Beethoven`s Birthday (Twilight Mix)

Having gotten completely sick of hearing this tune after doing the `Minor Mix` (some two years or more since completing the original tune!) I decided to totally muck it about. Gone are the drums and rather irritating cymbals, gone too is the `rock chord` guitar. The main feel of the tune is still there but it`s been stripped almost completely bare...and I like it!

The main influence here is probably the `Wah Wah` album by James which was produced by Brian Eno, I`d been listening to it a lot and subconsciously, I think I`ve attempted to recreate the quirkiness and sparsity of the tracks on that album. The remix took just about six hours spread over a couple of days.

Beethoven`s Birthday (MinorMix)

So called because the original version contained a rather `naughty` sample which Richard wouldn`t allow (and not because it`s played in a minor key...although it might be for all I know about music!). Anyway, the offending sample was replaced after much protestation with the rather weak `In The Place To Be` (circa 1986).

I wrote the original tune about two years ago, probably early 1993.

Whilst I was trying to make it more `Mary Whitehouse friendly`, I decided to stick in the `middle eight` (whatever) which is actually the main riff behind `My Flyaway Hair` - I think it breaks the monotony but feel free to remove it should you think it doesn`t fit.

Interlude

Sorry about this, I must admit, it`s no more than a filler but as it was written during the same period as the rest of these ditties, it gets its place. It`s nothing brilliant and I think that I must have been in a Spanish mood when I wrote it. (Either that or drunk).

My Flyaway Hair

Having just purchased an A1200, I wanted to do something on OctaMED V5 using the full capabilities of the eight channels and all that so I decided to devote four tracks to the drum section cos my main gripe about most of my previous pieces had been that my drum tracks were...well crap basically. I was quite pleased with the result. Unfortunately, having got the drum track down, I didn`t know what the hell to do with it so the tune is pretty non-existent. Still, I`m happy with what`s here, I like the harmonising beeps and violins. The brass section bit was very much an afterthought brought on by the fact that I`d come to a complete standstill and it goes at such a pace that the whole thing was over after about a minute...story of my life...

The last block is actually a botch up, it occured as I was mucking around with the volume, trying to fade it out, as it happens, I think it`s a pretty neat effect and I couldn`t have done it on purpose if I`d tried!

October

Very appropriate this, `twas October at the time. It`s a really old U2 song and I thought that I`d give it a bash. I`m happy with it but the rather pathetic violin sample is supposed to replace Bono`s voice! Let`s admit it, MED`s good....but not THAT good!

Stina

I`d bought an album earlier in the year by a lady called Stina Nordenstam, bloomin` good it is too!

The beat is nothing like her stuff (she`s `acoustic`) but I felt the `vocal line` which appears at the end was very much `her` - even the instument used matches the frailty of her voice, the quirky chord changes are very similar too.

The beat is actually just `My Flyaway Hair` slowed down a touch.

I`ll probably pick this up again sometime and do a proper job on the actual tune, I`ve fallen in love with the vocal bit and I`m sure there`s a cutesy little song in there somewhere.

By the way, Stina Nordenstam`s album (And She Closed Her Eyes) is highly recommended if you`re a proper MUSIC fan, very mellow, very delicate and her voice is very unique...and gorge.

The Mirror

What can I say about this? I don`t know where this came from. I just sat at the computer for a few hours and hey presto...tune!

I`m not saying that it`s the most amazing piece of music ever but it`s one of my favourites I`ve ever done.

It`s just a strange mixture, stark drums, an eerie couple of blocks towards the end (morbid, even) but it still manages to give off the impression of optimism and happiness in parts. There must have been a few different tunes buzzing around my head that night...



Well, that`s The Autumn Collection.

Technically, there`s nothing very impressive. That`s not my style, I`ve never written anything technically impressive. I listen to the tunes created for most of the `Mega Demos` and they leave me cold, there`s no `feeling` in them, there`s nothing which `hits` me, nothing which makes me sit up and really LISTEN.

I write to please myself, mainly but I`d like to think that something on this disk will give you pleasure and inspiration. I consider myself `musical`, I love sounds, I love melody, I love harmonies. I love a girl called Delyth...but that`s another tune for another day...