From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V4 #127 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Thursday, April 29 1999 Volume 04 : Number 127 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Alloy: Star-struck and spellbound - (long!) [Tim_Dunn.JBA_HEATHROW.SPL_EX] Alloy: The Flattery Earth ["Stephen M. Tilson" ] Re: Alloy: fwd: The Flattery Earth [RThurF@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 13:10:21 +0100 From: Tim_Dunn.JBA_HEATHROW.SPL_EXTERNAL@jba.co.uk Subject: Alloy: Star-struck and spellbound - (long!) This happened over a week ago now, but I've been so busy with one thing or another that I haven't got around to posting it yet. I was in the studio with Boz Boorer for two days a while ago, and recorded two songs for my new album. For anyone who's not heard me raving on about him before, this is the guy who plays with Morrissey and is responsible for writing many of his best songs. Morrissey's solo stuff recently, though not as famous as the Smiths, is in my opinion better, with more powerful songs and guitar that matches the best of Johnny Marr, and has had an incalculable effect on my personal and musical life. Anyway, that's the background. I turned up at his little studio with my friend Jos, who Crackers and Lem have met, and with my DAT tape which contained the electronic rhythm track for my 9-minute effort Desperate. Boz is really the sweetest guy, and is so totally modest that you sometimes wonder if he has any idea how brilliant he is. He even did the whole session despite having a nasty throat and hardly being able to talk. Desperate is a very long and strange song, with a bare rasping acoustic guitar intro and harsh vox, but he was well up for it from the start, especially when the rhythm kicks in, and lush pianos, strings, deep bass and all manner of things started to appear. I'd deliberately done all the sequencing in advance so we could settle down all day and play with his huge collection of guitars and pedals. He has some beautiful guitars, particularly his Telecaster Relic, of which more later, and his lovely distortion sounds. he was also impressed with my gear, which was a compliment(!) and liked my amp and particularly my acoustic. We racked up loads of his pedals and started to get some enormous sounds out, using E-bow for lead parts and weaving them in and out of the strings and everything. It really has blurred now - one of the most intense moments I've ever been through. But the really heavy bit came at the end when recording the vocals and feedback. At the end of the song it completely explodes, and there are three layers of nasty distorted vocals in harmony. Boz was at the desk and I could see him through the glass. I'd just finished singing the line and was expecting him to stop the tape and move on. But instead I could see him intently working on the desk and twiddling knobs and stuff, and then there was one of those intangible but ineffably magical moments - he looked up at me through the glass and gave me this LOOK which I just KNEW meant 'Breathe - keep breathing - don't stop.' Suddenly this fantastic avalanche of new sounds and feedback came through the headphones and I realised it was me. There was still a minute or so of track to roll out so on the spot I made up a different variation of the hook and sang it through the effects. It was a totally brilliant moment and really crowned the song. That's the difference between a producer and an engineer I think - he totally became part of the song, like an additional instrument, and made it something far more than I could have dreamed of. What a guy. The next day we recorded my brother's song Perfect Circle, which is the only good one he ever wrote. It has a lovely tune, time and space, and a couple of delicious key changes. Another magic moment happened when I was laying down a guide guitar part to the click track. I was in the control room strumming through on the gorgeous Telecaster, and Boz was sat at the desk. Then pretty soon after I started, he picked up my acoustic, and to mine and Jo's delight, started to play along, in these brilliant lutey, delicate phrases. Of course, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity - I looked at Jo, and we knew it had turned into a 'Why don't we do the show right here' moment, and started singing too. So there I was singing and playing, with Boz Boorer as sideman. We drove home that night in a state of near shock, and it took me several days before I was really feeling normal again. On the Sunday while I was out of the room on the phone he gave my photographer Bryony a personal performance of Morrissey's 'Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself' on acoustic guitar - lucky girl. So there you have it - the tracks are great, and Boz ended up playing on the finished version of Perfect Circle, about which my brother is ecstatic. As soon as I get my PC and work up the rest of my song backlog I'll be there again. And we're off to see him play live with his band The Polecats on Friday night - any London Alloyers more than welcome! Well there you have it - sorry about the bandwidth. When my PC arrives I'm finally going to get the_copse website going and shall stick up pictures and sounds etc, along with my 'album diary.' I now have over 30 minutes of finished material so it's maybe a bit late! See you all later the_copse ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 15:42:51 -0400 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: The Flattery Earth Dear Alloyance, I felt the following few messages with similar subject were most appropriately posted to the list at large since this is about ALLOY's tribute. Reminder note to the Flattery Earthlings: the TFE list is disbanded except for personal or business messages. Thanks, and enjoy! /\/\iles ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 15:44:20 -0400 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: fwd: The Flattery Earth From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" Subject: Re: TFE: The Flattery Earth Newsletter #6 At 19:23 24/04/99 -0400, Stephen M. Tilson wrote: > THE FLATTERY EARTH NEWSLETTER #6 > Saturday, April 24, 1999 > >>From the desktop of Stephen Tilson: > > >Dear Flatterers, > Just a quick note to let you know my copy arrived today .... but then I left the thing at work, silly sod that I am. Only had time to listen to the greetings (which make me sound like an English dingbat, but what the hell, it's only a bit of fun). Anyway, many thanks for all the hard work you put into this. TTFN Slarvibarglhee PS The damn pizza STILL hasn't arrived. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 15:44:10 -0400 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: fwd: The Flattery Earth From: John_Hanson_at_FRMA01@ccmailgw.mcgawpark.baxter.com Subject: Re: TFE: The Flattery Earth Newsletter #6 Hello Chaps & Chapesses.. I'm absolutely speechless. On two accounts; firstly La Postes' ability to deliver mail from overseas, and secondly (and more importantly) at the quality of the package wot I did get yesterday evening. This is without a doubt the most special of all my CD's in my collection. It is quite simply superb. You lot are an incredibly talented bunch of geniusses. I am astounded. This is sheer brilliance and I am completely taken aback by what I have heard. I don't really want to single out individuals because the whole thing is magnificent, but I must mention Lissus' amazing voice, The Copses' creativity, Crackers' ingenuity; all of you for being so brave, original, meticulous in preparation and wonderful. I am really not worthy ! The very best of wishes to you all, A very humble John Hanson. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 15:46:03 -0400 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: fwd: The Flattery Earth From: Tim_Dunn.JBA_HEATHROW.SPL_EXTERNAL@jba.co.uk I'll second that John - I gave mine it's first proper listening last night, and in the words of the almighty Morrissey - 'I lay in awe on my bedroom floor.' As if the sleeve wasn't brilliant enough, and the sound quality and razor-sharp mastering that's gone on, the amount of really great material on here is stunning. Crackers is on top form as usual, and Stephen's still surprising me with the quality of his amazing guitar playing, Lissu and her guys are as gorgeous as ever, oh, I love them all. But the one that really really makes me stop and listen is Lem's. I don't know the song at all, because I still haven't got around to taking Lem's advice to buy it, but I'm going to have to now. This simple keyboard version drills right down to the beauty of the composition and is totally startling. What a revelation! But the best thing of all is how we did it together, and how we're all there on a couple of disks. It's a really special feeling, and we're very lucky to have met. I am truly humbled! When we do win the lottery we have to do the gig thing. Anyway, my big PC arrives in a week or so, so I'll get straight on with my cover for the next one...... Thanks everyone for such great moments the_copse ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 00:46:54 +0100 From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" Subject: Re: Alloy: fwd: The Flattery Earth At 15:44 28/04/99 -0400, John_Hanson wrote: > Hello Chaps & Chapesses.. > > I'm absolutely speechless. On two accounts; firstly La Postes' ability > to deliver mail from overseas, and secondly (and more importantly) at > the quality of the package wot I did get yesterday evening. > Can you believe that I forgot to take the CD home for the second night on the run yesterday???? But not today :0) It's been a beautiful day here in Manchester (well, as beautiful as it gets), a clear sunny sky all day, and a wonderfull view from the 21st floor, south-westwards towards the Pennines. I thought about playing The Flattery Earth in the office, but I didn't want to share it with my colleagues just yet and I'm glad I didn't, as it might have upset them to see me cry. That's right; it made me cry and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I was in a mellow mood anyway, and as I sit at my PC, the almost full moon is visible from my window. A few minutes ago I went down to make myself a large mug of Earl Grey and find some CHOCOLATE to complete my perfect evening. Waiting for the kettle to boil, I stood outside in my back yard and saw the tiny shining star of a satellite drift across the sky from west to east, it's path exactly on an apparent collision course with one of the 'real' stars. The fact that one of them was light years away and the other just a few miles above the flat earth didn't spoil my enjoyment one bit. Sorry if this seems totally irrelevant, but I just wanted to share these magic moments with you. So, back to The Flattery Earth. What made me cry? Well, Lissu's rendition of 'I Love You, Goodbye' just caught me unawares. It started innocently enough .... but .... that voice!!!! [ Secret message to Lissu: As they say in AFP, "WYMM?" ;-) ] And Miles. With that voice you could sell sand to the Arabs. The whole arrangement of The Flat Earth is just perfect. But then the tears were also of laughter. Crackers, another magnificent achievement my friend. Croydon. I remember when you said you'd bought the keyboard and hoped to get SOMETHING down in time for the next album. You can be truly proud of your effort. These are just some high points in what is a CD of pure inspiration. There are others, but I could sit here all night trying to capture them and I need to get some sleep. There are some real talents out there and I'm honoured to be counted as your friend. Goognight. Slarv ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 17:18:41 -0600 From: dalexander@juno.com Subject: Alloy: Settling down. Well, I finally moved into my new place. Maybe without the nieces and their friends running around, I can devote better time to my contribution for the new tribute album. I just jumped over the interstate to the other side of town. Thanks Keith, for helping me move. I'm ready to help when you move here soon. Of course, you're probably going to move into another 5-story apartment with no elevator to pay me back for all the 'stuff' I had to move! At least, you don't have as near as much junk as I do... Er, junk? Um, really it's all valuable. No, really! I didn't make you move garbage into my upstairs room! Anyway, thanks. ___________ JAMac (Dennis S. Alexander) www.dennisa.com - Nutrition/Income Opportunities "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" - Eleanor Roosevelt ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 20:33:40 -0600 From: "Keith Stansell" Subject: Re: Alloy: The Flattery Earth Hi everyone, The online version of The Flattery Earth is starting to take shape. You can give the greetings and some songs a listen now. More are on the way as I get time and permission from the contributors to post them. TMDR gave me the OK to post them Sunday night. The songs are encoded using Real Audio G2. You will need the most recent version of the Real Player to listen. http://www.real.com Enjoy : http://www.keith.stansell.com/flattery.htm - -Keith Stansell Denver - ----- Original Message ----- From: Stephen M. Tilson > Dear Alloyance, > > I felt the following few messages with similar subject were most > appropriately posted to the list at large since this is about ALLOY's > tribute. > > Reminder note to the Flattery Earthlings: the TFE list is disbanded > except for personal or business messages. > > Thanks, and enjoy! > /\/\iles ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 23:01:55 EDT From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: fwd: The Flattery Earth Slarv, your description of the tribute cd was so vivid, I wish I could hear it myself! I'm so happy to hear of the beautiful contributions all of the participants have made on these birthday projects. I'm sure Thomas will be extremely honored by the efforts everyone has put in on the project. My hat (the Headspace one) is off to all of you - congratulations everyone! Robin T ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V4 #127 ***************************