back in Exeter for a few days...

I'm back in Exeter for a few days, sorting a few things out, and playing a lot of music with Henry and friends. Two sessions with just me (saz) and Henry (drums), both excellent, although the one on Monday night felt among the very best music I'd ever played. I kept picking embryonic tunes from a list in one of my notebooks, and then we'd jam on them, every one turning out to be the freshest, most exciting and creative version I'd ever played. Henry's trying out all kinds of percussive textures which then sort of subliminally suggest new avenues of melodic exploration for me to follow. Typically, I've not been recording any of this.

Unfortunately Keith's not around, as we'd been hoping to rehearse as Orbis Tertius?. I've put a demo together and Henry's going to try and get some low-key local gigs for us in the next few months. On a whim, I had a look to see if the Borges story "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" was available anywhere online, and it is - here - one of my very favourite bits of writing. I'm not sure about it as a band name, though - sounds a bit pompous and Latin, and would generally be translated as "third world", which rather misses the point. Another name I'd been thinking about is "The Honesty Box", but I've just discovered that a synth-pop duo from Huddersfield got there first! (Non-UK readers may be unfamiliar with "honesty boxes" - these are left out on un-manned roadside stalls with peoples' produce (fruit, vegetables, eggs, jams, etc.), usually in rural areas, based on a basic trust that most people will be decent enough to pay for what they take. Cannings Court - the organic farm where I've been staying the last few weeks - has a whole honesty shop!)

Last night the jam was me, Henry, John and Richard, mostly working on material associated with the Pulse-related project which has been developing "waves" for 5 Rhythms dance groups. That's been Keith, Henry, John and Richard, and they've been getting an impressive sound together (based on the bits I've heard). Pulse has given way to a more subtle, less "insistent" sound, and the 5 Rhythms crowd seems like a perfect target audience for this. We also did a couple of unstructured Droney things, Richard coming up with some very interesting basslines - one very angular and funky, something COTD rarely gets into. And another session tonight (probably just me and Henry).

I've also been Google Alerted to this: A German web-developer called Guido who likes both Everlast and Ail Fionn (we've since disappeared off his chart, but I can assure you we were there!).