5th and final day in Ireland

So every journey must come to a end.. All that
really happened on the final day was the journey home
and that was itself was nearly ruined by two totally
pissed up twits.

You know it isn't going to be your day when you get
to the airplane really, really early and see them in
the bar completely wasted at 10.00am in the morning.

I did, I saw both off them completely slaughtered and as
I went to the plane boarding they followed me, and I
thought to myself please, please god don't let them get on
my plane.

I'll let you guess for yourself which plane they got on.

Yep, mine.

And then spent the twenty or so minutes we got delayed
taking off being rude to a whole host off people including
the Asian looking steward that I reckon if he could
understood them probably would have taken quite
action against them.

I have nothing against people going out and having
a good drink or four but whether it is the age factor
showing or not, I don't know but it does make you
wonder whether this is a time and a place for it.

Thankfully they passed out what the plane took
off, so was left to my own devices.

I must admit in conclusion I did really enjoy
Ireland and will certainly be returning there
next year, although trying to see both lots off
my friends at once was too much considering it
took the better part off 6 hours to travel
from where Ky lived to the center off Dublin.

I've done long journeys before from Manchester
to Brighton and Bourenmouth at separate points
but this really was a long, long journey on the
thursday but it was great as it allowed me to
meet some people whom I had grown quite
close to over the past few months and years.

Something I must do again sometime.

(Picture borrowed from
http://www.anoige.ie/Editor/assets/dublin%20at%20night%201.jpg)

4th day in Ireland

Not much to add about the 4^th day off Ireland expect most

off it was traveling, and take it from me it was a bitch of

a journey to Dublin direct – something I never never never

itend doing direct again.

First off all, I was up at 9am and had a lovely chat

to both Ky & her brother Tor before Ky and she got

the bus back to Bantry with me and spend most of the journey

besides avoiding somebody she didn’t want to

talk to (Long story I ain’t going to repeat as it

her private business). That itself took a hour as I think

it was a bingo day out for grannies as tons off them

got on our bus and it took about a hour toget to

Bantry.

When off Bantry, ended up with half a hour spare

before my bus to Cork came so we sat down and

had a lovely chat in some local pub by which I was sorry

to go as I can honesty say it felt like I had two

really good friends there, but I couldn’t stop

forever.

The bus to Bantry eventually came and then it

was a two hour drive toCork. I was back in Cork

eventually and then it was a case off dragging my

suitcase which I had discovered by that point had

a faulty wheel and that made life harder and

did I mention it was raining again also!

I ended up stopping off in Cork for a bit to get

a bite to eat and then by the time I got to the

train station I had another three hour train

journey to Dublin. And did I mention it

was raining again also!

I think by the time I got to Dublin it was

about 6.45pm, so I got the bus round again to

the spot I needed to be which took about

15 minutes, and then as I got lost I got a

taxi down to the Millenium Spire to meet my

pals Conor & Orla.

I had first met Conor something like 6,

maybe 7 years back when I read a advert

somewhere for a fanzine he was starting

up and wanted people to contribute to it.

Of course interested I dropped him a email

back and contributed to the zine for it’s entire

5 issue life and alsoit’s then slight involvement

on the internet before it folded

somewhere the 2005 or 2006 mark

(Conor would remember – I am too old to

remember things like that – lol) and we kept

in contact ever since.

Orla I met sometime later through Conor

when he sent over to me some of her poetry

which left me spell bound for

months afterwards.

I must admit I had a few problems tracking

them down owning to my complete lack off

knowledge off Dublin, and also the fact that

Conor had grown his hair long and had a

long moustache.

Either way, I had a good time meeting up with

both of them and have plans in motion to meet both

off them next year, which was great news.

The thing that tickled me most off was the

journey back to the hotel as soon as I stepped

into the taxi to take me back, the taxi driver said

to me ‘That’s the hotel connected to the Lap

Dancing club’

I laughed with him over it but honest to god I

thought he was taking the piss as my various guides

hadn’t mentioned anything about it above a lap dancing

bar, a night club but not a lap dancing bar.

He was right too which was the really funny thing.

If I had being sober, god only knows what I may have

done but I was too far out off it.

Day 3 in Ireland

The 3rd day in Ireland like the previous 2 days contained a
awful lot of rain. Living where I live in Manchester, you
could say we are used to lots of rain but it was pretty grim out
there, let me tell you for nothing.

The end of the previous day was spent in Ky & Tor’s studio
setting up the tracks which we would mix today. I must admit
on the previous night I was more than a little bit nervous,
as the last time I properly worked in a studio environment
like that was somewhere around 2001 or 2002 during the
early days off DIH but it was good fun as it gave me chance
to blast them out with some good old fashioned noise.

The vocals that came later I think in hindsight caught them out,
but when I use vocals often like I do for DIH are done like that
for effect and as part of the instrument but both of them showing
how good they are pulled round and produced some stunning tracks
I must admit, and some which nearly blew my head off! Lol

On that Wednesday however returning to the point we spent most
off in their studio mixing these bits into full songs. Considering
I am used to mixing a little bit on my PC using programmes like
Acid Pro, it wasn’t as bad as it could have being, but it was
hard work by any stretch of work just thinking of how to pull
a song from it. Thankfully I had one in mind from when we were
pulling them all of an instrumental version of the main
strong with a lot softer sound but the other was harder!

Since I have got home – Ky & Tor have posted five of
these tracks online.. You can sample them here if you are
interested

http://www.darkworld.com/00page08.html

The 6th mix which is probably the most radio friendly mix I
believe will be coming out on I tunes fairly soon, so watch
this space!

Ky & Tor probably because they knew what they were doing
pulled it off in a few hours and we all sat down and
chilled out in the evening nicely and spent the evening
talking about crazy little music projects we have done
in the past.

It was great fun – just a shame – the weather was
so crap!

(Picture is of their house)

Ireland - Day Two off my holiday

The second day of my Ireland adventure started off very

quickly indeed on 9th September 2008.

After the late night of the previous day which resulted in

me not getting to bed until nearly 1am, and complete
with next to no sleep because of the heavy rain and

wind which was tapping on my window, I barely
had any sleep by the time I got myself ready

in Cork City.

I had arranged to meet Ky, my pal in Bantry

at 1.30pm near the bus station in Bantry, and

knew from looking at the bus timetable I would
have to leave Cork at 11.30am. That it I

decided would be a good time as it would

give me plenty off time to get going and stuff in the
morning, but as I picked up my suitcase

the timetable fell out and I saw there

wasn’t a 11.30am timetable. There was

only 10.30am and 12.30 Noon.

I knew from speaking to Ky a few days

before she was going to leave back for home

on the rural bus at 2.00pm, so I was going to
go for the 10.30am bus and hope I would find her.

This resulted however in a mad rush paying

at the hotel, packing and getting round to

the bus station in under 10 minutes.

As you may have guessed, with our times

being different, I was then expecting problems

in Bantry trying to find Ky, but I knew from what
she told me she would stand out with her bright

red hair, and thankfully she did as within five

minutes off arriving, which eased my worrying
mind totally.

Bantry itself was a tiny little town indeed which

had no more than 2 little streets off shopping
which had a charm even though it was still really
windy indeed and raining a bit.

Ky was as what I expected, a softly spoken

Canadian woman of a few years younger than me
and as we got the bus back to hers, I

looked at the area around us.

This really was what you term was up in the

sticks. I thought she had being joking when she

had told me originally that she frequently got

woke up by sheep most mornings but she hadn’t

being for as soon as we got off the rural bus,

all I could see was sheep and more sheep.

This really was going to be a adventure and a

half for me certainly and this was before I entered

Ky and her brother Tor’s music studio.

Trip to Ireland (Day One)

Dear all;

Sorry for the lack of posts recently.

One or two of you may know but I have being over
in Ireland for the past week or so visiting and
meeting my pal Kylyra and her brother, Tor
who are both involved with ‘Dark World International’
(www.darkworld.com)

Although I had known Ky if my memory is correct
since the end of last year, I had never met her
previously and took the opportunity with me
having quite a bit of time off work I thought
I would go and visit.

Where Kylyra and her brother, Tor is located
somewhere just beyond Bantry which is on the
coast off Western Ireland somewhere beneath
Cork City

I originally set off from England last
Monday (8th September 2008).

While it would be easy to log all of this over a
few paragraphs, I thought I would do this over
a 5 day post. One of for each day I was in
Ireland.

On the first day, I got the plane out from
Manchester Airport which got delayed
huge style to start with by about a hour
And a half, which then caused me to
arrive in Dublin in the middle of
their rush hour.

Thankfully the rush hour wasn’t as bad
as I have seen where I live, so I got a city bus
around to the train station I had to go to
the train station that would take me to
Cork City.

The train journey itself was very long
winded indeed, something like 3 hours
or so with is long winded indeed and
cost me a lot more than I really wanted
to pay (I tried to pay for it over the internet
without success) and then got told a
expensive price which pissed me off huge
style, but after a discussion there I went
on the train and didn’t arrive at
the hotel until 10pm at night
and by that point, the wind was
really picking up and the rain
started coming down really hard
too.

The hotel itself was expensive
also but classy, and as soon as I
logged in at 10pm I thought to
myself I need to go and get some
food but before I did, I went for a
walk around the back of the hotel
on the dockyard and would you
believe I got approached by
a hooker.

Needless I went in the opposite
direction.

And the rain didn’t get any better.

But I started work on a few new
Poems (Will be shared in due course
of course).

Wrong Text Message (New Poem)

Dear all;

This is a old poem that I am going to dedicate to Carol.

Which I found the other day and thought I would post

It to you for a slight change in style.

Cheers

Andy N

Wrong Text Message

The nastiness was evident
from the first sentence.

The words were full of bite
bitterness and unmasked hate.

It was littered and broken
down with slurred words
which made me think
to begin with they were drunk.

The second was scattered
with mis-spelt words
with the f and u mixed up
and the off totally out of place.

In the third, the aggression
reached an crescendo
with a immediate threat
never to ring them back.

While the fourth concluded
with 'I hate you, I hate you'

Of course, I quickly deleted it.

New Poet on 'Other's Poets Poems'

Richard Brooks (pictured above) is the latest voice
to be added to the slowly increasing archive
of 'other poets voices' on my website 'Setting Sun'
(http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)

He describes himself as is 21 years of age and living
in Leyland nr Preston.

He also adds he is currently studying for a degree in
Media and Tv at Salford university. He hopes to
use his poetry writing experience to give his scriptwriting
another edge. His styles and themes vary from the romantic,
to the dark to the surreal. His influences come from
his varied taste in music and writeres such as Jim Morrison,
Bob Dylan, Dylan Thomas and Oscar Wilde. He is also very
interested in philosophy and metaphysical poems.

Richard can be contacted at rbrooks_86@yahoo.co.uk

His poetry (which is highly recommanded as I think he
is really talented and caused me a major selection
problem by enclosing tons of poems which I loved
and would have fitted them all up) can be sampled at

http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/brooks0.htm

Buxton to Manchester (New Poem)

(Picture borrowed from
www.isvr.soton.ac.uk/IWRN8/)

Buxton to Manchester

First he pawed
the two litre bottle of diet coke
like a cat
toying with a saucer
of milk.

Once he had got
the bottle open
he took a sip
then after a slight pause
he took another
like he was an
Olympic swimmer.

He closed his eyes
after his 6^th sip
and then
in rapid succession
took a 7^th
and a 8^th sip
with such speed
I thought he was going
to throw it all back up.

Big Mac tried telling him
after he sipped
it for the 10^th time
he didn’t have
to drink it
and suggested he
instead just pour it
down a local drain
but Pete didn’t listen
and just carrying
on pouring
it down his throat.

By the time
he got to the end
of the bottle
his face
had turned green
and he threw
his last mouthful
straight back up.

Big Mac said again
when he had finished
blushing slightly
‘You really didn’t
have to do that’
and to which Pete
looking as green
as the bottle
responded
‘Just go and get
the bottle
filled up with water
before your bloody engine
blows up’

Big Mac came back out
two minutes later
with a large jug of water
from the pub
instead
of the bottle filled up.

It took us an extra
hour to get back
home
because off Pete’s
stomach.

More thoughts about writing & writing groups

Dear all;

Have being putting a bit more thought into my previous
posting about write Out Loud.

Certainly working as a writer now for the past few years
within a few writing groups, it is quite worrying when you
look at some writing groups that have being going for a few
years and the way they start looking at other groups with a
feeling of elitism.

When I was working with 24 Hour Arty People,

(this group http://www.myspace.com/24hourartypeople

NOT this group

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17229507415

who I hope to work with soon on a project), The person
who I won’t name who used to run it used to do nothing
but slag Write Out Loud off in particular towards the end off
it when it became little more than a sour joke.

Speaking from a personal perspective, certainly back
then it came close to clouding my judgement even
though I had never had any direct dealings with them
personally.

After I left 24 Hour Arty People at the end off 2007 /
start off 2008, I decided to look at things from a different
angle with the replacement group for 24 Hour arty people,
Trio Writers (which didn’t include that name-less person)
and to broaden my own social horizons, so out of interest
I decided to set up a page on Write Out Loud under my
pen name and I did some really interesting networking
there.

In 2008, although the membership for Trio Writers has
not being large, all members at Trio Writers have expanded
their horizons appearing at other nights, for example
Freed Up Poets which is a monthly poet event in Manchester

That itself I think is a important lesson when you are
A writer – you have to keep networking – something
some writing groups tend not to do and after a while
being elitist and for me that is not the point behind
writing groups. For me a good writing group has to
be prepared to network and keep expanding it’s horizons
with it’s members and it’s work cause if you don’t
you’ll hit the problems that 24 Hour Arty People hit
where at the beginning off 2007, the group had about
eight regular members and another few that were in
and out, and because of bad management and judgement
by the person I ain't going to name, the group was
allowed to fizzle away.

I learnt a lesson from that.

Any reasonable writer should too.

Keep networking!

Andy N

(Photograph taken off me a long time ago doing a
poetry reading)

At Write Out Loud, Middleton Sunday 24th August 2008

As some of you know, certainly over this year, I have
being a busy bee managing to make a number of appearances
at open mike nights in Manchester and associated areas and even
on the internet (Hi Coll!) over 2008.

I must admit it has proved a major learning curve certainly
doing all of this and despite the fact some of my earlier ones
showed a awful lot of nerves, the more I have done off this the
more and more my own confidence has grown.

Generally this has more being at Freed Up Poets in Manchester
(http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=15031719009&ref=ts)
where I have performed at nearly every event this year since
Feb 2008 and also at a number of other places.

For whatever reason, i have not performed at any of the Write Out
Loud events which if you look around the local writing scene in
Manchester, England are very frequent.

Write Out Loud is a North West organisation which describes
themselves as 'everyone from who writes poetry to share their words
with others in friendly welcoming open floor read around and open
mic events.' They also say they support indivdual poets, and
organizations and groups across the country'

I first came across myself towards the beginning off
2007 if my memory is correct when the person who used
to run the writing group I used to go to
'24 Hour Arty People'

(this group http://www.myspace.com/24hourartypeople

NOT this group

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17229507415

who I hope to work with soon on a project),

who slagged them off a fair bit,
shall we say for reasons I won't go into here.

If I am honest, as I try to be, I decided at the time I
would keep a open mind on things and perhaps someday
perform there and see what I thought for myself but true
to the way my life goes, it didn't happen.

Fast forward 18 or so months passed, 24 Hour Arty People have
now split and I helped form another group from it's ashes 'Trio Writers'
(http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=15947196131&ref=ts)
and my buddy Antonionioni talked me into going to one on
the Sunday Night.

I was a bit uncertain to start with, partly because off the
s**t that was said previously, but I agreed to go since it
was a bank holiday and I wouldn't have to worry about getting up
in the morning, so I said yes..

And my thoughts....?

Well, I must admit I quite enjoyed it.. It was a pretty relaxed night
to start with certainly.. I got gassing to a few people who I had
met briefly on the Write Out Loud website and saw somebody
I used to university with whom I hadn't seen in the better part
off 7 odd years which was nice...

The only thing I didn't like was the room we were in,
but I was advised that wasn't the normal room they
normally read out in as it was getting used for some
function.

I did see that function room and it was a lovely room
without doubt! I would have loved to seen what that
would have being like! It would have being my bet, it
would have being lovely..

Either way, the next one is a month's time at the end
off September which I reckon I will be sadly away at,
but they will be starting a regular open mike night
up my way at Waterside Arts Centre, Sale Town
Centre M33 7ZF - 7.30pm on Wednesday
October 15th 2008.

I think I will certainly be at that one, and who
knows at what others in the meantime! (I currently
have two in September, two in October already
excluding this one and at least two in November
and that is stuff excluding Write Out Loud)

Write Out Loud can be found at http://www.writeoutloud.net

The photograph at the top of this gallery can be seen
here with loads off others from the night..

http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/galleryview.php?galleryID=196

another free download (LIGHT UNDER WATER)

My pal, Misha has referred me over to this act for a free download also
the other act, it's a act he knows called Light Under Water..

Light Under Water describe themselves as a '
Moscow-based collaborative project by guitarists Dima T. Pilot and
A.B. (both are the core members of BOSCH'S WITH YOU) and keyboardist
Nick Zavriev (of AMBIDEXTROUS). Since 2006, the trio (or sometimes
LUW appears as a guitar-duo) has been exploring areas of melodic
electro-acoustic ambient, emotive organic drone, sonic minimalism,
and eschatological psychodelia. By building and layering substantial
resonant abstractions, LUW’s delusive imagery transcends the reality
in a truly beautiful and unpredictable way.'

I'm currently listening to their album 'Reflective landscapes of nowhere
' and really enjoying it. I certainly recommend you do also.

For a FREE download - go to:

http://www.raig.ru/AT_lightunderwater.asp#AT004

Free downloads off music for people who like experimental electronica

Got a really nice email from my pal Misha in Pootosh
the other day which I thought I would share with you
all..

Misha is a great bloke and is a very talented and varied
musician. I would recommend you without doubt
check these albums out..

**

Dear friends!

I'm happy to announce that some of my latest albums are available for FREE DOWNLOADING.

MOX_Delphinov "Brave Old Wave" - 2084

Rhythm n' poetry with elements of noise-reggae, post-dub, huge-beat, punk-house, klezmer-R&B and brave old wave. Russian/German poet, the founder of psychedelic realism in Russian poetry Alexander Delphinov is philosophizing ironically while MOX (Mikhail Salnikov) gives him bolstering groove.

СКАЧАТЬ stands for DOWNLOAD:

http://moxmusik.com/mox_delphinov.html

FREAKING BOOK - the debut album of a joint project of Mikhail Salnikov and Sergey Lobakhin (Bronxit). Genres: sturdy electronica, industrial dub. Apocalyptic rhythms induce goosebumps on the bones. Enjoy! :

www.monstaar.com

Tooth Kink - the joint project with a legendary experimental composer Alexei Borisov. There are two albums -

The debut album - Noise, Processed Feedback, Musique Concrete, Glitch, Montage, Lo-fi, Industrial, Post-industrial, Spontaneous. Here:

www.monstaar.com

Tooth Kink vs Kenji Siratori

Kenji Siratori: a Japanese cyberpunk writer. He has a writing style that not only breaks with tradition, it severs all cords, and can only really be compared to the kind of experimental writing techniques employed by the Surrealists, William Burroughs and Antonin Artaud. Embracing the image mayhem of the digital age, his relentless prose is nonsensical and extreme, avant-garde and confused, with precedence given to twisted imagery, pace and experimentation over linear narrative and character development. With unparalleled stylistic terrorism, he unleashes his literary attack. An unprovoked assault on the senses. Blood Electric (Creation Books) was acclaimed by David Bowie.

So album is here – dark, provocative and brooding, comprising pre-industrial, noise-hop and hi-infidelity:

http://www.archive.org/download/ca154_tkks/ca154_tkks_vbr_mp3.zip

................................................................................................................................................
If somebody is interested in less experimental, more romantic, mellow and ambient stuff - take a look at the new site of Poostosh -

www.virb.com/poostosh
................................................................................................................................................
If you have friends who are into experimental electronica - please forward this email to them as a present.

ALL THE BEST!!!

Misha

New Releases / List of words never to be used in Poems

Dear all;

Couple of new FREE downloads on my net label Setting Sun

More details here

http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo/settingsun.htm

Also my pal, Richard at Quit this Pampered Town posted this (a link to another blogspot)
over words another poet says you should never use in a poem

http://larissashmailo.blogspot.com/2008/08/list-of-words-never-to-be-used-in-poems.html

I don't personally agree with a lot off this but thought you all may enjoy a look!

Another Nine Inch Nails Remix

Would you believe I went and did it
again! (To quote Britney Spears)

In this case, I went and did a second
remix from Nine Inch Nails's 'Ghosts'
album.

Well, this one actually got done
yesterday but it has took me tonight
to get it uploaded for you to listen to..

http://remix.nin.com/play/mix?id=10567

The one first isn't doing bad
with a average rating off 79 out off 100
so far, which I am delighted with.

Later in the week, there may be a third
remix as I do have a idea for another
but I'll surprise you when that happens.

Otherwise, I have just booked myself
a trip to Ireland which nows sets a deadline
for proper Distance recordings which
should be fun, and work on my novel
'The End' is progressing slowly but
surely.

(Photograph from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nineinchnails/)

Nine Inch Nails Remix and appearance on LSPC Reviews

Would you believe it? .. I went and signed
myself up a bit back at http://remix.nin.com/
to go and remix Trent Reznor aka Nine Inch
Nails and never actually got round to doing
anything.

In a afternoon off peace today, I decided to take a
break from writing and do some experimental
music remix work using one of my bands
'Distance' as a focus point for it and would you
believe it I went and did two.

I have to upload the second but the first is
available for listening to and downloading
I believe from here...

http://remix.nin.com/play/mix?id=10549

Let me know what you think if you want to..

Otherwise, on a more writing front I am also
helping out tonight on a internet radio station
doing a radio interview for a pal, Antonionioni
(http://www.antonionioni.com/) for

LSPC Reviews at 9pm British time

The interview can be heard at

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lspcreviews

(Photograph of Trent was borrowed
from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nineinchnails/2348368204

The X Files - I want to Believe

So I had told a few people I wasn't going to go
out and see this tonight, but I ended up doing
it and I must admit I quite enjoyed it.

I am not going to go along and start repeating
past history of the programme to people like
me who grew up loving it as teenagers or young
people like I did, but of course the core of the
X files always resolved around two people:
Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigated
cases which couldn't be explained.

The film itself takes people after the end of
the 9th series which was around about 2002
or so if my rotten memory is correct, and see
the pair of them encounter a new mystery
involving missing women and frozen bodies
and limbs.

It also features Billy Connelly in a strange
role which I had read one or two reviews
thinking he was mis-cast, but without giving
too much away I thought was quite good.

The film I think is not without it's faults,
it was perhaps a bit too low key for a
major film release like this in particular
with films like Batman : The DarkKnight
at the moment breaking all kinds of records,
but for me that was always the point
behind the X Files, when did you ever see
Fox Mulder doing a Jack Baur in 24?

I actually was glad to see this approach
and think it worked pretty well and
was particularly delighted to see it
shot in Canada which I know the first
five series of the X Files were shot, and I
reckon caused it to go slightly downhill
once they stopped shooting it there.

The shots alone from a film studies
perspective (Degree covered it) were
moody with constant darker skies
for a fair chunk of the movie and
also lots off snow which I felt
was nicely shot.

The performances by Gillian Anderson
and David Duchovny were strong
although I didn't like David's beard
a great deal and felt some confusion
on the reason why he shaved it
off during the film. I know Jack Baur
in 24 did it at the start off season
5 off '24' and that I could understand
there as it gave him a hint of he meant
business but this was different and
did confuse me a bit here.

The rest of the supporting cast I feel
had a lot less to do, Amanda Peet
and Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner were both
underwritten in particular Joiner
but I know from reading interviews,
this always was the plan as the film was
meant to focus somewhat on the leads,
which I had no problems with.

It would be easy to carry on
and give away lots of spoilers,
but that is not the point off this
small review by this writer, all
I wanted to say was I did enjoy it
and it certainly made me want to
believe again.

Go and see it!

Poetry Society in Manchester / couple of new poems

Tony last night conned me into trying out a new writing
workshop last night at the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays.

For those who know me, you would know I am in the middle of
taking a summer’s break from writing poetry after frankly it was
starting to leave me a bit burnt out and I thought a total break
would have refresh me for when I started again proper in September.

Anyway, Tony conned me into coming down for this group and while
I think the group has a lot off work to do to keep improving in perhaps
with the discussion stage of the work, the group itself was small
enough to have some good fun with it in particular with the writing
workshop that followed where we did something like 3 different
writing exercises in 45 minutes.

The work I did is varied as tends to be with work shop stuff I think
but just for fun I would share them all with you…

The ‘Sometimes’ poem is un-finished and perhaps I will return to it, but not yet anyhow..

Sometimes

Sometimes in winter
It makes perfect sense.

Sometimes when the skies
Litters the ground
With snow
It makes perfect sense.

The temp nose dives
Like a pissed off hawk
And the thickest gloves
Don’t protect your hands
It makes perfect sense.

But what if the weather
Wasn’t so cold?

**

Computer Love

Oh computer, oh computer
Shall I compare thee
To a summer’s day?

Shall I compare our
Relationship like tender lovers
Where I stroke your
Keyboard
Like it was a hand.

Oh computer, oh computer
Shall I recall the first
Time we met
And I sat down
On my chair
And looked at you playfully.

Or should I just tell
You what I really
Think of you?

**

Advantage upon Advantage

The advantage in writing
Poems where you don’t
know where you are going
is UNKNOWN

The advantage in writing
Poems where you don’t
Know what the next stanza
Or indeed line
Is UNKNOWN

The advantage, the advantage
In writing poems
Is UNKNOWN
If you don’t know where
You are going.

If this happens
Why not write a
Short story indeed?

(Picture borrowed from here - http://flickr.com/photos/irashid007/954591589/in/set-72157602243225502/)

Writing and stuff...

Certainly I have found as I have older, writing has certainly come easier –
whether this is something to do with age and experience or simply the fact
I am writing now as I may now be around for many years to come, I don’t know.

Either way, certainly over this year and last year too – I have found my
writing has flown an awful lot more easier and looser in style and territory.
Certainly over this year, with poetry for example I have wrote something
like about 50 to 60 poems already which is more than I have done over the full
of the past year ontop of the usual music and stuff.

However, as a summer break which I reckon now is going to be a change of
focus for the next few months I am now writing a series of short stories.

One of these is a series of short stories simply called ‘Doom’. All I will say
about this currently is it will be a series of loosely inter-connected short stories
which focus about a man called Mandrake and a group off people who are
his enemies called ‘Doom’. Currently there are plans for about 10 or 11
short stories here at least, all stand-alone but also can read together in
a sequence.

Second, there is going to be a few short stories about a werewolf who becomes
a porn star. These I think am going to much harder (I noticed the pun!)
to get published as they will be very blue but oh well!

Lastly, there has also being a few short short stories wrote which has
the working title off ‘No Where Near Famous’ which is about a un-successful
experimental band who like some of the stuff still plod along no matter what
ife throws at them! These will be sad but carry a good amount of pathos
and humor!

If anybody has any ideas where to send these, ping over your
suggestions..

You know where I am (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)

Latest News from 'Setting Sun'

Dear all;

I know, I know, I know.. I seem to get so little time nowadays for blogs and
stuff - however after discussing several people I know have them nowadays,
has made think to myself I need to get off my backside and type a little bit
up on them when I can, so to start with I guess I should fill you all in a bit
what is going on currently in my life writing and music wise which will be
linked to my website (Setting Sun - http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)

As can be seen first of all, with the music projects page on my page (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo) I have hotlinked them so they
go somewhere else which are easier to update (Believe me!) but certainly
at the moment I am certainly active with D.I.H, M.A.N. and Distance
(with an album also forthcoming by Grey Ear, White Noise)..

D.I.H. itself is working slowly on it's new EP (Title yet to be revealed)
and an forthcoming album ('Metropolis').. The EP itself has about five
or six tracks done, and I think there will be another 2 or 3 done with
a aim for a late summer release / early autumn release.. The album
itself will probably appear late Spring 2009 with something like four
or five tracks done...

M.A.N. after a long period of inactivity with Andy (vocals) being
teaching in South Korea for the past few years has almost being
a standstill with sessions grinding to a halt on our third album
'From a Boy to a... ' which if I am honest I didn't think we were
going to complete ever picked up into life with 11 tracks now
being done! Me and Andy have enough vocals left spare for another
5 or 6 tracks yet to appear on the album I reckon along with loads
of material that will start appearing on various comp. CD's over the
next few months also..

Distance is currently demoing for a indie record label following
on from two EP's 'Voices in the Mix' (which is pending release on
eardose) and 'Music without words') recorded at the start off
January 2008. So far, Distance has recorded seven tracks for them.
Am aiming to pass these over to the label in question in September -
with a bit of luck - Distance should have 10 or 11 tracks by that
which will give us more of a idea where we are heading next then.

Grey Ear, White Noise which is a spin off project from Distance
with Distance noise and breakbeats vs Tony (my bass player in
Distance)'s vocals in this case do have a EP pending on
Halo Excentrico and will be releasing their debut album 'The Lift'
later in the year on our own HICC records.

Watch this space for further details. I will try to next update
my writing projects!

Dear all;

A little update of what acts I have interviewed recently for my webzine 'Setting Sun' - http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

Happy Reading

Andy N

Quiet time recently as in updates for the interviews section for for my webszine 'Setting Sun' – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo which features interviews with all kinds of acts although it can be seen there has being a number of new interviews conducted since I last updated a few months back..

Anyway, here are the latest interviews conducted over the past few months:

' Katherine Crowe '

Katherine is from the Isle of Man (A little island just off the coast of the United Kingdom) but has a style that comes across as a cross between Tori Amos and KateBush minus the over the top hystics but has a honesty in her music which I think is refreshing.

'NOA BELL'

Noa is from Israel, according to my notes introducting the interview Noa herself describes " her influences as varied as 'The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Smog, The Velvet Underground, Bert Jansch and Tim Hardin' but certainly from listening to these songs, there is a timeless beauty in her songs that may display the pop element of The Beatles or even Joni Mitchell, possibly because of her upbringing in Israel there is a beauty and delicateness here that is otherworldly but distantly familiar. "

'M.GRIFFIN'

Quoting myself from the introduction 'M.Griffin in his own words is 'M. Griffin is the founder of Hypnos Recordings,a important outlet for ambient music for almost a decade.' In addition to thatGriffin is also a recording artist in a minimal ambient style, and according to His own page on yspace.com as of 2006 having created 4 solo albumsAnd another 5 albums besides that in collaboration with acts such as Dave Fulton, David Tollefson (as Viridian Sun), and A Produce.


'SoPhIe'S pIgEoNs'

'SoPhIe'S pIgEoNs' are a four piece group from Moss Side, Manchester and according to the notes on my website are a collection of musicians who have ' created a sound that's toe tapping, fingerclicking, erratic rocking – wearing down the rocking chair. Hands clapping, feet a stomping, new voices filling up the smoky air. '

Perhaps in simpiler terms, they are akin to a more lo fi, throw everything in the kitchen sink experiments that while vocally recall Tori Amos meets Regina Spector – musically go somewhere else altogether.


'THE WORLD ON HIGHER DOWNS'

'The World on Higher Downs' according to my notes from Madison /Stevens Point, Green Bay, Wisconsin (That's the United States).

The band themselves list their influences as 'list their influences as'Steve Reich, Slowdive, Stars of the Lid, Cocteau Twins, Labradford, Tortoise, Tarentel, Eluvium, Matmos, Mirror, Larsen, Encre, Fridge, Loscil'Which gives a slight impression of their dreamy,Droney far-out atompsheres post rock (ish) based music, Expect it doesn't really….
'Emperor'

In contrast to most interviews I do, I don't actually know a great deal about 'Emperor' expect they are from England and their musical influences are certainly for those kind of people who perhaps like their music as a cross between Stars of the Lid meets Brian Eno. The music here is rough but has a innocent quality that is well worth checking out.


'RENA JONES'

'Rena Jones' is from Portland (USA) and repeating my notes on the interview, 'Rena's music is certainly 'Down-tempo / Ambient / IDM As described on her myspace.com it is certainly music for fans For 'The Aphex Twin' (in his more listenable mood), Boards of Canada, Brian Eno, Tortoise, Sigur Ros but if I'm honest goes completely beyond electronical / post rock music – giving it a vibe that I feel is rarely seen in music.'


'CATYA MARE'


'Catya Maré' is from Denmark and plays a looping classical music that is described as in the introduction to her interview ''Beautiful melodies...weaved into an ambient/ electronica backing, evocative music, chill out, sensual, spiritual, funky, emotional and soulful.... The violin is her Stroking Voice... She uses it in a completely different way than other violinists do... producing breathing and vibrating sound which resemblesmore the female voice than a usual violin...You can feel and smell the sound... '


'SAMARAH'


'Samarah' is from Madison, WI – she describes herself on her myspace.com page which I will borrow her also 'Samarah began playing piano at the tender age of seven and experimented with various orchestral instruments and choir during her childhood. By thirteen she was composing her own songs and played her first gig at fifteen in a local bar. In the late 90's she discovered electronic music through the rave scene and was infatuated with the new sounds. Inspired, she bought her first computer and got her hands on production software, synthesizers, samplers and drum machines. The end result was elegant compositions of minimal trip hop and experimental idm with vocals.'


'DATA RAPIST'


Ben aka 'Data Rapist's is from 'Pattaya, Thailand but also lives in London, UK and quoting myself from the interview ' crosses all over the boundaries of music From ' Experimental to Dub to Electro to DM Breakbeat and Back Electro' sometimes within the same song in the course of a few minutes as the full emotional core of the music is totally different'