HAB

Both EPs are on a different level.... At first I was all about Laughable Btane Bob but then i finally "got" the others...

Also, I know many disagree but imo Arched Maid is an instant classic.

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:46 AM, YO303 said:

Custodian Discount and Wabby Legs. The synth in the background makes those two very special songs.

See, we have have the same taste

It's all in the subtlety of the tracks

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:44 AM, johnoise said:

My favourite is Wabby Legs, even after all those years there's something unique in the ride sound and the voices, maybe it's nostalgia, but it always strikes the right chord for me.

And the final breakdown is near perfect.

...until Bucephalus Bouncing Ball came out, with pretty much the same ride sound. :D Although yes, both are good.

  On 2/17/2012 at 2:43 AM, SPD² said:

  On 2/16/2012 at 4:16 PM, ZoeB said:

If I've got my chronology right, not only is this where James starts to experiment with cutting up breakbeats (after Spotlight, at least), it's also where he starts to experiment with structure, along with Melodies From Mars. Before Hangable Auto Bulb, most of his music seems to consist of a single section with various parts that fade in and out, or otherwise join in then leave again.

 

Far as I know this is the result of the point at which he changes production methods from just like a live mixing board w/ tracks playing, to computer based editing and effects. At a show Vibert once said much of the stuff before HAB was pretty old.

Thanks, that would make total sense. So before HAB and MFM he was pretty much making a single section of music, with a nice loop on each channel and a few more to play live, and after HAB and MFM he was sequencing full tracks with different sections. Only not all verse/chorus style, because he wasn't going to take it for granted that that was a good idea.

  On 2/17/2012 at 2:43 AM, SPD² said:

  On 2/16/2012 at 4:16 PM, ZoeB said:

If I've got my chronology right, not only is this where James starts to experiment with cutting up breakbeats (after Spotlight, at least), it's also where he starts to experiment with structure, along with Melodies From Mars. Before Hangable Auto Bulb, most of his music seems to consist of a single section with various parts that fade in and out, or otherwise join in then leave again.

 

Far as I know this is the result of the point at which he changes production methods from just like a live mixing board w/ tracks playing, to computer based editing and effects. At a show Vibert once said much of the stuff before HAB was pretty old.

Richard has been using computers since the get-go - he had an old Atari 512 ST that some of the SAW 85-92 tracks were made with (used trackers like STB Tracker, I reckon - I was playing around with STB Tracker in 1988/9 myself on a 1040 STe). It wasn't until Cubase and a few other programs came into their own and he switch to a mostly computer-based production setup (around RDJ album/HAB era). Melodies From Mars followed ICBYD and was some of his first experiments with that setup... probably why Logan Rock Witch and Fingerbib eventually ended up on RDJA. Some of ICBYD dates back to as early as 1990.

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:52 PM, Joyrex said:

Richard has been using computers since the get-go - he had an old Atari 512 ST that some of the SAW 85-92 tracks were made with (used trackers like STB Tracker, I reckon - I was playing around with STB Tracker in 1988/9 myself on a 1040 STe).

Interesting. I'm only familiar with DOS trackers myself (I started out with Scream Tracker 3, then Impulse Tracker). Are we talking about a tracker style interface, but with MIDI out, or about tracking with samples? Because I haven't heard any of James's music that sounds like unprocessed, raw samples to me, it's pretty much all drenched in delay and reverb and with filters noodled around with in real time, for nicely evolving sounds, which trackers themselves aren't really capable of. If it was a 512ST, I guess it was the former, apparently the STE's the first with PCM capability. So yeah, that would make sense, thanks...

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:52 PM, Joyrex said:

It wasn't until Cubase and a few other programs came into their own and he switch to a mostly computer-based production setup (around RDJ album/HAB era). Melodies From Mars followed ICBYD and was some of his first experiments with that setup... probably why Logan Rock Witch and Fingerbib eventually ended up on RDJA. Some of ICBYD dates back to as early as 1990.

That would make sense, if MFM/HAB represented a move from a tracker interface to a proper software MIDI sequencer (as in non-step-sequencer) one.

Also, that's interesting about the dates. It sounds like Redruth School, The Waxen Pith and Wet Tip Hen Ax are all from roughly the same period, judging by the hi-hats, but unless the years are actually written down like they are on the back of ...I Care Because You Do, it's not saying much. GAK being from 1990 really threw me as he uses a digital piano, or piano samples, which he doesn't seem to use again until On several years later... but released earlier.

I meant to ask before, on the offchance it hasn't been discussed before, but... where do you get your wealth of knowledge from? You're like an AFX encyclopedia!

digital piano/piano samples on 'if it really is me' on SOSW too, pretty sure both gak and SOSW are older than 90

but there is that pic of him with the mpc 3000 which leads me to believe he used that for sequencing as well

esp on the rdj album because none of the drums get pitched up or down in real time

Going back to the first posts on here (the vinyl pricetag) I would also love to see them re-released on vinyl again. The 10inch is a wonderful fitting format but they could also put this out on 180gr audiophile 12inch as well.

I really wonder why warp only use the CD as a re-release medium- their entry at Record Store Day 2011 was highly welcome.

I would also love a copy of the first Mira Calix record- but no way. They repress the 10th issue of Windowlicker instead. Really annoying.

  On 2/17/2012 at 5:20 PM, ZoeB said:

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:52 PM, Joyrex said:

Richard has been using computers since the get-go - he had an old Atari 512 ST that some of the SAW 85-92 tracks were made with (used trackers like STB Tracker, I reckon - I was playing around with STB Tracker in 1988/9 myself on a 1040 STe).

 

Interesting. I'm only familiar with DOS trackers myself (I started out with Scream Tracker 3, then Impulse Tracker). Are we talking about a tracker style interface, but with MIDI out, or about tracking with samples? Because I haven't heard any of James's music that sounds like unprocessed, raw samples to me, it's pretty much all drenched in delay and reverb and with filters noodled around with in real time, for nicely evolving sounds, which trackers themselves aren't really capable of. If it was a 512ST, I guess it was the former, apparently the STE's the first with PCM capability. So yeah, that would make sense, thanks...

 

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:52 PM, Joyrex said:

It wasn't until Cubase and a few other programs came into their own and he switch to a mostly computer-based production setup (around RDJ album/HAB era). Melodies From Mars followed ICBYD and was some of his first experiments with that setup... probably why Logan Rock Witch and Fingerbib eventually ended up on RDJA. Some of ICBYD dates back to as early as 1990.

 

That would make sense, if MFM/HAB represented a move from a tracker interface to a proper software MIDI sequencer (as in non-step-sequencer) one.

 

Also, that's interesting about the dates. It sounds like Redruth School, The Waxen Pith and Wet Tip Hen Ax are all from roughly the same period, judging by the hi-hats, but unless the years are actually written down like they are on the back of ...I Care Because You Do, it's not saying much. GAK being from 1990 really threw me as he uses a digital piano, or piano samples, which he doesn't seem to use again until On several years later... but released earlier.

 

I meant to ask before, on the offchance it hasn't been discussed before, but... where do you get your wealth of knowledge from? You're like an AFX encyclopedia!

I've been running Aphex Twin fansites for 13 years now, and early on, a lot of important people shared information with me - some of it solicited, some of it not - if I ever get around to the 'site' portion of watmm.com, I'll get everything from the past 13 years worth of collecting and archiving and put it into a super discography that would put any discography previously attempted to shame. Keep in mind this is all stuff off the top of my head, jarred by discussions of these classic releases - who knows what else I'm forgetting...

  On 2/17/2012 at 5:49 PM, MarinaStewart said:

Going back to the first posts on here (the vinyl pricetag) I would also love to see them re-released on vinyl again. The 10inch is a wonderful fitting format but they could also put this out on 180gr audiophile 12inch as well.

I really wonder why warp only use the CD as a re-release medium- their entry at Record Store Day 2011 was highly welcome.

 

I would also love a copy of the first Mira Calix record- but no way. They repress the 10th issue of Windowlicker instead. Really annoying.

The sad reality is vinyl is just not as profitable (for many reasons) as it was, nor does it move the kinds of numbers needed to justify the more expensive format. It's also a case of the younger generation (generally) wanting a 'cleaner' version of these vinyl-only classics as well.

  On 2/17/2012 at 8:03 PM, Joyrex said:

I've been running Aphex Twin fansites for 13 years now, and early on, a lot of important people shared information with me - some of it solicited, some of it not - if I ever get around to the 'site' portion of watmm.com, I'll get everything from the past 13 years worth of collecting and archiving and put it into a super discography that would put any discography previously attempted to shame. Keep in mind this is all stuff off the top of my head, jarred by discussions of these classic releases - who knows what else I'm forgetting...

Please do! Once you start to write out what you know in a more structured way (be it a collection of webpages, a big text file, a privately writable wiki or whatever), you'll find it much easier to add to it bit by bit. Then for mere mortals like the rest of us, who are also interested in how Aphex Twin's music making process evolved over the years, it would be much easier to look up your knowledge without having to wade through the big katamari of miscellany, puns and insults that forums are generally rife with.

  On 2/17/2012 at 8:19 PM, ZoeB said:

  On 2/17/2012 at 8:03 PM, Joyrex said:

I've been running Aphex Twin fansites for 13 years now, and early on, a lot of important people shared information with me - some of it solicited, some of it not - if I ever get around to the 'site' portion of watmm.com, I'll get everything from the past 13 years worth of collecting and archiving and put it into a super discography that would put any discography previously attempted to shame. Keep in mind this is all stuff off the top of my head, jarred by discussions of these classic releases - who knows what else I'm forgetting...

 

Please do! Once you start to write out what you know in a more structured way (be it a collection of webpages, a big text file, a privately writable wiki or whatever), you'll find it much easier to add to it bit by bit. Then for mere mortals like the rest of us, who are also interested in how Aphex Twin's music making process evolved over the years, it would be much easier to look up your knowledge without having to wade through the big katamari of miscellany, puns and insults that forums are generally rife with.

That's the ultimate goal... I even want people to be able to contribute to it (pending verification and approval of course - no wild west-style Wikis here...

  On 2/17/2012 at 8:49 PM, Joyrex said:

That's the ultimate goal... I even want people to be able to contribute to it (pending verification and approval of course - no wild west-style Wikis here...

I only mention wikis as you can set up MediaWiki to only allow authorised users to edit pages, which is useful given that you wouldn't trust everyone to avoid putting in jokes or plain fabrications... Another option is to use Git to write the plain HTML or a formatting language of your own devising (which is what I generally do), and to only merge in changes that you approve of from other people's clones of your repository. Anyway, let me know if you'd like a hand at all, I'm a web developer as a day job still so it's one of the few things I can help others with!

I used to have a 12" white label version of HABII, not sure how rare that is, but it made pretty decent money when I had to sell it a few years ago along with the rest of my vinyl collection. Only ever seen just one of those since...might be the one I sold for all I know.

  On 2/17/2012 at 4:52 PM, Joyrex said:

  On 2/17/2012 at 2:43 AM, SPD² said:

  On 2/16/2012 at 4:16 PM, ZoeB said:

If I've got my chronology right, not only is this where James starts to experiment with cutting up breakbeats (after Spotlight, at least), it's also where he starts to experiment with structure, along with Melodies From Mars. Before Hangable Auto Bulb, most of his music seems to consist of a single section with various parts that fade in and out, or otherwise join in then leave again.

 

Far as I know this is the result of the point at which he changes production methods from just like a live mixing board w/ tracks playing, to computer based editing and effects. At a show Vibert once said much of the stuff before HAB was pretty old.

 

Richard has been using computers since the get-go - he had an old Atari 512 ST that some of the SAW 85-92 tracks were made with (used trackers like STB Tracker, I reckon - I was playing around with STB Tracker in 1988/9 myself on a 1040 STe). It wasn't until Cubase and a few other programs came into their own and he switch to a mostly computer-based production setup (around RDJ album/HAB era). Melodies From Mars followed ICBYD and was some of his first experiments with that setup... probably why Logan Rock Witch and Fingerbib eventually ended up on RDJA. Some of ICBYD dates back to as early as 1990.

IIRC, he used Pro Tools for a lot of his early "all-computer" days, but even then a lot of the sound sources were still coming from analog synths/samplers/etc.

And Cubase was actually one of the best programs on the Atari 512/1040 for MIDI sequencing and composing, along with Notator (now known as Logic). I'm sure he used a variety of shit, but I would wager it was mostly Cubase.

  On 2/17/2012 at 5:30 PM, yikes said:

but there is that pic of him with the mpc 3000 which leads me to believe he used that for sequencing as well

esp on the rdj album because none of the drums get pitched up or down in real time

Samples from an MPC60 were sequenced using his PC.

  On 2/17/2012 at 5:49 PM, MarinaStewart said:

Going back to the first posts on here (the vinyl pricetag) I would also love to see them re-released on vinyl again. The 10inch is a wonderful fitting format but they could also put this out on 180gr audiophile 12inch as well.

I really wonder why warp only use the CD as a re-release medium- their entry at Record Store Day 2011 was highly welcome.

 

I would also love a copy of the first Mira Calix record- but no way. They repress the 10th issue of Windowlicker instead. Really annoying.

The were never on 10". I think you may be confused.

I'm still so happy w/ my HAB vinyls, even after the CD came out, that was a good 10 years without it. I've always had at least 2 copies of the first one, and at one point i had 5 copies that i bought new, from Nate at Albums Up! in Boulder, CO. That guy was the best! Traded the rest off for other things like the Pac-Man CD. Love my HAB 2 also. the differences between the two are funny. the labels are made of a different grade of paper or material. HAB 2 doesn't have track times listed.

Hey SPD, was that you who I bought my HAB1 copy from? Like, 10 or so years ago?

If his interviews are to be believed (which is admittedly a long shot), it sounds like ReCycle may have played quite a part in him starting to use samples more, as in not just single hits or loops in his old Casio but sampling a whole scale at once (hence starting to use string samples, now that he can easily sample and organise his own) and splitting up a loop into its constituent hits. It's quite mad if such a simple piece of technology can change at least one influential artist's style that much.

I guess HAB shows him shift from reasonably simple MIDI loops recorded on-the-fly to mad percussion made from chopped up samples, and possibly moving the audio into the computer, alongside the notation. At any rate, it's when he started playing with structure (not that he couldn't have done that on an Atari ST sequencer or a tracker, but it seems that he didn't, for whatever reason).

Record audio -> Chop it up in ReCycle -> SCSI dump to sampler -> Sequence samples in Pro Tools -> Record final output.

  On 2/18/2012 at 1:28 AM, Diao said:

Hey SPD, was that you who I bought my HAB1 copy from? Like, 10 or so years ago?

may very well be man. I think so, Kansas City, that sounds familiar. it was sealed no?

Too bad. I see that the youth is more into files and CD as a comfortable medium but Warp are still using vinyl. It should not be the problem to offer this rare gem on vinyl and get people who buy it. But well………

Yes they are not on 10inch format. Strange. I wondered about myself that I had it in mind.

The CD is fine but the tracklist is wrong in some parts. Really strange artwork also.

  On 2/17/2012 at 11:28 PM, spliff said:

I used to have a 12" white label version of HABII, not sure how rare that is, but it made pretty decent money when I had to sell it a few years ago along with the rest of my vinyl collection. Only ever seen just one of those since...might be the one I sold for all I know.

Well I bought a white lable ver. of HABII on eBay in 2007, that's more than a 'few' years ago but not too far off, it sold for 25£, the username was placid_'something'

  On 2/18/2012 at 3:37 PM, PhonicBoyOnDope said:

  On 2/17/2012 at 11:28 PM, spliff said:

I used to have a 12" white label version of HABII, not sure how rare that is, but it made pretty decent money when I had to sell it a few years ago along with the rest of my vinyl collection. Only ever seen just one of those since...might be the one I sold for all I know.

 

Well I bought a white lable ver. of HABII on eBay in 2007, that's more than a 'few' years ago but not too far off, it sold for 25£, the username was placid_'something'

Nah, that wasn't mine, mine went in 2009 I think, for just over £80.00 on there. Went to someone in Germany who bought all the Universal Inidcators off me too.

  On 2/18/2012 at 1:55 PM, SPD² said:

  On 2/18/2012 at 1:28 AM, Diao said:

Hey SPD, was that you who I bought my HAB1 copy from? Like, 10 or so years ago?

 

may very well be man. I think so, Kansas City, that sounds familiar. it was sealed no?

I can't remember if it was sealed or not.... I traded my GAK CD for HAB1 and the GAK 12" with someone from somewhere.... and that's where my mind goes blank, lol.

Actually, it couldn't have been you if your copies were sealed, because mine had some sharpie where a dude wrote in his DJ handle on it, so it couldn't have been new. I think I bought a Caustic Window 12" from you. The marbled white one.

  On 2/18/2012 at 8:36 PM, spliff said:

  On 2/18/2012 at 3:37 PM, PhonicBoyOnDope said:

  On 2/17/2012 at 11:28 PM, spliff said:

I used to have a 12" white label version of HABII, not sure how rare that is, but it made pretty decent money when I had to sell it a few years ago along with the rest of my vinyl collection. Only ever seen just one of those since...might be the one I sold for all I know.

 

Well I bought a white lable ver. of HABII on eBay in 2007, that's more than a 'few' years ago but not too far off, it sold for 25£, the username was placid_'something'

 

Nah, that wasn't mine, mine went in 2009 I think, for just over £80.00 on there. Went to someone in Germany who bought all the Universal Inidcators off me too.

Well that's good, i'd expect it to fetch closer to that kind of price, I guess got pretty lucky with mine. I didn't even realize how little I paid for it until I looked up my history after you mentioned selling yours.