Monday, March 31st, 2008
This is the Written Assignment I submitted as part of my Audio Engineering Diploma course at SAE London. You can view the original PDF version here , but I’ve tweaked it to a more blog-friendly version, which is published below.
As with most of my coursework, it ended up a bit rushed and not as good as I’d have liked it to be, but PLEASE leave comments and let me know what you think of it - especially if you’re a Metallica fan! Thanks!
[It's also posted as a journal on Last.fm , if you'd rather read and comment there!]
Bob Rock began working as Metallica’s producer on their fifth album, ‘Metallica’. This was generally considered to be the point at which the band crossed over to the mainstream, and Bob Rock is generally credited with making that happen. As Metallica’s career progressed with Rock as producer they alienated a lot of their hardcore metal fan base; most of whom believed Rock to be the primary reason for the band’s apparent downfall. Though his involvement with the band over the years is difficult to understate, there were several other factors contributing to the direction of Metallica’s career.
More…
Saturday, March 29th, 2008
Seriously, buy this album. Now. I know its only March but I might as well just give it album of the year right now and get it over with.
As is normal practise with a new album I get addicted to too quickly, I needed to go cold turkey for a few weeks on this one. Delete it from the iPod, stop telling people how good it is, and find something else to keep me amused, perhaps an old classic. In this case I had to resort to Metallica’s entire back catalogue, due to being approximately 50 words into my 3500 word essay on Bob Rock, and with less than a month to finish it. But that’s another story.
Thankfully I’m now past the annoying phase of Studio Head and am onto the appreciative phase. Man this record sounds good. It was produced by Bernard Butler - ok so his bands were shit but I’m willing to let him off with that now. Eilidh’s bass sounds awesome - solid, present, but not obtrusive. Another thing you notice with This Gift compared with The Repulsion Box (ebo album of the year 2005) is that Adele’s voice is much more controlled and focussed, but no less feisty. Overall the album sounds a lot thicker - a bit less mandolin and tambourine this time around, and the guitar riffs are louder and heavier.
Best track? It was Chains, but now it’s Flags. Make up your own mind (…what? you haven’t bought it yet? how many times do I have to tell you!)
Thursday, March 6th, 2008
Today I attempted my first proper cycling commute since the Lewisham move. Although in my typical disorganised fashion, I did it the hard way. Leaving from Fiona’s in the morning instead of my house (+2 miles), and having to go to college in the evening instead of just straight home (+6 miles).
The morning wasn’t too bad, I’d estimated about an hour, had the route pretty clear in my head and left plenty of time to get to work reasonably early in time to grab a shower. Half an hour later I was still only as far as London Bridge, but the traffic through the city was mental so I knew that had taken longer than it should’ve. As I crossed the Thames, passing the hoards of people with feet pounding towards their offices, I couldn’t help but think of pigeon racing and the Great North Run, and ended up singing the Geordie Racer theme tune for the rest of the journey.
Plain sailing from there down through Borough, along the Old Kent Road through Peckham and on to New Cross. Pretty much just following the Number 21 bus route, slightly apprehensive about having to tackle Amersham Way, which shall henceforth be known as The Hill of Death. But such is life, what goes up must come down, and I sailed down the steep-but-safe-enough-to-enjoy decline of Lewisham Way, for a glorious arrival at the work just on the hour mark.
Knowing that the next leg, from Lewisham all the way to Caledonian Road was an extra couple of miles, I really should have adjusted my time accordingly, but I left with 1h 10mins to spare. I didn’t fancy going all the way back up Lewisham Way from a standing start, so decided to take a detour and just follow my sense of direction and take reassurance from the ‘towards…’ signs on the bus stops. This was working out pretty well and I eventually found myself joining Old Kent Road about halfway up. I tried to cut across and take a more direct route toward London Bridge, closer to the river, but hit a dead end and had to go back and face O.K.R. (thats my hip new slang term for it). My determination took me a closer and closer to the Thames Path, and I struck gold - GOLD I say.
To be honest I’d never really taken much interest in Tower Bridge, but it looked pretty impressive as I cycled past at dusk. So that was another few minutes added on to my journey time for taking a few pictures.
Again, getting through the City was a bit of a slog, and I probably could have picked a better route, but I was still just following my nose at this stage. I seemed to be making pretty good time as well, considered my dead end at OKR and my scenic detour along the Thames Path. Still no chance I was making it to college for half 6 though. About halfway the steady mile-long slope of Caledonian Road I had to admit defeat and walk for a bit, but still a decent effort.
After some dinner and rest at college, all that remained was the usual jaunt home, but even that proved a bit too much and my legs gave in just after Brick Lane. Late shift tomorrow I think!
