Hurricane Lulu

Conquering Animal Sound

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:40:00 +0000

A bit last minute of me to blog :0 but I'm supporting Conquering Animal Sound tonight at ye olde Adelphi club in Hull. Sorry bloggage has been sparse lately. I've got myself into some joyous trouble & will be having a baby this Spring :0 Lulu xXx
Conquering Animal Sound + Hurricane Lulu + One Man Band Wednesday 2nd February
@ New Adelphi Club, De Grey St, Hull
Tax: £4 / £5 otd
*message me if you are not a member, I have £4 entry tickets*

Magical Glasgow based electronic duo. .. a penchant for cheap keyboards and children's toys. Their live show is something of awe-inspiring greatness, creating loops, beats and samples out of anything and everything with Anneke's sumptuous vocals carrying the sounds to what seems like a new world. "

Open mic crawls

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:55:00 +0000

I've been rambling around the country in recent weeks hitting some undisclosed open mic nights. I spend a fair amount of time travelling up & down the UK anyway, working & visiting family, so it makes sense to. If you found my blog because you have seen me out - please do stay in touch. For those in the more regular haunts, I haven't forgotten you & I'll be back! ... Lulu xXx

Ms Rosebud

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:59:00 +0000

Rosebud is a very old girl, made in 1880 of maple wood. She's no Stradivarius. The maker is not even known, but she sings well & smells good. This week she's been pampered: new strings, a new end stop & a good polishing. At the moment Rosebud likes Nigel Kennedy & the Kroke Band. She does not like Pagannini at all, & agrees that he is the devil.

What's in the case?

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:45:00 +0000

Note to self:
Don't ever joke with airport security about what's in the case.
[Custom tommy gun case, 1928]

For the lyrically banging

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:09:00 +0000

I went to see my mad cousin Fiona play Manchester's Parklife Festival. Later I played a set at Paradox, 'a night for the lyrically banging'. Fiona tells me her & Lauren wanted to put on a night for spoken word / poetry without all the poncy stigma. I'm used to lugging around instruments, but these folk were getting up to the mic with just words & voices. I think you've gotta have some balls to do that. Punk band Government Death Epidemic (they shout their name 24 times in their first tune) created a mosh pit that looked set to cave through the ceiling. The Scrotes (my other cousin Louis plays in) turned up for a monster jam at the end.

At the start of the night, a Manchester scamp adorned the room with "sticky plants & council rose". Beauty!

PARADOX ON FACEBOOK

Italian songs on Cornish beaches

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:12:00 +0000

This week I will be mostly listening to... Italian songs. I'll go away with my gypsy rig (violin & loop pedal) to play a gig in Manchester (Saturday 12th @ Fuel) then head straight down to Cornwall. I'm looking forward to singing loudly like a loon by the sea. It's hard to let rip in a terraced house with paper thin walls. Bring on the empty beaches...

Lulu does 'interior design' (!) (new segment)

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:20:00 +0000

So what does a girl do when not brought any flowers? If she has any sense, she makes a rather dashing PERCUSSION POT! If you see this next in 'vogue homes magazine' (does that even exist?).. then remember, you saw it here first!

Send pictures of your fun filled pots to -
handsomejam(a)gmail.com
Or maybe not....

Lulu x

The Tape Test

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:43:00 +0000

For a few years now, Jack Black has reminded me of my boyfriend Joe . Last summer, I was clearing out my car en-route to the scrapyard (thank you government - scrap scheme = perfect timing) . Amongst the black metal tapes, I found Belle & Sebastian's 'The Boy With The Arab Strap'. Now I don't know who left this in my car, but it was about as funny as when someone tried to sneak a Meatloaf vinyl into my collection. So I shoved it on whilst I was washing the dishes & when Joe came back home, what did he do? This exact thing ...

Mariee Sioux, Georgina & Hurricane Lulu - Sat 29th May

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Sun, 16 May 2010 09:49:00 +0000

New Adelphi Club, Hull
Mariee Sioux - A captivating Californian folk singer / guitarist blessed with the voice of an angel. Mariee has recently played gigs with fellow Nevada City musician Joanna Newsom.
'Full of Folksy breath and bittersweet syrup, Sioux crafts sorrowful organic sounds and scenes of ancient history... Enchantingly visceral at times, Sioux's songwriting is hard edged, gorgeously poetic and, well, graphic. The result is an overwhelmingly expansive sound that, while darkened by meticulous fantasy, is uplifted with a soft woodland warble.'
+ Georgia Seddon - A wonderful Scottish singer-songwriter who can also be found touring with her father, Mike Heron, of folk legends The Incredible String Band.
+ Hurricane Lulu - Yorkshire based musician who uses voice, violin & 'magic boxes' to create a glorious one woman choir & orchestra.

'Here' film & soundtrack - view online

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:03:00 +0000

Here - Philip Larkin from Classlane Media on Vimeo.

Earlier in the year I scored & recorded a soundtrack to a short film made by some fantastic film makers at Classlane Media. Based on Philip Larkin's poem 'Here', it is part of the commemorative Larkin 25 celebrations. The poem is read by actor Sir Tom Courtenay & the film shot around East Yorkshire, Hull & out towards the North Sea at Spurn Point. It is now doing the rounds at film festivals in the UK.

The Yorkshire Post writes of the film - 'the area's ethereal beauty and the searing loneliness of the Holderness plain where "silence stands like heat" shines through'. Classlane recently tweeted - 'Just received a lovely note from Sir Tom Courtenay saying he thought our Larkin film "very beautiful". Top man.'

The Whalebone - live

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:43:00 +0000

'The Whalebone' - one of the last songs yet to be recorded for Salt in Wires. Built entirely from vocal loops. I tried it out live for the first time at the Adelphi in Hull. A chap called Eddy who films a lot of gigs there caught it on camera :0 (Check out the 'NoddyGuevara' channel on YouTube for more clips)

The Whalebone

A curtained tail and concubine cockle-shelled cooing lips
Roll of bone, does calve up & calm the mind
7 days, for 7 days I've been kicking rats off this raft
With the strangest of feelings, of something following me
So I root around, searching for the shiniest of peripherals
I hold it up, & then I see
On the seventh day. It was on the seventh day
On the seventh day I saw the whale.
Moving, we keep on moving
Keep the corners flat, score then fold
Take two ebbing tides tired of towns & car park lots
Since Thursday last I've been your meal & you my only friend.
You, my meat, my only friend
You may meet my only friend
A curtained tail, carving round in circles
A curtained tail is better than a smile
If I were Hull bound, I'd take you down The Whalebone
tell all the lads, that I was the greatest Whaler
And we would bask as one
Just as long as I had my harpoon gun. My gun.
Moving, we keep on moving
Keep the corners flat, score then fold
Take two ebbing tides tired of towns & car park lots
Since Thursday last I've been your meal & you my only friend.
Moving, the whale keeps on moving
Warm gills, gills that keep us breathing
Calling, the North-East girls are calling
Since Thursday last I've been your meal & you my only friend
You, my meat, my only friend
You may meet my only friend
Tell all the lads, I am the greatest whaler. The greatest whaler.
Tell all the lads, I am the greatest whaler. The greatest whaler.
My bonny lass, I am the greatest whaler. The greatest whaler.
My bonny lass, I am the greatest whaler. The greatest whaler.

Carla Bozulich, Cello Playing Francesco & cats in an old Italian house

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:53:00 +0000

Playing the New Adelphi Club, Hull
2nd May
Carla Bozulich (voice, guitar, effects & electronics)
Francesco Guerri (Cello)
Sup: Hurricane Lulu (voice, violin & magic boxes)

It is great news that Carla Bozulich (Constellation Records) is returning to Hull. This time she plays in a duo with Italian cellist Francesco Guerri. I was lucky enough to see Carla's 'Evangelista' whilst playing with Awash With AntleR *see bottom* a couple years ago. On 2nd May, I'm supporting as Hurricane Lulu (mostly Rose, my violin & I) . As my project is still unravelling, I'm not going to give too much away for now. I really hope you can make it. It should be a pretty special night. Lulu x

'I'm in the countryside outside Bologna in a big, ancient house playing music and cats with an awesome colleague / friend, Francesco. The paint is peeling. Giant fireplace warming my feet. We're making pasta with herbs that grow wild in the hills...All that other stuff can kiss my ass.' Carla Bozulich
(Official newsletter, 15th April)

*** For our 5 hard core Awash With AntleR fans (you know who you are)... Having been a bit more Hull bound this year already, professional tea & cake sessions with Sally & Emma have once again commenced. There are quite a few things lined up this summer. Please see http://www.myspace.com/awashwithantler for dates***

I love Radio 3! And pretentious prog rock too. There, I've said it :0 :0 :0

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:16:00 +0000

Distressed by waking up to hard edged news each morning (I prefer reality to kick in post cup of tea & shower), I've re-tuned my radio alarm to the soothing sounds of Radio 3. I know, this officially makes me very old! It also potentially beats my winter obsession with 70's pretentious prog rock. Ok, my long suffering boyfriend may argue about this. Now I set 'sleep' to the obscure sounds of Appalachian folk, sperm whales, & the clicky clicky sounds found on Late Junction. The wake up call of cheery 'classical lights' however, is not always to my bitter tastes. Bring on the darker pieces.

Bach's Chaconne for solo violin

PS. DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THE BAND I'VE BEEN OBSESSING OVER ALL YEAR???? DID I (?)

My film score to 'Here' - premiers at 'Glimmer' film festival

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:56:00 +0000

I have scored & recorded a soundtrack for a short film! Voila, le speel ... It is a contemporary adaptation of Philip Larkin’s 1964 poem 'Here'. Read by Sir Tom Courtenay (seen playing the Ukelele & calling Barbara 'Barbara' in The Royle Family) , the film journeys through Hull and East Yorkshire, seeking the characters and landscapes that inspired Larkin nearly half a century earlier. It will be premiered on Tues 20th April at the http://www.hullfilm.co.uk/webdocs/HF_brochure_web.pdf">Glimmer short film festival. This will also be the first time I have seen it on a big screen, so pretty exciting in all.

Lulu x
Classlane Media in association with Larkin 25
Featuring: Sir Tom Courtenay / Director: Dave Lee / Camera: David Stubbins / Editor: Andrew Olssen / Score: Louise Bennett

Images (of)

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:07:00 +0000

Amplifying a violin

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:39:00 +0000

Occasionally people ask how I rig my acoustic violin for the stage. I AM NO FREAKIN' EXPERT, but I can describe my set up along with some of the joys & difficulties I've come across...

Pickup
I use a Fischman v-100 pickup. This was fitted at Beverley Music Center & they did a brilliant job. It fits into a specially crafted slot in my bridge - by the E string. It sounds great, is very discreet & easily detaches. (I will take a picture of my violin & post it soon)
http://www.fishman.com/products/details.asp?id=59

Beware !!!
I used to have an awful Barcus Berry pickup that attached to the wood using a sticky pad. This quickly degraded, made a mess of my violin & sounded horrible. One man in a guitar shop in Brighton suggested I drill a hole into the body of my violin. You should never have to do this. Run for your own & your violin's life.

DI box
When playing in bands, I've often plugged straight into the PA / mixer system via an active DI box. Although this means less equipment to buy & lug around, it is not my favourite method. You really have to rely on the extraordinary talent of the soundman to sweeten the sound using reverb, equalisation & general witchcraft. It can sound quite dry & scratchy otherwise. Top tip here, don't ever piss the soundman off & always buy him / her a drink.

Acoustic Amp / Electric Amp
My favourite method by far is plugging straight into an acoustic guitar amp. There are lots on the market, some rather expensive, but I've still found some cheaper ones to be ok. You can get some really meaty, interesting sounds out of an electric guitar amp if you're not fussed about re-creating a natural sound. They're not strictly designed for the V-100 pickup though (mis-matching impedance). If I have the option, the acoustic amp will always win.

Pre-Amp
Something I'd like to try is a Fischman acoustic pre-amp. This is designed to work with my particular pickup (matching impedance). On a practical note, you can sweeten your pickup sound beforehand by tinkerring with the EQ, then plug into a DI going straight to the mixing desk. I wonder if this would be a nicer option than lugging an amp around? One of the beauties of the violin, after all, is its gypsy, light-travelling nature.
http://www.fishman.com/products/details.asp?id=19

For further reading I've found a very good site here -
http://music.calarts.edu/~chung/gear/vioamp2.html

Good luck & let me know how it goes,

Lu x

Transylvania

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:29:00 +0000

January / February spent in Transylvania, Romania :0 Waltzing powdery snow, blood & howling wolves!

All Night North - Larkin 25

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I was in the recording studio on Friday with the lovely Awash With AntleR ladies, engineer extraordinaire John Spence & James Orwin of the Philip Larkin Society. We were recording a track that sets Larkin's poem 'Far Out' to music. It will appear on a compilation cd out in June 2010, called 'All Night North'. It is part of Hull's commemorative programme 'Larkin 25'. We can't wait to hear the whole cd, which includes many other musicians doing takes on different poems. There's more information about the project here -
http://www.larkin25.co.uk/

Photos courtesy of Jim Orwin

John seemed surprised that we wanted to put some 'Alka-Seltzer' down.

The joyous sound of Alka-Seltzer dissolving in pint glasses.

The wooden box doubled up as Sally's stomp box.

Mixing time! 3 part vocals, piano (moi), viola (Sally) & drums (Emma).

Emma having a well deserved tea after nailing the drums in two takes.

The finished track is one part fizzy, two parts prog, three parts gregorian chant. We can't wait to hear the whole cd!

2nd Kitchen Cast

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:40:00 +0000

NERD ALERT!!! Electronic circuits & bent toys used to help create an electric storm soundtrack: Kawasaki keyboard, pink barbie violin & a photo resistor with blinking LED oscillating audio circuit.

Upcoming Hurricane Lulu gig

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Exciting & nerve racking news. I will be doing my 1st Hurricane Lulu gig a week today (Tues 24th Nov) at the Adelphi Club. I'm supporting New York band DUFUS, described as ' a Downtown pagan mystery meeting'. Joseph, who does some of the artwork, will be joining me on guitar . I'm wheeling out my organ. Hope to see you there :) Lulu xXx

New Adelphi Club, De Grey St, Hull
Doors 8pm / Tax £5 /£6.

Gossip & golden leaves

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:37:00 +0000

With Autumn in full swing now, I'm looking forward to tucking back down in Yorkshire with hot winter soup, hot mog cat & hot log fireplace (once it is swept!). I've been flitting around a lot in recent months. I've loved spending time with my family in Cornwall, watching live gypsy jazz by the harbour & testing my green kayak before the Atlantic turned too cold.

I shall be uploading my 2nd 'kitchen cast' soon. It has nerdy electronics & bent circuits. With any luck I'll be half way through recording my mini album by Christmas. A nice Yorkshire man I work with, who used to record brass bands, is mastering a couple of tracks in exchange for a pint & pub grub.

Lulu xXx

1st Kitchen Cast

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:28:00 +0000

Welcome to my 1st kitchen cast. Just some of the instruments used on Stormy Grace: carboot keyboards, teapot, thunder, kaossilator & am radio. Plus a tune sampler at the end. That's me & my brother in sail boats. I wrote some of the song on this day.

Lulu xXx

Appearing on some compilation albums

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:15:00 +0000

The Bison tune I made & recorded with Awash With AntleR can be now found on a number of compilation albums. A few months ago Channel 4's tv programme 'Secret Millionaire' visited Hull. The Warren, a young people's project was given loadsamoney to set up a record label, maintain the studios & help support young musicians of the city. Here are the first fruits... State of the City: a 41 track double cd compilation. I picked up a copy from all round super bloke Stew Baxter the other night a Howe Gelb gig at the Adelphi (who, by the way, looked like the dog whisperer & made me want a gravelly voice... Howe that is). The cd really is a top class production & the music is mightily diverse.
Available to buy online now. More information here -
http://www.warrenrecords.org/#

As a result of our show at the wonderful Puppet Theatre in Norwich & meeting Mr Alex Carson, we are also on the Bare Feet Records #2 compilation album.
(Featuring: Scraps, Alex Carson, Tom Hardman, Belinda Gillett, Awash with Antler (US!),Sula Deane, Max Avis, Sam James Hill, Chessboard Fanatics, Rory Mcvicar, The Middle Ones, Alloy Ark, Triple Rosie.) Cds are £4 & can be found here -
http://barefeetrecordsmusic.bigcartel.com/product/socks-are-for-sissys-compilation-2

Also, earlier on the year we were put forward by Alan Raw (BBC Introducing) to appear on a Yorkshire showcase cd set up by the Timeless Music Project. This was handed out to peeps attending SXSW in Texas. More info here -
http://www.myspace.com/timelessfestival

Introducing Lulu's Muffin Kitchen

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:36:00 +0000

Started the day programing beats for my island tune & got really racked off trying to learn my new edit program!!! So I sketched down some words for a different melody I've been humming in the shower & filmed it in my evil lair, & posted it on YouTube. I have since taken this down, as it was just a test & I thought it a bit pants really.

I probably shouldn't be revealing tunes in such raw format, especially with whiskey throat from the night before. You'd never get Helen Daniels, the extraordinary painter from aussie soap Neighbours doing that! She'd always wait until things were finished before flouncing them around the walls of her poor neighbours' unsuspecting homes.

Anyhow, I am going to dedicate a section on my youtube called Lulu's muffin kitchen ...intended for all things doughy & uncooked. They'll be a new film every month or so.

http://www.youtube.com/user/hurricanelulu#play/user/2A3B5EEAFF3F143F

Album Sampler : Roll the Death Ship

lu_cougar@yahoo.co.uk (Hurricane Lulu) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0000

A snippet of the opening track for Salt in Wires - indian harmonium, violin & voice. Filmed in the creeks in Cornwall. I think maybe I've been watching too many horror movies lately. :0 :0 :0

These lines trailing across the ocean
Salty lines, beating with our voices
These miraculous storms come in every one hundred years
You would like the tropics, you were a hula hula dancer
These miraculous hands
These miraculous hands
Roll the death ship it is coming
Stall the death ship, it is coming
I've been on this shore too long
I've been on these shores too long
These miraculous minds
These miraculous minds