Saturday, May 31, 2008

Three for the fans down Ashton Gate...

...We'll follow til we're dead, me boy, follow til we're dead.



I simply had to take a quick break from blogger retirement to mention an amazing season for Bristol City, even though it just wasn't to be in the end.

The victory over Palace in the play-off semi-final prompted an Ashton Gate pitch invasion for the second consecutive season.



The atmosphere that night was probably the best I have ever witnessed, with chants doing two or three full circuits around the ground before being replaced by another. It seemed to make the difference when the players were tired in the extra time, and when the second goal went in to kill off the opposition I experienced yet another bear-hug from the guy with tourettes who sits behind me, as he screamed a string of obscenities into my ear.

So this was my first glimpse of the new Wembley, as I walked out of the tube station. Five seconds later an announcement read 'please do not stand at the top of the steps taking photographs'. I was relieved to see a row of people behind me caught red-handed.



The walk up 'wembley way' (which according to google earth is now called 'olympic way' - nonsense!) brought back memories of the first time I had made that walk as a seven-year-old, and the nervous excitement I had felt then was much the same as now.



Despite being about 10 rows from the highest seat in the stadium, the view was amazing. Compared to the old Wembley, with it's gradual slopes and giant greyhound track, you felt a lot closer to the action. Maybe it was a good idea after all.







In other news, my football team 'Hope FC' has folded but the tune i wrote using the name 'Hope' in it's memory has been played on BBC 1Xtra.

Oh and and I turn 30 tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Christmas '07

...was a very long time ago. But still, better late than never here are some pics.



As you can see we made quite an effort this year. Carrying that much booze back from Asda was a mission and a half.

Christmas '07 was marked by the return of Singapore Mike and Sydney H - and what better way to celebrate their arrival than making a trip to the seaside? I didn't want them to be homesick, after all.

It was a beautiful day in December...





It was such a lovely day that we all wanted to take a dip in the sea to cool off, but decided against it after seeing this sign...







It was also a great pleasure and surprise to see Olli and Vanessa at the Christmas Breakout. I'd met Olli before a couple of times, but Vanessa was a familiar face from Jonny's blog, so somehow I felt like we already knew each other...



Don't be confused by the perspective in that photo. You might notice that Ben's head is only about four times bigger than Vanessa's. I should explain that he's sitting a yard behind her.

Finally, the Camelot theme NYE party was a jolly good jaunt...





Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Richard turns 30

Yes another member of the original Bristol Massive has turned the tender age of 30. But it's nothing to be mocked. 30, after all, is still really quite young.

It's just a shame that he looks like he's pushing 50.

But no. Seriously, I'm not one to mock. Although that may have something to do with the fact that for the first time, I was celebrating a 30th birthday of a friend from the same academic year as me. Obviously this has led to a drastic reappraisal of the mockery deserved to a person who reaches this landmark.

Anyway we had a lovely meal at the Olive Shed, and then made our way over to the Arnolfini. Make of the photos what you will...







Particularly these next two...









Oops, I wasn't supposed to publish that last one, my finger must have slipped (and plus which the one before it is blurry, and I still can't see what's wrong with it).

Finally, I have no idea what this is all about?






Happy Birthday Richard!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Sam & Moe's departure

I have to admit that I am beginning to regret buying that huge camera, especially as my tatty (yet pocket sized) Nikon died within a month of the purchase. I have just reviewed my photos of Sam & Moe's leaving drinks (part one in Bristol, and part two in Southampton), and they are hopelessly inadequate. In fact, the only evidence I could find of Sam's last night in Bristol was nine photos taken at the same time using my mobile's 'best pic' function, which did at least provide quite a nice effect when stuck together...



Needless to say it was a fun night, and it's surprising how well the drunkenness comes across that 'video'.

I'm afraid I didn't do much better in Southampton for part two - with not a single photo of the night's events to speak of. For this I apologise, but trust that it was also a great night out. The pained hungover expressions on Ben & Jess' faces the following morning speak for themselves...



Amusingly for us, Sam manage to injure himself on a clothes horse while getting out of bed in the morning. This will have given him the perfect excuse to moan about something throughout his three weeks in SE Asia on route to Sydney. All I can say is: Moe, our thoughts were with you. If you look very closely you might notice a slightly purple looking little toe...

Obviously we put a lot of thought into their leaving gifts, and felt it was important to come up with something original and not just an exact replica of the gifts given to Jonny & H. After a lot of consideration we completely failed to think of an original idea, so I wrote another musical medley and Em baked the novelty cake.

Unfortunately Em forgot to consider that once the blue section of the cake had been removed and eaten, Sam & Moe were left with two novelty cakes, that would probably not be found on the shelves of Sainsbury's, lets say.



How we chuckled.

Bye Bye Sam & Moe - we'll miss you indeed.

Monday, October 29, 2007

What happened to spare time?

Last night I wrote a list of things to do.

It totalled seventeen.

Updating this blog is high on the list, but details (and pics) of Sam & Moe's departure from Blighty will have to wait I'm afraid.

For now I only have time to ask one question, and it's one that I never thought I'd be asking...



Could Bristol City really get promoted to the Premiership this season?

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

New DJ Name Required - Please Vote!

I seem to have written a rather lengthy story to explain my predicament, so if you're in a bit of a rush, or your dinner break at work officially ended five minutes ago simply scroll down to the bottom and cast your vote. You won't have missed much.

*clears throat*

I have been using the name 'Morph' since I first started buying records back in 1999. Within a year of deciding upon the name, another Morph had appeared on the drumnbass shelves of my local record shop, but rather than simply changing my name there and then I decided to stick with it.

Years of DJing to the mirror in my bedroom under the name Morph then followed, until Breakout was first formed in 2003 and the name was attached to the posters and flyers. I decided that since I had thought of it first, I could justify DJing in Bristol under that alias.

It was also around this time that I first started to learn the basics of writing music, and decided that if I ever wrote anything strong enough to be released, I would have to use a different name.

Four years later, and I have heard nothing more of the aforementioned Morph, indeed the discog on the link suggests he hasn't released a track since 2003. Also, Doug Kubiks, the established producer who's studio tuition led to my first release this summer had never heard of him. On top of this, when I spoke to the label owner who confirmed the release, he said he had never heard of him either.

So, I decided to go with the name Morph for the release, a decision which I am now regretting.

Last month, I sent a new tune of mine called 'Solitude' around some labels, and an established producer called physics got back to me and asked if I was the same Morph. When I said no, he had a bit of a go at me, and said I should get in touch with him. He pointed out that he would be really annoyed if someone came along using the same alias, and it would be better to sort it out now with just the one collaboration forthcoming, rather than waiting until further down the line to get an angry email.

I could see his point, and he made me feel quite guilty. I began to ask other drumnbass 'headz' if they had heard of that Morph. Pretty much all of them said yes.

I decided to bite the bullet and get in touch. Within a few days I got the following response:

"Hi Andy, wow! really good of you to get in contact, that seems to be a rare professional quality missing from our crazy scene."

*sheepishly hangs head*

He went on to say:

"Its a weird old name as if you contact one of these companies that collect royalties they will advise you not to use it as there are many of us, all sorts of genres too."

"I liked the name because it suited the fact that jungle drum and bass morphs the lines between music. I think the name is cursed too!!! LOL"

"Did you know there is also a MORPHY who weirdly had a release on Urban Takeover a few years back at the same time as me.!!! then there's the small Plasticine character with no bollox too."

He did also say that he is still producing under the alias Morph, but doesn't like any publicity so keeps it low profile.

I am disappointed, but have now come to terms with the fact that I am going to have to change my name with one collaboration release due at the start of November. I wish I had sorted it out sooner.

Incidentally the Eat Phunk LP, which will feature the release is now being promoted on the DOA Forum and has been getting a good response. Also, Doug Kubiks was saying that he's been getting loads of good feedback for the track, in fact it's also currently the first track featured on the Phunkfiction Myspace.

Doug also said that everyone has been asking him who Morph is. In fact, many have been asking if it's that same Morph, the one that he had never heard of before. Doh!

So anyway this is where I need your help. I am just putting the finishing touches to my latest track, and very soon I will begin sending it around some labels under my new Alias. Many people have already come up with suggestions, and I have finally come up with a bit of a shortlist, although I would of course still welcome any new proposals.

Firstly, these some of the suggestions that were almost instantly ruled out...

  • Xoanon
  • Pnotsk
  • Anders Van Simp
  • Giant Power Lizard Disaster Orgy (Four there from Dave, who recommended saying this one out loud before ruling it out)
  • DJ Butterfly
  • DJ Quim
  • DJ Toothless
  • DJ Hydro
  • DJ Blim
  • DJ JD
  • DJ Ones and Twos
  • DJ Smirnoff
  • DJ Coopers (9 there from Jonny, although DJ JD did get a few seconds thought)
  • Niagra (from Mike, who also said he wouldn't stand in my way if I wanted to use his alias 'Porch')
  • J.Sim (Em's suggestion from the pub - sounds too much like Jason or Jism)

I have also ruled out quite a few of my own ideas...

  • Din
  • Tintamar
  • Sonance (three there from the thesaurus - I did like Sonance but it's already been used)
  • Cymbal
  • Cymbalist (Well, I did used to play the drums)
  • Sim (unfortunately it's already been used by three different artists)

Which brings me to the final three...

  1. Merlow - this is purely inspired by the fact that I drink red wine every night. Some people really hate it, but others seem to like it. I don't like the way it sounds a bit like Merlin, but I like the fact it's completely original and also keeps it simple.

  2. Simph - Chris' suggestion from the pub where we were thinking of variations of my name. I like it because it includes the first four letters of my surname, and the last two letters of Morph. It also sounds like 'symphony'. I don't think it rolls off the tongue very nicely though, and I fear I would constantly have to spell it out to people.

  3. Phorm - A genius suggestion from one of my uni mates this-morning. You might have noticed it's an anagram of 'morph'. It also sounds like 'form'. The drawback is that according to discogs.com, (which has become my temporary bible) there already is a Phorm, although he writes ambient music and only has a few releases so I reckon I could get away with it.

Please do vote and offer any thoughts. As you can probably tell I have been struggling with this.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

The Night Glow



Seeing as Jonny has just apologised for a meagre two-week gap between blogs, I had better get on my knees and grovel for leaving it nearly four weeks.

Shame on me.

So, the photos from the Night Glow look much the same as they do every year.

I did manage to get one of those 'before and after' shots...





Although it was nowhere near as effective as that one I fluked four years ago...





Now as Jonny will vouch for, the Fiesta follows the same formula every year.

1. They blow up the balloons.
2. Carmina Burana (or something like that) starts playing from the tiny speakers, and as the orchestra reach the huge crescendo all the balloons glow in unison.
3. 30 minutes of terrible chart music and random flickering ensues.
4. Balloons deflate
5. Fireworks
6. Everyone leaves
7. An announcement comes over the PA system reminding all crews to return their headsets to the bay area
8. The night is complete - we stumble home

A winning formula, I'm sure you'll agree.

This year, Mike and Ella came along for their first ever night glow, and I had clearly explained the course of events that would follow. Sure enough, we got a spot on 'the hill', and watched the balloons slowly inflating. I dramatically sang the three rising chords of the Carmina Burana to the group so that everyone knew what to expect, when this happened...



Yes after four almost identical years, they finally changed the backing tape.



Another first was that everyone on the hill stood up, and at times even danced along to the painfully quiet music...



The fireworks were still the real highlight though...



This year's stumble home was also good value, as we kicked an empty bottle all the way home.



In fact, shortly before filming that I had attempted a 'long ball' with inappropriate shoes for kicking, and had a very embarrassing encounter with an extremely nervous chap, who was wondering why five very drunk people were peering over his garden fence.

"Urm, Could I have my shoe back please mate?"