Lil' slice o' RoH

Sad News

2008-01-02T20:34:00.000Z

It is our sad duty to inform you that at 7.25GMT on the morning of 28th December 2007, Joe Holmberg, founder member of Republic of Heaven, lost his battle with the cancer he had been fighting bravely for several months. Our sense of loss is overwhelming, and to put our feelings into words seems almost impossible. Joe was family to us, and to believe someone so special has gone just seems so hard to bear.

As some of you may know, after a distinguished career bouncing around like a loon on stage for Republic of Heaven, Joe left the shores of England just over a year ago to make a new life for himself in Paris with his partner Emilie. He threw himself into this new adventure with the same energy he had for everything in life – learning a new language and finding work in a strange city - always keeping us up to date with every exploit in his own inimitable, vital and fiercely intelligent style.

Joe had been suffering from ill health for a few months before being diagnosed with malignant cancer in September 2007, though to read his emails and blog posts, you’d think he’d just been told he had chicken pox. His ability to laugh and to remain so mentally strong throughout such a traumatic ordeal was a truly extraordinary thing to witness - so much so that when we visited him recently, although we all recognised the severity of his condition, it never occurred to us that he might not be with us three weeks later.

Our hearts go out to Geoff and Sheila (Joe’s parents), Pat (Joe’s brother) and of course Emilie, who has been part of our extended family for so long. We can’t possibly send you enough love and support, and our thoughts are with you all, and with that wonderful man you called your son, your brother and your partner. To find so much passion and intelligence, wit and sincerity in one human being is incredibly rare - you can be sure that as Joe’s friends, we will work, play, laugh and love as hard as we can, as that is the best tribute anyone can pay to such an amazing talent.

Goodbye Mr H. you big ginger bass monkey. We love you dearly. Wherever you are now, please make sure you jump around a lot, break stuff and hug people. Keep thinking, arguing and laughing. Keep your ear out for weird noises and bands with stupid names. Keep finding ways to better yourself. Keep collecting strange anecdotes and making them stranger still with your wicked sense of fun. Keep learning more than seems possible. Keep smiling in our memories and keep us from stumbling in the wrong direction. We know you’ll always be doing these things because this is how we remember you. Carry on doing the things you were good at fella – and by that we mean… well… everything.

Without wishing to stray into the realms of trite hyperbole – bless you Joe, we are truly so much richer for having had you in our lives. If you see any beardy deities, please pull their jack-leads out and kick their amplifiers over for us would you? Politely obviously… we would expect nothing less.

--
Mark, Giles, Toby & Rich.

Proof, if proof be need be

2007-05-05T21:23:00.000+01:00

Mr Duffy labours relentlessly for his comrades on the forthcoming Republic of Heaven release. His blood, sweat and tears are yours my friend. But is he pained by his experience? No... tea and cigarettes are his reward. He works all the hours of his day (24 hours - his day is like yours and mine) on the problem at hand.

Can he fix it? Yes he can.

Strange Mutterings.....

2007-03-28T09:24:00.000+01:00

Anyone for a large slice of overdrive pie or a tasty piece of delay
cake?
The last time we updated you the clammy hands of Autumn were
beginning to throttle our gravelled throats and make off with our
Hawaiian shirts for another season. And thankfully for your musical
delectation we have now awoken from the darkness of Winter into the
light. Quite frankly we don't like it. Its very bright, and RoH are
more akin to mole like adventures and underground sounds, creating all
manner of small muddy eruptions around your perfectly level playing
field of a mind.
Things have progressed during our hibernation - three
bears have now become four. Not only has new bassist Richard Ladd
learned enough tunes to have made several foraging trips into the
public domain, but everyone seems to have bought shiny new Springtime
amplifier machines and are happily creating new songs with them in
joyous epic and ultimately dark harmony. Oh and speaking of harmony,
Mr. Ladd has also been heard singing, that's right, singing with the
band. There's also speak of gigs - one this week in fact at the Pav
Tav Thursday 15th March 9pm FREE - and another, the biggie (or
biggish) at the Pressure Point on 26th April, doubling as one of the
band's Birthday celebrations - so plenty of scope to see the new line
up and hear some new sounds. Work on the new EP? "Tweak tweak" goes
the sound of the Lesser Spotted Mixing Bird.

Shhhh...

2007-02-27T12:36:00.000Z

something's coming...

The triumphant return of Mr. Duffy

2006-08-25T10:13:00.000+01:00

I have RECEIVED (FROM THE INTERNET) a further missive from the enigmatic pen of Mr. Duffy:

As summer begins to fade and the dank limp hands of autumn begin to clasp the weather to its pallid chest things are afoot in the RoH camp.

Work on a second EP has commenced demanding the retention of the band members in dark and possibly odious rooms whilst they follow instructions and make best efforts to record sounds and arrange them. It is not clear when this work will be completed but further missives may well reveal a date. Mr Duffy is said to be exciteable and Mr Sandeman has been seen with what is thought to be a suppressed smile regarding this work.

Mr Joe Holmberg, loudest bass manipulator in all of Brighton town, is to make a significant excursion to the streets of Paris, where he will conduct field observations on the Europeans. At this time his place will be taken by the enigmatic 'Rich' who is from the North. Experimental testing on aforesaid refugee from the cold ['Rich']is under way in order to prepare him for the ordeal of live appearances with the band.

Actual appearances are not confirmed at present but we look forward to notifying you.

Thank you for your patience.

Mr Duffy
On behalf of
Republic Of Heaven

Summer gig! Thu 3rd August, Pressure Point

2006-07-23T10:57:00.000+01:00

Hey hey.

So we've been writing new songs, and we'd like to play them at you. To you. Yes.

We will, indeed, play an assortment of our much-loved Current Songs also.

You are cordially invited to join us in celebrating the first Republic of Heaven gig in almost two months. We are more stoked than Dracula.

Information you may need for your head is:

Thursday 3rd August
Pressure Point, Brighton
£4/3
Doors 8pm

Bands:
Make Good Your Escape (Fierce Panda signees)
Republic of Heaven (we are us, yes)
Anotherstory (touring for forthcoming single "Traffic")
Daze One (local Party-In-The-Park-sters)

PODDINGS!!!!!

2006-05-31T01:09:00.000+01:00

Greeetings one and all......

Just a quickie to say that we're on June's Brighton Waves Podcast.
This is most excellent indeed.
Not only that, it contains other high quality content too.
Be amazed!!
Further, you may retrieve the casting from this very location, right here, really...

Chop chop.....

Omar gig details

2006-05-24T13:59:00.000+01:00

So there are more details on the line-up for this Friday's Omar Deghayes benefit gig.

Playing are Seize The Day, Robb Johnston, Republic Of Heaven, They, Rhythm & Soul Cartel, Diagonal, Bad Science, and Axis Of Arseholes. Phew...!

Also:

Rizwan Ahmed, a Birmingham rapper who appeared in the controversial film “Road to Guantanamo”, has allowed the video of his new rap about 9/11 to be premiered
Signed copies of the runaway bestselling book “Is It Just Me Or Is Everything Shit” will be raffled to raise money for the campaign
Messages of support will be read out from Tony Benn , Mark Steel, Mark Thomas and Bill Bailey

Things kick off at 7pm, so worth getting there early.

See the full article on the Save Omar site.

Gig: June 8th @ Occasions, Worthing

2006-05-23T17:29:00.000+01:00

So we're playing a Hybrid Sounds Promotions gig at Occasions Nightclub in Worthing, on June 8th:

We have a little gem of a find, all the way from..erm, Chichester by the name of IAMJACK. Influenced by Spiritualized, Bowie, Godspeed You!Black Emperor, Radiohead and Jeff Buckley - IAMJACK are a unique twist of post-rock progressions and electronical experimentation + Brighton prog-meisters Rebublic of Heaven, blistering heavy-rock guitar and euphoric,driven melodies + local downtuners Lying Seasons. www.myspace.com/iamjackband www.myspace.com/lyingseasons1 www.myspace.com/republicofheaven

It's £4 in, and goes from 9pm to 2am.

East Coast? South Coast!

Guitar Hero

2006-05-14T10:30:00.000+01:00

New evidence shows the Republic of Heaven camp has been infected by Guitar Hero.

No-one in this report would agree to full-facial photography. Devil-hand analysis, however, indicates the be-hatted man in the foreground is none other than TobyDecks.

TobyDecks is dead. Long live TobyTinyAxe.

iTunes! Shop! $$$!

2006-05-13T18:21:00.000+01:00

You see if you put all the computers together in a big mess and get them all knowing how to talk at each other and, more importantly, listen, then after a while they will talk things like music.

And this means you can do a thing like buy the Blackout E.P. on iTunes... for the pocket-sized sum of £3.95.

Or if you want the CD proper, you can get it from the on-line shop for £7.50 inc P&P. T-shirts are also purchasable, if you would like to adorn the upper half of your body (or the lower half, with some creative modification*) with our DREAM-LIKE yet AUSTERE logo.

* Modification of your body. Unauthorised modification of the Republic of Heaven T-Shirt (THE PRODUCT) is illegal under the laws of the State of Arkansas (ARKENSAL), and is punishable by having your secondary sexual characteristics replaced by a secondary modern school education (EDKUCAOSHN). You can kiss the sorry ass of your statutory rights goodbye (GOODBYE!). Bet you don't know what they are anyway. Well-informed populace my hairy Republican arse. Would you like to buy a CD now? How about NOW? And NOW? I don't think I know how to stop. How do I stop? I

"Or a weird brain"

2006-05-04T09:50:00.000+01:00

My gods-of-the-day are Adrian Recordings, who hail from my ancestral home town of Malmö, Sweden.

They say:

We release good music!
You can expect all genres.
As long as it has heart.
Or a weird brain.

So far it has been in English.
Och på skånska.
Ja suomeksi.

Remember!
If you're about to make music:

Be honest or pretend!

Don't compromise with jerks!

Follow the only road!

Be nice or hate!

Scream or whisper!

You can't compete in music!

Do it yourself if no one else does it!

Don’t hide!

Don’t wait!

Let everyone hear!

Gig @ Concorde II, Friday May 26th

2006-05-02T13:29:00.000+01:00

We're playing the Omar Deghayes Benefit Night at the Concorde II on Friday May 26th.

Here's the details:

Save Omar Campaign
Benefit Concert
7pm - 10pm
£5 in adv
Concorde 2
www.save-omar.org.uk

A variety of bands (from folk to heavy metal), plus comedy & poetry will be staged to raise money for the Omar campaign. Omar is one of eight British residents still imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay. Featuring Seize The Day + support.

Tickets now available - £5 from Jonathan (07910099750) or online from Concorde 2

We're really grateful to be playing - it's something we feel strongly about. So please, if you can make it, come along and show your support...

Mash

2006-04-18T21:36:00.000+01:00

Ever wondered what it would sound like if Sigur Ros were crumbled up with some dodgy trumpet samples and put in a pan with Republic of Heaven's bass player?

Me neither. But someone did.

Mr. Duffy Speaks

2006-03-23T15:17:00.000Z

I received these words from Mr. Duffy several weeks ago. I had forgotten them. Here they are.

As the dust clears and the ringing in our ears fades after the monumental recording effort, thoughts turn to external things.

Kelley Stoltz has been making records at home with a reel to reel 8 track for some time now. His latest, Beneath the Branches is a woozy psychedelic set of neat songs with echoes of Ray Davies, Brian Wilson, and the Beatles. It’s a fantastic set of songs and if you like tunes and a bit of psychedelia then you should buy it. In other news I am surprised and upset to find that I havent been listening to The Secret Machines. Heard their new single 'Alone, Jealous, and Stoned' and I am in love with it…Cosmic American Krautrock. Which is a very good idea. I like the guitars, I like the drums I like the bass I like the keyboards and his voice is perfect for the context. I like it a lot. Really nice pacing and dynamic range. Oohhh I could go on. But I won't.

Big Thanks....

2006-03-17T14:48:00.000Z

to everyone who braved the cold to see us last night for the E.P. launch. We really enjoyed the gig and hope you did too. Nice to see so many faces. And another thanks to everyone who bought the E.P.

More gigs coming soon, so stay tuned.

Once again, thanks a lot everyone, it really makes it all worthwhile.

Booklets

2006-03-14T11:41:00.000Z

The E.P. booklets will be ready soon. The printer said, and I quote:

"There was so much black in the design that we had to change the settings on our machine. It's on the lowest it'll go!"

NONE MORE BLACK, as Mr. Duffy is fond of saying. The 3"-high Pavilion and Dome Set (Collector's Edition) will also be available for purchase on Thursday.

Download "Supernature" on MySpace

2006-02-25T19:54:00.000Z

Finally. You can hear one of our songs right about... here.

Rockumentalette

2006-02-05T21:19:00.000Z

Watch us like flies watch walls.

EXPERIENCE! one-minute-and-seventeen-seconds in the life of Republic Of Heaven!

SHRIEK! at matchbox resolution cameraphone video!

MARVEL! at Drummer Boy's Marvel-Super-Hero boxer shorts!

GASP! as high-quality audio extends a blackened bifurcated tongue DEEP into your OWN HEAD's PLEASURE ZONES!

For your viewing pleasure, we have produced (at no little expense) one-minute-and-seventeen-seconds of Republic Of Heaven rockumentary. You may watch in DIVX or IPOD-ULAR fashion.

E.P. LAUNCH - March 16, Pressure Point

2006-02-05T13:34:00.000Z

On Thursday March 16th, we are launching our debut E.P. at the Pressure Point.

We cordially invite you to attend. Tickets available in advance from us, or on the door (£4/3). Doors at 8pm - late bar.

Also playing are Enid Blytz and 808 Kicks.

We cannot really say how excited we are about this. We're dead proud of our little baby record, and we'd love you all to attend the birth. Don't worry - no blood. Maybe some gas-and-air.

If you come to one gig of ours this year, please, make it this one.

Thank you for listening.

The Dog Ate My E.P.

2006-02-05T13:01:00.000Z

What an interesting couple of months.

Drummer boy and myself infiltrated Fathers 4 Justice and brought about its downfall from the inside.

Mr. Duffy created an extraordinary mechanical chicken that can travel through time and enter people's dreams.

No-one has seen Mark, but we hear noises.

In other news, the E.P. is nigh. Yes, you read correctly. Mastering is in progress, and replication will soon follow, as snakes follow mice.

Tracks will be posted on the threadbare Republic of Heaven MySpace page, rouging its pallid cheeks, just as soon as we are able.

It's nice to be back.

Pressure Point on Wednesday 7th Dec

2005-12-03T08:37:00.000Z

So we're playing our final, pipe-clearing, chicken-strangling, face-down full-fat Cable-Club farm-boy-blowout LAST GIG'O'THE YEAR at the Pressure Point, on Wednesday 7th December. It's £4/£3 in.

The lineup makes me scratch with joy. First up is Assistant, an "odd, awkward pop group" who do a nice line in muso-politico-geekbloggery - no idea what the music is like, so why not turn up early enough to find out?

Then there's Boxer, who as The Mighty 590 supported Bloc Party and The Others, and got reviews like this from Drownedinsound:

Thank the lord then for THE MIGHTY 590, who aside from being the only band whose efforts roused any type of moshpit action, also looked like they were the only band on show that hadn’t studied what’s cool and what’s not, and instead concentrated on that one ingredient severely lacking from a lot of today’s overrated and overpaid wannabe heroes – entertainment.

In frontman Ross McDonough, they possess a five foot tall pocket dynamo whose onstage behaviour veers between that of rock star, stand-up comedian and Olympic gymnast. All at the same time.

And of course, they've got the tunes, of which there are plenty.

And then, well, there's us. We have some new songs, and some old songs, and we'll play them for you.

Stop going on about that BLOODY jock-strap

2005-12-03T08:04:00.000Z

Today I am happy, as I realised I played the Omar benefit gig last Saturday without the aid of my friend the jock-strap.

I am experiencing a tremendous feeling of closure, which my dear bandmates will no doubt be ecstatic to hear, as it may mean I'll stop talking about my bloody private parts at every. Available. Opportunity. I'm not promising anything, though.

Aah... one last go, for old time's sake.

To: Republic of Heaven
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:58:56 +0100
Subject: [Fwd: FW: Re: re;flyers for cable club gig at venue.....]
...

On a more cheery note - I'm still walking like a crippled cowboy, and probably still will be on Wednesday. So... I know this sucks, but does anyone fancy giving me a lift, and a hand with equipment on this hallowed rehearsal day? I reckon I could handle my bass, but there's no way I'm getting that amp down my front steps without ripping my testes in half.

God it's like I've had a sort of easy-open slot added to my gonads. "Pull here to open". Most unpleasant. Also, I woke up from the op wearing a blood-stained jock-strap, which apparently I have to leave on for at least a week. Looking inside that for the first time after waking up was, I think, the most traumatic moment of my young life. At least I was in the toilet, so I had somewhere convenient to vomit.

I can heartily recommend never having this particular operation, by the way. I think I preferred having an enormous nad. For about the first hour after waking up, I felt like someone had my left testicle in a nutcracker. No wonder I kept throwing up. They wouldn't give me any pain relief til I'd properly come round from the anaesthetic - "try and have a little sleep". "YOU come and try having a f'ckin sleep with your balls in a vice," I wanted to say... but there were only female nurses, and I didn't think they would relate.

*And* they shaved my thigh, which I didn't notice til yesterday. I'm still waiting to find if they tattooed me somewhere.

Mr Duffy's Mellotron

2005-11-29T13:46:00.000Z

...and some preliminary thoughts on the use of Mechanical Keyboards with bands:

Well, spent an hour or two last night creating my very own portable digital mellotron. I'll explain.

Mellotron was (you may know this) a keyboard instrument utilising a little tape and tape head for every note. There were different sets of tapes the most famous being the strings and the flutes. They have a very wobbly strangely distorted and organic sound - mainly because they go wrong all of the time - imagine the mechanical nightmare!!. It goes really well with guitars, and somehow sounds nicer than a really modern digital sample of real strings. Probably because its less realistic oddly. Anyhow I got hold of some samples and loaded them into my hardware sampler. I think they might even fit on one disc making it reasonably giggable. Now, we don't have any songs with strings but I have always liked the idea of a mellotron verse into loud chorus....who knows. I like the idea of expanding the sonic pallette as it were. Just don't want any nasty overly modern things. I reckon keyboards are ok if you stick to machanical reproductions, so, electric piano, organ sounds and samples or originals of a mellotron all work well with guitar bands. Analogue synths rarely but sometimes. But no DX-7s, Rolands or other big shiny 80's sounding things. That's why the 80s sound so damn incoherent. Horrible mismatch between the synths they used and the organic instruments. Talk Talk however sound good - why? Mellotrons, electrc pianos and the like. QED thats my philosphy anyhow

Anyhow that's why I made a portable digital mellotron. It's the string machine for lovers of proper sounds. Just needed to share that

And Mr Duffy also appears on his beloved Radio 4 this week, on The Westminster Hour - skip through to 0:44:30 or so, and listen out for "Good morning", as Mr Duffy introduces "a grey-haired man in a grey-haired suit". Not a job for the retiring, indeed.

Save Omar

2005-11-25T15:10:00.000Z

So who's up for "Concert for Justice", this Saturday 26th (tomorrow, as I write), at The Concorde?

It's an early show - 6pm to 9pm. £8.50 in, and it's for a very good cause...

... see the Save Omar website for the full, seriously fucked-up story of what happened, and is happening, to Omar Deghayes. It's just unbelievable.

So come along and show your support. There'll be music (Unseen Hierarchy, They, Roadhouse, Matt Kemp, and a certain other Brighton band), speakers, poets, and comedians.

C'mon, boys and girls, show us what you're made of.

Mr Duffy's Search for Mellow Fruitfulness

2005-11-17T23:03:00.000Z

I would like to share with you, dear Reader, a delightful communiqué from Mr Duffy, on the subject of our forthcoming musical release:

Autumn sits on our pallid slack jawed faces like a wet flatulant dulux dog and we ask "Where is my Mellow Fruitfulness?" Salvation lies in the form of burying ones id in the sea of creative endeavour we have embarked upon. Burnished by the light of laptops we pare, scribe engrave and scrawl our wishes on the unbending unflinching plane of digitised sound which taunts us as ever. The recording light at the end of the tunnel is another take and the tunnel walls are our prison and fortress. If we get there will it be the city of wonder we dreamed of? Or a shortcut to disgrace and failure? Words like half seen moths flutter towards the gaslight and are burned by the glare of closer examination. Fresh laid tracks of musical indulgence await the wheels of song to become a railway but the leaves are all wrong and the conductors fear the passengers.

But this is a passing phase, a seasonal variation through which the truly dedicated must hibernate, asleep to all but the glory of the coming wintertime. The Snows will freeze our fears to nought! Something is coming and it is e.p. and it will glitter like the lights of a thousand Yuletide junketings. Be Warned. We are poised.

The Bad Corner

2005-11-17T18:35:00.000Z

Toby and Joe are in the Bad Corner. Toby and Joe are the Rhythm Section. What have the Rhythm Section done wrong?

RIP Illuminati 3

2005-11-17T14:58:00.000Z

So Illuminati 3 ("Chichester, West Sussex's finest exponents of post-kazoo conspiracy-rock", formerly known as "The Illuminati") are splitting up. This makes me sad - they are lovely people, and I know I'm gonna miss their brilliant, incomprehensible ska-fuelled math-metal.

Their last Brighton gig is at The Freebutt this Sunday (20th November 2005).

Gather, Children Of The Math Lizard...

Liverish

2005-11-15T15:05:00.000Z

Bruges is beautiful... canals and beer and chocolate and interesting museums and waffels.

Don't let children or impressionable adults near the Choco-Story museum, though. If you believe the posters, chocolate is not fattening, helps prevent tooth decay, may well be an aphrodisiac, and fights diabetes. And my personal favourite, illustrated by friendly x-ray cocoa bean liver - "No, chocolate does not make you liverish." In fact: "Consumed in normal quantities, chocolate produces no heptatic intolerance effect". Uh-huh.

Whatever are Sony up to??!

2005-11-10T16:23:00.000Z

I've been follwoing this with quite a lot of interest (being the geek type that I am).
It appears that the following CD's could cause quite a lot of grief:
Trey Anastasio - Shine
Celine Dion - On ne Change Pas
Neil Diamond - 12 Songs
Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
Chris Botti - To Love Again
Van Zant - Get Right with the Man
Switchfoot - Nothing is Sound
The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
Acceptance - Phantoms
Susie Suh - Susie Suh
Amerie - Touch
Life of Agony - Broken Valley
Horace Silver Quintet - Silver's Blue
Gerry Mulligan - Jeru
Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie
The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity
The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s
Dion - The Essential Dion
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
Ricky Martin - Life

Not that anyone who may read this would buy the likes of fucking Celine Dion, the Beddingfield girl or Ricky Martin, but hey, it's nearly Xmas and we can't account for our parents/siblings music tastes now can we?!!

So why, you may ask, should I avoid this list of aural delights? Well for one, they may not play in a conventional CD player, but two, more disturbingly is the Copy Protection software that SonyBMG see fit to add these discs. Now while I'm all for them protecting their assets so we can't copy their products and, heaven forbid, share the files on the internet, they've taken things just a bit too far.
When you put the CD in your PC it installs its own proprietory player software. Now this may seem reasonable to most but in fact the CD will install a rootkit on your machine. This is basically what programmers of malware/spyware and viruses use to hide their little creations within your operating system. This was discovered Uber-Windows expert Mark Russinovich when he noticed some untoward things on his system. When trying to remove the offending files, his machine no longer recognised his CD drive, as the Sony software fucks with the device drivers. Also anyone who has this on their machine is open to attack as it can be used to hide other evil-doers wares.
I have also read that it will scan to see what other applications you are using and tell Sony whenever you play one of these CD's. Why do Sony need that information? Their response was something along the lines of "its all fine, no need to worry, trust us...blah....blah....blah". They have released a patch that will uncloak some of the files, but not uninstall them. In fact they seem loathed to let anyone uninstall it at all!! You have to scour Sony's site to find any info anyway, then fill in a form with email and purchasing info. Then you get an email with a link to the patch, then that'll lead you onto another page where you have to download an ActiveX control. It also seems that you can only unistall on the machine you made the original request on. The ActiveX control sends Sony info on your hardware configuration and generates a unique ID, so if you try with this ID on another machine, it a no-no.

Sony seem to be very aloof about all of this, and have said:

Sony denies that the rootkit poses a security or reliability threat despite the obvious risks of both.
Sony claims that users don’t care about rootkits because they don’t know what a rootkit is.
The installation provides no way to safely uninstall the software.
Without obtaining consent from the user Sony’s player informs Sony every time it plays a “protected” CD.

None of this is in the End User Licence Agreement, in fact there is no mention of it at all.

This all seems a bit dodgy to me. I just don't get why Sony would do this and why they're so cagey about it.

I guess the moral of this is, when the Republic of Heaven bidding war starts.....SonyBMG can get fucked!!

Now it appears this has happened.....

Bird and The Insight

2005-11-02T13:24:00.000Z

So our humble little blog gets a mention in Brighton mag The Insight, courtesy of Bird:

"Every band these days seems to have a MySpace page which includes a blog," says Joe Holmberg, research fellow at the Interactive Digital Educational Applications Lab and bassist with Brighton band Republic of Heaven (http://therepublicofheaven.blogspot.com). "In local music communities, there's no real difference between the bands and the punters who go to see them, so making communication between them can only be a good thing. It's a young medium and conventions are still emerging. You can have a post on the North-African blues-rock influences apparent in Robert Plant's new record followed by a photo of your drummer, gurning with joy, giving the thumbs-up with Nicko from Iron Maiden, and somehow it all makes sense."

And:

"We get bored at work," says Joe. "We tell each other what bands we're going to see and what we thought of last night's gig. We post pictures of which Tintin characters we most resemble. It's somewhere less formal than our official band site to deposit our brain-pickings. Do we worry about it all being in the public domain? Someone said they wanted to cover our guitarist in gold and chocolate and eat him like a Kinder egg. That was a bit worrying."

Bird's ZenderBender blog is up for a Virtual Festival award, so g'won, go and show your appreciation and vote for her :)

YMSS and 65 Days....

2005-10-27T11:02:00.000+01:00

So...we went. Me and Bass Monkey (and Mrs Bass Monkey too).
It was hot and very crowded as they had managed to sell every last one of their tickets. Well done there. Missed Black List as we were tubing our way across 8 stops, then needed lubrication on arrival and there was no room at the bar. Still I think the singer had half a head of black hair, and half a head of blonde hair, so again....well done there.
I was in muchos anticipation for the math of the YMSS, and lo, they did not disappoint at all. Spooks the Horse went fucking mental epic at the end, I hope we sound fucking mental epic like that when we "wig out", I suspect not. A couple of new ones too, impressive. Graeme looked at points like he was having some sort of fitting episode behind his kit, but wow, he is an awesome drummer. I couldn't keep up with those changes. Truly great.
Thankfully, they played The Pitch and Yaw of Satellites which IMHO is genius musicified. When the crowd burst in with "In the meantime, they moved all the factories....." it gave me goosebumps. I was gutted when Andy finally said it was their last one, but thankfully it was A Little Late He Staggered Through The Door and Into Her Eyes which has the great bit, where again, the crowd were shouting the bizzare lyrics about hymns having trumpet parts, and smashed up hearts from fist fights. Made me forget that my knees had locked because I'd been standing up too long, because I'm getting old. In fact there was irrefutable evidence of this when I tried to buy my ticket at Brighton Station, and couldn't figure out the swanky new ticket machine. Why did they get rid of the old ones? Easy, one button for destination, one for ticket type. It doesn't need to be any harder than that. Now its all touch screen and shit. I queued up to get it in the end. I fear I am losing touch...
But enough of my age related issues.........YMSS rocked like bastards. They are a great band and if anyone bothers to read this tripe, then check dem one time, Jah!!
Oh, and we had to come home, so only caught the beginning of 65Days. Maff wiv da electronic noises n ting. Good, very good.
I can see myself submersing into the Maff brand of rock quite a lot further. Maybe me and the Monkey will form some sort of wierd offshoot DrumBassNoiseCoreMathRockMetalSonicAssaultEarBleeding type band. But we're lazy so we probably won't.

That is all!

Mr Duffy's Mixology Enterprise

2005-10-21T13:29:00.000+01:00

I just received this missive from Mr. Duffy, regarding the ongoing, nay, interminable mixing of our long-awaited (by me) Extended Play Compact Disc:

So last night Mark and myself embarked upon a bit of light mixing. Mr Hammond's mysterious way with drums had greatly improved matters and I was able to concentrate on the guitars, which were sounding boxy and NOT EPIC ENOUGH.

After much experimentation Mr S and I discovered that the ENORMOUS BOTTOM END and generally elephantine chunkiness was causing a problem. The age old adage that a solo'd instrument may sound good but not sit in the mix was admirably demonstrated. Removal of excess and frankly irresponsible bass frequencies followed and lo! Restoration of hubristically large sound was achieved.

I have also taken the liberty of removing a great deal of artificial reverberation from the vocals, which renders the track less BOOMY and more MUSICAL. I suspect that the qulaity (NEW WORD) of the reverberative algorithm thus far exploited in our efforts is at fault in some ways too.

I am much cheered and encouraged by this. Mr Hammond! Get thee onto Eidolon and ting! We are in sight of the finish line!

Charlottefield + Bullet Union

2005-10-19T16:54:00.000+01:00

After seeing Charlottefield on the last day of Brighton Live, I think I would like to see them again.

... which makes it all the more joyful that they are playing tomorrow (Thursday 20th Oct) at the Freebutt, with Bullet Union.

Gigs like horseflies.

YMSS + 65daysofstatic imminent

2005-10-19T09:24:00.000+01:00

One week to go til Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies and 65daysofstatic play the last date of their tour at the Rhythm Factory. Psyched.

And tonight, we have Morning Runner and The Race at Brighton's very own Hanbury Ballrooms. I got mildly freaked out at the weekend when I saw Morning Runner on the telly, cos their bassist has short, receding red hair, and a very similar guitar to me. Drummer Boy suggests that if I get a jumper like his, maybe we could support Coldplay too. (What's that? And some talent? Pah!)

Lapsus Linguae

2005-10-14T09:33:00.000+01:00

So I'm off away from Brighton town tonight, and am feeling heartily sick at my appalling timing... for tonight (Friday Oct 14th), the legendary Lapsus Linguae play the Freebutt.

And to add a final kick to the teeth, supporting are Projections, who comprise ex-members of Cat On Form.

Gig of the month... gaaah.

Thursday

2005-10-08T08:40:00.000+01:00

Bollocks, shitty I.E. just crashed, so I've got to type this again! Want Firefox at work.....
Anyway....
Paul Steel, Turncoat, Electric Soft Parade @ The Pressure Point
Only caught Paul's last song due to massive indecision resulting in joining the queue to late, and it being one in one out when I got to the front. Even trying to talk to Cable Club Si didn't work. Arse.
Still what I did hear was great. A good voice and he was playing guitars and keyboards, which always looks good. Apparantley it was so full as there was a bunch of industry types there to check him out, so I hope things will happen for him!!

Turncoat rocked. Not seen them before (did they used to be Kubrik??). Exceptionally well rehearsed band with LOADS of energy, and a couple of their tunes really got me going.

Then it was E.S.P. I saw them at the Concorde II a couple of years ago and they were awesome, so it was good to catch them in a small venue.
Alex and Tom had just got back from the USA and were a bit fucked by all accounts. So fair play to Alex forgetting the words to Start Again. A couple of new ones that sounded really good, so looking forward to the new EP that they were threatening to unleash.
Top stuff!

Friday I'm afraid was a total cop out. Was gonna do McQueen, Nothing and Motorbikes at the FreeButt, but was in the Mash with a few mates, and frankly, couldn't be arsed. So there.
We'll see about tonight, maybe DJ Scotch Egg....maybe stay in and watch a movie.
Sunday though......Charlottefield is a definite!

RRRAAAWWWWKKKKK ON!

So...Wednesday then....

2005-10-06T16:53:00.000+01:00

Was the fine occasion of our tuppence worth for Brighton Live.
All the other bands were great, The Recoil were very good indeed. I believe they have just scored some sort of deal the America. They are very tight and really have the vibe of a professional band.
I loved The Race, quirky. I hate the word but thats how they were. Their singer, whose name I didn't catch, was full of energy and a really good frontman, and a very friendly chap indeed.
Autumn Red were there usual rocking-selves. And thanks to James for letting me use his ride cymbal. Mines got a fuck off crack in it. Shitty Stagg rubbish.......

As for us? Well I thought we were OK. Its quite wierd sitting behind the others when we play, coz I probably notice things they dont. There seemed to be far more animation in them and I think Mark was on his knees during Sinking Of Ships! RRRAAAWWWKK!

Thanks to everyone who came to see us, there was LOADS of you, and it really means a lot to me that people make the effort. Carson and Russ, what can I say? Thanks!!

So tonight then.......Electric Soft Parade at the Pressure Point again.
Not seen them for a while, and there great little song smiths.

Should be a good'un.......

Brighton Live.....so far!

2005-10-05T11:59:00.000+01:00

So, Monday was Celebricide and Clearlake at Audio.
Not a bad venue and the sound was pretty good for both bands. I've not seen either bands before, though I did record 3 tracks for Celebricide at Ground Zero once. I like their style, and Tim the singer looks like a menace that you wouldn't want near your kids at all!
Thought they were good.
Was looking forward to Clearlake as some of their older stuff is great, but to be honest, wasn't really my cup of Darjeeling I'm afraid, and though they were quite tight, I wasn't really blown away. The newer stuff is a bit different, but the crowd seemed to like it a lot.

Tuesday.....Teasing Lulu the The Ocean Rooms.
Someone else too, but we had practice til 9, so by the time me and the Low Frequency Primate arrived, we'd missed the first installments of live musicality.
However, Teasing Lulu (so named by David Vanian of The Damned!) were bloody great. A three piece comprising two ladies and a chap on drums. Raw, power trio, dirty RAAWWWKKK!! Brilliant. I got a CD coz I loved it and decided I wanted to play drums for them. Top Rock fun that'd be. Go and see them if you can.

As for tonight, well.....it's us at the Pressure Point, so no comment needed really.
Hope we get a good crowd......and don't fuck it right up!!

Mr Duffy's Secret Instrument

2005-09-30T00:17:00.000+01:00

At last night's practice, Mr Duffy whipped out his secret instrument and gave us a tune.

It gave us all quite a fright.

Brighton Live gig-weather

2005-09-29T14:11:00.000+01:00

Brighton Live is nearly upon us. Seven days of achingly, heart-stoppingly free* gigs... all beginning Monday 4th October.

* OK, so they're not all free.**

** Ours is.

Here's what I want to see.

Monday: Clearlake + Celebrecide + Frock @ Audio (7.30 -10.30pm). Clearlake are a longtime favourite of Mr Duffy's, and Frock... well, rock.
If I wasn't so cheap, I might go and see The Pipettes at The Komedia (£6) instead. They all move at the same time, y'know.

Tuesday: Teasing Lulu @ Ocean Rooms (8pm - 11pm). If PJ Harvey played filthy dirty biker rock. Brilliant. Actually, we've got a practice Tuesday evening - but if I could be there, I would.

Wednesday: Autumn Red + Republic of Heaven + The Race + The Recoil @ Pressure Point (8pm - 11pm). Quelle fookin' surprise.

Thursday: Chasing Ares + Architects + Risen @ Pav Tav (8pm - 11pm). Someone whose opinion I greatly respect and trust (either J or Pete, I can't remember) said very complementary things about Chasing Ares. Their guitarist plays for 80s Matchbox now, which ain't a bad recommendation in itself.
Or do I see La Frange @ Ocean Rooms? We played with them a few months ago ("This is the sound of La Frange, La Frange..."), and they really are a kooky delight.

Friday: Miss Pain + Shrag + Coin Op @ Audio (7.30 - 10.30pm). I still haven't seen Miss Pain yet. "Electro-shock glam-pop", apparently. We live in fear.

Saturday: So I'm away the weekend. But if I wasn't, I'd probably flit between Johnny Truant + The Mutts @ Concorde II (£6, 5pm-10pm), The Dirty Social Disorder @ Pav Tav, She Said @ Sussex Arts Club, and the frankly hilarious-looking DJ Scotch Egg @ Ocean Rooms. Bah.

Sunday: It's got to be Charlottefield + Poly Shang Kuan Band + Monster Bobby @ Polar Central ("The Lift", anyone? 7.30 - 10.30pm). Monstrous malevolent math-rock from Charlottefield... does it for me every time.

It's like Christmas, but with less turkey.

Recurring issues........

2005-09-27T19:49:00.000+01:00

Hmmmmm in relation to Mr Duffy's Official Enquiry

From The Almighty's website....

"It was last September; I woke up in Dundalk, Ireland in agony and couldn’t see out of my eyes (hung over again I hear you all say!) No, this time I wasn’t. I was on my first solo headline tour of Ireland with my band and after a packed sweaty Belfast show had come off stage and instead of going straight to the dressing room to dry off I stood talking to the good folks who had parted with their hard earned cash to come see me perform.

The result of this was a highly allergic reaction to the hair gel I was using combined with the sweat it had gone into my eyes and infected them. (Yes, yes I know. It is a pure Spinal Tap moment). So there I was in Dundalk feeling................................"

So....this begs the question:
Are you Ricky Warwick, Professor Calculus, Chairman Mao or Art Garfunkel Mr Sandeman.............?
(and will this bring him out of hiding?)

2005-09-27T00:24:00.000+01:00

RRRRRAAAAWWWWKKKKKKK!!!!!!

Me n the Maiden......like brothers!
N drums n stuff!

:D

Drummer Hair.......

2005-09-15T14:06:00.000+01:00

Where has it gone?

After a little, slightly aggressive incident with this, swept up and put in the bin, thats where, unless its on eBay, or taken for cloning purposes...

No need to worry about hair products going in the eyes now, oh no....not for me.......

Mr Duffy's Worm Face

2005-09-01T09:03:00.000+01:00

Watch Mr. Duffy in his latest adventure: "Returning from the Off-Licence after Purchasing some Alcoholic Beverages".

What is it about

2005-08-30T11:16:00.000+01:00

the BRAIN? You'd think that all the time it was telling you its fine and everythings great, that would be the case. But no, the body says stop, but fails to inform the brain of this. Pains in some odd places, in the back and sides. As for the heart, well thats broken anyway, but even so, you'd think the aches would be limited. I guess that just adds to it. Why's there no correlation between them? A design fault I would say. Where can I get fixed, or re-designed to work better?
Perhaps I'll just lay off the booze..........

Talking of..

2005-08-27T16:50:00.000+01:00

what has been listened to, I have found this, thanks to the BassMonkey. I am in much liking of their music of their brand of da math.

Over?

This week I have been listening to

2005-08-26T19:59:00.000+01:00

...Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation - North african blues rock thing. highly recommended.
Oceansize - Music for Nurses
and the psych-techno remixes of ROH I have been working on
more cutting edge cultural news as and when

Republic of Hergé

2005-08-26T18:25:00.000+01:00

OK, so I was bored.

Today, I am mostly reading...

2005-08-26T16:29:00.000+01:00

... the Radiohead studio blog.

"three steps back. Undo, UNdo, Oh Shit, you can't."

Yeah, man, I know what you mean, we're like brothers, man...

Ladies??......Singles Club.....

2005-08-25T12:42:00.000+01:00

Hello ladies....
As you can see from the pictures below, the awesome and unrivalled beauty that is the Republic of Heaven.
These eligible young men could be yours for the taking, and what women could ask for more?
Young, virile and talented gods of the rock.
Who could resist such an opportunity?

We are able to do DIY, hoover the floor, clean the house and all sorts of other menial chores as well as rocking like bastards.

You could be the lucky lady who gets to spend some time with these awesome fellows.
Just answer the following question in less than 3 words :
Republic of heaven are the best band in the world by miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and are generally great at most things and are NOT a bunch of moody geeks, because...........

Answers to specialladiesoffer@republicofheaven.com

Giles comes with gold gilt edge in a special presentation pack

Disclaimer: Republic of Heaven accept no responsibilty.......for anything.... at all......ever.
That is all

'Nuff Corrugation

2005-08-25T11:21:00.000+01:00

Outside Scream Studios, Brighton.

Mr. Duffy's Official Enquiry

2005-08-24T13:56:00.000+01:00

Recent events in the live performance arena have led to an official enquiry the results of which are extracted below.

...
Hair product is dangerous and should be used sparingly else blindness is known to ensue. Pomade is not a reasonable alternative, and for those with unruly hair it's a trip to the barbers or the retreat into those velvety fibrous curtains. Sweat remains a hazard even when the unfortunate performer has few pretentions to tonsorial excess. A headband may be of use on such situations - why not try one of the modern absorbent fabrics? - but may have significantly deleterious effects on the visual appearance of said performer. We cannot emphasise enough that SWEAT and MAINS ELECTRICITY are poor bedfellows.

Calisthenic and gymnastic exercise on the stage is another route to injury or severe death. The modern performer finds himself astride a collection of cables apt to confuse the most ardent of escapologists, and musicians - no houdini's we - are liable to translate this state of affairs into the most vexatious incidents. We are not averse to the physical representation of the excitement of the moment - within limits and the ambient standards of propriety - but warn readers that breakages must be paid for, if not monetarily, then in the reputational and morale based currency on which we are properly understood to trade.

Equipment should be well maintained and cared for,especially afore a public performance! The use of polishes on guitars, to prevent the appearance of grime, sweat or blood stains is recommended for all but the most slovenly of players. Valve amplification is a dark area. A proper understanding of such devices is beyond your scope if you have opted to ply your wares as a musical performer - know your limits! - but at the least care should be taken transporting and locating these machines. Alas we understand that unfortunate malfunctions are inevitable. It is best to carry a spare guitar player in case of uncontrolled leakage of voltage. Do Not try to re-wire or otherwise re-start the damaged guitarist. You may cause damage to the guitarist or yourself.

Rigorous Scientific Testing

2005-08-22T19:52:00.000+01:00

Rest assured that every Republic of Heaven demo track, before becoming a product available for gluttonous aural consumption, is thoroughly tested on animals.
[Thanks to SteveH for the video!]

Mr. Duffy's Old News

2005-08-19T15:16:00.000+01:00

Being an organised bunch, we got Giles to write a little bulletin about what's going on with the band - gigs, recording, and the like. We then sat on it until it became almost completely irrelevant.

ThisIsTheNews

Following their adventures in Charlbury and an eventful return to the Pressure Point RoH are hidden from public view and working on their first ep release.

Charlbury Festival you can read about on the Website - The Pressure Point saw much of their equipment break, fail, malfunction or vomit but the evening was saved by a great crowd and has been officially deemed a success. Many thanks to those who supported the band at this and other events over the summer.

Details regarding the ep are currently limited but we understand that it will contain a handful of songs drawn from recent live sets and that it has been recorded in a farmhouse in deepest Sussex. The band have kept a journal of their recording which will be posted on the web once translated.

The recording is thought to be packaged with a generous and intriguing booklet of artwork, will be available on Compact Disc format and is currently being mixed and finalised. Whilst this industrious activity takes place there will be few opportunities for live performance although a free gig is believed to be in the process of being arranged for some time in early October.

We will of course endeavour to provide more details as and when they are verified.

Love

RoH

Tablet Analysis

2005-08-19T13:38:00.000+01:00

Email received from a colleague, apropos of absolutely effing nothing.

Talking to other parents about the tablet

"My GP gave me those little pink ones, valium I think he called them. They're marvellous. Go wonderfully well with a G and T! I'm so relaxed that I forget to eat, so that's a good thing innit, as my new Gucci jeans are a size 8. Don't tell anyone; I don't want them to think I'm a complete porker!"

Brighton Live! No dead!

2005-08-18T11:00:00.000+01:00

We've an email from the lovely Si at the Cable Club.

"CABLE CLUB BRIGHTON LIVE SHOWS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH RESIDENT RECORDS
AND OFFSPRING SNEAKER EMPORIUM"

I played in an inter-band football competition against the staff of the Offspring Sneaker Emporium with my last band. I think they beat my team into a bloody pulp.

"WED 5 OCT AUTUMN RED / REPUBLIC OF HEAVEN / THE RACE /THE RECOIL
doors 8pm FREE admission"

Brighton Live is great. The city forgets to be teeth-grindingly cool for a whole week, while local bands, DJs, labels and promoters pour live music out of every pub, club and venue in town. Industry folk tool around slurring sage, drunken advice. Demo panels pan demos. Men with black hair down to their knees pretend they used to be in Killing Joke... and a good time is had by all.

Lots of the gigs are free, like this one. The mighty giants of rock that are Autumn Red headline, we' re on next, and The Race and The Recoil begin proceedings.

Being a Cable Club night, it's at the Pressure Point. Resident Records are on the wheels of the bus go round and steel.

Rock, and... rock.

The MK249C

2005-08-13T19:59:00.000+01:00

Never email Mark about electrical equipment.

Subject: Re: stuff and ting
From: Mark Sandeman
Joe wrote:
>
> P.S. I bought one of these on eBay:
> http://www.evolution.co.uk/pub/manuals/mk249ceng.pdf
>
I love this:
"There are three methods of powering the MK249C. *Only use one method at one time*"

... otherwise you might like provide too much power and like it might turn into the most powerful machine in existence and like take over the world and shit and it'll be all your fault and the police will trace it through the national grid to your house and come and get you but they can't because the MK249C has taken you hostage because it's grown legs and doesn't need its three power sources any more, it can just draw power from overhead powerlines like that thing in Superman 3 and the only way to stop its quest for more power and destruction of human beings would be to get past its energy force field and press middle C but you can't because the leads that it uses to connect to your PC have become like weird limbs that can wrap round you like ivy and hold your hands next to your body and you're having waking nightmares about the times you should have been listening in communal music lessons as a kid because you can't remember which one middle C is anyway and perhaps they told you about MIDI monsters too but it's all academic now as the limb-leads get tighter around your torso and your eyes begin to bulge out of your head under the pressure and and and...

Mr. Duffy's Recording Diaries

2005-08-13T15:47:00.000+01:00

A Sussex country farmhouse, April. Republic of Heaven record their debut EP. What happens? Who survives? Find out in Mr. Duffy's Republic of Heaven Recording Diaries!

2nd April 2005

And so, to the countryside. Arrived around 2pm and ate luncheon. Cat moulting and dribbling. Weather clement. Electrical equipment and recording/computational devices to be unloaded forthwith. Computer initially vexatious. Problem resolved.

Pope unwell.

1st May 2005

Hot sun beating down. No shade. Anywhere. Water has bromine in it. I don't think I can cope with the isolation for much longer. Many sounds of drums in the distance. What terrible creatures make such sounds?!? Must go now to preserve my ***** and energy.

8th May 2005

Much confusion. Giles falls asleep in the drum room and both he and Toby are flatulent to some degree. Joe takes caffeine and is psychedelic. Mr S. mans the desk and is masterful. And so, to bed.

24th May 2005

Joe plays the bass with his mind and fingers to guide us on our way. It rocks but we're going to delete it all because we can. Mark's car breaks down due to accidental deletion of karma.

28th May 2005

More recording and then we venture into the tiny Sussex village to the pub. The lanes are dark and eerie. Walking back, shadows from trees, and a break reveals the soft shine of the infinite terrible cold from whence the ancient ones will one day come to eat our brains. We shelter in this farmhouse and make sounds to ward off the night, endless night...

30th May 2005

Giles is playing the electric kangaroo, miking up leg tendons. "C'MON... WORK!" Strange animals both. AUDIO RECORD ERROR. The world ends. We break for lunch. After chicken ham parmesan pizza, we increase buffer size and all is well. Giles is Swedish.

4th June 2005

A dreadful laxitude has overtaken Mr S. and I am at a loss to explain his Godforsaken appearance. Mr H. will join us later in the weekend but I am not optimistic regarding our condition upon his arrival. Eventide we retire to the water. Bugs in the pool.

5th June 2005

Joe came and played very loudly on Supernature, not so loudly on Minotaur, and positively quietly on West Country Witch. Noise is good. Progress is happenning - we keep recording stuff, and so life goes on. And on. In some strange kind of light-headed recording zone, everything is one etc., except for the clarinet, which is an alien being with many hidden eyes. I feel like the songs are taking shape and sounding more like the signals in our heads.

26th June 2005

A glorious day. Much glorious playing of riffs and licks by Messrs Duffy and Sandeman. Hr Holmberg's bass sounds glorious too. How he make dat noise? Glorious weather. Glorious pizza. This truly is the republic of heaven. Glorious.

2nd July 2005

Found Laney in the garage in a terrible state. It took two of us to carry her inside but she just made terrible cholking noises. God only knows who can help her.

3rd July 2005

World closed.

16th July 2005

Joe is done with his basslines. Angelshare is the last one. He put it down like a sick dog. Elsewhere, MJS is going to sing, and an inhumanly hungover Tobias will be pushing buttons. Will we make it through the day...? A twenty-five pound conga eel for Jim on the high seas today.

23rd July 2005

Scratching of ears.

Sing like an angel - bark like a dog.

24th July 2005

a.m. - Mucus you're worth it.

p.m. - Messrs Duffy and Sandeman lose their ears behind the sofa and recording cannot take place until they are found. An attempt is made to sing through the wires, but there's nothing to catch the sound into the right holes. Crappy noise generator doesn't work like normal, so he keeps his mouth shut until next time.

Misadventures in IRC

2005-08-12T15:50:00.000+01:00

Sk00d00X: Hi!
Joe: hi...
Sk00d00X: You like Godspeed!
Sk00d00X: You Black Emperor?
Joe: umm
*** Joe has quit #DruggedUpAndRoyallyWellHung

Worm, face, face, worm

2005-07-22T12:59:00.000+01:00

Greetings.

I hope this isn't going to be like those diaries you keep for three days, laboriously recording every inane brain movement that dribbles from your stupid lobes, before shoving in a drawer until you come across it, years later, and flush a bright, bright red.

We played a Cable Club gig last night at the Pressure Point in Brighton. It was fun. People came, watched, clapped, and didn't throw painfully sharp objects. Mark's guitar imploded on the third song, relegating him to singer/human-guitar-stand for the rest of the gig... but no-one seemed to notice. Mark, you're DEAD WOOD!

I'm dead wood, too, as my E string snapped during the final throes of Tiny Man. Even the rest of the band didn't notice. Thank you, Bass Player from Villareal - your bass loan saved my crimson cheeks. I hope the handsweat doesn't stain.

Least the Pressure Point has air conditioning (yes, yes, I know). The Hobgoblin gig the other day (with Illuminati 3) was so hot that Mark's hair gel ran into his eyes and blinded him. (He wasn't just shutting his eyes to look cool, though he's taken to doing that since. So have I.) Sweat pouring down my arms and along my fingers made me repeatedly drop my pick at critical moments. Drummer Boy almost passed out during Sinking Of Ships - damn that collapsed lung. But Giles... Giles somehow managed to stay cool throughout. Upward ventilation? Mental note: get bald faster. (Not like I particularly need to chivvy my receding hairline along.)

Ah, it's a hard life trying to bring ROCK to the masses, when you're a little past your teenage years. Bellies begin to sag, hair creeps backwards (no matter how much you die it BLACK), and your band start to call you "Fat Tits". Still - it's not like you need to be young or pretty to sell records or anything, is it?

So what's in store, other than moaning about hair, heat, technical difficulties, and whatever is pissing me off today? Well... I think that just about covers it, really. We've been keeping a recording diary (sample text: "clarinets are aliens with MANY HIDDEN EYES") while making our debut EP; I'm going to electronicify this, and post in these harrowed pages. Giles was interviewed for Brighton's Latest magazine last week - soon as I've found a functioning scanner, that will be up somewhere.

When stuff happens on the site proper, I expect it will be mentioned here. Atom feeds a go-go!

Thank you for listening. Eat well, get plenty of sleep, and Keep Taking The Pills. Rock.