Yes. It is here. Four tracks of molten gloom recording at Keynote Studios in Reading. Half the recording was paid for by Nightshift Magazine, Oxford, after they awarded 50ft Panda with Demo of the Month, and the engineer, Umair Chaundry, got an absolutely blinding sound for the record. I truly free the bar has been lifted again - this is definitely the best sounding record I’ve ever been part of.

Please download Olid, by Olid for free (at 320kbps mp3) from TootingBizarre.org, our free netlabel.

Todger launch their new record (see my album artwork below) at the Monto Water Rats on March 3rd. They are giving away a free A3 poster with each ticket, and I made a little web ad for it too:

Whilst I was recording my parts for the upcoming Thumpermonkey album, Ben Wren shot a little video on his new camera, and I look reasonably well dressed in it. Here, more to feed my personal obsession for self-archiving than anything else, is the session from December 2009.

Tooting Bizarre continues its regular take-over at The Miller. I am playing the first two nights in 2009, and also made the flyers. Ici!

I followed Todger into the studio, and filmed them recording the new record. Here’s day one:

Todger: Cockumentary DAY ONE

Todger’s third album, and their first full-length album with the full-fat electric line-up is now available. Recorded by our good friend Anthony Chapman, I was struggling to come up with the right cover for this. Something humorous but rocking, evil looking but with a wink. After a number of false starts, I woke up one morning with a vision of this. Luckily I have some instantly game friends, and I thank Mr.W and Miss.P for their assistance.

Inspired in no small way by the recent Francis Bacon exhibit, I was excited to try a tryptic of my own and bring some narrative into the design in a way that I’ve not achieved before. Here is the front cover in context:

The back cover is particularly silly and makes a satisfying job of undermining any initial perceived seriousness in the front cover. The satanic halo I’m particularly pleased with…

Foolishness of foolishnesses; Stonasaurus recently re-united for the first gig since the Norwich Arts Centre gig (supporting Goldie Lookin’ Chain) way back in… er… 2005… maybe?

Mike Woodman (in his confused ignorance) insisted that we grab the mics for old times’ sake and open a Tooting Bizarre night. It was actually damn fun, and great to have so many friendly faces in the crowd (without which it might have fallen somewhat flatter!). I thank all those who came out to see it muchly - and advise anyone who missed it to download The “Best” Of Stonasaurus (for free, of course, I wouldn’t expect anyone to part with a penny for this nonsense!).

Featuring my little brudda on drums, and two very fine guitarists (both good friends); Olid is a doom band. That’s the very long and the not so short of it. Working on a ‘demo’ at the moment, and playing gigs soon. Check the myspazz for details.