Rubbersoul

Here’s my band Crackhead Control. We played a closed set in memory of an old mate of the singer. It was he who talked our singer Billy into forming the band. Anyway, here’s a wee tune called Johnny Won’t Play Those Hippy Games. We’re a punk band, no apologies 😂 

https://www.facebook.com/100000196504020/posts/4258973617452480/

I’ve used Lightworks with some success. Yes it is tricky to get the hang of but once you figure it out it does everything you could ask for. Also, it’s free. Here’s a link if you want to check it out. I have no background at all in video editing, just figured stuff out from the tutorial videos and the forum.

https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_lwks&view=download&Itemid=206&tab=0 

Hi,

Just thought I’d share a review I received today of Plague Doctors debut ep, Outbreak. It’s from Ragged Records and I hope it’s ok to post it here 😎

Superb beginning! This is a nice thick slice of well-produced dystopian heavy rock. I really like the inclusion of the voice over sections in 'Reality Check' lending an unusual political sensitivity to the sound, it’s worrying music for disaffected times and works well. ’ Creature’ is equally appealing, with a huge sound despite the programmed drums (be interesting to hear this band with a real brute of a live drummer).  The lyrics are excellent I thought, capturing the paranoia of these times perfectly. ’Oblivion Seeker’ has a real sleazy crawl to it, and on this track the machine drums add to this beautifully, - like being caught in the cogs of a nightmare.  I could imagine driving across Trump’s America with this on the radio,  and that voice sounds genuinely pained/half insane, just right.  ‘ Forgotten’ is  blessed with a superb bass sound you could bottle and sell on its own. This is impressive and accomplished new rock, mined from the deep and the dark. 
Reviewed by Ragged RecordsSuperb beginning! This is a nice thick slice of well-produced dystopian heavy rock. I really like the inclusion of the voice over sections in 'Reality Check' lending an unusual political sensitivity to the sound, it’s worrying music for disaffected times and works well. ’ Creature’ is equally appealing, with a huge sound despite the programmed drums (be interesting to hear this band with a real brute of a live drummer).  The lyrics are excellent I thought, capturing the paranoia of these times perfectly. ’Oblivion Seeker’ has a real sleazy crawl to it, and on this track the machine drums add to this beautifully, - like being caught in the cogs of a nightmare.  I could imagine driving across Trump’s America with this on the radio,  and that voice sounds genuinely pained/half insane, just right.  ‘ Forgotten’ is  blessed with a superb bass sound you could bottle and sell on its own. This is impressive and accomplished new rock, mined from the deep and the dark. 
Reviewed by Ragged Records

Thanks for all the comments folks but I have discovered a slight issue I could use your help with. Was having a noodle today and I’ve noticed a strange buzz underlying clean notes. It’s almost like it’s farting out (odd description I know but not sure how else to put it). It definitely sounds electronic rather than anything loose. There’s no crackling in the pots and they adjust volume and tone as you would expect but do you think the problem could be there? Thanks.

Was blown away by the generosity, honestly. When he said he was giving it to me I genuinely thought it was gonna be something I’d need to work on. Nope, it’s excellent as is, it just needed a good clean, some switch cleaner on the pots and jack and some lemon oil on the fretboard. Lovely low action, intonation perfect. Set of Ernie Ball 45 - 105 and it’s a growling beast of a thing 😁

Was given this bass yesterday.  Made in Japan,  early 90s from what I can tell. Was filthy but, once cleaned up and restrung, it plays brilliantly. Oh, there was a hard case with it! 😁😁😁

Cheers 😁

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll look into that, although I did try several different systems to check the mix, as did the other 2 guys in the band. Glad you liked it overall 😎

Hi folks, here is the second release from Belfasts’ Plague Doctors. The bass, guitar and vocals were recorded in a pro studio but produced and mixed by me in my home studio. Blast it out and enjoy!

Steve Ignorant with Paranoid Visions this month. It has at least been rescheduled for next year.

This is the first tune off our forthcoming debut ep. Hope you like it! Would love some feedback if you can spare the time  

This is me with my old band. It was bloody good fun. Pure punk madness 😁

The GAKK.  Punk from Ireland. Great stuff.

Well, it’s been 4 years in the making but my band Plague Doctors finally hit the recording studio last weekend. We have 8 tunes fully ready to go but only managed to get 4 completed at the weekend. This may not sound like much but this is not the type of music I’m normally associated with and it has gone through so many iterations and re-writes it’s ridiculous. It started as an experiment with myself on bass and my mate on vocals, backed up by programmed drums and synths. It always felt like something was missing and when we got our old bandmate to play guitar the puzzle was complete. This is a very personal project for me and the lyrics reflect that. It’s dark and it’s heavy and I’m kinda proud of it. Once we have agreed the final mixes I’ll post links: I would love to hear your opinions!

Awesome artist 

On a completely unrelated topic, I flipping love the sweary filter on this site 😂😂

11 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

On the topic of a Band Leader, all the best bands I've been in have had a very effective one, driving everything forward.  And they do it while keeping everybody on side, to feel like we're all pushing together, we're not being forced to do things against our will

I've been in bands with fantastic musicians that have got nowhere because they lacked somebody who could do that, the ones where we all sit around moaning about not having any gigs booked, but with nobody who spots that the way to solve that is for them to spend some time actively looking for gigs, or a booker, or better management, etc.  I know I'm not that person, and while having a good BL doesn't mean that the band will be successful, all the successful bands I know have one

Our singer was the de facto BL. It was him who invited me in in the first place and he and I appeared to be on the same page and discussing the future re recordings, gigs and so on. That’s why the call was such a shock! Sod it, my own project that I’ve been working on with a close mate for a few years is finally getting where we want it to be and we’re going into the studio in a couple of weeks so I’ll have plenty to keep me going. Onwards and upwards 😎

22 hours ago, lurksalot said:

I was waiting for someone else to see the obvious but 

 

refuse to quit , it’s your gig , let the guitarist walk , give it a couple of weeks , then quit , ticks most boxes 

Nah, too late. I told them to flip off already 😎

On 29/12/2019 at 15:53, Bluewine said:

We're the other signs that these guys were not on the " up and up" ?

Blue

Looking back, yes there were but I didn’t recognise it at the time. Never bothered with a new band photo for one and they had the other guy dep on a gig I was unavailable for. Just wee things but I was having too much fun at the time to notice. With hindsight, I think I may have unknowingly signed on as a temporary replacement whilst the other guy got his stinky poo together. You live and (hopefully) learn! Such a shame cos they were a brilliant band to play with.

13 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

You have our sympathy, but do they want the other guy - the one who left and came back - because he's a better player? Experiences such as this are unpleasant, but there is often a positive (even if it's hard to see at first) that we can take from them. Worth taking some lessons and/or working on the technique to improve your skill level and musical abilities?

To be  fair: no. I did think about that but then I listened to a few live recordings and  can guarantee that’s not the case.

Thanks for the supportive comments. Made me feel a lot better!

2 hours ago, BrunoBass said:

I can only sympathise, having been unceremoniously sacked myself a couple of weeks ago. If you didn’t see the thread at the time it’s here, you might find it interesting... 

I’m still mystified / annoyed with the insubstantial reasons and the way they handled it. Good luck to you, something better might be just around the corner. 

I did see this and I remember thinking, stinky poo, that really sucks, why do people treat their so-called band mates like that. 

Think I’ll listen to some Puscifer.

So, got a call 3 nights before Christmas. Sorry Steve , the guitarist wants the old bass player back. Says he’ll quit otherwise. Bearing in mind the other guy quit and I’ve thrown myself in, I feel a little hard done by. flipin raging.  

Saw Devin Townsend on Saturday night. Absolutely spectacular!