The Inventors album ‘Pictures of Mountains’ is out now on all streaming platforms, vinyl coming some time next year. Black Smoke is my favourite track (I love a good extended fade out) so I cut this video for it, using my dad’s 8mm footage from their trip across the US in 1968. He really missed his calling as director of photography in my opinion. Double exposures and everything!

The only full album I recorded during the various Covid lockdowns was the new Inventors record, which due to vinyl pressing turnarounds probably won’t be released until the end of the year, but you can hear a single right now, on all the streaming platforms. We recorded everyone’s parts individually, with Joe and Ray’s demos filling in the gaps until it was all down, so no one had to share a room together, which was especially bizarre with the Inventors because previously we’ve essentially tracked live and just added vocals. Nick never even stepped foot in the studio, since he’s a paramedic, lives in Indiana, and has a decent bass DI at home. It was a learning experience for sure. Charlie Kaufman is a different person from Andy Kaufman, I realized pretty early on.

Another banger from Gramn, maybe my favourite so far. Still grateful to be involved with this music making. Smash that like button!

I mixed this single (with b-side!) for Party Boss which is out now on Disconnect Records and all the usual streaming platforms etc. They recorded it in a shed in London. The wonders of modern technology…

Occasionally I write a song for Extreme Music Publishing that I’m proud of, not because I nailed the genre or thought that it was particularly ‘sync-able’, but because it sounds like real music to my ears, and that if I had a band of that size and shape, I might perform it on a stage. Artistic credibility if you will. Here’s my contribution to the Noise Rock II album:

Come in to my Office

The Extreme site, as awesome as it is, does not yet allow embeds. Soz.

This Franksgiving I am frankful for the work I still get to do, even if it’s just me in the studio. Some more sonic screwdrivery for Jim and Awks in this video. They’re really cranking out some gems this year. Subscribe to their channel yo.

Obviously this year was a slow one for studios the world over, but in between Covid spikes we found a way to run a few masked sessions. Here’s Ho Etsu bringing their drums to record on the new Down I Go album.

The four track EP that The Inventors did up here last fall is up on bandcamp. It’s pay what you can, and all proceeds go towards service industry workers in Chicago, who, for obvious reasons, are having trouble paying bills right now. Rumour has it that they have a whole new album up their sleeves…

Everyone loves our chickens, but Beat the Smart Kids loved them so much they named their EP ‘Chicken Sounds’, featuring Hen Solo (RIP) on the front cover. It’s ska punk. Just thought I should mention that before you clicked the play button.

The Bossa IV LP is back from Smashed Plastic! Matt’s solo project (he played everything except upright bass on one song) took us the better part of a year, but it’s out. And no, we didn’t record it on those Vistalites. Ludwigs were involved though.