Vis the Spoon's 'Spoonful of Poison'

Played Vis's night at the Urban Bar opposite Whitechapel tube yesterday. There were some hiccups in his rather anarchical evening but I enjoyed my little set. I did Reuters material, using the stories from Reuters items, improvising with my Microkorg and my Zoom drum machine. I particularly enjoyed interpreting the two stories about the ice fishing competition in China and the ice swimming in Moscow. Thank you Vis, you are such a tremendously witty and warm host. Vis was so kind, he said 'I've found the new Ivor Cutler, and it's Jude Cowan'. I was so pleased, even though he's terribly gracious and flattering he's not full of shit so he must have meant something to compare me to Ivor Cutler. Well, it makes me feel good today to think of it!

I met Matt at an Ivor Cutler evening hosted by Roddy Lumsden so that makes me feel even more wonderful when our names are mentioned together ...

The Vacant Chair

My post punk minimalist duo with Richard Sanderson is coming along. An avant-folk outfit, we're going to do traditional and parlour song. I've just sent him chords and music for 'The Vacant Chair', the civil war, anti-war song. I'm going to play Microkorg and he will play electric guitar with fuzz pedal.

The only problem is that we can't decide on a name. I fancy Foulkestone, but Richard prefers either The Unwelcome Companions or The Charming Interior so far. Perhaps we'll end up with none of these names ... who knows?

New electronic Jude

I'm developing a new series of songs to play out at electronic evening - the heart of which will be my trusty Micro Korg!
The piano songs adapt well. When I twiddle the wheels while I'm playing I fantasise that I am Delia Derbyshire.
I have no idea what the wheels do, although I can hear it. I have not read the manual.

Ambient electronica

I have been trying to do some recording for some ambient electronica tracks but have fallen into difficulties. There is some weird buzzing, and I can't work out what's making it. Plus the levels are awful. What a to do! I hope Matt will help me sort it out. I feel really girly, but at least I had a go. I must be learning something about this recording business.

For some lovely ambient electronica you could always check out hibernate records. I really like the artists on their label and am enjoying the sample tracks on hibernate and on their sister label rural colours.

Plus Jonathan who runs the site is a very nice guy and has been very encouraging and helpful when I emailed him for tips on setting up a small label online. He calls his a 'micro-independent label'. I quite like that, it's intellectual but modest.

http://www.hibernate-recs.co.uk/

Jazzy song

Crikey it's all getting very jazzy and lovey.

Just recorded my first demo of this song. Chords Cmin7 / Fmin7 / Bflatmaj7
maybe I'll try and put another chord sequence in tomorrow when I'm more used to the basic sequence. I seem to have moved away from writing 'proper' melodies in favour of noodling at the moment. Maybe I'll get back to 'proper songs' one day. I've been working this out on the piano but I hope to transfer it to the Microkorg.

Because I Loved You

Because I loved you
Because I loved you
Because I loved you
I fell into the night

And I couldn't stop falling
And I couldn't stop falling
And I couldn't stop falling
For there were no sides

And I passed the world on my way down
As I fell like a swan
And the air whistled up past my face
And there was no end

yet the patients waved
from their hospital dream
arms tubed to drips
prepared for their operations

And the doctors smiled
As they filled in charts
they hooked with care
to the base of their beds

I saw the plough with its yoke
abandoned in the heavens
the rovers and the golfs
parked badly on the kerb

The instruments, guitars and piano
idle in the bedroom studios
the granite and melanine
kitchens, gleaming, unused

How long will this take me
Will it ever stop
Is there no bottom
Is there no depth

To which I can not fall
Into my love
Or will it take forever
to reach I don't know where

Alina Orlova

I'm just listening to Alina Orlova. I like her. She's very inspiring. She sings in Lithuanian and English.

I'm inspired to do some work with the microkorg.

Here she is singing and playing piano at the Cafe Oto. Sadly I missed her summer gig, and she's not back again this year.

Blanaid said she likes this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nzo_6NC42Q

I like her song about the last mammoth.