Posts Tagged ‘Lucky Soul’
Thursday, June 5th, 2008
Howdy folks, I felt that as I’ve been a Lucky Soul for nearly a year now (where has the time gone?), that I’m well over due for posting my first ever blog. So, without the use of a safety net or general anesthetic, here goes.
I’m happy to say that we have managed to overcome a major hurdle, one of many no doubt, on the road to making the next album. What we’ve achieved is to learn, create, learn again, create some more, do a bit more learning, record, do some editing, re-record, change keys, re-learn, re-record and then finally mix demo recordings of a bunch of songs that will go on the next album. And they sound bloody great, even if I do say so myself.
Why put sooooooo much time and effort into recording mere demos of songs I hear you say ? Why not just go into a nice studio, with great equipment, friendly staff and the best coffee that money can buy and make an album? Well, when playing a song with a band in a practice room you think you know what it sounds like and what works and what doesn’t. And sure, one can learn a great deal about how to best play a song by simply playing it, but you can see (or hear as the case may be) a song in a different light once it’s recorded and you listen back to it. Often it turns out as you had expected, other times it doesn’t. And not to say that when a song sounds different from your expectations that it’s a negative thing for you can be pleasantly surprised too.
So, the benefit of all the loooooong days and even loooooooooonger nights tinkering away with instruments, lyrics, melodies, knobs and sliders is to gain a fresh perspective of our songs. And now it’s time to start the next batch, some of which we prepared earlier and all of which will be just as tasty. And we’ll get straight on to it, right after we get back from our lil’ trip to Russia 
For your viewing pleasure I’ve included a photo of the view from the window in my home studio where the previously mentioned songs were lovingly mixed. This is the view that I would look at for inspiration and occasionally in desperation. Sometimes I’d just gaze and procrastinate, which can be quite useful at times too as it turns out. So if you’re in need of something to focus on for inspiration or just a distraction try looking at this picture. It may help.
Till next time,
Ka kite anō
Mr Atkins
p.s. the blob on the window isn’t a small smelly gift from a passing birdy, even though it might look like it. It’s actually just paint.
Saturday, December 8th, 2007
Ok, so we’re finally in Japan, Tokyo to be specific. I apologise in advance for the slightly crazy nature of this blog, but I’m currently trying to stay up to beat the Jet-Lag. Ok, where to begin.
Right, so we packed our bags and had a relatively uneventful if quite long (about 17 hours door to door) journey, but it was on landing in Tokyo that things got interesting;
Malcolm: I suppose we should fill these immigration forms in.
Andrew: I suppose so, oh, I need my passport to fill it in.
*cue bag searching*
*pause*
*more intent bag searching*
Andrew: Oh. Shit.
Cue us and the lovely Virgin Atlantic Crew ripping up seats in a desperate bid to find Andrew’s passport. The one with the visa in. The one which if he doesn’t have means he goes straight back home. The one which if he doesn’t have messes up a pretty expensive trip. As Ali’s brain is working overtime thinking how Rusty and Paul can play multiple instruments and sing backing vocals, thank god it was found.
A very relieved, if slightly sheepish, Andrew went through passport control without a hitch.
By this stage most of us were beginning to flip out a little, but it was to get better. On our arrival at the hotel was a small, but perfectly formed, group of LS autograph hunters. Bizarre, but somehow they’d found out which hotel we were staying at, what day we were getting in and what time. So, for the effort above and beyond the call of duty, we signed all the stuff they had including some rather odd promo art with all the LS boys as bowling pins and Ali with a huge bowling ball!
Having managed to finally get to a room, I was feeling a little strange, so I decided to take a walk and have a peek in Tower Records, grab some noodles and generally have a wonder. I even had a go at the crazy Shibuya crossroads. This is a pedestrian crossing which has about 6 walkways and loads of people all waiting patiently for the green man. As soon as he appears the madness begins as everybody piles into the middle of the road and, it seems, hopes that they get to the side which they intended. Definitely a lot of fun!
Anyway, its now 5:45pm, but it may well be 7:45am tomorrow, or yesterday, I’m not really sure anymore, so I shall sign off by pointing you to the picture at the top of the blog which is the view from the hotel including the crazy crossroads. (click on it for a bigger image)
Stay tuned for more LS in Japan updates
Ivor
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
The sun was shining for Lucky Soul’s rooftop gig at the last.fm offices, and with the help of some mulled wine and mince pies, it all went pretty well. New bass player Russell fitted in as if he’d been with us all his life, and managed to keep his gloves off long enough to play three songs: Ain’t Never Been Cool, Lips Are Unhappy and Get Outta Town!. We even managed to stop Andrew from making a reference to The Beatles and their rooftop gig.
Apparently Channel 4 were filming it all as part of last.fm’s xmaschartattack campaign, so keep an eye out for LS on TV.
As for the other acts in the campaign, I liked what I heard of Broadcast 2000 – like an East London Jeff Buckley with a ramshackle rhythm section and glockenspiel. Definitely worth investigating them further. Neon Plastix couldn’t make it, though.
Ali, Ivor, and I have all gone back to work, leaving the others to pack up the gear and finish off the mulled wine.
Fingers crossed for the result…
Malcolm
