Solar Bud - aka Andy Hunt - began his musical life as a guitarist.
After spending years in the obligatory cover bands, Andy recorded some of his best material with an outfit called the Green Inspiration Band (www.greeninspirationband.com) in Swansea - heavy psychedelic rock.
Other bands Andy has played in include the (international) Electric Druids, and more recently the Dandelion Clocks.
Andy's tastes have always been eclectic, and he has consistently refused to limit himself to activity in one kind of music or another. He draws his influences from rock (psychedelic and otherwise), folk, dance (of all descriptions), blues, and the sounds of the natural world.
From an early age, Andy has immersed himself in the natural world, and living in harmony with nature is one of his guiding principles. This means that as a fan of electronic gadgetry of all descriptions, a commitment to renewable energy and sustainable living is a 'must'. Andy runs a couple of blogs, one of which is 'green cottage', a diary of sustainable living in his modest two-up, two-down end terrace in Lancashire:
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Andy became involved with dance music through some friends who told him that the dance community were exactly the community he was looking for, and would help him promote Earth-friendly living and raise money for alternative energy projects.
After a bad experience promoting parties in Manchester, Andy lost heart for a while, as it seemed to him that this promise had proved false, and that the dance community really only cared about self-indulgence and hedonistic excess.
However, not one to give up, Andy decided that if he was to be able to communicate with people in the dance community, he would have to do it through his own music. To this end, he adopted the name 'Solar Bud' (after a Swansea punk rock band whose drummer sadly died), and wrote his first dance album, "Lightning Harvest". The double album refuses to be pigeonholed, and although not derivative, encompasses many different styles of music - from psychedelic trance and techno to celtic folk and hard euphoric dance.
Andy also plays in a 'New Age' Celtic folk acoustic trio. As a musician, he consistently pushes the boundaries and refuses to be confined by fashion or the 'market' sound. He believes in freedom of expression and free inspiration.
Andy can be found playing at free parties, clubs and festivals alike. Wherever you find him playing, you will know that the event organisers have agreed to tackle the carbon emissions associated with the event, as Andy will only play at forward-looking 'green' events on principle. He has a record of successfully influencing events to look at alternative energy options and reduce their carbon footprint, and is always looking for new 'green' event collaborations.
Influences
Astral Projection, Doof, Binary Finary, The Secret, Distortion Orchestra, Zen Terrorists, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, PK Allott, James Hollingsworth, Jebo, Roy Harper, Ozric Tentacles, Eat Static, Megadog parties/festival, Stay Up Forever acid tekno, Tim Blake, Hawkwind, Clannad, Pentangle, Tinrib, Green Inspiration Band, Lab4, Vibe Tribe, Loreena McKennitt, Mary McLaughlin, Maire Brennan, Stafford Beer, John Hurford, Solar Bud (Canadian solar pyrographer), Keiretsu, Barenaked Ladies, Spacemen 3, Steve Hillage, John Renbourne, Dezi, Jerry Sinewave, Goa trance, acid trance, psychedelic trance, ambient electronica, Celtic folk, J.S. Bach, Gustav Holst, Paul Brennan, AfroCelts, Joni Mitchell, Sandy Denny, Rob Hopkins, Jim Kunstler, Richard Heinberg, Colin Campbell, Jim Hanson, Jim Henson
Sounds Like
Hard melodic psychedelic techno trance with a Celtic twist
Solar Bud's - "Lightning Harvest" -
The ultimate union.
From British artist Solar Bud, "Lightning Harvest" is a CD of powerful dance music spanning a wide variety of styles.
With its basis in hard techno trance, bringing in psychedelic ambient sounds and hard dance too, this album is a fusion of a multitude of electric dance styles, a unique work of art for any dj portfolio or bedroom soundsystem.
Both esoteric and danceable, the tracks were made with solar electricity for a sound which is totally in harmony with nature. "Lightning Harvest" is the fusion of organic and digital, the union of technology and nature.
Since the dawn of earth spiritualism and pagan culture, people have spoken of the time when the iron structures of industrial society will give way to a new age of revived compassion with the planet which gave us birth, a new enlightenment and way of living in harmony with the eternally powerful force of nature.
Now the time of transition to that new age is upon us. The earth is preparing to cleanse herself. The beginning of the end of the fossil fuel age heralds industrial collapse, and a new way of sustainable living rises like a phoenix from the ashes.
The children of the sun are awaking to a fiery new dawn. Humanity begins to come of age.
Individual tracks from the
album are available from
｡☆* Hi .. Hope alls well with you ,,i thought i would post the player again as it has 15 new vids now and free downloads available for fans. Hope you enjoy 〩 and Hope you have a great day!!Best Regards from Erik The Viking
EY UP! Aye will hopefully get to see your set aswel :) Are you doing a live set or djing? Will be good to meet you! (I might have already met you, apologies if thats the case, I have a terrible memory). Take caRE :)
aaaaah, ood man :D i thought it sounded like the crispness of cubase! that's probably top of the list of potential supplicants for FL that i'm considering! i know it's a bitch to learn, but hell, it wouldn't be worth learning if it was easy, would it??
hello!! sorry for the delay in replying! i've been really busy!
THANK YOU for the friend request and for your kind words your stuff is freakin awesome!! really pro sounds. do you mind if i ask what software you're using? i'm thinking of upgrading from FL studio to something with a bit more "zing"
｡☆* Hi !! Thanks for being a friend on here!! Hope you get some spare time to check out some of our new videos and music :)) Feel Free To Check Us Out At 亗 http://www.reverbnation.com/eriktheviking 〩 Hope you have a great day!!
thankyou :) thought to myself 'why not make it like DnB with a subtle psy touch' love your music by the way - have had one of your mixes on my playlist for ages!
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your stuff is freakin awesome!! really pro sounds. do you mind if i ask what software you're using? i'm thinking of upgrading from FL studio to something with a bit more "zing"
