THE COLDHARBOUR DIARIES: i have just filmed a promo

THE COLDHARBOUR DIARIES: Jon feels like Madonna

I have just released a digital album, and—partly as an experiment to see if what people say about the current state of the music  industry—and partly to stoke my massive ego, I am actually trying to promote it for a change, but sharing my experiences with you guys in readershipland...

https://jondownes1.bandcamp.com/releases

I know how Madonna feels now, as her royalties come pouring in. I have now sold TWO copies of my new record, 'Coldharbour', and I am remarkably pleased with myself. For years I have just put my new music up on Spotify and basically forgotten it. Now, just for fun, I am playing the promotion game (and hoping that whatever I learn from these PR games will assist me in my day jobs with the CFZ and Gonzo). I have even started an EPK for anyopne who wants to review the record. Please email me on jon@eclipse.co.uk if that is the case, and please be nice. My ego is far too fragile for the sort of criticism that some reviewers dish out.  

Coldharbour, by the way, can be found here: https://jondownes1.bandcamp.com/releases

I think it is really rather good, but then again I would say that wouldn't I?

THE COLDHARBOUR DIARIES: Judy and the Aliens

 I have just released a digital album, and—partly as an experiment to see if what people say about the current state of the music  industry—and partly to stoke my massive ego, I am actually trying to promote it for a change, but sharing my experiences with you guys in readershipland...

https://jondownes1.bandcamp.com/releases

I received a very interesting snippet of knowledge the other day.

According to one of the books by Joan Aitken, a cold harbour was an unofficial place of safety, maintained by vagrants and vagabonds. I had been reading Aitken’s Cold Shoulder Road whilst I was mixing the album.

However my old friend Judy Ja’afar one time head honchess of BUFORA (the British UFO Research Organisation, if you didn’t know) thought I was being crafty in my titling:

“Project Cobra Mist run out of Orford Ness and East Anglia bases leased to America. Allegedly pulled in 69/70 but continued under the name Cold Harbour. There is much to tell, but not on here.”

Art imitating life again..

WHAT A GOOD LOOKING FELLOW

THE COLDHARBOUR DIARIES: A sale!

I have just released a digital album, and—partly as an experiment to see if what people say about the current state of the music  industry—and partly to stoke my massive ego, I am actually trying to promote it for a change, but sharing my experiences with you guys in readershipland...

https://jondownes1.bandcamp.com/releases

THURSDAY, 30th

I have to say that playing at being a record company mogul is both entertaining and frustrating. I truly have no idea how Gonzo Multimedia Grande Fromage Rob Ayling does it. Or even why he would want to. But I can proudly say that I can no longer say that I have not sold any coipies of the new album Coldharbour.

When I came downstairs this morning I opened my e-mails to find that I have actually sold one, and I am unreasonably pleased about the fact.

Hooray!

BUY THE DEBUT RECORD FROM XTUL (which is nothing to do with Jon, honest)

As many of you will know, the team behind the Centre for Fortean Zoology and Gonzo Weekly Magazine are also responsible for various other projects. These include a non-profit community record company called Wyrd, which specialises in putting out limited editions of peculiar little records that nobody else would be likely to touch with a metaphorical barge pole. And here we have news of the latest release!

After years of rumours, Xtul are finally releasing their first hardcopy EP. It is pretty much what you would expect from a band consisting of peculiar mutants, who live in a redoubt deep in the dank woodlands of North Cornwall. In The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis said that one should never trust something that used to be human, but isn’t now.

As Xtul consists of a man in a wheelchair with the head of an elephant, a little girl with goat’s legs and the statuesque woman with the face of a skull, (and most definitely does NOT include Jon Downes, although he will admit to having produced it and having played guitar on a couple of tracks) you probably shouldn’t trust this lot. The five track record tells a narrative story which explains how the elephant man and the goat girl came to be, and the story is told in a genre mashing mixture of hiphop, folk, prog and avant-something or other, with a smattering of musique concrète.

But you can find out more about them! All you have to do is read this book: 

Check it out on Amazon.co.uk

And you can buy this remarkable 5 track record, which has a running time of just over half an hour, from those jolly nice people at Wyrd, utilising the Paypal button below. Do not worry about currency conversion. Although, the payment is in GBP, Paypal will do any conversion necessary for you. Gosh, isn’t the 21st century wonderful?

Buy Jon's new Single

FOUR TRACKS:

ONLY THREE QUID PLUS POSTAGE, AND i WILL SIGN IT FOR YA

Jon talks to Martin about breathing for the last time!!

The latest issues of Gonzo Weekly features an article and interview with 4th Eden discussing the new Our Last Breath EP, a few mentions about some friends and the possible demise of Soundcloud...maybe!


http://www.flipsnack.com/9FE5CEE9E8C/gonzo-172.html

A new CD Single from 4th Eden. Is this a breath of fresh air?

So some much needed musical delights at last from the 4th Eden camp.
The new CD single is called 'Our Last Breath' is a collaboration with Stargrace and Lamara-Marie Graham.

The CD single consists of 3 tracks:

1. Our Last Breath (Radio Edit)
2. Our Last Breath (Original)
3. Our Last Breath (Annihilation Mix)

Martin states' Well I wrote the main body of the music to begin with but I've been told that the lyrics are written from the perspective of the last human alive in an alternate dark future, where for humanity the breath is a distant memory. Phew! Well I didn't get it so you'll have to use your imagination!"

He also comments" the influences for original track came from us watching 'The World's End' movie back in 2013. It was great to hear "The Sisters Of Mercy's - This Corrosion" in this comedy about robots!! So I wanted to make my own goth take on it with choirs and a few robots sounds! The girls then communicated through cyberspace and came up with the lyrics. I left them to it and hey presto, OUR LAST BREATH was born!"

The main architecture of the song was written back in 2013. The lyrics and wonderful vocals of the two ladies followed.

For a while it was just the original version that existed. However, there was an extra section composed which made into a dance track not too dissimilar to Chicane. These became the Radio Edit and the Annihilation Mix.

The single is available as a limited physical CD through Wyrd Records and it can also be downloaded through Bandcamp.

https://4th-eden.bandcamp.com/album/our-last-breath

4th Eden on front cover of Gonzo Weekly

For the very first time, 4th Eden not only get an interview in a magazine but by-jingo by-crikey he's on the front page!

So with the help of Steve Rider, we went out to Hartland in North Devon to do the photo-shoot. Firstly, at the folly and then to the standing stone the other side of the valley.

Martin talks the Jon about the new album, 'Pictures On A Soundscape' and what inspired since his 'Organik Refektion' EP.

Jon describes the album as a rare patch of wasteland somewhere between the lush gardens of Brian Eno, and the experimental playground of Cornelius Cardew.

I guess that means he likes it!

4th Eden goes all soundscapy

4th Eden (aka Martin Eve) has finally released his second album called 'Pictures On A Soundscape'. Written over the past three years this collection of nine tracks takes you on a journey through an electronic landscape.

With contributions from Soundcloud chums, Graham Lavallin and Christian Granquist, this album is very different from album no 1, Infinity.

All production, mixing and mastering took place in his home studio in North Devon over the summer in between his 2nd year and 3rd year college course.

It can be purchased at all major download sites and a physical CD is expected by the end of the year.

MIKE AND JON: Live at the Fairy Ball

In the 33 years we have known each other this is only the second gig we have ever played together...

XTUL vs Britannia Potts: Hymn to Pan

It seems appropriate for today

MIKE DAVIS: The Beginning

The story of the emergence of the human species in four minutes and two chords. Only Mike would attempt this, and certainly only Mike would pull it off.

The Making of Organik Reflektion

Here's an insight into Martin's video, 'Organik Reflektion' and some of the video clips used to create the arty abstract video. He clearly needs to practice on the windchimes!

Cattle Rattle is here!

So another offering from 4th Eden!
Here's the video for the Track, Cattle Rattle! It taken from the Organik Reflektion EP.

It features many old Cowboy Western movies some old Disney cartoons and a brief audio clip from Blazing Saddles.

This went down well at the Reflektions gig last month.

JON DOWNES: Live at Reflektions

ORGANIK REFLEKTION ON SPOTIFY

https://open.spotify.com/album/6zMIW2bCJcnVF6Ov8uv8fw

REFLEKTIONS IN THE PAPER