Well we've (AKA my housemates and me) managed to claim new beds, bulbs and beyond from our fresh landlord.

He runs one of the local corner shops we all use fairly regularly for sundries, and often treats, and knows us fairly well. We had no idea he was a lord of land in these parts. Good show to be honest, free things and pretty much a public office for queries from che 'the house pimp'.

It's been one of the easiest moves I've made in a long while, I've been given a week to move out of my current place for free! I think the current landlord is sorry to see us go to be honest, we have after all been the best kind of tenants, AKA ones that fix things themselves.

Although the protracted change over has left the old house looking a bit weird, with half empty rooms and boxes everywhere. The last things to go will be the posters, after that this hallowed house will have reclaimed itself. All the doors have creaked since we moved in, despite efforts to the contrary and the smell of the place is creeping back. It'd have been nice to have left a mark of roast garlic, baked bread and weed on the place, but I think the walls are sweating with frustration at our over running. It reeks of the old tenants now or at least, how it did when we first moved in. Odd.

I've been getting pretty excited about the random things we have planned for this summer. Planned and payed for and just planned so long as we can muster the chance and chutzpah to follow through. Most of them seem to be musical at the moment, I'm not too sure how heathly that is, but there you go. It seems a waste to not use the fact that I'm going to be living with two pretty shroud musicians, that I... in the words of Carl of ATHF, 'rethspect'.

This may include:

1. Re-recording of St Anger with a REAL snare, entitled Mitlca Presents: Stanger.

2. A full length pseudo compilation of cross genre tracks ranging from Emperor inspired Black Metal and 'plush' garden variety 'Emotional Hardcore' to Drum and Bass and 70s Disco, that may or may not be entitiled 'Dude, This IS The Scene.

3. Some, Bee Shocked Technique concept album of a ficticious ill faited live US tour called, Bee Shocked Technique Are Comming, Inside America.

4. Oh and I ought to finish that Bee Stealers EP... but I'm uninspired by solo efforts lately, so this may take time. I had to remove the last track I 'completed' from myspace to remix it about 24 hours. I'm not sure what it is, but none of it sounds right atm....

Sweet...



Super sweet...



---- also, I can't get this song out of my head...

I'm not sure how I feel about packing up my life into boxes. I'm moving house next week, still in Birmingham mind. We've been in this house for 2 years now and like the foolishly named, but unwanted puppy... I've gotten attached. We 've managed to seep into the walls it seems.

Then there's the packing landmines:

I was clearing away one of my cupboards and found some things of an ex girlfriend and choked. It brought a tear to my eye and a flood of memories that knocked the breath out of me for a moment.

I lived with her in a few places for about 2.5 years, but the feelings weren't of desire or misguided feelings of love for her. It was happier than that, for a long time I have kind of resented the memory of her, a fairy tale relationship tarred by a messy break up, neither of us really wanted, but one which became essential for our peace of mind. She was mostly a fruit and nut bar with the emotional maturity of a 15 year old and the academic aptitude of a 40 year old professor. That's a whole other story many have heard before, at great length. But this isn't a rant about girls, sorry dudes.

Anywho... I found a scrap book of our first holiday together and other various photos, as well as a few cosmetics and a hoodie of hers. It made me remember the good times, clearly. I miss the company of a girlfriend loads at the moment. Getting ready to go out together, cosy nights in and all that military precision of a young couple at the airport.

I put things off and pushed girls I like away beacause of my course and made excuses about everyone leaving and long distance killing ALL of my relationships (true story) etc... but that was just commitment avoidance, excuses. I pobably, totally unintentionally, hurt a few hearts over this. Silly really, that commitment is really rewarding!

I wanna grebbo girlfriend that has pink things in her room and leaves glitter behind if she stays somewhere. Nobody knows where this secret glitter comes from, but they all do it .

Went home for the weekend. It's the first time I've seen my parents since before the exams and therefore my birthday! D'oh.

We did a lot of walking, which is always good, around one of the local National Trust sites. Mom still has loads of work to do for Uni so is sketching everything and anything in every medium at the mo. She's doing movement studies at the moment, lots of water and leaves then, lol. She was told this week that she'd be exibiting at the New Designers Somethin-or-over event next year, so I think she's finally realised she might have to take the academic side of her course seriously. She's really only been using it for all the workshops and a bit of a social if she's honest.

Funny. My mom has always been a good artist, but it took a motorbike accident to make her take it up full time and now she's approaching 50 she's finally getting 'qualified'. I love her designs and wouldn't be surprised if they end up in Habitat or John Lewis or something. Inspired and inspiring. I hope I have the courage and option or opportunity to change my career path that drastically one day.

I am at peace with music that used to set off my very real emo side due to attachment and memory, I can now once again listen to:

1. Bright Eyes, I'm Wide Awake It's Morning.

2. All of Death Cab For Cutie.

3. My Chemical Romance, various songs including I Don't Love You.

4. Modest Mouse, Moon and Antarctica.


I think I give away too much... I've been reading some of my posts online, I seem to add 2-3 sentences of emo drivel or unnecessary detail to things. This must stop. Maybe.

Also:

HOW BORING ARE MY POSTS..... I need to get a camera at some point soon, photos are always good. Even I don't read blogs of pages and pages of type... JEEZ!

It's official I am vindicated!!

Thats 4 years of:-

• Drinking


• Smoking


• Snorting


• Dropping


• Popping


• Dancing


• Flirting


• Robbing


• Fucking


• Chatting IN class


• Playing a whole lotta music


and


• Not studying

And the idiots decide to give me a 2.1 !!!!!

I feel on top of some very high thing a bit like the moon, but a whole lot warmer . I think my project really sorted me out, I ending up dropping two modules like they were hot. One with a 26!

Thats like the stupidest mark in the world. They didn't accept my coursework for it because I used an alternative programming language AND the lecturer changed the exam style without warning us for this year. Bleh, care now? NO.

In celebration of my results and the stress of revising and waiting for results, there will be a new Bee Stealers EP in the next few weeks. It's looking set to be a good lil package, if I do say so myself. I'm not sure how 'bangin' I wanna make it, but I will supply tasters to myspazz.

In fact there's a new track as promised up to hear now. It's another jazzy prog driving tune... it had journey written all over it for me, it's called.

Destination 10 to 34

I've been listening to The Flaming Lips quite a bit and they're song titles are rubbing something off and onto me . Expect more songs and song titles over the next few weeks.

In other music related news. We're (AKA The Bee Shocked Technique) re-recording St Anger.

It could have been a good album, but it sounds like shite, so we're re-recording it without a fryingpan as a snare drum.

We're calling it Stanger by the ultimate aussie band Mitlca.

I know it's been a while, but ya know... I've been busy and shite. Now I'm gonna have to go and spend about a million million hours looking through everyone's blogs. Not a chor.

I hope nobody's died.

Hope all's good in the world of SG.

Oh... I know there are no new photos either, but I still don't have a camera and surprisingly nobody has been taking loads over the last few weeks. You will get to see me in a dress and silly hat though soon, holding a plastic scroll. Sweet.

And... relax...... to clarify, the last post was in reference to my finals and the end of my, at least for the time being, educational career.

They were long and arduous. But maybe, just maybe I will be honoured once agian by the never ending curse of mine; to fall eternally through the net, coasting. He said with fingers crossed and adverted gaze.

Anywho this is why I haven't been updating. I suppose I could say everything was back to normal but, that would not be a truth. Truth is I don't really know what normal's gonna be for awhile and that's really cool, I have very little responsibility at the moment... . Just job searching and band promotion to do and a house for living to find.

I think I'm in love!!!!!

With last.fm...

It's amazing, I'm finding myself getting all excited when mondays come around and I can check my 'weeks most played'. It's been really fun tracking my own music tastes via the stats on my profile. I had no idea what I was into before and slowly but surly a pattern is starting to emerge from the play lists that makes more sense than I dare to speak of, lol.

I tend to list bands, like most people do, when I have to tell people what kind of music I like, in my hipster ways though I usually list odd underground acts nobody but me listens to. I do this mostly because I think most 'alt' people (the kind I likely to be talking to) can judge pretty quickly on the contents of your iPod if they know the bands your talking about, if you list obscure stuff they just laugh and don't get heavily involved, conversation continues. There's nothing worse than getting stick and being ignored by that guy in a Nile t-shirt for saying you like Fall Out Boy or those hot emo girls when you mention some British indie band like Elbow and not The Shins, Death Cab For Cutie etc....

But now the veil has been lifted, I think I covinced myself that I loved Wolf Eyes and Mouse On Mars more than I really did. Not that I don't love experimental music, but (un)surprisingly the top 10 on my most played is a pretty good synopsys of me and my tastes.

My Last.FM Profile

Needs to be mentioned



I have been singing this in the street with the guys a lot recently . I love it, the weather and the song and the heralds of a true English summer time .

I know I may have already posted this, but it can't hurt to say again.

Bee Stealers @ Pritchattsbury Festival, Acoustic Stage, Birmingham ON 7th June

---- Me all me, for about 30mins, lol. It's the first time in about 2 years that I've taken to a stage alone, but it should be fun. I'll be playing original material on guitar and piano mid afternoon... plus a Nirvana cover probably , to bleak everyone out at the end of my set .


Bee Shocked techniQue @ Connect 4, Island Bar, Birmigham ON 12th June

---- Live electronica night should be a laugh the title ofr this show is 'Having Fun Blow Dryer Gun'. This fits into the story of The Bear sort of... we figure he's been briefed by the Lavish Lion and is getting himself tarted up for his arrival. Check the myspace for complete story details

Bee Shocked techniQue

Oh yeah, we have a website now .


The War Room @ Valefest, Birmingham ON I dunno actually... it's pretty well advertised I'm just an idiot.

---- This will be the first gig without Dick in the band... So also the first one with me playing guitar to
. I'm a bit nervous already, lol. It'll be fine though and I'll get a chance to get out from behind my keyboards and have some quality time with the audience. Dobbins.


Was that all a little over-explained? Probably, but ya know... once I get typing I find it hard to stop ... good times, good times...

This is one of those boring photo updates that I hear about so much... I wanted one!

I got a hair cut today, at a real barber shop and everything, called The Electric Chair. Sweet name. Dad said he'd be cool enough to pay for it so I said I'd tag along with him for his cut. I usually feel when the loan comes in at the start of term I should get my mop chopped off and more often than not AKA everytime, I end up going to Essensuals in the Mail Box in Brum. Bit Lavish and it only grows out (it's not like I go more than twice a year ).

Before: Mild Mannered Emo Boy


To

After: Genuine Chav Space Monkey



In only 10 minutes. I've never had such a quick hair cut, lol. I like it . Plus I won't have to keep blowing my fringe out of my face when I'm sitting in exam halls. Dobbine.

This does mean my new colourful profile pic is out of date already. But I like it too much to change, even if I am looking away from the camera and at some odd mypazz pose... Bleh. Cameras make me do silly things. Photos do not represent me .... muchly .

Right. I promised a mega rant and now here we go.

There has been a bit of a shift in the balance of powers in my little world and it's kinda big news for both the bands that I play within and social constructs.

Basically the lead guitarist of The War Room has left the band after being confronted with his commitment issues with the act.

The story follows thus:

Last year this Dick (we'll call the guitarist this for now), decided he wanted to start a fashionable indie/electro act with another guitarist friend of his. The mission being to create cool, dancable, indie music with full on hard rock and total electro break downs, nice idea, nu-rave was soooo in. The act was completed by G-Shock on drums and myself playing bass guitar and synths.

The act struggled with names for a long time untill I saw a box in Al's (Dicks co guitarist) house labelled, Beth's Toys. I thought that sounded like a cool name, but I had issues with real Beth's of my past so I suggested BEST TOYS. It stuck, a legend was born and the Paradise Circus EP was recorded. The instant success of the act surprised us all, with acoustic sessions on Kerrang radio's unsigned show and gigs booked all over the west midlands within 5 months of getting started. Dick however thought we had already made it and his coke and 'sexy party' lifestyle led him to believe he was above the music. He confronted me one afternoon, suited and booted and told me... 'Al and I are kicking G-Shock out the band, he's (more talented than me - Ed) not got the commitment, do you still want to play for us'. I try to reason with him, he sights G-Shock not being able to practice on friday nights as his lack of commitment . It seems my opinion is second to the real band members Dick and Al.

Squeeze fucking me, but aren't I an equal member of this show? It seems no. I tell him if that's the way he runs a business he's a twat and I'd rather loose the chance to 'make it' with a bunch of idiots that end up making me hate the job I've dreamed of having since childhood...

So Best Toys fall before they have really learned to stand.

Now the politics that followed are mad. Dick still plays with G-Shock and myself in another band The War Room... tense... yes. Dick drifts away from everyone, the other guys in TWR loose respect and contact with a guy not really bothered by the climate. Dick's personal life gets more and more absurd and true colours shine.

Now he has gone after missing a few booked practices and studio time. He still lives with our enigmatic Irish frontman, they're still mates. But essentially Dick is dead to most people now.

THEN.... it turns out that the reason for the drifting distance and Dick's dickish behaviour is that he has kept Best Toys going with Al in secret. They have found a couple of weak minded and talentless lackies to play bass and drums while they prance and snort their gay ways across small stages. Now them having another band is cool, but thye have stolen what was ours, but is essentially my name for the act. They have also been promoting themselves with the EP we recorded last year. Now stop me if I'm wrong, but don't you usually need the artists permission for public playing of music?

FUCKING TWATS... it's just not cool, intelligent, kosher or fucking cricket!

Ding dong the witch is dead I hope they fucking OD. The new myspace is full of gay little quips at G-Shock and me to, like, we would have mega super synth sounds if we owned one and the drummer listed as super commited. What the fuck, they're children just idiot children...

On the positive side of things. The War Room now sound 10x as good without the 3 minute guitar solos and Dicks ugly face ruining our stage show. Plus I get to play guitar as well as keys now YAY!


I'm sad because through the actions of one Dick I lost a whole group of good mates in the form of Al and his housemates. They used to be so close, but Dick used his closeness to Al to ba mouth G-Shock and I to a whole collection of people. He has a spiteful tongue and his arrogance prevented his from being able to admit that it all fell down because he was a twat and handled something sooo badly.


I'm sad because Dick used to be such a good friend. A metal head through and through, that showed me how beautiful Black Metal can be and someone I would have long chats about Pink Floyd and girlfriends with. A compadre to go on the pull with, the guy that I sat onto of the Uni Library roof with at 4 in the morning to smoke a J after a night of mind melting narcotics. Someone I had love and respect for. Now through nobody's fault but his, he's a skinny white jeans wearing, The Kooks and The Killers listening indie ponce, that has dillusions of grandure and says nasty things to nice people because he thinks he's better than anyone because he... 'Wised up and forgot about metal'. Big shame. Bigger shame because I don't miss him at all.

There is so much more I could say about all of this, but it gets too much like bitching about an ex, only this ex is two people... that shit hurts.



The early days, good times. You can see my arm in the bottom right if you look close. I used to play 'off stage'

This is my happy place. We changed the name again, but this time it's gonna stick. Promise.

New show lined up for 12th June. Connect 4 @ Island Bar. Come see us. The new myspace for this act will be up and running soon with samples of madness for your ears.

Please note: These tracks will not represent us at all in any way .

The War Room are playing Valefest day festival in Brum. Come see us.

I wish I could write more, but I'm tired emotionally and really...

What a lovely week of lovely music.

Went to see Elbow on thursday and thoroughly enjoyed a great show. The band had effortless grace and charm through the faultless sound and technique, but also the wonderful connection they made with the audience. What lovely young men, lol. I genuinely felt I had left 'An Audience WIth Elbow', like I'd just made friends with 5 guys and the 3 wonderful girlie strings players... mmmmmm... string musicians .



Then last night a mixed bag of metal, indie and results. A mate had an acoustic set at Scruffy's in town so I said I'd join the guy for the show, there were a few compadres doing the promoting and the wonderful Half Day Closing were playing to and I'm a bit of a fan. Although I did miss their set, I felt terrible, sort of.

The acoustic set was a solo guitar type thing that The War Room manager does called Sexy Results. He says solo acoustic guitar shows pretty much guarantee sexy results, nobody could argue, so the name stuck, lol. Following this fantastic set of the same 5 songs he's been playing for the last 4 years... we walked the 50m to the Academy to catch Supergrass, for free. The set was a pretty good belt out of the hits parade from their, now, very long career. I was a little frustrated by the sound though, I don't know whether it was just the Academy (known for it's muddy qualities, beautifully absent for Elbow however), but they had a wall of crashing guitar pub rock through most of the set. I always expect a mature band to have a mature sound live, but they didn't. Maybe that's the charm for the die-hard fans, but it bugs me. The rest of the night was spent drinking more of the fine and cheap beer supplied by Scruffy's and an 'interesting (not) Hatebreed but not even as good ultimate generic metal act' Leather Pig. From the name I was expecting something odd and people had said they were like System, but with some expansive Deftones moments, they weren't.

Comment on this set... I rarely advertise my true intent on SG, but here's a pretty good example.

Harlequin - Cellove

I've been a massive stoner for as long as my living memory can remember. My memory having been scarred and holed to the point of now resembling a potato grade collinder by these years of narcotic abuse, this isn't a very long time releative to te world, but it's slowly creeping up to have been half my life.

Weed is a potent creative aid, I have used it over the years to assist in musical and artistic endevours and there is no doubt that; the way it has made me think about things in this world has shaped my character and ideas. From early years of childlike experimentation, a product of intense curiosity in chemical power and peer pressure, to the long nights discussing 20th century philosophy, pop culture and architecture's effects on our western social contruct etc... (come we were fucking soned).

But the line between creative tool and self destructive addiction is so thin. Our Lady MJ has so many other negative traits and some of them may be hidden to me in the dim light of our present, unlit by any bright retrospect. It makes me lathargic, something about memory, shy (of all things, the paranoia can be fun... but it's not like mushroom fear), is fairly expensive and socially exclusive.

I think the war with my addictions only rears it's white powdered, smokey head a few times per annum, but the war is very real and I can't help but feel I have only won a quarter of the battles. At times like this in my life it's that I ask myself, what could I have achieved? I hate asking 'what if?' questions, they are a fools preoccupation only worth while to those whom possess the power of time travel. So I will reword this to give it a more potent meaning... What can or what will or what could I achieve without a responsiblity to a substance?

My teachers at high school told me many times, that; I could achieve and had the potential to accomplish anything I desired and then applied myself to. They were right, but I didn't apply myself to everything in my life, least of all anything that was essential to my future. I am yet another stat of the power of coasting... am I proud of this achievement? Yes, no regrets. But maybe it's time I thought about something that lasts longer than the length of an Aqua Teen Hunger Force espisode and smells like a cancer ward...

This last few weeks I have been listening to:

1. Animal Collective.
2. MGMT.
3. Battles.
4. The Mars Volta.
5. Bjork (always listening to that).
6. A Certain Ratio.

It struck me the other day that these acts are, on the most part, freaky jazz! Aren't they. Do I secretly like jazz? Can someone whom knows more about these things tell me whether this is a secret love of jazz? I mean it's nothing fusion and it is all pop music really or mostly... I don't know anymore, but hearing those soloists lead a threepiece around some freaky piano jazz broken garden path usually makes me phyisically sick (really he's not lying, I've seen him run to the toilet after seeing freaky fusion on Jools Holland - Ed)...

Do you ever feel that you've learnt so much that you've gone full circle and now know absolutely nothing at all?





I do.