21st June 2004

I've delayed it as long as I could but there's nothing more I can do so the new album's gone off for manufacture. I was hoping to have it ready for the Rutles dates at the 100 Club but there was a problem with the mastering - I had to get it done again because the first time round was a bit of a fuck-up. I ended up taking it to Transfermation which was expensive but worth every penny. Most places do it all in the computer but Transfermations is all analogue. The engineer, Noel, told me that he basically uses the computer as a tape recorder. So the tracks come off one computer, go through his fabulous Neuman desk and back into another computer as the wonderful finished item. I'm sure this makes very little sense but I had to say it all so that I could show a picture of it:

So there it is. A subtle marketing ploy - anything that's been through something as wonderful looking as that desk has got to have something going for it. It should inspire confidence. It was quite a day out. Andrew Weatherall came along to lend moral support and get a sneak preview. He thought it was great and so did Andre Barreau who came to see me last week. Andre was quite involved at the beginning but he hadn't heard any of the tracks since we recorded them so it was a bit of a surprise because they've been bent out of shape since then. Karen finally got to hear the finished thing too, after months of hearing bits and pieces and wondering what I was up to when I didn't answer the telephone.
I'm starting a new merchandising site - southerndomestic.co.uk. The new album, which is called Bungalow Hi, is due for release on September 6th but it'll be available from the Southern Domestic site sometime next week. I'll also be selling it at gigs starting with the supports I'm doing to The Magic Band (minus Captain Beefheart but sensational nonetheless) in Liverpool, Leeds and Nottingham. The dates are under the guitar at the top. It's all going to change soon - I thought a matching site and album cover would be quite good...
Tony's still carrying on with The Turkey Zone - we haven't fallen out or anything (he's still my hero and favourite uncle) but we felt it was really time to move on and create an outlet that dealt solely with my own stuff. It'll have all the normal shopping trolley and paypal features and facilities and it'll be up next week to coincide with the arrival of my wonderful new album. I'll send out some sort of announcement to everyone on the mailing list.
In the meantime I'll maybe see you at the Rutles gigs on Wednesday and Thursday - and you never know, the album might arrive in time for Thursday night's show, it's a long shot and I think I'm getting a bit old to believe in miracles but somebody's got to.