that is currently manifesting itself in recording bands which is good. Some good stuff coming up when I get chance to finish it!

I'm enjoying being in the studio, but need to find time to work on some new Honour Before Glory stuff, and I keep missing some really good gigs. Tonight, I'm missing Dinosaur Pile-Up + Eureka Machines, La Roux (feat. Will Bowerman) and pAperchAse + Vessels. My appearences for FC Lokomotiv have also been severely reduced. Anwyay, I said enough of the self-indulgence

Secondly, this blog has really turned self-indulgent, so it seemed the right time to plug some NEW MUSIC I'm enjoying:

TWISTED

This is no bullshit "best band in Leeds" / "these guys are going to be huge" post, but this is a band who are more than worthy of your attention.

The story goes, I was sat in the bar of the Brudenell and was convinced I was listening to a big headline band soundcheck, only to realise later it was these boys opening up an alldayer. I knew the songs cos they're not precious about their digital media and have most of their recorded tracks up for download on their blog. Cool eh?

B1 (new single) - http://www.mediafire.com/?ygmqno5tlgj

Daydream EP - http://www.mediafire.com/?kxgmvwzhkzy

http://twistedleeds.blogspot.com/

TEGAN & SARA

I'm never quite sure about Tegan & Sara, but damn I do enjoy listening to it. Just the right mix of pop, shoegaze, riffs and tune-age. New album Sainthood 'blew up' in their native Canada I do believe

Sainthood on Spotify

Soundtrack to this post: Tegan & Sara

My Leeds Festival 2009

This year I've felt a little too self absorbed to induldge myself in Leeds Festival properly. I spent the Friday & Sunday bed down in House Of Mook perfecting the mix for You Animals forthcoming opus, and setting up for recording some Honour Before Glory tracks on Monday

I did have a great day in attendance on the Saturday, though as usual it was the social aspect as much as the bands that made it the occasion it was.

I started the day watching The XX, who's album has quickly become a bit of a favourite of mine. It was an odd entity live, I wasn't expecting it to be that much more than it was, but I still thought it was a shame there wasn't more to it. Still, it's made me listen to the album today and I've enjoyed it all the more.

After The XX, I wandered around the site a little bit and checked out the BBC Introducing Stage, caught a little bit of ex-Loiner Anna Prior in Metronomy, before watching the Grammatics in the Festval Republic tent. And very good they were too

Later on, we camped out on the main stage to catch Vampire Weekend (who reminded me more than ever of Gracelands), bits of Bloc Party (very festival) and then Radiohead.

Radiohead was a bit of an odd one as not the set per se, but the whole set-up seemed very hard for a casual observer to 'break through' - and what I find odd, is why a band that was doing a sponsor-less tour in their own tents, was headlining such a 'corporate' festival?? With the 'arty' set up of video screens and lighting it was hard to connect from a distance, so I lost interest. I'm sure if I'd have been in the mood for an intense Radiohead set it would've been outstanding. I guess it was the festival equivalent of The Wire - not one for the casual observer. But that's what I go to the festival to be.

Two brief links / mentions:

1) To the festival volunteers who are actively getting involved. Great work if you can get it:

http://festvolunteers.blogspot.com/

2) Check out highlights of loads of bands on 'death of independent journalism' website the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/readingandleeds/2009/videos/

Keep an eye out for Faith No More covering the Eastenders theme

Many thanks to the kind people at Festival Republic though for letting me attend again. Hopefully next year I can do something worthwhile to attend

Soundtrack to this post: Wilco, Fever Ray

You Animals

As mentioned at the time, a couple of weeks ago I was in the studio with Derby heart-throbs YOU ANIMALS to record their new single.. their Theme you might say

While I'm stuck in the studio finishing off the lead track, the band have put together this amusing video of our time together. Check it out:

Soundtrack to this post: Fever Ray

Recording At House Of Mook

As I've written numerous times on this blog, I've started working with numerous bands in a production capacity over the last few months. Well, I'm now doing that 'full time' out of HOUSE OF MOOK studios in Leeds - a nice base to keep my gear and set up home

House Of Mook is a great little studio in Meanwood that has been serving the people of Leeds in need of rehearsal space and recording for many a year. We’re taking the existing set-up and developing it into something we hope will be very special – alongside an attitude based on getting the project right opposed to filling hours in on a time sheet

I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time in Mook, with the bonuses to everyone of it being close to shops / food emporiums, as well as a base to keep the great Forward Russia guitar rigs – in it’s expanded form!....

We've already had the pleasure of recording some great bands like You Animals and Just Handshakes (We're British) and I hope to write a little about what we've been up to on this blog. Hopefully numerous single releases will be forthcoming from the above mentioned bands and more

But any bands interesting in doing some recording - please get in touch!! The best email contact is whiskas[at]nyevskyprospect.net. There's a bit more information about my recording and the studio at the following locations:

http://www.nyevskyprospect.net
http://www.mookhouse.ndo.co.uk

Soundtrack to this post: les Savy Fav, Oxxxes, Sonic Youth

Let's Get Going....

After my prolific return to form on the blog, I've had a quiet week with not much to report of a musical nature. In truth I've been in the studio a lot, working with Just Handshakes (We're British) - the fruits of which will be ripened soon.

Today also marks a return to work on the much delayed single from The ABC Club. There's been numerous line-up shifts with the band this year, though most of the original line-up is still in place, with Sam the drummer leaving for University in September. Rehearsals with the new drummer are going exceedingly well apparently, and they should be returning to the live arena from late September

I'm still working on a few things 'close' to my chest, that I hope to write about real soon. Till then I am busy working with lots of bands in the studio for the next month. Hopefully I'll get chance to write a bit about it!

Meanwhile, I've been enjoying MON KHMR - check them out

Soundtrack to this post: TV On The Radio, Sonic Youth

Recording / Duels

Friends and keen observers of my Twitter feed will have picked up numerous missives over the last month or so regarding a recording studio I'm in the process of setting up. A more comprehensive blog post on this is impending while a few formalities are sorted out, but in the mean time, the engine cranked into action this weekend as Duels commited our recent labours to tape before an extended family orientated break

These pictures are taken from the Duels Twitter feed, and for more wit and pictures, get watching that. The self-indulgent part of this news, is that these demo's will probably never see the light of day, they're for us to refine these songs, before we present them to you - the world. But it's an important part of the process

With these demos dispatched, the new studio is this week welcoming Just Handshakes (We're British) who are sympathetically being my guinea pigs while we ensure everything is up and running properly. I hope they don't mind me telling you this - we're recording a couple of new tunes that have barely been played live, and one evening down it's all going well. Reports to follow hopefully!

Soundtrack to this post: Dirty Projectors

Die Video Die / Recording

As mentioned previously, at the start of the year I began recording some songs/demo's for Die Video Die (with a pop arrow through the heart). Well, I'm pleased to say after a (very long) break (for the aforementioned degree commitments), we finally finished two songs last week. The band are currently planning a release 'scenario' for the songs, so hopefully they'll escape to the greater world in good time

Before these demo's, keen and observant readers may recall me recording some tracks for The ABC Club. These were an experiment in nearly every shape and form, and for numerous issues remain to all intent and purpose unfinished. However, we should be going into finish them off in the next month, time/travel/location permitting!

And the exciting news is there is more recording to come from me in all shapes and forms over the coming weeks and months, and I hope to keep the blog upto date with what I'm getting up to

Soundtrack to this post: Honour Before Glory demos

The Week That Was

Man, what a week (yep, not about the Field Music spinoff). Full on busy, but I've done a lot of fun stuff

Thursday night, Mi Mye played the Buen Chico album launch at the Brudenell Social Club, and fun was had - it's the first time I've played with Mi Mye for a while and the gig was good. It's good times in Mi Mye, as we've got a single and video done and are hoping to release it in February

Friday night, me and Nathan from the Brudenell put on a gig in aid of Children In Need. The catalyst of the gig was getting ace American band OH NO!! OH MY!! to come and play. We were also blessed with ace bands Dinosaur Pile-Up and Just Handshakes (We're British). Everyone got into the spirit, and we had lots of fun with a great bake sale, raffle and a highly amusing game of Musical Chairs

Saturday & Sunday I had my fledging attempt at the other side of the mixing desk, producing some songs for The ABC Club. I tell people I kind of manage the ABC Club and I don't know why, because I DO manage them, but I can't help feel a tit talking of bands in those terms. Anyway, said recording went really well, and it's a work in progress for the minute.

Finally, my blowout at the end of the week was an awesome gig at, surprisingly, the Brudenell Social Club. These Arms Are Snakes / Russian Circles (pictured above) double bill, and it was better than I hoped it would be. As much of a fan I am of both bands, I thought I might loose interest (a me thing), they were both awesome. 

The gig had added significance as I hung out with a few of the Snakes in Seattle last year, and Russian Circles made their album directly after Forward Russia's Life Processes with Matt Bayles (who also runs Red Room Studios with Chris of TAAS). So had a funny chat with Chris and an even funnier chat with Mike Circles about the nuances of recording with Matt. Good times

FOOTBALL UPDATE - Lokomotiv lost 2-1 last night, following a very dissapointing game. We went 1-0 up, then conceded 2 scrappy goals in a game we again dominated. Me & Fogal had the cream of the chances and we were all annoyed to loose. We've got a depleted squad for the next month now as iLiKETRAiNS swan around Europe but I'm hoping we can call on a few other talented individuals

So, I've tried something new here - I don't know how informative this post is, it's more of a dear diary post. But it's been a busy week...

Finally a tip for a 2 similar bands I got introduced to earlier this year, who are starting to pick up a bit of hype and I want to stamp my mark:

THREE TRAPPED TIGERS - MYSPACE

FRIENDSHIP - MYSPACE

Soundtrack to this post: t'radio