*The new project*

Today i "gaved birthed" to a new project... won't give too much away... it's a mini concept album, it's going to be 'Atmos-Prog' and will be a 4/5 track mini EP imagine if you will a concept album but the musical equivalent of a novella... making it accessible and easily digestible whilst still in depth and though provoking... i will tackle confusion/darkness/anxiety and Release!

I am hoping this gives me purpose and direction as an artist rather than recording random snippets of nothings to be lost in the vaults of my hard-drive. I may post snippets as the come but i may not.. see how it goes...

i won't say what the actual project revolves around BUT i will say that it is inspired by one of my all time favourite sci-fi books.

With love, L-O-V-E

Mikey

Totalrock.com * Metal Hammer * Terrorizer * Halloween @ Bull & Gate AND Tim's maiden voyage!!!

Interesting couple of weeks. Mainly just regearsing our newly crowned drummer Tim (dragon) Storey. He is a top fella and it's real pedal to the metal time with regards to FGH. Among other things we have made our radio debut on totalrock.com meeting the ever so lovely Tina and Sara. They made us feel so relaxed and so welcome. I can't wait to go back i had the best fun... We also made our debut in metal hammer with thanks to Hal at Eulogy Media. He has been awesome in showing support for us and it is appreciated very much so (incidently he is also a top fella).

We will be in terrorizer mag next month so be sure to pick that up for a bite size interview with the band.......

Gig wise we are supporting our friends in Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster at the unicorn in Camden town. This gig is free so there is no excuse to not go down there. Quick fact... Alex who plays drums for TNBD also played drums for band Ahymsa who were kind enough to give FGH our very first gig back in Dec 2007 at the Fiddlers Elbow... So from old ties to making new ones. His new band are awesome and i genuinely look forward to doing more and more shows with them... (they are main support to us at the progressive music night at the Gaff in November courtesy of Mr Stu).

Also it's that shit time of year again... yep, Halloween. But at least one good thing comes of it. We always play a Halloween show and this year we are honoured enough to be helping see off Enfield scene LEGENDS D.Monic on their last ever show in their spiritual home 'The Bull & Gate'. A band i have always aspired to and a band that truly made me realise, yeah you know what i can be in a band too... It made my dream seem more achievable. Grass roots an all that. So as i say it will be an honour to salute them and join everyone in saying goodbye to this incarnation of D.Monic. I am sure they will all be back in one way or another...

Also don't forget 5th November is Tim's chance to make some fireworks of his own as he takes helm behind the drum kit for the first time at the gaff... They are big shoes to fill but he has big feet trust me... It's gonna be mega... 40 people RSVP'd already so get there early cause i don't know if the gaff will hold us in LoL

More updates soon.........

Mikey

Mihalis

Was up late last night working on a track. I have been really keen to take influence from Justin Broderick Of Jesu (Formally of Godflesh). I love the soundscapes he creates. Initially my idea is to borrow the industrial element of his songs with lush soundscapes and punding drums but i would like to not only Mikeify it but add some electronic Radiohead (Kid A) style beats with a vocal approach more in the direction of those great 80's singers i'e. David Gahan, Robert Smith...

Obviously the music will be pretty downbeat vibe. But Cherie said something to me last week or so ago which i never considered. She said that no matter how gloomy or "goth" sounding i try to go, there is always an element of hope or some kind of release in my songs. I can only assume that this is because music makes me happy so no matter how upset or miserable i feel as soon as i get lost in playing/writing/song i feel the glimmer of hope and i see and end.

Thats what drives me. People may think i am silly for chasing an "unachievable dream". But dreams are there to become reality right?

Anyway i am still thinking of a title for the song. But i think i will brand my solo work under the name 'Mihalis' for obvious reasons. It also happens to be one one of the best tracks (along with no way out of here) off of David Gilmours first solo album.

Progress........

Hey all,

Sorry i completely forgot about the alleged "Monday Blog". Been so busy though work/music it's all been a bit mental.

I finally cracked swallowed my pride and asked my father to loan me some cash... i know i know easy way out but for three or so years i have been "saving" for a macbook and some recording gear, trying to run a house and saving for such luxuries was something i simply could not afford and due to the very real prospect of me loosing my mind i asked my father to loan me the money... He very very kindly (and i am forever indebted to him, financially now too) agreed to loan me the money and i will pay him back... very....very..... very. slowly LoL He helps and supports me a lot through out this silly dream! i probably couldn't ask for better parents. I may not tell him but i look up to him more than i care to admit.

But what all this means is Under Night Sky will FINALLY become a reality... Not only this but i feel that my main project FGH will benefit infinitely from this i will be writing a lot more, a lot more in depth and from personal experience i can have very prolific periods of writing given the correct tools. It's been too long. I know not having equipment is an excuse (Tommy Lee recorded the first Methods of mayhem album from his jail cell using his home answering machine) but we have been writing. It's just been very slow cause between work and rehearsals for gigs we only get a short time together to actually work on things as a full band and as useful as my phone is for capturing melody ideas it's not a viable piece of recording equipment which i can layer over, edit or come back to a day later etc... long story short. Now is my time to prove myself. Now is when i really will do the work that it takes to make a name for myself as a song writer and to be honest i am really rather excited about it.

Finally, i have had some pretty cool developments with regards to From Great Height. There is the usual stuff a few gigs coming up. Looking forward to Halloween still with the legendary D.MONIC which will sadly be their last show in this form. I am sure that individually we will see them about again soon before very long. Also playing the Standard again with our very good friends in 9blind that's always a pleasure. But also rather out of the blue we enjoyed our very first few minutes of airplay on totalrock.com 'New World Order' show which "showcases the best in new and unsigned bands". That'll be us then? to make things sweeter we were sandwiched between Alice in Chains and Rush both being very big influences to various members of FGH in one way or another.

Over all it's all very positive. The ball is rolling, we can only hope it snowballs and continues to grow. Each success is a blessing and i am grateful for it all no matter how big or how small. I think it's important we just keep doing what we do and enjoying it. Stay the band we are cause that's what seems to be working.

Over and out,

Mikey

P.S. Here are some new shots of us we took for our press release. I think we look very moody and band like no??? :D

Featured "track of the day" artists on www.classicrockmagazine.com

I have had quite an exciting few weeks band-wise... what i shall do is make a complete blog on Monday but for now i leave you with perhaps one of my proudest moments so far....

Today we were featured "track of the day" artists on www.classicrockmagazine.com

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/track-of-the-day-from-great-height/

until Monday!!!

Mikey FGH

***update***

Under night sky (working title) is really taking shape. Going to spend tonight really testing out some ideas. I thought i had one track sort of in mind but it's just grown the vibe is getting stronger and i now have several potential tracks. Who knows, if i can get this moving i might have to start looking for band members cause this will be brutal live.

I was looking at apples' 'Logic 9' today. I really like the idea of perhaps using 'Mainstage 2' to double my guitars onstage to beef up my sound. Not replace guitars in anyway but rather than have two live guitarists (which may distort my overall direction, what with different opinions/playing styles) but just beef them up to broaden the sound scape... Who knows.... i can't even afford a computer yet let alone 'Logic' so it's all in the pipeline of life but right now i am enjoying the release of a new direction and it's gathering steam. Get your tickets ready, the train leaves very soon.

Mikey

Under Night Sky

Tis the name of my new project....

Not really sure what it's going to be just yet. it's still very much in the early stages BUT! i am really excited about it and it's given me a complete new lease of life. I have been truly inspired by elements around me.

It's funny what can inspire you sometimes, I was walking to the Chinese at the end of my road to pick up my order (mixed seafood chow mien, should really give 'Oriental Chef' a plug right here). Walking through Enfield town at the right time can be inspiring. Of course i was listening to the sounds of 'Wolves In the Throne Room'. I mean sure suburban shopping town is not the prettiest of places to be but it was at that funny time of Friday night where it's not late enough for everyone to be out yet but all the shops are closed so it's too late for the hustle bustle of shops. simply put it was eerily quiet and it seemed like just me and the lady in the Chinese were the only people for miles.

From afar a constellation of bright flood light light up the town like it is some sort of army camp. I don't know why but there is just something spectacular about it. It excites the small boy in my soul who sees everything 20ft bigger than it really is. And under the night sky this serenity happens, bubbled under a collage of blue/orange clouds threatening to engulf all of Enfield. The moment just carried the perfect ambiance that, as i said, was enough to truly inspire me. it inspired me to capture that moment that feeling that emotion in song because if people could hear it and understand it they might get a little closer to their journey of understanding the art in life... understanding that sometimes just remove yourself from your body look down and realise the grandness of what is going on around you, finding beauty in things that are normally taken for granted or perhaps overlooked altogether.

That's basically what i want to do with my new project. To create an ambiance whilst describing to you what i normally couldn't do with words. Have you ever had anyone say to you "i wish i could spent a day in your head." or perhaps "i can't explain what i am trying to say." even "i wish you could feel how i do right now." Well that's what i am going to attempt to do.... somehow.

As far as genre goes.... i don't want to be over pretentious and say 'oh i don't want to categorize myself with genres *scoff**scoff**scoff*'. I do have a clear idea of what direction i want to go in. But it will not stop there. I have a starting point indeed but this will evolve. I am certain of it. I am hoping it will be a blend of black metal, electronic, ambient, drone, progressive music. I don't necessarily want to reinvent the wheel, i just want to add fuel to the fire. This is something i really need to do myself in order for my message to come across intact. I love collaborating. But that's why i have FGH. This will be a pure expression of what i feel.

all the best,

Mikey