Friday 18 Sep 2020, 11:37pm
When I'm farting around on my DAW, finding tones and textures that trigger off things that matter when I'm out having a good boogie, and it's realising when I'm mixing drums, that what I'm trying to acheive, is like one of those moments of magic when you're out, on a good one, and you get a chance to somehow hear the sound of all those feet bouncinf and stomping to well written rhythm/drum grooves. You'll hear real feet doing all of it, and the polyrhythm/harmonies.
SO........
I'm finding ways that my approach to dancing music (guitar/acoustic/digital/techno/skiffle/who cares) can be made into something that benefits the city i love, and being pretty unhappy with the band scene in Scotland for it's focusd on being accepted by record labels and sh#t, feel the ure to strip some things right down to utter basics, and get back to roots with ideally, folk who (any age over 18 till clog-popping age, so long as you're an energy hound) if not proficient, have a good feel for GROOVES over and above basic surface genre, and possibly enjoy plonking around on other instruments, or be a DJ, or whatever(other disciplines) And use some universal polyrhythms I've learned over 35 decades.
The ''workshopping'' sessions begin with teaching one, then two, then a third, then fourth rythm line.
And get good enough so we all know, (as with good acapela bands with all singers able to solo) all the four parts backwards, each of us.
That way, once we are in a ''performance'' situation at the sort of parties and festies i get invited or go to, we know we are all using the SAME ''palete'' like painters. And with a good pair of ears, and a functioning brain (ears and brain are the mixing desk when playing acoustically. If you can't hear the others beside you playing, then you are too loud, not they too quiet).
Purpose?
Well, it'll benefit anyone, much as it did myself when living in north east london in the 80's when i experienced Jamaican ''Blues parties'', also called ''Rent Parties'', where, if it was known a local had a house which was fine with neighbours/parties, then they'd ask you if ok, and bring loads of Jamaican booze, and own buncers, and charge everyone invited a little amount to ensure whatever was needing croud-funded, got done. I noticed when some folk would grab things and percuss, that their was an ''invisible'' system they all seemed to know. And noticed too, that for roots musics (R&B based, for example) Each person, like a singer of an acapele band, was tapping whatever they were drumming on (chairs, cans, pots, brought drums, etc) co-incided with various notes, or the energy of where and what those noted suggested in feel and groove.
And noticed too, that this was what made most rock that attempts to be dance music (which rock n roll was itself MEANT to be) it always falls REALLY short, and stuck in a vane rut.
So, it will benefit anyone. Especially if you enjoy dancing. We'll all feel it when you get into it.
And also, as I've a load of digital gear, and basses, and guitars, and a pile of African drums, then am VERY into roots dance based grooves applied to a trippy digital aspect, and any ''real'' instruments any of us get a feel to add (no contriving. Be patient, let it grow and write itself), and keep partyintg like this till it might become something that has a vebnue for once a month. Grow something unique to Edinburgh 21st century, based on over a century of rootsy genres, and mad music I've gotten to know well, from rootsy 1920s to early 70s R&B, Rocksteady, ska, rockabilly, non-pop soul, funk, new orleans, cajun, skiffle, punk, garage-punk,. early goth (before it became a metal sidshow), 50s to 80s alternative/underground, some of the sub-pop based upon it.
And with friends socializing whiole we have sessions, run a few channels each on a mixing desk with what we've been preparing, and get used to mixing it around and adding to it recording/live as we just enjoy exploring and getting those rocking banging sweet spots. Post-Techno hard ance four to the floor rock n roll energy polyrhythm grooves. With that sort of rooting, and it growing fearlessly from our own parties? Yeh, even the weird trippy stuff WILL work well.
I'm also about to make a start at buying up effects projectors and various visual stuff. Do a unique take on visuals inspired by late 60s/early 70s liquid wheel oil projectors. And have a good eal in hand with a pro company.
Have rehearasal space sorted for when lockdown isn't so much of an issue, and studio space which is being supportive of my needs and goals.
So in effect evolving a catalyst, rather than a band, for people willing to put something in, fearlesssly stand their ground till we sound good without contrived sound-a-likey-ness, but rooted in good earthy solid universal dance grooves that have been around for millenia, and if ain't broken, then who needs fix?
May link in with a local harm reduction bunch too as that's a good thing to do for many reasons.
And into all-day busking sessions once others know enough of the different rhythm lines, anyone can come and go. And get a kitty together.
Sessions in, or outside pubs, and so on. Any way of buiding up ''air hours'' and always be playing ''warm''. or ''hot''. And NOT chase any ''industry'' people AT ALL> Just focus on what we are doing (get your own paying jobs if needed elsewhere as this will be a slow boil) and keep going till it has enough of it's own gravity or resonance for ''therm';' to come to us... even then, we may NOT need them.
We will NOT be able to make anything uniquely OURS/Edinburgh if we do devote time to running around chasing. Feck that man! Integrity, endurance, on-the-level!
And comlicated though this all sounds. It ain't rocket science.
Any person, any level, willing to put time in to get something good and unique out over the next few years as something worth doing, then aye, say hi