A Greater Horror – Kraak Space – Manchester – 07/02/13

Solo Drum+Electronics – Soup Kitchen – Manchester – 03/02/13

Snare + Microphone

Before I talk, here is some sights and sounds:

During my summer tour last year I improv-ed my way into using a condenser mic as a friction implement. The sounds were harsh, but very controllable and with a great continuity between vastly different types of sounds/playing. I instantly knew I was on to something, and wanted to explore this further.

Fast forward to one month ago.
I was starting to plan/conceive my next composition, having recently started a PhD at the University of Huddersfield, and wanted to explore this microphone/snare thing further. At the same time, I had decided that I was going to move away from the “middle man” of writing a composition, for myself, to perform. (More on this, and the implications of it in a future post). I decided to use this very limited mode of playing as the backbone of this exploration. No other implements, no electronics (other than amplification/distortion), no “easy” solutions to the problem I was trying to solve.

This video is not that solution. It is just a document of some of the sounds and playing techniques I’ve been exploring.

Takahashi\’s Shellfish Concern – The Briton’s Protection – Manchester – 15/12/12

Solo drums + electronics

So I went on a UK tour recently doing solo drums + electronics.

Here is a ‘showreel’ of sorts, documenting some choice bits from the different performances.

This was the first tour I’ve done since moving onto a laptop as my performance setup. The center piece of that is The Party Van, my all-in-one laptop performance solution. It was nice doing a bunch of (relatively) back to back gigs to really get ‘inside’ the mechanics of my patch/setup.

The footage was shot and edited by my wife, Angela Guyton, who shoots most(all) of my videos nowadays. There’s a longer (10minutes) sort of documentary on me in the works covering my live stuff, instrument building, bands, composition etc… Very much looking forward to that.

Prince Adolpho – The Ship & Mitre – Liverpool – 18/11/12

Weak Without You (new composition)

Weak Without You is my latest composition commissioned by Distractfold Ensemble.

It looks and sounds like this:

It’s written for three female performers who sing and clap (with a bit of a pitched instrument at end). The performers (Linda Jankowska, Emma Richards, and Alice Purton) did a great job with the piece, particularly considering the nakedness of just singing/clapping.

This is the first piece I’ve composed since starting my PhD at the University of Huddersfield and it’s probably one of my simplest/cleanest pieces. The materials are super stark, and I think it really works.

‘Underneath the hood’ there are some further explorations into some of my ideas about ‘fake’ time. Sections B/C/D in the score make use of these ideas, and during the rehearsals the term “real time” and “fake time” were thrown around a lot (to the initial confusion of the performers).

Here is the full score:

Oh yeah, and it’s a ‘cover’ of Survivor by Destiny’s Child….

Distractfold Ensemble – Weak Without You Premiere – Edge Music – London – 15/11/12

Trio Riot – Matt & Phreds – Manchester – 08/11/12

CeReNeM HISS Showcase – University of Huddersfield – Huddersfield – 03/11/12

Distractfold Ensemble – Weak Without You Premiere – Edge Music – London – 02/11/12

The Noise Upstairs Ensemble – The Slug and Lettuce – Manchester – 09/10/12

Distractfold Ensemble – Anthony Burgess Foundation – Manchester – 01/10/12

Prince/Adolpho/Constanzo/Hunter – Kraak Space – Manchester – 24/09/12

Duo with Seth Cooke – Fox & Newt – Leeds – 30/08/12