The Psychøtic Reactiøn

This is a test.

Another visit to Bigsqueak and we have Barking Up The Wrong Tree (take 5) complete. We’ve also kept take 6 as I think it may be interesting to do too different versions as has become de rigeur for us (see also Cocoon- no less than three versions available, but also What’s Under The Stairs and A Moment of Clarity). Take 5 was definitely the best performance, but my tuning was ever so slightly off (not for the first time!) and due to recording minus vocals we’d inadvertently added an extra line to one of the verses. Take 6 had more precise tuning but maybe lacked the same verve, plus you can tell we’re knackered as the ending peters out like a clockwork toy winding down. So, we decided Take 5 had the edge; for all its flaws it was the best performance and having to add an extra line and remember to sing it differently seemed like only minor hassle in the cold light of day. Any normal songwriter would have had the verses the same length from the start anyway…

So, we had ¼” tape and we had the DAT. The tape sounds terrific, but as described there are problems with drop-outs and our old friends wow and flutter. For most of the other tracks it’s going to be a case of either DAT or tape, but for this song we decided to try and blend the two. This meant some particularly frenzied mouse clicking from Mr.Barwick as he went through the parallel tracks (already transferred to Cakewalk! How 21st Century) compensating for where the tape moved in and out of synch with the DAT version (making for some decidedly queasy echo effects). Job done, we ended up with an OTT chorus effect, sort of What Goes On-style Lou Reed meets Johnny Marr via Wilko Johnson (for the guitar at least, I’d like to think so, anyway…). Powley’s bass (the toxic green Warwick) sounded FANTASTIC- chunky and twangy, but allowing plenty of space for my relentless strumming and Leo’s equally relentless drumming. Leo used a mixture of Bigsqueak’s Premier  kit and his own Ludwig and KR (??) hardware, although for this song he used my old 50’s Ajax snare that has a very distinctive, old-fashioned marching band-style timbre. Anyway, the whole caboodle sounded ace. Barwick made me sing through a tweed Fender Reverb Twin reissue, which blended nicely and I emulated Leo’s backing part, left back in the mix as I always liked the sound of it bleeding into the other mics when we played it live as he rarely had one of his own (we had to travel light, you see!). The combination of lugubrious baritone vocal and frenzied backing led to the throw-away description of ‘The Smiths on crack’; Gav’s typically droll riposte was: ‘You mean it sounds like Andy Rourke on his own?’ Ho-very-ho. So, it’s as good as done. It’s been suggest that the chorus ‘needs something’ and even that we should add disco strings (!), neither of which I’d rule out, although we may save them for take 6, our alternate/experimental version…

More overdubs shortly!

Unfinished business:

So, another line up broke up in 2007… Leo had a job offer in Manchester he couldn’t refuse and Powley wished to pursue other ventures, so we parted on amicable terms and agreed to reconvene to record what we’d been doing for posterity and lo, in March 2008 it came to pass.

(more…)

24th May 2008

On Saturday 24th May we’re playing at Manchester MAPS Festival @ The Castle, Oldham St, Manchester. This is an all day festival. We’re on about 1pm.

Full line-up:

12:20 Postcode
13:00 The Psychotic Reaction
13:40 The Dead School
14:20 The Lovely Eggs
15:00 Awesome Wells
15:40 The Affection
16:20 Colt .45s
17:00 Dirtblonde
17:40 Plague Doctors
18:20 Pink Riot
19:00 Town Bike
19:40 Billy Ruffian
20:20 The Housewives
21:00 Starfighter Pilot
21:40 Delicate Hammers
22:20 First Black Precedent

17th Jun 2008

On Tuesday June 17th we’re playing at the Cherry Tree, Canterbury with (fresh from his European tour!) Robert Rotifer in support, 8pmish onwards.

12th Jul 2008

We’re making our first ever appearance at Canterbury’s Lounge on the Farm Festival on Saturday 12th July. We’re on the Tractor Shed stage (or whatever it’s called, you know the one!) at 2pm.

29th Apr 2008

Our latest manifestation plays the Cherry Tree. Canterbury, on Tuesday 29th April. No, it’s not the James Bradley Band, it’s US!!

Support tbc….

5th Mar 2008

We are emerging from hibernation to play a gig at Casey’s in Canterbury on Wednesday 5th March, supporting Syd Arthur. Entry is free.

Our EP “Genre Music Is The Enemy” has had a short and sweet review from Subba-Cultcha.

“A Moment Of Clarity” has been voted one of the best free downloads of 2007 by IndieMP3. You can download all the tracks from IndieMP3, and it’s well worth it because there are some great songs on there, especially Club 8, who I would have voted for if it hadn’t been for loyalty to the band I’m actually in.