ally's journal journal (noun) Pronounced (jur'nal) a. A personal record of occurrences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis b. Nautical. A ship's log. c. The part of a machine shaft or axle supported by a bearing. tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977 2007-02-18T18:32:07Z Blogger
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 true ally 2007-02-18T16:22:00+00:00 2007-02-18T18:32:07Z 2007-02-18T17:11:33Z tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-117181869318022839 <summary mode="escaped" type="text/plain" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm">hi, how are you? i was out of the country for about ten days then i was out of my mind for another few. i'm okay now though. i've been waking up very early recently coz i've been jetlagged and going to bed very early by my standards. but i'm enjoying it. i'm seeing the sun rise as i sip my morning tea. that's pretty nice. it was especially nice this morning with the clear sky, frost and the silent</summary> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/116811488615069625" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2007-01-06T19:53:00+00:00</issued> <modified>2007-01-06T22:32:57Z</modified> <created>2007-01-06T20:21:26Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2007_01_01_allykerr_archive.html#116811488615069625" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-116811488615069625</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">happy new year:) let's hope 2007 is a year filled with love, peace and peas. and those lovely soya beans i got addicted to in japan. boil, add salt and serve with a large dollop of beer. delicious:) ah, i forgot their name. it'll come back to me i'm sure. it's my resolution to eat more of them this year. well i've been pretty busy lately and enjoying myself a bit (or far, depending on how debauched your lifestyle is) too much. last night i noticed that so many people (including me) at the gig looked pasty, washed out, had bad skin and tired looking eyes. we've all been partying too hard if you ask me. i have been too i suppose, but come monday i'll be right back on track. i hope. i'm really happy with how the gig went last night at a venue i've never played before in town. i've been feeling a bit down about gigs lately; the last couple i didn't think were so great and i was beginning to regress to the old days of playing when i'd retreat into my shell and my confidence would be very low. but last night i felt like my newer self and chris and i played a decent set that was well received. at least three people danced, i heard someone laugh and there was a whistle. i'm happy with that. here's a photo from last night..<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/capitol1.jpg"/> <br/> <br/>there's a few things bubbling and brewing that i'm pretty excited about so maybe they'll come to fruition. it's a time to get organised and i did that on new year's eve. out with the old and in with the new. out went lots of possesions i never use or look at - school diaries, a planet of the apes figure, a box of asprins expiry date 2002, a broken camera, a balinese figurine. i remember seeing a film with robert de niro, maybe it was called 'heat', i'm not sure, but he said he always wanted to be able to leave a place with everything he owned in thirty seconds. or was it thirty minutes? i can't remember but i think that keeping life simple and not having too much stuff is good. i saw a programme on tv about japanese architecture and minimalism in design. it's very true with me that if i'm in a cluttered place i feel very cluttered mentally and i can't think clearly. this japanese house in tokyo really looked great to me coz it was so minimalistic and there was a level on the top floor with just a bath in the middle of the room and a hole cut out of the ceiling where sunlight/rain/snow/sun/bird droppings would flood in. the owner would just lie in the bath with his suntory beer and his book. that really appeals to me, but then i do like homely things too. just not clutter. i get ratty and irritable when i'm surrounded by mess or no space to move.<br/> <br/>wow, what a tangent. anyway, i've got an a-z folder and i'm getting organised with my papers etc. new year, new start. my dad is very organised and i'm sure he'll be happy with my approach. "information retrieval" that's the key he always says. and he's always right:)<br/> <br/>edamame beans, that's them!<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/beans.jpg"/> </div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/116558434544798517" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-12-08T13:13:00+00:00</issued> <modified>2006-12-08T13:25:45Z</modified> <created>2006-12-08T13:25:45Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_12_01_allykerr_archive.html#116558434544798517" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-116558434544798517</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">i've written two songs lately. well, one and a half i suppose is more accurate. i decided i'd try my luck with a christmas song and i came up with one called 'terry the christmas turkey'. that's the one i wrote half of. it's not very good. the other one is just music at this stage, but it's a nice one i reckon. i've been playing it and catching myself singing parts of it as i'm browsing the pasta sauces aisle, so that's positive. i can hear some nice harmonies in it. i just need to do my usual of living with it a bit longer.<br/> <br/>i was out watching a great band called attic lights last night at their record label launch and i'm really excited for them. i've seen them live a few times now and i really love their songs. they're very nice people too and i'm sure they'll go far:)<br/> <br/>the rain has stopped. at last. the sun is out so i'm feeling quite chipper. i've not bought any christmas presents but that's the usual for me, i'm always last minute. <br/> <br/>maybe i should return to terry the christmas turkey? hmm, i'll have a strum of it now actually. and the new one. the only line i've written in it so far won't be included, but the sentiment will remain.<br/> <br/>still no definite news on the album's release. i'll write something about it once i know more. i'm happy to continue writing songs without pressure, i can't imagine how i'd be if i was facing a deadline to produce music. as long as the song fairy is visiting me every once in a while, i'm fine with that.<br/> <br/>have a nice weekend:)</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/116407550506935457" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-11-21T01:29:00+00:00</issued> <modified>2006-11-21T16:59:14Z</modified> <created>2006-11-21T02:18:25Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_11_01_allykerr_archive.html#116407550506935457" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-116407550506935457</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">hi. here's my list of complaints. all of these things have been irritating me lately. allow me to get them all off my chest. thanks!<br/> <br/>- overpriced lukewarm coffee served in big mugs. is it just a ploy so we order another one within about 3 minutes? balls to that!<br/>- the disgusting weather right now (and over the last week). might as well go out dressed as a scuba diver.<br/>- my inability to really (and i mean really) clean the flat beyond the surface. i'm hopeless.<br/>- waiting, waiting, waiting. - see photo below<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/shrigley.jpg"/> <br/> <br/>- 6 mixed peppers at £1.69 - i can't get through 6 peppers on my own by the time they go leathery and they're about 70p for just one, so is it possible to freeze them??<br/>- little flies. i've no idea where they're coming from. they end up in my green tea, floating like bloated little........ greedy.......flies.<br/>- missing socks. no explanation needed really.<br/>- the bedding coming loose by the time it gets to morning for no apparent reason.<br/>- suddenly feeling sleepy, especially after a few drinks or a big meal. i think this is a winter thing with me.<br/>- dribbling on the sofa (see above). often during the channel 4 news for some reason.<br/>- getting tense when playing the guitar. i think it's just coz i'm playing with the band again and it's been a while. incidently, new drummer chris is really great! oh, there's a positive in a sea of negatives.<br/>- the weather (it's so horrible lately) so deserves a double mention.<br/>- always forgetting to buy milk.<br/>- not being able to have that essential first cup of tea (see above). i honestly need about 2 or 4 cups before i function in the morning.<br/>- interactive tv quiz shows hosted by presenters with all the charm of a yellow toenail. what is going on!? ban them all. excruciating. evil.<br/>- acid indigestion. ouch :(<br/>- feeling obliged to buy greeting cards. everyone should just stop buying cards. unless they're the david shrigley ones (it's one of his i photographed above)<br/> <br/>okay, i feel a bit better now. i've attached photos from the gig a couple of weeks ago. it was a good gig and i'm really looking forward to the ones coming up, all with the band. if you're in glasgow come along. ah, i feel a bit better now. i'll blog again soon:)<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/abc_gig.jpg"/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/feet_dressingroom.jpg"/> </div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/116164270310611086" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-10-23T23:22:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-10-23T22:31:43Z</modified> <created>2006-10-23T22:31:43Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_10_01_allykerr_archive.html#116164270310611086" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-116164270310611086</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">eureka! i know why i'm more creative in the winter time. it's because of bathing. i don't take any of them in summer and it's the time when i have fewer ideas i think. in japan i went to some hot springs and i remember having some good ideas while i was relaxing in beautiful mineral-enriched waters. i really love the hot springs in japan. i went to kinosaki which is a hot spring town and it was amazing. so, baths are my idea generators. this is tonight's conclusion which coincidentally was reached in a bath.<br/> <br/>i feel sick though, i made it too hot :( my face looks like a beetroot. <br/> <br/>i'm gigging on thursday. bit nervous, it's been a while. hopefully it'll be like riding a bike, but without the danger of ploughing into a double decker.</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/116061088225862265" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-10-12T00:28:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-10-14T14:18:46Z</modified> <created>2006-10-11T23:54:42Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_10_01_allykerr_archive.html#116061088225862265" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-116061088225862265</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">how long do you think it would take to learn to play the piano on a very basic level? have i asked this before? probably. i really want to learn piano to see what kind of songs i'd write. recently i've been writing songs, but a couple of them have been purely instrumental. maybe i've just not been that inspired to write lyrics. nah, at least two of them should definitely be music only. i've recorded one roughly on my computer and i really like it i have to say. it's very cinematic and moody. i have another few i've written that i'll put words too, once i stumble across some inspiration. where does it lie though? i realise in autumn and winter i write most of my songs. i'm like a squirrel with his nuts in autumn.<br/> <br/> <em>Its ability to plan for the future is what a squirrel is best known for. Every autumn, the gray squirrel spends its day gathering nuts and seeds. Then it hides them so it will have enough food to last through the winter. The squirrels hiding pattern is called scatter hoarding. The squirrel will bury its food in hundreds of different locations, that way if another squirrel or animal finds one, the rest will remain. The squirrel cleans each nut or seed before it is hidden, this leaves a scent which the squirrel can find later in the winter. Because of this scent, the squirrel can find its bury food even through a heavy blanket of snow. </em> <br/> <em> <br/>Not all nuts or seeds are recovered, since a squirrel will save more food than it really needs. These nuts or seeds then grow into trees and a forest is grown. Squirrels are responsible for planting more trees, than all of mankind. </em> <br/> <br/>maybe that last paragraph is superfluous to my analogy, but i like it. i hide songs all over the flat. some are stored in my mindisc, some on the pc, some on my video camera, some on my mp3 player, some in my cerebral cortex. usually i do this during autumn and into winter. i realise i hardly ever write much over the summer months. hopefully my songs will grow into another album, rather than a tree. like the squirrels i definitely save more songs than i need, but maybe one day these will be b-sides.<br/> <br/>my headphones broke recently so suddenly i'm not listening to much music. that's not a good state of affairs. i've been flicking through myspace a bit in the evenings. right now i'm listening to sean lennon. before that it was tenniscoats from japan and after that, who knows. such is the randomness of myspace.<br/> <br/>i've got a few schemes in my head (relating to making more music / video available), but none of them are fully thought-out or developed just yet. the album is going to take longer to get out there than i'd thought. that's always the way it seems sadly. i'm working hard to get it out. next couple of gigs are acoustic ones and i can't wait to get playing. i almost lost my voice last week coz of a nasty chest infection, but i'm feeling much better now thankfully. i've been a hermit though, spending most of my time around the flat storing my nuts.</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115974857892701148" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-10-02T01:20:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-10-02T00:30:03Z</modified> <created>2006-10-02T00:22:58Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_10_01_allykerr_archive.html#115974857892701148" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115974857892701148</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">sometimes in glasgow the sunsets look like none i've ever seen. the sky seems to glow and the clouds look both angry and happy. anyway, this was earlier today, maybe sometime between 6-7pm i think. i've had a great weekend with some finnish and japanese friends but i'm really tired now. i just wanted to share this photo before i crashed out. good night:)<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/flat_view.jpg"/> </div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115893287852577871" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-09-22T14:41:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-09-22T13:47:58Z</modified> <created>2006-09-22T13:47:58Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_09_01_allykerr_archive.html#115893287852577871" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115893287852577871</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">just a quick entry to say i'm on the hunt for a drummer to play live shows at the moment. drummers are usually very hard to find coz if they're good usually they play in about four different bands and are totally stretched. anyway, if you know of anyone good who would be happy to play my music then please contact music at allykerr.com</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115688788986659801" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-08-29T22:06:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-08-30T10:50:23Z</modified> <created>2006-08-29T21:44:49Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_08_01_allykerr_archive.html#115688788986659801" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115688788986659801</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">i once threw a pair of a boy's undercrackers (underpants) out the window when i was on a field trip to the beautiful island of arran off the west coast of scotland. i would have been in primary five then, maybe ten years old . i still feel bad about that. the scants (underpants) ended up in a cow field and the boy ended up in therapy. no, i made the last part of that up. he hung himself. nooooo, of course he didn't. he's living a perfectly normal and happy life with a wife, family, dog, garden, ford mondeo, a mild frozen food addiction and a subscription to top gear magazine . i hope so anyway. i've not seen him since i was about twelve. i hope i didn't scar him. why did i throw his y's (underpants) out the window though? for a joke i'm sorry to admit. pranksters and jokers huh!<br/> <br/>well, someone got their revenge on me yesterday. the weather had been a bit dodgy all day. there were about four seasons in the day which is kind of normal for glasgow at this time of year. at about 5pm i spotted the sun and headed out to get a coffee and a leg stretch. a new girl was working at the coffee place i frequent so i had a brief, friendly chat with her then took my beverage to the park, found a nice bench near the freshly cut herb garden and sat and listened to a cd my friend ian lent me. it's by clem snide and contains some of the best lyrics i've heard in ages. i particularly like this one:<br/> <br/> <em>"your blood will colour every sunset, your tears will help me grow some trees"</em> <br/> <br/>anyway, after ingesting his comforting and inspiring words i continued walking and as i was passing a portaloo (which i remember thinking i'd never seen before in the botanic gardens) an attractive (though overly made-up) blonde girl stopped me. "I'm desperate to use the bathroom, but the door is broken, please please please (maybe she only said two pleases, but i'm exagerating for effect) please can you stand and just maybe push the door closed while i'm in". "But there's the park toilet just down there" i exclaimed, surprised by this turn of events. "I'll be really quick, hold on" she said and rushed into the portaloo before i could even react. maybe twenty seconds passed and suddenly the door burst open and a fat man came out where she'd gone in. "Oh ****" i thought, realising i'd just been tricked.<br/> <br/>i checked a tree to see if i could see the camera, and i looked around the back of the portaloo and i could see some fingers in the male toilet beside it where she was obviously hiding. i was half tempted to push the whole thing over, douse the lot in petrol and lob a match on it. but i didn't have any matches. maybe i should have shoved it over and started booting it in, but i resisted and forced a smile coz i knew i must be being filmed. plus neither of these options are really me i don't think.i was a bit mortified but smiled and continued to walk along, checking people's reactions to see just who had played the prank. after walking a few yards i was accosted by a bubbly female producer and an irritating little media man who kept saying "well done, well done" and shaking my hand. i knew why he was doing that coz they need to get my permission in order to broadcast the footage. i'm fodder for their show.<br/> <br/>i spoke a bit with the woman and the guy and they told me it was a hidden camera show for prime time bbc 1. the show is called 'just for laughs'. it sounds like a poor man's trigger happy to me. anyway, i signed the release form saying they could use that footage. what the hell. i'm not so vain that i don't like seeing myself in a stupid light. at least, i think i'm not :P i just looked bemused. that's been seen before.<br/> <br/>i was regaling this tale to a friend today and he told me a story about a similar 'joke' that he saw played on someone in glasgow by a tv show. but the victim was a ned. oh a 'ned' is a scottish term for an often violent, scary, disaffected youth with no social skills and a penchant for irrational thought, confrontation, tracksuits and baseball hats. anyway, as soon as the 'paint' 'accidently' fell from a man on a ladder onto the ned's shellsuit the ned went crackers and grabbed the ladder, hurtling the painter actor through the air. brilliant! apparently then three panicked tv production people ran towards the splattered ned shouting "it's a joke, it's just tv, we're from the tv!!" and he promptly decked all three of them.<br/> <br/>i wish i'd done that now.</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115637552824556773" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-08-23T23:30:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-08-24T11:10:45Z</modified> <created>2006-08-23T23:25:28Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_08_01_allykerr_archive.html#115637552824556773" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115637552824556773</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">so the album is finished. the 12 songs have been selected. i'm really happy with how it's sounding so now i have to start finding some good homes for these songs. and that's what i've been working on recently, hence my somewhat quiet nature. it's a slow process i think between writing songs, recording them and getting them out there. unless you're on a major label and the label is screaming at you to hurry up coz the share price might dip. that doesn't apply to me. the only thing that might dip is my mood unless i'm making progress. these songs that make up my new album are the product of a couple of years of writing. i don't know if i've missed out some better songs coz i don't have the luxury of recording many songs and selecting, but i do know that i'm really pleased with the finished album. i'm hoping it'll be out in the next few months. i really believe this is a better album than the first one. "calling out to you" will always be close to my heart but i think this album is more thought-out and it's a progression. the working title is "off the radar".<br/> <br/>i've only one gig lined up and that's in glasgow on 9th november. there might be some before that, i really don't know at the moment. my focus is purely on finding liked-minded people who want to put their time and money behind this album. i've not been writing much lately, i've been too preoccupied by other things. actually that's not true. i wrote a song last night. but i don't think it's very good. i want to learn piano to see if i write differently or something. i need a shake. a musical shake. i need paul to teach me some new moves on the guitar i reckon. the last time he did that i wrote one of my best songs i think.<br/> <br/>i'm really heartened by the fact the the two songs i like the most on this new album are the last two songs i wrote. "footprints" was written not long after returning from japan and in the studio we kind of captured a moment. "amorino" is the other and i love playing it too. it's a song that is about as pure and honest as i could ever hope to write.<br/> <br/>life is strange just now. sometimes when there are endless possibilities it's easy to freeze and be confused about which route to take. but my focus has to be on getting this album out. i think it'll be out in japan first which kind of makes sense coz that's what happened last time too.<br/> <br/>this summer has been amazing. the highlight was a private garden party organised by neon tetra that had some great artists playing. oh, i really don't like the change into darker seasons. i get scared and panicky. i need the sun. i need heat. i need warmth to envelope me or i freeze. i hope the transition into autumn and winter will be smooth. at this time of year i think i need a hot dog to keep me company. i don't mean a frankfurter. i mean a big, red-blooded labrador or something. i'd call him fritter maybe. he could keep me warm on winter's evenings and i could get him to do harmonies on new tunes as i strum under moonlight nights in my flat. or scare burglars maybe, whichever was easier for the confused mutt.<br/> <br/>i hope your summer was good too. here's hoping for a quick winter. gosh, it's not even autumn yet. ignore me. i do my best to.</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115513772083214756" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-08-09T16:34:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-08-09T15:35:20Z</modified> <created>2006-08-09T15:35:20Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_08_01_allykerr_archive.html#115513772083214756" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115513772083214756</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/ally_thought.jpg"/> </div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115378613131906053" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-07-25T00:54:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-07-25T00:08:53Z</modified> <created>2006-07-25T00:08:51Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_07_01_allykerr_archive.html#115378613131906053" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115378613131906053</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">i was recording today at east kilbride......and i took some hazy photos which suited my blurry/tired mind as the train cut through the countryside back to glasgow. i was drifting gently deeper and deeper into an early evening slumber with each click of the train on the track, my mind playing a newly recorded song called 'footprints' over and over and over and over again....<br/> <br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/ek4.jpg"/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/ek2.jpg"/> <br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/ek1.jpg"/> <br/>i think that's a solitary cow in the field, what do you reckon? i don't know why but it seems strange to me, i don't think i've ever seen a cow on its own. but i might be wrong.<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/ek5.jpg"/> <br/> <br/>i was at the best party i've ever been to at the weekend. it was a garden party with live music and it was absolutely perfect. i'm just kind of waking up from the dream of a surreal few days. bed is calling out to me so i better obey. i can write again another time i hope. so for now, oyasumi.</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115196364389776292" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-07-03T22:40:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-07-03T21:58:50Z</modified> <created>2006-07-03T21:54:03Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_07_01_allykerr_archive.html#115196364389776292" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115196364389776292</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">i've been really busy lately and today was no exception. i was recording more with david scott and it was such fun. he really is such a joy to work with. endlessly enthusiastic and seems to be able to magically draw the best out of me. i think it's coz i'm so relaxed in his company and enthused by his energy and passion. i was talking to him today about how i'm very influenced by the people i'm surrounded by. if i'm with someone who isn't confident then i become unconfident. i think i'm a naturally unconfident person anyway. but if i'm with someone who is positive and self-assured then it seems to transfer mysteriously into my being. anyway, we added some parts to various songs. my song 'amorino' is now sounding more like i want it to. we'll listen with fresh ears again tomorrow. i can't wait. also i played davie a new song i've written. it's called "footprints" and i've been playing it over and over for the last few weeks so i let him hear it to see what he thought and he thinks it definitely should be recorded. so, we'll do that next tuesday. now i just need to find a cello player. if anyone reading this knows a cello player, please let me know!<br/> <br/>i had the pleasure of hanging out with one of my japanese friends lately. taisuke takata from the band plectrum was here and we organised a little gig for him on saturday night. he had a great time so i felt happy. taisuke and akky from plectrum did so much for me both this year in japan and last year so i owe them a great deal. i hope his saturday night memories are as strong and beautiful as my japanese memories. that's what i wanted to achieve.<br/> <br/>here's me and taisuke. we had a farewell drink last night. he'll be in a seat about 33,000 miles above the ground just now. music is such a powerful force sometimes.<br/> <br/> <img src="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/taisuke_ally_flat.jpg"/> </div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> <entry xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#"> <link href="https://www.blogger.com/atom/5454977/115092155341112596" rel="service.edit" title="" type="application/atom+xml"/> <author> <name>ally</name> </author> <issued>2006-06-21T21:09:00+01:00</issued> <modified>2006-06-21T21:06:30Z</modified> <created>2006-06-21T20:25:53Z</created> <link href="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/2006_06_01_allykerr_archive.html#115092155341112596" rel="alternate" title="" type="text/html"/> <id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454977.post-115092155341112596</id> <title mode="escaped" type="text/html"/> <content type="application/xhtml+xml" xml:base="http://www.allykerr.com/weblog/blogframeset.htm" xml:space="preserve"> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">i was thinking tonight i should put up a live track of one of my new songs. i'm bursting to let people hear new songs. i have some good recordings of recent japanese acoustic shows. the songs on my debut album seem like so long ago. i looked at my song list and i've got a lot of songs that i've accumulated over the last few years. i hope more of them will one day see the light of day. i've got about 15 i'll have recorded for the next album and i'm always thinking about the 10 or 12 that'll be released. i want them to be heard! but, i must be patient and i must make sure i'm 100% happy with what i let people hear. they will see day light, just not RIGHT now. i admit to being tempted to putting up new songs i've done live, but again, not quite yet.<br/> <br/>oh, i've finished the lyrics to my new song. yipee. it's going to be called either "footprints" or "footprints blow away". i'm not sure which. i managed to express what it was i wanted to say. like my other song "amorino", this one has a falsetto part that i sing. it's high. very high! could be a tough one to sing live, but i'm going to try and record it and see how it sounds in the studio. i'm going back there a week on monday. i cannot wait. it's been too long. i'm like a caged lion but with curly hair and a love of macaroni.<br/> <br/>i'll go back to my cage now armed with some pistachio nuts and tetley tea. i think i'm doing the right thing. patience, patience, patience dear boy. the album is nearly done and i want to make sure it's exactly right.</div> </content> <draft xmlns="http://purl.org/atom-blog/ns#">false</draft> </entry> </feed>