Seldom Party

Raise Your Hand

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:38:00 +0000

The first of many clips from the Sinatra Highway tour. Please help me make other people see it. If you like it, that is.

Raise Your Hand is sewn together as an afterthought having filmed it at the following locations:

Meningie Lake, Meningie
The Breakaways, off Stuart Highway, nr Coober Pedy
The Lakeview Hotel, Locheil
Somewhere between Rainbow Valley and Kulgera, Stuart HIghway
Semaphore 'festival (!)', Semaphore, Adelaide
El Gordo,Bendigo
And the unfortunate kangaroo was on the way to Princess Margaret Caves

Thanks to the Contemporary Music Touring Program for making the Sinatra Highway tour financially viable

Can't Feel A Thing

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:50:00 +0000

The DJ lights get an outing for the beginnings of a new song - the first since moving away from the desert to the hills of Victoria.
I'm itching to have band mates again so if you live to the East of Melbourne and think you could add to songs like this then hunt me down. I'm thinking horns, strings and drums but'll give anything a try.

Seldom Song Writing Lessons

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:47:00 +0000

I went through a few guitar teachers between 8 - 16 years of age. Being thoroughly bored by the first few, I was pleased to find Andy Read. He showed me 4 chords and sent me away to write a song (though there was more to his lessons than this :)). I've been writing ever since.

There are no rules for songwriting but there are a few useful guidelines, techniques and unblockers I'd like to share with you, whatever level you're currently at. I write predominantly alternative/folky/postrocky songs but will help you write whatever style you want. Be it metal, blues, opera, hip hop, jazz, or a sweet combination of the lot.

If you want to, we can record your new songs and send them off to radio stations for airplay and stardom.

I'll also be happy to teach you guitar and/or bass techniques.

I've just moved to The Patch, nr Mt Dandenong, in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. If you live nearby lessons can be at yours or mine, though recording anything other than demos had better be at mine, in the studio.

Prices are (Aus);

- $25/half hr

- $40/hr

-$350 for a 10 hour block, usually used in ten 1 hr weekly sessions.

Here are a few of my credentials...

- Been writing for over 15 years

- Degree in Commercial Music from University of Westminster

- Nationwide tours of Australia and the UK

- Nationwide radio airplay on Triplej, ABC Radio National, various community stations, and internationally, including the BBC.

- Have run various Songwriting workshops, most recently throughout Central Australia in various remote Aboriginal communities.

And here's a tiny selection of the music I've recorded / songs I've written since 2004...

Seldom Party - Good To Me

November 2010,

Logic Pro 9,

Seldom Party Studio, Alice Springs, Australia.

Wrote, produced and performed with guest vox from Mimi Leung

Desert Mulga - Lonely

August 2009,

Logic Express 8,

PAW Media Studio, Yuendumu, Australia.

Facilitated and helped PAW Media studio staff with engineering, production and helped the bands with aspects of song writing.

Desert Mulga are a Warlpiri band from Yuendumu and Nyirrpi.

They Don't Sleep - Face To The Floor

December 2006,

Pro Tools 7,

Pheonix Sound, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, UK

Co-wrote song with UK band, They Don't Sleep,
performed bass and vox,

co-produced with band and Dave Moore.

The Girl With The Electric Hand - Nothing Unusual Happened Today

October 2004,
Pro Tools 5,
University of Westminster Studios, Harrow, UK

Wrote song, performed vox and guitar
co-produced with Hong-Tin Lau

5. Music written and recorded for animation by Mimi Leung:

If you live miles away and are still interested we could set up some sort of Skype arrangement, just email me.

Rainbow Valley

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:33:00 +0000

Between Saturday the 24th's gig in Alice Springs and the 25th's at Kulgera Roadhouse I had some time to kill. I pulled over at the Rainbow Valley turnoff I to relieve myself. Looking around I found the surroundings aptly filmable and gave it a go. I enjoyed this activity as a day filler and repeated it at various locations along the Stuart, and Princes, Highway(s)... The Sinatra Highway tour. I'll upload complete songs and videos as and when they're edited. If anyone else would like to fiddle with the rushes get in touch.

Ramshackled tour makes it's way to Melbourne

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:23:00 +0000

at the Breakways. video coming soon

Depression is a shit. Still, I seem to be over the hill, or more like on my way up out of the valley. Playing music and being a nomad weren't doctor's orders but they're a fair whack more effective than the drugs.
I'll update this blog site with videos and recordings from up and down Australia in the coming weeks, when I'm reunited with my computer. Keep eyes out.
In the mean time, if you live in Melbourne tonight, in Bendigo tomorrow, in Licola on Sunday or if you're hanging out at Melbourne open mics on Monday and Tuesday I'll see you there :)
oh, and another note... to all those poor suckers that haven't received a cd from me yet in the post, my utmost apologies. Depression is a shit. xxx

showreel

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:46:00 +0000

Here's a tiny selection of music I've recorded since 2004...

Seldom Party - Good To Me

November 2010,
Logic Pro 9,
Seldom Party Studio, Alice Springs, Australia.

Wrote, produced and performed with guest vox from Mimi Leung

Desert Mulga - Lonely

August 2009,

Logic Express 8,

PAW Media Studio, Yuendumu, Australia.

Facilitated and helped PAW Media studio staff with engineering and production.
Desert Mulga are a Warlpiri band from Yuendumu and Nyirrpi.

They Don't Sleep - Face To The Floor

December 2006,

Pro Tools 7,

Pheonix Sound, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, UK

Co-wrote song, performed bass and vox,

co-produced with band and Dave Moore.

Schwing

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Mon, 16 May 2011 06:47:00 +0000

I just received the uplifting news that funding for the SINATRA tour from Darwin - Adelaide - Melbourne in September/October 2011 is going ahead. Yay me. Full dates to be confirmed but so far it looks like this:

15/9 - Darwin - Mindil Beach Markets

16/9 - Darwin - The Happy Yess

17/9 - Humpty Doo - The Humpty Doo Hotel

18/9 - Katherine - Katherine Gorge

19/9 - Mataranka - Mataranka Homestead Resort

20/9 - Daly Waters - Daly Waters Pub

21/9 - Tennant Creek - Tennant Creek Hotel

22/9 - Wycliffe Well - Wycliffe Well Resort

23/9 - Ti Tree - Ti Tree Roadhouse

24/9 - Alice Springs - Totem Theatre

25/9 - Yulara - Outback Pioneer Hotel

27/9 - Coober Pedy - Italo Australian Miners Club

28/9 - Port Augusta

29/9 - Port Pirie

30/9 - Adeliade - The Grace Emily Hotel

1/10 - Adeliade -The Wheatsheaf Hotel

2/10 - Adelaide - The Folk Federation of SA

3/10 - Mt. Gambier - The Old Gaol

4/10 - Apollo Bay - Great Ocean Hotel

5/10 - Lorne - The Cuda Bar

6/10 - Geelong - The National Hotel

7/10 - Melbourne - The John Curtain Hotel

8/10 - Melbourne - The Empress Hotel

9/10 - Melbourne - Pure Pop Records

launched

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:00:00 +0000

live rehearsals and a distant view of the launch night...

Seldom Party on Ustream

Rehearsals on film

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Thu, 12 May 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Seldom Party on ustream

Not exactly set up for this to shine but I'm starting to stream my rehearsals. Should you wish to witness my mistakes and soon-to-be-forgotten ideas (or maybe just to see if my dogs walk on by) leave this window open for ever, while I come and go.

Seldom Party Launch Party

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Tue, 10 May 2011 04:43:00 +0000

SINATRA finally arrived on my doorstep, and will hopefully soon land on yours also. If you're in Alice Springs come and help me launch SINATRA in style at Watch This Space, on George Crescent.

Also performing:

Desert Mulga - Desert Reggae from Nyirrpi and Yuendumu, one of 2010's Bush Bands Bash highlights.

Miko Zaire - Alice based horizon shifter and music mogul.

Start: 7:30,

Friday 13th May

----Free Entry----

Drinks: $5

Thanks to everybody that bought a copy in advance :)

If you want to get yourself one, or preview the tracks, mosey over to http://seldomparty.bandcamp.com/

Living in Yuendumu

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:41:00 +0000

Here's an animation Mimi made for idn while we were living in Yuendumu last year. The Alice Springs tune jumped back into my head recently so I thought I'd revisit. Think I'll try and turn elements of it into a song. Any ideas?

And... if you've heard the rumours but haven't wanted to accept the truth, I can confirm the UFO conference has been cancelled :(

I don't want to believe.

Proof of extraterrestrial life & music from me

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 04:42:00 +0000

Seldom Party will be performing at Wycliffe Well's inaugural UFO Conference, buried in the depths of the Northern Territory. More importantly, plenty of talks from real-life abductees (with DNA proof) & presentations on Higher Patterns of Supernature will be going on, as well as guaranteed ufo spotting over the Devil's Marbles.

Facts and figures: Fri 18th - Sun 20th March 2011

Seldom Party plays...

Sat 19th - Acoustic
Sun 20th - Electric

See you all there :)

ABC Interview

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 07:18:00 +0000

Half an interview & Raise Your Hand, recorded live on ABC Alice Springs.
The other half & Good To Me fell foul to a technical glitch. When I left the building I saw a couple of Telstra engineers fiddling with wires. Perhaps it was them.

ABC Interview

"Ummmm, yeah"

SINATRA 13.05.11

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:57:00 +0000

Things have been a bit quiet here recently as I've been recording new music and keeping it to myself.
SINATRA is finished and will be released on Friday 13th May 2011.
All songs have been properly mixed and mastered (by a guy in Albuquerque) unlike the demos previously available up here.
If you want it, and it's 8 page lyric book, please go here

Sinatra Had His Time
Good To Me
I Am A Diva
Raise Your Hand
I Will Sing
Ghost At The Piano
My Literary Kingdom
Your Love Is Dead

Right now it's available on preorder as I need to amass some funds before getting the CDs printed.
Any orders will be of great help!

Buy it at the following link and 90% will go towards the CDs.

http://seldomparty.com/sinatra

Thank you!

Good To Me - Yellow Streetlight Mix

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:16:00 +0000

Here's the first remix that came through from my request on Pool.
by Yellow Streetlight

Good To Me - Yellow Streetlight mix

I'm still waiting for images for this song, so if you feel like you can conjure an image that fits, please create and email to me.

I've written your plans on the back of my hand

Playing The Game. A homage to the World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:24:00 +0000

ok, ok. with 3 months to go until the greatest sporting event of the known world, I thought I should take off my sober hat and express my happier emotions. And thus my Three Lions was born:

Playing The Game

The music accompanies an animation by Mimi Leung. See her work here.

You can see my sliding tackle.

Garden Gig #2 - Saturday - 27th Feb 2010

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:01:00 +0000

As I am about to send out the obligatory 'please listen to my song and tell me that you love me' emails, here's a note to say that, barring the increasingly frequent powercuts, I'll be playing a couple of songs live to my webcam again on Saturday at 7pm Central Australia time. Find out what time that means for you on this.

And then again on the last Saturday of every month, if you'd care to join me.

Will Jones do the doggie dance again? Will my housemate-to-be arrive mid-song to see he's to live with a nutjob? Will I fall off my chair? OMG? Find out here LIVE!!!
excuse me.

In the mean time, please listen to my song(s) and tell me that you love me:

......................................
......................................

Raise Your Hand

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Raise Your Hand

Will you stand against the rope,
raise your hand and take a vote.
For or against,
the hapless relent,
with consequences greater than you think.
As two of us reside,
the rest of us divide apart -
you laugh as that's impossible.
As that's impossible,
you raise your glass instead,

place the hatchet in my head
and turn.

The very smile that got me here,
the very smile that interfered
with every odd decision made -
well worth the wait as I am caught at last -
I turn to Gold.
And now I am unstoppable,
you laugh as that's impossible.
As that's impossible,
you raise your glass against me.
Against me
again.

Well who am I to represent?
Who am I to upend?
Who am I to overturn?

Now I turn to Gold
and I've become unstoppable.
Your laugh becomes hysterical.
The rope's too close to hold,
but still you won't. You won't let go.
The Commons' sense a world apart,
it's with a heavy heart
I turn against me.
Against me
again.

I turn to raise my hand.

No one was invited, online or off

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:51:00 +0000

well, actually two people were invited. Just like playing in Leeds, only in the suuunshine.

first attempt at a garden gig

Jan 30th, 7PM Central Australia.

garden gig number 1

I'll try and get vocals set up and give it a proper go next month...

My Literary Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:09:00 +0000

Based loosely on the noisy neighbours (occasional verbal-fight noisy compared to our regular drunken-food-fight-Bonnie-Tyler-appreciation noisy) adjacent to my old bedroom in South London, this is an over-dramatised account of the night when in between the usual heated arguing and emotional swearing were the lines 'PUT DOWN THE KNIFE, JUST PUT DOWN THE KNIFE'.

My Literary Kingdom

undone by a sympathetic ear

Trumpuppeteers

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:50:00 +0000

And now for a new craze. Everybody take your trumpets from your mouths and wave them by your waist. MAKE THEM DANCE.

right click
Trumpuppeteers
to download

An Interview and a Song

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:08:00 +0000

A new year and to kick start my climb to the top of the ladder an interview with the lovely Megan from Music NT:

Party On, an Interview With [me]

To celebrate I played the guitar. If you play an instrument or sing and can add to it please do and send me your ideas, my email's to the left.

Painting In England

Gypsy Thief

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:18:00 +0000

The gypsy thief appeared in a sexy dream. Turns out there's a saucy novel called A Gypsy's Thief, the second book in Tatiana Ladley's Thieves and Lovers series. Our premises appear different enough. Where I sing about a gypsy that was a thief, Tatiana writes about John, a man 'Cursed with a "sword" large enough to send them running,' and Catriona, a woman that ends up in throws with Mr and Mrs Robin Hood. Inspirational. Oh, to sing about my 'sword'.

Gypsy Thief

My heart's a mouse and she swoops like a hawk.

Your Love is Dead

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:21:00 +0000

having spent a week listening to nothing but desert reggae and murder ballads this, which no longer really resembles either, happened. A ground-breaking first as well, having never penciled and sung babe, baby or any derivative thereof, before.

Your Love Is Dead

Headstones stood where lovers should.

Casually Devoted

noreply@blogger.com (seldom party) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Get out of your hiding place, it's stupid

the casually defeated will great you with a rose