Nina Nesbitt Live Take ep
I recently worked on Edinburgh wunderkind Nina Nesbitt’s Live Take ep. Believe me, Nina is destined for great things…judge for yourself here, then buy the ep here.
News
New Travelling Band album…
The Travelling Band’s album Screaming Is Something is out now on Cooking Vinyl. You can listen, read some reviews and buy it here.
Mixing with the Chiswick Reach…
I’ve had a run of mixing projects lately so producer Richard Scott lent me his Chiswick Reach valve compressor to use on some mixes I’m doing for him.
The Chiswick is a proper high-end piece designed by Vic Keary, the man behind the Thermionic Culture Phoenix, and is hand-built (like a tank) in the UK. Sound On Sound’s Hugh Robjohns gave it a glowing review (ha!) and lots of big-name producers agree that “…it never fails to sound fabulous…”.
At low compression levels it rounds off transients smoothly, glueing things together in a very subtle, transparent way. As you increase the level things get interesting – the sound becomes thicker in a very, dare I say, musical way, with a weighty bottom end and a slight halo at the top, before really starting to growl at higher settings.
In short, I love it. Everything you put through it comes out sounding better, and I don’t want to give it back…
RIP Tony Levin
Sadly, ace drummer Tony Levin died this week. He’d just turned 71 and was drumming right up to the end of his prolific life. I’m happy that I got to work with him on last year’s Mujician tour – he was a proper gent, a great storyteller and an absolutely monstrous musician. Thanks Tony, it was a real privilege to be in your company…
New vinyl…
Another Travelling Band track that started life in our sessions on the Isle of Mull is in the shops. The Horizon Me and You limited edition 7″ vinyl is out now on Too Pure.
And if that’s not enough, the lads are giving away some downloads to go with it – to get yours just send a picture of yourself holding the single to thetravellingband (at) gmail (dot) com….
Meanwhile, here’s the vid…
Wobble tour…
I’m out on tour with Jah Wobble and the Nippon Dub Ensemble. It’s a bit hectic, what with the 10-piece band and all, but the shows are great. Here’s some footage from Birmingham Academy…
Out & about…
Been a lot happening lately…
Firstly, had a nice trip to Italy to mix A Certain Ratio at the Fano Moonlight Festival. Highlights: beautiful propellor-driven flight over the Dolomites; brilliant show; great pizza / pasta / pool-party. Low-point: Losing 3 flight cases on the way home. Cheers Lufthansa…
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Also, tracking is nearly done for the latest New Pills record – cut mostly live with my Metric Halo racks in a former textile mill on the edge of the Pennines. Mixing starts soon so time to dust off my new best friend & (not so) secret tone-shaper…
Incoming
I’m currently working on an album with Mancunian singer-songwriter Markus Greenwood. Early signs are that it’s going to be a lot of fun.
I’m also about to start recording some new Rickenbacker-driven songs with old friends The New Pills.
The Travelling Band’s new album is nearly done and sounding heavy. I recorded the basic tracks with my mobile recording rig in two beautiful locations – a converted chapel on the Scottish island of Mull, and a lovely old house in the Buckinghamshire countryside. These were brought back to Manchester for much overdubbing and tweaking – a process not lost on the music. Think rolling pastoral serenity meets edgy urban brutalism. With a banjo.