Hello You. Time for another breathless update from these pages, starting with news of a couple of live shows taking place in London this November. On Thursday 2nd I’ll be unveiling a new audio-visual live work with Psyche-Tropes’ Merkaba Macabre as part of ‘Butoh Experiments’ at Iklectik, an evening of performances hosted by the 2023 Rebellious Bodies International Butoh Dance Festival. Also live on the night will be Pascal Savy and Ben Jeans Houghton. Details and tickets here.
The very next day, Ken Hollings and I will roll out The Howling once more for MEMOREX: Bonfire of the BASF, an evening of ‘Misremembering’ at The Horse Hospital, hosted by Travis Elborough. Further delights come courtesy of a performance by dear old chum Kemper Norton, plus Ruth Bayer and Caroline Wise in conversation.
Two of my very favourite venues, both a hugely important part of London’s historic and cultural landscape and of course both under threat from nasty greedmonger developers as a result. Almost inevitable these days, isn’t it? But it does mean that both venues welcome custom and support more than ever, plus you can join the campaign to save Iklectik and its Old Paradise Yard home here.
Elsewhere, I was chuffed indeed to be the guest on a recent episode of the Audio.Com Podcast, where I chatted with host Ilia Rogatchevski about Howlround, my work as a sound archivist, the wonderful world of Radiophonics and that dirty word ‘obsolete’, while also playing random blasts from the back catalogue. Have a listen and then head straight to the latest episode which features the superb ‘Krautfolk Collective’ Staraya Derevyna.
Also check out my new Audio.com Profile page, which contains among other things, the Howling’s recent smash hit single ‘David Gest, Liza Minelli, Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor’ and a raw live demo recorded in one take with members of the crowd at last month’s ‘Dark Tales And Strange Sounds’ event at Copped Hall. Might just upload some more work in progress in the coming weeks there as well, as I’m currently awaiting the green light to move into a new studio space. Fingers crossed!
Speaking of smash hits, one outcome I had not anticipated in my own personal game of ‘outrageous fortune bingo’ was to have the aforementioned Howling smash hit single featured as part of the soundtrack to the catwalk show for fashion giant LOEWE’s Spring and Summer 2024 Collection. And yet here we are – Ken and I knee deep in the glamorous world of high couture, and it feels good and right. Never again will anyone dare to cast aspersions on my sartorial elegance! Might celebrate by investing in a pixelated hoodie:
And finally please cast your ears over ‘Ivy’, the rather splendid recent single by Benjamin Yellowitz. Can you hear just the faintest trace of tape machine echo in the background? It comes courtesy of Daphne, my semi-faithful UHER6000, who enjoyed a trip out Benjamin’s studio sometime last year. At the time the song was little more than an accapella and a clicktrack, so it’s amazing to hear how it’s blossomed in the interim. Bodes well for a future album!
Robin The Fog 