Things are happening!

I've managed to get in contact with a couple bands, who possibly are interested in me helping promote them and booking some gigs for them. Exciting times!

The first band i've spoken to are Tied to the Mast, who are an amazing rock'n'roll band, I strongly suggest you check them out!

Tied to the Mast - Bad Blood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU9-cHaS9r4

Tied to the Mast - Traitor's Gate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gD5BQMn5eg

Website: http://www.tiedtothemast.co.uk/

You can buy their album direct from their site with the money going straight to them, I'll be sure to do that when i get paid! They also have a show coming up:


BATH - NOVEMBER 18TH (THURS)
THE GREEN PARK TAVERN
44-45 LOWER BRISTOL ROAD
BATH

So check them out if you can!

The other band i've spoken to is Leeds band Cut Out Shapes, these guys are a great little indie band with almost a desert rock twist, you can check them out at their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cutoutshapesuk

So get the fuck amongst it!

A new beginning...

Music and Art is my life, and i'm finding myself frustrated with the lack of originality out there today. Not only is there a lack of originality, people are becoming more and more complacent with mediocrity within the artistic world. I don't know how this has happened but i want to stop it. I absolutely refuse to believe that there is only a handful of working artists out there that still strive to be original.

I have given up a lot to devote my life to creating and playing music but i am sick and tired of having to wade through the absolute dross out there to connect with someone or even find another person who shares the same tastes and beliefs as me, with the actual drive to create something that will last. 

I listen to and enjoy all types of music, and i also like to create all types of music, and i want to really push myself into creating something new and original showing influence from the whole spectrum of music that is out there. Not just crap out another angst-y teenage song, or and "in the club" dance RnB track.

And so I have created "Free Range Human Music" an initiative that i hope will inspire people to create something that is an expression of themselves and that has soul. I spend a lot of my time creating music, and i want to use this as a way of reaching people, of promoting music and art of all genres and styles to the best of my ability.

Obviously i am limited money wise, i'm literally talking DIY punk ethic promotion and just getting things done. So if you think you have something worthwhile, something worth hearing, something that says "this is me, and i'm not like you or them" then get in contact at freerangehumanmusic@gmail.com

If i like what i see or hear i will go out of my way to promote, and help out as much as possible.

Show me originality isn't dead.

Time Flies...

Soooooooooo, the days have been flying by recently, and unfortunately not much progress has been made on the EP this week (although there isn't a lot left to do). I've finished the artwork, 4 out of 6 tracks are just awaiting their final mix and mastering, and the remaining 2 are just missing vocals (plus mix/mastering).
The EP will be called "Stryfe's Dangerous Friend" and should be out within the month.

I've also been working on some other projects this week, written a couple more songs, started a few more electronic/sample based pieces, and i'm also working on a remix for the track "Remission of Guilt" by The New Regime. You can download the track for free here: http://thenewregime.com/

I've made a few musical discoveries and re-discoveries this week, which leads me to a somewhat unrelated point: it's my birthday next week and as i've been out there shaking my money-maker on the front line of new music and discovering all these new bands, it would only be fitting if someone bought me a sweet little safari suit and hat....

Anyways i did make some discoveries, by way of Janelle Monae, her album The Archandroid is probably my favourite so far this year. She manages to fuse the soul of old 30s records with Bowie-esque story-telling and combine it with catchy and funky hooks. Absolutely amazing stuff, check out the singles Tightrope and Cold War, then buy the album.

My copy of Pulled Apart by Horses album also arrived this week and it's made me so ready to go OFF at their show in December. I'm gonna END it that night it's gonna be so sick. Great band.

Until next time troops...

Don't say i never follow through.....wait, what?

So yesterday i recall saying i'm gonna get a lot of music work done, well either i said that or I dreamt it, and although i have my moments i don't think i'm so boring that i'd dream about my blog posts, soooooooo i did say it. Anyway I'll just get to the point, i finished a new song today. It's a short instrumental piece, but i like it maybe you will too...

Free Range Human - She's Gone

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?wsq08qiexy15d9l

Stream: http://soundcloud.com/free-range-human

Thanks.

Clich-ay?

So yeah, the jam-less doughnut strikes back.
The next few days are going to be pretty packed full of music-making goodness, gotta work some stuff out of my system so college work be damned. Heartbreak is to the artist (um don't think for a second i call myself an artist but you know what i mean) what cat-nip is to....well cats, really, jeeeez do i need to draw you a diagram here?

Listening to one of the best albums of all time at the moment, which would be........?
Come on.....?
.....
.....?
Answers on a postcard kids!
I jest, i'm listening to Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualised of course! Pretty much the soundtrack to my life these days.

Whenever life gets you down watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjBQKIOb-w
and cry some happy tears. Fuck it i did....once....................................but no more than that ok?..........OK!?

Jam

Been a few days since my last update, cos of y'know, life shit happening, the jam's been taken out of my doughnut, I am a jam-less doughnut if you will. But enough of my dessert situation, progress has actually been made on the EP, mainly on the artwork which I have been whipping up on Ye Olde Photoshop, my main focus with the artwork is to make it not look like a tacky Microsoft Clip Art job, and so far it's going.......ok. Think i'm still on track for the end of the month release date, although it seems college have recently decided that I have to actually do some work which is a bit of a draw back but I'll get there.

I've been listening to a lot of David Bowie this week, his 2002 album Heathen to be exact, and it's so good I love all the tracks....well minus the song “I Took a Trip On a Gemini Spaceship” which blows hard, but to be fair it is a cover, so i'll let him off. I can't stop listening to the songs “5:15 the Angels Have Gone” “Afraid” and “Everyone Says Hi” check them out if you get a chance.

Well anyway, back to finding my jam.

Things In Motion

Whoa what a weekend!!!

Bull whips and donuts with a side of purple sunrise....not really, this weekend was pretty lame but I did get a good amount of work done for the EP. 

At the moment it looks like there will be 6 tracks, 2 of which are finished (minus mixing and mastering) 1 is close to being done, i've just gotta finish the vocals, 2 of them have a way to go but i have a really clear idea of what i'm gonna do to them. And there's 1 that i've just started called "SDF" which i'm loving right now, it just sounds so ragged like it could fall apart at any moment, i think it's the fastest song i've ever recorded at 170 BPM.

Also this afternoon i'm gonna see how much producing the artwork for the CDs will cost me, hopefully not too much. I'm going to try and see about getting some vinyl made up as well, but i have a feeling that the cost might be a little on the heavy side.

I just recently started watching the 4th season of the best show on the-magic-box-with-pictures-and-sound-in-it: Dexter. I'm only 2 episodes in and i'm already tryin to pull the fishing line out my cheek. Seriously if you haven't seen it, buy the first series, you won't regret it. For anyone that doesn't know it's basically about this guy (erm...Dexter obviously) who's a blood spatter analysist working for the Miami police department who also happens to be addicted to killing people. So during the day he helps with catching the bad guys and at night he feeds his addiction by catching the sick motherfuckers that manage to escape prison (which lucky for him there seems to be a lot of). And it's led by probably the best American actor on the-magic-box-with-pictures-and-sound-in-it: Michael C. Hall whose performance is always top notch. Oh and if you have the time Six Feet Under's a good watch too.

Listening to the new Killing Joke album at the moment and it actually sounds like standing at the edge of the apocalypse, it's soooooo dark, friggin love eeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Discoveries

Got a loooooaaaaad of work done on the EP yesterday, and so i'm pretty sure i'll be releasing it by the end of this month now. Excited about that. I actually listened to all the songs yesterday and tried to listen like i would to any other music and I think the music i've been listening to recently has really influenced me (that music would be David Bowie, No Age, Deerhunter, NIN) and it definitely shows in the songs, I just hope it sounds like a decent mix of those rather than a straight up carbon copy. Well the proof will be in the proverbial apple crumble and custard i guess.

I've recently discovered loads of new bands that sound amazing as well, and it gives me hope to see so much music come out today that doesn't actually suck massive amounts of testicles.

The first band i discovered was Pulled Apart By Horses. They're a 4 piece that sound like a wicked mix of Black Flag style delivery and structures with hooks and riffs reminiscent of bands like The Rakes. Definitely gonna check these guys out live when i get the chance.

Pulled Apart By Horses - High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlGYwXdgpY8

Pulled Apart By Horses - Back to the Fuck Yeah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzDz5wVs8uw

Official website: http://www.pulledapartbyhorses.com/

Another cool band i've found is Tied To The Mast, I've only heard a few tracks but they sound kinda like Mudhoney meets QotSA meets (pop-y) Sonic Youth meets....i dunno just check them out ya hear!?

Tied To The Mast - Traitor's Gate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gD5BQMn5eg

Tied To The Mast - Bad Blood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU9-cHaS9r4

Official Site: http://www.tiedtothemast.co.uk/

Looking for that band with a modern desert rock sound that doesn't completely rip off Kyuss and doesn't jam the same song out for half an hour? Look no further pilgirim! I give you Tweak Bird.

Tweak Bird - The Future
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwjvRyM-eVk 

Tweak Bird - Lights in Lines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mSYtizAhcE&feature=related

Official Site: http://www.tweakbird.com/

Well that's me done for the day...
Oh wait, i'm buzzing hard off of Death From Above 1979's album You're a Woman I'm a Machine, just fucking sick bass and drums, you'll get it if you know what's good for you....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qofA8N3xSUQ

Hard at work...

Hey you! It's been a while!

I haven't written in a while, because, well basically life's friggin mental right now, and it's starting to click that 24 hours really isn't many hours after all. I have hardly any free time at the moment between work, college, catching up with friends and that little word that used to offer so much relief but these days seems more like a necessary evil: SLEEP.

That's not to say i'm not having fun, and cool things really are happening. The EP is nearly done and is likely to have 6 tracks on it (if not more) i'm absolutely loving it at the moment as well. My idea with it is to kind of show as many sides as i can of the music i like to make, almost like a compilation of songs really, but a compilation which will fit nicely together as a whole. At the moment it seems the hardest thing to do is to actually STOP writing new songs (i have probably just jinxed myself in to having 25 years of writer's block there but y'know).

I've been listening to a lot of new music lately as well, the new Deerhunter album is amazing, it's just so relaxing but can still shake you up occasionally. At this moment in time i'm currently listening to No Age's new album 'Everything in Between' which is surprisingly pop-py, but still sounding pretty rad, (oh yeah if anyone wants to hook me up with tickets to see them on the 14th you're very welcome to).

It's my birthday in a couple of weeks and i actually can't wait, and not to constantly go oooonn about it but I'm aiming to have the EP out by then almost as a present to myself. Yes. I make my own fun ok!?

So my parting advice to use is this: DON'T drink a pint of vodka in 4 seconds. That shit'll kill you. For real: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-11437449

Hopefully a nice start to the week for someone here

So today is the day, I've finished my remixes of the songs from The Social Network score and have uploaded them for people to download and listen to at their leisure. This shit is hot off the presses I literally only just finished mastering the last song.

I have uploaded both the tracks complete with artwork into one zip file, most computers come with software to un-zip the files but if you need help doing it go here: http://www.tech-pro.net/howto-open-zip-file.html

Failing that I have also upload both the tracks as seperate mp3s. See below for the link.

Free Range Human - The Social Network Remixes

1. On We March (Harsh) http://www.mediafire.com/?261hrhdb4ebgz0b

2. In Motion (New Way of Life) http://www.mediafire.com/?exjg1pm733400jx

Download both tracks and artwork: http://www.mediafire.com/?t6lelxkl9ktli6b

You can also hear the tracks via: http://soundcloud.com/free-range-remixes

I hope you enjoy!

Long days of unrewarding work lead to...remixes...?

Weeeelll that was about 8 hours of my life i'll probably never have any need to remember, i'm referring of course to my day-job, stock replenisher at Painsbury's s supermarket, from which i have just returned. Let's not dwell on that though, because i did actually get a good amount of work done on something that's actually worthwhile. I finished all the recording for my second remix and now all it needs is a good mix and master and we're sorted. I also knocked up a bit of artwork for the release of the 2 remixes. They are called "On We March (Harsh)" and "In Motion (New Way of Life)" and they should be up for people to listen to and download at their leisure this coming Monday or Tuesday. Exciting times.

I came home to find a nice little surprise after my shift today, (and for a change it wasn't that next door's cat had shat on my drive-way) the nice people at hmv.com had delivered me 3 new albums. I goooot:

Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent
No Age - Everything In Between
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Can't wait to wrap my ear 'oles around those bad boys i tell ye.
Anyway while i was pretending to do my college work in class yesterday i was listening to How To Destroy Angels debut EP from a few months ago and was reminded of how good it actually is (minus the kinda predictable last track "A Drowning" but i'll let them off just this once) and so if you're interested in hearing it you can download the whole EP for FREE from their site: http://www.howtodestroyangels.com/store/

And so for another day i shall leave you, ad i shall leave you with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppNMVtE-3hU

Lottery ticket blues...

You know that feeling you get when you buy a lottery ticket? Where you know that you won't win but still can't help but imagine getting all the right numbers and buying that huge house, nice car, and stack of vintage “Playboy's” you've alwa--- well yeah anyway despite knowing you won't win you're still a bit disappointed when you don't. That's kind of how I'm feeling now, because the terms of the remix competition I posted about yesterday got put up and it states you can't win if you're under 18 or live outside the US. Guuuuuuuutteeeeed! Either way I had a great time doing the remix, so much in fact, I started another one today so I'm gonna hold off posting the finished one I have until they're both done, which should only be a few days.

So the moral of this post being: next time you go to buy a lottery ticket, don't, and just remember some fresh Free Range remixes are on their way.......

….shiiiiit that was lame....

Complicated but i love it

Hey so there I was really feeling like doing a remix of an existing song when I stumbled upon the news that none other than Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are running a remix competition for their score to The Social Network, with top prize being a flight to LA to meet them and see the premier of the film! And remix I did! I chose the track “On We March” and it turned out to be a banger, I made it nice and weird but added a hook or two and shortened it to the length of a nice pop song, but it's still weird ok? I haven't sold out! Aaaaaannnywho, I finished mixing and mastering it last night and i'll put it up here to download either later today or at some point tomorrow, so mark your calenders kids! (If it is a family owned calender maybe ask an adult if you can mark it in there first ok?)

For the last week I haven't been able to stop listening to the album “Transit Transit” by Autolux, I actually would have been listening to it longer if Amazon.com hadn't shit the delivery bed and sent me the case without the actual CD first time round! Air-headed motherfuckers. Despite this though, it's a friggin great album, although more melancholy than I expected, it sucks you in and smothers you in songs that are rich, textured and refreshingly original sounding. So what you waiting for? Go and get your arse onto hmv.com and spend some Monet! And while you're at it pick up their last album “Future Perfect” - my favourite by them.

Oh and anyone wanna lend me a week of their life so I can go and see Male Bonding and No Age in Camden on the 14^th of October? It's over 18's only and my birthday's not till the 20^th someone wanna help me out?

Well either way, stay classy you crazy kids!

"It All Happens Here"

Wow, so Day 3 of the blog and i still haven't failed to write! Keep this up and someone somewhere might actually notice...maybe....ah who am i kidding?

Anyways did a lot of music work this morning, almost finished a song for the EP, it's called "In My Bones" yeah. I know. It has "hit" written all over it...that or someone's hidden the "s". I also wrote a so far nameless new song, which possibly may also be on the EP, i haven't decided yet. So yeah, progress has been made, but i have college all day tomorrow and Friday so i guess not much is gonna get done for a few days, which is a draaaaaag....

I watched a film called "Bad Lieutenant" last night. Really good film but totally not what i was expecting, the front cover of the case as well as the dude who recommended it to me, led me to believe this would be kind of a cheesy Dirty Harry style film. But no, it was a really heavy-going character focussed story. It was brilliant none-the-less and Harvey Keitel (AKA Winston motherfuckin Wolfe) was fantastic in it, that being said though, did i need to see him masturbate furiously against a car? I think not. But still good film. Not one i'd settle down and watch with the family on Christmas Day (or any day for that matter) though.

Feelin an update

So I just got back from a lovely 4 hour shift at good old Painsbury's and felt like typing some shizzle; ya dizzle?

I'm in the middle of working on a full length album at the moment and have been for some time, there's still a fair bit of work to be done but progress is definitely being made. So far i have about 10 tracks, 4 of which are pretty much finished, the rest are in various stages of completion but i'm really pleased with them all so far.

I've also recently written some songs that I don't think really fit with the album and so i'm gonna probably release those as maybe a 3 or 4 track EP within the next month or so.

So anyone been to the pictures recently and seen an advert for the film "The Social Network"? Basically it's a film about the creation of facebook (how it doesn't involve the devil spewing it up from the depths of hell i have 0 clue) stinks of lame you say? Wrong. It's directed by David Fincher (oh yeah, that guy that did Fight Club, Se7en, Panic Room, and Zodiac? Hell friggin yes.) That's not even the best part. The film has been scored by none other than Trent Reznor (or as i like to call him: "The Trezzle") i.e Nine Inch Nails and Atticus Ross (occasional NIN collaborator and all round cool dude); and THAT'S not even the best part, you can download a 5 track sampler of the soundtrack for FREE here: http://www.nullco.com/TSN/ as well as pre-order the whole thing on whatever format you wish (which you can bet your sweet lil money maker i did). Don't get me wrong you won't find any 3 minute pop CHOOOOONZZZ!!!111!!1! on there but it's good shit none the less (or as me and my mate would say "it's good fried bread") and that it is. Foooo sho.

Well it's been fun but i'm done now, tune in next time kids to find out just why that pink elephant won't leave you're dustbin alone.

First Post OMG!!!!!!1!!!11!!

Hey so i was thinking i needed somewhere to pretend like i'm a proper musician, and write about what i'm doing and my plans etc.

So here it is! My own personal blog-ting *trumpet sound*

I'll try and keep it interesting and make you actually wanna check back and stuff,
I'm gonna try and write regularly and keep people up to date with what's going on with my music and stuff (that way the 2 and a half people that actually care will know what's what)
as well as reviews of music that i'm listening to, films i've seen, and just general stuff to keep my typing skills up.

But just so you know here are some things i won't write about:

Fishing (i'm sure it's a great pass time but i've never done it therefore will have nothing to write about it)

Woodwork (in fact any kind of DIY probably won't be mentioned here, so if you came here looking for tips on how to put that shelf up, you're shit out of luck hombre. Sorry)

Fish in general (not really a lover of it, except Tuna, who doesn't enjoy some of that?)

JLS (yes i have all their singles. no i don't want to talk about it)

Coronation Street (not a soap man myself, and if i did watch them it'd have to be one of those Australian ones)

"The Price of _____ These Days" (shit's expensive now bro, get over it)

So if you were looking for comments on any of those things, my apologies but you clicked the wrong link.

Oh yeah! *those 2 and a half people i mentioned earlier? Better make sure you read this* I'll be posting download links for my songs so you can all say you're listening to some music nobody's ever heard of and impress the boyfriend/girlfriend/friendfriend/person you're stalking/parent/brother/sister/dude you really recognise but cant remember his name/ work mate.

You can also stream my music from: http://soundcloud.com/free-range-human

So yeah, hope somebody somewhere in the world gets some tiny amusement out of this (aside from me)

Grant.