Hello people

It appears to have been more than a little while since I reached out from within camp Symbolics and made correspondence with the outside world. There is much to tell, and much that you can help us with.

Symbolics will soon be releasing Social Dancing and Pianos In October on a limited edition 7" vinyl. Their will be 200 copies of the single, yours to buy from good independent music stores and at Symbolics gigs. For more information on the record label responsible for these activities, visit http://luckynumbernine.co.uk/. Final artwork decisions will be made tonight after the football, presumably over pizzas from the local 3'n'1.

As well as Pianos In October, our recent live recording session yielded four more songs. One of these, a faster version of Social Dancing, looks set to be consigned to the history books, but a brighter future awaits new songs William Duncan, You've Been Working Out and Youngsters. William Duncan has replaced Bargain Basement in our MySpace playlist, and will eventually be joined by You've Been Working Out on our Bebo page, once i've overcome some "technical issues". You can, incidentally, find the page at http://bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=1330162345. 

Symbolics would also like to introduce LJ Donnachie to you, in her new capacity as manager of the band. Gleaning inspiration from the likes of Epstein, Loog Oldham and Master Splinter, LJ is already hard at work devising plans for world domination and the downfall of Shredder. To her we say "Welcome LJ!". LJ organises the Handsome Devil club nights, about which you can find out more at http://www.myspace.com/handsomedevilpromotions.

LJ's plan was hatched on the opening night of T In The Park, which, despite a reduced Symbolics presence of 2, was unanimously agreed to have been "really good". Experiences veered dramatically from the overtly machismo (Numerous Kasasbian fans enquiring as to what degree I was "fuckin 'avin' it") to the overtly effeminate (Rufus Wainwright's declaration that "I'm going to sing a couple of Judy numbers). Paul McCartney thumbs up go to Kings Of Leon, Brian Wilson, Rufus, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and the guy behind us at The Gossip who shouted "Think of the children!" as Beth Ditto descended upon the crowd. Sadly, the weekend ended in tragedy as the long-suffering five man tent was bade goodbye.

Messrs Mckellar and Hodes returned relatively unscathed from Balado, and have been practicing with the rest of Symbolics in preparation for a couple of gigs this month. This coming Saturday (the 11th), Symbolics will be making their first appearance at The Ferry. When Adam Hodes, Andy Davenport and Symbolics Video Director/Mascot/Good Egg Pete Fullarton saw Marlena Shaw at the venue it was decided that "We really need to get a gig sorted here". Lo and behold, less than 2 years and 3 months later, the dream is now a reality. Expect debuts for You've Been Working Out and Youngsters in return for your £5. On August 27th, Symbolics will be playing LJ's "Blue Monday" night at Capitol on Sauchiehall Street. I really like the walls downstairs at Capitol. The last time we played there i found myself trying to read an article about Nick Lowe while we were on stage.

Brief observational rant: the Co-Op has now become the Co-operative. This means that their sandwiches now have names like "The Co-operative Egg & Bacon Sandwich". How, i ask you, is an egg & bacon sandwich making any effort to co-operate with me? It's bad enough when i get patronised by people, but I really thought sandwiches were above that kind of behaviour.

I'll hopefully be updating this blog more frequently from now on, especially as more wondeful things happen in the not-too-distant.

In the meantime, here are 17 worthwhile videos from YouTube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0IzRCrUWAw0 - Trailer for the new chapters of R Kelly's misunderstood masterpiece "Trapped In The Closet".

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bbhGyD4ZZzY - Scott Walker performing "Mathilde", as introduced by Dusty Springfield.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nMqxNPsfN50 - The video for "What's He Building?" by Tom Waits.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k - Jake Shimabukuro performing "While My Ukelele Gently Weeps".

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MyRiNZDb5EY - The Osmonds performing "Crazy Horses".

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MyRiNZDb5EY - Elvis Costello on Football Italia, possibly bemused as James Richardson combines the half-time scores with a run through his greatest hits.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-xEzGIuY7kw - The video for "White and Nerdy" by Weird Al Yankovic. Worryingly, this is the second link to feature Donny Osmond.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=v9RZFsLAeks - Ike & Tina performing "Come Together".

http://youtube.com/watch?v=korJz0siXrM - A clip from The Thick Of It.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hAX6yi60OPY - You Say We Pay at it's best.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=K2cYWfq--Nw - Someone with too much time and ink on their hands interprets a Daft Punk song.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vikb0rGosyI - Iggy & The Stooges performing "I Wanna Be Your Dog", brilliant of itself but made priceless by Iggy's psyching out of an innocent audience member.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qnIgXlvOQpo - Requiem.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xi-P-HWubbI - Classic Sopranos.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iPVMYDrbrCo - The Patti Smith Group performing "Free Money".

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oQyKZjkT2wY - Larry David's mistyped epitaph for his aunt.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vOMwg-g091U - Charlie Brooker presents the babyunderstander.

Hopefully we'll see you at The Ferry or Capitol, and, if not, at least bump into you at some point during our daily grind. Hope this finds you well

All the best

Adam Hodes Symbolics

REMEMBER: Radio was great, but now it's out of date - Symbolics are the thing this year