Hello all,
First of all, i have undergone a bit of a rebranding. Previously i used the undernightsky moniker to release my ambient black metal, but since that never really got off the ground and i liked the name i am claiming it back to use as an umbrella to release all my solo work. So from now on, if you see anything by ‘undernightsky’ it was made by me and probably just me. I have been trying to think of a name for ages but unfortunately i wasn’t blessed with an awesome name like 'Devin Townsend'. Instead i got 'Michael Alp' and it just doesn’t sound very catchy to me. So 'undernightsky' it is. It also represents the general theme of my music which tends to be a bit dark and a bit gloomy.
And so with that, let me talk a bit more about my new venture. As well as continuing with ‘Five Points Of Articulation’ with Adam. I have put together a few songs on my own which are of a more traditional rock/metal sound. Expect the sort of thing you would have been familiar with in From Great Height but just more Michaelcentric. Heavy guitars lush melodies, the odd synth. My key influnces i suppose would be Jesu, Deftones, Devin Townsend, Smashing Pumkins and bands of that ilk.
I have posted a link previously to the instrumental of my first single ‘Days Away’. But here it is again regardless.
I have about three to four tracks i am writing and i will release them as they are done until they eventually form an EP of some sorts. But rather than wait until they are all finished i am just going to release them one by one.
On the rant front. I keep seeing a worrying trend appearing on twitter/facebook. It seems more and more bands are having their equipment stolen straight from their van overnight whilst on the road. For any non –musicians reading this. this is quite literally crippling to any band on a small budget (most of them). To lose one piece of equipment is a big deal. To lose it all in one go? I can’t imagine the frustration that causes. The world is in a tough spot at the moment but i wish people would have some decency. Stealing is such a horrible crime. It really bugs me that people feel the need to take other people’s property. Property their victims rely on and have worked hard to earn. Any musician will also know of the sentimental bond you get with your instrument of choice. Even a brand new guitar can’t replace that sentimental value they hold. Stealing of any kind and also this needs to stop now.
Recording tonight so i will post a few pics later. Feel free to come chat with me over on twitter @MikeyUNS the more the merrier as they say. Or if you are more of a facebook(er) ‘Like’ me over at facebook.com/undernightsky
Later on in the week i will blog about me trying to sing and the trouble i have writing lyrics. Until then I shall leave you with a song, and i mighty fine one at that. M
Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
16 Apr 2012
18 Nov 2011
The Music Production Show
Hello there,
Hope you're all good. Prepping for winter i hope. It's been a warm November but i am sure that will change. As a certain popular HBO show will tell you 'WINTER IS COMING'. And i suppose to a lesser extent Arnold Schwarzenegger will tell you ' A FREEZE IS COMING' but the less said about that the better.
Last week me and my trusty partner in crime Adam Ever decided to mosey on down to The Music Production Show at Emirates Stadium. It's the first time i had ever attended anything like this, and with me being what can only be described as a "n00b" to all things production, it was quite a lot to take in. But i did enjoy it. Whilst i won't be winning a grammy any time soon, I do know my way around Logic to a certain extent, and can certainly put together a believable demo. I find it is a learning process and i love learning about it as i go along. So going to something like this and absorbing other peoples knowledge and immersing myself in the technology used, new and old, is most definitely the way forward for me.
At times i did feel as though i was in the deep end and the very nice people at the booths where at times perhaps (with a smile) unknowingly trying to sell me things i knew nothing about. A few things did take my fancy though. It was inescapable to notice that almost every booth by every brand had at least 1 of not more iPads powering something or acting as a controller for something. I was quite taken back by the functionality of the Yamaha apps that were powering synthesizers. The usability was astounding and the iPads where taylor made for musicians/producers seeking flexible, reliable, portably controllers in the vain of the popular'Korg Kaoss Pads'. What's more the apps were retailing at between £2-£3 for some of them. Whilst some of the uses still felt a bit gimmicky, as time goes on and the tablets become more powerful and the processors can handle more powerful functions. I really do believe they will become more ubiquitous in making music. Things are already moving so quickly. The first iPad came out in April 2010 and already we are in a situation where i can plug in my guitar and use GarageBand to throw together a complete (albeit rough) demo track. Now cast your mind forward 5 years... It's exciting to think of the possibilities.
Certainly a way forward and i believe it will open the door for so many more people to become involved in making music, which can only be a good thing in my opinion.
The whole experince also gave me a chance to play around on various synths and gadgets i wouldn't usually have an opportunity to play with. I was particularly fond of the Yamaha Tenori-On.
Whilst a hefty 'brand-new' price tag of £873 is quite frankly over-priced. It was a very cool gadget and would be great for improv live performances. YouTube 'Little Boots' live performances for some examples. At a lower price tag i would definitely consider one.
It also helped me build a list of what i need to get my home studio to a better standard and i now have a healthy list that should leave me broke for the next year or two. Pending that inevitable lottery win of course.
I shall end by saying that if you have even a remote interest in home recording, or you are a recording artist that goes to a studio to make their EP's/Demos' etc... I can't recommend something like this enough. It's a great way to learn 'hands-on' about new gear and technology that will inevitably effect the way you make and record music. If you are putting all your trust in a studio engineer to produce your record then thats great! But is not not better to have a little knowledge yourself so you know what is possible and how to achieve the best results? After all it's your sound, not theirs. I am not saying you need to tell him/her how to do their job. But having even a little knowledge will make it more of a collaboration. Which can only be good for the music you are trying to make, no?
Leave comments and thoughts below. Always good to hear other peoples opinions.
As is now tradition, i shall leave you with a song. This week it's from my friends in Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster who's new album 'Exegesis' is imminent. And i look forward to seeing them In London Bridge on 3rd December.
Hope you're all good. Prepping for winter i hope. It's been a warm November but i am sure that will change. As a certain popular HBO show will tell you 'WINTER IS COMING'. And i suppose to a lesser extent Arnold Schwarzenegger will tell you ' A FREEZE IS COMING' but the less said about that the better.
Last week me and my trusty partner in crime Adam Ever decided to mosey on down to The Music Production Show at Emirates Stadium. It's the first time i had ever attended anything like this, and with me being what can only be described as a "n00b" to all things production, it was quite a lot to take in. But i did enjoy it. Whilst i won't be winning a grammy any time soon, I do know my way around Logic to a certain extent, and can certainly put together a believable demo. I find it is a learning process and i love learning about it as i go along. So going to something like this and absorbing other peoples knowledge and immersing myself in the technology used, new and old, is most definitely the way forward for me.
At times i did feel as though i was in the deep end and the very nice people at the booths where at times perhaps (with a smile) unknowingly trying to sell me things i knew nothing about. A few things did take my fancy though. It was inescapable to notice that almost every booth by every brand had at least 1 of not more iPads powering something or acting as a controller for something. I was quite taken back by the functionality of the Yamaha apps that were powering synthesizers. The usability was astounding and the iPads where taylor made for musicians/producers seeking flexible, reliable, portably controllers in the vain of the popular'Korg Kaoss Pads'. What's more the apps were retailing at between £2-£3 for some of them. Whilst some of the uses still felt a bit gimmicky, as time goes on and the tablets become more powerful and the processors can handle more powerful functions. I really do believe they will become more ubiquitous in making music. Things are already moving so quickly. The first iPad came out in April 2010 and already we are in a situation where i can plug in my guitar and use GarageBand to throw together a complete (albeit rough) demo track. Now cast your mind forward 5 years... It's exciting to think of the possibilities.
Certainly a way forward and i believe it will open the door for so many more people to become involved in making music, which can only be a good thing in my opinion.
The whole experince also gave me a chance to play around on various synths and gadgets i wouldn't usually have an opportunity to play with. I was particularly fond of the Yamaha Tenori-On.
Whilst a hefty 'brand-new' price tag of £873 is quite frankly over-priced. It was a very cool gadget and would be great for improv live performances. YouTube 'Little Boots' live performances for some examples. At a lower price tag i would definitely consider one.
It also helped me build a list of what i need to get my home studio to a better standard and i now have a healthy list that should leave me broke for the next year or two. Pending that inevitable lottery win of course.
I shall end by saying that if you have even a remote interest in home recording, or you are a recording artist that goes to a studio to make their EP's/Demos' etc... I can't recommend something like this enough. It's a great way to learn 'hands-on' about new gear and technology that will inevitably effect the way you make and record music. If you are putting all your trust in a studio engineer to produce your record then thats great! But is not not better to have a little knowledge yourself so you know what is possible and how to achieve the best results? After all it's your sound, not theirs. I am not saying you need to tell him/her how to do their job. But having even a little knowledge will make it more of a collaboration. Which can only be good for the music you are trying to make, no?
Leave comments and thoughts below. Always good to hear other peoples opinions.
As is now tradition, i shall leave you with a song. This week it's from my friends in Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster who's new album 'Exegesis' is imminent. And i look forward to seeing them In London Bridge on 3rd December.
11 Nov 2011
Updates, FGH, undernightsky and some waffle...
Well thats it. 'From Great Height' is no more. I am sure that anyone who has found their way here has more than likely already read the official statement i posted online over at the 'FGH Blog'. So i won't bang on about it much more. But i felt i should probably just say a few things on my personal blog.
I felt it was the right time for us to draw a line under things. We had been working towards a common goal for close to 5 years and whilst we had achieved many great things, things i don't take for granted. Things that however small, it's important to realise that a lot of start up bands never get their music beyond their local venue and 10 of their mates. That we got to play our music to new people and be played on respected rock radio stations, appear in mainstream rock press, among other things is something i am immensly proud of.
However, creatively i felt like i had hit a wall and i was no longer writing for myself but writing for the band. I felt like for the most part i was writing what other people wanted to hear rather than what i wanted to hear. The irony of course is that i believe we were still writing great music. It's just not something i think i could have carried on with and convincingly give my all to. And i have never been about trying to cheat people. Underground/unsigned bands clearly don't do this for money or fame. So once you strip that away, all you really have left is integrity and i wasn't willing to compromise that.
But this is not the end of my musical journey oh no...! Five Points Of Articulation is full steam ahead. Me and Adam have all but finished the writing phase. Four brand new songs coming your way very soon. We are currently in the demo phase, just correlating ideas and trying to develop a sound that we are happy with. We are very close though. You can hear our first completed demo track here by the way. It gives you a good taste of what we are about. I have always been a big fan of artist such as Trent Reznor, Jesu, TV On The Radio and the film soundtracks of people like Nick Cave, Clint Mansell. Hopefully a little of that filters through in the new stuff, mixed with our own style and ideas.
Further to this i will be jumping back on the undernightsky horse. I have some unfinished demo's i really should get on with. I believe music can be both "pop" and "art" and not always at the same time. UNS was always art to me. The music is very personal to me and comes from some very deep emotions. For that reason it really is a labour of love but perhaps not something i was as willing to share as i thought i was. I listen to the stuff a lot on my headphones but have been reluctant to put it out. More so than i thought i would be. But i think the feelings that lead to them songs being written have faded a bit now and perhaps now is the right time to put them out there.
aaaaaaaaaand finally i have the bubblings of a new project. It consits of a few unreleased demo's i made that i originally intended to be 'From Great Height' tracks. We never got to rehearse them as a band though and usually before that happens the songs tend to be quite Michael-centric. For better of for worse, who knows? But i was really keen on these particular tracks and felt they would have pushed us in a new direction. These tracks are written. They just need to be re-recorded (You would be shocked if you heard the chop-shop loop based demos). I am just trying to work out what to do with vocals. I might even give it a stab myself. Never tried singing on my own tracks before. Could be interesting. Could be terrible. I won't know until i try i suppose.
I shall leave you with with a video of a track that i have been caining on my iPod recently. Great production, great song, great video. She is a legend in her own time if you ask me.
I felt it was the right time for us to draw a line under things. We had been working towards a common goal for close to 5 years and whilst we had achieved many great things, things i don't take for granted. Things that however small, it's important to realise that a lot of start up bands never get their music beyond their local venue and 10 of their mates. That we got to play our music to new people and be played on respected rock radio stations, appear in mainstream rock press, among other things is something i am immensly proud of.
However, creatively i felt like i had hit a wall and i was no longer writing for myself but writing for the band. I felt like for the most part i was writing what other people wanted to hear rather than what i wanted to hear. The irony of course is that i believe we were still writing great music. It's just not something i think i could have carried on with and convincingly give my all to. And i have never been about trying to cheat people. Underground/unsigned bands clearly don't do this for money or fame. So once you strip that away, all you really have left is integrity and i wasn't willing to compromise that.
But this is not the end of my musical journey oh no...! Five Points Of Articulation is full steam ahead. Me and Adam have all but finished the writing phase. Four brand new songs coming your way very soon. We are currently in the demo phase, just correlating ideas and trying to develop a sound that we are happy with. We are very close though. You can hear our first completed demo track here by the way. It gives you a good taste of what we are about. I have always been a big fan of artist such as Trent Reznor, Jesu, TV On The Radio and the film soundtracks of people like Nick Cave, Clint Mansell. Hopefully a little of that filters through in the new stuff, mixed with our own style and ideas.
Further to this i will be jumping back on the undernightsky horse. I have some unfinished demo's i really should get on with. I believe music can be both "pop" and "art" and not always at the same time. UNS was always art to me. The music is very personal to me and comes from some very deep emotions. For that reason it really is a labour of love but perhaps not something i was as willing to share as i thought i was. I listen to the stuff a lot on my headphones but have been reluctant to put it out. More so than i thought i would be. But i think the feelings that lead to them songs being written have faded a bit now and perhaps now is the right time to put them out there.
aaaaaaaaaand finally i have the bubblings of a new project. It consits of a few unreleased demo's i made that i originally intended to be 'From Great Height' tracks. We never got to rehearse them as a band though and usually before that happens the songs tend to be quite Michael-centric. For better of for worse, who knows? But i was really keen on these particular tracks and felt they would have pushed us in a new direction. These tracks are written. They just need to be re-recorded (You would be shocked if you heard the chop-shop loop based demos). I am just trying to work out what to do with vocals. I might even give it a stab myself. Never tried singing on my own tracks before. Could be interesting. Could be terrible. I won't know until i try i suppose.
I shall leave you with with a video of a track that i have been caining on my iPod recently. Great production, great song, great video. She is a legend in her own time if you ask me.
12 Jul 2010
***EP Reviews***
Afternoon all,
Some people have been kind enough to review our new EP. Here’s what they have to say!
Our good friend ‘Mr Stu’ of http://mrstu616.blogspot.com says;
“These are the first recordings since Tim joined late last year and show a clear forward progression for the Enfield based rock group who are now deservedly gaining major press attention. Many great bands start life with a label that does not really represent their body of work, think of bands like U2, Simple Minds, The Jam who were essentially classed as Punk/New Wave, this is true of FGH who gained a "Progressive" tag, yet drew comparisons to a variety of artists as diverse as Marillion, David Bowie and Roxy Music. What the band have done even at this relatively early stage in their, what will become a long, career is create a unique brand of commercially viable rock music that transcends genres from Extreme metal to stadium rock and intelligent pop music.
The dual attack of haunting vocal and guitar open up this first track 'Spectres at the Feast' before the song literallly explodes into a crescendo of keyboards and drums mixed with absolute perfection. A truly epic song that blends aggression with melody with defining keyboards making for an instant and very catchy hit.
The live favourite 'It Died A Quiet Death' is next, a mid tempo rock number with a great guitar riff punctuating the quality throughout. Its anthemic qualities are simply awaiting the massive audience cheering and singing along that a main stage support at Glastonbury has been crying out for.
The slow ballad quality to one of the earliest songs ever written by Michael Alp,
'Invited In By' showcases Adam's awesome and mature vocal delivery, but also the early Progressive influences of Michael. The various timing changes, use of synth and the superb phased guitars create a song that has truly epic qualities and with a drum fade out that just leaves you wanting more.
All in all a single of such professional standards i can but hang my head with pure
disbelief that this band are not signed and arranging a major European tour.
But good things comes to those who wait and in years to come From Great Height will be a household name. STU - Rating 10/10”
We have also had a facebook ‘fan’ review by ‘Chelle’ so a BIG thank you to her for taking the time!
“Listening to From Great Height's new E.P. invoked memories from my formative teenage years in the 80's when bands such as Simple Minds,Big Country,Marillion I'd also include Ultravox (Vienna) were producing that blend of synthesized popular music with a rock edge to it . Now whether it's because the bands I've just mentioned were Scottish/Irish which influenced their music or whether it is purely due to the beautiful haunting melodies of 'Spectres at the Feast' and 'Invited In By' I'm not quite sure..... but those tracks seem to have a Celtic feel to them .
Vocalist Adam has an amazing quality to his voice and has a good range ,it's distinctive although not dissimilar to Peter Gabriel. Adam's skills on the keyboard shine through too and add the classic 80's synth vibe. EXCELLENT !!
Mikey's guitar solo's are faultless especially on the Invited In By track ...WOW !!
He shows versatility too with the more thrashier sound on 'It Died a Quiet Death'
Tim's drumming throughout all three tracks is consistent and notably solid on 'It Died a Quiet Death' AWESOME !!!!
Paul's bass playing is strong throughout and adds depth to the sound .
All three tracks are catchy,excellently produced /mixed and are of professional quality . My personal fave definitely has to be ' Invited in By ' closely followed by 'Spectres at the Feast' and 'It Died a Quiet Death', which might I add definitely didn't die quietly at all ....it actually went out screaming cause it ROCKS !!!!!!!!
Will finish by saying that these guys don't need to 'bite any bullets' when it comes to their music ,it is excellent and deserves to be played,heard and enjoyed !!!!
10/10 “
A BIG thank you to all those who have taken time to listen to our EP so far and we really hope you are enjoying it as much as we enjoyed making it. We are over the moon that so far it seems to have been greeted with positive vibes.
See you all soon!
Mikey FGH
Some people have been kind enough to review our new EP. Here’s what they have to say!
Our good friend ‘Mr Stu’ of http://mrstu616.blogspot.com says;
“These are the first recordings since Tim joined late last year and show a clear forward progression for the Enfield based rock group who are now deservedly gaining major press attention. Many great bands start life with a label that does not really represent their body of work, think of bands like U2, Simple Minds, The Jam who were essentially classed as Punk/New Wave, this is true of FGH who gained a "Progressive" tag, yet drew comparisons to a variety of artists as diverse as Marillion, David Bowie and Roxy Music. What the band have done even at this relatively early stage in their, what will become a long, career is create a unique brand of commercially viable rock music that transcends genres from Extreme metal to stadium rock and intelligent pop music.
The dual attack of haunting vocal and guitar open up this first track 'Spectres at the Feast' before the song literallly explodes into a crescendo of keyboards and drums mixed with absolute perfection. A truly epic song that blends aggression with melody with defining keyboards making for an instant and very catchy hit.
The live favourite 'It Died A Quiet Death' is next, a mid tempo rock number with a great guitar riff punctuating the quality throughout. Its anthemic qualities are simply awaiting the massive audience cheering and singing along that a main stage support at Glastonbury has been crying out for.
The slow ballad quality to one of the earliest songs ever written by Michael Alp,
'Invited In By' showcases Adam's awesome and mature vocal delivery, but also the early Progressive influences of Michael. The various timing changes, use of synth and the superb phased guitars create a song that has truly epic qualities and with a drum fade out that just leaves you wanting more.
All in all a single of such professional standards i can but hang my head with pure
disbelief that this band are not signed and arranging a major European tour.
But good things comes to those who wait and in years to come From Great Height will be a household name. STU - Rating 10/10”
We have also had a facebook ‘fan’ review by ‘Chelle’ so a BIG thank you to her for taking the time!
“Listening to From Great Height's new E.P. invoked memories from my formative teenage years in the 80's when bands such as Simple Minds,Big Country,Marillion I'd also include Ultravox (Vienna) were producing that blend of synthesized popular music with a rock edge to it . Now whether it's because the bands I've just mentioned were Scottish/Irish which influenced their music or whether it is purely due to the beautiful haunting melodies of 'Spectres at the Feast' and 'Invited In By' I'm not quite sure..... but those tracks seem to have a Celtic feel to them .
Vocalist Adam has an amazing quality to his voice and has a good range ,it's distinctive although not dissimilar to Peter Gabriel. Adam's skills on the keyboard shine through too and add the classic 80's synth vibe. EXCELLENT !!
Mikey's guitar solo's are faultless especially on the Invited In By track ...WOW !!
He shows versatility too with the more thrashier sound on 'It Died a Quiet Death'
Tim's drumming throughout all three tracks is consistent and notably solid on 'It Died a Quiet Death' AWESOME !!!!
Paul's bass playing is strong throughout and adds depth to the sound .
All three tracks are catchy,excellently produced /mixed and are of professional quality . My personal fave definitely has to be ' Invited in By ' closely followed by 'Spectres at the Feast' and 'It Died a Quiet Death', which might I add definitely didn't die quietly at all ....it actually went out screaming cause it ROCKS !!!!!!!!
Will finish by saying that these guys don't need to 'bite any bullets' when it comes to their music ,it is excellent and deserves to be played,heard and enjoyed !!!!
10/10 “
A BIG thank you to all those who have taken time to listen to our EP so far and we really hope you are enjoying it as much as we enjoyed making it. We are over the moon that so far it seems to have been greeted with positive vibes.
See you all soon!
Mikey FGH
20 Apr 2010
***THE MELVINS***
Is it bad that i have only just discovered 'The Melvins'? Oh my GOD!!! This is the band that has been missing from my life!!!!!
See you in six months!!!
Mikey FGH
See you in six months!!!
Mikey FGH
19 Apr 2010
***UPDATES & TA'S***
Hello all,
Not spam as such but it's the easiest way for me to say thank you. We have a had quite a few gigs this month (probably too many) but we enjoy it too much to say no sometimes.
This is just a big thank you to anyone who came and watched us. spent their money and their time indulging in some FGHness. It really does mean a lot to us and your continued support is infinitely appreciated.
More FGH is on it's way so stay tuned, But to bullet point it...
- New 3 maybe 4 track demo coming this June!!!
- Gonna be progin' it up very soon (more info to come)
- Will be appearing on 'Totalrock.com' again to promote said NEW EP
- Gigs gigs an more gigs so plenty more chances to see us shake our money makers!!! YAY!!!
Love love,
Not spam as such but it's the easiest way for me to say thank you. We have a had quite a few gigs this month (probably too many) but we enjoy it too much to say no sometimes.
This is just a big thank you to anyone who came and watched us. spent their money and their time indulging in some FGHness. It really does mean a lot to us and your continued support is infinitely appreciated.
More FGH is on it's way so stay tuned, But to bullet point it...
- New 3 maybe 4 track demo coming this June!!!
- Gonna be progin' it up very soon (more info to come)
- Will be appearing on 'Totalrock.com' again to promote said NEW EP
- Gigs gigs an more gigs so plenty more chances to see us shake our money makers!!! YAY!!!
Love love,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)