Dizasteroid is the general name I go by. No other reason than the name I thought of first. I've branched out into other areas as my sound is too diverse to have under one broad title on advice from my manager. I'm diversifying my existing portfolio into a few specific areas. One for beat, jazzy stuff, ambient/classical beat and classic bashing etc.
Plus - as from January 09 Im part of a dance/funk/+ (etc) band called HELP and we hope to be ready for touring next summer. I'll soon be adding those songs to this page as it may be handy for tendering them for placements etc. So far the HELP songs are all written by singer Niamh and myself but the rest of the band may soon be part of the writing team too.
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Just got new software. Getting one program to operate is like building a house of cards. Getting two programs to run together is like building a house of cards on top of the other house of cards.
Mee Life
Daft negative name? Yes. But it reflects the shit that went on in my life till recently.
Started piano about 8. Hey this guy must be shit h0t. N0t. Remove the h0t. A plonker that plays like wearing boxing gloves.
Moved to guitar. By 15 I was copying complicated rock + jazz solos from record. It became my weapon of mad destruction. By late 70s I was a young speedlead freek in rock bands round Dublin. 15 minuters like freebird were cool. Any excuse for a blow. Did cabaret. Sweet Caroline with wild hendrix solo. Not appreciated. I occasionally put the singer off. Out of control or what!?
Then the time in a Dub pub where I ended the night with a rocked up national anthem. A coke bottle flew at me with a shout of play it f'''in straight ya bollix!! well if Jimi H could do it..
DJed for a while. Wakkawokka. Still got zillions of records. Influenced by jazz, rock, reggae, soul, disco. and some big classical melodies.
Did a band stint in a Delhi Hotel for a few months in 1980. 1984 meself +2 jazzies won a Bewleys busking comp in Grafton St. Gypsy jazz stuff. Won a Waterford Crystal trophy. Gave us confidence to embark on a 2month busking crusade of France. Well breton musicians inundated Ireland with their brand of celtic music. We simply returned the compliment. After all my hero was Django. And Tal Farlow. And Larry Coryell. John McLaughlin. Plus Dublin's finest Louis Stewart. Jan Akkerman too. And of course George Benson. Zzzz. Eh whoops..
Then: got to late 80's: got married: got kids: got successful illustration design biz: got big house in town: got this got that: got no time for music anymore: got manic: got stressed out: got financial pressure: lost the biz: lost the house: lost major money: got depression: got headcrash: got a trip to luuny bin 2001: got out: got separation: got around again in 2004: and finally GOT BACK AT MUZIC!!
Scattered about my hard disk are bits of songs created in the last few years yet to be remastered. It's a digital scrapyard. I write lyrics but I cant sing them. Hence I always require singers.
I hope you find something interesting in my mad diverse selection. Please excuse as regularly I upload tracks prematurely and via replay on various machines highlights tons of errors.
Before joining BJ I naively remixed and stuck out old fave 45s unaware of the minefield I was stepping into. When the logistics began hitting me head on I withdrew all bar one. I still hold hope for Whole Lotta Love. Many Zep fans loved it so I kept it. Yes it defeats the BJ original song concept but I think the remix stands on its own merit. Actually I thought I took it off review but it charted so I thought ok keep it there. Some were naturally taken aback that I dared put it up.
My many thanks bit. The singers who kindly donated their time: Bree Harris, Maureen Smith (MoMo), Godfrey Chimganda (PureToneKing), Niamh Collins, Sarah + Willie Byrne, Cojo, Magda Joyce. Internet collabs: AFLIE, Gwenevered, Dimitri Wijesinghe, Thad Wheeler. I thank John & Holly COAB (Christ on a Bike) for doing two great remixes of Waterdance. Also the artists who gave kind permission to use their material: Paul Tarnopol (Brunswick records) Marshall Thompson (ChiLites), Steve TinTin Kipner, Paul Evans and his record label, Gilbert OSullivan, Chris Frantz (Talking Heads), Baby Cham, Jonathan King, Dr Lonnie Smith, Staalplaat Records representing Muslimgauze, Dr Jack Stamp + Gary Olmstead (Ozone Percussion Ensemble), J Steez, Demetrius. There arent words enough to thank Colm Jones (Cojo) for his endless support for my effort - especially in recording all my home singers. Without his input this project may never have left the ground. Also a mention for 'the head' a friend of old - Philip Begley for help along the way.
My project is still stuck on the runway though. Waiting for weather conditions to improve. Maybe I'll have clearance by 3007. Hopefully Ill still be around.
MAKE GOOD MUSIC - MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT - Ken