www.betika.co.uk
Over the weekend I've been working on arrangement of a new song entitled "The Great Bear". It's something I've been working on for a while, not because it's been particularly hard to write but because the writing process has found me inadvertently straying uncomfortably close to horrible rock cliche. I've been aiming towards a slightly harder, darker sound, but I've been very conscious of the fact that in doing so I'm toeing a very fine line beyond which things cease to be death-pop (or whatever it is that Betika do) and start smelling like the boys' changing rooms at secondary school. The main cause for concern has been the two electric guitar parts, and how easy it is for them to overwhelm the singing in louder songs, and the key to getting them right came from an unexpected source.
My dad has been clearing the remainder of my stuff out of his house (all the stuff I never had room or need for when I discovered the wonderful world of rented accomodation) and delivering it to me in cardboard boxes. While sorting through one of these boxes on saturday I came across a copy of Guitarist magazine from about 1984 that I bought at a car boot sale because it had an early (pre-"Hatful of Hollow") interview with Johnny Marr. It was great from a guitar-geek point of view, because he explained in quite a lot of depth how he set his amps up (a Fender Twin and a Roland Jazz Chorus), and it led me to start messing around trying to recreate his sound, and in doing so I turned on the Chorus effect on my practise amp, which had a curious result. If you're not familiar with Chorus, I guess the best way to describe it would be as a big button marked "80s", think "A Forest", "The Killing Moon" or "This Charming Man", the slightly wibbly guitar sound on "Brass in pocket" or Kirsty Macoll's "A New England". Ot the into to "She sells sanctuary". It was an effect that everybody used back then but almost nobody touches now, so tied is it to that particular period of time. But touch it I did, and mysteriously the new sound made my fingers go in all the right places and in no time I had two nicely complementary guitar parts worked out, albeit guitar parts wearing outsize black jumpers, eye shadow and biiiiig hair. The important thing was that the notes were right - all I had to do was not use chorus and suddenly we were back in the early 21st century. Not difficult really, as between the three guitarists in Betika none of us even owns a chorus pedal, just the built-in effect on my crappy practise amp that never leaves the house. Happy that I'd cracked a difficult musical nut, I got back to the job I'd become distracted from some time previously - sorting through boxes of my teenage junk. And you'll never guess what I found in the next box I looked in:
A Chorus Pedal!
The co-incidence was strange enough, but stranger was the fact that I have absolutely no recollection of ever having had this pedal in my posession at any point in the past. In the middle ages this kind of thing would have been hailed as a sign from God, if not a full-blown miracle (or maybe witchcraft) and probaly brought to the attention of the pope. I'm not a religious person, or particularly superstitious (unlike my magpie-saluting girlfriend), but I find my instinct is now to use the thing...but at the same time I have serious reservations because I know I'd be getting dangerously close to '80s pastiche. I'm deeply torn.
Wouldn't hurt to try it, I suppose?
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Coincedentally
www.betika.co.uk
I popped in to see Carolyn straight after writing the last post, and guess what she cooked for our lovely dinner? Sausages, of course! I'm glad to say that I was able to eat them without encountering any kind of psychological problems, so it looks like I'm cured.
I popped in to see Carolyn straight after writing the last post, and guess what she cooked for our lovely dinner? Sausages, of course! I'm glad to say that I was able to eat them without encountering any kind of psychological problems, so it looks like I'm cured.
urgh...ahhh
www.betika.co.uk
Had a bit of a horrible day yesterday - learned in the morning that a friend and colleague is seriously ill, which was quite upsetting, and then at lunchtime found myself first on the scene at an incident at work where somebody had cut their calf muscle so badly that it had opened up the way a sausage splits if you don't prick it before putting it on the barbeque, which was pretty grim. Left me a bit disturbed for the rest of the day, kept getting shuddery flashbacks of this gaping wound, found myself unwilling to cook sausages for my tea when I got in. Goodness knows how ambulance crews and firemen cope seeing much worse stuff than that every day.
Today started much better, my copy of the new Joanna Newsom album arrived, I'm partway through my first listen as I type - first impressions are that it's going to take a bit of getting into, it's only five tracks long, but the shortest of these is 7 minutes and 17 seconds long! But I also get the feeling that perseverance with it will reap wonderful rewards.
Must go now, have to meet Caz.
Had a bit of a horrible day yesterday - learned in the morning that a friend and colleague is seriously ill, which was quite upsetting, and then at lunchtime found myself first on the scene at an incident at work where somebody had cut their calf muscle so badly that it had opened up the way a sausage splits if you don't prick it before putting it on the barbeque, which was pretty grim. Left me a bit disturbed for the rest of the day, kept getting shuddery flashbacks of this gaping wound, found myself unwilling to cook sausages for my tea when I got in. Goodness knows how ambulance crews and firemen cope seeing much worse stuff than that every day.
Today started much better, my copy of the new Joanna Newsom album arrived, I'm partway through my first listen as I type - first impressions are that it's going to take a bit of getting into, it's only five tracks long, but the shortest of these is 7 minutes and 17 seconds long! But I also get the feeling that perseverance with it will reap wonderful rewards.
Must go now, have to meet Caz.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Natural Justice
www.betika.co.uk
Funnliy enough, I'm sure this story previously existed as an urban legend. Served the bastard right though! Same applies with this and this. I'm sorry if none of these items have made you feel particularly proud to belong to the same species as the people in them, I will endeavour to present feelgood content with my next post to compensate! In the meantime, going on YouTube and doing searches on "Rube Goldberg" and "Parkour" should take away the nasty taste in your head. Works for me, anyway.
Funnliy enough, I'm sure this story previously existed as an urban legend. Served the bastard right though! Same applies with this and this. I'm sorry if none of these items have made you feel particularly proud to belong to the same species as the people in them, I will endeavour to present feelgood content with my next post to compensate! In the meantime, going on YouTube and doing searches on "Rube Goldberg" and "Parkour" should take away the nasty taste in your head. Works for me, anyway.
In the pipeline
www.betika.co.uk
Here is a movie Carolyn shot of local heroes Steve and Thom of the Fantastic A+E line dancing on stage with The Flaming Lips last Sunday (they're the two Santas at the front on the left). The volume was way too much for Carolyn's camera to cope with, so it sounds like they're frugging away to Merzbow, but you get an idea of what a full-on full-spectrum sensory overload the Lip's shows have developed into. And Deerhoof were fantastic too, of course, though they'd sadly been shunted into the opening slot by the addition to the bill of Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, whose album I've tried really hard to like but after repeated listens they're still not pushing any of my special buttons.
Out here in the country I've been writing songs and making plans. We've had our nasty old piano tuned and have been struggling to remember how to play it. Lexi has met with considerably more success, she has far better technique than I so has been filling the house with Chopin, I on the other hand still haven't recalibrated my hands from the years spent playing various Casio and Yamaha mini-keyboards and find myself playing unintended jazz chords where none should be. I've written a couple of songs over the last week; one which doesn't have a title yet but has an awful lot of words, it's another peice of musical reportage in a similar vein to "By Default" but with a better tune; also one called "The Sickening", which sounds a bit like something Clint Eastwood could have sung in "Paint Your Wagon", and was inspired by a shirt/quiff combo I was sporting the other day that gave my reflection ever such a slight resemblance to Johnny Cash when viewed from the corner of my eye in low lightinh conditions. If the rest of the band like it, it may well find it's way onto our next recording, which will be an ep of songs that didn't make it onto "Halflove" because either there wasn't space or they just didn't fit in. We did a cracking version of "I killed a fly" early last year that will definitely be included, as will "Let these things forget themselves" and "The New Shrew", both of which were pencilled in to close the album at various times but were ousted by "The best thing ever" at the last minute. I'm hoping that we'll find a nice sounding and suitably vibey space to record in, and start work as soon as Gary and Imogen are finished with making the Dutch Husband album, something that I'm as eager to hear as True Swamp Neglect's recently completed second long-player. I've also started work on songs for the next Betika album (due 2008 if it takes as long as the last one!), the general feel of the things I've written so far is noticebly darker than our previous work and they're most definitely designed for dancing to. Speaking of which, an idea has just popped into my head, so I'm going to sign off now and pursue it.
Go and see the Swamp at The Gander on Saturday!
Here is a movie Carolyn shot of local heroes Steve and Thom of the Fantastic A+E line dancing on stage with The Flaming Lips last Sunday (they're the two Santas at the front on the left). The volume was way too much for Carolyn's camera to cope with, so it sounds like they're frugging away to Merzbow, but you get an idea of what a full-on full-spectrum sensory overload the Lip's shows have developed into. And Deerhoof were fantastic too, of course, though they'd sadly been shunted into the opening slot by the addition to the bill of Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, whose album I've tried really hard to like but after repeated listens they're still not pushing any of my special buttons.
Out here in the country I've been writing songs and making plans. We've had our nasty old piano tuned and have been struggling to remember how to play it. Lexi has met with considerably more success, she has far better technique than I so has been filling the house with Chopin, I on the other hand still haven't recalibrated my hands from the years spent playing various Casio and Yamaha mini-keyboards and find myself playing unintended jazz chords where none should be. I've written a couple of songs over the last week; one which doesn't have a title yet but has an awful lot of words, it's another peice of musical reportage in a similar vein to "By Default" but with a better tune; also one called "The Sickening", which sounds a bit like something Clint Eastwood could have sung in "Paint Your Wagon", and was inspired by a shirt/quiff combo I was sporting the other day that gave my reflection ever such a slight resemblance to Johnny Cash when viewed from the corner of my eye in low lightinh conditions. If the rest of the band like it, it may well find it's way onto our next recording, which will be an ep of songs that didn't make it onto "Halflove" because either there wasn't space or they just didn't fit in. We did a cracking version of "I killed a fly" early last year that will definitely be included, as will "Let these things forget themselves" and "The New Shrew", both of which were pencilled in to close the album at various times but were ousted by "The best thing ever" at the last minute. I'm hoping that we'll find a nice sounding and suitably vibey space to record in, and start work as soon as Gary and Imogen are finished with making the Dutch Husband album, something that I'm as eager to hear as True Swamp Neglect's recently completed second long-player. I've also started work on songs for the next Betika album (due 2008 if it takes as long as the last one!), the general feel of the things I've written so far is noticebly darker than our previous work and they're most definitely designed for dancing to. Speaking of which, an idea has just popped into my head, so I'm going to sign off now and pursue it.
Go and see the Swamp at The Gander on Saturday!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
TV Food Dreams
www.betika.co.uk
These are real dreams I had a couple of days apart about two weeks ago...
1). I dreamed an episode of The Simpsons, in which Homer is cooking Marge dinner for a special occasion. The dish he has chosen to prepare for her is a Tesco Value Pot Noodle, something she is exremely unhappy about. Homer has a trick up his sleeve though- he produces some raw squid, chops it up into small cubes and adds it to the pot noodle. "Here you are, my dear" he says; "A Rubbery Event".
2) Same thing, but an episode of Father Ted. Some other Priests pay an unexpected visit to Craggy Island, which causes Ted and Dougal some embarrassment as they have no biscuits to go with their tea. Mrs Doyle comes to the rescue by spreading mint sauce on some Ryvita. "Dere you go now" she says; "Emerald Toast".
I would like to recommend that you purchase "Year of the Leopard" by James Yorkston at the first opportunity, I think it's his loveliest yet. And if his travels bring him to a town near you, go along and see him. You won't regret it.
Coming to a town very near me tomorrow are The Flaming Lips - an exceptional live band in their own right, but what has really excited those Betikans who are going to the show is who they've got as their tour support - only chuffing DEERHOOF! IN BOURNEMOUTH! If you're going to see the Lips, make sure to get there early and catch the Hoof. Also keep an eye out for Steven Lake of the Fantastic A&E Line, who will be donning a furry animal costune and dancing the night away at the side of the stage.
The past few Betika gigs have been absolutely fantastic, and that has been 100% down to the people who came to see us - thankyou, wherever you are!
I've got the net at home again now, so normal Blogging service should resume as of now. Watch this space for more of same...
These are real dreams I had a couple of days apart about two weeks ago...
1). I dreamed an episode of The Simpsons, in which Homer is cooking Marge dinner for a special occasion. The dish he has chosen to prepare for her is a Tesco Value Pot Noodle, something she is exremely unhappy about. Homer has a trick up his sleeve though- he produces some raw squid, chops it up into small cubes and adds it to the pot noodle. "Here you are, my dear" he says; "A Rubbery Event".
2) Same thing, but an episode of Father Ted. Some other Priests pay an unexpected visit to Craggy Island, which causes Ted and Dougal some embarrassment as they have no biscuits to go with their tea. Mrs Doyle comes to the rescue by spreading mint sauce on some Ryvita. "Dere you go now" she says; "Emerald Toast".
I would like to recommend that you purchase "Year of the Leopard" by James Yorkston at the first opportunity, I think it's his loveliest yet. And if his travels bring him to a town near you, go along and see him. You won't regret it.
Coming to a town very near me tomorrow are The Flaming Lips - an exceptional live band in their own right, but what has really excited those Betikans who are going to the show is who they've got as their tour support - only chuffing DEERHOOF! IN BOURNEMOUTH! If you're going to see the Lips, make sure to get there early and catch the Hoof. Also keep an eye out for Steven Lake of the Fantastic A&E Line, who will be donning a furry animal costune and dancing the night away at the side of the stage.
The past few Betika gigs have been absolutely fantastic, and that has been 100% down to the people who came to see us - thankyou, wherever you are!
I've got the net at home again now, so normal Blogging service should resume as of now. Watch this space for more of same...
Saturday, September 30, 2006
The End of an Era
www.betika.co.uk
It's been over a month since any of us have blogged, and this has been mainly due to a fairly major upheaval in some of our lives - we have moved out of Betika Towers! The house had been our rehearsal space and recording studio for two and a half years, not to mention the place that Lexi, Chris and I called "home". It was the venue for many a crazy party (and a couple of micro-film festivals), and became a social and creative hub for us and our friends, and I'm really sad to be leaving. I'd have stayed there longer, had I had a say in the matter, but our landlord sold it out from under us, so we had no choice but to relocate - Chris is setting up home with Imogen in Boscombe's fair city, and Lexi and I have retreated into the woods for the winter, where I'm going to write the next album by twilight amidst the mossy trunks, before returning to the town in the spring. Where Betika will be based is unclear, but I'm sure something will turn up - there's a few rehearsal studios in the area, but I kind of fancy something with a bit more character, a church hall or a victorian school or something. Maybe a barn? Who knows.
It's been over a month since any of us have blogged, and this has been mainly due to a fairly major upheaval in some of our lives - we have moved out of Betika Towers! The house had been our rehearsal space and recording studio for two and a half years, not to mention the place that Lexi, Chris and I called "home". It was the venue for many a crazy party (and a couple of micro-film festivals), and became a social and creative hub for us and our friends, and I'm really sad to be leaving. I'd have stayed there longer, had I had a say in the matter, but our landlord sold it out from under us, so we had no choice but to relocate - Chris is setting up home with Imogen in Boscombe's fair city, and Lexi and I have retreated into the woods for the winter, where I'm going to write the next album by twilight amidst the mossy trunks, before returning to the town in the spring. Where Betika will be based is unclear, but I'm sure something will turn up - there's a few rehearsal studios in the area, but I kind of fancy something with a bit more character, a church hall or a victorian school or something. Maybe a barn? Who knows.
Monday, August 21, 2006
A visual treat for you
www.betika.co.uk
Like most of the Planet, I've become addicted recently to YouTube (the website, not the Scottish insult), staying up late into the night downloading footage of Bowie or Young Marble Giants from '70s TV shows (check out the Bowie interview with Russel Harty) or mobile phone video clips of Deerhoof. I was trawling around for something else tonight when I found this Flipron video, which was made by our very own Martin. Betika are taking a short summer break, or at least some of us are - Chris (wearing his Little Boat hat and clogs) and Imogen are out on tour with Nic Beard and his Paper Cinema, calling at London (twice), Newcastle and the Edinburgh Festival. On their return, our next gig is at The Joiners in Southampton on 7th September, where we'll be supporting none other than....Flipron!
Like most of the Planet, I've become addicted recently to YouTube (the website, not the Scottish insult), staying up late into the night downloading footage of Bowie or Young Marble Giants from '70s TV shows (check out the Bowie interview with Russel Harty) or mobile phone video clips of Deerhoof. I was trawling around for something else tonight when I found this Flipron video, which was made by our very own Martin. Betika are taking a short summer break, or at least some of us are - Chris (wearing his Little Boat hat and clogs) and Imogen are out on tour with Nic Beard and his Paper Cinema, calling at London (twice), Newcastle and the Edinburgh Festival. On their return, our next gig is at The Joiners in Southampton on 7th September, where we'll be supporting none other than....Flipron!
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Want to purchase our record online?
www.betika.co.uk
You do? Well, simply click here and enter "Betika" in the search box!
You do? Well, simply click here and enter "Betika" in the search box!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Launch Party Pics
www.betika.co.uk
Some pictures of the album launch last Friday, as taken by Steve Beck, can be found here.
Some pictures of the album launch last Friday, as taken by Steve Beck, can be found here.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Review #2, All change at MySpace
www.betika.co.uk
Here are the news for today:
There is another review of "Halflove" at The Acrylic TomTom.
There is a write-up of the album launch gig at BhOne.
We have changed all the songs on our MySpace page. You can now listen to the album versions of "By Default", "Twenty-Five", "Dormitor" and "Bob Hope".
Gary's cousin Geoff's steam-powered gramophone was featured in The Times today.
Here are the news for today:
There is another review of "Halflove" at The Acrylic TomTom.
There is a write-up of the album launch gig at BhOne.
We have changed all the songs on our MySpace page. You can now listen to the album versions of "By Default", "Twenty-Five", "Dormitor" and "Bob Hope".
Gary's cousin Geoff's steam-powered gramophone was featured in The Times today.
Monday, July 31, 2006
An Interview
www.betika.co.uk
Further to the first review of "Halflove" posted on the site the other day, there's an interview with Carolyn and me at www.bhone.co.uk in which we attempt to explain a bit about the songs and the making of the record. I don't think we really give too much away, I make ridiculous pretentious statements and contradict myself and Carolyn gives me the mocking I deserve. We also come clean about some of our wierd compulsive behaviour...
Further to the first review of "Halflove" posted on the site the other day, there's an interview with Carolyn and me at www.bhone.co.uk in which we attempt to explain a bit about the songs and the making of the record. I don't think we really give too much away, I make ridiculous pretentious statements and contradict myself and Carolyn gives me the mocking I deserve. We also come clean about some of our wierd compulsive behaviour...
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Massive Thankyou!
www.betika.co.uk
On behalf of my fellow Betikans, I would like to say a great big thankyou to every single person who came to the album launch party last night, for it was your presence and participation that made it the incredible night that it was. I had more fun playing last night than I think I've ever had before, everybody in front of me seemed to be dancing or singing along, and every time I turned round to look at the band there were ear-to-ear grins all round. It was bloody brilliant! I hope your Saturday mornings were less painful than mine, my fantastic Friday night came at a price, and I paid in braincells. But it was well worth it. I will post some photos of the night soon.
There's a review of "Halflove" that's just been posted on BHOne, and this will be followed by an interview with Carolyn and myself and some other Betika-related content in the next few days.
On behalf of my fellow Betikans, I would like to say a great big thankyou to every single person who came to the album launch party last night, for it was your presence and participation that made it the incredible night that it was. I had more fun playing last night than I think I've ever had before, everybody in front of me seemed to be dancing or singing along, and every time I turned round to look at the band there were ear-to-ear grins all round. It was bloody brilliant! I hope your Saturday mornings were less painful than mine, my fantastic Friday night came at a price, and I paid in braincells. But it was well worth it. I will post some photos of the night soon.
There's a review of "Halflove" that's just been posted on BHOne, and this will be followed by an interview with Carolyn and myself and some other Betika-related content in the next few days.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Today's the day!
www.betika.co.uk
Had a marvellous gig at Talking Heads in Southampton with Toupe and Little Green Last night, a fantastic evening in itself but also a spot of last-minute training to make sure that we're 100% match fit for tonight, when "Halflove" is formally introduced to the world, and vice-versa. All the details you need to know about the event are in the posts below, but I should warn you that our guestlist is almost at full capacity, if you want to come email us at info@betika.co.uk and we'll do our best to squeeze you in, but please don't make a journey if you haven't heard from us that you'll be able to get in, I'd hate to have to turn anyone away.
Have a fantastic weekend whatever you do,
Dave
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Larmertree Pictures
www.betika.co.uk
Here's a few pictures taken by Julian Stodd of one of our three performances at the Larmertree Festival last weekend. Due to various quirks of fate we ended up playing on all three days and on all three stages! These pictures were taken at the Big Top stage on the Sunday. If you were at the Fest and took any pictures of us, I'd love to see them - if you mail them to me at info@betika.co.uk I'll post them up here.
The big Betika news this week is that we are throwing the launch party for "Halflove" on Friday at Centre Stage in Bournemouth, where we'll be playing the whole album in it's entirity for the third time ever. It's free, and if you'd like to come, just drop me a line at the email address above and your name will be duly added to the list.
Alternatively, if you're a Southamptonite and find yourself unable or unwilling to travel over to the 'mouth for the festivities, we're playing at Talking Heads in Portswood Road on Thursday in support of our good friends Toupe. Toupe will also be joining us at the launch party on Friday, as will the Old Psychiatrist's Club.
See you somewhere hopefully,
Dave
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Now we are eight
www.betika.co.uk
photo: Paul Savine
for the last eighteen months or so, Betika has consisted of these seven people (l-r: me, Lexi, Caz, Rich, Imogen, Martin, Chris). This is quite a large number of people to have in a band, but still it isn't enough to accurately recreate live the sound of the record we've just finished making, and so we're very happy that our long-term producer and even longer-term friend Gary has (re)joined us (after a spell of being our bass-player while Imogen was broken), playing extra guitar, synth, percussion and singing. He's been very much one of us for a long time, in a behind-the-scenes kind of way, now he has a namebadge and a uniform. Look, he's wearing them in the top photo, he's on the far right.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
NOW it's finished.
www.betika.co.uk
It really is this time. Tomorrow we collect the Master of all Masters and take it to the pressing plant, we've got the proofs of the artwork back and it all looks lovely.
It really is this time. Tomorrow we collect the Master of all Masters and take it to the pressing plant, we've got the proofs of the artwork back and it all looks lovely.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Well actually...
www.betika.co.uk
...it turns out that it isn't quite finished! It has become clear on repeated listenings that we have rather over-egged the ending of "Love, let me not hunger" with unnecessary massed harmony vocals that make it sound a bit like Boney-M, which seemed like a perfectly good idea at the time, so a last-minute remix is in order. As luck would have it, we have a day to spare, so this shouldn't set us back at all, it just means that some of us will have to spend an extra evening in the studio tonight, and after 841 days, one more is nothing! Barring some unforeseen disaster, the whole album should be mastered by the end of tomorrow, which will make it a doubly special day as it's also Carolyn's birthday. And it's Imogen's the following day, and Martin's a few days after that, so Betika will be mostly partying hard this week!
If you'd like to see the toll these celebrations are going to take on people who are already nearing the point of mental exhaustion, come down to Fruit on Old Christchurch Road on Sunday night (2nd July), where an acoustic-based micro-Betika will be playing some songs. Also playing on the night will be Jar and Men Diamler, both hailing from Bristol and currently on tour around the south doing good and interesting things, and also Farther, Nicky Hann, Glen Ross and Pete Read. They will all be good, and we will most likely be in a shocking state. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Imogen will be playing the double bass!
...it turns out that it isn't quite finished! It has become clear on repeated listenings that we have rather over-egged the ending of "Love, let me not hunger" with unnecessary massed harmony vocals that make it sound a bit like Boney-M, which seemed like a perfectly good idea at the time, so a last-minute remix is in order. As luck would have it, we have a day to spare, so this shouldn't set us back at all, it just means that some of us will have to spend an extra evening in the studio tonight, and after 841 days, one more is nothing! Barring some unforeseen disaster, the whole album should be mastered by the end of tomorrow, which will make it a doubly special day as it's also Carolyn's birthday. And it's Imogen's the following day, and Martin's a few days after that, so Betika will be mostly partying hard this week!
If you'd like to see the toll these celebrations are going to take on people who are already nearing the point of mental exhaustion, come down to Fruit on Old Christchurch Road on Sunday night (2nd July), where an acoustic-based micro-Betika will be playing some songs. Also playing on the night will be Jar and Men Diamler, both hailing from Bristol and currently on tour around the south doing good and interesting things, and also Farther, Nicky Hann, Glen Ross and Pete Read. They will all be good, and we will most likely be in a shocking state. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Imogen will be playing the double bass!
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Not all booze and flying!
www.betika.co.uk
I'd like to make it clear that in spite of appearances (see last two blogs), we are in fact working very hard on getting the album finished, and not just getting drunk on exotic booze and swanning around in light aircraft. The Vicious McGinty was in fact invented while we were mixing the new improved version of "By Default", and Martin did all of his bits ages ago, so he's lucky enough to be free to do whatever he wants. Spare a thought for Gary, Carolyn and myself though, next time you're enjoying the sunshine, or having a drink with friends in the pub, or just going to bed when your mind and body tell you that it really is time you got some sleep. Spirits have been up and down over the last week, there was a bit of a lull around thursday / friday when I became quite despondent and short tempered and Carolyn and I almost had a row by accident (but didn't), but having gotten By Default finished on saturday, and after getting a decent amount of sleep over the weekend, things seemed to have swung to the opposite pole by last night. Last week's sighs, groans and mock-foetal misery-balls had been replaced by near maniacal laughter at our own stupid jokes, and rolling around with same, which I was incredibly glad of. We now have two songs left to sing and mix, then the whole thing goes off to be mastered and then manufactured. And then we'll be like prisoners freshly released from a lengthy sentence, marvelling at how much the outside world has changed while we've been inside, eyes agog at all the new technology and fashions, terrified of how we're going to cope outside the strict but dependable framework of the prison routine; without the rules and regulations that have taken away the need and the ability to think. So many decisions we'll have to make for ourselves! do we try to go straight? or do we re-offend?
I'd like to make it clear that in spite of appearances (see last two blogs), we are in fact working very hard on getting the album finished, and not just getting drunk on exotic booze and swanning around in light aircraft. The Vicious McGinty was in fact invented while we were mixing the new improved version of "By Default", and Martin did all of his bits ages ago, so he's lucky enough to be free to do whatever he wants. Spare a thought for Gary, Carolyn and myself though, next time you're enjoying the sunshine, or having a drink with friends in the pub, or just going to bed when your mind and body tell you that it really is time you got some sleep. Spirits have been up and down over the last week, there was a bit of a lull around thursday / friday when I became quite despondent and short tempered and Carolyn and I almost had a row by accident (but didn't), but having gotten By Default finished on saturday, and after getting a decent amount of sleep over the weekend, things seemed to have swung to the opposite pole by last night. Last week's sighs, groans and mock-foetal misery-balls had been replaced by near maniacal laughter at our own stupid jokes, and rolling around with same, which I was incredibly glad of. We now have two songs left to sing and mix, then the whole thing goes off to be mastered and then manufactured. And then we'll be like prisoners freshly released from a lengthy sentence, marvelling at how much the outside world has changed while we've been inside, eyes agog at all the new technology and fashions, terrified of how we're going to cope outside the strict but dependable framework of the prison routine; without the rules and regulations that have taken away the need and the ability to think. So many decisions we'll have to make for ourselves! do we try to go straight? or do we re-offend?
Monday, June 19, 2006
From the Betika Cocktail Companion: The Vicious McGinty
www.betika.co.uk
Small measure of "Green" - a 30% syrupy liqueur that Gary got in Majorca last year that tastes aniseed-y and a bit menthol-y, a bit like Pernod but more like cough medicine. You might know what it's actually called - do let us know!
Ginger Beer
Hot Chilli Powder
PP3 9v Battery (IMPORTANT! THIS MUST BE FLAT!!! If you use a new one it may result in burns!)
1) Mix the Green and the Ginger Beer together in a small tumbler.
2) Dab a small amount of chilli powder on your tounge with a finger.
3) Take a sip from the glass. Swallow slowly.
4) Dab the terminals of the flat battery on your tongue.
Your mouth will now be full of sensations, and will probably be feeling all the emotions at once.
5) Repeat steps 2 onwards until glass is empty.
6) Repeat steps 1 onwards.
As with all of these recipies, Betikorp takes no responsibilty for whatever state you end up in if you choose to make use of the above information, and the subsequent mess you make of your life.
This drink is named in honour of Lawrence McGinty, the ITN Science Correspondent.
Small measure of "Green" - a 30% syrupy liqueur that Gary got in Majorca last year that tastes aniseed-y and a bit menthol-y, a bit like Pernod but more like cough medicine. You might know what it's actually called - do let us know!
Ginger Beer
Hot Chilli Powder
PP3 9v Battery (IMPORTANT! THIS MUST BE FLAT!!! If you use a new one it may result in burns!)
1) Mix the Green and the Ginger Beer together in a small tumbler.
2) Dab a small amount of chilli powder on your tounge with a finger.
3) Take a sip from the glass. Swallow slowly.
4) Dab the terminals of the flat battery on your tongue.
Your mouth will now be full of sensations, and will probably be feeling all the emotions at once.
5) Repeat steps 2 onwards until glass is empty.
6) Repeat steps 1 onwards.
As with all of these recipies, Betikorp takes no responsibilty for whatever state you end up in if you choose to make use of the above information, and the subsequent mess you make of your life.
This drink is named in honour of Lawrence McGinty, the ITN Science Correspondent.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Tired Now
www.betika.co.uk
I did a Murray Walker on myself last night. Carolyn was saying how tired the recent spell of intense Betika activity has made her, and I rather flippantly told her that she was probably going to bed too early. I've been going to bed as it's getting light, then getting up and going to work or to do Betika stuff, and so far (after about two weeks) I've felt pretty good, if perhaps slightly removed from the real world. Today I do not feel so good. We spent last night trying to get my vocals right on "Thunderstorm", and I was having real trouble with my nasal passages, probably due to hayfever. We did take after take after take until I literally couldn't sing any more and Caz couldn't keep her eyes open (I took a nice photo of her sleeping on the drumkit, she looks very peaceful yet extremely uncomfortable). I had a relatively early night (asleep by 12.30), but was woken far too early by..................a Thunderstorm! Initially, my thoughts were that this was a sign from God that I should get up and record yet more singing, but my body strongly disagreed, and the resulting tug-of-war between the two left me in a semi-waking state for far too long. Eventually I slipped into one of those horribly realistic dreams about getting up and going to work, only to find that I worked in a wizard school and could fly by ever so gently lifting both feet off the ground and floating upwards.
I may have slightly Murrayed myself in my last post too, when I said that cabin fever had yet to set in. I've found myself becoming concerned - borderline obsessed to be honest - with Carolyn's claim that sometime she's not thinking about anything. On occasions she'll just stare vacantly into space, often looking thoughtful, sometimes troubled, and I'll ask her out of curiosity or sometimes concern what she's thinking about, and she'll reply "nothing". Now I know what you're thinking: Everyone does that, and when they say "nothing", they just don't want to talk about whatever is on their mind. But Caz insists that this isn't the case, and that she really isn't thinking about anything. And that concept terrifies me. I never stop thinking, and I couldn't if I wanted to, my thoughts come in a constant high-pressure stream that can't be turned off. I've tried that Zen meditation technique where you think of a candle and blow it out, and all that happened was my heart stopped beating and my corpse had to be re-animated by evil (aren't they all?) scientists. I've tried using mantras to block out other thoughts, but always they creep back in. To me, the idea of the absense of thought is like the concepts of infinity or death, impossible to properly get my head round. When Carolyn says she's been not thinking of anything, it's like someone telling me that they haven't been breathing for the last ten minutes, or more sinisterly, it has echoes of Charles Manson's assertation that he had no conception of remorse (When asked in a documentary if he was sorry for the murder of Sharon Tate, he replied "Charlie don't know what sorry is" - the look in his eyes said he meant it). It's like something important is missing, and I'm growing paranoid that she might be some kind of psychopath. Or a closet Zen master. Either way, I'm starting to look at her like Homer and Mr Burns looked at each other after they got buried in that avalanche.
I wonder what the longest time is that two people have been confined in a small space with only each other for company? Probably in orbit, or on a remote lighthouse. I wonder how long it took before they started having these kinds of thoughts?
Nearly finished now (me and IT).
I did a Murray Walker on myself last night. Carolyn was saying how tired the recent spell of intense Betika activity has made her, and I rather flippantly told her that she was probably going to bed too early. I've been going to bed as it's getting light, then getting up and going to work or to do Betika stuff, and so far (after about two weeks) I've felt pretty good, if perhaps slightly removed from the real world. Today I do not feel so good. We spent last night trying to get my vocals right on "Thunderstorm", and I was having real trouble with my nasal passages, probably due to hayfever. We did take after take after take until I literally couldn't sing any more and Caz couldn't keep her eyes open (I took a nice photo of her sleeping on the drumkit, she looks very peaceful yet extremely uncomfortable). I had a relatively early night (asleep by 12.30), but was woken far too early by..................a Thunderstorm! Initially, my thoughts were that this was a sign from God that I should get up and record yet more singing, but my body strongly disagreed, and the resulting tug-of-war between the two left me in a semi-waking state for far too long. Eventually I slipped into one of those horribly realistic dreams about getting up and going to work, only to find that I worked in a wizard school and could fly by ever so gently lifting both feet off the ground and floating upwards.
I may have slightly Murrayed myself in my last post too, when I said that cabin fever had yet to set in. I've found myself becoming concerned - borderline obsessed to be honest - with Carolyn's claim that sometime she's not thinking about anything. On occasions she'll just stare vacantly into space, often looking thoughtful, sometimes troubled, and I'll ask her out of curiosity or sometimes concern what she's thinking about, and she'll reply "nothing". Now I know what you're thinking: Everyone does that, and when they say "nothing", they just don't want to talk about whatever is on their mind. But Caz insists that this isn't the case, and that she really isn't thinking about anything. And that concept terrifies me. I never stop thinking, and I couldn't if I wanted to, my thoughts come in a constant high-pressure stream that can't be turned off. I've tried that Zen meditation technique where you think of a candle and blow it out, and all that happened was my heart stopped beating and my corpse had to be re-animated by evil (aren't they all?) scientists. I've tried using mantras to block out other thoughts, but always they creep back in. To me, the idea of the absense of thought is like the concepts of infinity or death, impossible to properly get my head round. When Carolyn says she's been not thinking of anything, it's like someone telling me that they haven't been breathing for the last ten minutes, or more sinisterly, it has echoes of Charles Manson's assertation that he had no conception of remorse (When asked in a documentary if he was sorry for the murder of Sharon Tate, he replied "Charlie don't know what sorry is" - the look in his eyes said he meant it). It's like something important is missing, and I'm growing paranoid that she might be some kind of psychopath. Or a closet Zen master. Either way, I'm starting to look at her like Homer and Mr Burns looked at each other after they got buried in that avalanche.
I wonder what the longest time is that two people have been confined in a small space with only each other for company? Probably in orbit, or on a remote lighthouse. I wonder how long it took before they started having these kinds of thoughts?
Nearly finished now (me and IT).
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Too cold now for shorts
www.betika.co.uk
Just got in from a marathon mixing session that saw us tick three more "DONE" boxes on the album master tracklist. Listening to what we'd done on the car stereo on the way home, it all sounded to these ruined ears like big lovely pop music, which is good, because if it didn't after all the time that's been spent on it, I think I'd have to walk into the sea fully clothed and keep going until I couldn't go any more. Even the songs that had previously been causes for concern and planters of seeds of doubt seem to be good now, it's amazing what you can acheive just by being anally obsessive about small details. Spirits remain high generally, and Betikabin-fever has yet to steal over Gary, Caz and myself, despite our having spent pretty much every spare minute of the last....god knows how long in one another's company. Carolyn did nearly smash her flute to pieces against a guitar amp today mid-overdub, and also punched me a bit, but this was because she was arguing with herself, and not me at all, I think.
This week we have mostly been recording people who play in orchestras. I have learnt two interesting things about Gary;
a) He likes to stroke bumblebees.
b) He chews milk.
Light soon. Bed now.
D
Just got in from a marathon mixing session that saw us tick three more "DONE" boxes on the album master tracklist. Listening to what we'd done on the car stereo on the way home, it all sounded to these ruined ears like big lovely pop music, which is good, because if it didn't after all the time that's been spent on it, I think I'd have to walk into the sea fully clothed and keep going until I couldn't go any more. Even the songs that had previously been causes for concern and planters of seeds of doubt seem to be good now, it's amazing what you can acheive just by being anally obsessive about small details. Spirits remain high generally, and Betikabin-fever has yet to steal over Gary, Caz and myself, despite our having spent pretty much every spare minute of the last....god knows how long in one another's company. Carolyn did nearly smash her flute to pieces against a guitar amp today mid-overdub, and also punched me a bit, but this was because she was arguing with herself, and not me at all, I think.
This week we have mostly been recording people who play in orchestras. I have learnt two interesting things about Gary;
a) He likes to stroke bumblebees.
b) He chews milk.
Light soon. Bed now.
D
Monday, June 05, 2006
Betika in a Nutshell
www.betika.co.uk
There's a review here of our lunchtime slot at the Larmertree Party at Salisbury Arts Centre about a month ago, which is concise, accurate and extremely favourable.
There's a review here of our lunchtime slot at the Larmertree Party at Salisbury Arts Centre about a month ago, which is concise, accurate and extremely favourable.
Friday, May 26, 2006
News and Whathaveyou
www.betika.co.uk
a) Betika, back to full fitness in the Imogen arm department, are playing the Joiners in Southampton tonight! Today, incedentally, is Friday 26th May. We won't be playing anything new, just old things, but greeted like long-lost freinds, with vim, vigour and lovelovelove, the things with which an old friend should be greeted. That's all we can offer really. Skill is right out of the question, but who needs it when you have the kind of glue that holds us ( that's us and us, AND us and you) together? No fucker, that's who.
2) AaaaaaaaaaaaTttttttttttttttttttPppppppppp! Were you there? Wasn't it good?
Friday was mostly guitar solos, culminating in Dinosaur Jr, but never mind - Broken Social Scene!
Saturday was sublime end-to-end, can't even remember half of what I saw, largely due to mine and Caz's strict 2-standard-drinks-per-hour booze reigime, which lasted way, way beyond sunrise. I think it may have been 14 hours, plus extras to take away the taste of the chilli powder we dabbed on our tongues in the name of science, in order to find out what bits of our tongues did what, you see? (About a centimetre back from the tip does spicy). Boredoms were staggering, Dungen (pronounced Doonyen, thay said) were a revelation (albeit from 1971), Joanna Newsome has stolen my clogged-up, jerky heart away forever, may I never get it back. Camber Sands is not called so for nothing, for grains of it got everywhere, between indie gymnastics in the Pontins playground and passing out in a sanddune at stupid AM (post Newsome, an adrenalinatastic brush with a Wierdo Indie Knifeman and many, many hours of Real Hard Dancing), my pockets are still full of the stuff and I didn't even take these trousers with me.
Sunday I don't remember much, missed the Delicate Hammers in-chalet gig due to body having gone way beyond maximum endurance. Electralane were pretty special, and then nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. And then somehow I got home, enriched to the max by R Kelly and his "Trapped in the closet" nonsense. I urge you to steal this particular cultural artifact into your life using internet file-robbing tools. Or maybe buy it from amazon.usa
iii) Keep 30th June free in your diaries! There will be a Betika party then, and I hope that you can come.
a) Betika, back to full fitness in the Imogen arm department, are playing the Joiners in Southampton tonight! Today, incedentally, is Friday 26th May. We won't be playing anything new, just old things, but greeted like long-lost freinds, with vim, vigour and lovelovelove, the things with which an old friend should be greeted. That's all we can offer really. Skill is right out of the question, but who needs it when you have the kind of glue that holds us ( that's us and us, AND us and you) together? No fucker, that's who.
2) AaaaaaaaaaaaTttttttttttttttttttPppppppppp! Were you there? Wasn't it good?
Friday was mostly guitar solos, culminating in Dinosaur Jr, but never mind - Broken Social Scene!
Saturday was sublime end-to-end, can't even remember half of what I saw, largely due to mine and Caz's strict 2-standard-drinks-per-hour booze reigime, which lasted way, way beyond sunrise. I think it may have been 14 hours, plus extras to take away the taste of the chilli powder we dabbed on our tongues in the name of science, in order to find out what bits of our tongues did what, you see? (About a centimetre back from the tip does spicy). Boredoms were staggering, Dungen (pronounced Doonyen, thay said) were a revelation (albeit from 1971), Joanna Newsome has stolen my clogged-up, jerky heart away forever, may I never get it back. Camber Sands is not called so for nothing, for grains of it got everywhere, between indie gymnastics in the Pontins playground and passing out in a sanddune at stupid AM (post Newsome, an adrenalinatastic brush with a Wierdo Indie Knifeman and many, many hours of Real Hard Dancing), my pockets are still full of the stuff and I didn't even take these trousers with me.
Sunday I don't remember much, missed the Delicate Hammers in-chalet gig due to body having gone way beyond maximum endurance. Electralane were pretty special, and then nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. And then somehow I got home, enriched to the max by R Kelly and his "Trapped in the closet" nonsense. I urge you to steal this particular cultural artifact into your life using internet file-robbing tools. Or maybe buy it from amazon.usa
iii) Keep 30th June free in your diaries! There will be a Betika party then, and I hope that you can come.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Things we have seen lately
www.betika.co.uk
1) Life-sized scrap metal sculptures of two giraffes (parent and child).
2) A buzzard, circling right at the end of my road. Like foxes, they're encroaching more and more into urban areas. I wonder what it is they're eating? Maybe they're raiding bins, or perhaps they swoop down and carry off pigeons?
3) Carolyn saw a pygmy hippopotamus chasing a rabbit round a field for ages. She says she'd like to think that they were friends and were frolicing gayly, but I think she knows deep down that the hippo was intent on biting the bunny in half with it's flip-top head.
4) Guillemots (the band, not the birds). And Joan as Policewoman. Talked to Fyfe Dangerfield (vox and keys) afterwards and tried to explain (with sung examples) how "Trains to Brazil" has one of the top five lip-trembling lyrics of all time, in particular the bit about the pile of telephones starting to shake and ring, which I've always taken as a reference to the 7/7 tube bombings. Like everyone who knew somebody in London that day, I was straight on the phone as soon as I heard the news to make sure they were okay. I can't begin to imagine how it would have felt if those calls had never been answered, as was the case for hundreds of people.
Incidentally, the other songs in the top five are "Mr Bojangles" (where his dog up and dies); "The village green preservation society" ("God save the George Cross, and all those who were awarded them"); "Love will tear us apart" and; "Two little boys". Fyfe quite rightly added "Bright Eyes" to the list (but on no account the Steven Gately version, not ever ever ever.)
ATP this weekend!
1) Life-sized scrap metal sculptures of two giraffes (parent and child).
2) A buzzard, circling right at the end of my road. Like foxes, they're encroaching more and more into urban areas. I wonder what it is they're eating? Maybe they're raiding bins, or perhaps they swoop down and carry off pigeons?
3) Carolyn saw a pygmy hippopotamus chasing a rabbit round a field for ages. She says she'd like to think that they were friends and were frolicing gayly, but I think she knows deep down that the hippo was intent on biting the bunny in half with it's flip-top head.
4) Guillemots (the band, not the birds). And Joan as Policewoman. Talked to Fyfe Dangerfield (vox and keys) afterwards and tried to explain (with sung examples) how "Trains to Brazil" has one of the top five lip-trembling lyrics of all time, in particular the bit about the pile of telephones starting to shake and ring, which I've always taken as a reference to the 7/7 tube bombings. Like everyone who knew somebody in London that day, I was straight on the phone as soon as I heard the news to make sure they were okay. I can't begin to imagine how it would have felt if those calls had never been answered, as was the case for hundreds of people.
Incidentally, the other songs in the top five are "Mr Bojangles" (where his dog up and dies); "The village green preservation society" ("God save the George Cross, and all those who were awarded them"); "Love will tear us apart" and; "Two little boys". Fyfe quite rightly added "Bright Eyes" to the list (but on no account the Steven Gately version, not ever ever ever.)
ATP this weekend!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
In the interest of science...
www.betika.co.uk
...I've eaten Sugar Puffs for breakfast every day for a week. Now not only my wee but my entire life smells of honey until around lunchtime. I'd be interested to see if eating asparagus at every meal would have a similar all-pervading effect, but two possible drawbacks spring immedeately to mind
1. The cost - asaparagus don't come cheap, partly because of
2. It's fabled aphrodisiac properties. There's a risk that the test subject may be transformed into some kind of raging nymhpo and have to face up to all the responsibilities that come with that.
Some of us went to see the Go! Team tonight, and it was 9 out of 10. Kid Carpet wasn't half bad either.
...I've eaten Sugar Puffs for breakfast every day for a week. Now not only my wee but my entire life smells of honey until around lunchtime. I'd be interested to see if eating asparagus at every meal would have a similar all-pervading effect, but two possible drawbacks spring immedeately to mind
1. The cost - asaparagus don't come cheap, partly because of
2. It's fabled aphrodisiac properties. There's a risk that the test subject may be transformed into some kind of raging nymhpo and have to face up to all the responsibilities that come with that.
Some of us went to see the Go! Team tonight, and it was 9 out of 10. Kid Carpet wasn't half bad either.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Penzance
www.betika.co.uk
So many things to write about, so little cohesion in my head! I guess Penzance is a good place to start...
Seven fully functional Betikans, one slightly broken Imogen and a magnificently bearded Nic the Paper Cinematographist clambered aboard a cavernous minibus at stupid o'clock on Good Friday and headed west. Bank holiday traffic! So many roadworks! So many caravans! So many "comfort breaks"! Got chatting to a roadside cafe proprietor called Phil, got some good showbiz catering stories out of him, ended up talking about Johnny Dankworth's frankly bonkers Schoenberg-influenced 12-tone big-band music and hearing tales of late nights in Ronnie Scott's. Made pretty good time past wind-farms and abandoned tin mines, arrived in Penzance mid-afternoon and immedeately sought out a chemists so I could get some painkillers for my horrendous toothache. We decided to find ourselves a nice pub garden to sit in - cue several orbits of Penzance's one-way system before we opted to take a trip out to the charmingly named nearby village of Mousehole (pronounced "Mowzel", I've since been told). It was here that we learned that 6' 6" wide roads + a 6' 6" wide minibus + oncoming traffic = one of those situations where everybody has to get out of their cars and have a conference about what is to be done. We also discovered that Rich Betika is highly skilled in manouvering large vehicles in tight spaces. I'm so glad it was him driving and not me! Eventually we found the perfect pub with a garden overlooking the sea, in a village called "Paul", an idyl so remote that when we piled out of the van the only sound we could hear were those made by birds and insects. It turned out that this was because the pub was shut. Gary said it was the most disappointed he'd been since some childhood FA cup final where whichever team he supported at the time had been beaten so badly it had caused him to lose all interest in the game to this day. Downcast, we piled back into the bus. We found ourselves a pub on the outskirts of Penzance, which turned out to be my favourite kind - a small one that only serves lovely dark brown beer, and spent an hour or so sat outside making Betika-related drawings for Nic to incorporate into the paper cinema. I drew a Sopwith Camel, a fox and a face with a disturbingly blank expression on it, Gary drew an interesting portrait of Kate Moss, I wish I could remember more - I know Martin drew something very elaborate, but I can't think what it was. If I can get the pictures back from Nic I'll scan them and post them here so the keen amateur psychologists amongst you can analyse them and work out which section of the mental health act applies best to us.
The gig in Penzance was fantastic and really strange for the same reasons - not only was the venue (the Acorn Arts Centre) packed, there was also a table of people in the middle of the audience shouting for songs from "Heads smashed in..." era onwards. Long-term Betika fans! If we could, we'd have played everything we were asked to, unfortunately we'd only succeeded in downloading a portion of the repertoire into Gary's already jam-packed head, so we couldn't really deviate from the set we had planned, which naturally included none of the songs that were being requested! We did manage to make one exception - the shouters seemed particularly keen to hear "I've been in an accident", so we retreated to our dressing room, worked out an ad-hoc arrangement and played it for the first time in over two years as an encore. Martin and Gary had never played it, but Gary did produce the recorded version so had a pretty good idea of when to do what, and it turned out pretty good, I think. It felt good, anyway. By the end of the song I was relaxed enough to attempt to sing a high B without breaking into falsetto, not something I'd normally consider behind closed doors, let alone in front of an audience of innocent music fans. But I was taken with the spontaneous urge, and somehow I managed to not only hit the note but hold it. For a couple of seconds it was like I could properly sing. Not something I'm about to do again in a hurry though!
We hung around at the Arts Centre for a few late night drinkies with the crew after the gig before attempting to sneak into our youth hostel without waking the German backpackers with whom we were sharing a dorm. I was wishing I hadn't bothered an hour or so later when, fatigue finally having overcome even chronic dental pain, my slumbers were disturbed by teutonic snoring of Wagnerian volume and resonance. ||: Eventually I got to then point where I was so tired that not even this could keep me awake. But then it was so loud that not even my tiredness could keep me asleep :|| (I have used a device from musical notation here to explain what happened for the rest of the night). The coming of daylight seemed to coincide with the last of my painkillers wearing off and toothache returning with vengance, so I got up and took myself off for a walk around the grounds of the hostel. I took a couple of ibuprofen but they seemed to do nothing so I found myself the softest breakfast the kitchens had to offer before going for a shower, only to find the cubicles occupied by, as it turned out, our German roommates! Did I mention that they both had ridiculously long and shiny hair? The kind sported by extreme melodic power-metal band Dragonforce? Obviously, hair like that needs a lot of washing, conditioning and so on, so my wait was not a short one.
Back in the van and back on the road we found ourselves with the best part of a day to make the journey up to Salisbury for the next gig, so we picked up some tourist information leaflets to see what kind of diversions we could take ourselves on. We settled on making a visit to Perranporth, which has an amazing big surfing beach and proved to be an ideal venue for a game of intra-band 4.5-a-side football. I am not one of nature's footballers, but amazingly not only did my team win 2-1, I also scored one of the goals - an acheivement I will always regard as one of my greatest.
And that's what we did in Cornwall. For what happened next, see the entry "Some very kind words" below.
So many things to write about, so little cohesion in my head! I guess Penzance is a good place to start...
Seven fully functional Betikans, one slightly broken Imogen and a magnificently bearded Nic the Paper Cinematographist clambered aboard a cavernous minibus at stupid o'clock on Good Friday and headed west. Bank holiday traffic! So many roadworks! So many caravans! So many "comfort breaks"! Got chatting to a roadside cafe proprietor called Phil, got some good showbiz catering stories out of him, ended up talking about Johnny Dankworth's frankly bonkers Schoenberg-influenced 12-tone big-band music and hearing tales of late nights in Ronnie Scott's. Made pretty good time past wind-farms and abandoned tin mines, arrived in Penzance mid-afternoon and immedeately sought out a chemists so I could get some painkillers for my horrendous toothache. We decided to find ourselves a nice pub garden to sit in - cue several orbits of Penzance's one-way system before we opted to take a trip out to the charmingly named nearby village of Mousehole (pronounced "Mowzel", I've since been told). It was here that we learned that 6' 6" wide roads + a 6' 6" wide minibus + oncoming traffic = one of those situations where everybody has to get out of their cars and have a conference about what is to be done. We also discovered that Rich Betika is highly skilled in manouvering large vehicles in tight spaces. I'm so glad it was him driving and not me! Eventually we found the perfect pub with a garden overlooking the sea, in a village called "Paul", an idyl so remote that when we piled out of the van the only sound we could hear were those made by birds and insects. It turned out that this was because the pub was shut. Gary said it was the most disappointed he'd been since some childhood FA cup final where whichever team he supported at the time had been beaten so badly it had caused him to lose all interest in the game to this day. Downcast, we piled back into the bus. We found ourselves a pub on the outskirts of Penzance, which turned out to be my favourite kind - a small one that only serves lovely dark brown beer, and spent an hour or so sat outside making Betika-related drawings for Nic to incorporate into the paper cinema. I drew a Sopwith Camel, a fox and a face with a disturbingly blank expression on it, Gary drew an interesting portrait of Kate Moss, I wish I could remember more - I know Martin drew something very elaborate, but I can't think what it was. If I can get the pictures back from Nic I'll scan them and post them here so the keen amateur psychologists amongst you can analyse them and work out which section of the mental health act applies best to us.
The gig in Penzance was fantastic and really strange for the same reasons - not only was the venue (the Acorn Arts Centre) packed, there was also a table of people in the middle of the audience shouting for songs from "Heads smashed in..." era onwards. Long-term Betika fans! If we could, we'd have played everything we were asked to, unfortunately we'd only succeeded in downloading a portion of the repertoire into Gary's already jam-packed head, so we couldn't really deviate from the set we had planned, which naturally included none of the songs that were being requested! We did manage to make one exception - the shouters seemed particularly keen to hear "I've been in an accident", so we retreated to our dressing room, worked out an ad-hoc arrangement and played it for the first time in over two years as an encore. Martin and Gary had never played it, but Gary did produce the recorded version so had a pretty good idea of when to do what, and it turned out pretty good, I think. It felt good, anyway. By the end of the song I was relaxed enough to attempt to sing a high B without breaking into falsetto, not something I'd normally consider behind closed doors, let alone in front of an audience of innocent music fans. But I was taken with the spontaneous urge, and somehow I managed to not only hit the note but hold it. For a couple of seconds it was like I could properly sing. Not something I'm about to do again in a hurry though!
We hung around at the Arts Centre for a few late night drinkies with the crew after the gig before attempting to sneak into our youth hostel without waking the German backpackers with whom we were sharing a dorm. I was wishing I hadn't bothered an hour or so later when, fatigue finally having overcome even chronic dental pain, my slumbers were disturbed by teutonic snoring of Wagnerian volume and resonance. ||: Eventually I got to then point where I was so tired that not even this could keep me awake. But then it was so loud that not even my tiredness could keep me asleep :|| (I have used a device from musical notation here to explain what happened for the rest of the night). The coming of daylight seemed to coincide with the last of my painkillers wearing off and toothache returning with vengance, so I got up and took myself off for a walk around the grounds of the hostel. I took a couple of ibuprofen but they seemed to do nothing so I found myself the softest breakfast the kitchens had to offer before going for a shower, only to find the cubicles occupied by, as it turned out, our German roommates! Did I mention that they both had ridiculously long and shiny hair? The kind sported by extreme melodic power-metal band Dragonforce? Obviously, hair like that needs a lot of washing, conditioning and so on, so my wait was not a short one.
Back in the van and back on the road we found ourselves with the best part of a day to make the journey up to Salisbury for the next gig, so we picked up some tourist information leaflets to see what kind of diversions we could take ourselves on. We settled on making a visit to Perranporth, which has an amazing big surfing beach and proved to be an ideal venue for a game of intra-band 4.5-a-side football. I am not one of nature's footballers, but amazingly not only did my team win 2-1, I also scored one of the goals - an acheivement I will always regard as one of my greatest.
And that's what we did in Cornwall. For what happened next, see the entry "Some very kind words" below.
iCast - for fans of "Thunderstorm"!
www.betika.co.uk
Gill Mills, of BBC Radio fame, has included our song "Thunderstorm" in her latest Podcast, available from www.icast.uk.com or via iTunes (do a search for "iCast" in the music store, it's the one with the little green and white picture of an iPod, labelled "explicit"). We're the first track! Gill has also recently done a podcast showcasing the bands on Transgressive records, including the very lovely Ladyfuzz, with whom we shared a stage in Salisbury a few weeks back and whose album "Kerfuffle" gets a regular airing at Betika Towers.
Gill Mills, of BBC Radio fame, has included our song "Thunderstorm" in her latest Podcast, available from www.icast.uk.com or via iTunes (do a search for "iCast" in the music store, it's the one with the little green and white picture of an iPod, labelled "explicit"). We're the first track! Gill has also recently done a podcast showcasing the bands on Transgressive records, including the very lovely Ladyfuzz, with whom we shared a stage in Salisbury a few weeks back and whose album "Kerfuffle" gets a regular airing at Betika Towers.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Monday, April 17, 2006
Some very kind words
www.betika.co.uk
There's a very nice review of the gig we did in Salisbury with the wonderful Ladyfuzz on Saturday here. I was in a funny mood caused by a combination of toothache, sleep deprivation due to toothache and a snoring German, far too many painkillers and plenty of free booze (thanks to the guys at Dirty Boots, who know how to treat a band!) and consequently my inter-song "patter" took the form of a series of increasing outrageous lies. For the record;
* We are not called "Gymkhana"
* Our songs are not "mostly about our love of trotting"
* The third song we played was "Pink Hulk", and not "Dirty disgusting fucking horrible nasty fucking shark", as was claimed at the time.
* "Dogshit on Toast" is not one of the top ten worst meals I have ever been served. We don't really have a song called "Dogshit on Toast", though I kind of wish we did now.
* "Hatred" is not dedicated to the fox that left a tarry stool outside the patio doors of Betika Towers.
* "Thunderstorm" is not the tune played by Belgian Ice-cream Vans. Neither was it a big hit "before most of you were born".
Apparently my lies made Chris laugh so hard he was nearly sick live on stage, which would have made for a truly unforgettable night for all present. Maybe next time. Next time will definitely see Carolyn rapping again, after her impromptu rendidtion of "Buffalo Stance" which we slipped into a semi-planned version of "Devil's Haircut", which we in turn slipped into John Kongos' "He's gonna step on you again". I envisage that some kind of "Rap Off" featuring all seven Betikans will form the centrepiece of our live shows in future.
A fuller account of our Easter micro-tour will follow shortly, when we've reassembled events from our collected memories and gotten our story straight. In the meanwhile, a massive thankyou to everyone we met, from what I remember there wasn't a single person we met who wasn't fantastic and wonderful.
There's a very nice review of the gig we did in Salisbury with the wonderful Ladyfuzz on Saturday here. I was in a funny mood caused by a combination of toothache, sleep deprivation due to toothache and a snoring German, far too many painkillers and plenty of free booze (thanks to the guys at Dirty Boots, who know how to treat a band!) and consequently my inter-song "patter" took the form of a series of increasing outrageous lies. For the record;
* We are not called "Gymkhana"
* Our songs are not "mostly about our love of trotting"
* The third song we played was "Pink Hulk", and not "Dirty disgusting fucking horrible nasty fucking shark", as was claimed at the time.
* "Dogshit on Toast" is not one of the top ten worst meals I have ever been served. We don't really have a song called "Dogshit on Toast", though I kind of wish we did now.
* "Hatred" is not dedicated to the fox that left a tarry stool outside the patio doors of Betika Towers.
* "Thunderstorm" is not the tune played by Belgian Ice-cream Vans. Neither was it a big hit "before most of you were born".
Apparently my lies made Chris laugh so hard he was nearly sick live on stage, which would have made for a truly unforgettable night for all present. Maybe next time. Next time will definitely see Carolyn rapping again, after her impromptu rendidtion of "Buffalo Stance" which we slipped into a semi-planned version of "Devil's Haircut", which we in turn slipped into John Kongos' "He's gonna step on you again". I envisage that some kind of "Rap Off" featuring all seven Betikans will form the centrepiece of our live shows in future.
A fuller account of our Easter micro-tour will follow shortly, when we've reassembled events from our collected memories and gotten our story straight. In the meanwhile, a massive thankyou to everyone we met, from what I remember there wasn't a single person we met who wasn't fantastic and wonderful.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Metal bodies in my finger
www.betika.co.uk
I had a random and unexpected episode of self-torture yesterday. I was folding up an old microphone stand when I suddenly felt a strange, dull pain in my finger - I looked to see what might have caused it, and discovered that a piece of chrome plating had flaked off the stand and embedded itself beneath my fingernail. Blood started seeping out, and it quickly became apparent why things beneath the fingernails were the instrument of choice for torturers from ancient China to the modern day. I tried pulling it out with a pair of needlenose pliers, but being a piece of flaky chrome plate, the bit at the end that I was pulling just, well, flaked off. I realised that I'd have to do something that was going to cause me a lot more pain before things stopped hurting. I cut away as much of the nail around the foreign body as I could bear with a pair of side-cutters, then accompanied but an awful lot of screaming and cursing I pushed one side of the needlenose pliers under the nail, (and so not to push it in further, under the piece of metal), gripped it and pulled it out as best I could. Did I mention that I was doing this with my left hand? I've probably got better than average dexterity in my left hand than the average right-hander as a result of the years I've wasted playing music, but it still felt very unnatural to be conducting exctractive surgery on myself southpaw. As a consequence, the metal came out in about half a dozen short stages, rather than the one short, sharp tug I was aiming for. When I finally got it out it was about two millimeters by four, totally disproportionate to the amount of discomfort it caused me.
I spend the day doing something much more pleasant - making field recordings of an open fire, and then later of birdsong out in the New Forest. The birdsong made me particularly relaxed and happy, spring has most definitely sprung and I reckon there were a good dozen species around me, all in good voice. And one other that didn't make a sound, as far as I could tell, and I spent ages watching it - a Green Woodpecker, not something I've ever had the opportunity to sit down at watch at length before. I don't know if they do actually peck wood, like the spotted woodpeckers do, this chap was pecking the ground with his enormous great long beak, every now and then thrashing his head around - like a dog that won't give your tennis ball back - as he wrestled with some unfortunate subterranean invertibrate.
In the evening Carolyn and I returned to the room where a very different incarnation of Betika recorded "Heads smashed in by the boy/girl thing", to record what will be the first section of the first song of the oh-so-nearly finished new record. We did this for continutiy, and a little bit out of nostalgia. The section we wanted to record was only around a minute long, but we did something like 67 takes of it! I think we cracked it around take 52, but we kept going, just in case we managed a better one. We'll listen back to it all tomorrow and find out.
I had a random and unexpected episode of self-torture yesterday. I was folding up an old microphone stand when I suddenly felt a strange, dull pain in my finger - I looked to see what might have caused it, and discovered that a piece of chrome plating had flaked off the stand and embedded itself beneath my fingernail. Blood started seeping out, and it quickly became apparent why things beneath the fingernails were the instrument of choice for torturers from ancient China to the modern day. I tried pulling it out with a pair of needlenose pliers, but being a piece of flaky chrome plate, the bit at the end that I was pulling just, well, flaked off. I realised that I'd have to do something that was going to cause me a lot more pain before things stopped hurting. I cut away as much of the nail around the foreign body as I could bear with a pair of side-cutters, then accompanied but an awful lot of screaming and cursing I pushed one side of the needlenose pliers under the nail, (and so not to push it in further, under the piece of metal), gripped it and pulled it out as best I could. Did I mention that I was doing this with my left hand? I've probably got better than average dexterity in my left hand than the average right-hander as a result of the years I've wasted playing music, but it still felt very unnatural to be conducting exctractive surgery on myself southpaw. As a consequence, the metal came out in about half a dozen short stages, rather than the one short, sharp tug I was aiming for. When I finally got it out it was about two millimeters by four, totally disproportionate to the amount of discomfort it caused me.
I spend the day doing something much more pleasant - making field recordings of an open fire, and then later of birdsong out in the New Forest. The birdsong made me particularly relaxed and happy, spring has most definitely sprung and I reckon there were a good dozen species around me, all in good voice. And one other that didn't make a sound, as far as I could tell, and I spent ages watching it - a Green Woodpecker, not something I've ever had the opportunity to sit down at watch at length before. I don't know if they do actually peck wood, like the spotted woodpeckers do, this chap was pecking the ground with his enormous great long beak, every now and then thrashing his head around - like a dog that won't give your tennis ball back - as he wrestled with some unfortunate subterranean invertibrate.
In the evening Carolyn and I returned to the room where a very different incarnation of Betika recorded "Heads smashed in by the boy/girl thing", to record what will be the first section of the first song of the oh-so-nearly finished new record. We did this for continutiy, and a little bit out of nostalgia. The section we wanted to record was only around a minute long, but we did something like 67 takes of it! I think we cracked it around take 52, but we kept going, just in case we managed a better one. We'll listen back to it all tomorrow and find out.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Endings
www.betika.co.uk
Today was the end of March, also the day that the SK5 played their last ever gig, the day that the last ever Pand'a Flesh clubnight happened, possibly the last time Cicatrix will gig round these parts, the day my good friend Ali resigned from her super-stressful job, the end of term and the day the marmite ran out.
Today was the end of March, also the day that the SK5 played their last ever gig, the day that the last ever Pand'a Flesh clubnight happened, possibly the last time Cicatrix will gig round these parts, the day my good friend Ali resigned from her super-stressful job, the end of term and the day the marmite ran out.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Sprung
www.betika.co.uk
It's a week late, but I felt the seasons change today. It was still raining constantly, but the rain today felt somehow summery, whereas the rain last week had a distinct wintery edge to it. The wind was against me, but blew away some brainal cobwebs and left something far more useful in their place.
The bushes were thick with birds.
Carolyn did a cool thing today.
It's a week late, but I felt the seasons change today. It was still raining constantly, but the rain today felt somehow summery, whereas the rain last week had a distinct wintery edge to it. The wind was against me, but blew away some brainal cobwebs and left something far more useful in their place.
The bushes were thick with birds.
Carolyn did a cool thing today.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Listening
www.betika.co.uk
We are listening. I am lying on the floor, I have my head in the bass drum, because there is a pillow in it, and a pillow is a good place for a head. Carolyn is sitting on a chair nearby, her face pressed against a microphone, the microphone is pushing her top lip up on one side, so she has an Elvis sneer. It looks a bit odd, but I don't mention it, I guess she must like the way it feels, who am I to judge? We hear a word that we think might be out of tune, we look at each other, and know that we're going to have to sing this song AGAIN.
We are listening. I am lying on the floor, I have my head in the bass drum, because there is a pillow in it, and a pillow is a good place for a head. Carolyn is sitting on a chair nearby, her face pressed against a microphone, the microphone is pushing her top lip up on one side, so she has an Elvis sneer. It looks a bit odd, but I don't mention it, I guess she must like the way it feels, who am I to judge? We hear a word that we think might be out of tune, we look at each other, and know that we're going to have to sing this song AGAIN.
Car Games, The 'hoof, The best thing ever
www.betika.co.uk
Chris, Imogen, Carolyn, Lee Dutch and Nic Beard drove up to see Deerhoof at The Scala on Monday. I find it always helps on resonably long journeys such as these to have a few car-based games to help pass the time - an old favourite is "car!dog!car!", the rules of which are fairly simple; If you see a dog, shout "Dog!", and thereafter, when you see a car, shout "Car!", each and every time you see a car, until such time as you see another dog, at which point you shout "Dog!", and remain silent until you see another dog, at which point you shout "Dog!", and begin shouting "Car!" again. And so on. This game works best if one of the occupants of the car is easily annoyed by repeptitive shouting that if driving along a busy road quickly begins to resemble the sound of a colony of seabirds. It can get quite exciting if you're approaching a motorway where there's going to be an awful lot of cars but almost certainly no dogs - will there be a dog, or won't there? Oh God, please let there be a dog!.
On Monday we concocted a slightly more advanced game, based on car makes. Chris, Imogen and Lee were in a white Peugeot, and Nic, Caz and I were in a pretty much identical car somewhere on the same motorway, but we didn't know whether they were ahead of us or behind. Just in case we passed them, or vice versa, to make it clear who was in the better car, we decided that every time we saw a Peugeot, we'd act as if we were having the best fun in the world EVER, rolling our heads back with laughter and sipping imaginary cocktails. This evolved to encompass other manufacturers, for example if we saw a Ford we'd pretend to be having an argument ("Look, there's a Ford!", "NO IT ISN'T!!!"), if we saw a Mitsubishi one of us would pretend that the others had kidnapped them, and if we saw a BMW we'd attempt to affect a Thousand-yard Stare. We were pretty bored.
The 'hoof were absolutely stunning, and I got to proplerly enjoy their set this time, unlike the show at The Fiddler in Bristol last year where I spent half the gig in the loo with digestive issues, and felt pretty cheated as a result, so I got some unfinished business-type closure-joy too, if you know what I mean. Though that was of little signifigance next to the monumental happiness brought about in me by the four people up on the stage. The way they play together is somehow jaw-droppingly tight AND sloppy, a lot like the Magic Band I guess, but where Beefheart can be unsettling and sometimes a bit disturbing, everything Deerhoof do is filled with humour and warmth, but not humour in a cheesy way, or a clever-clever Frank Zappa way. Maybe in a Japanese way? Anyhow, I don't think there's another band I've ever seen or heard that has simultaneously done that. Or done it so well at least. I said hello to Greg the drummer briefly afterwards, he looks a lot like Tim from The Office, but I didn't say so, or ask him if it was deliberate. Very nice bloke. I got him to sign an autograph, then I gave it to him to keep, so he'd never forget who he was. Oh, and we bumped into the guitarist from Stout, who was there at the creation of the Pink Hulk cocktail at the Joiners, we thanked him, and learned that his name is John.
The journey home, punctuated by the traditional Fleet Services toilet-break, was spent trying to remember what Terrence Trent D'Arby's hits were (after Caz or Nic started whistling "Wishing Well" for some reason), and trying to remember who recorded "We don't have to take our clothes off" around the same time, because I always thought it was TTD'A, but recently learned that it wasn't. (Google has just revealed that it was Jermaine Stewart, not Jackson on Greer, as was suggested somewhere round Virginia Water).
I've finished a new song this week, it's called "The best thing ever", and it's the closest thing I've ever written to a lovesong. By this I mean it includes no direct biological references, merely allusions of a similar nature.
Chris, Imogen, Carolyn, Lee Dutch and Nic Beard drove up to see Deerhoof at The Scala on Monday. I find it always helps on resonably long journeys such as these to have a few car-based games to help pass the time - an old favourite is "car!dog!car!", the rules of which are fairly simple; If you see a dog, shout "Dog!", and thereafter, when you see a car, shout "Car!", each and every time you see a car, until such time as you see another dog, at which point you shout "Dog!", and remain silent until you see another dog, at which point you shout "Dog!", and begin shouting "Car!" again. And so on. This game works best if one of the occupants of the car is easily annoyed by repeptitive shouting that if driving along a busy road quickly begins to resemble the sound of a colony of seabirds. It can get quite exciting if you're approaching a motorway where there's going to be an awful lot of cars but almost certainly no dogs - will there be a dog, or won't there? Oh God, please let there be a dog!.
On Monday we concocted a slightly more advanced game, based on car makes. Chris, Imogen and Lee were in a white Peugeot, and Nic, Caz and I were in a pretty much identical car somewhere on the same motorway, but we didn't know whether they were ahead of us or behind. Just in case we passed them, or vice versa, to make it clear who was in the better car, we decided that every time we saw a Peugeot, we'd act as if we were having the best fun in the world EVER, rolling our heads back with laughter and sipping imaginary cocktails. This evolved to encompass other manufacturers, for example if we saw a Ford we'd pretend to be having an argument ("Look, there's a Ford!", "NO IT ISN'T!!!"), if we saw a Mitsubishi one of us would pretend that the others had kidnapped them, and if we saw a BMW we'd attempt to affect a Thousand-yard Stare. We were pretty bored.
The 'hoof were absolutely stunning, and I got to proplerly enjoy their set this time, unlike the show at The Fiddler in Bristol last year where I spent half the gig in the loo with digestive issues, and felt pretty cheated as a result, so I got some unfinished business-type closure-joy too, if you know what I mean. Though that was of little signifigance next to the monumental happiness brought about in me by the four people up on the stage. The way they play together is somehow jaw-droppingly tight AND sloppy, a lot like the Magic Band I guess, but where Beefheart can be unsettling and sometimes a bit disturbing, everything Deerhoof do is filled with humour and warmth, but not humour in a cheesy way, or a clever-clever Frank Zappa way. Maybe in a Japanese way? Anyhow, I don't think there's another band I've ever seen or heard that has simultaneously done that. Or done it so well at least. I said hello to Greg the drummer briefly afterwards, he looks a lot like Tim from The Office, but I didn't say so, or ask him if it was deliberate. Very nice bloke. I got him to sign an autograph, then I gave it to him to keep, so he'd never forget who he was. Oh, and we bumped into the guitarist from Stout, who was there at the creation of the Pink Hulk cocktail at the Joiners, we thanked him, and learned that his name is John.
The journey home, punctuated by the traditional Fleet Services toilet-break, was spent trying to remember what Terrence Trent D'Arby's hits were (after Caz or Nic started whistling "Wishing Well" for some reason), and trying to remember who recorded "We don't have to take our clothes off" around the same time, because I always thought it was TTD'A, but recently learned that it wasn't. (Google has just revealed that it was Jermaine Stewart, not Jackson on Greer, as was suggested somewhere round Virginia Water).
I've finished a new song this week, it's called "The best thing ever", and it's the closest thing I've ever written to a lovesong. By this I mean it includes no direct biological references, merely allusions of a similar nature.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Monday, March 20, 2006
Joiners Photos
www.betika.co.uk
There are some rather good photos of Betika playing at The Joiners last night here, courtesy of Skott Wallis of The Hat / Lounge / Blind Voyeurs / Tex La Homa / Monkey Head Transplant fame. I particularly like the way he's mostly taken pictures of me!
Good Work, Skott!
There are some rather good photos of Betika playing at The Joiners last night here, courtesy of Skott Wallis of The Hat / Lounge / Blind Voyeurs / Tex La Homa / Monkey Head Transplant fame. I particularly like the way he's mostly taken pictures of me!
Good Work, Skott!
A Very Bad Thing
www.betika.co.uk
First off, a massive thankyou to everyone who came to see us at The Joiners last night, I hope we were worth making the journey for and you enjoyed the other bands as much as I did. Sadly, grim tidings lay in wait for us as we left the stage - a text came from France via Chris with the news that Imogen had broken her wrist in a skiing accident. It is with some shame that I must confess that my first concern was that our bass player wouldn't be able to play for a while, rather than that my friend had hurt herself, a product I think of my increasingly obsessive one-track Betika-head. The delay between the two was only a nanosecond though, there is still a human being in here somewhere! The text said that she was being kept in hospital overnight, and I immedeately had visions of her being alone in a vast, icy Victorian dormitory ward patrolled by a grim French Matron, hopefully the reality of the situation was slightly more modern and less starchy. I wonder if French hospital food is better than ours in the way the rest of their cuisine supposedly is? I'll have an answer on that mid-next week I guess.
Big thankyou also to Hubcap, normally the overseer of Betika recordings, who provided bass-guitar cover last night in Imogen's holiday absence, and who may now find himself doing more of same while broken bones are mending...Poor Imo :(
First off, a massive thankyou to everyone who came to see us at The Joiners last night, I hope we were worth making the journey for and you enjoyed the other bands as much as I did. Sadly, grim tidings lay in wait for us as we left the stage - a text came from France via Chris with the news that Imogen had broken her wrist in a skiing accident. It is with some shame that I must confess that my first concern was that our bass player wouldn't be able to play for a while, rather than that my friend had hurt herself, a product I think of my increasingly obsessive one-track Betika-head. The delay between the two was only a nanosecond though, there is still a human being in here somewhere! The text said that she was being kept in hospital overnight, and I immedeately had visions of her being alone in a vast, icy Victorian dormitory ward patrolled by a grim French Matron, hopefully the reality of the situation was slightly more modern and less starchy. I wonder if French hospital food is better than ours in the way the rest of their cuisine supposedly is? I'll have an answer on that mid-next week I guess.
Big thankyou also to Hubcap, normally the overseer of Betika recordings, who provided bass-guitar cover last night in Imogen's holiday absence, and who may now find himself doing more of same while broken bones are mending...Poor Imo :(
Monday, March 13, 2006
Further Pictures
www.betika.co.uk
There are some pictures online of the gig we did last week with HaHa Party People and Flipron, taken once again by Paul Savine. Click here to see us pulling hilarious sex-faces and ape-like action poses!
There are some pictures online of the gig we did last week with HaHa Party People and Flipron, taken once again by Paul Savine. Click here to see us pulling hilarious sex-faces and ape-like action poses!
I have seen the future...
www.betika.co.uk
...and it doesn't have any electricity in it! We (that is to say Imogen, Carolyn and I) had something of a revelatory experience last night when we had the pleasure of playing at an acoustic night in Bristol that was so acoustic there weren't even any microphones. It must be stressed that this was in no way due to some oversight on the part of the organisers; it was a brilliantly concieved and executed event that harked back to some mythical golden age of making-your-own-entertainment.
The venue was a packed cafe (Cafe Delight on Gloucester Road, recipent of the big fat Betika seal of approval food-and-drink wise!), which didn't have a stage or any kind of designated playing area, so the people playing just found themselves a little bit of space amongst the audience and did their stuff - far and away the most intimate gig I've ever done. As we arrived (after the usual "I think we're lost!" / "Where do we park??" hastles) Jar was starting her set, and immedeately the brilliance of the concept of a totally acoustic night became apparent. Jar's music is so incredibly slight and minimal - just voice and a few notes picked out on glockenspiel, violin or guitar - that even the slightest murmur of conversation from the opposite end of the room would have smothered it completely. But every person in the place sat in complete and utter silence and hung on every word and every note of every song. Have you ever had that thing where you're lying awake late at night, and every tiny little noise that the house makes sounds like burglars breaking the door down? Exactly the same thing happened, the tiny little sounds coming from Jar's glock filled the silent room like the chiming of miniature churchbells.
I think our set would have to be the single most enjoyable performance of my life so far - I have to admit to having been a little apprehensive about being placed under such intense scrutiny, but looking around the crowd I found the faces to be friendly and curious, and it turns out that playing and singing are much easier to do when you don't have to worry about microphones and amplifiers and things. We did six songs; "You can call me brother", "Girlshaped", "We will not know peace", "Pink Hulk", "The taming of the shrew" (for the very first time in public) and a version of "By Default" that drew disgusted groans and laughter from the audience in all the right places.
On after us were Vijay Kishore, a man possesed of the loudest and most remarkable voice I've ever heard ("Like an indian Jeff Buckley but like Jeff Buckley in the good Thom Yorke way" would be a lazy but not innacurate way to describe him), and then Francois and the Atlas Mountains Ensemble, who took up half the room with their bodies and their collection of instruments (THREE glockenspiels, two accordians, tenor sax, clarinet, double bass, melodica, a couple of guitars, various percussion and voices), and who filled the air with a rich and glorious range of sounds. We drove the long road home tired but very, very happy. Big thankyou to Theo from Factfans for letting us be a part of such a great night!
More Betika later this week closer to home when we play The Joiners in Southampton on Sunday 19th sandwiched betwen Misty's Big Adventure, Flipron and The Michael Wookey Band. If you would like to go, email us RIGHT NOW!
...and it doesn't have any electricity in it! We (that is to say Imogen, Carolyn and I) had something of a revelatory experience last night when we had the pleasure of playing at an acoustic night in Bristol that was so acoustic there weren't even any microphones. It must be stressed that this was in no way due to some oversight on the part of the organisers; it was a brilliantly concieved and executed event that harked back to some mythical golden age of making-your-own-entertainment.
The venue was a packed cafe (Cafe Delight on Gloucester Road, recipent of the big fat Betika seal of approval food-and-drink wise!), which didn't have a stage or any kind of designated playing area, so the people playing just found themselves a little bit of space amongst the audience and did their stuff - far and away the most intimate gig I've ever done. As we arrived (after the usual "I think we're lost!" / "Where do we park??" hastles) Jar was starting her set, and immedeately the brilliance of the concept of a totally acoustic night became apparent. Jar's music is so incredibly slight and minimal - just voice and a few notes picked out on glockenspiel, violin or guitar - that even the slightest murmur of conversation from the opposite end of the room would have smothered it completely. But every person in the place sat in complete and utter silence and hung on every word and every note of every song. Have you ever had that thing where you're lying awake late at night, and every tiny little noise that the house makes sounds like burglars breaking the door down? Exactly the same thing happened, the tiny little sounds coming from Jar's glock filled the silent room like the chiming of miniature churchbells.
I think our set would have to be the single most enjoyable performance of my life so far - I have to admit to having been a little apprehensive about being placed under such intense scrutiny, but looking around the crowd I found the faces to be friendly and curious, and it turns out that playing and singing are much easier to do when you don't have to worry about microphones and amplifiers and things. We did six songs; "You can call me brother", "Girlshaped", "We will not know peace", "Pink Hulk", "The taming of the shrew" (for the very first time in public) and a version of "By Default" that drew disgusted groans and laughter from the audience in all the right places.
On after us were Vijay Kishore, a man possesed of the loudest and most remarkable voice I've ever heard ("Like an indian Jeff Buckley but like Jeff Buckley in the good Thom Yorke way" would be a lazy but not innacurate way to describe him), and then Francois and the Atlas Mountains Ensemble, who took up half the room with their bodies and their collection of instruments (THREE glockenspiels, two accordians, tenor sax, clarinet, double bass, melodica, a couple of guitars, various percussion and voices), and who filled the air with a rich and glorious range of sounds. We drove the long road home tired but very, very happy. Big thankyou to Theo from Factfans for letting us be a part of such a great night!
More Betika later this week closer to home when we play The Joiners in Southampton on Sunday 19th sandwiched betwen Misty's Big Adventure, Flipron and The Michael Wookey Band. If you would like to go, email us RIGHT NOW!
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Some pictures
www.betika.co.uk
Photos 2, 7, 8 Steve Beck, 3 Holloway Photography, 6 Unknown, 9 Fran, 12 Mal Tween, 14 Paul Savine.
Others by Dave and Caz
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Upcoming in the very near future...
www.betika.co.uk
A very lazy blog tonight, but it's late and I'm tired and I have a dozen things to do by morning! A cut-and-paste from today's mail out I'm afraid...
Dearly Beloved,
a couple of exciting Betika-related things coming up this week!
First of all, we'll be playing our first hometown gig of the year this Tuesday (14th Feb) at Centre Stage in Westbourne (next to the Pig and Whistle pub off Queens Road). Also on the bill are Gravamen Sound and The Jurado Brothers, and as it's Valentines we'll be playing what by default are some love songs! It £2 to get in, doors open at 8pm and the bar is open late, in case you're in the mood for a midweek binge (and also useful in case you have Valentines sorrows to drown).
For those of you further afield or still hungry for a piece of us, you can catch our first ever appearance on national radio when Phill Jupitus interviews us for his BBC6 Music breakfast show on Thursday (16th Feb). We'll be having a chat, previewing some new Betika recordings and maybe choosing a tune or two between 8.30 and 9am. If you're not going to be near any digital radio-recieving apparatus at the time, or want to hear it again, you can listen to the show online for a few days after broadcast by going to Phill's page on the 6Music website.
hope all is well with all of you,
Dave von Betika
I'd forgotten what a gorgeous record Lambchop's "Nixon" is. Just played it on a whim and am now re-thinking my all-time top ten to include it...
A very lazy blog tonight, but it's late and I'm tired and I have a dozen things to do by morning! A cut-and-paste from today's mail out I'm afraid...
Dearly Beloved,
a couple of exciting Betika-related things coming up this week!
First of all, we'll be playing our first hometown gig of the year this Tuesday (14th Feb) at Centre Stage in Westbourne (next to the Pig and Whistle pub off Queens Road). Also on the bill are Gravamen Sound and The Jurado Brothers, and as it's Valentines we'll be playing what by default are some love songs! It £2 to get in, doors open at 8pm and the bar is open late, in case you're in the mood for a midweek binge (and also useful in case you have Valentines sorrows to drown).
For those of you further afield or still hungry for a piece of us, you can catch our first ever appearance on national radio when Phill Jupitus interviews us for his BBC6 Music breakfast show on Thursday (16th Feb). We'll be having a chat, previewing some new Betika recordings and maybe choosing a tune or two between 8.30 and 9am. If you're not going to be near any digital radio-recieving apparatus at the time, or want to hear it again, you can listen to the show online for a few days after broadcast by going to Phill's page on the 6Music website.
hope all is well with all of you,
Dave von Betika
I'd forgotten what a gorgeous record Lambchop's "Nixon" is. Just played it on a whim and am now re-thinking my all-time top ten to include it...
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Joiners, Betika at the Beeb (for real!)
www.betika.co.uk
A big thankyou to everyone who recieved us so warmly at The Joiners last night, it was a pleasure and a privilege to play for you! Thanks especially to those folks who made a special trip to see us, and everyone who finger-clicked / hand-clapped / sang along, many a Betika heart was warmed by the reception we got! Big thanks also to Toupe for giving us the gig, and the soundman (Martin, I think? I have boozy fuzz where some of my memories should be), for getting the sound spot-on in spite of our multitude of instruments and things breaking down. Oh, and the guys from Stout, who set up an ad-hoc mailing list for us when the free CDs ran out on the merchandising table. And just about everybody I spoke to, for being such thoroughly decent people! We'll be back at The Joiners on Sunday 19th March in the company of the fantastic Misty's Big Adventure and Flipron - mail us at info@betika.co.uk if you want tickets / seats on the bus!
Betika will be doing an interview with Phill Jupitus on his BBC Radio 6 Breakfast show in a couple of weeks, on the morning of Thursday 16th Feb - DAB / Digital TV / internet listeners will be able to tune in to hear us having a wee chat and previewing a couple of previously-unheard recordings from the (nearly finished!) Betika album.
Next Betika gig is Tuesday 14th February at Centre Stage, Westbourne. Bring a loved-one!
A big thankyou to everyone who recieved us so warmly at The Joiners last night, it was a pleasure and a privilege to play for you! Thanks especially to those folks who made a special trip to see us, and everyone who finger-clicked / hand-clapped / sang along, many a Betika heart was warmed by the reception we got! Big thanks also to Toupe for giving us the gig, and the soundman (Martin, I think? I have boozy fuzz where some of my memories should be), for getting the sound spot-on in spite of our multitude of instruments and things breaking down. Oh, and the guys from Stout, who set up an ad-hoc mailing list for us when the free CDs ran out on the merchandising table. And just about everybody I spoke to, for being such thoroughly decent people! We'll be back at The Joiners on Sunday 19th March in the company of the fantastic Misty's Big Adventure and Flipron - mail us at info@betika.co.uk if you want tickets / seats on the bus!
Betika will be doing an interview with Phill Jupitus on his BBC Radio 6 Breakfast show in a couple of weeks, on the morning of Thursday 16th Feb - DAB / Digital TV / internet listeners will be able to tune in to hear us having a wee chat and previewing a couple of previously-unheard recordings from the (nearly finished!) Betika album.
Next Betika gig is Tuesday 14th February at Centre Stage, Westbourne. Bring a loved-one!
Pink Hulk
www.betika.co.uk
I've invented (or at least stumbled across) another drink, which has been christened a "Pink Hulk", after one of our songs. It's pretty simple to make;
1 shot Rose Tequila (not sure how readily available this is)
Lemonade
Ice
Straw (v. important!)
Rose tequila is a bit like Baileys, in the respect that it curdles very easily when brought into contact with just about anything else, but in this case if the lemonade is good and fizzy it reacts and forms a thick pink foam that should be stiff enough to support a straw within a couple of minutes. It tastes not unlike a thick strawberry milkshake bought from a high-street burger-and-fries chain whose golden arches I have not passed under for some years as a matter of principle and personal preference. But there's booze in it.
I think it's safe to say that you'll only ever need to have one Pink Hulk in your life.
Thanks to Isaak who mixed this monster for Carolyn and I, and the guitarist from Stout who egged us on, then indulged in one himself.
I've invented (or at least stumbled across) another drink, which has been christened a "Pink Hulk", after one of our songs. It's pretty simple to make;
1 shot Rose Tequila (not sure how readily available this is)
Lemonade
Ice
Straw (v. important!)
Rose tequila is a bit like Baileys, in the respect that it curdles very easily when brought into contact with just about anything else, but in this case if the lemonade is good and fizzy it reacts and forms a thick pink foam that should be stiff enough to support a straw within a couple of minutes. It tastes not unlike a thick strawberry milkshake bought from a high-street burger-and-fries chain whose golden arches I have not passed under for some years as a matter of principle and personal preference. But there's booze in it.
I think it's safe to say that you'll only ever need to have one Pink Hulk in your life.
Thanks to Isaak who mixed this monster for Carolyn and I, and the guitarist from Stout who egged us on, then indulged in one himself.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Birds / Betika at the beeb (ish).
www.betika.co.uk
I saw a couple of birds in my garden this afternoon that I've never seen there before, one was a Long-tailed Tit, and the other was probably a Siskin, though it was more of a greeny-grey than the yellow colour shown, and it wasn't feeding upside-down, which is normally how you'd tell them from greenfinches at a distance. It did have a distinct black cap to it's head, but I don't think it was a Blackcap, it had a definite finch-y look to it.
There's a short profile / interview thing about us on the BBC Dorset website here.
I saw a couple of birds in my garden this afternoon that I've never seen there before, one was a Long-tailed Tit, and the other was probably a Siskin, though it was more of a greeny-grey than the yellow colour shown, and it wasn't feeding upside-down, which is normally how you'd tell them from greenfinches at a distance. It did have a distinct black cap to it's head, but I don't think it was a Blackcap, it had a definite finch-y look to it.
There's a short profile / interview thing about us on the BBC Dorset website here.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
...and yet more bad
www.betika.co.uk
We don't seem to have shaken our run of bad luck! Firstly, Carolyn's car failed it's MOT today in what may prove to be a horrificaly costly way. Secondly, my bike was making some very odd noises every time I put on the front brakes on my way back from work, and when I had a look at it when I got home I found that the nuts holding the front wheel on had come loose, so I was lucky I hadn't attempted to wheelie over any puddles, or bunnyhop off any kerbs! I wouldn't have nearly so many teeth as I do now. Thirdly, the Purple Purge youth concerts at Wimborne's Allendale Centre, one of which we were due to play in May, have been called off. It seems that the local constabulary think that shutting these concerts down will help aleviate the town's under-age drinking problem, though the association they've made between the two seems to me to be quite a vicarious one. Chris Brown (The Wimborne Town Crier, and driving force behind Purple Purge)is planning some protests against this descision, if it's something you'd like to be involved in, have a look at his website.
We don't seem to have shaken our run of bad luck! Firstly, Carolyn's car failed it's MOT today in what may prove to be a horrificaly costly way. Secondly, my bike was making some very odd noises every time I put on the front brakes on my way back from work, and when I had a look at it when I got home I found that the nuts holding the front wheel on had come loose, so I was lucky I hadn't attempted to wheelie over any puddles, or bunnyhop off any kerbs! I wouldn't have nearly so many teeth as I do now. Thirdly, the Purple Purge youth concerts at Wimborne's Allendale Centre, one of which we were due to play in May, have been called off. It seems that the local constabulary think that shutting these concerts down will help aleviate the town's under-age drinking problem, though the association they've made between the two seems to me to be quite a vicarious one. Chris Brown (The Wimborne Town Crier, and driving force behind Purple Purge)is planning some protests against this descision, if it's something you'd like to be involved in, have a look at his website.
Monday, January 30, 2006
More bad things, and some good ones
www.betika.co.uk
Our run of bad luck continued into sunday; Chris still couldn't get his car going, in spite of Imogen's attempts to fix it, and the van hadn't miraculously repaired itself either. I decided to do a spot of gardening, and while raking up some leaves I trod in some fox poo, which I didn't notice until I'd walked it all through the house. I cleared it up, and in doing so narrowly avoided being electrocuted by the Hoover, the mains cable of which had been mysteriously sliced open, exposing both the live and neutral, as I found as I was coiling it up. I attempted to record some singing in the afternoon, but my voice had dried up to a reedy thin squeak of a thing (most likely the result of my caffiene-binge on Saturday), so we recorded Caz doing some oboe and melodica instead. Which was good.
Other good things have happened since, in the form of some very exciting gigs we've got lined up for the next couple of months, more on which when we're in possession of all the pertinent facts. There's going to be a couple of chances to catch Betika this week if you live in or are prepared to travel to Southampton. Caz and I will be popping into the open mic night at The Talking Heads to do a couple of songs tonight, and the whole band is playing at The Joiners on Friday (Feb 3rd) night in the company of Toupe, Stout and This Black Static.
Our run of bad luck continued into sunday; Chris still couldn't get his car going, in spite of Imogen's attempts to fix it, and the van hadn't miraculously repaired itself either. I decided to do a spot of gardening, and while raking up some leaves I trod in some fox poo, which I didn't notice until I'd walked it all through the house. I cleared it up, and in doing so narrowly avoided being electrocuted by the Hoover, the mains cable of which had been mysteriously sliced open, exposing both the live and neutral, as I found as I was coiling it up. I attempted to record some singing in the afternoon, but my voice had dried up to a reedy thin squeak of a thing (most likely the result of my caffiene-binge on Saturday), so we recorded Caz doing some oboe and melodica instead. Which was good.
Other good things have happened since, in the form of some very exciting gigs we've got lined up for the next couple of months, more on which when we're in possession of all the pertinent facts. There's going to be a couple of chances to catch Betika this week if you live in or are prepared to travel to Southampton. Caz and I will be popping into the open mic night at The Talking Heads to do a couple of songs tonight, and the whole band is playing at The Joiners on Friday (Feb 3rd) night in the company of Toupe, Stout and This Black Static.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
And how we beat it...
www.betika.co.uk
Well, Imogen and Richard got back safely, Imogen succesfully repaired her damaged hands with superglue, Rich and Gary dragged their ruined bodies into the recording room and we set to the task in hand with only two of the six hours we'd allocated remaining. And we did three almost flawless takes of "25" straight off the bat, and nailed "Hatred" in seven. Vocals and overdubs tomorrow, mixing next week, job done next weekend! Or that's the plan.
I've made myself go a bit mental tonight, I've been drinking tea non-stop today, I've had a couple of beers over the course of the evening and I haven't really eaten since breakfast, now I'm simultaneously dog tired, hyper to the point where I'm shaking, incredibly happy about the way the session turned out and yet somehow really sad. It's not very nice and I wouldn't reccommend it.
I wrote a new song this week called "The taming of the shrew". It's about small animals.
Well, Imogen and Richard got back safely, Imogen succesfully repaired her damaged hands with superglue, Rich and Gary dragged their ruined bodies into the recording room and we set to the task in hand with only two of the six hours we'd allocated remaining. And we did three almost flawless takes of "25" straight off the bat, and nailed "Hatred" in seven. Vocals and overdubs tomorrow, mixing next week, job done next weekend! Or that's the plan.
I've made myself go a bit mental tonight, I've been drinking tea non-stop today, I've had a couple of beers over the course of the evening and I haven't really eaten since breakfast, now I'm simultaneously dog tired, hyper to the point where I'm shaking, incredibly happy about the way the session turned out and yet somehow really sad. It's not very nice and I wouldn't reccommend it.
I wrote a new song this week called "The taming of the shrew". It's about small animals.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
The Curse of Betika
www.betika.co.uk
Today we're supposed to be doing the last recording session for the album, however;
First thing this morning I wanted to go to the guitar shop to buy a new lead - I got in the van, it started first time then died abruptly and wouldn't even turn over after that. I was in a hurry, so I jumped into Lexi's car. That didn't start, but after much coaxing finally got going. Meanwhile;
Hubcap (producer) stood up at home and pulled something in his back which left him in agony.
Rich (drummer) was angle-grinding some metal racking at work, and knackered something in his shoulder.
Carrying these injuries, they arrived at the session. However;
Chris and Imogen had gone out for a walk, and in the course of a game of frisbee Imogen managed to tear two of the nails of her bass-playing fingers. She tried cutting them back, but decided that they really needed sticking back together with superglue. After much hunting, no superglue could be found, so she decided to go back to her flat to get some. Her car has been broken for some weeks, so she borrowed Chris'. Or she would have, only guess what? It wouldn't start! Not so much as a squeak would it make. Exactly the same as my van. So Rich has taken Imo home to get some glue so she can fix her hands so we can start recording, some four hours after we originally intended. I'm praying they make it back unscathed.
Today we're supposed to be doing the last recording session for the album, however;
First thing this morning I wanted to go to the guitar shop to buy a new lead - I got in the van, it started first time then died abruptly and wouldn't even turn over after that. I was in a hurry, so I jumped into Lexi's car. That didn't start, but after much coaxing finally got going. Meanwhile;
Hubcap (producer) stood up at home and pulled something in his back which left him in agony.
Rich (drummer) was angle-grinding some metal racking at work, and knackered something in his shoulder.
Carrying these injuries, they arrived at the session. However;
Chris and Imogen had gone out for a walk, and in the course of a game of frisbee Imogen managed to tear two of the nails of her bass-playing fingers. She tried cutting them back, but decided that they really needed sticking back together with superglue. After much hunting, no superglue could be found, so she decided to go back to her flat to get some. Her car has been broken for some weeks, so she borrowed Chris'. Or she would have, only guess what? It wouldn't start! Not so much as a squeak would it make. Exactly the same as my van. So Rich has taken Imo home to get some glue so she can fix her hands so we can start recording, some four hours after we originally intended. I'm praying they make it back unscathed.
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