I'm playing an improvised set with improvizone in Walthamstow. First time i've played with a live band in a while and will be cool to just go in without anything prepared in any way, this is them from a recent gig:
11.33
Another busy day Dolls House is experimental track of the day on Garageband
And i've had some nice reviews - "An Acoustic Sigur Ros" made me very happy! Also had some good feedback from putting my album on last fm have a listen here.
This made me laugh - A HARD DAYS NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD:
Genius
Some photos from a trip to the park fro a few days ago:
Take it easy
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com
8.16pm
Another busy day - confirmed another london gig for next month 26th March at the Free ship Ealing.
This is funny - Dave Brubeck vs Radio Take 5 Step. Proves you can't go wrong with a riff in 5/8
The new watchmen trailer - it looks amazing. I can't wait as the comic was a big deal for me when i was growing up:
I want to go and see it next week - all the reviews are really positive.
I now have 15 new songs for my second album which is cool - i just need to focus on promoting the first one now! You can hear the whole of my debut album Echo here on last fm free - let me know what you think.
The Faith No More reformation has been confirmed. I LOVE FNM. The bands statement is here:
Faith No More has always stood out as some sort of unique beast; part dog, part cat--its music almost as schizophrenic as the personalities of its members. When it all worked, it worked really well, even if the chemistry was always volatile. Throughout our 17years of existence, the mental and physical energy required to sustain this creature was considerable and relentless. Though amicable enough, when we finally split, we all followed paths seemingly destined to opposite ends of the universe.
Yet during the entire 10 years that have passed since our decision to break up we've experienced constant rumors and requests from fans and promoters alike. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, none of us kept in regular touch, much less to discuss any possibilities of getting together.
What's changed is that this year, for the first time, we've all decided to sit down together and talk about it. And what we've discovered is that time has afforded us enough distance to look back on our years together through a clearer lens and made us realize that through all the hard work, the music still sounds good, and we are beginning to appreciate the fact that we might have actually done something right.
Meanwhile we find ourselves at a moment in time with zero label obligations, still young and strong enough to deliver a kickass set, with enthusiasm to not only revisit our past but possibly add something to the present. And so with this we've decided to hold our collective breaths and jump off this cliff....
BACK, GOD FORBID, INTO THE MONKEY CAGE!!!
We can only hope that the experience of playing together again will yield results erratic and unpredictable enough to live up to the legacy of FNM.
Who know where this will end or what it will bring up...only the future knows. But we are about to find out!
FAITH NO MORE are:
Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum, Bill Gould, Jon Hudson and Mike Patton
10.16 am
I've been a bit busy lately working on new songs and a couple of covers so now I have 90 odd minute set. Looking into doing some house concerts inspired by steve lawson. I'm also working on a couple of secret type projects that will be awesome if they come off(join my mailing list here for more info).
Just dowloaded all the photos from the last few weeks - snow really messes up London:
This is Adrian Belew - hes a great guitar player who also could have a full time job as a Terry Nutkins (UK 80's TV Legend) impersonator:
Hes played with Zappa, Talking Heads and King Crimson and loads others - I really like his song Dinosaur from this video sort of Prog Beatles which he originally wrote for King Crimson.
Had a wonderful evening last night Mr S made pancakes - click on the link for the recipe, awesome.
I've just heard the long rumoured Faith No More tour is happening this summer - fooking great - wonderful band.
Right time to practice.
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com
mattstevensguitar@btinternet.com
Working on a new Riff in 7/8 8 songs into writing a second album now - although I should be pushing the first one(click here to buy it on itunes). You can hear what i'm working on here:
Messing around with with a new riff in 7/8 on 12seconds.tv
Updating my website - its all brand new and shiny have a look at this place and let me know what you think.
Visited Starbucks this morning - why is buying a coffee so complicated???? WHY WHY WHY? Just about to confirm another London gig - I'll post it on here soon . Te rest of the day I've been battling the Last FM musician interface - its horrible worse than Myspace and reviewing tracks on Garageband so I can post some more music there.
So we got cakes - mmmm and everything was OK. May I recommend Dunns bakers in Crouch End - lovely.
Take it easy
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com
Still messing around with Twitter, Its a really good way to communicate quickly with people and get answers to questions. Very useful for musicians and loads faster than myspace. However I don't want to lose touch with the many WONDERFUL people I've met and built friendships with on myspace and other sites ie facebook, loopers-delight, Reverbnation,afc-ning, etc. It appears thats different sites have different communities ie some people are Myspace people some are Facebook etc. Anyway here is my twitter feed if you want to follow me:
http://twitter.com/mattstevensloop
Apparently Twiiter has trippled in size recently.
Some people worth following:
http://twitter.com/solobasssteve = He knows a lot about social media and he is a great bass player.
http://twitter.com/catstalker - Mrs S my wonderful wife
http://twitter.com/sonnypinna - (mercury nominated this year)Sonny from Pinna - he mastered my album and has worked with loads of great artists
http://twitter.com/kevinfeazey = Kev who produced my album
Here is an advert for Nick Tanns Twitter
We had wonderful valentines day:
I'm going to this on thursday Steve Lawson and Theo Travis - who are great:
Thu Feb 19 09 05:30 PM
National Theatre Foyer, Steve Lawson/Theo Travis in London, LONDON
More info on that at www.stevelawson.net
Working on a promo video for my album today - Click here here to buy it on itunes. Editing the videp footage from the album recording down this afternoon. Busy Busy!
Working on Riff with Kaossilator on 12seconds.tv
I've been working on this riff with the Kaossilator this morning - really interesting and combines well with the acoustic. There is something about squelchy acid bass plus acoustic guitars.
Right off out to buy Mrs S's valentines present,
Bye all
Hello all - been away for a while. The gig a couple of weeks ago was great - packed room and a great crowd many of whom said nice things and actually listened. I may have to do a few more gigs - played the first time with the Whammy pedal - made loads of strange noises and tried out some My Bloody Valentine backwards loops. Played Big Sky for the first time - it went done well.
A lot has happened since then - I got a bit addicted to twitter.
Mrs S joined twitter www.twitter.com/catstalker - we dicovered yes it is possible to have a conversation with someone in the same room via the internet.
It snowed - really snowed - i thought I'd give my track snow(how apt) away free for a week. London just kind of Stoppped.:
To Download snow(FREE) just visit http://www.mattstevensguitar.com:
Thanks to everyone who has shared my Reverbnation player on their page/blog/site.
Radiohead played a fanatastic version of 15 steps on the Grammys - a song in 15/8 or 3 repeating bars on 5/8
How cool is that.
i wrote a new 5/8 song called the Devils Lantern - I'm trying to start sessions for another album soon - the last one took 2 years so i'd like to have another one done by 2010.
There is a big anti looping article in this weeks NME - all about how everyone is doing it. Does anyone really care what the NME says???
My music was also featured on this podcast - thanks to my friend Graham of its a frogs life - thanks mate. Its a non album version of west green http://madeintheukshow.blogspot.com/2009/02/made-in-uk-58.html - the dub version.
Will post some more photos soon.
Take it easy
Matt Stevens
Take it easy
And i've had some nice reviews - "An Acoustic Sigur Ros" made me very happy! Also had some good feedback from putting my album on last fm have a listen here.
This made me laugh - A HARD DAYS NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD:
Genius
Some photos from a trip to the park fro a few days ago:
Take it easy
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com
This is Adrian Belew - hes a great guitar player who also could have a full time job as a Terry Nutkins (UK 80's TV Legend) impersonator:
Hes played with Zappa, Talking Heads and King Crimson and loads others - I really like his song Dinosaur from this video sort of Prog Beatles which he originally wrote for King Crimson.
Had a wonderful evening last night Mr S made pancakes - click on the link for the recipe, awesome.
I've just heard the long rumoured Faith No More tour is happening this summer - fooking great - wonderful band.
Right time to practice.
Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com
mattstevensguitar@btinternet.com
