Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 22:19 - Offtopic
It was a fucking VST![ view entry ] | permalink
Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 18:06 - Music
(Deadline - 125 days away)Ok so I'm held up because my sequencing software keeps dying. The process just vanishes after a few seconds of play. It seems to do it only when a big ole VST is loaded. (At least, the files without VST plugins play nicely). So I'm gonna spend tonight reinstalling all of my music software and reinstalling again to see if it makes a difference.
Bloody hope it does because I wanted to kinda finish off a track tonight. :P And it's the one track I'm working on at the moment... After this one I'll start something new. I fancy making about 10 minutes more and then releasing the album because it's getting to a good length.
With some luck and hard work, I'll be looking at some cover art in September. I'm sure it'll be a big inspiration to see what Josh pulls off, and it will likely influence the remaining little bit of the album.
More to come.
Sean
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Saturday, August 16, 2008, 16:07 - Music
Just to note that my music is no longer available on myspace. I've cancelled my account because their website is rubbish and I'm not happy with the promotion I get from them anymore. :)When the new album is released later this year you'll find it on last.fm and Jamendo. Two websites I find easy to support!
Sean
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Friday, August 1, 2008, 12:03 - Offtopic
Friends of mine will know that I have a strong opinion on drugs, like many people do. So whenever drug policy is debated I'm deeply interested. Today I read a HYS on BBC and a lot of people were making sense. But I just wanted to make comments on a few things that people have said.http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread. ... #paginator
Prohibition has failed. 100 years ago all drugs were legal and Britain had the largest empire on earth. After 100 years of draconian prohibition we are no better off. A new approach is urgently needed, legalisation is the only answer.
Frank, London
Recommended by 160 people
Ok, let's not insinuate that drug prohibition shrunk our empire. 160 people actually agreed with this point.
Has draconian prohibition been making our society worse for 100 years? I thought that the draconian-ness only started with the Misuse of Drugs Act 1970. Before then I guess it was just mildly shite. Citation needed.
"Send users and parties to Prison farms in the outer Hebrides or digging a tunnel to China. But get them away from us, our homes and families." Alan Ward, Sydney, Aust.
The trouble is, the users and parties ARE us, our homes and our families.
Drug users are our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our children, our parents, our work mates, etc.
These people have a right to screw up their own life, and legalised drugs is the best way to contain both the financial cost and the human cost.
Peter Filicietti, Bangkok, Thailand
Recommended by 102 people
Very powerful stuff. And it's true. Unless you live in some kind of weird cult, out families and friends are drug users. There's a strong "us and them" attitude amongst a lot of people and it's very dangerous. If more people did some research on drugs that didn't include the Daily Mail, maybe points like this would be easier to accept. Just a thought.
I now firmly believe that all drugs should be legalised without any restrictions. This step alone would massively cut crime and provide the state with taxes.
We have to start treating this situation with a mature reasoned outlook and understand that regardless of what the authorities do drugs will always be available.. Its ridiculous for society to keep pumping millions in to a problem that's getting worse and the only winners being the organised criminal element.
Robert, Aberdeen
Recommended by 89 people
Whoa whoa whoa, guys what the fuck are you doing?! 89 people recommended this? Yes drugs should be legalised, but if they were unrestricted, do you think it would solve problems? Kindly, let's not start selling alcohol to under 18s. The whole idea of legalisation is that we can regulate and restrict drug use. If we don't have a legal framework for drug distribution, we call that decriminalisation instead and it doesn't guarantee any taxes for the state.
At this point it's good to clear up what legalisation really means. It doesn't mean that we let drug dealers continue running their business. It means that the government provides safer and cheaper gear in competition with drug dealers. Why would we want to do this?
Well, one of the main peeves I have with drug reformists is that they forget to explain why legalisation would be beneficial. So I prefer to take this from my own angle. When you are arguing for drug legalisation it's best to lay down a few home truths from which legalisation can follow. This means that you don't have to explain it later. Here we go..
1. Prohibition is not a deterrent. Punishment is not a deterrent.
2. It is human nature to experiment with changing our state of mind, including the use of psychoactive chemicals.
3. Prohibition is expensive.
The first two points can be summed up by saying "people are going to do drugs anyway". As soon as that is understood you can offer a substitute for the punitive law we have today.
I hope you enjoyed the rant. I can't be bothered to give any references for my 3 points so just research the lot yourself. Here's a good start. In Morocco I believe there's a death penalty related to drugs. Is it effective? Google it. Is it really human nature to expeiment with drugs? How many people do you know who drink tea or coffee? Who drink alcohol? Smoke? Can legalisation really be cheaper than prohibition? Google that too.
Or just have fun reading the works of my favourite reform group in the kingdom, Transform Drug Policy Foundation. Their publications are very informative and concise.
For those who are looking to spread the love of legalisation, check out Transform's publication After the War on Drugs: Tools for the Debate
With love,
Sean
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Thursday, July 31, 2008, 11:22 - Personal
Sorry guys, it's a lazy stretch. Work just makes me tired every day so I go home and escape rather than working on music. I'm still committed, so don't worry about it. Just try not to strain yourself while you wait.With love,
Sean
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Monday, July 7, 2008, 08:36 - Personal, Music
My girlfriend is playing Chrono Trigger. It's definitely the best thing ever; two of my favourite things jamming together.But before that, yesterday was the best thing ever because I worked on a choon and now the album's more than 40 minutes long. We're getting so close now and I can smell it. Smells kinda funky!
But even before that, the day before was the best thing ever because I rigged up my new speakers. The ol' Tannoys are doing me well and I can finally mix properly. You know what else? Listening to music is so pleasurable again without PC speakers! I'll be recommending some music again.
I'm back on last.fm now, scrobblin' it up.
Sean
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Friday, July 4, 2008, 08:14 - Music, Offtopic
Seeing as I couldn't find a place nearby that stocks reference monitors (brutally honest speakers used for audio mixing), I just picked some out of a hat. The Tannoy Reveal 5As will do well in my little room, once I receive them tomorrow from the courier.I'm really looking forward to it! But look, guys, I'm kinda trying to get into microtonal music because a lot of it sounds really good. I can only describe it as "colourful" - the word I usually use to describe surprising and detailed harmonies. But of course, when you've grown up with the music of the modern Western world, this music is surprising.
I found a decent album of accessable microtonal music, on good ol' Jamendo. It's Randy Winchester's "Five Hemispheres", which I love and really recommend. I left a short review for the composer and his response was thoughtful. I think I'll really have to start tinkering around with tunings to add some experimental-cred to my name. Sorry guys, that might mean I become slightly more unlistenable!
Oh yeah yanks, enjoy your fireworks today!
Sean
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Monday, June 23, 2008, 09:04 - Music, Offtopic
Well, the first Penn & Teller: Bullshit this year had the naked women from last season, plus silly sound effects and costumes. I think they've messed too much with their winning formula from the earlier seasons. Oh well.But Firefox 3 didn't disappoint. It's fast and it renders well.
Anyway, now is the time to buy some reference monitors. It's been on my to-do list for quite a while and I'm just gonna go ahead and take the plunge. This brings us ever closer to the new album, which is very almost 40 minutes long at the moment.
As I get closer to finishing it I'll put out another preview just to keep things live for anybody now waiting for a new release to follow up from Sevish EP. Of course, it's been so long that there's probably nobody left waiting! But I'll capture some new ears I'm sure. ;)
Actually guys, it will never be this kind of wait again. I have a plan for after the release of this album, which I will later go into on this blog in more depth. The whole idea is nicked off of Senn who's going to try it out aswell.
Oops, forgot to post entry earlier, was reading wikipedia page on Pee-Wee Herman.
Sean
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Friday, June 13, 2008, 10:43 - Offtopic
I just realised today that June is a pretty good month.Series 6 of Penn & Teller: Bullshit begins airing on Showtime this month. Showtime is... some American thing. I'll be watching it on winamp via bittorrent. I am a big fan of the show! I take their ideas with a grain of salt but love their outspoken delivery.
The new Firefox web browser is to be released on 17th June (next Tuesday)! It's now common knowledge that Internet Explorer is a very unsecure web browser that comes with Windows and leaves millions of computers worldwide susceptible to attacks from internet criminals. This is why Firefox, underdog to Internet Explorer (yet hugely popular in its own right), will become a valuable web browser for many new people over the coming months.
I personally like it because with Firefox I haven't seen an advert in months. It's faster. It looks cute!! It's safer for my computer and my data. As with anything, if you play with the safe tools you won't get burned.
I believe the LHC is injecting its first beams this month. If black holes are produced, I am going to steal it and sell it on the black market.
Also I have two free yards. That's why this is a good month.
Sean
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Saturday, June 7, 2008, 00:33 - Personal
I'm into my final hours of being a teenager.Feels bloody crazy. I don't think I want it to end.
Maybe I'll just be twenteen for a year. :P
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Thursday, June 5, 2008, 12:39 - Personal, Music
Hi all,firstly, sorry for not updating. I've been a quiet man recently, hermited in my cosy room and a hunger to do my own thing for a bit. I've also been shopping quite a bit for clothes and shoes.
My girlfriend bought me this hoody from the South Korean brand Googims, which I truly love. Yes, it's girls' clothing and yes, it's banging. Have you seen guys' clothes? Too bland usually. Anyway, I know this is nothing new to those in South Korea but over here nobody's seen it.
It's my birthday on Saturday. I was glad because my family's going out until 12pm, but it turns out that nobody is free anyway. Well, one friend is, and two friends are busy until late... so fuck it, I'm gonna cancel and just do something with the one mate. Yep, it's pretty sad I know but I'll still have a good time. Maybe it'll be quiet enough for a bit of recording and that.
Which yes brings me onto music. I'm still working on it. I'm ahead of schedule, but I'm going kinda slow at the moment. I guess it's because I keep making these upbeat tracks. That's the thing, I am more into the slower, deeper stuff but I can't stop being upbeat recently. It's more difficult for me to judge how I want the structure to be when I start writing something with a fast beat. I think that after I've finished these current 2 or three tracks I'm gonna slow it all right down on a groove and finish the album that way. To you guys, I dunno, I guess it doesn't matter so much, as you'll hear the album in one piece. For me, it's a constant self-evaluation of things, and I have to keep fighting to not lose steam. :P
Maybe I should explore more depth and less beat for the next tracks. Something "deconstructive" (to use a word from a fan on Jamendo.com) will be good, just like some of the tracks I used to make.
Well all, take it easy and I'll try to post something substantial before the end of the month. LOVE YOOOUUUUUUUU
Sean
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Sunday, May 11, 2008, 21:08 - Offtopic
The folks working hard at Transform Drug Policy Foundation are bringing me jokes. I just read their latest blog entry. Here are the highlights:After listening to Jacqui Smith MP talking about skunk cannabis in Parliament today millions of young people have decided to quit using cannabis and drink 3 litre bottles of white-lightning cider instead. Across the housing estates of Britain vulnerable young people, more used to the daily truant ritual of a skunk fueled psychotic axe-rampage, could be witnessed huddled around radio's hanging on Home Secretary Smith's every word. Interviewed afterwards many were of the opinion that now they faced a super-stern warning from the police for cannabis possession, instead of a mere moderately-stern warning like in the old days, the risk was simply too great. It was time to quit weed and hit the cider big time. This fear was combined with a new found insight into cannabis provided by Gordon Brown, specifically regarding the 'lethal' skunk version of the otherwise completely benign sixties flower power drug smoked by Smith and her cabinet colleagues way back when.
The general opinion around the bus shelters was that Smith and Brown, given their in-depth academic research, backgrounds in the drugs field and Phd's in epidemiology and psycho-pharmacology respectively, were far better qualified to advise today's youngsters about drug harms than those 'unqualified jokers on the thingy-wotsit committee', as one former feral youth described it. He added;
'now cannabis is class B and we all know how bad it is for you again, there's no point wasting money on education, treatment and prevention any more. That cash would be far better given to the police so they can alienate us with some futile heavy-handed enforcement like they did with my big brother. A criminal record should really help any remaining tokers get on in life'.
Sarcy!! But their message holds truth. Solving the drugs problem isn't as easy as reclassifying. Check the related link for their full post. They are spot on as always. support++
Sean
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Saturday, May 10, 2008, 20:52 - Website News
Big news, all of my girls and all of my guys!!I've updated the whole site... Just for you. xx
I hope it's pleasing to the eye.
Sean
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Thursday, May 8, 2008, 20:54 - Music, Offtopic
Now, if you've listened to my music, you might have also heard Senn's music. We both used to be well into last.fm and all that! I was shocked to see that he released a single today on his site. :OOnly it's under a different name, KM, which I guess represents his departure from the trancey style from Senn days. ;)
KM - Only Just Begun
As usual in our rather liberal and sexy neck of the internet woods, this is a free release. High quality VBR MP3s too, ooohhh. Thus if you so desired the two tracks could be on your audio player within a few minutes.
Oh yeah! And there's a Senn remix on there anyway! For you trance heads! I've been listening to this one for over a week as I'm VIP and I love the synth that comes in after 5 minutes. That's the bit you just wait for.
Was just letting you guys know. Now bring on the full album. :]
Sean
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Thursday, May 8, 2008, 14:27 - Offtopic
PBefore printing, think about ENVIRONMENTAL responsibility
I hate when cunts send me this at the end of emails. I swear the paper industry creates more forests?! (Landsburg, Steven A. The Armchair Economist. p. 86.)
Fair enough I could be wrong in my thinking, but I don't want to hear your smegging personal problems with paper and trees any longer. Do I have to print 1,000 copies of your email out of spite?
Sean
PS. "P" the webdings character for a tree.
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