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Seriously, that isn’t right is it?  It can’t be okay to have that?  Delboy’s fancy cigarette lighters are one thing but this looks fairly realistic…

In other news, I’m starting a full-on quest to find a band name for my little project I got going on.  I kind of feel like I could go for anything, the main stress is in finding something that everyone else involved will think is “cool” enough, yet not “too pretentious”.  In fairness, they are my stipulations aswell, but its made harder by having say David and Matt wanting super cool, yet Will wants ’super Post-Rock’ (i.e. Super Pretentious), and then I have no idea what Fiona would be okay with.

I think that choosing a suitable name for a band is either an Art-form, or just plain dumb-luck.  However, my main concern is the image that a name creates, and the weight it could carry.  A long name (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) is incredibly pretentious, and you’re making even saying (let alone writing) your name a chore for your listenter, thats not cool.  A name that comes from chance, or a made up word, just sounds plain stupid if you’re the one telling someone the name of your band.

If we were to go down the route of a single one word name, then similarities could be drawn between other big artists in the genre.  For some reason, Tortoise, Mogwai, and Pelican all have something in common in the name which makes me think they’re all named after each other which is obviously ridiculous.

Then there are alliterative problems.  Mono were famously massive fans of Mogwai, and large comparisons can be drawn between Mono’s early sound and Mogwai’s.  A band crush gone too far perhaps?  Similarly there is the issue of using certain words which are contained in other band’s names.  Personally I suggested “Looking For Astronauts” as a name to the band a few weeks ago, only to be shot down for ripping it (allegedly) from the band God Is An Astronaut.  Astronauts may be a no go, but in a guardian article last month, Caroline Sullivan taught us that ”Black”, “Crystals”, and “Fuck” have proved to be amongst the more popular words of many a new band.

Perhaps I should just take the “fuck everyone” stance and just say outright, “Okay, mother-fuckers.  This is our band’s name.  [Pick whatever filters through the static, into my head].  Like it or not, from now on we’re called this…”.  The problem with that is, if in a few months down the line I decide that I don’t like it.  All the blame lies solely upon me.

…Argh, the problems with trying to be the Premier in a Democracy…

Today, I was visited by the ghost of Christmas past… no, not really - just Rob Mac.  Bah!  He’s gone solo recently and I urge you to check out his Myspace here. His internet empire of sites is soon to go live and connect roughly 13,000 of his various social networking pages together into one unholy beast.

He previewed me some new tracks, a bit of a music vid and then we sat down to try and record some guitar-y bits… only to discover that I’ve apparently forgotten how to play guitar. Scar, eh? For real…

… this must be remedied in the new year.

Been watching Joss Whedon’s Firefly today. I’ve gotta say, its probably one of my favourite shows of all time and its a crime it was pulled after one series. Hey, I’ve watched the whole series five or six times though and its not getting old, so maybe that counts as a five or six season show?

The soundtrack by Greg Edmonson has to be noted as absolutely wonderful. Visually the show is a mix of Space and the Wild West, whilst the OST focuses on the western element. Its very similar to the Deadwood score in some respects, and this just fits so well. If you’ve ever seen the show, or just plain like good Acoustic music, the Soundtrack is a good buy.

EDIT: As a side-note, Jewel Staite (who plays Kaylee Frye) is, well… rather beautiful, and is currently featuring in Wired’s ‘2008 sexiest geek‘ awards. Vote for her!

So, I turned twenty years old yesterday. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, depending how you look at it), it feels no different to being nineteen, or for that matter eighteen. I didn’t do anything big because, well when do I ever do anything that involves more than three or four other people? I did however spend the day in Cambridge with Laura (bought a new SM57), wandering around the little boutiquey shops. Then in the evening went to Yuva, a beautiful Indian restaurant with Laura and the parents.

Spent most of the day flittering between essays, listening to Tortoise, and dreaming about the day where I’m a successful Indie music producer. I even popped over to MOO.com and toyed with the idea of getting myself some Business Cards printed up… only to remember that at the moment - I have no business. Still that shouldn’t stop a slick twenty year old up-and-coming producer from networking, should it? Of course not… and they do have some brilliant guest designers up there…

Business Cards £10.99
Buy this on MOO.com

Business Cards £10.99
Buy this on MOO.com

Similarly, I started planning out things like names, floor plans, and even charging rates in my head for the studio I’m going to open… I can tell you now, its beautiful, we’ve got some lovely carpets and the art on the walls is gorgeous…

Mad, or Gay? …or a Genius? I say Genius.

Right, I’m thinking of signing up to eMusic.com to whore these free downloads and get me some Tortoise. Also check this video of one of their sets on Youtube. Bloody Marvelous.

Ollie Thurley, What is your favorite thing on the Internet?

Erm.  Well, Bob, that would have to be SModcast without a doubt. It’s free too, so if you don’t go and listen to the first episode on iTunes right now, I’d probably cut you.

Wow, that seems like a no-brainer then, I’ll do that right now.

End Scene.