Sunday 22 March 2015

exedra - A Reaction For Mark Blanco

A one off exedra track that was self released in December 2014.
This is a home recording that took some time to finish. I've been slowly getting to grips with software recording for a couple of years.
Like anything the more you do it the better the results.

The idea for the music came about after watching the TV documentary about the Mark Blanco search for justice case. As I knew him personally for a few years I was determined to record this track after sitting on the idea for quite some time. It's had a good reaction from the few people who have heard it. A download purchased is a donation to the campaign "Justice For Mark Blanco".
Cloud image by artist Robin Cracknell.


D.K.




Visit the Mark Blanco campaign website

Friday 20 March 2015

Before Lost and Found

After getting on for 3 decades! The Auctioneers have resurfaced with a 25 track chronological retrospective CD album care of the wonderful Firestation Records label in Germany.
Things started to happen after I sent some tracks to Cherry Red Records in December 2013. 
They were looking for songs for the bonus disc of the C86 album deluxe box set reissue.
Nothing was heard for a month then suddenly we were contacted and told "Scoop" had been selected for inclusion. A very pleasant surprise including a publishing offer for all the old tracks.
Firestation Records were recommended by Cherry Red and a new friend in Japan as a possible label for us. Incredibly as it turned out they had heard one of our 80's demo's and had been looking for more material for a few years. "Before Lost and Found" is the result of many weeks work in 2014.
Most of the bands pro studio recordings were used. Including some home demo's and live tracks. Taken from those trusty old cassettes. Everything had to be mastered as they were not in great shape sound wise after so long. One of the biggest jobs was locating suitable artwork and with the labels help designing the CD cover including all the booklet notes, credits, tracklisting, ETC. During all this a new title track was written and recorded and seemed the perfect conclusion to the album.
The band would like to send endless thanks to Uwe, Sandra, and Olaf at Firestation for giving us the opportunity to release this album.
Before Lost and Found was released in January 2015. 

Available via Firestation Records, Amazon.co.uk, and Heyday Mail Order. Also here directly from the band with Paypal and all major credit and debit cards. 

D.K.





                                           
                 UK, EU, Rest Of World prices Including postage.
                             













Tuesday 8 April 2014

exedra - I Am The Cross


After a long time in the making
"I Am The Cross" is the debut exedra release. It was going to be an album and a single at various points, but it's emerged as an E.P.
So somewhere between the two. 
Stream it and hopefully buy it please via the bandcamp link here.

Many thanks,

D.K.




1. Elemental
2. I Fell Asleep
3. I Am The Cross
4. The Ocean Inside
5. Flash Forward
6. Sacred Ways

The Players

Mark Elliott - Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Live percussion.
Jeremy Gluck - Vocals.
Darrall Knight - Guitars, Keyboards.

Eleanor Gluck - Vocal on 'The Ocean Inside.' (Words - Jeremy Gluck).

All tracks composed by Darrall Knight.
Lyrics by Jeremy Gluck.

Recorded and co - produced by Mark Elliott & Darrall Knight.
Mixed and Mastered by Mark Elliott at EMP studio Hadleigh, Essex.
Between March 2012 & March 2014.
* Remastered * April 2014 by Alan Lepatourel.

* vocal for 'Flash Forward,' 'I Am The Cross,'  'I Fell Asleep,'
'The Ocean Inside,'
recorded by Lewis John at M.A.D. Studios Swansea 2013.

* Elemental vocal  recorded by Jeremy Gluck.

Sleeve image 'Stella Spectra' by Robin Cracknell.
Lettering by Darrall Knight.


Monday 13 May 2013

exedra

Exedra is my current project with Barracudas vocalist and musical collaborator extraordinaire Jeremy Gluck.
He 
heard a few tracks from my 'New Lamps For Old' album 'Apex Creatures' in early 2012 and got in touch.
Jeremy was thinking about trying out something more song based and proposed that we try and write a few things together. I had already started recording some new  music with Mark Elliott at his EMP studio in Essex.
Lyrics and music were fused and first track recorded came out amazingly well.

After that it made sense to shelve plans for a 'New Lamps For Old ' album and concentrate on more tracks with Jeremy's lyrics.
A lot of new material has emerged over the last year.
The original song album idea has developed to explore a more atmospheric approach.

All well and good but for various reasons recording can only happen in short bursts. 

One track has been completed. 'Flash Forward' was recorded as an instrumental piece.
It was sent to Jeremy who came up with a great vocal performance
that 
co - producer Mark Elliott and I have turned into our first finished track.
It came out on a free compilation CD from the Scottish label Topplers Records in April.
A four track single is planned and before that a remix or two of
'Flash Forward'. 


D.K.












Get this great label compilation free from Topplers Records featuring 'Flash Forward'  









Saturday 12 January 2013

Silver Ray

I became involved with Silver Ray after discovering their 2nd album
"New Love" 
and their two other records available "This Is Silver Ray" and "Humans."
Three great albums out of the blue. Especially TISR and "New Love."
An Australian instrumental 3 piece was about as obscure as you could want for someone like me whose tastes fall on the esoteric / exotic side.
Reviews mentioned post rock and  "The Dirty Three."
But I didn't and still don't think they sounded like anyone but themselves.
Members included Cam Butler, guitars. Brett Poliness, drums. Julitha Ryan, keyboards.
I met the band at one of their two own London gigs while supporting Nick Cave on a 2005 European tour.
A long story but after the tour I started e-mailing Cam Butler in Australia and then became involved with their then label "Pharmacy Records" as European representative.
This led to me helping them release first album "This Is Silver Ray" here in the UK.
Despite very good UK reviews It didn't sell too well and there was no more budget for PR in Europe where there was some interest from a German distributor. A pity as it's such a great record. They released what looks like a swansong album, 
The fabulous "Homes For Everyone" in 2007. 

 "This Is Silver Ray" is available to buy on CD direct from 'Song of Songs' via the Paypal button below.
You don't need a Paypal account to use it. Paypal also accepts most major credit and debit cards. All prices are inclusive of postage costs.

D.K.







                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                






                                      
         

                                                       
                                                                                                                                                 




Saturday 20 October 2012

Once You Start....

This is becoming more of a project diary than anything else.
New album of material has shifted away from song approach into more soundscape territory.
More atmosphere and less vocal? Certainly won't be any more "rock" songs.
Came up with a few "vignette" type pieces that work really well.
Wednesday night this week we did a new one. Gothic blues would be a good description for it.
Also Mark edited previous recording of a dreamy ballad that's going to be a really good one.
The basics of two or three more to be recorded and then I think it might be time to see where we're at with it all. Looking forward to working again on some of the earlier ones.
Probably in the new year now. These things take time!
Using a Guild bass for these tracks. Great woody sound played by the too talented Mark Elliott.


D.K.




Saturday 4 August 2012

The Future And The Past


New project songs are coming along.
Six recorded in basic form and potentially five new ones in the pipeline.
Lead vocals are being recorded remotely and the whole album will be put together later in the year in a few big sessions hopefully. Melodic, but will be a bit heavier than 'Apex Creatures' and a lot more produced. 
Exciting stuff to be involved in.

Still deciding if I should post up some 'Mother Of Pearl' tracks. 
Some of the later live stuff still sounds OK. I won't be putting up our demo's because they we're all so so. Not sure why? We must have thought the material was good enough at the time! Bad move going to Island Records with them. After being asked to pop along by one of the A&R guys. Some label scout had seen us live in North London. As soon as A&R man heard a demo song that was it. Ta ta. He just banged on about how he signed 'The Verve' via a tape demo. 
Remember those? Sorry lads thanks for coming. Hard not to be a little bitter about life's follies.


D.K.


Mother Of Pearl
Live at 'The Bear Cat Club' Twickenham.
93/94.