I can't get into my music equipment properly now. Pain in my arse. Last night my wife and I rearranged the order of the flat, and moved the sofa/pull out bed into the spare room. Now due to a shuffling of furniture, there is a table infront of the cupboard door.
So with much struggling, I managed to get my two leads (one yellow, and one red), microphone, electric guitar, 4-way, and power supply from the cupboard. With stuff lying all over the floor from trying to get it from the cupboard, I set it all up and connected it to the computer.
Had opened the song - known as 'Dance1', but is the working title for 'Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)' which I had an opportunity to edit the other day. So today I had even longer to work on it. Had wanted to work on the idea I put in the previous blog, about the guitar techinque largely influenced by Bloc Party, with each strum of the guitar coming out of alternate earphones or speakers.
Got recording after messing around with effects. I wanted a very dry, tinny tone to the guitars. Wanted one to be very clean, and one to have a little reverb. So recorded a couple of times, but the effect wasn't right. So began messing around with the pedal again, and edited the effect '32'. Recorded one strum part, and then listened back and came up with the other rhythm section. Was quite awkward at first trying to come up with something, even though the chords are very basic. Eventually got it recorded however and listened back. I had recorded it the length of the song, but it didn't really work as well as I thought it would in the chorus, so I edited it outta there. Then edited it out from the whole beginning of the song, as it just didn't work well. However after the first chorus I put it in for a verse, and then edited it out at the chorus again. I left the bulk of the strumming parts in the outro after the 2nd chorus. Got to admit, sounds fucking excellent. And it has given what was essentially a dark dance song, to having a raw indie edge to it. Something I never envisaged for it at all. So sounding great.
I then tried to record a quiet clean lead part from the intro to chorus, however after recording an idea, I realised this wouldn't suit the song at all and just deleted this.
I then thought about recording a vocal in the background of the original, saying the ends of each sentence, but again this didn't work very well. However everytime I had listened to the song on my ipod when deciding what to do with it at the time of writing the previous blog entry, I had thought the line where I sing 'Information' at the end of a sentence in bits should be cut up and made a bit of a mess. So I added another set of vocals singing 'in-for-ma-tion', and recorded another vocal this time distorted and messed about with that too. I also cut up the distorted and normal sang lines, and put them on a new line on audacity. All the effort into one line is worth it, cause it sounds cool. Not mindblowing, but good.
I also want to at some point use the microsoft voice you get on the pc - it use to be microsoft Sam, but now it is microsoft Anna on mine...not the same. Liked Sam better. Anyway, I want to use it in a recording, hopefully an idea I have called 'Ctrl+Alt+Del', but I'll need to wait and see. I thought I'd use Anna on 'Hacktivists', and recorded her saying 'Welcome to the Anonymous' and sounded ok; but nothing special, so took it out. Also recorded her saying the first few lines of the song and put it at the end of the song...but again, was ok but I didn't think it was working that well.
Overall with the song it needed a good bit of editing. Took bits out, and edited some bits down. Other bits I added or looped. Some made tones better or added effects. And fixed the sound levels in all the parts. Trying to get the sound perfect in a finished song is a bit of a pain, because the way it sounds on audacity, is different from windows media player, and is different from my ipod. But listening to the finished version on all three, I'm very very happy with the results. I'm very excited about putting this up on the internet and soundcloud. When I get the chance I will. I have also put a video advert for Anonymous in general on facebook and am hopefully going to do it for yotube too. The advert is short and simple, but I like it.
That's one song in the bag. Hopefully there will be a lot more to come. Welcome to the Anonymous.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/welcome-to-the-anonymous (coming soon)
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous) - Recording Session 1
I'm on a bus, on the motorway right now. On a journey to work.
Before I had to head out, and make my way to work, I had a good chance for the first time in over a month, to sit and actually record. It was only an hour or so I had, but it was a good length of time. I logged onto the computer, and sat there in boxers and a dressing gown. Sexy image I know.
Once it started I thought what to do. I have two works in progress: 'Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)' and 'Klez the Conquerer'. I thought I'd work on Klez, but listening back to it I have decided when I get the chance, I'll rerecord it as it is all over the place and the effect on the bass sounds too tinny. Doesn't really sound like bass. So I decided to work on Hacktivists.
I considered doing the bass for the song, and this song at the moment is made of of a screeching tone, two dance beats, a reversed bass riff, and a messed up electric guitar riff that has been cut up. I wanted to add a bass riff, that sounded cool as fuck but was very simple. I had the bass out but then thought that maybe I should maybe record the vocals as I have the house to myself and the neighbours can't really complain as it was about 12pm.
Set the mic up and used an effect on the fx pedal, number 31. I added effects and took some away; changed tones and pitches, and got a really good sound. Very clear vocals with a good reverb. May start using the number '31' setting more often in songs. I tend to use number '34'.
I already have the Hactivist lyrics in my phone, written on the bus over time. I had one day on the bus listened to the music for the song but with no vocals, and worked out in my mind the melody over the music. So when it came to recording the vocals, I already knew the melody.
So after several attempts to record the vocals correctly, I eventually got there. I was originally singing it in a rapping style, in a Scottish accent, but it just was too flat. So added a little passion and sang the lyrics and it sounds much better.
The only part of the lyrics I didn't really have a set idea for was the lyric 'welcome to the anonymous' which I repeat over and over. I improvised a melody for this line and it is the catchiest part of the song. Totally done on the spot, but sounds great. And is excellent because it is the underlying theme to these songs.
So after editing the vocals volume levels, I duplicated it, put both at slightly different times, cut up the 'now' part in the chorus lyrics 'Act now', and repeated that and did the same as I did with the normal vocals. Also recorded a echoed shout of 'act now' which I put behind the sang part. Sounds great. Picks the chorus up quite a bit.
I then picked the bass up. I consider for a few minutes maybe putting the bass riff for 'Klez' in and seeing how it sounded. It sounded rubbish. So on the spot came up with a simple riff. The bass is drop-D, and it sounds great. Really quite dark and deep. It also has a kinda rough feel about it too. I really like it. The song is going to be worked on when I can, but I have so many ideas for the song. So many things I'd like to do to it. Maybe like to put a synth part in the middle of the song; and at chorus do a rhythm guitar part cut up with each strum coming out of different earphones (like Bloc Party do in many songs on 'Silent Alarm'). Also got a lot of editing to do, but I am very much looking forward to doing it. The song is still a blank canvas to me, and I can't wait to work on it.
I am listening to the version I have at the moment as I write this on the bus. I am dying to work on it.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
Coming soon - webpages for 'Anonymous'.
Before I had to head out, and make my way to work, I had a good chance for the first time in over a month, to sit and actually record. It was only an hour or so I had, but it was a good length of time. I logged onto the computer, and sat there in boxers and a dressing gown. Sexy image I know.
Once it started I thought what to do. I have two works in progress: 'Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)' and 'Klez the Conquerer'. I thought I'd work on Klez, but listening back to it I have decided when I get the chance, I'll rerecord it as it is all over the place and the effect on the bass sounds too tinny. Doesn't really sound like bass. So I decided to work on Hacktivists.
I considered doing the bass for the song, and this song at the moment is made of of a screeching tone, two dance beats, a reversed bass riff, and a messed up electric guitar riff that has been cut up. I wanted to add a bass riff, that sounded cool as fuck but was very simple. I had the bass out but then thought that maybe I should maybe record the vocals as I have the house to myself and the neighbours can't really complain as it was about 12pm.
Set the mic up and used an effect on the fx pedal, number 31. I added effects and took some away; changed tones and pitches, and got a really good sound. Very clear vocals with a good reverb. May start using the number '31' setting more often in songs. I tend to use number '34'.
I already have the Hactivist lyrics in my phone, written on the bus over time. I had one day on the bus listened to the music for the song but with no vocals, and worked out in my mind the melody over the music. So when it came to recording the vocals, I already knew the melody.
So after several attempts to record the vocals correctly, I eventually got there. I was originally singing it in a rapping style, in a Scottish accent, but it just was too flat. So added a little passion and sang the lyrics and it sounds much better.
The only part of the lyrics I didn't really have a set idea for was the lyric 'welcome to the anonymous' which I repeat over and over. I improvised a melody for this line and it is the catchiest part of the song. Totally done on the spot, but sounds great. And is excellent because it is the underlying theme to these songs.
So after editing the vocals volume levels, I duplicated it, put both at slightly different times, cut up the 'now' part in the chorus lyrics 'Act now', and repeated that and did the same as I did with the normal vocals. Also recorded a echoed shout of 'act now' which I put behind the sang part. Sounds great. Picks the chorus up quite a bit.
I then picked the bass up. I consider for a few minutes maybe putting the bass riff for 'Klez' in and seeing how it sounded. It sounded rubbish. So on the spot came up with a simple riff. The bass is drop-D, and it sounds great. Really quite dark and deep. It also has a kinda rough feel about it too. I really like it. The song is going to be worked on when I can, but I have so many ideas for the song. So many things I'd like to do to it. Maybe like to put a synth part in the middle of the song; and at chorus do a rhythm guitar part cut up with each strum coming out of different earphones (like Bloc Party do in many songs on 'Silent Alarm'). Also got a lot of editing to do, but I am very much looking forward to doing it. The song is still a blank canvas to me, and I can't wait to work on it.
I am listening to the version I have at the moment as I write this on the bus. I am dying to work on it.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
Coming soon - webpages for 'Anonymous'.
Saturday, 8 January 2011
The story behind - A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust
"Well it was like a bar-utterfly, and a bouncy castle, and a poule joust..." repeated the old cassette tape, over and over.
Back in around 2001, Stuart and I had borrowed his step-dad's telephone recorder and there was a taped conversation on it. Amongst it all was that sentence, said by some unknown man. By the sounds of it, that's what we think he said anyway.
We had recorded this onto my little, poor quality tape cassette recorder. Better than nothing at the time I suppose. Once we recorded it over and over in different variations, again and again, we then stuck the end of the whole conversation on the tape, then played it on another cassette player and got recording the song.
I am sure I played keyboards in it, and Stuart the guitar. The song, for what it was and how it was recorded, I still consider quite a good one. One of the better tape cassette recordings from then. I always remembered thinking Stuart and I had done well to record that song the way it sounded, on a crappy old cassette tape player.
About 6 years later in 2007, I was living in my new flat. I hadn't lived there long. It was my first proper flat with my flatmate Geo. They were good times.
I sat with my laptop on a horrid tiled table, holding my white electro-acoustic, considering what to do next. I had this riff. Had it for months. Was very deep and sad sounding, literary a drop D tune. I remember asking Geo what kinda mood it evoked in him, and he said sad and nostalgic. I also felt it had a nostalgic quality to it.
I had been writing a lot of new songs, and they were all personal to me: Merchant City Man, Mother you deserve, Thursday 5th April 2007 @ 11.51am, etc. I had been listening to the Stereophonics album 'You Gotta Go There To Come Back' - an album I didn't rate highly at first, but with time became one of my favourite albums ever. I wanted to do the whole honesty thing and look at my life, and essentially write about it in an open way. I had always tended to write songs in a very metaphorical way, or political. I had never written about me and my real feelings. So I did.
The nostalgic idea got me thinking. What could I write about? What mattered to me, that I had nostalgic thoughts about? What was significant in my past that now made me sad? It took months to consider the subject matter. Then one day I had the idea of writing about a friendship. Then I thought about one of my best friendships from my youth which had unfortunately at the that time had fallen away - the one with Stuart.
I sat and the lyrics essentially wrote themself. I always had the nostalgic memory of us in my room in my mum's house, looking through catalogues at 3am, deciding what we'd get when we'd get a flat together. Largely what the first verse is about. Another memory was when we use to talk about ghosts and aliens and keep each other up doing all nighters discussing it. Second verse. The third nostalgic memory was about our time making the WriCarHam, and everything with that. Third verse. And then the last memory (or fourth verse) is regarding our time jamming, writing anf recording music, and us trying to get a band together. The last line of the last verse used to sing 'the friendship we lost forever', however I have since changed that as the friendship began again in 2009. It now ends on 'lost'.
The dilemma I had for weeks after that was deciding on the best title for the song. I had ideas, one was something like 'Two Jesters in a pack of cards' or something like that. Didn't think it had an all round significance however. So looked at different opinions, and I thought of our song writing endeavours, and thought of 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust'. I thought, the title doesn't make any sense, as both Stuart and I didn't when we were together. We tended to be a couple of fools, with a crude and mental sense of humour. We were just a little eccentric. Also because 'A Butterfly..' didn't have any lyrics (the 2001 recording) I thought it'd be a good all round title for the song. The lyrics are very deep and meaningful, but the title ridiculous and pointless. The extremities with which me and Stuart lived our lives on.
A Butterly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust
We use to chat through the moonlight hours,
In my room, on the floor in our sleeping bags,
Allowed the ghosts to overwhelm our minds,
Our souls so spiritualised,
We hypothesised what happens when we die,
We stayed the night and freaked each other out,
Stories told, lives shared alike,
We watched the videos,
Watched the memories,
When we were young, when we laughed at nothing,
We were a couple of jesters then,
We longed for the band that never happened,
We tried and we tried, but it never got started,
The Heads of State, spent years together,
But in the. end, the friendship we lost (forever)
Written in July of 2007 for 'Be Lucky'
Since writing it I have recorded numerous versions of it, as recent as December 2010. This was the first song I played on 'Sunny Govan Radio' in August 2007; and I have played it at numerous gigs particularly in late 2007 and 2008.
Watch this space, for more 'The story behind',
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/wullaewright
New 'Anonymous' music and webpages coming soon in 2011.
Back in around 2001, Stuart and I had borrowed his step-dad's telephone recorder and there was a taped conversation on it. Amongst it all was that sentence, said by some unknown man. By the sounds of it, that's what we think he said anyway.
We had recorded this onto my little, poor quality tape cassette recorder. Better than nothing at the time I suppose. Once we recorded it over and over in different variations, again and again, we then stuck the end of the whole conversation on the tape, then played it on another cassette player and got recording the song.
I am sure I played keyboards in it, and Stuart the guitar. The song, for what it was and how it was recorded, I still consider quite a good one. One of the better tape cassette recordings from then. I always remembered thinking Stuart and I had done well to record that song the way it sounded, on a crappy old cassette tape player.
About 6 years later in 2007, I was living in my new flat. I hadn't lived there long. It was my first proper flat with my flatmate Geo. They were good times.
I sat with my laptop on a horrid tiled table, holding my white electro-acoustic, considering what to do next. I had this riff. Had it for months. Was very deep and sad sounding, literary a drop D tune. I remember asking Geo what kinda mood it evoked in him, and he said sad and nostalgic. I also felt it had a nostalgic quality to it.
I had been writing a lot of new songs, and they were all personal to me: Merchant City Man, Mother you deserve, Thursday 5th April 2007 @ 11.51am, etc. I had been listening to the Stereophonics album 'You Gotta Go There To Come Back' - an album I didn't rate highly at first, but with time became one of my favourite albums ever. I wanted to do the whole honesty thing and look at my life, and essentially write about it in an open way. I had always tended to write songs in a very metaphorical way, or political. I had never written about me and my real feelings. So I did.
The nostalgic idea got me thinking. What could I write about? What mattered to me, that I had nostalgic thoughts about? What was significant in my past that now made me sad? It took months to consider the subject matter. Then one day I had the idea of writing about a friendship. Then I thought about one of my best friendships from my youth which had unfortunately at the that time had fallen away - the one with Stuart.
I sat and the lyrics essentially wrote themself. I always had the nostalgic memory of us in my room in my mum's house, looking through catalogues at 3am, deciding what we'd get when we'd get a flat together. Largely what the first verse is about. Another memory was when we use to talk about ghosts and aliens and keep each other up doing all nighters discussing it. Second verse. The third nostalgic memory was about our time making the WriCarHam, and everything with that. Third verse. And then the last memory (or fourth verse) is regarding our time jamming, writing anf recording music, and us trying to get a band together. The last line of the last verse used to sing 'the friendship we lost forever', however I have since changed that as the friendship began again in 2009. It now ends on 'lost'.
The dilemma I had for weeks after that was deciding on the best title for the song. I had ideas, one was something like 'Two Jesters in a pack of cards' or something like that. Didn't think it had an all round significance however. So looked at different opinions, and I thought of our song writing endeavours, and thought of 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust'. I thought, the title doesn't make any sense, as both Stuart and I didn't when we were together. We tended to be a couple of fools, with a crude and mental sense of humour. We were just a little eccentric. Also because 'A Butterfly..' didn't have any lyrics (the 2001 recording) I thought it'd be a good all round title for the song. The lyrics are very deep and meaningful, but the title ridiculous and pointless. The extremities with which me and Stuart lived our lives on.
A Butterly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust
We use to chat through the moonlight hours,
In my room, on the floor in our sleeping bags,
Allowed the ghosts to overwhelm our minds,
Our souls so spiritualised,
We hypothesised what happens when we die,
We stayed the night and freaked each other out,
Stories told, lives shared alike,
We watched the videos,
Watched the memories,
When we were young, when we laughed at nothing,
We were a couple of jesters then,
We longed for the band that never happened,
We tried and we tried, but it never got started,
The Heads of State, spent years together,
But in the. end, the friendship we lost (forever)
Written in July of 2007 for 'Be Lucky'
Since writing it I have recorded numerous versions of it, as recent as December 2010. This was the first song I played on 'Sunny Govan Radio' in August 2007; and I have played it at numerous gigs particularly in late 2007 and 2008.
Watch this space, for more 'The story behind',
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/wullaewright
New 'Anonymous' music and webpages coming soon in 2011.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Anonymous Artwork
New look for new music in 2011. Happy New year to you all, and see you 2011,
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/wullaewright
www.twitter.com/wullaewright
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Anonymous
For the last nine days, I have been working constantly in a row. I have three more to work after this, and I have had little time for music. However, during these nine days, I began writing about new subject matter.
Since the virus attacked my computer again, I have been in limbo with my music. I have been starting numerous projects and not seeing them through. I'm indecisive. Start one thing and don't finish it. Quite annoying actually. I still want to complete 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey', 'Tape Cassettes from 1999-2002', 'New Versions of Tape Cassettes' and 'Compositions', but at the moment I don't feel inspired enough to continue them.
I am in a crap situation at the moment where, I don't have many of my songs on the computer anymore due to the virus. They are on the internet; however I cannot access the internet properly. I have a phone with the net; but does not allow me to download the songs. I can use library computers; but won't allow me to access soundcloud. I have 'In Cloud Cuckooland' songs on myspace, but can't download them because I didn't allow anyone to. I feel I am at a huge lose, and it is annoying. I feel like a need a brand new wave of inspiration. And I think I have it.
On the bus, going to and from work, I have been reading the London Evening Standard app I have on my phone. Virtual newspaper; good times. My ipod keeps switching itself off completely about 5 minutes after leaving the house so I have nothing to listen to, and it is quite depressing. However the app has allowed me to gain a large interest in the Julian Assange/wikileaks news stories. The way the story is working out, and the battle of information makes very interesting anf quite exciting reading. It has made me look at the net in a completely different way. The influence it has on us, the effects it can have, the secrecy and manipulation; the misuse of information and the controlled freedom of how it is used, and how it is an open ground with little law. It is an intriguing world. I started to read about the group 'Anonymous', and how they are fighting to keep the internet free from corruption of corporate and political influence. I rarely read the news because there can be such a monotony with the stories, but this is interesting. It has opened my mind to a whole world I have had never considered.
So on the bus I have been writing. Writing exactly what I have been reading about, and how I feel about the internet. When my ipod had been working properly (today it is not as I write this on the bus) I have been listening to Rage Against the Machine's 'The Battle for Los Angeles'. I also heard a song my brother has written and recorded with his friends, and it sounds amazing. Both have inspired me to write a very dance electronic album, with rock style bass riffs, electronic sounding guitar riffs, and angry rap style lyrics and singing. This is the angle I am hoping to go for. I want to get the recording quality sounding the best that I can possibly do.
So on the bus I began writing about the group Anonymous, Julian Assange, videos and on the net and there influence, a set of unfinished lyrics about a wikileaks story regarding Sudan, and an introduction song about people who have lost everything due to the net, and want to fight back. Here is exactly what I have written on the notes of my phone:
A futuristic sounding album (or cloud cuckooesque) about the internet and data, etc.
Album ideas:
Welcome to the Anonymous
Anonymous
Song titles:
Do Not Feed the Trolls
Honey-trap
Video Nasty
Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)
Citadel
Song ideas/lyrics:
Video nasty - about the culture of being able to view videos of anything on the net
The tube killed the T.V star,
Pixelated, inebreated, mr nobodys maw,
Type in the search bar, dirt, filth, adult themes,
Accessable to all, and your children
Enter the world of the video nasty (carry on nasty into next line but with delays and jerks in vocals),
Tasteless, vile and pointless,
The monotony of the random,
A million viewings boo bam, of what?
An endless selection of nothing,
Reality can be so disgusting,
Enter the world of the video nasty,
Tasteless, vile and pointless,
Vast amount of disturbing and offensive material,
That the next generations eyes wonder over, as their parents read their papers with little knowledge of the reality,
They learn to make bombs, extremism,
Dine on the images that are so readily available, readily available
Honey-trap: about wikileaks and founder julian assange, and how the police have been trying to catch him,
Man, framed, political, spin (repeated with effect would sound cool, maybe as the back beat to go to, as intro to song)
Bridging the gap, the gap that we want to know,
Completing the jigsaw, the pieces we thought'd we'd lost,
They are out to get him for what he knows,
For what he knows, will shine the light, on those who want, to drown him out,
Set up a honey-trap, lead him in,
Divulge the man and all his sin,
No wait, you're kidding, it's all political spin,
Encourage the man, and all his kin,
So you caught him; no wait, I heard he handed himself in?
No matter, the battle has begun, the war ensues,
The leaking tap drips, and each drip creates a sea, and they will drown,
Too many heads too count,
Hacktivists: about the people who support freedom of information on the internet
Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)
You fuck with them and you fuck with us,
My name is only mine, not yours nor his, nor Government checks,
Or Government reckless,
Key words in bold in red, you seek destroy, and invade my home,
I.P address, not yours not his, my activities are mine, my freedom bliss,
But it's all pissed on, uploaded, exploded all out of context, text messages unread, but read by your eyes,
I wanna say, what I want to say; don't agree with the heads of state or what the bible says; it's not your choice what my mind wants and my heart believes,
I active my hate by attacking debates, attacking the sites that binde our fate, tying us in to contracts and sin, recycle bin, further political spin,
The net's a prison of information, yours and I, of yours and I, social network sites delight in knowing too much about you, you know better than you do; what's your name and your number and your home address, we need to track you, watch you and hunt you down
Chorus
Act now, the hacktivists fuck them back, tear down the virtual flag that elevate them so, welcome to the anonymous, destroying data the corporate giants hold, hacktivists, active and wake us all, to the horrible control the web has become,
The server's down; oh no, it's a Government clown, stalking my words, message and images, plotting to use, the words I use, abuse, my freedom and innocence, in this paranoid monopoly,
5.8 Billion
? - about the wikileaks leak of information regarding the money stolen by Sudanese leader from his people, and stored in a secret london bank account with lloydstsb.
Where's the fucking money punk?
You've chopped up your own heart,
You invest in death,
100 pound notes scatter the landscape
Like the gravestones it represents,
Clandestine bank accounts, away from the bloodbath,
A sign of guilt, pathetic signs of guilt,
5.8 billion headstones shine in the darking sunset,
As the President packs his pockets, to become a fat fucking greedy shit,
To ensure he lives peacefully, he has ruined your childrens' future,
Do not feed the Trolls
- about those who have seen what the net can do to them, and about those who will continue to fight on for the freedom of information, and against the corporate nature the net has become.
I have ruined my life, because you persuaded me to,
Opened up to others, created environments for you to rummage,
I should have barricaded myself in, but I let you in,
The images, information and my thoughts for you, which you stole,
I have been watched and cheated on,
Accepted simple lies; white and shiny with a nice logo,
Not read contractual conditions, clicked box without reading,
Lost my account, my home, my livelihood,
I was attacked because I was blind to see,
And now I will break the system, with you and everyone in it...
The battle has begun...
All written between 16-19 of December 2010, going back and forth to work on the bus.
So I had these ideas in my phone. Nothing but ideas. A hollow shell, that needed filled. And so I had the urge to get recording. Itching to try and put a sound and some artwork to this idea. I want to make some graphic computer art for it, something that looks futurtistic.
So last night, when my wife was on the phone, I began working on a cover. It only took me about 30 minutes to finish it, and it looks great. Started looking through pictures and found one of a fire work I took. Tried editing it but didn't look good. So just worked with a black back ground, and messed about with three colours: black, light blue and dark blue. Left it largely simply designed, and it looks amazing. Very different from what I'd normally do.
So then I thought with some extra time I had, I'd start mixing some beats and noises, like I had with 'In the Mix'. So I began with a noise that sounds like an alarm, and then repeated the end of it. I got a big of a drum beat from a file that is in the recording of my song 'Magpie', and simply put the beat next to the alarm noise. Duplicated the beat, and put one with reverb. Sounds amazing. Put one drum slight off centre to right; and other to left. The took a sample of a guitar riff I have made for magpie, and edited it and chopped it up and got a very cool sounding guitar loop. I tried other noises too, but none were quite working with it. I also added a bass sample from again, 'Magpie', but edited it so much that it turn into a weird sounding symbol beat. Laid it beside drums, and the cut the song up and edited bits. The tune actually sounds amazing, and is very different from my normal stuff. Also, the quality is spot on. This is as far as I have got with the tune. But it is coming together. Very simply, and easily. I am dying to finish the song. I'd like to add a distorted bass riff; something funky and rocky; would like to add a cool guitar solo that is very electronic sounding and cut up, and want to sing some angry clear vocals. Can't wait to get back to work on it.
If I don't get another virus, I can see this being the musical start to 2011 for me. And the sound I have on this new recording is very very strong. I'm excited about it.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
Since the virus attacked my computer again, I have been in limbo with my music. I have been starting numerous projects and not seeing them through. I'm indecisive. Start one thing and don't finish it. Quite annoying actually. I still want to complete 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey', 'Tape Cassettes from 1999-2002', 'New Versions of Tape Cassettes' and 'Compositions', but at the moment I don't feel inspired enough to continue them.
I am in a crap situation at the moment where, I don't have many of my songs on the computer anymore due to the virus. They are on the internet; however I cannot access the internet properly. I have a phone with the net; but does not allow me to download the songs. I can use library computers; but won't allow me to access soundcloud. I have 'In Cloud Cuckooland' songs on myspace, but can't download them because I didn't allow anyone to. I feel I am at a huge lose, and it is annoying. I feel like a need a brand new wave of inspiration. And I think I have it.
On the bus, going to and from work, I have been reading the London Evening Standard app I have on my phone. Virtual newspaper; good times. My ipod keeps switching itself off completely about 5 minutes after leaving the house so I have nothing to listen to, and it is quite depressing. However the app has allowed me to gain a large interest in the Julian Assange/wikileaks news stories. The way the story is working out, and the battle of information makes very interesting anf quite exciting reading. It has made me look at the net in a completely different way. The influence it has on us, the effects it can have, the secrecy and manipulation; the misuse of information and the controlled freedom of how it is used, and how it is an open ground with little law. It is an intriguing world. I started to read about the group 'Anonymous', and how they are fighting to keep the internet free from corruption of corporate and political influence. I rarely read the news because there can be such a monotony with the stories, but this is interesting. It has opened my mind to a whole world I have had never considered.
So on the bus I have been writing. Writing exactly what I have been reading about, and how I feel about the internet. When my ipod had been working properly (today it is not as I write this on the bus) I have been listening to Rage Against the Machine's 'The Battle for Los Angeles'. I also heard a song my brother has written and recorded with his friends, and it sounds amazing. Both have inspired me to write a very dance electronic album, with rock style bass riffs, electronic sounding guitar riffs, and angry rap style lyrics and singing. This is the angle I am hoping to go for. I want to get the recording quality sounding the best that I can possibly do.
So on the bus I began writing about the group Anonymous, Julian Assange, videos and on the net and there influence, a set of unfinished lyrics about a wikileaks story regarding Sudan, and an introduction song about people who have lost everything due to the net, and want to fight back. Here is exactly what I have written on the notes of my phone:
A futuristic sounding album (or cloud cuckooesque) about the internet and data, etc.
Album ideas:
Welcome to the Anonymous
Anonymous
Song titles:
Do Not Feed the Trolls
Honey-trap
Video Nasty
Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)
Citadel
Song ideas/lyrics:
Video nasty - about the culture of being able to view videos of anything on the net
The tube killed the T.V star,
Pixelated, inebreated, mr nobodys maw,
Type in the search bar, dirt, filth, adult themes,
Accessable to all, and your children
Enter the world of the video nasty (carry on nasty into next line but with delays and jerks in vocals),
Tasteless, vile and pointless,
The monotony of the random,
A million viewings boo bam, of what?
An endless selection of nothing,
Reality can be so disgusting,
Enter the world of the video nasty,
Tasteless, vile and pointless,
Vast amount of disturbing and offensive material,
That the next generations eyes wonder over, as their parents read their papers with little knowledge of the reality,
They learn to make bombs, extremism,
Dine on the images that are so readily available, readily available
Honey-trap: about wikileaks and founder julian assange, and how the police have been trying to catch him,
Man, framed, political, spin (repeated with effect would sound cool, maybe as the back beat to go to, as intro to song)
Bridging the gap, the gap that we want to know,
Completing the jigsaw, the pieces we thought'd we'd lost,
They are out to get him for what he knows,
For what he knows, will shine the light, on those who want, to drown him out,
Set up a honey-trap, lead him in,
Divulge the man and all his sin,
No wait, you're kidding, it's all political spin,
Encourage the man, and all his kin,
So you caught him; no wait, I heard he handed himself in?
No matter, the battle has begun, the war ensues,
The leaking tap drips, and each drip creates a sea, and they will drown,
Too many heads too count,
Hacktivists: about the people who support freedom of information on the internet
Hacktivists (Welcome to the Anonymous)
You fuck with them and you fuck with us,
My name is only mine, not yours nor his, nor Government checks,
Or Government reckless,
Key words in bold in red, you seek destroy, and invade my home,
I.P address, not yours not his, my activities are mine, my freedom bliss,
But it's all pissed on, uploaded, exploded all out of context, text messages unread, but read by your eyes,
I wanna say, what I want to say; don't agree with the heads of state or what the bible says; it's not your choice what my mind wants and my heart believes,
I active my hate by attacking debates, attacking the sites that binde our fate, tying us in to contracts and sin, recycle bin, further political spin,
The net's a prison of information, yours and I, of yours and I, social network sites delight in knowing too much about you, you know better than you do; what's your name and your number and your home address, we need to track you, watch you and hunt you down
Chorus
Act now, the hacktivists fuck them back, tear down the virtual flag that elevate them so, welcome to the anonymous, destroying data the corporate giants hold, hacktivists, active and wake us all, to the horrible control the web has become,
The server's down; oh no, it's a Government clown, stalking my words, message and images, plotting to use, the words I use, abuse, my freedom and innocence, in this paranoid monopoly,
5.8 Billion
? - about the wikileaks leak of information regarding the money stolen by Sudanese leader from his people, and stored in a secret london bank account with lloydstsb.
Where's the fucking money punk?
You've chopped up your own heart,
You invest in death,
100 pound notes scatter the landscape
Like the gravestones it represents,
Clandestine bank accounts, away from the bloodbath,
A sign of guilt, pathetic signs of guilt,
5.8 billion headstones shine in the darking sunset,
As the President packs his pockets, to become a fat fucking greedy shit,
To ensure he lives peacefully, he has ruined your childrens' future,
Do not feed the Trolls
- about those who have seen what the net can do to them, and about those who will continue to fight on for the freedom of information, and against the corporate nature the net has become.
I have ruined my life, because you persuaded me to,
Opened up to others, created environments for you to rummage,
I should have barricaded myself in, but I let you in,
The images, information and my thoughts for you, which you stole,
I have been watched and cheated on,
Accepted simple lies; white and shiny with a nice logo,
Not read contractual conditions, clicked box without reading,
Lost my account, my home, my livelihood,
I was attacked because I was blind to see,
And now I will break the system, with you and everyone in it...
The battle has begun...
All written between 16-19 of December 2010, going back and forth to work on the bus.
So I had these ideas in my phone. Nothing but ideas. A hollow shell, that needed filled. And so I had the urge to get recording. Itching to try and put a sound and some artwork to this idea. I want to make some graphic computer art for it, something that looks futurtistic.
So last night, when my wife was on the phone, I began working on a cover. It only took me about 30 minutes to finish it, and it looks great. Started looking through pictures and found one of a fire work I took. Tried editing it but didn't look good. So just worked with a black back ground, and messed about with three colours: black, light blue and dark blue. Left it largely simply designed, and it looks amazing. Very different from what I'd normally do.
So then I thought with some extra time I had, I'd start mixing some beats and noises, like I had with 'In the Mix'. So I began with a noise that sounds like an alarm, and then repeated the end of it. I got a big of a drum beat from a file that is in the recording of my song 'Magpie', and simply put the beat next to the alarm noise. Duplicated the beat, and put one with reverb. Sounds amazing. Put one drum slight off centre to right; and other to left. The took a sample of a guitar riff I have made for magpie, and edited it and chopped it up and got a very cool sounding guitar loop. I tried other noises too, but none were quite working with it. I also added a bass sample from again, 'Magpie', but edited it so much that it turn into a weird sounding symbol beat. Laid it beside drums, and the cut the song up and edited bits. The tune actually sounds amazing, and is very different from my normal stuff. Also, the quality is spot on. This is as far as I have got with the tune. But it is coming together. Very simply, and easily. I am dying to finish the song. I'd like to add a distorted bass riff; something funky and rocky; would like to add a cool guitar solo that is very electronic sounding and cut up, and want to sing some angry clear vocals. Can't wait to get back to work on it.
If I don't get another virus, I can see this being the musical start to 2011 for me. And the sound I have on this new recording is very very strong. I'm excited about it.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Compositions
I have been away for ages, haven't I? Jeezo. Well, I am still here and still alive. And more importantly still writing and recording music.
Of late I have recorded very little, and written even less. I have been working a lot, and due to the wintery weather, have found it hard to find time.
However a few nights ago, my wife went out to the panto with some friends, and I was at home, with only the cats. So I decided this would be a good time to try and record something. I had an idea to just practice an idea I have for a setlist for the next gig I may do, but opted not to. I still wish to fulfil that however.
The computer had been moved into the bedroom as during the week our spareroom carpet had been soaked by water seeping in through the windows. It had flooded a few rooms of the neighbours downstairs. Was pretty bad.
So I had an idea to put my violin to good use and try and record an acoustic/violin collection of songs.
These songs would be well written acoustic songs that I have that either: I have never recorded properly; recorded before but is of a different sound; or never recorded before. With these I may also add piano, if I think it doesn't destroy the song.
So on that night I began recording a song called 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust', written about the friendship Stuart Carroll and I use to have. At the time of writing it I genuinely didn't think we'd see one another again. It is a very nostalgic song. So I recorded the acoustic part. Listened back and it was too bassy. So did it again. Had altered bass, and sounded great. So I experimented with the violin.
Now, just a note. I don't actually know how to play violin. I attempt it and if I think it sounds good, I will edit it. My violin is not even tuned properly, but I will persever.
So I recorded 3 different violin sections for the song and a plucked violin part, with many mistakes in each throughout. But after editing, and leaving good pieces in, it actually has come together very well. I still need to edit it further and add the sets of vocals, but it sound great so far, and different from what I'd normally do. Just simple compositions.
So I then began recording 'Red Bridge'. That song is probably one of my best live songs, and people generally comment that it is a good song. I have only ever recorded a 'After the Rush Hour's Gone' version of the song, which is made up of drums beats, reversed samples, keyboard synth, bass and electric guitar. So this version is purely acoustic and violin at the moment. Recorded both parts and both sounded great. Again, the odd mistake here and there with the violin, but still aftering editing I am sure I could get it sounding great.
I have been unable to go back to the recordings however, due to my wife being off and having to use the computer. I am eager to get back to them however and record the vocals for them. Have to just be patient and wait. I also want to make new artwork, album title and just general image for them. I have had much new artwork and ideas recently for 'Slowly slowly', 'cassette tapes' and 'new versions'. But I do want to do this too. Hopefully when the time is right I will record further 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey' songs.
Here are some of the ideas I have had for the new collection of acoustic/violin songs:
Album name ideas:
Tranquil and untroubled tremolo
The Avantgarde Compositions
Avantgarde
Compositions
Inspired by Compositions
I am thinking 'compositions' would be a good title. And here are some of the name adaptations I am considering:
1. Concerto of 4 violins and acoustic guitar: 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust'
2. A violin and acoustic guitar: 'Red Bridge'
The concern I have with changing the names here is that it comes across as being pretentious. But I'll see how everything progresses.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/aftertherushhoursgone
Of late I have recorded very little, and written even less. I have been working a lot, and due to the wintery weather, have found it hard to find time.
However a few nights ago, my wife went out to the panto with some friends, and I was at home, with only the cats. So I decided this would be a good time to try and record something. I had an idea to just practice an idea I have for a setlist for the next gig I may do, but opted not to. I still wish to fulfil that however.
The computer had been moved into the bedroom as during the week our spareroom carpet had been soaked by water seeping in through the windows. It had flooded a few rooms of the neighbours downstairs. Was pretty bad.
So I had an idea to put my violin to good use and try and record an acoustic/violin collection of songs.
These songs would be well written acoustic songs that I have that either: I have never recorded properly; recorded before but is of a different sound; or never recorded before. With these I may also add piano, if I think it doesn't destroy the song.
So on that night I began recording a song called 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust', written about the friendship Stuart Carroll and I use to have. At the time of writing it I genuinely didn't think we'd see one another again. It is a very nostalgic song. So I recorded the acoustic part. Listened back and it was too bassy. So did it again. Had altered bass, and sounded great. So I experimented with the violin.
Now, just a note. I don't actually know how to play violin. I attempt it and if I think it sounds good, I will edit it. My violin is not even tuned properly, but I will persever.
So I recorded 3 different violin sections for the song and a plucked violin part, with many mistakes in each throughout. But after editing, and leaving good pieces in, it actually has come together very well. I still need to edit it further and add the sets of vocals, but it sound great so far, and different from what I'd normally do. Just simple compositions.
So I then began recording 'Red Bridge'. That song is probably one of my best live songs, and people generally comment that it is a good song. I have only ever recorded a 'After the Rush Hour's Gone' version of the song, which is made up of drums beats, reversed samples, keyboard synth, bass and electric guitar. So this version is purely acoustic and violin at the moment. Recorded both parts and both sounded great. Again, the odd mistake here and there with the violin, but still aftering editing I am sure I could get it sounding great.
I have been unable to go back to the recordings however, due to my wife being off and having to use the computer. I am eager to get back to them however and record the vocals for them. Have to just be patient and wait. I also want to make new artwork, album title and just general image for them. I have had much new artwork and ideas recently for 'Slowly slowly', 'cassette tapes' and 'new versions'. But I do want to do this too. Hopefully when the time is right I will record further 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey' songs.
Here are some of the ideas I have had for the new collection of acoustic/violin songs:
Album name ideas:
Tranquil and untroubled tremolo
The Avantgarde Compositions
Avantgarde
Compositions
Inspired by Compositions
I am thinking 'compositions' would be a good title. And here are some of the name adaptations I am considering:
1. Concerto of 4 violins and acoustic guitar: 'A Butterfly, A Bouncy Castle and A Pole Joust'
2. A violin and acoustic guitar: 'Red Bridge'
The concern I have with changing the names here is that it comes across as being pretentious. But I'll see how everything progresses.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/aftertherushhoursgone
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