Computer Age

The Solvers
Every Single Song EP
Model self-published, 2009

The tired man decided it was good time to get up and go out. Tired of singing their sentences in solitary lighted a cigarette and smoke signals released by the window. Seekers who were lurking melodies came to his call, with the instruments on his back knocked on his door and together they embarked on the road. With the illusions still intact, the desire to catch up and thrown, the experiences that bent his back, live the need to scream and felt that the hours of loneliness, relieved with massive doses of Neil Young, Teenage Fanclub, Lou Barlow, Big Star or the Kinks, charged form of wild melodies struggling to squirt out of their hearts and leaving streets flooded with emotions and their bodies devoid of anger and regret.
The Solvers are an rock band guitar with a clear bias towards power pop, lovers and connoisseurs of the history of pop-rock of all time, a detail that is felt clearly in their sound (and in the slick cover this EP). The group will comprise The Tired Man (guitar and vocals, a member of the missing Evenless-current source Wild-Group and author of a demo in 2005 under the alias of Emodrama - "Songs That No One Will Hear" -) Aymeric drummer with "The French Man" Luis "Zombie Man" (guitar and vocals) and Carlos "Krakman" bass. Formed in Madrid in December 2008, were in their ranks with the guitarist and singer Al Zimmerman until February this year that left the group.
We are facing their first demo as a band, so we can not expect a professional sound but the atmosphere of guitars that have achieved is simply superb. In his songs tell of lonely nights and tears in the rain, passion and self-pity, lies and despair, love and hate. If 'Every Single Song' magically mixed power and sensitivity pushing to keep pace with the head and insulate ourselves from our surroundings in search of our own thoughts, 'Hey' has the essential elements of a rock anthem, perfect for shouting in the direct (accompanied with a megaphone if possible). If 'Empty Suit' power is a lament in search of emotional responses, 'Something You'll Never Know' (which appeared earlier in the model of Emodrama) is half that heady time has become my favorite as they kept repeating the listen.

No one better than the The Tired Man to clarify some details about the band and the first job:

On the formation of the group and the concept of band:

- The project grew out of an ad that put me in various forums (and Guitarristas.org Macworld) and although I had my alias The Tired Man I have never raised this band or any other as a backing band. In fact I still have my solo project, but being in a band is something else, there are no leaders or policies.

On the authorship of the songs:

- In the band compose Luis Mariano Reluz (LM Relight or Luis "Zombie" Man) and myself. In this model all the songs are my least 'Hey', but we are working on three new songs from Luis and two of mine, that will go in the second model, matching a little thing.

On the work of recording:

- The truth is that the recording process has been very rewarding. Both Carlos Lacasa and I had some experience managing multitrack sequencers have coordinated expertise of a very productive way. We started recording batteries in the rehearsal room and then putting the rest went into my house and the house of Carlos, carrying the sessions by running them through pen drives or FTP sessions, all very "to the last." Everything was recorded with Logic on three different Macs:). Finally we got the mix sounds pretty good. I think the sound we've achieved is pretty decent, does not sound "tacky."

And on closer plans and live performances:

- Our plans are to record a second demo and then go right now looking at the possibility of giving a concert, we have a big problem and we do not have your own equipment. what limits us a lot. We played in a room for hours, and we must find a separate room (and our own team) soon, which means drop pasta and pasta = problems: (

PS: A great start for a band that should not be afraid to demand more, need to improve details and do not lack potential.

Link to hear the demo

The Sleeping Years
We're Becoming Islands One by One
Talitres, Rocketgirl 2008

At this point in the movie the word that comes most easily to mind when I hear Dale Grundler is the honesty. If we add some special skills and sensitivity to singing and writing, enjoyment of the senses is assured.
If your special day I had a weakness for Catchers , an island within the framework peculiar indie, The Sleeping Years with my fascination is even greater to see that the evolution and maturity of Dale have been the result of a genuine personal quest, with an admirable control of everything that surrounds the production, recording and editing performances, both of the recordings or design, and the exquisite close to any comments or request.
The Sleeping Years is the current project of ex-Catchers Dale Grundler. Before this album released in 2007, three EPs, mostly acoustic, limited edition (the first two exhausted) with carefully prepared handmade cover (designed by pika pika), numbered and signed by Dale himself. All compositions were his own, take charge of all the instrumentation and recording.
In this first album, "We're Becoming Islands One by One", again is the author of all issues and in charge of interpreting the majority of instruments (vocals, guitars, bass, piano, keyboards, e-bow, percussion ), with the help of Michelle So (cello, piano, percussion), Tom Page (drums percussion) and Ben Eshmade (horn in "Human Blues"). It was recorded in London in late 2007, produced by Dale himself Grundler and edited in 2008 by the Talitres Records label in France and the seal Rocketgirl UK & Ireland. While you can buy and drive safely on the Internet, is intended for official publication in Spain and Portugal in March this year, the month in which two shows are already announced theirs (the 19th in the Apolo in Barcelona and 20 in El Sol in Madrid, accompanied only by a pianist, if plans do not change).
Of the 10 songs on the album, six of them had already appeared on the EPs, but have been re-recorded for this album with interesting contributions of the new components. Some have hardly changed, others have taken more shape-band with the addition of drums on everything, resulting in the cello one of the better integrated into the booth and Dale's personal sound world. Overall sound more clean and clear (my hobbies are perhaps by the preferences of simple and homely, but I find most personal and profound some versions of the Eps) but not at any time lose the aura of intimacy, delicacy, loneliness and magic of the songs features Dale. I have trouble settling on one in particular because all seem special, but if I had to choose one I'd choose "Macosquin Coleraine" (homage to the birthplace of: Coleraine, Northern Ireland,), "The Lockkeepers Cottage", "Dressed For Rain "and" Islands. "
Melancholy and beauty, loss and search. Sensitivity and honesty in abundance.

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The leader of the "Soft Boys, Robyn Hitchcock (Robyn Rowan Hitchcock), was born on March 3, 1953 in London (West London). His father, a cartoonist, painter, cartoonist, writer of fantastic stories and unconventional shaping his peculiar way of seeing the world and express it in their songs and other artistic projects. Spent his childhood in a boys' boarding school ("you spoil the mind and then let you get out to lead the country"). Lured by rock music influences from his youth was marked by classical names, from Elvis and rock'n'roll from the 50s to Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, Beatles ("we used to go to Robyn to learn them the entire albums Beatles, "Andy Metcalfe"), Beach Boys, The Byrds, Syd Barret in its infancy with Pink Floyd, the Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart. By the time he began writing his own songs in the early '70s might fall within the psychedelic pop, but with multiple style influences while still defined. In late 1974 decided to move to Cambridge, after leaving the academy of art, with the intention of forming a band. Soon he started playing weekends at the Portland Arms Folk Club, where he met Rob Lamb and the new group he was forming, the Dennis & The Experts, with Rob Lamb on guitar, Andy Metcalfe on bass and Morris Windsor the battery. Rob accustomed to take so transcendent music and performances of works that were considered at that time larger (Steely Dan, Little Feat ...), Robyn saw as a person too capricious and eccentric artist, deciding to leave the band. All other components remained together ever better understood. As Robyn was still very skillful with the instrument in 1977 decided to add a guitar solo: Alan Davies, also a friend of Morris. In the first show with new guitarist Robyn told the audience that changed their names, just write the song "Give It To The Soft Boys" and it seemed a good idea (although they later regret) to announce that as of that time spent on called "The Soft Boys." Their repertoire consisted of versions of Elvis, The Who, The Band, David Bowie ... mixed with some of Robyn's own compositions, which were already defined the peculiar theme of his songs, death, love and sex, from a psychotic point of view and a strong sense of absurdity with large doses of humor and cynicism. With this lineup recorded a demo at the home of Hitchcock, which came on 1 EP "Give It To The Soft Boys" (Raw Records, 1977).
We must remember that at that time a new musical movement (and social) had just arisen in England, and all the media echoed this, punk. While initially agreed with this movement advocated ideas, going against the overblown music, and certain types of progressive rock, suddenly bucked the way in which this supposed revolution was passing ("we could not discard the and pretend that we had suddenly learned that only knew a single line ... I guess you could say that, musically, the Soft Boys were a sort of reaction to everything happening around us at that time). At local level were very successful, ongoing trials helped to evolve musically ("I have always conceived the work as an approximation of what Captain Beefheart, in which there are two guitars playing two totally different things, and not a single guitar and a rhythm "). Alan Davies decided to switch to another guitarist who seemed much more comprehensive and special, Kimberley Rew (it was part of another group known at that time in Cambridge, the Waves). The seal Radar Records signed them to a recording contract. Recorded enough songs for an LP, but they only released one single, "(I Want To Be An) Anglepoise Lamp" ("We thought the best song of this session was' Where Are The Prawns?" But they edited it that, in his opinion, it sounded more like what people listened then, and not what we were doing well. That is a problem that has dogged us over the years ... "). Finally, LP was recorded but never released Radar (the legendary lost album. ")
Given the bad experience for both parties decided to terminate the contract and record again on his own and his way all the songs they had prepared no matter who liked it or not others, becoming the 1st LP official band " A Can Of Bees, "published by the independent label Two Crabs in 1979. A masterful blend of guitars of the past and punk sounds due to the rejection felt by this movement ended up going through its own filter, with influences of the voices of The Incredible String Band, the guitars of Captain Beefheart and the acceleration of the Vibrators.
That same year, while recording the next album, bassist Andy Metcalfe quit the band, being replaced by Matthew Seligman (who had played in the first concert as Dennis Hitchcock and The Experts, and with Alex Chilton and The Local Heroes). Its incorporation influenced so that the new songs were more "Poppys". The album spent several years unpublished until 1983 which was released as "Invisible Hits", when training was already dissolved. In 1980, before deciding their separation, they recorded the work convertitiría one of the best guitar albums of the '80s, the " Underwater Moonlight "(" ... I remember I was sitting with Matthew and he said: Look, we this album is great. The world can end, but at least we know that we have done "..." ... our ego was not in very good position, but what if I can remember is that immediately after recording "Kingdom Of Love 'I thought: God, can I end up in hell, but this is great! "..." We did that record less than 600 pounds. The producer Pat Collier made a deal with someone so that we could burn it ... Most are made with August 1 tracks, and one must remember that was the time of Steve Lillywhite and all that ... ").
Never had major sales in England, best seen in the United States gave several concerts in New York, but in the absence of clear results in order to live the music decided that separation as a band and looking for new projects was the best way out ("may we would have had any future in the United States, but the feeling we had was that we would not get anywhere. ")
Come to be regarded as "the father of psychedelic revival," Robyn Hitchcock followed his own path, with a career more or less stable but always with quality work, pulled out several solo albums or the Egyptians, participated in numerous projects and activities including with REM (Peter Buck said many times that the Soft Boys were influenced more than the Byrds), Billy Bragg, Grant Lee Phillips and Jonathan Demme in the recording of the musical film "Storefront Hitchcock." Already in 2001 requested collaboration for the reissue of the classic "Underwater Moonlight" (Matador), to mark the 21st anniversary of the original edition, delighted with the idea decided to add 26 shots and took him out as previously released double CD. Robyn talked with Kimberley Rew, Matthew Seligman and Morris Windsor and decided to float The Soft Boys to perform a mini-tour. Given the good reception, the next step was to publish an album with new songs: "Nextdoorland" (Matador 2002), with sculptures on the cover of her sister Lal Hitchcock, as in "Underwater Moonlight", also becoming the musical a worthy continuation of this. Without ever leaving their personal projects Robyn follows the journey in particular "long-distance train:" What I intend is rather long and inevitable and I have not finished. It's like a very long train, you can not see or where to start or where it ends. It's like something going through the interminable season. One day they stop, someone will come out and explain everything. "