09.32
DGM HQ.
FraKctured is playing upstairs in SoundWorld II and falling through the ceiling. Lark Ascending is downstairs and on my left. The sonic juxtaposition is intriguing.
Bill Rieflin called at 9, late for him & just in from a day in the studio. And AOL has crashed.
10.58 The Solar Voyager I.2 is ignited & waiting for Jakko…
I have found a way to present a convincing sounding Frippertronics loop, in keeping with a suggestion that Victor McSurely made recently. This approach has an appeal, but its limitations are also very apparent. More playing with this at another time.
13.23 Jakko arrived in front of the office at 11.02: clearly he couldn’t believe he had arrived at the powerhouse of creative endeavour that is DGM HQ, given the modest front we present to the world; ie we look like a dump. We look like a dump because we are a dump. Jakko drove passed & down the road, returning a few minutes later. Finding DGM isn’t the easiest of discoverings when journeying from London, particularly if you head for Southampton instead of Salisbury. But that’s all part of the rich tapestry of life, as someone once said.
Jakko arrived bearing gifts: several tasty custard treats of the Portuguese kind, highly suitable food for the mature rock player…
… and an early Fernandes Les Paul copy (manufactured before Gibson injuncted).
L>R guitar of choice today: Fernandes gold top, mellotron used by Ian MacDonald on ITCOTCK & RF on ITWOP, gifted Fernandes, chart of When We Go Home…
Gifts were very gratefully received.
The Team at Session: L>R Jakko, David, Alex…
Jakko brought a song that touched on the power of Mother & family & home, all of which I view as sacred. The first take had the juice, with repair one in the middle, then a second take all the way. Fortunately, I have been practising in 5 flats for 2 years. D flat major is not noted as a favourite key of guitar players.
Then to tasty custard cake consumption & conversing on subjects of mutual interest in the kitchen, before returning to SoundWorld I. Jakko played me his version of Islands, also for the JJ new album. Superb. Mel dubs this tomorrow.
Our conversation covered a topic Mel & I were discussing at lunch two days ago: when we were both young players, we aimed to be able to play anything that was asked of us. My own musical life lead me towards writing & developing my own voice; very good, but to the degree, extent & present effect that I’m useless at playing other people’s material. So, if you know what you’d like your guitarist to play, I’m not the man you need. Mel, on the other hand, has continued developing & growing into the exceptional musician he is today, one who can play pretty well anything asked of him, reading chops included. Talent on Mel’s level leaves me jawless & slightly slacked.
Jakko left just after one, claiming he was heading towards Salisbury.
15.57 Tone Probe I, II & III with Alex: editing excerpts from yesterday’s Solar Voyager I.2 operational test drive. These will be uploaded as soon as possible.
17.50 Ben Crowe has delivered several re-vibrated guitars for me, two for David, and eaten the food proper for mature rock players & young guitar makers. One of the guitars that Ben has tickled is a 1959 Les Paul…
18.08 The Vicar has dropped by and is in SoundWorld I mastering a David Sylvian to be included on a single.
From my in-box, and of relevance because I have also just downloaded the recommended i-Tunes update…
From Boing Boing
quote
iTunes update spies on your listening and sends it to Apple?
A new version of Apple’s iTunes for Mac appears to communicate information about every song you play to Apple, and it’s not clear if there’s any way to turn this off, nor what Apple’s privacy policy is on this information.
Yesterday, I updated my version of iTunes to 6.0.2, at the recommendation of Apple’s Software Update program. I noticed immediately that iTunes had a new pane in the main window -- the "Mini-Store" which showed albums and tracks for sale by the artist whose song was presently playing.
The question is: how does Apple know which version of the Mini-Store to show you unless iTunes first transmits the current song that you’re playing to Apple? I’ve turned off the Mini-Store, but a look at Apple’s site, the iTunes license, and the iTunes documentation does not state whether this turns off this spyware behavior, or whether it merely causes iTunes not to show me things to buy based on the track I’m presently playing.
end quote
18.28 Today, David wrote to his Mother, telling her of the arisings within the Singleton family during the past 20 years; and how the process that she set on course, by giving life to her four sons, remains on course; of her grandchildren; what her sons are now doing with their lives; and of their families. How rarely we take the time to present a concise statement of a larger present moment in the combined life of one family, itself reflecting the life of one woman, David’s Mother, who died twenty years ago this year.
20.35 This is fun… Run down the comments and hoot.
Have re-installed the software for AOL and it’s worked.
21.37 Oh no! Steer from Mark Bernadini…
http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking.htm
23.47 Oh no! AOL crashing again.
00.18 E-frenzy enough for tonight.
"Be very careful about the beginning.
Then, be very careful about the end.
Then, be very careful about the middle."
