Other Special Sounds Including Dipthongs

It is now a little over a month since our last journey into the very bowels of Greenwich, the deep red underground interior of Oliver's Music Bar. Having lost its left output some time ago, my faithful Doctor Sample had finally decided to cease transmitting from its right side as well, so I was, alas, unable to perform as expected. I was, however, most proud to introduce our four acts of the evening.
Hanna Tuulikki of Nalle played sweet songs that soared through our heads with her resonator plate guitar.
Aisha Orazbayeva, surrounded by a veritable smorgasbord of music stands, entranced us with a mesmerising performance of Luciano Berio's Sequenza VIII ("Stop saying Sequenza Eight! Otto! Otto!" She hissed at me, with some justification, after my introduction).
Lost Robots swelled into grooves and diverse soundscapes, conjuring the ghosts of traditional English folk music, psychedelic rock, and the best of the British experimental tradition.
And finally, Ben's Pens sung us into the night with songs so sweet and moving, so hummable and musical, delivered with such warmth and humour, to make everyone in the room feel as though privileged friends, invited into the living room of some great songwriter for a sing-a-long.

All drawings by Mr Steve Reed of Club Silencio. Little Other will be presenting more Special Sounds at Oliver's soon. Watch, as they say, this space . . .

Last Week at Special Sounds . . .

Last week at Special Sounds, we abandoned our usual pop quiz in favour of something a little more creatively stimulating. Kicking off the evening, I invited our assembled guests to write me a poem, with a prize on offer of this month's mixtape (lovingly compiled by the Spirit of Gravity's Señor Cheesemaster). I fully expected almost no-one to show an interest and a paltry smattering of half-arsed verse to follow, but I was pleasantly surprised by a plethora of fine poems. Please allow me to share with you some of our favourites . . . .

Once upon a man there was a time,

a fleshy construct born of rhyme,

and in his mind there was a pen,

the paper hopes and dreams of men.

L. Renshaw

          _______________________

Preconceptions poisoned a powerful statement

Laymens terms apply

This fool is hardly the apples of my eye

No tool to maintain this guy

M.O.T., D.O.A., 

somethign surely went astray,

ran away,

but not from home

sluts on the phone

you tut, i moan

seasonal sorry sad metronome

"Tiny, tone it down!"

Bassline buried frown

under some gorge of

other hims and hers

gospel hymns and church choir fur

oh father i pray to be

blessed with your sordid slur.

Powers that be, arguing

love motives assumingly.

Aggressive as it was so

light to touch but fear of

fumble - your tears will 

crumble this establishment's walls.

T.M.

          _______________________

Intense?

Kissing you

Explosion!

As you walk up the stairs

I already miss you!

 - Why haven't you answered?

Are you angry?

Are you sad?

Don't be - I'll call again later . . . 

or send you the tenth text.

She: I'll never snog again!

          _______________________

In your ragged shirt

no style, no mode

five quid is too much

you said

for a t-shirt

And you were right.

No 'do' for you

clippers will suffice

oh how we laughed

at the slaves

How shallow, we said

and we were right

Without warning

No bell announced

In other words

I was surprised

When ragged became passé

and a grand 

was not enough

clippers begone,

the hair it shone

How fabulous they said

and they were right.

          _______________________

Sitting here in Oliver's

Listening to Special Sounds

Pints are very expensive

Each one costing four pounds

Wailing accordians

Boxes full of beats

We all love it at Oliver's

Shame there's no spare seats

(except the ones down there. And over there.)

James Dale

          _______________________

Haikus are easy

But sometimes they don't make sense

Refrigerator

          _______________________

Drawings of T-Toe and Laying on of Hands by Steve Reed of Club Silencio.

Last Week at Special Sounds . . .

Illustrations by Steve Reed.

Next Special Sounds - Wednesday 23rd September at Oliver's, Nevada Street, Greenwich.

"The aggressive character of primitive competition leaves its mark on every type of discourse about the Little Other."

The above is a picture of David and Joachim from Montt Mardié performing 'Paraply', their Swedish language cover of Rhianna's 'Umbrella', at Little Other's evening of Special Sounds, last night at Oliver's, Greenwich. The 'cathedral' reverb setting on David's voice rendered every word a wave washing interminably through the crowd, with the piano keys like pebbles washed up in the surf. Earlier in the evening, Same Actor worked up a maelstrom of digitally manipulated sounds from his sitar and dulcimer, Moustache of Insanity charmed us with their sing-along Casio pop, and Monster Bobby belched, mid-song, into the microphone, by way of a tribute to Brian Wilson's performance at Glastonbury 2005. Interval music came in the form of mixtapes made by Steve Reed and Niklas Vestberg, later to be given away as prizes for our Dr Who-themed quiz. As only two teams entered the quiz, and one of them was disqualified for mentioning David Tennant, the cds, hispanophone sounds from Steve and a tasty cocktail of Helen Love, The Shaggs and much more from Nik, were won by a certain mr. Timothy C. Holehouse. Little Other will return to Oliver's, with more Special Sounds, on September the 23rd. I trust I will see you there. . . 

"He practises it with the help of a small bobbin, that is to say, with the LIttle Other."

Whoops! Tomorrow at Oliver's Music Bar, Nevada Street, Greenwich, Little Other presents... Special Sounds! This month there will be swoonsome balladeering from Stockholm's favourite son, Montt Mardié, Casio pop, fumbling and facial hair from Moustache of Insanity, avant-garde instrumental electronic soundscapes wrung from a sitar and MaxMSP software from Same Actor, and the usual bobbins from me, Monster Bobby. Doors open around 8, interval music will be in the form of mixtapes specially selected and segues by our special guests - this month, Mrs. Reed and Nik of Moustache of Insanity and Records Make Great Pets. There will also be a short lecture on the philosophy of Spinoza and a fiendishly difficult quiz. You know full well you'd be a fool to miss it.

Steve's Special Sounds Sketches

Sketches from Steve at Club Silencio (aka Mrs Reed) of the various performers at the last night of Special Sounds at Oliver's Music Bar, on Wednesday July 29th. Steve would like to apologise for his apparent inability to "make pretty girls look pretty" and hopes it doesn't cause any offence.Dave, from Nine Owls in a Baguette (and Nervous Squirrel, custom electronic instruments), emailed me the day after the show:

"We had a fantastic time, and the other artists were amazing - Kaz Simmons especially (I think that must be the name of the singer who sang about sitting on the garden wall etc). It was a bit worrying playing after such good people.

We just about managed to cope even though the power supply to one synth cabinet shorted out at the beginning of the evening (meaning no synth drums or spaceship noise!) - a wisp of smoke showed that either the synth needs more work to make it road worthy, or that I should learn to play the harmonica instead."

Our next night of Special Sounds at Oliver's will be on Wednesday the 26th of August.

Steve Reed's Drawings From Last Month's Special Sounds Night at Oliver's

Slightly too embarrassed to fully play the part of 'artist in residence', our very own Mrs. Reed sketched these images rather furtively under the table at last month's Special Sounds night at Oliver's.
Steve would like to apologise for spelling Xylitol wrong.
Details of this month's night of Special Sounds to follow shortly.

By Steve Reed

by Steve Reed

by Steve Reed