new blogspot

Dear all;

time for a change...

I will probably now be posting from here in future.

http://www.writersideasandthoughtsuk.blogspot.com/

as this will include more about news and ideas I feel and it is a more similar handle for what i should be doing

Cheers for reading

AEN

latest news

Dear all;

Several things have happened at once here!

Two poems of mine have appeared here (Wave and No Man's Land)
http://tajmahalreview.com/taj10.htm

Also one of my poems have JUST appeared in the August edition of Remark (Another is due in the October edition and possibly February 2007 also)
www.remarkpoetry.net/

My page has also recently being updated at 'Soul to Soul' to include several more new poems - this can be found here:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mjoneve/30sub.html

and lastly I believe 'Wedding Poem' has also surfaced here
http://www.thanalonline.com/Issues/03/ehome.htm

Hope you are all well.. Am currently finalising the DIH and friends at Christmas 2006 and will also be uploading new interviews onto 'Setting Sun' shortly.. Am about to go away for a few days which will delay things there on both counts I think.

Cheers

AEN

The return of Setting SUn

I know, I know, I know.. I have been busy with life..

But anyway..

At least half of this should have gone up last weekend but oh well…

Two new things on Hicc Records – my own experimental record label namely the second collection of bootleg remixes from Distance (who pretty well take original pieces and change them beyond regnoisation almost) called ‘Off the Cuff II’ comprising of things I should have put up with the original piece and two new pieces and something for the more art based people out there – a recording by the performance group I am involved in ’24 hour arty people’ of a self written play we did called ‘Toni’.

Both of these are available for a free download from Hicc Records

http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records

You should also check out the first set of Distance’s remixes ‘Off the Cuff’ too there, which was also uploaded on there recently.

There is a number of other releases forthcoming on there shortly – namely M.A.N. and DIH with a similar ‘Off the Cuff’ releases (which should be uploaded almost as I type)

DIH has also submitted their fairly recently completed album ‘Suicide (I meant forever) to Halo Excentrico for possible upload and release.

Setting Sun as a website also has also being quite busy with several new interviews gone up recently featuring the Red House Painters meets Neil Young ‘Heller Mason’ – the Patti Smith meets Portishead almost ‘Plumerai’ and the ambient / noise specialists ‘Skiesfalling’ – All of which are excellent and well worth checking out each in their own way.

Check them out here – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

And I have just finished off my report for ‘In the City’ – Manchester’s own free unsigned bands music festival. I spent three excellent nights out here.

Cheers

AEN

Setting Sun New Interviews

Dear all;
These all have recently posted on ‘Setting Sun’ as interviews – More on the way – both acts are excellent although in completely different ways:

Solypsis aka James for example is probably one of the wildest acts ‘Setting Sun’ has ever had the chance to listen to let alone interview. This is for people who Aphex Twin or Kid 606 rule, but even some of his stuff makes them look tame!

Vialka in contrast are a very different kind of beast altogether, formed around a French singing drummer and a Canadian guitarist who make music which is certainly not like the White Stripes – indeed seeming to forge their own musical language in impro sets which Marylise sounds like a howling banshee or on their albums which for some reason they remind me a bit of Stereolab minus the cheesy synths and the crap pop in the sense they are their own people..

Both acts are recommended… Check them out on ‘Setting Sun’ – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo if you can

There is at least five other interviews pending at the moment – September and October I think are going to be busy months for interviews here.
Cheers
AEN

New Reviews for DIH and M.A.N.

Dear all;
My pal, Thrill Racer posted this review of the new M.A.N. self titled CD and the forthcoming DIH CD’ Internal Conflict’ on her website… Cheers, Thrill for the honest nature of your review.
Cheers AEN

M.A.N. - S/t / D.I.H. - Suicide (I meant forever) split album:

With the M.A.N. album we have an English chap, Andy M., speaking poetry over Andy N’s background soundcapes and mixes.

Andy N’s work is solid as usual, but sometimes Andy M’s deliveries get on my nerves. On "Sea Song 1" I can tell he’s making his story up as he goes along. Sometimes he pauses mid-line, then repeats the last phrase he spoke, like he’s buying time to think of the next line.

Check out this line: "I saw you--while I was there sitting on my rock; I was sitting on my rock wondering where my life was, where my life had been, and where it was about to go." He puts on a tender inflection while saying "where my life was", but the listener can’t buy that he’s having these deep existential thoughts.

First he was standing underneath the cliffs, then he saw someone who didn’t see him; he tried to catch up with this person, but the waves prevented him from doing so. Then he says he saw this person while he was sitting on his rock having these deep feelings about being ignored by someone who he saw and didn’t see him back.

The next track, "Piece for Nico," sounds more prepared. Andy M. is reciting a word association type of thing. "Spam, javelin, stiffy." See where he’s going?

Andy N. mixed this track well; it sounds real professional. Even though this CD is home-produced, I can see this track getting more exposure, like playing during the intro scenes in a movie. A comedy. Sound-track makers should really try discovering different stuff from the underground.

With the D.I.H. album we have Andy N., this time, speaking the poetry over the soundscapes. He sometimes swallows his words so the words are less clear than with M.A.N., but Andy likes to get guest vocals in sometimes. I (yes, me) spoke a reverby version of "And the Rest is Silence" over one of Andy N’s more warpy sci-fi soundscapes. One of my favorite D.I.H. tracks with guest vocals ("Brown Eyes") goes all the way back to their first demo, "Further." The mix really works out with the laughing voice. D.I.H. do tons of work, including a Christmas album every year (last year’s included "The Holly & The Ivy.") Visit http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

Robots with Electric Brains

Dear all;
Don’t you know if any of you read a zine called Robots with Electronic Brains (www.robotsandelectronicbrains.co.uk) a long standing electronical / weird bits and pieces fanzine that has proved a massive influence on ‘Setting Sun’ – my own webzine (http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo) over the years by the simple factor it covers and explores all kinds of sometimes un-usual and in some cases downright weird music and has resulted in a number of acts being interviewed for ‘Setting Sun’ over the past few years namely Everygreen Days, Guitare Brothers, Horowtiz, Japhy Ryder and Trilemma to name but a few.
Anyway, I received issue 16 of the fanzine only the other day and Jimmy – it’s editor / chief hack etc had pubished a little thought I had wrote for the celeberation of the 10th year of Robots and Electronic Brains.

I will be creating a journalism section for the writings side of my fanzine as I have wrote a number of articles over the years and it will be cool to include them as examples of my style of factual writings but in the meantime, here is my extract which I wrote for the magazine
‘When I first tried saying what Robots means to me I wrote a long answer about how I felt it championed the underground in a way that the mainstream press didn’t, but Robots goes deeper than that
Then I wrote about how Robots had affected my life and website, Setting Sun set up after I read my first issue of Robots. It encouraged me to keep on challenging, find new bands and artists to interview, but Robots goes deeper than that.

I thought about writing about the free CD and the way I always hurriedly place it in my stereo. I am not sure what I am going to get, but still keen enough to jump in and worry about the conquences later on, but Robots goes deeper than that.

Robots is more like a dear friend who you hear from, never frequently enough with all kinds of surprises, some of which you’ll love, some not’

Long may it run for another 10 years!
Cheers
AEN

Wedding Photographs and Poem

Dear all;

This has been posted ages ago but such is the way life has gone over the
past month or so – I literally have not had time to sit down, let alone blink
but I have been to two Weddings over the past month or so…


Most recently, my friend / partners in DIH, Keith Hicc and UK Dragon
(aka Clara) (pictured below) (Photograph as with top photograph as with last photograph borrowed from Mike Browne Photography)




















A few weeks before was my sister, Louise’s Wedding
(Pictured below with my mum and dad and her husband, Pete)


















I also ended up doing a reading (which was snapped below
also without my knowledge at the bottom of this post) of the poem
as transcribed below, which although was wrote to be read
to at Keith and Clara’s Wedding – I would also like to dedicate the
poem to Louise and Pete and my friend in Italy, Dorina and her
husband, Mauro (pictured below) who I found out a few
days ago also got married

I wish all of you a wonderful marriage and long may it run

A very touched Andy x

WEDDING POEM

I can see the day
As glorious in colour
And laced with
Bold, strong words
As long as roots
That are scattered
Endlessly across fields.

I can see the day
As fruitful as
A orchard in full bloom
Or at the edge of dawn
Where sunlight slowly crawls up
Through your window
With renewed hope.

I can see the day
Full of movement
With cameras clicking
Like a imaginative orchestra
And smiles in people’s eyes
As bright
As a crescent moon.

But most importantly
Beyond the smiles
And passionate speeches
There exists a feeling
That is hard to describe
Like roots scattered
Endlessly across fields.

And that moment is magical.

DIH Suicide (I meant forever) review

Dear all;

My friend, Jen from Stratosphere Fanzine has recently done a incredibly in depth and touching review of my band DIH’s latest, soon to be released album ‘Suicide (I meant forever) on her webzine ‘Stratosphere’ (
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stratosphere_Fanzine/) and gave
Such a nice review I could not but hare it with you…

We are still thinking about where to submit for possible release,
But I thought I would share it with you to read for yourself…

Cheers

AEN


‘ My pal Andy N is so prolific with his music projects that I can'tkeep track of 'em all! LOL I don't know where he finds the timeand energy to put into creating his music. His band, Distorted InHindsight (an apt description of the sound), or D.I.H., is his mainone and has been going strong for many years. The band member line-up is Andy N, UK Dragon and Keith Hicc, but Andy N's creativeimprint is all over the tracks.D.I.H. play experimental, lo-fi music with a DIY ethic, where Andy Nutilizes blunt, straight-forward, spoken-word poetry, enunciated ina strong, clear, British accent over varied sound bits (sometimesdancy, sometimes spacey, sometimes ominous) that purposely evoke anuneasy mix of real life experiences and dream states. Like allgood poetry/writings, what he talks about makes an emotional impactand creates the feeling of being in certain situations (like beingoutside in the rain, inside the pub, sitting alone, brooding in thebedroom) and experiencing specific things (isolation, decay of arelationship, questioning the world, searching for the elusive).The ideas and images created by the words pertain to a very realworld - the world we live in now, but the mood and sounds created bythe instruments and found sounds go beyond that to our inner,volatile, emotional states.Distorted In Hindsight's latest album is titled Suicide (I MeantForever) and it has a less abrasive and more filled-out sound thanprevious, rawer releases. There are some loops and repetition ofsound, but not enough to turn off a listener (well, at least me -and I'm pretty sensitive to repetition). The songs capture theemotional vagaries of ennui, frustration, paranoia with very sharp,terse, perceptive, downbeat spoken-word from Andy N. My take on themeaning of D.I.H.'s songs may not be accurately capturing what AndyN intended, and I apologize for that, but like all creations that goforth to the public sphere, various interpretations will surface asto their meaning. In most of these songs, I feel a pervading senseof remoteness - a disconnect from the ties that bind us to thisworld - friendships, other relationships, and belief in the self andothers...

1. Suicide (I meant forever) - A short introductory track at just overone minute with a looping, garbled, "voice-on-the-radio" snipstating "I meant forever...suicide" in the background, while Andy Ncomes in all calm spoken-word, saying "I meant forever...once upon atime" - and it's the start of the journey -

2. After all the Rain - A spoken-word track with a needling, sustained,slightly wavery and floating guitar line stitched through Andy N'sstark, slightly repetitive (in a good way though - it builds up theweight of the song) vocals... "After all the tears havefallen...after all the pain is gone...after all the desire...all thewords...all the secrets...all the regrets..." that creates aportrait of the aftermath of a dissolved relationship.

3. Alone in the Shadows - Another very short track with two echoedpiano lines - one is a light, plinking-key tone set against a moreominous, lower-tone piano chord with the only words spokenbeing "...Alone in the shadows..." at the end of number.

4. Candlelight - This is one of my favourites off the album - anambitious song with a sonic splice and graft of monks seriously andslowly chanting (giving it a medieval vibe), globular electronicblips, a mid-tempo dance beat, and spoken-word that somehow allhangs together nicely. Andy N speaks in a mostly clear, butslightly swallowed at end, vocals - and from what I can gather fromlistening to the song, it's about history and religion andhypocrisy - and the hope for a better future, but I could be wrong!LOL The song ends with the lines "No need to kill, no need to maim,no need to spread hate...no more need for murder, and destroying theevidence, and claiming it never happened...I stand herealone...still shivering...still shaking...distorted in hindsight".This incorporation of the band name leads me to change my mind aboutwhat I originally thought their name meant - but once again, this isjust my opinion - I had thought that 'distortion in hindsight'referred to the distortion found in the production of the music; youknow, as a description of the sound - but now I'm thinking along thelines of that, at the time something happens, the events are allclear, but in retrospect, all that can be changed or distorted - andnot be 'the truth' - that when you look back over time, overhistory, what we believe happened may not have happened exactly ashanded down over the years...just my thoughts! :)

5. Translucence - Consisting of the repetitive, low-key whisperingof a man and sound of rain against a window pane (or could it be thecrackling noise of rubbing against speakers?) - and a woman's voicetalking, this gives the feeling like you're peeking through thewindow into a piano bar, while the found sound clip of an announceron TV says "In lieu of the view, she found herself in a new andempty space...” which repeats amid the sound of windwhistling...Very isolating and evocative.

6. And the Rest is Silence (Thrill Racer Version) - A mutual pal ofAndy N and mine, Thrill Racer, guests on this short track ThrillRacer exclaims in an exaggerated, heavily echoed tone "I shout out -"I could never be like you" - and the rest is silence." (exceptit's not silent - LOL) against a deep space sound, like a spirallingsteam engine building up, with lil electronic blips and distorted-tape sounds, while a distorted man's voice runs in 'n' out in thebackground.

7. I sit here Immobile - Elongated, plaintive. Slow violin soundscreate the feeling of staring out into an empty, cold frost fieldwith nothing else and no one around - a feeling of aloneness, ofbeing helpless in the massive, empty expanse of the universe. Checkout the bleak lyrics: "Did you ever imagine that the end could beso close to the beginning? That one morning the sun would fail torise and forever be hidden in the darkness?".

8. Alone in Company - Formed out of drizzling rain and slightthunderstorm cracks found sounds, and in background, anunintelligible woman's voice and spaceship-laser-like sounds thatproduce a hollow sound, as Andy N states "I'm standing alone in asea of noise." (Except it's not totally unbearable noise). By theend of the song, there is the sound of locks clanging shut.

9. Interlude - You can hear distorted kids' voices and grown-upvoices in a carnival-like atmosphere, but the vocals are slightlydisplaced, so that words aren't heard distinctly, which is a bitdisorienting in a tossed-on-the-sea kind of way, as other noisesswirl in background - and once in a while you hear violins slowlytuning up - then right at end Andy N says: "D.I.H."...This one has a bit of a nostalgic feel, most likely due to the fairground vocals.

10. On the Road - Another highlight off the album, this songfeatures a jumping' electronica beat to give it a club sound and afound-sound loop of a guy saying, "What's my problem?” It almostsounds like a laid-back Ministry song, if they went electronic!!LOL Then there are spacey, echoey sounds while Andy N talks,describing a guy who is basically eyeing a trio of girls in a club -and you hear fluttery, indistinct, broken up female vocals inbackground -and the description that at least one girl looks nervousand scared...but then there's this great lyric-twist at the end ofthe tune which puts everything into perspective - like therealization for the listener that these girls aren't in any danger -as the narrator caps it off (about one of the girls) with: "Sheswore at security and my illusion was shattered".

11. My Brother, the Sea - This is a mournfully beautiful, longingsong full of enigmatic feeling and windswept sounds - like thebuffeted seashore supported by some sweet, melancholy strings andAndy N's spoken word, while a tolling bell sound gives the song a weighty feel.

12. No Communication III - Another involving song with a mid-tempobeat, odd spaceship noises, broken up vocals, and whistling wind,with Andy N talking until a dance-beat starts and you hear the samesound loop of the guy from On the Road, and light, clinking noises,and Andy N speaks about a guy and his progression in life - "Therewas no stopping him" - touching upon the passing of time andinevitable change. Andy N brings lots of previous sounds together,like the fluttery girl vocals and ends with the whistling wind soundand the maudlin topic of youth turning into middle age as Andy Nsays in low whisper "Sitting...waiting..."...

13. Empty Phantom - Built from a low-key, unintelligible, echoeyguy's voice and very low-key strings, and a ghostly, empty sound,while Andy N comes in giving a description of a guy getting hisphoto taking - a guy who's staring off in the distance,uncomfortable...from his shoes to his hair, not really himself - andthe idea forms of things not being as 'picture perfect' in real lifeas in a photo...

14. I meant forever (Suicide) - A short fade-out track to finishthe journey, made up of a hollow sound, noise of traffic on citystreets, and trashcan-hitting sounds, with Andy N concluding "Imeant forever...once upon a time.". ‘ Jen

writing cv

Something maybe of interest for you –

Since my err. Writing has been getting quite busy recently, I thought it was only fair I wrote a writing CV, listing what I have done etc and thought I would share it with you all…


Andy N
143, Chatsworth Road
Stretford
Manchester
M32 9PY

Email: aen1mpo@yahoo.co.uk
Website: http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo
Myspace website – http://www.myspace.com/andynuk

Personal Details:


Date of Birth:

28/04/1972

Place of residence:

Stretford, Manchester, UK

Educated at Bolton University in joint honors

Creative Writing / Theatre Studies (1998 – 2001) 2.2


Music Projects:


Current Projects:

DIH

‘Imagine Jack Kerouac jamming with The Aphex Twin and you may get the basis for DIH’ – Robots with Electric Brains Magazine.

Formed in 1999 by Andy N and Keith Hicc with UK Dragon joining in 2002.

Self released 3 EP’s (Silence of her wings, Further and Forever) between 1999 to 2001, the third of which ‘Forever’ has recently being re-issued on (http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records)

One full album ‘Internal Conflict’ (2004) has been released by Hallo Excentrico (http://hallo-excentrico.com/) and a second full-length album ‘Suicide (I meant Suicide) (2006) will be released by Hallo Excentrico towards the end of this year.

Has also appeared on ‘Can’t buy me Love Volume 2’ (Can’t buy me love) and ‘Untitled Xmas album’ (V/VM) as well as ‘The Pope album’ (Boyarm records)

DIH has most recently had a remix on the ‘Narnia’ remix album by M.A.N. available for free download on (http://hallo-excentrico.com/)

M.A.N.

‘Boards of Canada meets Squarepusher with melodic tones from a impro poet’

Formed in 2004 by Andy M and Andy N.

Currently has released two albums ‘Journeys’ (2004) released by Hicc Records (http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records) and the recently released ‘M.A.N.’ on Hallo Excentrico (http://hallo-excentrico.com/)

Has also appeared on ‘Can’t buy me Love Volume 2’ (Can’t buy me love) and ‘The Pope album’ (Boyarm records).

M.A.N. has also just recently issued a remix album of their track on Hallo Excentrico (http://hallo-excentrico.com/)



DISTANCE

‘Lovely Kratfwork drone rock’ – Junkshop Coyote.

Formed in 2004 by Tony M and Andy N.

Currently has released two albums ‘Distance’ (2005) released by Hicc Records
(http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records) and the recently released second album ‘Distance II’ and ‘WLNT’ Sessions EP – both released through Hallo Excentrico (http://hallo-excentrico.com/)

Distance also has a remix on the remix album ‘Narnia’ by M.A.N. available for download on Hallo Excentrico - (http://hallo-excentrico.com/)


PREVIOUS PROJECTS:

Andy N has also been in the projects Seven Ages, Sleeplessness and B.A.N. all of which have had albums / EP’s released on Hicc Records (http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records)


Writing Experience:

SHORT FICTION / POETRY:

Andy has been a regular writer to the Irish magazine / webzine ‘Angry Left Wing Mofo) since 2002 and between 2004 and 2005, he had four stories published on ‘Straight to Hell’ (Links can be found on his website – Setting Sun – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo)

He also has had a short story ‘Skyliners’ published in a anthology called ‘Flowers on a shoe string’ (MPG Books) in 2003 and has also had several other poems published in books such as Rage and Rebellion and The Heart’s Content’.

He also has had a variety of poetry and articles published in ‘The Big Issue’ and fanzines / small press magazines / websites such as ‘Scathe’, ‘Stardrift’, ‘Stratosphere’, ‘The Easy Way’ ‘Poetry Express’, ‘Robots and Electric Brains’, ‘Angry Left Wing Mofo’, ‘Roisin Dubh’, ‘Obsessed with Pipework’ and ‘Shoes of Quality’ to name but a few from 1993 onwards.

Andy currently has released had six poems published on respected online Poetry Journal ‘Heart to Heart’ (http://home.earthlink.net/~mjoneve/sub.html), six poems on the journal ‘Other Voices poetry’ ‘http://www.othervoicespoetry.org/vol22/index.html
And six poems on www.e-writers.co.uk.

Andy has some more poetry forthcoming shortly on Voice of the Shuttle and Remote Magazine which is due to publish two of his poems in their August and October magazine among others.

LONGER PIECES OF WORK:

Andy has recently had his first full length play ‘Night Airs’ www.e-writers.co.uk and which received its premium in Belfast in April of this year and is under discussions with them as showcasing a earlier, shorter play called ‘Sleepwalkers’.

Andy has released finished off his second play ‘And Buried…?’ and is currently making notes for a third full length play ‘Yesterdays’ as well as assisting in the writing of ‘Identity’ a play which will be performed by his writing group he is a member of 24 hour arty people, in the Autumn in Bolton.


He is also working on his second full-length novel ‘Intermission’ and is in discussions with real life writers about writing a short account of some of his history with DIH under the name of ‘Nearly Famous ’.

OTHER PROJECTS:

Andy runs his own webzine ‘Setting Sun’ – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo which besides being a showcase for his own work also includes a large archive of over 50 interviews with acts from all over the world since 2003.

Andy has been a member of 24-hour arty people and maintains contact with the group and assists in various projects that the group undertakes.

Their official website which is still under construction is:
http://www.freewebs.com/haulghwriters/home.htm

introductions (sort of)

Dear all;

Somebody pointed out to me the other day that I should mention more about the bands / projects that I have going or kind of going on since I never really talk about them on here on this page on myspace.com – which is understandable considering this is a different thing altogether, but anyway…

All of these are among the friend’s pages on here – some are easier to find than others of course…

DIH – Formed in 1999, DIH is a three piece group comprising of Andy N, Keith Hicc and UK Dragon which has been described as like Jack Kerouac jamming with The Aphex Twin or Mogwai minus the quiet bits. Despite a low profile and in the band’s own words a low key presence for the first five years (which has resulted in 3 self released mini albums) – the band have since released their first full length album ‘Internal Conflict’ in 2004 (which has since been released on the internet record label - http://hallo-excentrico.com) and the forthcoming ‘Suicide (I meant forever)’.

M.A.N. - Formed in 2004, M.A.N. is a two-piece group featuring Andy M (Vocals) and Andy N (Keys) which has been described as like a more melodic Boards of Canada meets Squarepusher with a impro poet ontop. They have released two albums ‘Journeys’ recorded in 2004 and since released on Hicc Records (http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records) and released earlier on this year the second titled ‘M.A.N.’ released on (http://hallo-excentrico.com)

Distance – Formed in 2004 from the ashes of a previous group W@. While W@ had been a almost Nick Cave sort of group with distorted guitars and keys, Distance comprising of Tony (Bass) and Andy N and his PC (Noise and Keys) is a much more kratrock sort of piece with their first two albums ‘Distance’ (2005) (released on Hicc Records - http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records) and ‘Distance II’ (2006) (released on http://hallo-excentrico.com) both only have two tracks each with each track being over 20 minutes with the tracks being as much a sound-scape of droney noise as much as a song. Since then, the band has also released an EP ‘WLNT’ Sessions EP which sees the duo change gears as they start doing slightly shorter tracks with distorted samples from films making an appearance for the first time.

B.A.N. – Formed as a side line project to M.A.N. in 2005 by Andy N (Music) – B.A.N. follows a similar pattern to M.A.N. expect it is a lot more bass led and spoken word again through Helen (Vocals) a very different and darkener proportion altogether. The duo has recorded only a short EP together so far simply self titled ‘B.A.N.’ – This has been released on Hicc Records http://www.archive.org/details/hicc-records)