Darren Hayman

A Great Horned Owl painted onto a drink/drive Trophy beer mat from the 1970s.

darrenhaymanart.com

Two Tawny Owlets painted onto a drink/drive Brewmaster Export Ale beer mat from the 1970s

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But when you’re demo-ing, what is it about it that doesn’t make it potentially the finished thing? Why can’t there be a moment when you say, oh maybe this isn’t the demo, maybe this is it?

A week. Idiots

A Parakeet painted onto a Highgate Mild Ale beer mat from the 1970s.

darrenhaymanart.com

On the 21st I play my album the Ship’s Piano on a piano, on a ship, I will only do this once, please come. wegottickets.com/fikarecordings

I have this distinct memory of me looking at Malcom and saying ‘I have never heard this music before’ and you going ‘you wrote it you stupid pricks’. Malcom doing a hilarious Alan Partridge shrug.

Just remembering you making an album out of me and Malc dicking around. When I heard the album I was like, I guess Pete made it by himself, and you were like, no I was recording you, you’re on everything. I still don’t really understand how that album happened. Well done.

They’re just excited to have a tape machine at home right? It’s not like modern day band demoing

‘The studio is an instrument’ etc etc

Exactly. It’s how I record too. It’s not that I’m saying everything i put down is brilliant but I put it down with every intention that it could be the best thing i do. Whether it’s a four track, a DAW or a full studio.

Really enjoy this. Also. Demo-ing songs, or ‘pre-production’. You’re doing shit versions first on purpose? What’s wrong with you?

And I thought, no, I don’t know what you’re talking about. If I’m in a studio, if I’ve paid for it or someone else has paid for it. I am always ‘feeling it’ it’s the best job in the world. There’s microphones and instruments … JUST MAKE STUFF!!! The ‘vibe’ is always there.

@pgofton.bsky.social @matthewjashton.bsky.social I tell this story a lot. I was working in the old Duke of Uke above the studio there and an engineer and a musician went in for two hours and came out and went home saying ‘vibe wasn’t there, you know what it’s like, if you’re not feeling it.’ Ctd

Five drink drive beer mat’s with owls painted on.

My drink drive beer mat owl collection. These will probably go up tomorrow morning.

Have you heard that story of Paul Simon getting Jimmy Cliffs band to New York to record Mother and Child? They’re like ‘so we’re cutting an album?’ Simon ‘no one song’ band ‘no, seriously? We’re here for two weeks?’ They couldn’t wrap their heads around it.

Oh we stuck the mic in the sand and it sounded great. Yeah Bob hung the snare out the window and played it upside down, sounded amaaaaazzzing. It’s all bullshit, and I think it’s a fear of …. I dunno… hard work maybe? Or just… having a song?

@matthewjashton.bsky.social @pgofton.bsky.social extra thoughts on this. Instruments are great now. Computers are great. Buy a squire strat and three behringer pedals, and sound like anybody. I think this really annoys a certain type of old bloke who grew up with stories about it being magic. Ctd.

YouTube video by BruceSpringsteenVEVO Bruce Springsteen - Trailer - The Promise: The Making Of Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Can’t find the actual clip but pretty sure it’s in this youtu.be/MgtRFDTkZOI?...

I think that’s why it’s good. It shows the cabin fever gets to everyone. It’s just snare hit after snare hit and he’s just going ‘no, stick, next’

@pgofton.bsky.social have either of you seen the insane Springsteen thing of him going mad trying to find a snare sound where he wanted to hear the snare but not the stick? It’s on a doc somewhere.

Do you remember Doo Rag, who used to make their drum kit at each gig? What have you got here that I can hit or break? There’s a lamp missing upstairs at the Betsy from me trying an improv version of this.

That’s the thing. If you’re enjoying the snare drum choosing then it probably is contributing to making a better record. It’s what ever gets you through it.

Back in my really early 4-track days I put a contact mic on a book and hit it for the kick drum. I’ve heard worst kick drums since.

The thing is , it’s one of the most manipulable things in post. You can make a kick or snare sound like anything afterwards.

Maybe??

Is it supposed to emulate a blurry, swimmy, drunken, vision?

Five beer mats with drink drive slogans on

Painting onto these beer mats next…