2017 Review

2017 was probably the least productive year I've had for some time, yet at the same time probably the most hectic too personally, so this and a barely functioning internet connected laptop has led to a lack of time I've had to commit to recording or playing live.

Rather than dwelling on that fact that I did very little recording/performing, I'm feeling pretty optimistic about 2018 and will be making moves to get more records out there, playing more shows, and just being more active.

Recordings

With regards to recorded output besides the aforementioned split with Stuart Chalmers and Posset on Crow Vs Crow no new recordings have been produced this year. This split CD has sold out now, yet still available as digital download. 



Also a limited run live recording of my set from November 2016 was released on Andy Bolus' (Evil Moisture) Royal Sperm tape label. Ultra Crude, strangely trippy, gloopy, documentation of a good gig. I think copies might still be available, I have none left but check the Royal Sperm website. See BBBlood 'El fin de semana me dejó fatal'. At the time of release I forgot to mention this, a recurring theme of 2017.

Live



Earlier in March I shared the bill with Anla Courtis, Posset, Duncan Harrison & Yoni Silver in London, Cafe Oto Project Space. It was a great night, again looking back I forgot to mention this fact on the blog (oops) but here is the link to the event.



Following this I played a second show on the same line up as Posset, this time in Bradford in support of the three way split CD.

In 2018 a CD release Stuart's, Joe's, and my live sets from this night should be released so stay tuned for more information about that here.



To end the year on Friday 15th of December I did a live collaboration with Sharon Gal for John Macedo's successful Solo, Duo, Trio night #7 at Cafe Oto. This line up also featured the trio of  Áine O'Dwyer, Steve Beresford and Crystabel Riley, and  Leslie Deere playing solo.

Playing this night I felt was really successful and I think has given me the much needed shot of vitamin B12 to see through the forthcoming winter nights and my musical output. Massive thanks to John and Sharon for making this night so. Hopefully the recording of the duo will surface some time over the coming year. As always I'll mention it here (or forget about doing so and then mention it in my 2018 review blog post).

After that nothing else is due for a while, but I'd like to get a brand new full length record out in 2018.

Next Up

Finally a live recording of my set from the Montague Arms on Valentine's Day 2016 coming out as a split cassette with Cass Poulsen on Sound Holes.Again more information here, I'll let you know.

Best of 2017

This year I don't feel I've really listened to many new releases*, some I own I've not even made time to listen to yet. But a nod to all of the following (music / non) as always including the usual suspects...

  • Duncan Harrison - Preamble to Nihil
  • Sewer Election - Malign
  • Aaron Dilloway - Gag File
  • Pigs Ear 2017, esp Kees Wee Heavy 9.5%
  • The Slowest Lift - S/T
  • London - Gibraltar - Madrid celebrations October / November
  • Jaap Vink - GRM
  • Performing Live With Sharon Gal @ Cafe Oto
  • Phil Julian - Relay
  • Of Habit - Extended Technique
  • Grit - Night Pudding
  • Croatian Amor - Love Means Taking Action
  • Bomber Jackets - Kudos to the Bomber Jackets
  • Harringey Borough lads, esp the 4-1 Bideford Town, FA Cup Qualifying Round, and a nod to 1-1 vs Heybridge Swifts match abandoned
  • Cycling to the QEII Bridge and back
  • Recovery - May 2017
  • Aqua Dentata ‎- One Day, You Will Be A Painter
  • Solar Flump - Tape Vomit
  • RLW & Dylan Nyoukis - Gukuruguh
  • Spoils & Relics - Threadbare Adult Life
  • Aaron Dilloway and Genesis P-Orridge @ Cafe Oto
  • Lasse Marhaug / John Wiese ‎- Continuous Loop Sheep 1997-2017
  • T.Mikawa - Rising Sunset
  • D. Glare 4 - Oscillators & 130 Samples At 130 BPM
  • Simon Whetham - InTolerance
  • Micheal Muennich - Klamm/Heimelig
  • Stuart Chalmers - Loop Phantasy No.4
  • Stefan Roigk - Sprachmusik
  • Chalmers/Campbell - Mazes and Labyrinths

* Something now looking back on this list is not true

Recommended reading the 2017 Zelleby Awards on Radio Free Midwich as always a really in depth account of  what they call the no-audience underground.

Live December 2017

News

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Performing on Friday 15th December


SOLO:DUO:TRIO #7

https://soloduotrio.tumblr.com/ defunct website update 14/9/23


OTO Project Space

Ashwin St, Dalston, London, E8 3DL

7.30pm | £7 on the door (£5 for OTO members)




SOLO:DUO:TRIO #7 – ÁINE O'DWYER / STEVE BERESFORD / CRYSTABEL RILEY (TRIO) + SHARON GAL / PAUL WATSON (DUO) + LESLIE DEERE (SOLO)

SOLO:DUO:TRIO is a monthly night of improvised performances bringing together a wide variety of musicians and artists. Each show features a solo, a duo, and a trio performance where performers are invited to present something new or play with a person they haven’t played with before in an intimate and open environment.


BBBLOOD / Stuart Chalmers / Posset CDr. Blog post about a record that's already sold out.

Apologies to those who missed this but a couple of months back this three way split record surfaced with Stuart Chalmers and Posset.








































However you can listen to some of it here.

Buy digital download from Crow Vs Crow

Proud to be part of record with these two excellent musicians. I got some real positive feedback from the record.

Review on We Need No Swords.

Oh yeah we also did a live gig, what was reported by Idwal Fisher here. I really should have said...

Anyway, no new updates.


2016 Summary - Preaching to NO ONE!

So it seems to be a trend at the moment in these end of year round ups to really moan and complain how bad 2016 was, I don't want to do this. Personally for me it was just like 2015, and probably the last few years... Constantly overworked, not creating physically enough time to concentrate on recording new records, oh and I got to travel around a little more than I previously did. A personal highlight for me was continuing my learning of the Spanish language, the culture, and visiting twice / exploring the country; this is something that will continue into 2017.

Yes a lot has changed in the world during 2016, there's been some horrible tragedies globally, deaths, bad political changes, and it's really yet to be seen what impact they will have on the world. But I'm an eternal optimist, I think you have to keep on going, keep on fighting. There's either this, burying your head in the sand, divorcing your self from reality, or worse becoming apathetic which can be very unhealthy.

Posting this feels like preaching to the converted (or to no one!!), and I know this is possibly not the reason why you came to this blog.

Live

So... 2016 didn't see many BBBlood (or billed as Paul Watson) shows, but those that I did play were enjoyed. Out of it there should be a BBBlood / Claus Poulson split cassette which is a live recording from my performance in February. I've found a good home for this recording now, so if all goes well I'll be posting more details here.

No gigs outside London this year,  hope to change this.

November straight after the excellent Colour Out of Space festival I supported Evil Moisture, Wall & Durgan at New River Studios. This was a fun night with some great sets, thanks again Aimmar.

The December last show at Electric Knife was emotional, drunken, and ended with a great set by the golden boy of North London Kostis Kilymis. Lovely day! It's the end of an era in Kentish Town, and I wish T all the best in Plymouth.

Going forwards I hope to announce a couple of shows for 2017 soon.

New releases (haha)

2017 another three way split CD should surface, I'm not going to say any more but it's a split with two other artists who have had in my opinion a great 2016 and it's a honor to work with them both. Again more details in due course. Watch this space!

The split box with Duncan Harrison is still happening, it's just taking me forever to get things moving. My own fault, maybe I should do a fundraising page to get the £££ to release the record. If I have the customers breathing down my neck it will get released in 2017!

Also a short C10 split with Child Friendly will come out, another project that I'm self-releasing just not getting finished.

Otherwise there are two other projects I'm working on but it's too early to give more details, things are drifting all over the place.

Best of 2016

Tough question, I was struggling to remember a lot of the records that stood out last year, how ever this always becomes a long list. But in no order these are some records I listened to and enjoyed...


  • Gerritt Wittmer - "Unknowns" C20 [No Rent]
  • Louie Rice - "33/45" 7" [Organized Music from Thessaloniki]
  • Richard Kamerman - "Music for glassblower's studio and broken toy piano" C31 [Organized Music from Thessaloniki]
  • Joe Colley “No Way In” LP (as mp3) [Glistening Examples]
  • MAAAA - "Abhorrence And Dismay" CD [Triangle Records]
  • Placid Tracktor - "The Great British Shopper" C30 [Bogged Down]
  • Aaron Dilloway & Dylan Nyoukis ‎- CS / CDR "Dropout Elements"[Chocolate Monk]
  • Marc Baron - "Un Salon Au Fond D'Un Lac" CD [Potlatch]
  • Anxiety ‎– "Self Titled" LP [La Vida Es Un Mus]
  • Wanda Group - "Central Heating" LP [Opal Tapes]
  • Stuart Chalmers / Z. Zsigo - "Untitled" C30 [Strange Rules]
  • Aqua Dentata - "An Equine Red" C30 [Strange Rules]
  • Posset ‎- "Double Jupiter" Cassette [Vitrine]
  • Tourette - "Proximité Du Murmure" C40 [Triangle Records]
  • Croatian Amor ‎- "Love Means Taking Action" CD [Alter]
  • The Pheromoans ‎- "I'm On Nights" LP [Alter]
  • Dale Cornish And Phil Julian ‎- "Laughing Out" 7" [The Wormhole]

Non 
  • Colour out of Space 2016, especially Kent Tankred + the Fylkingen Records curated night, superb festival overall.
  • This Heat @ Cafe Oto,
  • Pigs Ear 2016,
  • Digging up all my Prince tapes,
  • Duncan Harrison Live,
  • Madrid in August, Melque, Gijon,
  • Friends / loved ones,
  • Last day of Electric Knife,
  • Black Velvet,
  • La Pirata Black Bock BA

OK that's enough..

 
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Next show: A tearful farewell to Electric Knife records 10/12/2016


Saturday 10th of December
last day of the shop

Duncan Harrison
Paul Daniel Knowles
dsic
Paul Watson
Daniel Gregory & Alec McGrory
Kostis Kilymis 

I reckon it'll be a good afternoon of electronic music, drinking, and more...

So please come along and buy records.

Thanks