The SYAN thread

[Windom Pearl]

Hello. This is a kind of blog thread about Farmakon's third album 'Syan'. We don't know that'll actually be the final name, but let's use that for the time being.

Any thoughts or happenings or whatever regarding 'Syan' can be written here by any bandmember. Hopefully we'll also get some audio and images. At some point.

(Documenting the making of the album is straightly inspired by Star Wreck crew, who did a tremendous job documenting their whole 7 years of their movie making process, and have continued documenting their doings since. I will force that material down on my fellow bandmember's throats some day soon. Just for fun.)

 

[Windom Pearl]

Pekka Kauppila is joining us as bassist. We're still in the middle of things: We all still have to see how the co-operation actually works. And that doesn't happen too fast on our schedule. However, the purpose is that he will be an equal member in the writing process of Syan.

I've played with Pekka since 1996. Also, when I was 5 years old he was one of my worst enemies. He doesn't remember this though. BUT I DO. Uh anyway. Since a funk rock band called Pungee, which made a few demos somewhere around 99-00, we've been trying to get a project together. Lots of planning hours in local restaurants, different kinds of jams, a few Pungee gettogether-sessions, but not much results.

The last few years haven't been too good for Farmakon. Sure, we've done lots of gigs compared to our early career, but the chemistry has been warped. So I think our motivation in getting a new member comes from wanting to refresh the stale atmosphere. And it seems we've succeeded. Not only because of getting a new member though, we had to go through some metallicaish conversations.

Also, I thought Pekka's distinctive groovy touch would do us good and I'd be free for vocals. Singing and playing at the same time is always a compromise. And there's this nihilism in Pekka, at least after a few beers, that could benefit us also. We must shuffle the deck violently, I think.

 

[Windom Pearl]

So, a few days ago me and Pekka had a first songwriting session. There was supposed to be a Farmakon cabin trip with recording equipment last weekend, but it got cancelled because of ..ermm.. ..winter.. stuff. Instead we sat down togeter and jammed a bit.

This is not the first session of SYAN though, I think Toni and Matti have almost a complete song ready. It would seem we don't manage to write songs as a full band, so we're trying to write in smaller groups. However, the full band writing will be tested again as soon as we get the cabin thing going. Or something similiar anyways.

Yes. Well. We got a few nice parts down, and one of them actually sounds like Farmakon. The others sound like Vaya Con Dios. Which to me is a good thing, however it'll be a fucking drag to try to combine such elements in a classy way.

 

[pekka]

Hi.

Probably this will escalate into violence. Fortunately I'm too lazy to actually push my ideas and the band guys are stubborn enough to resist change, so don't worry! Same shit, different mies & pipa.

Well. If I actually am able to raise my voice: There will be more heavy, technical and fast shit and more authentic jazz thingys (preferably more than random smooth minor 9th chords over walking bass line after several frantic thrash/death metal parts). I hate the gay acoustic guitar bard bits with passion. Ultra-orgasmic would be to play the heavy, technical and fast shit and jazz thingies simultaneously without sounding like over-enthusiastic Mr.Bungle fan on speed. And by jazz I don't mean black men with big horns. I mean the jazz mindset and methodology; innovation, openness and improvisation.

Or, I'll be glad to bend over.

I'm technology-obsessed, so at least the bass sound will be motherfucking perfect.

 

[Windom Pearl]

And by jazz I don't mean black men with big horns

SOUSAPHONE 666!!!

I for one would kill for some cool horn arrangements. But who would make them..? I wouldn't. And the pro guys would be too expensive. Stupid transposing whistles

Now about improvisation then... Well actually, I don't have time to get into that now. But as soon as I will, you can expect an essay. I've just had an enlightening experience regarding performance and improvisation.

 

[Rusty]

but it got cancelled because of ..ermm.. ..winter.. stuff.

Penile shinkage, right?

Wotcha Pekka. Be as good an addition to Farmakon as Matti was and you'll soon be forced to dodge some pretty homoerotic advances from a certain English tosspot. I now already can't wait to see how Syan turns out even more than when it was first mentioned. And by that I mean hurry up and get to the demo-making stage. Good luck, chaps.

 

[Mazah]

Should we maybe do something together soon? My weekend is full already, but maybe next week? I've got some time off from school, at least monday, tuesday and friday are free. Wednesday i could stay at Tampere after school which (mitä vittua mä britiksi kirjotan...) loppuu 15:30. Ja sit on viikonloppua sielläkin, mutta voisi katsoa useammankin kerran. Marko? Leikitkö mun kaa joku päivä? Pekkakin voisi tulla messiin mikäli kerkiää, ois mielenkiintosta.

edit. tosin mulla tulee oppilaita ma ja ti alkuillasta, saattaisin pystyä järjestelemään niitä jos saan tietää tarpeeksi ajoissa.

 

[Windom Pearl]

FUCK. I'm so bad in guitar! I been working on some riffs, but for some reason all the material I come up with is syncopated. Which is good, but I just can't play them along the click. Also, I've been stupid enough to buy cheap guitars, which means that I'm out of tune practically after every riff. One nice part down. There will be analog synths, methinks!

 

[lumitalvi]

Hii this is a goodie thread!!!

 

[Windom Pearl]

So I think our motivation in getting a new member comes from wanting to refresh the stale atmosphere. And it seems we've succeeded.

OK, that was bullshit Now things get interesting.

So, stop press...

Matti Auerkallio is no longer part of Farmakon!

Due to unsolvable personal differencies with Matti and Toni. You know, the guys are like incarnations on activity and passivity. They just won't get along inside a band. On personal level we've had lots of fun, but when music comes in to picture, things get fucked up. And we've tried to correct this thing, talk about it, try different kinds of... social.. eh... whatever, and so on, but they don't even speak the same language Very frustrating to witness, I can tell!

So, one had to go. All the other guys than Matti in the band have the passive approach to things, and he was well aware of that. So that's it. To what I understand, there are no hard feelings. But guys, if there are, feel free to write it here, gayishly available to public!!

uke:

 

[nevershine]

No hard feelings no.

 

[Windom Pearl]

Yes anyway. We certainly won't be sitting on our thumbs because this situation. We'll continue writing new material and maybe even bother to search for a drummer at some point! No panic there, since we've got our share of live playing for a while.

Today: synth bass experimentation :zombie:

 

[Anth]

mazah can be session drummer

 

[Windom Pearl]

mazah can be session drummer

That remains an option. When leaving Matti pointed out he could still do session drums for Syan if needed. Most noble of him, I think

However - and I'm sure everyone involved understands this - we'd rather take other routes.

Got plans, but I'm not telling yet!

 

[pekka]

Let's rename the 3rd album Chinese Democracy.

Emäntä vatkasi taikinaa. Pöydällä oli karkeita ja puolikarkeita vehnäjauhoja.

Karkeat vehnäjauhot tokasivat: vatkaa kunnolla vitun huora

Johon puolikarkeat: niin, senkin törppö

 

[Rusty]

Write a song about faeries please.

 

[Rusty]

I forgot what I came here to say.

Why haven't you got anything up on last.fm? Nearly every other band has at least a sample or two up there, if not a few full songs. Is there some legal rights crap stopping you from chucking some Robin up?

 

[Mazah]

It's only because the guys have their fingers up their asses, it's too much effort to take it out and promote Farmakon. (Guys, i'm only joking here, no harm ment)

 

[Windom Pearl]

It's only because the guys have their fingers up their asses, it's too much effort to take it out and promote Farmakon

Hehe, so true. There's a reason for this, though:

We're a rock band. Not copywriters, merchants or a record label.

Promoting the band in my opinion is a waste of my personal time. What do I get out of it? Money? I don't. Fame? What the use of fame if one gets no money out of it? Gigs? What do I get out of gigs? Good vibes? I get better vibes if I stay home. Money? I don't. Fame? What's the use of fame if one get no money out of it?

Don't get me wrong. As you can CLEARLY see I'm not into this for money. I'm into this for music. Music only. Seeing if have the great signed band benefit for it, I let other people handle what goes beyond music.

However! Now that this came up... Toooniii...? You could upload a few songs to last.fm eh, since you're already registered there! ​

 

[alterstream]

I forgot what I came here to say.

Why haven't you got anything up on last.fm? Nearly every other band has at least a sample or two up there, if not a few full songs. Is there some legal rights crap stopping you from chucking some Robin up?

4 full songs & 2 livevideos @

http://www.reverbnation.com/farmakon