http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

A little how to on the bass for our 'fake plastic trees'

At a guess I'd say this is for Greg, Ads, or Zoobs, but don't write off Anna, you've seen those France videos, she plays a mean SWSBOF.

We Aerotxx

To the collapse

This is a piece most of you will be familiar with in some form or other, it's one of only two things I play every time I'm within earshot of a piano. Thought I'd make a demo whilst I was here with the very piano on which it were wrote.

Have a listen, say what you think, any ideas for bits or pieces, how things should be?

There's a new percussion idea I had for the first section but I've largely forgotten it; something involving bass drum and claps. Jeremy and I worked on the end bit, after the collapse, and managed to make it sound like a proper section rather than a transition or a build up to something. To note about that last section is that the piano chords change on the second beat, that beat pause after the collapse is the first beat of the bar, tricky but essential.

Merry Christmas all, and I'm having a look at flights to get the for the 30th, and who knows, maybe even the big NY.

Txx

I, Absent-naut

I miss you all.

Can't wait for the 3rd.

x x x x x

Once more unto the breach

Dear friends,

Here are some recordings of the gig we played at shunt last Friday. I already left a little excited blog on the myspace about it, so this is just the songs.

The recorder was at the back of the room on the sound desk (which is why you can hear the sound man telling someone the name of the band). Unfortunately there were people talking all around the mic, so background noise is high, but it's still good. This is the first live version of Distance Learning and it sounds ace. For anyone reading this who isn't in the band, these songs are more vanity pieces than legitimate live recordings.

The order of the night, minus the tuning:

Fleet River

Boatswain's Cry

Distance Learning

Alpe d'Huez

Chalon Valley House Band

The House on Ash Tree Lane

Little Magician

We Aerotom x

'Ow Queer

Queer, the title of this post, is a synonym of strange which is one of the few words in the title of the song Thames and I recorded this afternoon.

It's more or less the same as the other demo but higher quality and a better and more complete sound. The chorus is less out and out happy and more just sweet.

Before it cuts to the last chorus from the middle bit there might be a cut to the 'I guess it's just faces...' line with just drums but all voices then launch into the last section.

The last double chorus is pretty indicative of what it will be like with more people.

Have a think and write something amazing to go with it please, we're going to give it an overhaul. Thanks.

Tom & Thames

Strange Sign of Life

This video is a good point of reference re the middle