Box of Sox ii

How did I make this? Too easy: www.bannersketch.com

So... where did the idea for the (unofficial) band name come from? Last month, Matt was moving house, and literally in passing conversation he mentioned something about his box of socks... and HERE THEY ARE!

I love the look and the sound of the name "Box of Sox" (three "O's" and two "X's")... we'll have to wait and see how the others feel about it!

Here's one of Mr Matt, taken just yesterday evening as the sun was setting behind us. We were sharing a few quiet 'sherbets' sitting on his balcony, chatting away happily. The pic that follows is the view from the balcony at Matt's place... a different perspective of Bathurst. We've watched a few moon rises sitting there... great view!




Well, after a few more 'sherbets' [he was drinking vodka, I wasn't drinking half of what he was! I swears! Honest! rofl] We started playing a bit of music. At one stage we had a guitar and harmonica in his long empty stairway hallway - the sounds were amazing. Thankfully where he lives, there are no neighbors! Later Matt pulled out his harmonica and had a blast with the echo sounds in his tiled kitchen.


I'm slowly trying to 'teach' him in the way and art of recording... showing him how recording ideas and soundscapes can come together wherever you are. So yeah... we'll be doing a lot of recording in his stairway hallway and kitchen [for great natural echo/reverb sounds].

Later on, Mick popped around, after a long days' driving, for a quick drink. Of course the guitars came out... we actually jammed to ourselves... erm... Matt had recorded a rehearsal from Mick's basement about 4 months ago, and I'd set it up so we could hear it back again last night (I think I know more about his machines than he does at this stage! Whups!). So yeah, Mick, Matt and myself, each on various acoustic guitars, were doodling around, playing to ourselves on 'tape'. Swapping guitar lines, a quiet embellishment here and there, a layered lead break or two now and again. Nothing major, just simple fun interplay doodling.

Now THAT was fun.

Matt nearly fell over when I told him that actually recording stuff as a band - it'll be THAT easy! Literally sitting around in a loungeroom (no need for expensive recording studios), getting into a groove, and hitting "record" and then leaving the 'tape' run for as long as we want... lots of magical moments can get recorded, produced and mixed at a later date - all at home. He doesn't appreciate it all - yet. But he will. Oh yes, he will! (Laughs maniacally)

We're looking forward to tomorrows' rehearsal, certainly.

And I'm obviously looking forward to getting back into the swing of recording again as well. Apparently I've been tagged as the 'bands' "Recording Engineer" without me knowing it, Matt joked! heh heh.

And while my 12-track digital machine should arrive on Monday... the beauty of it all is that Matt has a 16-track version of the same thing. Between the five of us, we've got enough instruments, all mics (SM- 57's and 58's) here, boom stands, and enough outboard effects to do almost anything we want to. My kick will be recording stuff using natural sound acoustics... like I've already mentioned, in a long hallway, a tiled kitchen, and right next door is a large empty hall that we can easily utilize to record some drums in, for that really large sound. So yeah - bring it on.

Looking forward to it, certainly... but I haven't engineered and recorded stuff myself for a few years now... while it's like riding a bike (you don't forget), my first few early attempts getting to grip with a new machine (which, after experimenting with matt's model last night, will be very user-friendly) should be rather quite amusing!

Me? Phil Spector? No no no... more like George Martin or Alan Parsons! hahahahaa.

Another random thing that life throws at you... a young Aussie guy who is a REALLY GOOD hip-hop rapper (that's not my thing, but he's got it down to a fine art - I'm serious, he's GOOD!) came around last night as well... there's a possibility of doing some kind of musical work with him as well, even if it's just producing some samples or breaks or whatever. But, of course, it's a "I'll wait and see what happens". Now, that's something different for me. Yeah!

After "The Surprise" broke up in 1991, the next "band project" was something we dubbed "M.A.D", and basically it was house band, using samples and breaks of the then-current house and hip-hop dance music. That was an interesting (and rather successful) side-project for us all, for about six months. I mean, come on - we weren't rappers. But yeah - once we got the samples and the stuff edited, and got a light show happening and some production for live performances... 500 teenagers would go absolutely ape-shit dancing all night to that stuff! It was playing-by-proxy, but still fun.

Funny if I'd end up doing something vaguely similar these days as well?!? As well as the rock band? Golly. That'd be great. But, as they say, "we'll see". heh heh

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I'm still blown away and highly humbled by Jac's gracious gift. Thank you so much, yet again!

I've spent a quiet evening slowly beginning to sort-thru my Flickr photo albums. I was out last night, and I'll be out most of tomorrow... so one night in won't hurt me now, will it...?!? heh heh

Peas be with ewe

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