For your information...

[anortherncod]

Hi everyone

Those of you who are also friends with me on PTF, Facebook, or MySpace will notice that I no longer belong to those sites.

This is because of a very unhappy set of circumstances at PTF.

I am still alive - just - and would appreciate being able to carry on any friendships with the PTFers here either via PM here or email, if that's possible.

Thanks for reading.

[sisterlondon]

Nat, I just don't get why you had to leave all the places... really, there's space for everyone.

I for one I'm very sad with what's happening and I hope that you still consider coming to the gig in London. You were one of the reasons why I wanted to go.

If you are okay I'm PMing you my email. I went to myspace to send you a message there, but saw it was gone and guess that the PM I sent you at PTF is gone too

*hugs*

[anortherncod]

Thanks Sis... I just thought it was the right thing to do to leave PTF...

Hugs back ((()))

[proggrl]

True, Voy! Nat, why give up PTF - it was something you enjoyed. Maybe I can see taking a hiatus but giving up something that gave you solace - especially with everything else going on.... why give that up and leave your friends?

I agree with Voy - come back and come to London - it won't be the same without you - neither will PTF. I'm sure another sign-in that other people don't know about would work.

Just Never EVER give anyone the power over you to make you give up something you enjoy. I know you did it to ease tensions, but things blow over. They always do. Don't be left on the outside when they do, hon.

We're here for you if you need us.

Love and hugs (((((Nat))))).

xx

[anortherncod]

Thanks K. Maybe it will be a hiatus, I don't know. I had a half-hour phone conversation this afternoon with a friend of ours who said the same thing. We'll see...

[Silver Moon]

So sorry about all that's going on...

But if the person who's being referred to joins this forum, you better not go!

I am the site owner... I have the POWER to keep you here!

-Kera-

[sonic_chronicler]

Ms Cod.
Do what you need to for now. Things will blow over, the air will clear and even though things feel pretty sh*tty at the moment, you will start to feel better.

I don't pretend to know what is going on at all, but just know that you have more friends on these sites than you could possibly upset. Your input is greatly appreciated both here and at PTF - don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

Some others on here will know that I tend to disappear for long periods of time, but I always come back (much to their dismay ) and the place is still here, people still tolerate me.

Be Strong, Take Time, Recover, Watch and get yourself back on the forums.

[Moonshadow]

I don't know what happen and I don't need to know, but I can imagine and sometimes things like that tend to happen.... I hope you don't go from this forum and I hope I see you here, cos you have a lot to say about David and Japan and for me it would be a great loss someone who can tell me some things or two about this matter.

Cheer up and move on, I know it will pass
xoxo

[anortherncod]

Thanks Kera, Sonic and Moonshadow

I won't be leaving here, don't worry...

[Nath]

So great news!!!!

but I gonna miss you on myspace...

Nath

[anortherncod]

You'll have to post on here more often then Nath

[inkinthewell]

Hope this helps to blow away the black clouds from your skies, especially the underlined bit...

Interview with Richard Barbieri

In the world of Keyboard giants, virtuosity is usually the keyword. Playing as many notes within the smallest of timeframes is considered a virtue and stunning your audience with classically trained polyrhythmic dexterity all too often replaces musical sensitity. Richard Barbieri is one of the odd exceptions to this rule. His style, which he himself refers to as 'unpredictable' in our interview, has been the object of admiration for generations of music fans and performers, even though it always places sound, timbre and expressiveness above sheer speed. Barbieri's career is equally remarkable and testimony to his very own view of music: In 1976, he founded Japan together with David Sylvian, garnering astounding commercial success, gradually winning over the critics and linking the world of experimental electronics with the sensibility of Pop. After the band officially disbanded after their magnum opus "Tin Drum", Barbieri spent the rest of the 80s continuing creative relationships with its individual members on a project basis, resulting in a vast back catalogue of explorative insider albums. The 90s, meanwhile, would herald a return to the limelight for him, marking the beginning of his recording career as a solo artist and the unfolding of a new chapter when Steven Wilson asked him to join Progressive Rock band Porcupine Tree. Since then, he has participated in the ascension of the band from a hot underground tip to one of the leading formations in the genre and used free time in between touring to take his own, personal vision to a new level. His most recent album "Stranger Inside" may now be the most accurate statement of his intentions: Groovy electronic rhythms meet powerful acoustic drums, dreamy atmospheres collide with to-the-point songwriting and guest contributions by a plethora of gifted friends seamlessly merge into the dense textures laid down by Barbieri himself. And he doesn't need a single virtuoso Keyboard solo to leave you breathless.

Hi! How are you? Where are you?
I'm good thanks, back in London after Porcupine Tree's short tour.


What's on your schedule at the moment?
Quite a lot really. Writing for the new PT album, shows in the UK in November with The Bays and an Orchestra making totally improvised music and a trip to Australia, again with The Bays, to play at the Sydney Festival.


„Things buried“ was consciously conceived for an all-digital setup. Looking back, how satisfied were you with it?
I was pretty satisfied as it was the first time I worked solely with Digital instruments and software and I managed to create a consistent mood across the album and of course I enjoyed having live performances from Percy Jones and Andy Gangadeen.


In which way was this digital approach still the basis for „Stranger Inside“? What was the setup in terms of gear for the album?
Very similar in fact. Mostly computer based and a selection of virtual and software synthesizers. Roland v synth series, Access virus indigo 2 and a lot of Reason 4 instruments. Again there was some live performances from Gavin Harrison and Danny Thompson which greatly enhanced the tracks.


The album certainly sounds both very organic and extremely eclectic. Do you feel that, more than ever perhaps, your solo albums are the sum of your various activities (Porcupine Tree, your live improvisations to movies, etc)?
I don't think my solo music is influenced by my other group collaborations, more the other way round. There are aspects of this album that are recognisible from my solo compositions over the past years. Many themes and ideas I return to.


Next to Software and Synths, the album also features guests on Bass and Drums. How did you decide which tracks and parts to play yourself on Synth and for which to ask respected colleagues?
It's always a joy to work with other musicians and to have them contribute to your music and it's the part of the recording process I most look forward to. I had fairly complete demos of all the material and it was obvious to me which tracks would benefit from a real drum performance and also acoustic bass on the more jazzy track on the album. It took Gavin no time at all to get a great performance and it was exactly what I wanted.


At the moment, there don't seem to be any gigs with the „Stranger Inside“ material planned. Is this possibly because you feel that some of your projects suit themselves less to a stage performance than others?
I am happy to perform this material live but I don't think it would be interesting for more than 40 minutes or so. I like to be part of a bill or line up of other artists or as a support act. There are a few interesting offers lately in this respect , so maybe next year I will be on stage again playing solo.


You've mentioned several times that gear as such doesn't solve problems. What, then, to you, are the decisive factors for the quality of a Synth or Software?
Any piece of software or instrument has to be designed in an intelligent and intuitive way. Most these days are. The more flexible and programmable the design, the better. I have a really wide selection of Analogue synths with their own "character sounds" as well as digital hardware from the last 10 years or so and plenty of software options and emulations also. I now get asked to program sounds for a lot of these synths , so I get a good idea of their possibilities from an early stage. It's nice to have all this different options but with skillful programming, I don't think you need more than a couple of synths.


Vice versa, has it ever occured that a compositional- or production issue caused you to buy a new piece of equipment?
No.


Electronic pioneer Laurie Spiegel mentioned that she feared that, as part of technological development, „music comes from inside us much less often than used to be the case. I am hearing more and more editing, selection and juxtaposition in the new music I run across, and less of what feels like genuine self-expression from within the individual.“ Is this something you can relate to?
Absolutely, I agree with those sentiments. I'm sometimes guilty of that, which is why I feel I need to return to the more traditional studio recording environment. It's very costly just to get studio time and develop ideas with other musicians, but I think that is the way forward for my next recording regardless of how long it takes.


How often are you approached by gear manufacturers to participate in the development of a new piece of equipment?
Quite often lately. Some synths now come with many of my sounds as standard.


Your sound is very recognisable and has been the object of admiration. And yet, it has proven hard to copy. Do you ever hear a piece of music and think to yourself: That guy's playing like me!
I haven't heard anyone play like me since I've never had a "normal" understanding of music and I'm a bit unpredictable in that sense but I've heard a few sounds here and there that seem very familiar.

By Tobias Fischer, published 2009-01-07

[anortherncod]

Inky, you're a star. Can I come and live in Italy with you please?

[neonico]

dont go anotherconcord i think you are great i dont know what happened

thats your private stuff but your such a great person and you have given a lot of your time and energy on this forum.

i wish you lots of luck in the future.

and dont let anyone get you down.

look in the mirror and receite a 100 times im a nice person and im special-

[anortherncod]

Thanks neonico.

Tbh I made this post here for two reasons:

I deleted my MySpace account because I was sick of the popups! It wasn't anything to do with the matter on PTF, I just did it at the same time. But two members here - Nath and Nabiky - often send me messages there and so I wanted to tell them what had happened.

The other reason is that I have friends here who are also on PTF and I wanted to try and carry on those friendships if they wanted to.

I'm not leaving here, I didn't start this thread for attention, I just wanted everyone to know that I'm still around.