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miserylab | lab:report | two wrongs do make a right

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[15 May 2009 | Friday] 


it's that time again - sharpen your spurs - let the accusations fly - to be summarised amongst pages of abuse as arrogance and self importance .. who do I think I am ? writing my own thoughts in my own blog .. ?

[pauses]

well the live videos I've been posting recently appear to be generating some interest - thanks for all the positive comments and messages .. and in answer to a few arising questions - I will post more .. it's something constructive for me to do whilst contemplating what my next move will be ...

surprisingly I much prefer myspaces video features to youtube - the playback / sync and quality - appear to be far superior ...

it does take me some time to prepare for live renditions of miserylab - each song was originally written and constructed from layers of mono guitars - and no chords .. the live versions are the complete opposite - one guitar with reinterpreted melodies constructed from chords ..

it's probably quite obvious to most of you that I have been contemplating the possibility of performing live - and I have been offered a number of gigs ..

I do tend to think that I'm defeated before I begin - the practicalities ? .. I'm not in a position to put together a live band - though again I'm deeply flattered by those of you who have already offered your services - [ whether in jest or not ] .. rehearsal and travel costs would be difficult to finance .. my only other option would be to perform much in the way that I do in the videos - but going on my experience with rosetta stone - the moment you introduce an instrument that isn't be hit or plucked by a human being - you immediately open yourself to a barrage of criticism ... couple this with my complete an utter fear and despise of society and it begins to look unlikely ..

but who knows for sure ?

all this leaves me asking myself - 'where next ?' .. the answer in the short term is - I really don't know ... a conversation I had with a friend recently presented a few interesting points - although the advance in cheap technology and access to communication networks is a good thing from the perspective of allowing anyone the means to produce music and reach out to people via the internet - there is also a downside - quality control .. unfortunately this means as a 'new artist' - I find myself lost in a digital swamp surrounded by the enthusiastic but somewhat artistically deluded .. it's clear from my own own experience the 'dues' I paid during my time with rosetta stone count for nothing ... my supposed demographic simply is not propagating - and hasn't flourished beyond where it was at the time I released 'function creep' ... Is this a problem - I don't even know that it is ?

so do I just write album number four ? .. is there any excitement generated at that prospect ? - is it just to be expected because there's nowhere else for me to go ? ..

I still receive messages from people referencing the arrangements of my songs - predominantly about the linear approach and repetitive drum machine .. opinions are very useful to me - especially as I work alone .. and I took a great deal onboard prior to writing 'function creep' .. personally I think that complex programming and over-production would spoil miserylab - but I'd like to know what you all think .. is anyone craving a heavy polished and eclectic sounding album ?

incidentally does anyone comment on myspace ? .. or have all of you ended up on facebook ? [smiles]

click this link if you wish to subscribe to miserylab myspace video .. MLABTV

while I'm here - isn't the UK wonderful at the moment ? .. unregulated financial institutions bailed out - immoral members of parliament squandering public money - high unemployment - tax avoidance by the rich - violent policing - and a rise in fascism ..

dark times ...

porl

9:27 AM
 
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(The Infamous)Graveyard Junkie

 
i understand what you mean. where do we go from here? the idea of you doing live shows sounds really great in my opinion and i have a feeling it could be quite successful. i really do think Freedom is Work is a good album. i have come to realize i enjoy it more than "a death we can cure"( which i liked as well). now how does it compare to function creep? i dont know, they both have certain things i like about them. function creep was fresh and new sounding. but i really feel like your latest is just as good. hmmmm i guess maybe you can try and experiment on something a little different. maybe try something along the lines of vapor ware? i really dont know.

if your creativity is still flowing then just keep at it ;)
 
Posted by (The Infamous)Graveyard Junkie on [15 May 2009 | Friday] - 10:21 AM
[Reply to this] 
Matthew
Matthew North

 
Actually Ive found amazinglly that the video quality on facebook is actualy better than youtube and myspace, dpends on what you encode your video to before upload, but im using xvid and keeping the sound as pcm uncompressed, and so far I havent had any sunc issues, in the past on things like you tube i had use mpeg video and it was all over the place. Video is a very underrated tool as far as band promtion is concerned, though at the moment Im far more involved in video projects than anything else!
 
Posted by Matthew on [15 May 2009 | Friday] - 10:47 AM
[Reply to this] 
Katy
Katy kitten

 
I definitely think you should try to get some sort of live thing together. Stuff anyone who slags you off for not having all real instruments. They're not your true fans/friends and don't deserve to be given any attention.
I'm loving all your stuff so far, though Function Creep will always be my favourite.

And yes, isn't the UK wonderful - indeed :(

Katyx
 
Posted by Katy on [15 May 2009 | Friday] - 12:45 PM
[Reply to this] 
blacknuns

 
Hello porl,i'm not such a big believer in the use of alot of programming stuff in music but as you stated that is where you are at with your music.I was a big fan of your work with rosetta stone and was lucky enough to have seen the band here in the states once.I'm glad that you are making music you enjoy and i will continue to follow your work.Cheers Ron
 
Posted by blacknuns on [15 May 2009 | Friday] - 2:05 PM
[Reply to this] 
Graham
Graham Chisnall

 
I've seen loads of bands using backing tracks. As long as your guitar and vocal are live I doubt anyone who "gets" Miserylab would complain... Personally I'd love to see Miserylab in a live setting, and I promise I won't shout for Adrenaline (much) :)

As for future stuff, I've always believed that an artist should write for him/herself, NOT what they believe the audience wants to hear. I always listened to Rosetta because I loved the tunes. I listen to Miserylab because I love the lyrics. I think Freedom Is Work is the best album yet. Would a polished and overproduced album have fitted in with the lyrics as well?

Still use Myspace for music, but have gravitated towards FB for general chit chat....

PS you self-indulgent wanker for daring to write your own thoughts in your own blog! :)
 
Posted by Graham on [15 May 2009 | Friday] - 7:07 PM
[Reply to this] 
Dan

 
Hi Porl - I think playing live would be a very good move, and the live vids you've been posting (which are excellent by the way) prove that it's possible and would sound good - and you could sell cds etc at the gigs. Even if you just had someone else on keyboards and to control a backing track - I'm sure it'll only take four hours for me to get to you with a car full of Korgs :)?
As for your question about the next move, I personally would love to hear a different sound or approach on your next stuff - it's not as though you have a record company breathing down your neck in terms of having to come up with a specific sound or anything so I say have an experiment!
 
Posted by Dan on [16 May 2009 | Saturday] - 11:52 AM
[Reply to this] 
Darla Dark

 
just received my copy of freedom is work. thank-you it is beautiful.
i definitely think that you should find a way to make miserylab live.
maybe that will evolve into a 'polished' album. although your compositions are
in my ears - polished. in the mean time carry on doing what you are doing
it's working. ]: ).
 
Posted by Darla Dark on [16 May 2009 | Saturday] - 1:41 PM
[Reply to this] 
Strolva

 
Miserylab Live would be fantastic, I understand how you could be apprehensive about doing it, but at the end of the day you have choice and control how it happens. You could have a private venue and do invites in a similar fashion to how you have sold albums.

Where to go musically....you could do something new and come back to Miserylab, I'm quite interested to hear new musings, plus a change is as good as a rest. How do you feel about your music and where it and yourself are going?.

I loved the videos, it was such a great idea. Nice to see you performing kinda live, adds a warmth to it all.

Whatever happens, I'll be looking forward to seeing how it goes, as it has been rather fantastic so far.



 
Posted by Strolva on [16 May 2009 | Saturday] - 6:44 PM
[Reply to this] 
Passion Play

 
This is a quandry... I fully understand your reasons against playing live up to now - and I also think that whatever the formula in use and its level of success, it does need to be changed every so often to spark curiosity and shed new light on things.

I can't comment on the new album yet as I'm still waiting for it to arrive after the posting problems we've already spoken about, but I am concerned that simply marching on to album number four is going to leave an awful lot of great music under a largely unturned stone (no pun intended).

Solutions? Third party promotion (press agent, booking agency), but these would require live performances at some stage (oh look, they're just pouring out today) to provide a hook to hang their work on. I realise that any thoughts on live shows might be moot, but if they're a possibility (and I do think they could be key to attracting attention) then I've sent you some thoughts separately in a personal message.

As for the approach to the next album, no - I'm not craving a heavily polished production and I agree that complex programming and over-production would spoil Miserylab. But I wouldn't start with any shackles either - just follow your ears. You can always throw it open to others to produce or remix (in full or in part) and see what comes back - it gives you options to take or leave and can be done in parallel to your own work, so the writing phase is left uncomplicated. For some songs the simple drum machine works best - for others I'd use it during writing and then get a drummer to play a V-Drum kit to capture a human performance and take your pick of sounds afterwards from Superior Drummer, BFD or the like. Likewise with bass instead of only bass synths. Neither requires a radical departure but could introduce a more human and organic feel to balance the machines. It might just be the new compound to start the reaction... what is a lab if not a place to experiment?

Just my 2c...
 
Posted by Passion Play on [17 May 2009 | Sunday] - 2:42 PM
[Reply to this] 
miserylab



Last Updated: 11/26/2009

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