Thanks, Thanking's and Go Raibh Maith Agat's.....

Just a quick post to say thanks very much to SmoothJazz.com "The World's Smooth Jazz Radio Station since 2000!" and 'Sound Fusion Radio' (London) for adding a number of tracks to their playlist. 

Thanks to Aja at UK based Jazz & Soul radio show 'Ketch A Vibe' for featuring 'Stop, Start, Rewind' off the new E.P. on their April 14th edition of the show. The podcast of which can be check'd out at the following link : Ketch A Vibe 282, April 14th.

The show is syndicated each week to the following radio stations.

BluesJazz Radio (NC/ USA)

XRP Radio (Birmingham UK)
Play FM (Austria) 
Electric Lion Radio (London UK)
Cruise FM (London UK)
Impact Radio (Italy)
Hearthis (Germany)

Ketch A Vibe 282 by Anthony Aja Allsop on hearthis.at

Also, thanks very much to Wayne Fleming for featuring various tracks on his 'T-Phunk Funk, Soul & Northern Soul Show' on TCRFM 92.3 (Ireland) the last two weeks. Much appreciated indeed.

Stop, Start, Rewind E.P. ....

The Near Future

Well here it is, the third Near Future E.P. and the follow up to twenty-fourteens 'Atoms for Henrietta (Spinning Carousels In Her Mind)'....

'Stop, Start, Rewind'

A twenty-one minute long Trip-Hop journey that takes place inside your grandfathers vintage nineteen-seventies video-cassette-recorder. There's slap bass, crashing sounds of industrial machinery, minimalist piano patterns, WWII air-raid sirens, funky wha-wha guitars, Native American war cries and an apocalyptic string quartet to name but a few. All of which gradually veer off into some old school Funk and a nice little slice of grandma's favorite chilled out Jazz-Funk Fusion.

Just press play below and away we go.....

Additionally, if you feel compelled to add 'Stop, Start, Rewind' to your own personal 

music collection, you can do so by purchasing it from The Near Future! Bandcamp page, at the following link.... Click me, you know you wanna

The Patterns Keep Repeating, While The Drums They Keep On Beating....

Hello Twenty-Sixteen,
How you been getting on so far?

Really, sweet.. 

Me? Yea, I'm good. Just finished this new Minimalist, Trip-Hop track called, 
'The Patterns Keep Repeating, While The Drums They Keep On Beating'. Check it out later if you like.




You going to the 'Irish Garden Snails Exhibition' this weekend at The Hunt Museum?

Cool, yea, talk to yea there.

Potato Peelings and Sentimental Feelings III....

Here at 'Potato Print Productions', "the alternative greeting card company that say's the things mainstream greeting card companies won't." We've yet again been busy expanding our range of cards for a new year, in order to cater to a wider array of antisocial and dysfunctional needs. Needs both you and your loved one's may pleasantly find the solution to within our ever expanding range. Below are a sample 
of some of our new cards for the coming year..... 

THE 'GOOD LUCK' EXAM CARD

THE 'BEST OF LUCK - YOUR FIRED' CARD

THE 'HAPPY 60TH ANNIVERSARY' CARD

THE 'GENUINELY SENTIMENTAL' FATHERS DAY CARD

If you find that any of the above cards meet your 'socially obligated' needs and are suitably sentimental for your most treasured of family and personal occasions. They can be found as part of a much wider selection of cards available for purchase at.....

www.PotatoPrintProductions.ie

Happy Christmas!!!

Firefly....

Here's a new 'Alternative / Funk Rock' track called 'Firefly'. It's short and sweet, with a bunch of shimmery Spanish guitars, some Slap Bass and a little horn section to boot.



Talk to yea later.

'Every Ending Is A New Beginning.... Stepping Into The Near Future!'....

Here's a brand new laid back and chilled out piece of 'Jazz Funk' fusion entitled, 'Every Ending Is A New Beginning.... Stepping Into The Near Future!'.....

 
Thanks very much to UK based Jazz & Soul radio show 'Ketch A Vibe' for featuring 'Every Ending Is A New Beginning.... Stepping Into The Near Future!' on their June 13th edition of the show. 

The show is syndicated each week to the following radio stations.

BluesJazz Radio (NC/ USA)

The Coast Radio  (NJ /USA) 
XRP Radio (Birmingham UK)
Samurai FM (Japan) 
Digest Music Radio (Montenegro ME)
Play FM (Austria) 
Electric Lion Radio (London UK)
Cruise FM (London UK & Spain)
Impact Radio (Italy)
Gaudeamus FM 93,6 FM (UK, Eastern Europe, Lithuania)

Guest Shows & Mixes on :

Radio Cardiff FM (Wales)
Radio Krimi (France)
Canora Radio (Madrid, Spain)
Pulse FM (UK)
Rhythm & Soul Radio (USA)

In Memory of Father J. Franklin....

So, very exciting news, as I'm sure all you vinyl junkies can relate to, I finally got my hands on an original copy of an extremely hard to find Funk album I've been looking for, for ages.... 'Father Jezebel Franklin & his All-Star Altar Boys'. 

Released on a small, obscure County Sligo record label, 'Demon Records', which has long ceased operations. This Nineteen Sixty Eight long-player was the first and only release from 'Christian Funk' pioneer Father Jezebel Franklin, a Roman Catholic priest from the parish of Knockmore, near Lough Conn in County Mayo.

Father J. Franklin, as well as being the local parishioner and pillar of the community, was also a well seasoned musician. And with his live band the 'All-Star Altar Boys' he took the visceral, sexual Funk groove's of James Brown and fussed them with the moral, spiritual teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. A powerful combination that took the late Nineteen Sixties, Connaught Showband scene by storm for a number of months. Particularly during the Nineteen Sixty Eight period of Lent.

Fu

Below is a .wav file of 'Loose With Her Juice' ripped from the vinyl record

As a humble, retiring and devout member of the cloth, very little is know about Father Jezebel Franklin. He appears to receive production credits on 'Demon Records' Nineteen Sixty Nine release, 'The Singing Sister's of The Catholic Ladies Institute of Theology (C.L.I.T)'. A religious recording of the now dispelled County Kerry monastic order's choir. But after this Father J. Franklin seem's to disappear totally from the world of recorded music.

Irish Music

According to local sources Father Jezebel Franklin continued to perform live with various lineup's of the 'All-Star Altar Boys' for a number of years. But unfortunately, like many of the great County Mayo Jazz and Funk musician's of the period, Father Franklin was drawn into the dark and dangerous world of drug addiction. Local new's archives from the period state Father Franklin died as a result of a heroin overdoes on the 2nd of June, Nineteen Seventy Two, "behind Misses Gleeson's cake and bun stand at the Knockmore Village Summer Fair". A sad and untimely demise for the originator and purveyor of 'Christian Funk'.

R.I.P 'Father Jezebel Franklin'

7th of September, 1938 - 2nd of June, 1972.

  

(Funeral mass card courtesy of Knockmore parishioner Bridget Bernadette Kelly)  

Claymore Wants to Get Laid More....

So I was talking to my good friend Claymore the other day. He's a really sound guy and we go back a long way. He was telling me he recently created a profile on the dating website 'Plenty of Fish', but wasn't really having much luck so far. So I figured I'd do what any good, well intentioned, interfering friend would do and take it upon myself to share his profile on my blog without asking his permission. 

If your a young woman or know of a young woman who's looking for a really sweet, sincere fellow with a heart of gold, then take the time to click on little old Claymore's profile below. He's a catch!

If you find you take a shine to Claymore or if your just up for a free fish and chip at The Golden Grill do give him a shout over at 'Plenty of Fish', I'm sure he'd be delighted to hear from you. But don't tell him you saw his profile here, he's a very sensitive little fellow at times.... 

Anyway's, I'm off to practise me some Slap Bass! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Potato Peelings and Sentimental Feelings II....

Here at 'Potato Print Productions', "the alternative greeting card company that say's the things mainstream greeting card companies won't." We've been busy expanding our range of cards for 2015, in order to cater to a wider array of antisocial and dysfunctional needs. Needs both you and your loved one's may pleasantly find the solution to within our ever expanding range. Below are a sample of some of our new cards for the coming year..... 

THE TERMINALLY ILL 'GET WELL SOON' CARD

Here's a card for those of you that are worried about a friend or relative dealing with suicidal thoughts.....

THE SUICIDAL CHRISTMAS CARD

THE 'I'M SORRY' APOLOGIES CARD

THE 'DOMESTIC ABUSE' WEDDING THANK YOU CARD

And finally, here's a card for those of you dealing with or who know someone dealing with casual substance abuse....

THE 'MASHED POTATOES' BIRTHDAY CARD

If you find that any of the above cards meet your 'socially obligated' needs and are suitably sentimental for your most treasured of family and personal occasions. They can be found as part of a much wider selection of cards available for purchase at.....

www.PotatoPrintProductions.ie

Happy New Year!

'It's Evolution.... Shamans, Warrior Chiefs and Medicine Men'....

New Trip-Hop track entitled 'It's Evolution....'. Taking inspiration from the Shamans, Warrior Chiefs and Medicine Men of Native America. This one's got a nice dirty little bass line, so crank it up good and loud!

Till next time.

'Stop, Start, Rewind.'....

This one took a while, but I've just finished my first new track since the last new track. It's got a lovely little string section, a 1970's JVC HR-3300 video cassette recorder and lot's of terrible smashie sounds. For best effect, it should be listened to loudly on speakers, unless you've a small child or pet in the general vicinity. In which case it should be listened to loudly on headphones! 



Enjoy!

Peace Out...
Mark.

[ Thanks to 'Limerick Sounds' and 'Trip-Hop-Monterrey' for sharing the track ]

Potato Peelings and Sentimental Feelings....

So somewhat frustrated with the severe lack of quality greeting cards that are on sale these days. My good friend Oswald Rutager and I have set up our own company 'Potato Print Productions' in order to produce a line of quality cards that serve as an alternative to the majority of below par cards that are on the market. Greeting cards that aren't just adorned with standard generic meaningless sentiment. Cards that don't, as our CEO, Indonesia McInnerny says, "Say fuckin' nothing, to nobody, 'bout no one". Cards you wouldn't be ashamed to give to friends, relative's, co-workers or the terminally ill. 

We've been hard at work on this new project, so without further ado, here is a selection of cards from the 'Potato Print Productions' range.... 

THE FATHER'S DAY CARD

THE VALENTINE'S DAY CARD

THE WEDDING DAY CARD

We're also proud to announce that 'Potato Print Productions' will be producing short runs of cards to cater for 'minority social occasions'. The type of occasions the major card manufacturers, on a general basis, just don't tend to cater to. Here for example, is a card for those of you who wish to commemorate dumping your partner on their twenty seventh birthday..... 

If you find that any of the above cards meet your 'socially obligated' needs and are suitably sentimental for your most treasured of family and personal occasions. They can be found as part of a much wider selection of cards available for purchase at....

 www.PotatoPrintProductions.ie 

Spaghetti on a Hot Baguette and Atoms in the Internet....

Atoms for Henrietta (Spinning Carousel's In Her Mind)

So the new E.P. 'Atoms for Henrietta (Spinning Carousel's In Her Mind)' has been floating around the world wide web for a week or so now. And whilst, as of yet, it's impact has not extended too far out into the vast, infinite universe of music. Little atoms have however been popping up here and there! Therefore, some thanks and appreciation to the following....

Thanks very much to UK based Jazz & Soul radio show 'Ketch A Vibe' for featuring 'Lost In Time On Platform Nine (Is This All There Is)' off the E.P. on their April 5th edition of the show. The podcast of which can be check'd out at the following link : Ketch A Vibe 178, April 5th.

The show is syndicated each week to the following radio stations.

BluesJazz Radio (NC/ USA)

The Coast Radio  (NJ /USA) 
XRP Radio (Birmingham UK)
Samurai FM (Japan) 
Digest Music Radio (Montenegro ME)
Play FM (Austria) 
Electric Lion Radio (London UK)
Cruise FM (London UK)
Impact Radio (Italy)

Guest mixes on :

Radio Krimi (France)

Canora Radio (Madrid Spain)

Also, thanks to 'Trip-Hop-Laboratory' on Radio Varna (Bulgaria) for sharing the E.P. As did 'A Reason To Love You (Trip-Hop Community)', 'World of Trip Hop' and  'Limerick Sounds'. And special thanks to music websites 'Goldenplec.com' (Ireland) and 'The Sound Out' (Ireland) for giving the E.P. a shout out, very much appreciated. 

Finally, a few people have asked me what the title of the E.P. 'Atoms for Henrietta (Spinning Carousel's In Her Mind)' is about? Basically, I don't have the slightest idea. I just took the name off a box of dog biscuits I seen when I was backpacking across Scandinavia last summer. So really, all credit must go to the marketing department of 'Andersen & Andersen & Son's International Pet Foods Ltd.'.....

Dog Biscuits

Peace Out,

Mark.

Atoms for Henrietta (Spinning Carousel's in Her Mind) E.P. ....

The Near Future! Atoms for Henrietta

'Atoms for Henrietta (Spinning Carousel's In Her Mind) E.P.' is the follow up to 2010's 'A Little Understanding E.P.'. It took a while, but what can I say, thing's have been fairly hectic down at the penguin sanctuary the last few years..... 

Anyway's, it's a twenty three plus minute Trip-Hop journey that take's you through the bustling street's of New York, the crowded rush hour platforms of a European railway station. Accidentally stumbles upon an extraterrestrial abduction, for no particular reason. Plummets into the deepest, darkest depths of Willie Nelson's dementia stricken mind, for a very specific reason. Shoot's out across the funky Australian 'Outback', and ends the trip with a nice big bag of penny sweets and a bucket of sherbet dip high up in the frozen mountains of the Himalayas.

Just press play below and away we go.....

Additionally, if you feel compelled to add 'Atoms for Henrietta' to your own personal 

music collection, you can do so by purchasing it from The Near Future! Bandcamp page, at the following link.... Click me, you know you wanna

It come's with a bunch of extra item's which include amongst other things the very fine video above and a video of myself doing a stirring duet of 'The Wind Beneath My Wings' with one of the penguins down the sanctuary!

'Nomads Moving North, tracking footprints through The Land of Snows'....

Here's another new Trip-Hop track I've just finished. This time with a slightly orchestral feel, incorporating a string quartet and an oboe. At least I think it's an oboe, it could be a saxophone? I don't know, whatever.... It's in tribute to the ancient nomadic people's and the wandering yogis of the beautiful but troubled 'Land of Snows', Tibet. 



Inspired, in part, by the documentary, 'Yogis of Tibet'. Anyways, as the Dalai Lama says....

Namaste, namaste, 
Hot-cross buns and a cup'a tae. 

Peace out....
Mark :)

Kellogg's Combats Calcium Deficiency....

So if your like most people I know, your a pretty big fan of cheese right?! Yea, me too! I mean it taste's great, it's good for you and let's face it, who needs the psychological tension and acute anxiety caused as a result of knowing your more than likely walking around with a mild calcium deficiency?! That's the type of thing you want to avoid at all costs!!  
And I'm also guessing, like myself, your probable a pretty big fan of weasels, I mean who isn't?! They like totally make the best pet! Their clean, their polite and they never leave the back door open after themselves. So taking these factors into consideration, it would seem, Kellogg's has combined the awesome powers of cheese and weasel into a brand new cereal.... 

Cheese Weasels!!

Kellogg

I haven't tried them yet, but they look bangin!  I'll be getting me a box as soon as their in the shops!!

'Lost In Time on Platform Nine (Is This All There Is)'.....

Here's a new Jazzy Trip-Hop track I've been working on for a while entitled 'Lost In Time on Platform Nine (Is This All There Is)'. It's an adaptation of, and also take's it's title from, another piece of music I've no intention of ever composing....

Sincerely,
M. Hayes. 

Stephen Hawking : Sticky Buns and Biscuits....

Stephen Hawking

So I was in the studio the last few weeks with Mr. Hawking doing the final track mixes for his highly anticipated Electronic album 'Summer Days and Gamma Rays'. The follow up to 2010's critically acclaimed 'Winding Roads and Binary Codes'. Now while working with Mr. Hawking is always a rewarding experience it is also unfortunately rather laborious due to the cumbersome speed with which he communicates. And having worked straight through till midnight this particular evening we therefore decided to take a little tea break. 

Stephen Hawking

Tea breaks with Mr. Hawking are most enjoyable. Tea and coffee is generally accompanied by his complimentary lifetime supply of sticky buns and biscuits which he receive's from The University of Cambridge in appreciation of his various academic endeavours. Endeavours which in no small part have led to the discovery of big mysterious words we've yet to fully understand like 'Quantum Gravity' and 'General Relativity'. And as Mr. Hawking tends to just sit and watch the tea time proceedings, there's always plenty to go round!!

On this particular evening, whilst we sat around chatting and eating our sticky buns and biscuits, Mr. Hawking enquired as to know, 'What the delightful song playing on the studio computer system was?'. We informed him it was a song called 'August Flowers' by Limerick songwriter Emma Lemon Langford.... 

At which point, obviously inspired by the charmingly happy go lucky nature of the song, he rolled straight out of the control room and back into the recording studio, proceeding to perform his own bizarre rendition.... 

Recorded in one take, without any rehearsal, 'August Flowers (and Asteroid Showers)' was subsequently mixed admits the ensuing chaos of sugar cubes, cups of tea and coffee, secondhand synthesizers, and sticky buns and biscuits. The track can be heard above, whilst Mr. Hawking's second full length album 'Summer Days and Gamma Rays' is set for release in early 2014. For more updates, check back in..... The Near Future!

'The Adventures of Dollypartasaurus' Theme Tune.....

So I've been quiet busy the last few weeks writing and arranging music for different projects. One of the piece's being a short 'Neo-classical Metal' styled instrumental, to be used as the theme tune for a new television show entitled 'The Adventures of Dollypartasaurus'. Which is described by the production company as follows....

"A fun filled, action packed and animated, educational television show for children (and possibly mentally challenged adults), which follows the adventures of a prehistoric 'Country and Western' singing dinosaur, through the deepest, darkest depths of Willie Nelson's dementia stricken mind....."

Dolly Parton

The show is to be aired sometime in 2016 on an all new community based television station in the 'Samarqand Provence' of Uzbekistan, as part of the governments new "comprehensive child eduction strategy on mental health issues". 

Above is a promotional photo courtesy of the production company and below is the finished audio track. T'is a nifty little number, the type of thing Yngwie Malmsteen might hum to himself whilst flicking through 'Cosmopolitan' or ironing his XXL Leather Pants in the morning. Check it out if yea like....



And finally, if you live in Uzbekistan watch out for 'The Adventures of Dollypartasaurus' on a television screen near you, in.....

The Near Future!