19-Dec-06: More airplay
Bjorn Jeppesen has been playing T-Bass on his bi-monthly Electroland radio show quite a bit lately. The latest track to feature is Mariner from The Infection of Time. The show, which goes out over most of Scandinavia, features a number of well-known and not-so-well-known EM artists from around the world. Here's the playlist for his most recent show. You can also listen to the show as an MP3 file for the next couple of weeks over at http://www.nattefrost.dk/elektroland/playlist.htm.
Elektroland 31 - December 2006 (2nd week).
1. Carbon Based Lifeforms: Photosynthesis (World of sleepers) 2. T - Bass UK: The Mariner (The infection of time) 3. E=Motion: Electronic delight (Hypnotic sequences) 4. Lagowski: Daemon (Temporary distractions) 5. Aes Dana: Opalin (Memory shell) 6. Aes Dana: Exposure (Memory shell) 7. F.D. Project: Time traveller (Timeless) 8. Phochos: Tech steps (Through the looking glass)
30-Nov-06: New Playlist uploaded
I've uploaded a couple of complete tracks from the latest studio sessions. Some are pretty much what you'd expect from T-Bass/SkinMechanix, one or two are demos for ZEIT and others show the new direction we're moving towards. Sort of.
I've also uploaded our first podcast. This is an interview I recorded with Ashley Franklin of BBC Radio Derby way back in either November 1995 or March 1996, I can't actually remember which it was. The whole period was a bit of a blur, frankly.
The podcast is under the Sounds section.
Enjoy.
03-Nov-06: "Local Choonz for Local People!!!"
There have been many grumblings and mutterings about the future of both T-Bass and SkinMechanix recently, both here and in some of the Electronic Music forums. It has a lot to do with the bloody dreadfull state of what is laughably called The UK Electronic Music Scene. In reality, this once full and vibrant scene has dimished to the point where it is just a handfull of well-meaning enthusiasts who keep an ever-diminishing number of retailers in beer money.
What we've noticed in recent years is that we're having to travel further and further to play in front of smaller and smaller audiences. Worse still, the earnings from those concerts is slowly falling to the point that we simply can't afford to do gigs any more. For instance, last weekend's SkinMechanix gig in Leeds drew only 12 people and earned us just £15.
Clearly, apathy is a major problem within the scene. But it isn't just apathy that's killing the scene. For many, many years, I've been convinced that we're the wrong band playing the wrong kind of music to the wrong people. The scene just isn't interested in what we're doing and, clearly, no amount of promotion or gigging is going to change that.
Consequently, we've decided to focus on building a local following. It was a tough decision to make and I've tried, unsuccessfully, to jump ship more than once in recent years. But now really is the time to make a clean break of it all. The local music scene is vibrant and energetic and live music is now fashionable again. I'm convinced that there is an audience out there for our kind of choonz and, simply put, we're going to find it.
So, here we go. Another phase of the adventure begins.
02-Nov-06: Random
I have removed the Random blog/diary for the time being. It will return in a couple of weeks.
01-Nov-06: Downloadable albums
The Infection of Time and MediaEvil have now been fully remastered and released to Synth Music Direct as downloadable albums. My understanding is that if you buy The Infection of Time then you will receive MediaEvil for free. Connexion has been fully remastered and extended. The disc features all of the original tracks as well as another 4 extra tracks and will be made available very shortly.
27-Sep-06: Radioplay Update
Bjorn Jeppesen has been playing T-Bass on his bi-monthly Electroland radio show, which goes out over most of Scandinavia. Here's the playlist for his most recent show. You can also listen to the show as an MP3 file for the next couple of weeks over at http://www.nattefrost.dk/elektroland/playlist.htm.
Elektroland 25 - September 2006 (2nd week).
Includes Gert Emmens interview. 1. Klangwelt: Okzident (Xoio) 2. David Wright: Nomad (Ocean watch) 3. Jeffrey Koepper: Byzantine machine (Momentium) 4. Uwe Reckzeh: Moonshine in the garden (Timecode) 5. Gert Emmens: Myths and legends as told by the.... (Tale of the Warlock) 6. Gert Emmens: Warlock's death (Tale of the Warlock) 7. T-Bass UK: The fabulous Neutrinos (The fabulous neutrinos) 8. Robert Schrder: Big ocean (Everdreams)
29-Jun-06: Samples
Some samples of work-in-progress only. These snipets are NOT complete tracks, just ideas to work from. They're here because a couple of people asked to hear them and for Dave W. to wave his magic wand over them. So, don't complain if they're not the T-Bass you know and love. :)
Leviathan A sequenced noodle-fest with the poor old Monowave being hammered into submission. Again. Bombers With apologies to Gary Numan. The riff is ripped straight from Numan's Bombers track. Hey, don't bitch. You gotta start somewhere. Saga Someone called this 'shagging music'. Yeah. I'm okay with that. :)
26-Jun-06: News and Updates
If you're hunting for news and updates regarding T-Bass and/or SkinMechanix then check out the link on the left labelled Random. Random is a kind of blog or on-line diary where I have been talking about how things are going and any major developments that there might have been. It's also been the source of a right load of old bollocks too so, if you're short of time and bored with life in general then take a look. We don't promise to make you smile or cure you of your boredom but it might make you think differently.
05-May-06: Thinking Metal
Way back in the mysts of time - 1994, I think - I started a little indie record label called Thinking Metal Productions. We released two titles on this label, The Infection of Time and Connexion although, sadly, Thinking Metal went into a terminal decline immediately after the horrible experiences at the Alfa Centauri concert in 1999 when its obvious lack of funding and experience became readily apparent. Not long afterwards, Infection Music came into being and Thinking Metal was officially declared extinct.
But you should never say never...
I've decided to restart Thinking Metal as a home for some new musical projects. Infection Music will still exist and be our primary outlet for new music but Thinking Metal will host material of a different, perhaps more experimental nature. Who knows?
So, welcome back to Thinking Metal.
Thinking Metal already has its own web page over on MySpace.com although it's a bit minimal at the moment. Check it out in a day or two when we have some content in place.
23rd March 2006: Ultravox Covers Competition
T-Bass had two entries in this competition, The Fabulous Neutrinos and A Question of Time, organised by Ultravox.org.uk, the Official Ultravox Website. Both tracks were entered in the Original Works section.
We didn't win but Neutrinos was 'Highly Commended' and Question was 'Bubbling Under'. What that means is that we came second and third! Not bad, given that we're not an Ultravox covers band! :)
The full results can be viewed here.
17th March 2006: Links page
Minor changes to the links page to correct the entry for Sequences Magazine and to remove one or two old links which no longer work. The link for the Classic Rock Society would take you to a porn page! Ha!
5th November 2005 : The Infection of Time 10th Anniversary
Believe it or not, it's been ten years since The Infection of Time was released on the Thinking Metal label. Blimey.
Frankly, I can hardly believe it. It still seems like only yesterday I was hawking this disc around the likes of CDS, Midas and the newly formed Neu Harmony looking for someone to take this bloody great pile of CD's off my hands. Of course, in those days, the band was called Tranquility Bass and the UK's electronic music scene was still enjoying its mini-revival. Oh, how things change.
To mark the 10th anniversary, we've uploaded the entire album to the MP3 area on our web site so you can listen to the album that started this whole adventure completely free. Just go to the front page (click on "Home" or use the Back button) and click on the "Listen While You Surf" icon.
1st November 2005 : Ultravox Covers Competition Part 2
Ha! The three T-Bass tracks submitted to the Ultravox Covers Competition over on the Extreme Voicesite are doing rather well. The Fabulous Neutrinos was occupying the top spot with A Question of Time was sitting in around fourth place. Lovesong has just been uploaded and has yet to be rated so, please, drop by and give us a vote!
12th Jul 2005 : New album, new plans
This week saw the start of yet another massive rebuilding programme in the studio. This is the second major refit in just eight months.
Some of you may remember the massive refit we did at the tail end of last year. It was supposed to prepare the ground for a whole raft of new projects, rehearsals and experimental sessions. However, the revised layout was a bloody disaster! It just didn't work. The studio was difficult and uncomfortable to use, the acoustics sucked and it just wasn't being used properly. I found it easier to work in the back garden with just a guitar and a synth .
So, the studio is going back to its old layout with everything in easy reach. It may have been scruffy and untidy with cables snaking across the floor and nowhere to store anything but at least it was a place where you could work and write music.
As far as the new album is concerned, it's progressing, albeit slowly. I have around ten to twenty minutes of new material, some of it works, some it doesn't. The new direction will surprise some, mystify others. Just wait and see.
29th June 2005 : Ultravox covers competition
A couple of weeks ago I submitted two tracks, A Question of Time and The Fabulous Neutrinos to an Ultravox Covers Compettion currently being organised by those good folks over at Extreme Voice and the feedback so far has been very positive! I'm encouraged and will probably submit a few other pieces from the archives!
8th June 2005 : All good things... Part 2
At the end of last year, November 2004, T-Bass had reached something of a turning point. As a band, we had ceased to function. We had not written any new material in more than eighteen months. We had not played together in over a year. Due to work commitments, we hardly ever socialised. And after a year of no activity, I decided that it was time to move on and that I wanted to concentrate all of my efforts on my solo effort, Skin Mechanix.
That was eight months ago.
Since then, I've been completely immersed in the development of our business, Infection Music Limited. It has taken over my life completely.
I've become something of a hermit. I rarely leave the house these days except to walk the dogs or forage for food at the supermarket. I seem to spend my life in front of one VDU or another. The only room in this house without a VDU is the toilet but give me time and I'll fix that.
Being serious for a minute, I'm worried that I've neglected my family. I'm worried that I've neglected my social life. I've certainly neglected my health and the effects of working excessive hours are starting to take their toll.
But I'm also concerned that I've neglected my creative side which is bad because I don't believe you can be fully functional if you ignore one half of your personality. Whilst I earnestly believe that designing and building musical instruments is the best job in the world, I have the feeling that there is something missing.
So, as of today, 8th June 2005, T-Bass has been officially revived. As far as the band's direction is concerned, that is a complete unknown. All I know is that it's time to go forward and begin again. The band's direction will take care of itself.
T-Bass will run in parallel with SkinMechanix though SkinMechanix will remain a solo effort dedicated to experimental, electronic music. There will be some cross-over between projects but we don't know exactly what at the moment.
Like I said, Never say 'never'...
Cheers
David
News from 2004
To read the news from 2004 click here.