Blow Out
A European Audiossey
Helloooo!
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for a few weeks, here. Some fantastic ups and some frustrating downs, but ever moving forward with the dream.
It has been suggested that I share more of the downs in this newsletter, as folks might find them interesting. Although this is a good point, for me, it would feel a bit too much like moaning, so I’m going to try and always stick with the positives.
So, what have we got for you this week? Well, we’ve got a mini metal festival and an epic quest to retrieve a heavy-ass bit of audio gear all the way over by the Austria/Germany border.
Words
I was sad to learn of Peter Sinfield’s passing. Sinfield was best known (to old hippies/rockers like me, at least) as the lyricist for the first four King Crimson albums. I imagine many tributes to him are going to focus on 21st Century Schizoid Man, but one of my favourite songs he was involved in was the English-language reworking of Premiata Forneria Maconi’s Impressioni di settembre, retitled as The World Became the World.
Sounds
While writing this newsletter, I was listening to Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection (1970) - an album I’ve owned for 30 years and still don’t know that well - and was surprised to hear a song I was much more familiar with than anything else on the album.
The Love Song that appears on Tumbleweed Connection is a cover version of Lesley Duncan’s song that first appears on her debut album Sing Children Sing (1971).
Love Song has been covered by over 150 artists, including David Bowie and Olivia Newton-John, which is pretty incredible.
It even crops up in the soundtrack to Men (2022), one of the weirder folk horror films.
I first heard this track on Gather in the Mushrooms: The British Acid Folk Underground 1968 - 1974 (2004). This is a really wonderful compilation, especially in tandem with Early Morning Hush (2006), and is a great starting point to begin exploring one of my favourite movements in British music. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Work
We had a metal night at La Grande Ourse on 26 October, where I often do live sound with my friends Christophe, Ludo and David. Ludo always works on the light show, so Christophe, David and I shared the sound duties.
The first band up were Tregorgones, who were a replacement for a duo called Dead Brain. These guys really stepped up and totally smashed it, with dual vocalists growling up a storm.
I did front-of-house sound for these guys, and I was very impressed. I’m not that versed in metal sub-genres, but I would describe them as blackened death metal, although, at times, they reminded me a little of Cattle Decapitation. I might be totally wrong about my sub-genre, so, you can make up your own mind.
Next up were Sloggers, who had been in residence at La Grande Ourse that week with David, who handled their front-of-house sound, as well as their monitors.
The headliners that night were Anthares, who were a bit more classic thrash than the other two bands. I was getting shades of pre-funk Death Angel, but, then, I’m an old fart. I was working the monitor mixes side-stage for this group, which is always fun, even if you don’t get the best personal mix.
The Audiossey
I have a great friend and collaborator who is building his latest studio in an old school in the village I used to live in. His studio is called Tyanpark, and he’s done a ton of cool projects, there.
A couple of weeks ago, my friend called and asked if I would travel to Germany with him to pick up a recording console, as well as some spares. Of course, I agreed; I love a road trip, and this road trip would take me to the very edge of Germany, on the border of the Czech Republic and Austria.
The whole expedition went pretty smoothly, initially, and I even got to stock up on about 10 jars of sauerkraut, German beer and curry ketchup! (I haven’t tried this, yet, but it came highly recommended. Keep you posted!).
On the return trip, however, just after we crossed back into France (fortunately), I had a blowout on the freeway, on the way down a very steep hill. You’ll be relieved to know that blowouts are not as devastatingly destructive as Hollywood would have us believe…
The tire was truly shredded, though, so we had to call out a recovery truck, which, in fact, was really cool, as I had the opportunity to fulfil a childhood ambition of riding in a vehicle on the back of a recovery truck.
Anyhoo, we got the console back to Brittany safe and sound, and no sauerkraut was harmed in the process… at least, not until I got a chance to make Székelykáposta!
Székelykáposta is like the mutated cousin of töltött káposta (stuffed cabbage), and I love it so much. I hadn’t been able to make it since we moved to France, as we just can’t seem to find the sauerkraut.
I’ll tell you what, if you call in before I’ve polished off the remaining 8 tins of sauerkraut, I’ll make you some.
Stay noisy!
Steve