Friday 18 December 2009

Some honest thoughts

This has been a tough year - my back injury a few months back has in all honest really messed me up. I have good days and bad days but really it needs a lot of rest - something i can't do at the moment. That is why i have been sitting down in the last few Ustream gigs. Its even changed my playing - much more laid back and reflective I suppose. Odd really. On Sunday myself and my friend Sonny(engineer and double bassist) had a bit of a play on Ustream and recorded the results: I really enjoyed playing with a double bassist. Was fun. Last night I wen to see Them Crooked Vultures - they were amazing - what a rhythm section - John Paul Jones bass player was great, cool bass sound. I bet Jimmy Page is seething about this - TCV are like all the good bits of Zep(the Houses Of The Holy style riffing) with none of the embaressing stuff(Stairway and all that ooh yeah crap). Take it easy Matt

Sunday 13 December 2009

Ustream tonight

Hello

Hope you are having an enjoyable run up to christmas.

Me and my friend Sonny will be live on Ustream tonight at 8pm uk time here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Matt-Stevens-From-The-Box-Room

International times here

www.mattstevensguitar.com

Best Regards

Matt

Wednesday 9 December 2009

The Results and ustream this Sunday

So its been a busy couple of weeks. For the last few weeks I've had my music on Bandcamp on a Pay What You Want basis(radiohead style) - the amazing thing is how many people want to pay for music even when they don't have to - the average price paid for the album was the album was around 3 quid. A lot of people did get it for free (cool - thanks for the free promotion) and some paid as much as twenty quid - amazing. Good will goes a long way I reckon. A night on the town with an old friend - hes just moved to Hong Kong - its amazing how far we're all spread out to now: IMG_0566 I had my MRI scan today - hopefully my back will be sorted soon - looks like a slipped disc apparently: IMG_0570 MRI machines are NOT designed for big men. This Sunday I am on ustream doing a christmas gig - 8pm UK time - full info at www.mattstevensguitar,com and international times. Free live streaming by Ustream See you Sunday Matt Stevens www.mattstevensguitar.com

Sunday 29 November 2009

Burnout

<a href="http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo">Burning Bandstands by Matt Stevens</a>Hi So now we are in to the last few days of the "Pay what you want" experiment - its gone really well but time to try something else - it will finish on the last day of November. Thanks to everyone who downloaded it, much appreciated and the funds will help to pay for album number 2 being mixed. Any ideas for an album title??? My next job is to do a blog tag - more info on my friend who tagged me here: http://blogeternaldisappointment.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-tagging-winner-announced.html IMG_0559 The above i spotted walking home the other day - scary. Thanks for reading -

Sunday 22 November 2009

Live on ustream tonight

Its been a funny week - v busy but good. Loads to do and all that. The Pay What You Want album experiment on Bandcamp - results at the end of week one are - v positive - I'm going to continue until the end of November - worked very well All Good <a href="http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo">Burning Bandstands by Matt Stevens</a> I'll be live on ustream tonight here 8pm: Free live streaming by Ustream Meet me here for the chat room and all that - http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Matt-Stevens-From-The-Box-Room international times here - www.mattstevensguitar.com See you later Matt Stevens www.mattstevensguitar.com

Wednesday 18 November 2009

New Toys!!!

An interesting week so far - since putting my album on bandcamp below: &amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo"&amp;amp;amp;gt;Burning Bandstands by Matt Stevens&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt; I've had more downloads in 4 days than in a month on itunes - fantastic. People have been so great - somehave payed from free to £20 - amazing. Helps with recording album 2 loads. Really impressive, love it. Also i got a new toy: IMG_0558 And: OK so ableton live i amazing - really enjoying learning how to use it(on the free demo at the moment). On SundAY I'm live on ustream at 8pm - hope to see you there: Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV International times at www.mattstevensguitar.com Ta Matt Stevens www.mattstevensguitar.com

Saturday 14 November 2009

Good things happen when you give things away

For the last three or so years I've been giving away music via various websites Myspace, ReverbNation, facebook etc Sometimes in exchange for an email address, sometimes not.




Yesterday I put my album up on Bandcamp and posted some links on Twitter, facebook and myspace. Bandcamp is great - really high quality downloads - MP3 apple lossless ect. The deal was a Radiohead style "pay what you want". The response has been really good, lots of downloads and the amazing thing is people will still pay. They want to pay for music and support the making of new music(I'm defiantly not into profit at the moment). Even better some people have spread the word via facebook and myspace. Restores your faith in humanity.



&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Burning Bandstands by Matt Stevens&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;


All good.




Thanks



Matt

Thursday 12 November 2009

Pay what you want for my album

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Burning Bandstands by Matt Stevens&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; This week i'm trying something else new - download my first album "Echo" for whatever price you want to pay via bandcamp and its at amazing quality from MP3 to FLAC. Mrs S and I went for a wander around central London last night and i had my camera: Scary Bowie in Liberties Window: IMG_0550 IMG_0552IMG_0553IMG_0548 Take it easy Matt

Sunday 8 November 2009

For The Fallen

For The Fallen With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain.

Thursday 5 November 2009

Kaoss Pad Overdub


IMG_0487
Originally uploaded by mattstevensguitar
Yesterdays recording sessions were wonderful, bloody great fun.

We recorded loadsa stuff - acoustic guitar, live drums and bass, electric guitar, percussion, 10 songs done - really pleased. Here is a video of kev messing up a drum loop(played by him) with a Kaoss Pad).

Good fun indeed.

Now time to mix the bloody thing,

Any ideas for an album title?

Sunday 1 November 2009

Things that have occured in the last few weeks

These last few weeks have been a bit odd, my back was really messed up - very nasty. A couple of times i stuck in one position and couldn't move and got stuck. Horrible. I brought an african thumb piano off ebay: Listen! I managed to edit together a video of me and kev making my last album - Echo Kev and I recorded another song for the second album called Eleven: Next week my friend Stuart is coming to the studio to record live drums for Snow Parts 1 and 2 - the final 2 songs for the album. We're going to track them as live. Eleven preview by mattstevensguitar Mrs S and I went to the local farmers market got some amazing cheese and bread - photos: IMG_0483 Lovely Matt Hope you had a nice weekend

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Eleven preview by mattstevensguitar

Here is a preview of what we recorded today - a very rough mix of a new song called Eleven - more xylophone? Eleven preview  by  mattstevensguitar

Monday 26 October 2009

Flies In The Basement & Snow

All about the making of echo -song by song: Flies In The Basement This song is very much a surf rock thing played on acoustic guitar - kind of like a Dick Dale sound. It was inspired by going to see a band called the Manyarays - genius surfy stuff. Also reminds me of some of the flamenco sounds on Friday Night In San Francisco. it features Kev stomping and clapping at the start for a percussion sound. Snow part 3 My favorite on the album and some people have said they agree with me. The pad keyboard type sound at the start is me fading the guitar in after strumming it using a volume pedal. It's a really simple song but I like the chord progression with the innversions. This a 3 part song parts one and two will be on the next album - Kev and I performed the whole thing at the vsv festival a while back. More tommorrow. Matt

Wednesday 14 October 2009

Spratton Videos/Knackered Back

Well This time i've really messed my back up. Can't move - every time i go to get up off the floor my back locks up at the base of my spine - its like an electric shock. The doctor has signed me off til monday. Very frustrating - writing this laying on the floor on my back with the laptop on my stomach. Bugger. Once i'm over this - I will sort out my weight - i'm going to write about it on here to shame me into doing it. Need to get fit, can't handle laying on me back doing f all. The gig in Spratton was great fun - my friend Lew played percussion on Get carter - the last song in my set. There were great sets from Lew(solo set), Sketchy, Broon and Carleko - all good. The taxi driver got lost on the way home - v scary as Spratton is in the middle of nowhere - Mrs S was not impressed. Here is some video from the gig that Lew filmed(sadly none of him playing percussion), I'm actually quite pleased with my playing on this!!! Take it easy Matt Stevens

Saturday 10 October 2009

Why now is the best time ever to be an improvising musician

Now is amazing time to be an improvising musician as you can produce an infinate variety of new recordings and post them to a community on the web straight away - amazing. The recent VSV festival was a fantastic example of a group of improvisors coming together as a community and putting on an event with musicians from ten contries - marvellous. Just a few years ago none of this could possibly have happend. For esoteric non commercial artists the only enemy is obscurity. Give some if your music away-if they like it they willl most likely buy something later - win hearts and minds first and make friends. If they are interested in your music they are probably people you have loads in common with. Build a community and worry about making money later on. It works - this week Steve Lawson a solo bass player(hardly the most commercial of genres) gig was completly sold out in London. Fantastic, Steve is a really talented guy and he has built his fan base thru Twitter and other forms of social media. Lots of major label acts can't sell out anywhere and they are thousands of pounds in debt!?! These are good times. Matt - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Winehouse

Morning all I'm off to play in Spratton tonight with my friends from the af collective - it all starts at 8 ish, I will be meeting up with some of my friends who I have played with in the past. Some photos from this week: Amy Winehouse IMG_0428 Seaside Horror IMG_0433 IMG_0429 Time for more rehearsal - i've changed my strings.... Matt

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Thom Yorke/Goals For This Year

I had a lovely day wondering around with my wife, a meal in Pizza express and messing around with Ableton live. What do you think to this? Thom Yorke live with Flea - I like it, reminds me of Remain In The Light era Talking heads(and i hate the RHCP)


My Friend Julia suggested a gear page for my website with the pedas ad stuff I use - I'll add one soon - great idea.

Goals for this year:

Spend more time with my wife


Loose Weight

Practice Guitar

Book a week of gigs next year across the UK

Get my second album finished

Get Ableton Live and move my looping set up across

Do some more duo gigs with kev or maybe start a full band project?

You can still get the EP free here: Matt Stevens and Kevin Feazey Live @ The VSV Festival by mattstevensguitar My friend Dan wrote a nice feature about my EP on his blog here. Matt Stevens www.mattstevensguitar.com

Testing blogging from my phone

This is the first blog I have sent from my phone test - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday 5 October 2009

Free EP and some Photos

Hey all Been a great few days, the VSV online festival thing was very cool - her is the artwork for the cover of the EP me and Kev recorded at the festival: IMG_0396 Credits Me Guitar/loops/xylophone Kev - Bass Download it now free ere: Matt Stevens and Kevin Feazey Live @ The VSV Festival by mattstevensguitar Kev at work on at the VSV Soundcheck Photo 271 Spent today in central london: VSV Logo n99937751919_495-1 Our local Park: IMG_0415 Spent today in central london: YOU ARE BEING WATCHED!!!!!!!!!! IMG_0423 And visted the Apple store where amazingly Billy Childish from the Buff Medways was buying an iphone!!! IMG_0425 In my next blog I'll show the equipment we used for the VSV and some of the other amazing artists.... Matt www.mattstevensguitar.com

Sunday 4 October 2009

Matt Stevens and Kevin Feazey Live @ The VSV Festival Free EP

Hey all This is our live set from yesterday's VSV festival - feel free to download and use how you want as a free EP: Matt Stevens and Kevin Feazey Live @ The VSV Festival  by  mattstevensguitar Guitars/Loops - Matt Stevens Bass Guitar - Kevin Feazey Please feel free to redistribute and use in any way you see fit. Thanks Matt

Post VSV festival blog....

Hey all VSV festival went well - 10 acts from seven countries playing live to an audience from all over the world via a stream on the internet. I played Snow Parts 1.2 and 3 with my friend Kev Feazey on bass - who produced my album. It looks like this will lead to my next project after my next solo album thing is done and out early next year. I'm going to do more abot the VSV fest later in the week but here is the video of our set, gig starts at 2 mins in - was cool to experiment with more beats and live bass: More videos of other performers to come - magnificent sets from Steve Moyes, Jeff Duke, etc etc etc etc i'll try and post as many as i can find.... More soon MS

Wednesday 30 September 2009

This saturday online gig and recording plus a new song!!!!

Had a great day today recording a new song for my second album. I now have a track list for the album - only 8 tracks - one ambient one and 2 v long ones. Kev in the studio - he played drums and produced the song today: IMG_0409 Awesome producer. Here is a seriously rough mix of what we've been working on today, warning features electric guitar, bass and drums : Draw Ruff1 by mattstevensguitar Let me know what you think....(comments welcome!!) On saturday I'm playing here, the first online ustream festival, me and Kev are going to do Snow parts one, two and three: A virtual online festival - many acts via ustream from all over the world. VSV Virtual Venue is http://vsv.kybermusik.net VSV Bill of Artists/Running Order This schedule is subject to change. Note that performance slots will be 25 minutes each, with 5 minutes changeover time/commentary added after each slot. All times in UTC. 17:00 - Jim Goodin/Ray Istorico - USA/Peter Thörn - Sweden 17:30 - Rainer Straschill "plus" (Moinsound) - Germany * 18:00 - David Cooper Orton - United Kingdom 18:30 - Steve Moyes/Agnes Hay - England * 19:00 - Jeff Duke - USA 19:30 - Flying Dream - Spain * 20:00 - Jean-Paul De Roover - Canada 20:30 - Fabio Anile/Xavier Plagaro Mussard - Italy * 21:00 - Matt Stevens with Kevin Feazey - United Kingdom(perfroming snow 1, 2 and 3) (acts marked with an asterisk are those including a dedicated video artist). Special video contribution by Emile Tobenfeld aka Dr T http://www.foryourhead.com/ All times UTC, see converter for your local times: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html Or see the UTC event clock on the Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/vsvfestival Take it easy - see you saturday MS

Wednesday 16 September 2009

duo gig Virtual Sound and Vision Festival

Its been a while since i've blogged or even done much music(busy busy on other stuff sadly but it means i can afford to do music and keep a roof over our heads!!).
This is Adrian Belew - a big inspiration - hes played with loads of people and an amazing talent,
On October the 3rd at 6.15pm I'm playing the Virtual Sound and Vision Festival in a duo with Kevin Feazey playing the music for my second album and some improvisations, I'll be on Guitars, loops and synths w/Kev on bass,synths and xylophone. Can't wait to play the new stuff to you guys. The Virtual Sound and vision festival is an online festival and you can watch it at the VSVF website here.
Preliminary Bill of Artists/Running Order
Note that performance slots will be 40 minutes each, with 5 minutes changeover time/commentary added after each slot. All times in UTC.

16:00 - Jim Goodin
16:45 - Stepthen Moyes/Agnes Hays *
17:30 - Moinsound *
18:15 - Matt Stevens
19:00 - Flying Dream *
19:45 - Jean-Paul De Roover
20:30 - David Cooper Orton
21:15 - Fabio Anile/Xavier Mussard *
22:00 - Jeff Duke

(acts marked with an asterisk are those including a dedicated video artist).
Special video contribution by Emile Tobenfeld aka Dr T
http://www.foryourhead.com/
I'm also playing in Spratton Kings head 10th october at with the open mic and loads of others and I've confirmed some more gigs for next year.
I've been watching those Beatles Documentarys and do you ever wonder what the beatles would have done with todays technology?
Amazing
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com

Sunday 30 August 2009

Tonights gig cancelled

My gig tonight has just been cancelled - aaarrrggh!!!! Talk about last minute. Due to a double booking at the venue apparently. Very annoyed. Out of my hands and all that. Bugger Was really looking forward to playing some new stuff and it was going to be my last gig for a while. Apparently the venue had a DJ night booked already. Sorry if you were going. Fook.

Thursday 27 August 2009

Dustbowl Rushden an gig on sunday

Last weekend my wife and I went to my home town,lovely. Rushden is very different to London. IMG_0350 Spencer Park IMG_0342 IMG_0337 IMG_0315 If you are on London I'm playing on Sunday - if you fancy coming its here(i've even done a decent amount of practice!) Matt%20%20Stevens Take iteasy MS Quantcast

Wednesday 19 August 2009

August Photos and Recording update

Recording is going well for the second album. 4 songs down: Big Sky - pretty much recorded as live with 25 guitar overdubs 8.19(here is video of Kev doing a drum overdub for this one) and featuring a Fender Jaguar overdub and drums played by myself and Kev and even a bass guitar. Lake Man & Blu Filter - had loadsa fun putting down some Fender Rhodes overdubs(with a real rhodes - amazing piece of kit) IMG_0297 Recording console @ Pinna IMG_0287 What band is setting up here?? Can't talk about that yet..... IMG_0306 IMG_0307 My wife made me a lovely B'day cake a couple of weeks ago and I haven't had a chance to post it so here it is: IMG_0281 Next gig end of the month in Islington - hope to see some of you there: Take it easy Matt Matt%20%20Stevens Quantcast

Sunday 9 August 2009

How to do a gig on Ustream and Playing Tonight

At 8pm BST I'm playing live here and trying out a new song:
If you fancy doing a gig on ustream your self here's how:
How to do a gig on Ustream: Get Firefox (Google it) - ustream works loads better with this browser. You'll need a fairly speedy web connection. Sign up for a Ustream account - easy - at www.ustream.tv Click on start broadcast and off you go. The best settings on the broadcast dashboard are maximum audio quality and middle video quality. Make sure the audio is set to your sound card not the built in sound. This is the equipment i used: Kaossilator, Acoustic Guitar, Whammy Pedal, Behringer Desk, Volume Pedal into UX2 toneport the stuff i used for the Ustream gig - the song is a new one - if you have an idea for a title let me know. (I'm currently into Baker Tom). Here a video of my stuff i used: Make sure you promote it using a Facebook event, an email blast and myspace bulletin so that people watch. I really think this is the future of live gigs.

Friday 7 August 2009

Busy Ustream this sunday

I've been crazy busy for the last few weeks - all good thou - working on some new music - 3 new songs to record next week with Kevin Feazey at Pinna. Drive me mad writing - so hard to finish anything!!!
Have you heard this??? New radiohead track:
Great song - lovely strings, v cool.
On Sunday I'm playing on ustream - just click here at 8pm then to watch. I love doing ustream gigs - its just me in a box room playing guitar talking to people in the chat room. Should i try out some new stuff? Risky.....
See you there
Matt

Tuesday 21 July 2009

New Podcast and Bad Brains

This is a bit of a multi media blog: New Podcast - some news and a recycling demonstration
Tonight I'm very excired to be going to see Bad Brains who i've wanted to see since i was 15
Here they are - amazing band:
Some more photos from Spratton:
IMG_0208
Enter stage left:
IMG_0240

Sunday 19 July 2009

Spratton Was v cool

Spratton folk festival was last week - amazing weekend - here is some video from my set: Was wonderful to meet up with so many amazing people I've met on the internet thru blogs and myspace and ustream and facebook. AMAZING. The other artists were all really good - they were mainly people I knew from www.afcollective.com - really talented people. I will write more in the next few days. Thanks to Lew DJ and everyone who made this a wonderful weekend. Restores your faith in humanity. And we got wellies in size 13!!!!!
IMG_0258
Take it easy
Matt

Thursday 9 July 2009

This weekend

Hey
Busy yet lovely week. The Ustream went well - loads more people this time:
You can watch it ere:
I may well be ustreaming again tomorrow morning,
I've been asleep
IMG_0110
I've written a new song called "Moon Dial", nearly there and finishing some works in progress. I still want to get another album done.
Mrs s and I went to Southend.
IMG_0082
And took some photos
IMG_0095
IMG_0073
This weekend I'm playing Spratton Folk Festival. 5000 people in a field in Northamptonshire - nice courtesy of the AFC - wonderful people.
Hope to see you there
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com

Thursday 2 July 2009

Spratton etc

I've got my Yamaha archtop guitar back from the menders - they didn't do a great job, thy returned it with no truss rod cover and a buzzy b string - that was worth £85!!!! Very annoying.
I'm doing a ustream this Sunday as warm up for the next gig its 8pm BST on Sunday international times here.
I'm getting ready for the only real world gig i'm doing this year at Spratton Folk Festival - i'm going to try some new stuff and give away some CD's. I'm playing with a lovely bunch of people i've met on the tinterweb at www.afcollective.com - with the very wonderful DJ Buddha and Lew and loads of other great people. If you are around come and have a look I'm on at 12 on the sunday but i'll be there all weekend.
After that I'm going to look at doing a proper bunch of gigs to promote my album (which you can buy here) before i focus on doing another on another one with Mr Kevin Feazey.
Also have a look at Kev's blog with some really useful stuff about finding your own sound.
Here is some footage from the last Spratton gig when i played in the pub part of the festival. A lovely day.
Matt Stevens

Sunday 28 June 2009

Another Video from Ustream

Hey
The gig on friday went really well - very nice place and cool people.
This is a video from the rehearsals in the afternoon that i ustreamed from my website.
I'd really like feedback if you have any.
Will be ustreaming off and on for the next couple of weeks - there will a full gig on the 5th July as a warm up for spratton folk festival the following week.
I have restrung my tele - its a great guitar but i'm not sure i am still an "electric guitarist". I want a new sound with it - not fuzzy marshally rubbish. - more east bay ray or radiohead? I remember how bored i was of the instrument before - when i sold my Les Paul i thought that was it for me in terms of electric stuff.

tele

Take it easy
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com

Friday 26 June 2009

Gig Today

Sad news on MJ - he had a crazy life and any chance of being "normal" tends to be snubbed out by being really famous at 11. I remember having Bad on tape when i was a kind and i loved it.
I'm playing tonight at the Plough Walthamstow. Full Info on www.mattstevensguitar.com.
I will be rehearsing live on ustream thru the day here:
If you fancy watching me practice.
This is cool
An interesting look at the future of the music industry.

Video: Topspin's Ian Roger's On Music Marketing & Direct To Fan Sales

NARM 2009 Keynote Interview With Ian Rogers from NARM on Vimeo.

Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com

Thursday 25 June 2009

Plastic Dave & Another interesting conversation

Tragically Plastic Dave passed away last week. A very talented man and an inspiration. In%20Memory%20Of%20Plastic%20DaveQuantcast If you like Captain Beefheart or Zappa or the Minutemen you will love his work. Genius.
Another interesting conversation on improvisation from facebook:

Matt Stevens What inspires you when you improvise?

Tracy L. Chappell
Tracy L. Chappell
As a looper, I need an audience to truly improvise. I might draw upon music theory to get started, i.e. invent a phrase based upon a snippet of a mode or a scale delivered with a rhythmic phrasing that leaves spaces between some of the notes. Once the harmonic/rhythmic environment is established I listen and respond. The presence of people is the inspirational factor here. I don't worry about whether or not anyone will like what I'm doing; I just refuse to let there be any discernible lapse between the creation and presentation of the musical performance so that no one has any iffy spots to distract their mind from the flow of the performance. Alone in my studio, the biggest problem is beginning; once I get started I seem to always find ideas.
Tracy L. Chappell
Tracy L. Chappell
Another source of inspiration is to design imaginary scenarios to decorate with music. Imagine a hero and a villain in conflict; create the fight in your mind as you make music to accompany the action. Or imagine a person clambering up the side of a hill; begin the music with the beginning of the ascent, throw musical difficulties and complexities ... Read More
Ashley Smith
Ashley Smith
i agree totally. i aint no looper i play death metal but imagining a scenario and finding the notes and moods associated with it always ends up being a good basis for a song
Joel Levy
Joel Levy
The human and yet impossible desire to express the infinite as something tangible. Go johnny go!
Neil Dobson
Neil Dobson
Having a love for many styles of music,combined with a love of rhythm ,makes for a broad pallet . Passion for music and melody fans the flame. Rhythm is huge...
Philip Wain
Philip Wain
1 other sounds/musicians 2 audience 3 prayer 4 what i've been practising 5 what i've been listening too... Read More
Jeff Duke
Jeff Duke
i am reading these in the hopes of learning the same thing. I not able to be able to be creative on demand. Alot of good stuff here.
Joel Levy
Joel Levy
You are able already, but by thinking you're not then you won't be :-)
Jeff Duke
Jeff Duke
Sort of like a centipede trying to walk while thinking about how he does it? :)
Joel Levy
Joel Levy
Yes something like that, thinking about how you're walking whilst you're walking will probably cause you to trip up! Like Morpheus said, stop trying to hit me and hit me...
Philip Wain
Philip Wain
The trick is to think as little as possible - though I catch myself thinking often - and when thinking to think about abstract ideas rather than specific
Joel Levy
Joel Levy
Observing your own thoughts or catching your-self thinking seems to be a contradiction (using the mind to watch the mind) but what you've put is of great importance and a fundamental practice in meditation - to separate you from your self and so step into that true creative place.
Philip Wain
Philip Wain
Indeed. Whether you believe the creativity then comes from yourself, or from a creator, the separation from the self is crucial then.
Matt Stevens
Matt Stevens
Cheers guys - thats tomorrows blog post sorted!
Tracy L. Chappell
Tracy L. Chappell
One more thing about improv. Never stop striving to learn, whether it be music theory, astrophysics, Latin, wanking or, perhaps, knitting. Expand your mind frequently. Then, when it's time to jam, just play. Forget everything you've learned and let what you know play you. Like the centipede Jeff Duke mentioned, don't think much about finger placement or musical structure while improvising. All the secrets disappear when you're in the middle of a jam; until you step outside the flow to think about the flow. To quote Bruce Lee concerning another discipline, "be water, my friend".
Getting ready for tomorrows gig - keep an eye on www.mattstevensguitar.com if you want to to see the rehersal
Take it easy
Matt

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