Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Macromedia's Flash Player. Click here to get the latest flash player.
Tony's Interests
General
I spend a lot of time (far too much time !) at work or travelling to & from work. In what spare time I do have, I like to muddle about in my home studio. I have acquired a whole load of gear which I get nowhere near enough time with, but my favourite must be the Roland GR-700 guitar synthesiser, and old, very early MIDI instrument, which is glitchy, a pain in the butt but great fun to play. I have great fun looping the various instruments, using a Lexicon JamMan (with a VG-8, perfect for those Frippertronics moments) or with a Powerbook running Augustus Loop. Recently, I've been tring Jesse Chappell's SooperLooper on the Mac, and it is most decent ! If only I had a slightly faster Mac to do more loops in parallel...
When not doing this, I'll be listening to music and feeling very inferior about my own efforts, or reading. Usual topics are either philosophy (strictly amateur !), music or IT related (database and programming language theory).
I also have an unhealthy (for my bank balance) relationship with two MGB GT cars, and the Family Bus (an old Rover 216).
When possible, I avoid sharp, pointed objects, and breathe, preferably often and well.
Current favourites (ie. played lots in iTunes these days) are ...
Zoe Keating
Kate Bush (promotion due to finally finding "Hounds of Love" CD ... ;)
The Flaming Lips
PJ Harvey
Clannad
Barbara Morgenstern
and, bizarrely, Fred Astaire (don't ask...)
Repeat Offenders (ie. get a regular airing in iTunes) are ...
The Beatles
Genesis
Pink Floyd
Imogen Heap
10cc
Neil Young
Daniel Lanois
Michael Brook
David Bowie
Lush
The Beach Boys
Gary Numan & Tubeway Army
They Also Serve (ie. on iTunes, but not played so often) are ...
Depeche Mode
Joy Division
New Order
Goldfrapp
Talking Heads
The Who
The Kinks
Radiohead
Andy Summers
The Police
Adrian Belew
REM
Black Sabbath
Alice Cooper
Simple Minds
And many more, who haven't made it to iTunes but lurk around on CD, cassette or vinyl (remember that ???)
Movies
Apocalypse Now
Pulp Fiction
Trainspotting
Reservoir Dogs
The Shawshank Redemption
Donnie Darko
Goodfellas
Once Upon a Time in America
Amelie
Unbreakable
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python's Life of Brian
The Star Wars films
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Television
The Singing Detective (waiting for my DVDs to arrive ...)
Boys from the Blackstuff (ditto)
CSI (and its offspring)
Fawlty Towers
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Teachers
Law & Order (and offspring)
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (the original one !)
The Prisoner
The Avengers
Still Game
Chewin' the Fat
A Kick Up the '80s
Naked Video
Not the Nine O'Clock News
Spitting Image
Rab C. Nesbitt
Books
Crime & Punishment
The House of the Dead
Wuthering Heights
Notes from Underground
1984
Coming Up for Air
The Clergyman's Daughter
The Cloud of Unknowing
Tunnel Visions
Death of a Salesman
The Crucible
After Britain
Pariah
A Year With Swollen Appendices
The Art of Computer Programming
An Introduction to Database Systems
Jane Eyre
Dead Souls
Capital
Adolf Hitler - My Part in His Downfall
Heroes
Charles Patrick Tully
Jimmy Johnstone
Muhammad Ali
Tony Benn
About me: Hello. I decided to change this, because I'm not really mildly bored any more, since I have started rediscovering the joys of the Roland VG-8. It's amazing what a couple of weeks off work can do for you ;) That, and finally finding my long lost copy of "Hounds of Love". I've bought it three times on CD already, and that's quite enough ! I am, however, still a computer programming, database adminstering, guitar playing, synthesiser programming, home recording, reading Scottish bloke, plodding around the internet in near total anonymity.
Come and join SPC ECO at the Bull and Gate in Kentish Town, on December the 3rd, and celebrate the release of their first 7" vinyl featuring the tracks 'You're Alright' and 'Another Day' through Club AC30. Pre-order and look at the art work here http://www.clubac30.com . Also playing are the fantastic Black Holes. Check my blog or the forums for more info.
Joey levenson (So Young) provides the noisy guitarscape samples, Dean Garcia (Curve) adds more guitar, bass, drums and production. Add Rose Berlin into the fray connecting everything together with her beautiful understated angelic voice, and you get the very unique and special SPC ECO. Listen to their psychedelic,electronic shoegaze noise at:::
http://www.myspace.com/spceco
If you're in London on September the 11th 07 come by The Bull and Gate in Kentish Town NW5, to see SPC ECO on stage for their first ever show. Joey will not be playing as he's in Korea but Harry Garcia (Dean's 16 year old son) will be taking his place for the night...Check out the 'August 2007 News' blog or the SPC ECO forum at www.noise-fest.co.uk for more info.
