The Mekano Set

Hello rock fans.

Miss Garfield has just informed me that we are playing Brighton's near-legendary sleaze-rawk venue The Engine Rooms on 15th September. More details soon.

We still have a lot of new tracks to do final mixes of but I've been lacking in energy lately and we've been concentrating more on gigs and getting CD's out to peoples.

Hello and big big big thanks to the people who've actually ASKED us for CD's recently - as opposed to the people who don't put up a fight when we GIVE them CD's. As soon as we agree on what the track-listing will be we'll get them out to you.

I sort of had a day off today. Instead of my usual day, trying to stay awake, sitting at my make-shift desks with a look of despair on my face illuminated by a number of dodgy computer screens and fairy lights yelling things like "please stay in tune" and "god what have I done", I sat in the park with Dr. jO, ate chicken salad, laughed and larked.

Dr. jO is a real-life Doctor. Not a 'Doctors and Nurses / Ooooh Matron Nooo' Doctor {that's more Steve's territory} but a Doctor of Musicology.

She cannot {legally} examine you but she can probably examine your music and tell you how to make it more like something that belongs in the Paris salon of a cool 1920's lesbian who writes novels and has Gertrude Stein and G.I. Gurdjieff round for tea and turkish delight on sundays, or the cellar-bar where they all hang out on saturdays and drink blue drinks and wear pretend moustaches and whalebone corsets.

She once 'conducted' Al as he played violin, with a saw, and a typewriter. I still have the remains somewhere.

Their influence on us is obvious I'm sure you'll agree.

More recently jO has turned her attention to playing cello, with a microphone, and recording the results via a megaphone. She is decades ahead of me in terms of the intellectual ins-and-outs of creativity, art and musicology, and in the physical 'make art until it almost kills you' stakes. She's doing a performance or two soon.

Al has started gigging again too. He too is years ahead of me and I am increasingly in awe of his ability to write proper songs that pluck away at heart strings, let alone his effortlessly husky singing voice. He always makes me think of Marc Bolan for some reason. Mind you, I also say that about Devendra Bernhardt so what do I know? But I'll bet he's a fan of both though...

So anyway, it's not all 'rawk and roll with a drum machine' in our world.

Missing pieces.

Anyhoo, people to be... places to do...

Today's edition of NightLight will feature short bursts of Conversational Tone, and brief moments of Pigeon English.

Before I get all 'Comedy' on your 'punk bottoms' I must quickly inform you that we're second on the bill @ Concorde 2 supporting urban / breakbeat combo Obedient Bone on Monday 5th September. Also playing are Fat Habit {'melodic drumNbass'} and Final Sounds. It's free entry!

"Wow Milk, that's really cool!"

I know!

So here we are, all official like. We were going to go for 'Milk and the Milk Maids' .com but that seemed a bit much....

How do you like the new place then? Let us know what you think, won't you?

If you hop on over to where it say extras yes, you will find fabulous prizes. Oh my. Why, there's even some remixes. Yes, there's one missing isn't there? Actually, there's a couple missing.

How about that PodCast action? Eh?

Also amongst the collectable swap-meet that extras shall become are going to be things like 'interviews'. Ho ho! There is also some photographic evidence which you might find amusing even if you don't normally find us amusing.

"You guys..."

Anyway - it's been a couple of gigs since I've had a good Curdled Milk style rant so here you go:

We played the Ocean Rooms in Brighton Wednesday night as last-minute replacements to another band.

"Why Milk?"

Oh, you know.

First up were Dollface.

"Dollface? Really?"

Yeah!

We'd seen them before and they were strangely compelling - possibly the oddest band we've seen in Brighton {which is kind of an achievement in itself}. A strangely old-headed singer-guitarist, in the sense that he's got that good-old-fashioned 'hey guys, great' familiar parental muso joviality mature cheese, and in the sense that despite the fact that he's only 18 he looks like a grown-up.

They were like a real-life Wedding Singer style band. The kind of people who have guitar lessons and practice their 'licks' a lot. Probably doing A level music or a degree in 'personal rock performance skills'. A proper 'old-fashioned' style band. Totally 80's, obviously really good musicians, but totally out of context alongside current trends for Oasis, Gang of Four or folk style acts {a lot like us then!}.




If you are considering doing some kind of 80's Pretty in Pink style movie I would heartily recommend you employ them as the 'highschool disco band' in the scene where the Smart But Accident Prone Geek and his Cool Tomboy Best Friend arrive and meet the gaze of Prissy Posh Bitch and her Lantern Jawed Jock Boyfriend for the first time.

Tragically this time they left the 80's style Top Shop / Man at C&A suits at home which I thought was a damned shame. If you have yuppie / Hughie Lewis and The News in your blood then go with it. If you look good in a flecked and shoulder-padded suit with the sleeves rolled up, white socks and espedrils, go with it. What's the point in wearing the same flappy jeans, expensive trainers and 70's Americana style T-shirts as everybody else?

I kept my rain-soaked blazer on throughout the evening as a tribute.

However, Dollface demonstrated to us that once again, if you're not going down very well as a band, trying to be funny will just add 'going down badly as comedians at the same time' to your C.V. Bless you guys. And anyway, the 80's are kind of back yeah?

"No Milk, that was last week."

Oh.

Initially, headliners Wailing Jacks were an odd site too - a band barely into their teens owing so much to the likes of oldtimers Oasis AND Blur, let alone The Stones and The Who. Dad Music, probably literally in their case.

They were 90% Oasis, 5% The Who, 4% Ocean Colour Scene, 1% Blur. Really confident [as only a Mod Band can be] and tight for such a young team. It would be cool if they start to broaden their influences over time as they're obviously really good musos.

People lap this stuff up, because good old fashioned rock n' roll is safe, and it's familiar. Everyone from 6 to 66 likes a good old rock n' roll tune eh? Who needs rebellion originality when you can like the Beatles and EVERYONE will like you.

Visually, a nice contrast between the two guitarists {your uncle / the guitarist from Ocean Colour Scene on Les Pauls, trading licks with your cool, slightly less retro-quaffured art-student older brother on Telecaster}, 'the big kid from school who looks after you' on bass and a usefully over-energetic drummer, plus a vocalist who gets a nice - and BELIEVABLE balance between shyness and sass - I hope he happens upon the work of one John Lydon for ways to ram unrully limbs and hair down people's throats. Because at the moment all those similar influences amount to something that is a sadly one-dimensional, derivative end result.

Working out what you can get away with is the first step I guess.

"But what about The Set?"

We're certainly still learning what we can get away with.

"Hmmm..."

We only got offered the gig the day before. And I didn't realize how grotty the 'live lounge' of Ocean Rooms is. It's dead rough frankly. But the sound guy was cool.

Totally got lost in the songs quite quickly. I think maybe I was quite loud again? My guitar clogs up a lot of mid-range frequencies and I get quite shouty and the last thing I want to do is be one of those guitarists with toys who is always way louder than the rest of the band. Actually, the last thing I want to be is a guitarist full stop!

Everything I say sounds like sarcasm.

Anyway, I think I killed my guitar during the ending of DHj... but it sounded nice.

Do you mind if I keep my coat on, I'm not staying?

The Mekano Set

The Electric Soft Parade gig @ The Ocean Rooms on Wednesday 24th August has been cancelled.

The line-up for the night will now be Dollface, The Mekano Set, and The Wailing Jacks.




News just in: we're playing in Brighton @ Concorde 2 on Monday 5th September. Free Entry, cheap drinks. Music from 7.30pm.

It also looks like we might be playing @ The Ocean Rooms tomorrow {Wednesday} night - Electric Soft Parade have cancelled so naturally, we're the obvious replacement!?

The Mekano Set

We've got a myspace... space. If you have a look inside it you will see there's a new song or two, plus a new mix of AllWords.

Exclusive... like a picture of some D-list ceLabRaty 'accidentally' showing tomorrow's laundry as they step out of a car and head for the opening of a packet of crisps.

You can even leave comments about how great {or how rubbish} you think they are, which is a nice touch I thought. Like the nice touch of a Worther's Original fixated elderly relative who thinks you're 'very special'.

You can even be our 'friends' and say nice {or nasty} things about us. Yay. Or nay.

What else? Other things, yes. But I'm not telling you about them yet, you'll have to wait. I think we need a bit more of an air of mystery around here, to counter-balance the daftness.

So I'd totally spoil the surprise if I mentioned that I was quitting and that Finn and Saint are going to ask Lewis from Blanket, or the bloke from Placebo {Max Wall I think his name is?}, or Mira from Ladytron to 'be Milk' in future. Hell - 'I'd buy that for a dollar!' But yeah, that would be saying too much.

How do you know our daftness isn't affected? Cause you've met us, right, fair comment.

I was going to blog you about all the uncool pop music I have been listening to lately, but again, there's no mystery there, is there? So I won't mention that. Maybe I'll just delete this whole thing...

No, I seem to still be typing. It's the only thing keeping me awake. And I want to be awake.

Oh yeah, me and the girls had our pictures taken on sunday thanks to 'Ridder, Ace Photographer'. We may have gotten really, really carried away this time. But we needed some pictures with The Saint in them you see. There were some nice 'The Prisoner / Avengers' style moments in there I think.

Can't quite work out how we ended up pretending to be early 1930's gangsters though. Haven't seen the results yet. But anyway, Saint and Finn really seem to 'scrub up' really well, I seem to just look the same {tired and sickly} whatever I do.

Rightso I guess that'll do for now.

I think we are going to go to The Albert in Brighton thursday night. Laurence of Diamond Family Archive is doing a spot.

See yous.

You're Special Agent Dale Cooper. You're often too
brilliant for people to really follow, but your
infectious enthusiasm makes up for the fact
that you're frequently incomprehensible. You
are smart, intuitive, clear-headed,
compassionate, and cute as hell -- about your
only flaw is your insane coffee consumption.


Which Twin Peaks character are you?

brought to you by Quizilla

OK - so these things are usually rubbish but hell, it said the words Twin Peaks so whadya gonna do? Wow - the 'frequently incomprehensible' and 'insane coffee consumption' are actually spot on! 'Smart, Clear-headed' and 'cute', I wish!

The Mekano Set

Hello. Sorry to steal Finn's thunder but I thought I should mention that we're back @ The Pleasure Unit on Wednesday 21st September. Are you coming? More details soon.

We've been wasting time loitering around My Space, have you?

So the feedback from recent gigs seems to be that we don't stand close enough together. Oddly, this has been mentioned before. It just seems like an odd point to make.

The southerners amongst you might like to keep an eye out for this month's edition of Spill Magazine which I'm told has a review of our new CD in it. How about that? Actual attention from the outside world!

I read it this evening. It's a nice one, very positive. Thanks Spill!

That's the second time we've been compared to Placebo - really don't get that. I was prepared for the 'Garbage' thing, but Placebo? I am definitely getting my hair cut then.

Right, where's the lemsip?

"Nicey nicey zoo zoo..."

Well... this sunday was, more than ever, a day of rest, futurama, couches, duvets, mash potato and sleep! what a way to start your 26th year...

Of course this was not the very beginning of my 26th year....

Thanks to everyone for making a really cool night (and of course some really wicked pressies!) The first thing to mention here is of course the poloroid camera which photographer extrodinaire, Ridder Radar, most kindly handed to me at the beginning of the evening, knowing full well what a fab gift it would be. This will be the basis of this blog! (Important to Note: Ridder, Zoe, Dr Ham, Burch & The Steam Age, who supplied fantastic music all night)


RatDaddy began arming themselves with guitars at about 8.30pm & what a great set. i feel pretty bad because the sound was being a pain. (I'd just like to add here that the sound guy who was supposed to be there left after 5 minutes because he basically had something better to do... nice!) So sound was left up to the guy running the bar that night, Ricky, (Top Bloke) and Milk and i don't think RatDaddy enjoyed themselves as much as i hoped they would.. & they left early, Sorry guys. Having said that, despite the sound problems.. i thought they fucking rocked... note exhibit A Your honour.....
Hopefully we can see them down in Brighton again somewhere they can be a bit louder. (The Cubar are having a bit of a problem with someone complaining about the noise.. i mean seriously, you live in the middle of Brighton, opposite a Rock club, a bar & on the same road as various resteraunts.. it's 8.30 on a saturday night... fucking move!) Anyway, Milk has ended up with a RatDaddy T-shirt which we're keeping.. thanks for coming down & thanks for the T-shirt!!


So, we went on next. it would have been nice to have been louder but i think we all had a really good time on stage. & hey, when you finish the gig, trying to get your breath back on the floor after screaming your tribute to Rock n Roll Goddess Patti hunched over your pedals making as much noise as possible, you have to have had a pretty good one, yeah? (Read Ridder's thoughts on this here).

it was great to be surrounded by friends and all the afternoon's baking definately didn't go to waste. Mmm Brownies!Wise Lady, Lisa (see below) was most complimentary in her summary of my evening: "She came, she baked, she rocked!"

Good quote, make a note of it, Darling!








I can't go on further without mentioning that The Mekano Set's top man & phantom forth member honoured us with his presence on saturday night & not only that... he also brought me "Polysics or die"... sorry i just need a moment.......



Scary Cathy's in this picture, too.. look there she is, not being Scary Cathy at all!
there's too many pictures on this alreay but here's another one. The Steam Age needs a picture on here because A. he played Kate Bush, Curve & Tom Waits & B.
because he made sure that i didn't die when i got home......




Well, i'll finish up now (sighs of relief all round), by firstly saying that Bill still rules the world & everyone has to pay respect the t-shirt in the picture below. just one last snap of me and my girls.. yeay!!!!





Oh.. and a sheepish sorry about waving an empty confetti gun in everyone's faces and shouting "Federal Agent" at them..
See Y'all Later!!