Unsleeping Eyes

More Clockwork

2012-01-14T14:21:00.001Z

A Clockwork Orange Dress Rehearsal

2012-01-03T20:48:00.002Z

Some footage of our dress rehearsal has emerged.

Octopus Linguine

2011-12-14T19:57:00.012Z

-Octopus in Spicy Sauce (from Fenwick deli counter, Newcastle)
-Seggiano Olive Tomato sauce
-La Molisana Linguine
-Very Lazy Red Chillies
-Capers
-Black pepper.

7thSun Live at the HMRC Xmas Party, Madisons Bar, 10/12/2011

2011-12-11T10:53:00.011Z

01. Into the Starscape
02. Psychic Hitlist Victim No. 8/ The Locomotion
[Honolulu Mountain Daffodils/ Little Eva]
03. Pulse
04. Whole Wide World [Wreckless Eric]
05. Silent Night [Franz Xaver Gruber]
06. Mandragora
07. Little Red Corvette [Prince].

Thanks to Jan for hiring us, and thanks to the audience for not throwing bottles.

A special thank you to John McKechnie who lent us two of the amps that we used.

7thSun on Soundcloud

2011-11-03T18:28:00.002Z

Trapped on a Tidal Island by 7thSunUK

I recently opened an account on Soundcloud. You can listen to some of my music there.

Review: A Double Dose of Dickens

2011-10-16T10:21:00.013+01:00

‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’, Part 1 and Part 2 at The People's Theatre, Heaton.
Written by David Edgar.
Adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens.

This adaptation of Dickens’ third novel is one of the People’s most ambitious undertakings to date, selected for the theatre’s centenary programme and performed in two separate parts. ‘Nickleby’ contains many key themes present in earlier and later Dickens works: social injustice, families falling on hard times, and the machinations of those who manipulate the institutional apparatus for their own ends. It also contains typical Dickensian humour, and Nicholas’ involvement with Crummles’ acting troupe makes the novel an interesting candidate for dramatic adaptation.

Upon entering the auditorium, the audience were confronted by a stark but effective two-storey set which was then brought to life by subtle lighting, evoking the numerous environments. The directors’ attention to detail led to some nice touches: a handful of dust denoting falling snow, for example, and the tapping of a cane providing the sound of a spinning roulette wheel.

The cast all gave an excellent performance. Pat Haggerty was quite incredible as both the warm-hearted LaCreevy and malevolent Peg, and Michael Short gave a terrifically nuanced performance as Nicholas’ corrupt Uncle Ralph. Sam Hinton worked very hard as Nicholas, injecting humour and warmth into Dickens’ titular focalizer.

Michael Blair was fantastic as the stern but kind-hearted John Browdie, and Sean Burnside was very effective as the downtrodden Smike: his death was a genuinely moving moment of the more sombre second half.

Every Dickens story has its memorable villains, and this production benefitted greatly from Paul Carding and Maggie Childs’ suitably grotesque Mr. and Mrs. Squeers of Dotheboys Hall.

John MacDonald was terrific throughout, contributing trombone and accordion to the musical accompaniment, as well as giving fantastic turns as the covetous Arthur Gride and eccentric Crummles.

Due to the adaptation’s faithfulness to the novel, all of the actors were required to play multiple parts (for example, Jake Wilson Craw played characters as diverse as Belling, Colonel Chowser and Crummles’ horse). Above all, the cast gave an excellent ensemble performance. One highlight was the crowd scene where Nicholas walks the streets of London after learning of Madeline’s engagement to Gride and he joins the oppressed masses in lamentation.

At a combined length of five and a half hours, the play is a challenge for the audience as well as for the cast – but one well worth undertaking. All cast and crew deserve great credit for tackling a play seldom performed by professional companies and for making it so entertaining.

After a break of two days, ‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’ will run again from Tuesday 18/10 until Saturday 22/10. Part 1 will be performed on Tuesday and Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, whereas Part 2 will be performed on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. Customers buying tickets for both parts will receive a discount; visit www.ptag.org.uk/

Tusk Festival, Newcastle, 7th-9th October 2011

2011-10-10T12:28:00.025+01:00

I went along to the first two nights of the Tusk Festival at The Cluny this weekend.

The first band I saw on Friday were Pigeons, whose songs veered from more traditional folky structures to free form psychedelic madness - with bells.

Next came Vincent Epplay and Samon Takahashi with their 'ungovernable' synths.

Drawing the biggest crowd on Friday was Grouper. It's a shame that she didn't sing a bit more, but her masterful way of merging performances together with samples and drones was still mesmerising.

The Long Lonesome Go kicked things off on Saturday Night with some inspired improvosition. You can download their music for free from their website.

The last act I caught on Saturday was Pulse Emitter, whose homemade synth wizardry brought the festival to a close for me.

I really enjoyed this festival, and will be keeping an eye out for future Tusk events. The shows were excellent value, and the programme featured an eclectic mix of international acts.

Review: 'Nickel and Dimed' by Barbara Ehrenreich

2011-10-09T23:07:00.002+01:00

Author and columnist Barbara Ehrenreich went 'undercover in low-wage USA' to experience firsthand the trials faced by low-paid workers in the United States and to address the question 'How does anyone live on the wages available to the unskilled?'. Editing out large chunks of her CV but otherwise maintaining her status as a 'divorced homemaker', Ehrenreich lived in Florida, Maine and Minnesota, working as a waitress, a house cleaner, a care home worker and a sales assistant at Wal-Mart.

Ehrenreich kept her car for transport and laptop for writing; she gave herself some start-up money, but was otherwise very disciplined at attempting to live on the wages she received. While applying for jobs, she had to take demeaning personality-testing surveys containing questions such as 'Am I more or less likely than other people to get into fistfights?' and 'Are there situations in which dealing cocaine is not a crime?'

In addition, Ehrenreich had to undergo the indignity of urine testing for signs of drug use, a practice that (despite common claims to the contrary) 'does not lower absenteeism, accidents or turnover and... actually lowered productivity - presumably due to its negative effect on employee morale'. Cannabis (which stays in the system much longer than cocaine or heroin) is screened for, while LSD is not. The practice cost the federal government $11.7 million dollars in 1990, with only 153 of 29,000 subjects testing positive. Despite all this emphasis on pre-employment urination, we learn that there was no federally mandated right to toilet breaks until 1998.

During her induction at Wal-Mart, employees are discouraged from 'time theft': 'Doing anything other than working during company time, anything at all'. They are also strongly discouraged from joining unions. Ehrenreich later sees a commercial for the chain on TV while taking a break: 'When a Wal-Mart shows up within a television within a Wal-Mart, you have to question the existence of an outer-world'.

Her shifts and those of her co-workers commonly exceed the official running times, despite the fact that it is illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act not to pay time and a half for working hours exceeding 40 a week. Legal cases in four states have revealed Wal-Mart management's practice of erasing overtime from records and instead offering employees schedule changes or promotions. 'In the same spirit, automobile manufacturers would rather offer their customers cash rebates than reduced prices; the advantage of the rebate is that it seems like a gift and can be withdrawn without explanation'.

Ehrenreich writes with candour and honesty, admitting the bad decisions she made along the way and the fact that she found some tasks genuinely challenging, mentally as well as physically: 'no job, no matter how lowly, is truly "unskilled"'. She befriends some of her co-workers and finds them no less diverse and interesting than members of her normal social circle, although there is little time for socialising: rather, friendship takes the form of consoling and/or covering for colleagues who are unwell and physically unable to complete their work. Ehrenreich herself develops a rash on her arms and legs while working as a cleaner but carries on, rather than facing the prospect of not being paid.

And so what are her conclusions? Well, Ehrenreich draws a parallel with the fact that rats and monkeys forced into subordinate positions within their social systems become withdrawn, anxious, receive less serotonin and 'avoid fighting even in self-defense'. The statement by HUD's Andrew Cuomo that prosperity in America is actually shrinking the stock of affordable housing leads her to conclude: 'The rich and the poor, who are generally thought to live in a state of harmonious interdependence - the one providing cheap labor, the other providing low-wage jobs - can no longer exist'.

Despite the disturbing (if not always surprising) nature of many of Ehrenreich's findings, she is confident that at some point in the future, the poor will tire of their lot and demand a better share of American wealth.

Pulse Emitter: 'Forest, Mountain, Valley'

2011-09-24T07:42:00.007+01:00

Pulse Emitter is the ambient drone project of Daryl Groetsch from Portland, Oregon.

Pulse Emitter - Forest, Mountain, Valley
01. Forest
02. Mountain
03. Mountain (cont.)
04. Valley.

Pulse Emitter is playing at The Cluny in Newcastle as part of the Tusk Festival on Saturday 08/10.

Download.

Night on Earth (1991)

2011-08-28T12:21:00.001+01:00

Five cities. Five taxis. Directed by Jim Jarmusch.

Field Day Festival 2011

2011-08-08T21:06:00.003+01:00

John Cale
Set list:
1. Captain Hook
2. Heartbreak Hotel
3. Hey Ray
4. Perfect
5. Jumbo
6. Sold-Motel
7. Catastrofuk
8. Whaddya Mean By That?
9. Satellite Walk.

We also saw Electrelane, Mark Kozelek and Sun Ra Arkestra. We missed Faust due to poor scheduling.

Field Day Festival

2011-07-30T10:16:00.003+01:00

Field Day, Victoria Park, London. A week today. Featuring John Cale, Faust, Mark Kozelek and lots more.

Review: 'Moondust' by Andrew Smith

2011-07-21T23:17:00.016+01:00

Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth
by Andrew Smith

‘Apollo… seems to me to be the most perfect imaginable expression, embodiment, symbol, of the twentieth century’s central contradiction: namely, that the more we put our faith in reason and its declared representatives, the more irrational our world became’.

First published in 2005, 'Moondust' arose from journalist Andrew Smith's realisation that now only nine of the twelve Apollo astronauts who walked on the surface of the Moon are still alive - and that one day in the not too distant future, there will be none.

'I wanted to know what kind of people they'd become and what they'd learned; how they felt about the weird trip now and whether they thought it had changed them. Even more than this, I wondered why I suddenly cared when I hadn't before'.

This last statement demonstrates what makes Smith's writing so accessible and enjoyable: his candid approach to the subject. His quest to track down and interview the remaining nine (and, in some cases, the harder task of getting them to speak freely of their experiences) is a personal one: Smith was born in America, watched the 1969 Moon landing on TV as a young child and was fully immersed in the contemporary pop culture. What relevance and influence did the Moon landings have on the world at that time? And what is their legacy?

And what of the astronauts? Smith finds that they are a refreshingly varied bunch of veterans who have pursued dramatically different lives. Neil Armstrong shuns publicity and prefers to discuss technical details of flight apparatus; Richard Gordon (one of the twelve who didn't get to walk on the Moon) signs autographs at Star Trek conventions; Edgar Mitchell founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences and is '90% sure' that extraterrestrial life exists; Alan Bean became a painter (and seems to be the most content of all the astronauts). And as Gordon remarks, 'And then of course there's Buzz Aldrin'...

Eugene Cernan, last man on the Moon

'Moondust' is full of anecdotes and observations that are amusing and fascinating: the astronauts' children complaining of their fathers 'just' being astronauts because for them it was the norm; Charlie Duke's terrifying dream in which he and John Young met their doubles who had been on the Moon's surface for thousands of years; practicalities of going to the toilet in space; the startling fact that all twelve astronauts were either first born or only sons. Smith's book brims with such things, alongside his consideration of issues such as the lack of female Apollo astronauts, the political motivations that drove the programme, the reasonably common belief that the Moon landings never actually took place, and the arguments for and against returning.

I highly recommend this book to anybody who has an interest in the Moon landings or the era in which they happened. It is extremely well researched and engagingly written.

The Terminal Man

2011-06-20T19:19:00.006+01:00

George Segal stars as Harry Benson in Mike Hodges' 'The Terminal Man' (1974). Benson is a brilliant computer scientist who suffers from Acute Disinhibitory Lesion syndrome, which causes him to undergo violent seizures. A group of scientists attempt to control Benson's behaviour by implanting electrodes in his brain - with disastrous consequences.

'The Terminal Man' is a disquieting film, defined as much by its sombre mood and subtle characterisation as by its (somewhat dated) messages about mind control and scientific ambition. Recommended for its sustained tone and interesting visual style.

Clockwork Memories

2011-05-28T11:16:00.003+01:00

Anthony Burgess' 'A Clockwork Orange' at The People's Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, May 2011: from the rehearsal room to the stage.

Photographs by Dianne Edwards, Colin Cuthbert, Michael Blair, Leah Page, Tom Saunders and Jimmy Hutchinson.

Music: Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 (Allegro Con Brio).
Brahms - Tragic Overture.
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy/Allegro Assai).

The play was directed by Tom Saunders and starred David Robson as Alex. Video editing by Jimmy Hutchinson.
www.ptag.org.uk/

All Night Holiday Fundraising Party

2011-05-27T22:15:00.003+01:00

Totem Recall are one of the bands playing at the Star and Shadow Cinema in Byker tomorrow. I'm planning to be there. Totem are due to play at about 4.30 p.m.

'Resignation' (Live)

2011-05-21T12:39:00.003+01:00

Performed live in my bedroom. The track is available on the 7thSun compilation 'Fragments of Hope'.

A Clockwork Orange at The People's Theatre

2011-05-15T20:11:00.005+01:00

THIS WEEK!

7thSun Live at Barkollo, 08/05/2011

2011-05-15T09:50:00.006+01:00

01. Freedom3
02. Mandragora
03. pavement. rain. 4.29 am.
04. Pulse
05. Rust
06. Lunar Twin
07. Beyond the Headache Zone.

The performance featured projected video clips from the following sources:

-Planet Earth (David Attenborough, 2006)
-Images du Monde Visionnaire (Henry Micahux, 1964)
-Solyaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972)
-Fire in the Sky (Robert Lieberman, 1993)
-The Man Who Fell to Earth (Nicholas Roeg, 1973)
-Birdy (Alan Parker, 1984)
-The Trial (Orson Welles, 1962)
-Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (John S. Robertson, 1920)
-Communion (Philippe Mora, 1989)
-Escape from New York (John Carpenter, 1981)
-Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (Uli Edel, 1981)
-The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
-Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (Werner Herzog, 1979)
-For All Mankind (Al Reinert, 1989).

Thanks again to the Barkollo staff and to the people who came to see us play.

A Clockwork Orange @ The People's Theatre

2011-05-11T23:38:00.001+01:00

Showing from Tuesday 17th May to Saturday 21st May 2011 at the People's Theatre, Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Tickets are £10.50 (£8.50 concessions).

I am playing Pete the Droog and Big Jew.

Gohsten | 7thSun | Totem Recall Live

2011-05-08T16:31:00.003+01:00

TONIGHT!!!

7thSun Live

2011-05-05T19:01:00.004+01:00

I am performing live after Gohsten in support of Totem Recall this Sunday.

The gig is at Barkollo on Leazes Park Road, opposite Barker & Stonehouse.

Entry is free, so please come along and support all of us.

Review: Cave of Forgotten Dreams

2011-04-30T03:21:00.002+01:00

'Human history in essence is a history of ideas'.
- H. G. Wells, 'The Outline of History'.

Chauvet Cave in southern France: the location of the earliest known prehistoric cave paintings, and the setting for Werner Herzog's 2010 documentary, currently showing at the Tyneside Cinema.

The documentary, which is presented in 3D, seeks to 'capture the intention of the painters', who incorporated the cave's dramatic bulges and recesses into their artwork.

Why did prehistoric people paint on the walls of caves? Was it for their own amusement, for religious reasons, or for the edification of future generations? Can cave-dwelling people of the Aurignacian era have had any conception of the fact that we would be observing and studying these paintings 30,000 years later?

These were some of the questions in my own head while observing the stunning images of Chauvet Cave. However, Herzog seemed in search of prehistoric man himself, who is somewhat conspicuous by his absence: one alone of the hundreds of paintings appears to represent the lower half of a human female. There are footprints and marks from torches, but no human remains. Indeed, forensic evidence suggests that the cave was used to store animals such as cave bears; experts believe that the paintings themselves may have had ritualistic significance.

Due to the cave's unstable nature and toxic atmosphere, the general public are not allowed inside, and Herzog had to receive special permission to film there with a skeleton crew. The film's soundtrack was not particularly to my taste; I also found it quite difficult for my eyes to adjust to the 3D imagery. However, given that this is the closest most will come to witnessing these ancient images, I feel privileged to have seen the forgotten paintings of Chauvet Cave.

'Fragments of Hope'

2011-04-23T15:05:00.006+01:00

A new 7thSun compilation, 'Fragments of Hope', is now available for free download on my website.

A limited run of copies was given away on homemade CDs at my debut gig in March.
It features two previously unreleased recordings.

7thSun - Fragments of Hope
01. Unsleeping Eyes [Vocal Mix]
02. Trapped on a Tidal Island
03. Resignation
04. A Light Fall of Snow
05. Pulse [Version]
06. Dhark Rhen.

For full details, please visit http://www.7thsun.co.uk/

'A Poem is a City' by Charles Bukowski

2011-04-13T18:46:00.002+01:00

a poem is a city filled with streets and sewers
filled with saints, heroes, beggars, madmen,
filled with banality and booze,
filled with rain and thunder and periods of
drought, a poem is a city at war,
a poem is a city asking a clock why,
a poem is a city burning,
a poem is a city under guns
its barbershops filled with cynical drunks,
a poem is a city where God rides naked
through the streets like Lady Godiva,
where dogs bark at night, and chase away
the flag; a poem is a city of poets,
most of them quite similar
and envious and bitter...
a poem is this city now,
50 miles from nowhere,
9:09 in the morning,
the taste of liquor and cigarettes,
no police, no lovers, walking the streets,
this poem, this city, closing its doors,
barricaded, almost empty,
mournful without tears, aging without pity,
the hardrock mountains,
the ocean like a lavender flame,
a moon destitute of greatness,
a small music from broken windows...

a poem is a city, a poem is a nation,
a poem is the world...

and now I stick this under glass
for the mad editor's scrutiny,
the night is elsewhere
and faint gray ladies stand in line,
dog follows dog to estuary,
the trumpets bring on gallows
as small men rant at things
they cannot do.

7thSun Live at Barkollo, 27/03/2011

2011-04-03T20:09:00.006+01:00

01. Illumination
02. Pictures of the Sky
03. Pulse
04. Resignation
05. Strange Clouds.

A big thank you to James and Rich: the show wouldn't have been possible without you.

Thanks to Totem Recall and Gohsten: it was great fun supporting you.

And thanks to the staff at Barkollo and everyone who came to see us. We will be playing live again in May.

7thSun | Gohsten | Totem Recall Live

2011-03-27T09:00:00.003+01:00

TONIGHT!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2011-03-24T23:35:00.004Z

Currently showing at The People's Theatre. There are two remaining shows on Friday and Saturday.
Excellent performances, costumes and sets. Strongly recommended.

Manuel Göttsching - 'Echo Waves'

2011-03-15T08:10:00.004Z

Video by suburbanbatherson.
This track is taken from the 1975 album 'Inventions for Electric Guitar'.

7thSun Live

2011-03-11T00:57:00.006Z

I am performing live in support of Gohsten and Totem Recall at the end of this month.

The gig is at Barkollo on Leazes Park Road, opposite Barker & Stonehouse.

Entry is free, so please come along and support all of us.

Housewarming Mix

2011-03-01T18:24:00.004Z

I made this mix for the housewarming party in the new place. Get in touch if you'd like a copy.

Part 1
01. The Notorious B.I.G.: Freestyle at Mister Cee's
02. The Notorious B.I.G.: Party and Bullshit
03. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: In Motion
04. Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime
05. Wu-Tang Clan: C.R.E.A.M.
06. The Charmels: I'll Never Grow Old
07. Devo: Mongoloid
08. New Order: Chosen Time
09. Giorgio Moroder: Chase
10. Goblin: Flashing
11. U.N.K.L.E.: Main Title Theme
12. Steinski: The Pay-off Mix
13. Prince: Kiss.

Part 2
01. Pulp: My Erection
02. Doug E. Fresh: Spirit
03. David Bowie: Magic Dance
04. Huey Lewis & The News: The Power of Love
05. Man Parrish: Hip Hop, Bebop (Don't Stop)
06. Prince: When Doves Cry
07. Santa Esmerelda: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
08. Burial & Four Tet: Moth
09. Daft Punk: Da Funk
10. Duck Sauce: Barbara Streisand (Jimmy's Panini Mix)
11. Boney M: Gotta Go Home
12. The Notorious B.I.G.: B.I.G. (Interlude)
13. Mary J. Blige: Real Love (Remix)
14. The Notorious B.I.G.: Going Back to Cali
15. Killah Priest: Wisdom/B.I.B.L.E.

Mogwai at The Sage, 27/02/11

2011-03-01T18:12:00.006Z

Set list:

01. White Noise
02. Friend of the Night
03. Letters to the Metro
04. CODY
05. Death Rays
06. Killing All the Flies
07. How to be a Werewolf
08. Rano Pano
09. I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead
10. You're Lionel Richie
11. 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong
12. Mexican Grand Prix

13. Helicon 1
14. Xmas Steps.

See Bright Light for people's comments.

Review: Goblin Live @ The Sage, 24/02/2011

2011-02-27T01:14:00.009Z

Despite living in Newcastle for ten years, Thursday night was actually the first time I'd been to The Sage, Gateshead's giant woodlouse-shaped concert hall. Regardless of the venue's appearance, I was pleased to discover that (the smaller) Hall Two is an intimate venue and that the sound is crystal clear.

I last saw Goblin at the 2009 Supersonic Festival in Birmingham; I think the line-up has changed slightly since then. Each of the musicians gave an extremely professional performance however, and the great thing about watching Goblin play live is seeing how well they work as a unit: their songs require a lot of careful coordination, and there isn’t a lot of room for showing off. This may be prog rock, but Goblin favour intricate time signatures and layered textures over stunt solos. There’s something engaging about the mixture of gratitude and bemusement with which they react to audience enthusiasm; they also commented on the fact that a lot of the
crowd were younger than the songs themselves.

As at Supersonic, their newer material worked better live than on record, but their Dario Argento soundtrack material got the best response. These tracks also really benefit from a modern sound system: the title track from 'Zombi' came through powerfully, as did a frantic run through 'Tenebre' (complete with vocoder) and the hypnotic 'Mad Puppet'. My personal favourite though was the eery title track from 'Suspiria', which featured an extended outro.

The band were performing beneath a video screen showing extensive clips from the Argento/Goblin collaborations (particularly 'Profondo Rosso' and 'Suspiria'), whereas last time I saw them, the clips were more minimal loops. I think I preferred the former approach.

A great performance nontheless: I recommend going to see them if you get the chance. I'm back at The Sage very soon to see Mogwai, this time in Hall One.

True Grit

2011-02-22T22:16:00.005Z

I just went to see 'True Grit', the new film from the Coen Brothers. It's based on the novel by Charles Portis and stars Hailee Steinfeld (who gives a terrific performance), Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin. It was previously made into a film starring John Wayne in 1969, although that's really neither here nor there. See it if you get the chance.

Esben and the Witch - 'Violet Cries'

2011-02-08T21:49:00.006Z

Recently released on Matador, 'Violet Cries' is an interesting debut from Bristol-based Esben and the Witch (who are named after a Danish fairytale).

I saw their sound described in one review as 'crepuscular': a similar term to 'vespertine', which also happens to be the name of my favourite Björk album. Rachel Davies' haunting voice and the band's atmospheric washes of noise create a listening experience just as unique and absorbing.

You can listen to the album in full here. The band's website is also worth a look.

'Eremite' Video

2011-01-23T03:02:00.006Z

340" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aR0ig6ZiyR0" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen>

A video for my track 'Eremite', from the 'Eremite' E.P. released earlier this month.
Please watch in HQ.

Weekend of Wonders @ The Sage, Gateshead

2011-01-21T18:24:00.004Z

Music venue The Sage in Gateshead is hosting a kind of mini-festival next month called 'Weekend of Wonders', the vague theme of which seems to be horror movie soundtracks.

I'm going to see Goblin on Thursday 24/02 (who are apparently playing in front of a screen showing clips from the Argento/Romero films that they worked on, as when I saw them at Supersonic 2 years ago).

I'm then seeing Mogwai on Sunday 27/02, hot on the trails of their new album, 'Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will'.

You can read more about 'Weekend of Wonders' here.

'Eremite'

2011-01-12T23:54:00.003Z

My new E.P., 'Eremite', is now available to download for free on my website.

It includes some soundtrack material and other instrumental work recorded in the past few months.

7thSun - Eremite
01. The Whirring Sound of Wings
02. Trapped on a Tidal Island
03. Eremite
04. A Light Fall of Snow
05. Artificial Fire.

For full details, please visit http://www.7thsun.co.uk/

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

2011-01-07T18:58:00.006Z

Trailer for Jim Jarmusch's film.

The score by RZA is also excellent, although the Japanese version of the soundtrack is the only one worth owning. Substix has posted his version featuring RZA's score and the other tracks in the film, check it out.

An Inspector Calls

2010-10-20T00:11:00.005+01:00

The Mercurie Theatre presents
'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestley
at the Church of St. Thomas the Martyr
Haymarket, Newcastle

Running from Wednesday 20/10 until Friday 22/10.
Tickets will be available on the door.
I am playing Eric Burling.

Velvet Starfish at October Zest

2010-10-17T15:07:00.003+01:00

Friday 15/10/2010
St. Hilda's Church Hall, Jesmond
Newcastle

Set List:
01. Pictures of the Sky (7thSun)
02. Finest Little Space (Moulster/Powell/Yorke)
03. Be Gentle With Me (McKechnie)
04. Time (Mason/Waters/Wright/Gilmour).

Thanks to Davey for the photograph, and thanks to those who turned up.

October Zest

2010-10-07T20:04:00.003+01:00

My band 'Velvet Starfish' are performing at St. Hilda's Church Hall in West Jesmond next Friday (15/10) at 7.30.

Our performance is part of the concert 'October Zest' which features several different performers and a range of musical styles.

Tickets are £5 on the door and include a glass of wine. All proceeds go to St. Oswald's Hospice.

Review: Mogwai - 'Special Moves'/'Burning'

2010-08-27T18:48:00.008+01:00

'This recording is meant to be listened to on vinyl', it states on the back of Slint's 1991 album 'Spiderland'. The same could be said of Mogwai's new live album, 'Special Moves', because the vinyl edition contains six extra tracks which are easily as powerful as the other eleven performances on the CD edition. MP3s of these tracks are downloadable by means of a code supplied with the CD.

This is only half the story, however: 'Special Moves' is accompanied by the live DVD 'Burning'. Both the live album and DVD were recorded over three nights in Booklyn last year, although both feature different track selections and alternative mixes. Shot effectively in grainy black and white, the film does an effective job of capturing what it's like to see the band live (and my ears are still ringing from the volume of the screening in Newcastle several weeks ago).

Mogwai remain one of the very best live bands around, managing to apply the right degree of professionalism to their performances while maintaining a sense of humour about the whole thing. The highlights of this live package are, unsurprisingly, early career highlights 'Mogwai Fear Satan' and 'Cody', but it's also nice to hear tracks from the fantastic 'The Hawk Is Howling': pieces such as
'I Love You, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School' which envelop the listener with carefully structured washes of sound.

'Special Moves' and 'Burning' will present no surprises to seasoned Mogwai listeners who have seen the band live before, but they do show that the band are very much alive, comfortable with the legacy of their past and looking to explore new territory on-stage as much as in the studio.

Mogwai are on tour in February next year and are working on a new album at present.

'This is the first thing' by Philip Larkin

2010-08-14T18:47:00.006+01:00

This is the first thing
I have understood:
Time is the echo of an axe
Within a wood.

Philip Larkin, 1943.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - 'Darklands'

2010-06-27T10:19:00.005+01:00

The title track from the album 'Darklands' by The Jesus and Mary Chain, 1987.
Still one of my favourite summer albums, despite the fact that all of the lyrics are about rain.

Michael Haneke

2010-06-09T21:40:00.006+01:00

The Essential Michael Haneke
Der Siebente Kontinent (1989)
Benny's Video (1992)
71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls (1994)
Das Schloβ (1997)
Funny Games (1997)
Code inconnu (2000)
La Pianiste (2001)
Le Temps du loup (2003)
Caché (2005)
Funny Games U.S. (2007)
Artificial Eye, 2009

Michael Haneke's Cinema: The Ethic of the Image
by Catherine Wheatley
Berghahn Books, 2009

The Essential Michael Haneke is a ten-disc DVD box set featuring all of Michael Haneke's films from 1989-2007 (including his adaptation of Das Schloβ by Kafka which was originally filmed for television but was then released cinemtically against Haneke's wishes). As with most Artificial Eye releases, the set is immaculately designed and presented, and features excellent interviews with the director about most of the films. Unfortunately, the box set was not released in time to incorporate Das weiße Band, my favourite film from last year.

Catherine Wheatley's The Ethic of the Image considers Haneke's work in light of the traditions of counter-cinema and the idea of cinematic 'un-pleasure', and also in the context of Kantian ethics.

Manhunter (1986)

2010-03-17T19:05:00.002Z

Lysistrata

2010-03-03T17:38:00.004Z

'Lysistrata' by Aristophanes
Tuesday 02/03 - Saturday 06/03
The People's Theatre, Newcastle Upon Tyne

I am playing Kinesias.

Cluster: Live

2010-02-28T10:20:00.003Z

Coming soon:
AV Festival 2010 presents Cluster and :Zoviet*France live in concert
7.30 p.m. on 10/03/2010
Sunderland Aquatic Centre
Tickets £5

http://www.avfestival.co.uk/programme/10/highlights/big-water-cluster

Digestion

2010-02-16T22:55:00.005Z

Some albums I have been listening to recently:

Miles Davis: The Blue Haze
Graham Lambkin & Jason Lescaleet: The Breadwinner
Stephan Mathieu: Radioland*
Sunn O))): Monoliths & Dimensions
Vangelis: Earth

Some films I have seen in the last couple of months:

Code Inconnu
Five Easy Pieces
Kontroll
The Last Detail*
The Road

I also enjoyed reading 'Magnificent Desolation'* by Buzz Aldrin recently.

* = pictured

'I Fear Santa'

2009-12-18T01:59:00.005Z

My new single, 'I Fear Santa', is now available for free download.

For full details, please visit www.7thSun.co.uk/

Compilation - 'Needless Alley'

2009-12-18T01:17:00.006Z

A compilation of some of the music I have been listening to this year - some new, some old. Enjoy!

01. Harmonia & Eno '76 - Welcome
02. New Order - Your Silent Face (Session)
03. Russian Circles - Hexed All
04. Kelpe - Eye Candy Bath
05. Nine Inch Nails - Lights In The Sky (Live)
06. Have A Nice Life - Deep, Deep
07. Goblin - Suspiria
08. Kraftwerk - Radioactivity
09. Grouper - Little Gray Cat
10. Svarte Greiner - Last Night.

Download.

Sleeping Beauty

2009-12-14T16:33:00.006Z

Showing until this Sunday, 20th December.

Mogwai - 'Burning'

2009-11-14T11:00:00.002Z

Mogwai Live Film "Burning" Teaser from Nathanaël Le Scouarnec on Vimeo.

New Guitar

2009-11-05T22:02:00.005Z

A bit overdue this, but I bought a new guitar recently. It's a Fender Telecaster Thinline '69 in natural mahogany finish. I bought it using the 'Take It Away' scheme run by the arts council.

It's a beautiful guitar to play and will feature soon in some of my new recordings. I'll also be playing it live at my forthcoming work Xmas concert with the 'Natural Born Santas'.

Peter Gabriel - 'The Nest That Sailed The Sky'

2009-10-19T01:27:00.004+01:00

Taken from the album 'Ovo', 2000.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2009-09-27T13:57:00.003+01:00

Tickets are £7. Email me if you are interested in going and I will get you a ticket.

Gohsten - 'Fright Night'

2009-09-13T12:26:00.005+01:00

Fright Night from Gohsten on Vimeo.

I made this video for my friends' band Gohsten.

Jigoku (1960)

2009-09-06T12:48:00.005+01:00

Nobuo Nakagawa's film 'Jigoku' ('Hell') tells the story of Shirô, a young student who seems to be surrounded by death. First of all, he is involved in a hit-and-run accident that kills a gang member, then his fiancée dies in another road accident, killing both her and their unborn baby. After a string of further deaths, Shirô is stalked and eventually murdered by the mother of his hit-and-run victim and descends into Buddhist Hell (or 'Naraka'), along with all the people who have died around him.

Nakagawa's film is infamous for its unsettling visions of Hell, created on Shintoho Studio's largest soundstage; however, more screen time is actually devoted to the complex set of circumstances that lead Shirô to his fate. The film's depiction of the fragility of human life and the capacity for horrific events to happen reminds me of the much more recent work of Alejandro González Iñárritu, while I found its brutal depiction of the hypocrisies of parenthood and satirical attack on policemen, doctors and the elderly uniquely bitter. Shirô and his fiancée actually emerge as the most innocent characters, and yet they are still subject to the mercy of Enma, King of Hell.

La Fée Verte

2009-08-29T11:55:00.007+01:00

Both my recent trip to France and the fact that I've just finished reading Hemingway's 'The Sun Also Rises' reminded me about absinthe. I haven't drunk if for years and felt it was time to give it another go. Thanks very much to James for hooking me up.

Yevgeny Zamyatin - 'We'

2009-08-08T22:03:00.008+01:00

'We' is the fictional diary of D-503, builder of the spacecraft INTEGRAL and citizen of Onestate. He begins the record hoping to describe the beauty and grandeur of the totalitarian society he lives in, but as the narrative progresses, his world is thrown into confusion as he falls in love with a resistance fighter named I-330.

Recognised as one of the key inspirations for George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four', Zamyatin's novel has a somewhat strange history: after the book was banned by the Soviet censorship bureau in 1921, a rough translation appeared in England in 1924. Facing trouble at home over a book that had not been published in his own language, Zamyatin was eventually exiled to Paris in 1931, where he died in 1937. 'We' was not published in Russia until 1988.

I read this book in the Penguin Classics edition, translated by Clarence Brown. The cover artwork features Anton Brezinski's 'Painting of Futuristic Buildings and City' (above), but I also like the artwork featured on the Vintage edition (below).

Supersonic Festival 2009

2009-08-07T23:24:00.007+01:00

I attended the Supersonic Festival in July and enjoyed sets by
Sunn O))), Remember Remember, Caribou, Head of David, Khyam Allami and Arbouretum. The highlight, however, had to be '70s/'80s Italian prog rockers Goblin (above) who played a lengthy selection from their career (including tracks from 'Profondo Rosso', 'Suspiria', 'Zombi' and 'Tenebre') and also took part in a Q&A session. They were by far the best dressed band.

Brian Eno's 'Apollo' in Concert

2009-07-22T19:35:00.030+01:00

20/07/09
Imax Cinema
London Science Museum
Arranged by Jun Lee
Performed by Icebreaker and B.J. Cole

On Monday, Brian Eno's album 'Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks' was performed live in concert for the first time. Korean composer Jun Lee arranged the work so that it could be performed by the amplified ensemble Icebreaker and pedal steel guitarist B.J. Cole.

The event took place in the London Science Museum's Imax cinema to mark the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The music was accompanied by footage from Al Reinert's 1989 film 'For All Mankind'.

Brian Eno was present to introduce the event and was signing autographs afterwards. I was lucky enough to be able to attend and managed to record these videos:

http://www.enoshop.co.uk/
http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/brian_eno/
http://www.icebreaker.org.uk/

Shogun Assassin

2009-07-19T10:00:00.005+01:00

Another film from 1980, 'Shogun Assassin' tells the story of Lone Wolf, a great samurai warrior whose wife is murdered by the Shogun's ninja spies. Taking his young son with him, the samurai goes on a mission to avenge his wife's death. This film was extensively sampled on GZA's 'Liquid Swords', one of my favourite hip hop albums.

Nine Inch Nails in Manchester

2009-07-16T22:49:00.014+01:00

14/07/09
Manchester M.E.N. Arena
Wave Goodbye Tour
Support from Mew and Jane's Addiction

01. Somewhat Damaged
02. Terrible Lie
03. Heresy
04. March Of The Pigs
05. Piggy
06. Metal
07. The Becoming
08. I'm Afraid Of Americans
09. Burn
10. Gave Up
11. La Mer
12. The Fragile
13. Gone, Still
14. The Way Out Is Through
15. Wish
16. Survivalism
17. Suck
18. The Day The World Went Away
19. The Hand That Feeds
20. Head Like A Hole
21. Hurt.

Click for a larger image.

Linked videos by diluteduk. Thank you.
www.nin.com/

Radio On

2009-07-12T11:45:00.009+01:00

I first saw this film some years ago at the Tyneside Cinema and really enjoyed it, and now some thoughtful person has uploaded the whole film to Youtube in 10 parts.
Directed by Christopher Petit and co-produced by Wim Wenders, 'Radio On' is a British road movie from 1980. The superb soundtrack features Kraftwerk, David Bowie, Robert Fripp, Devo, Wreckless Eric and more. The protagonist, Robert, drives from Camden to Bristol to investigate the death of his brother, but the film is really more about the people he meets and the things he sees on the way. 'Why [do] the English always want to live by the sea?' Robert's German friend asks. 'They always think it's going to be better than it is', he replies.

Star and Shadow Gig

2009-07-12T11:34:00.006+01:00

On Wednesday, I went to see four bands play at the Star and Shadow Cinema in Battlefield. The bands were (in order of appearance): Onoma, Jazzfinger, Dragging An Ox Through Water (above) and Jackie-O Motherfucker. I really enjoyed Jazzfinger's drone, but the highlight of the night for me was definitely Dragging An Ox Through Water. Good show overall, enhanced by £2 pints of Wolf ale.

Blurb

2009-07-06T21:54:00.006+01:00

I recently used Blurb.com to publish a collection of my own photographs. It turned out nicely and the quality is really very good. It wasn't cheap, but not quite as expensive as you might think.

Barry Lyndon

2009-07-04T21:50:00.003+01:00

I hadn't seen this film before buying the Kubrick boxset, but I highly recommend it.

Svarte Greiner - 'Kappe'

2009-07-01T20:26:00.006+01:00

Tonight I got the new album by Svarte Greiner and it's incredible. The previous album 'Knive' was a creepy and atmospheric venture into 'acoustic doom', but this album is even darker and more haunting. 'Kappe' is less fragmented: it has a more sustained, droney feel than its predecessor. Highly recommended.

Svarte Greiner - Kappe
01. Tunnel Of Love
02. Where Am I?
03. Candle Light Dinner Actress
04. Last Light.

Pogonophobia - 'Bimmib'

2009-06-29T21:49:00.006+01:00

A couple of months ago, I discovered this obscure psychedelic noise album by Pogonophobia. I think what first attracted me was the striking front cover, but the music turned out to be densely layered and varied. Pogonophobia means 'fear of beards'.

Pogonopobia - Bimmib
01. First Chapter
02. Hologrammic Aspects
03. Road To Samdhi - 1
04. Triumph Of Death (Excerpt From Dies Irae)
05. Siege Of Antioch
06. The Divine Eye
07. The Oracles
08. Lullaby For Stairs
09. Road To Samadhi - 2
10. Final Chapter.

'Insurrection'

2009-06-22T02:10:00.008+01:00

On Tuesday, I released my new E.P. 'Insurrection' online.

This E.P. features vocals, mandolin and French horn, none of which have appeared on 7thSun releases before. The first two tracks are alternate versions of songs found on the demo album '2.4.1.6.', the third track is completely new and the fourth is a cover of a song by John Foxx/Ultravox.

7thSun - Insurrection
01. Unsleeping Eyes (Vocal Mix)
02. Wings (619 Version)
03. The Happy Robot
04. Just For A Moment.

For full details, please visit www.7thSun.co.uk/

Stanley Kubrick

2009-06-21T02:55:00.007+01:00

My recent Hitchcock odyssey is coming to an end, so I decided to pick up some Kubrick on DVD. Contents: Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket. This set is Region 1, although there are European equivalents available.

Yamaha DX7

2009-06-21T02:33:00.007+01:00

This weekend, I invested in a vintage synth: the Yamaha DX7. Often referred to as 'the synth of the '80s', the DX7 has been used by Brian Eno, Nine Inch Nails, Underworld, Vangelis, The Cure, Devo and even the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. It's the same age as me and the programming is a bit of a nightmare to get used to, but hopefully it'll yield some interesting results.

Review: Play It Again, Sam

2009-06-17T18:39:00.003+01:00

Last night, a production of Woody Allen's 'Play It Again, Sam' opened at the People's Theatre in Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

The play concerns Allan, a young film critic and neurotic who is unlucky in love. Receiving dubious advice on how to proceed from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart and his friends Dick and Linda (who have their own relationship issues), Allan becomes more confused than ever.

Reg White gives a very strong performance as the uptight Allan, managing to draw laughs and sympathy in equal measure, and demonstrates an impressive mastery of Woody Allen-style mannerisms. Pete McAndrew's Bogart was also very convincing, and he managed to maintain the accent well throughout the play.

The rest of the cast performed well, and as usual at the People's Theatre, stage design, lighting and sound were all excellent. The roar of nighttime New York coming through an open window and set decoration extending into the wings were particularly nice touches. Recommended.

The play runs from 16th to 20th June. Full details available here: http://ptag.org.uk/index.htm

'Rust'

2009-06-14T00:35:00.004+01:00

A video for my track 'Rust', from The Cathedral Of Light E.P. released in 2008.
Please watch in HQ.

Welcome to Unsleeping Eyes

2009-06-13T13:46:00.004+01:00

Hello and welcome to my blog. While I try to stay on top of my own music on www.7thSun.co.uk, I'll be writing about various things that interest me on here. Your comments are appreciated. Thanks.