soundhog

Again, I’ve not written a lot. That’s not to say a lot hasn’t been happening, but it’s a bit of a faff to keep this thing updated. Most of the action happens on the f*cebook group, the details of which are on the ‘contact’ section of this website. If it’s happening, it’ll be logged there. Honest. Anyway..

So in between a myriad of jobs for other people, I put out another release on the Plastidisc label. The cutting business isn’t the label, and vice versa, but sometimes they collide. Again, this was a bit of a vanity project, with two pieces of my own electronic noodling etched into a transparent 7″, housed in a very time-consuming-to-create picture cover. Blow me down if all 50 copies weren’t spoken for within four hours of going on sale.

Aside from that, there have been another couple of jobs for Buried Treasure, with a sold out Neil Sparkes 7″ and another one by Wolfen just completed and on sale Friday 4th December at https://buriedtreasure.bandcamp.com/music .

I’ve also done a run of 55 7″s of excellent heavy electronics by Dohnavur – on sale at https://dohnavur.bandcamp.com/album/concrete-animals and sounding totally ace.

Next onto the cutter is another 7″ of analogue punishment by Howlround, and then I’m doing a very limited reissue run (5, 10 and 10) of the three Plastidisc releases so far. All black discs this time, and in those stupidly low numbers because that’s all the sleeves I have left.

Right… see you next month, when everything I’ve just mentioned will be unavailable.

Hello. Well, I’ve proved myself to be incredibly lax at updating this thing. No change there. I could come up with lots of excuses, but really I’ll just have to admit to being a bit rubbish at it. However quite a bit has been going on.

First up, the Loose Capacitor 7″ sold out in less than 12 hours, half the time of the SA5 45. That was unexpected and very welcome. One buyer liked his so much that he immediately listed it for sale on Discogs for double the purchase price. I did wonder what the point was, why go through all that just to make £10… then someone pointed out that they’d be doing a lot less work for that £10 than I did. Oh well. I’ll look on it as proof that Plastidisc has ‘arrived’ as a label of note.

I’ve been doing various small jobs for various people, and a number of 7″ runs for the excellent Buried Treasure label, the most recent being records of extreme frequencies by Jeffrey Siedler and analogue tape abusers Howlround. There was also a lovely 12.5 minute wonky lo-fi pop EP by Ubiquitous Meh! which was one of the best things I’ve heard so far this year by anyone. All of them are long sold out, the Howlround disc vanishing in a couple of minutes. Scary.

Also, I’ve ‘upgraded’ the lathe set-up somewhat, and am now using a 1980s Technics SP10 as the platter, the old broadcast studio battletank. This has resulted in better sounding discs, neater lock grooves and the ability to cut 12″ discs without the horrific pitch wobbles that using an SL1200/1210 will result in. So, LPs are now finally on the menu. I’ll be uploading an updated price list in due course, but get in touch if you’ve got a 12″ project in mind and I’ll do my best for you. My current queue waiting time for projects is about 3 weeks, by the way. Book early for Xmas, etc.

Finally, I have another Plastidisc release up for grabs. This time it’s another 7″, containing analogue synth reworks of two well known (to people my age, anyway) telly theme tunes. 7 and a half minutes of squelchy nostalgia on one disc. 50 copies only, made to order (so you can choose which size centre hole you want) so they’ll be made in batches. Picture sleeve, polylined inner, poly outer, created with love etc. Yuck.

You can hear both tunes in full here: https://soundcloud.com/loose-capacitor/sets/on-the-box

You can order a 7″ here : https://plastidisc.bandcamp.com/album/loose-capacitor-on-the-box

I blinked. You probably did too. Well, truth be told I was still in bed by the time the last two lathe cut records I produced sold out within 30 minutes of going on sale today. In my defence, it was at 8am. No, that still doesn’t sound good. Anyway, even though both the Howlround (20 copies) and Revbjelde (30 copies) 7″s are now Gone, Gone, Gone – as Johnny Mathis once sang – you can still get the digital versions at the links below.

Coming this Friday to a Bandcamp account near you, I believe. Not many of them to go ’round, either. Be alert. Who said that? Don’t get me started…

…AND THAT’S BLOCKBUSTERS! New project with @psychetropes coming soon, courtesy of ‘His Holness’ @therealsoundhog. So excited! pic.twitter.com/6h5ACS2Vum

— Howlround (@Howlroundmusic) May 26, 2020

Well, after all the excitement of the SA5 45 is now over, and now that I’ve totally flattened and rebuilt/reinstalled my shuddering old personal computer *again*, the lathe has seen more action over the last few days. There are a few projects in the pipeline, as well as plans for another Plastidisc release (in a more electronic style, this time) but this week will be taken up mostly with a couple of 7″ releases by other lovely people. I won’t say too much about them yet, but suffice to say that they contain sounds and frequencies that might not be described as ‘easy listening’ for the majority of the general public. But as the general public seems to enjoy the vacuous noise of commercial radio etc, perhaps their judgement can’t be trusted. Anyway, stay tuned to this station and all that.

Well, that was quite a surprise. Just over 24 hours from putting it on sale, and all 50 copies are accounted for. I must thank everyone who’s thrown their hard earned dosh in my direction, and especially those who threw a bit more than I was asking! All very unexpected, and all very welcome. I must admit that it’s thrown me somewhat, as I was expecting this to maybe sell twenty or so and then fizzle out, but no. Therefore I’m frantically cutting discs, cutting card and printing labels to hopefully get everything out this week (Royal Mail willing, of course). You can see current progress below! Everyone should get a notification through Bandcamp when theirs is in the post, but if you don’t hear anything in a week’s time or so then feel free to get in touch. Once again, thank you all. So, what’s next? Ask me when I’ve finished this lot!

So, it’s not Record St*re Day at last. Seems an appropriate time to put this little beast up for grabs. Two lathe cut sides of ’60s inspired instrumental action, one frantic and the other a bit more reflective. It comes in a laminated card picture cover with printed inner sleeve, housed in a polythene outer sleeve. All the trappings of success, and all ‘hand crafted’ (eurgh…) by my very good self. I will only ever be making 50 copies of this.

Here’s a video of what it looks like and what it sounds like. Note the ‘BBC Four’ style camerawork. I believe that’s what gets attention these days, more’s the pity…

How much? £11 for a copy, plus £2.50 post within the UK by Royal Mail. So that’s £13.50. If you’re outside the UK, the total will be £16.00 in the EU and £17.00 elsewhere, sent RM international standard. Sounds a lot I know, but post isn’t cheap these days. Also, customs charges may apply outside of the EU, as I’m sure you know…

Also, please specify if you’d like a copy with a small centre hole, rather than the jukebox sized one (which how I’d always envisaged this release, but the option is there).

Purchase link via Bandcamp: https://plastidisc.bandcamp.com/album/the-secret-agent-five-the-twonky-flight-thirteen

So, this week I created two one-off (or one two-off) records for the excellent Drew Mulholland, which was of a bespoke piece he made for someone (and therefore you’re not allowed to hear it properly). That was nice.

…oh…Oh…Lordy Phwoar etc pic.twitter.com/AC8LQQD2JX

— Drew Mulholland (@mulhollandrew) April 13, 2020

Also, ten 7″s I’d done for the Buried Treasure label, featuring two exclusive Revbjelde tracks, sold out in about ten minutes. That was nice also.

Tomorrow, being #notrecordst*reday (no, I’m not a fan…) I thought it was high time I put something of my own up for sale. Fancy two sides of ’60s guitar instrumental madness, in a nice hand made flipback laminated sleeve? Step this way… more details on ordering here tomorrow:

I’m working on Plastidisc’s first 7″ release (i.e. not a project for another label). Two sides of instrumental music with a definite ’60 surf-rock sort of sound, 50 copies only in hand-constructed, laminated card sleeves. Yes, it’s a lot of work. Hopefully I’ll have the first batch ready for sale in about a week’s time, all being well (and assuming the poly bags and mailers turn up on time). More news as we get it, etc.