Dub Sirens and Watchful Tape

Two pieces of news this post. Here's number one.

We've never received a "prototype instrument" before - but there's a first time for everything. 

We ordered a dub siren back in October of last year because we saw one on a board that had a joystick control for the oscillator, as well as a built in delay. Also, it had an etched top and other slick as shit stuff. Anyways, fast forward to February, it hasn't arrived. We realize that ordering anything from Italy is a crapshoot because of their notorious postal system (famous for trashing packages or losing anything of value) but we really didn't think we were getting it because there were so many delays in the manufacturing of the product. After numerous shady statements, we finally started causing a stink and was finally offered a refund. Nice that they offered, and gave it. 

So we ordered one from RigSmith, which arrived 10 days after purchase. That's an ace transaction. This one's a little simpler than the one we tried to order from Italy, but it sounds great, and will be a great addition to the arsenal. We could've built one for half the price, but when there's great builders out there, why not support them in their craft?

Now you may be wondering what is a noise/punk act going to do with a dub siren? Well, lots. In addition to it being a great oscillator, but we're doing a "Watching (Dub)" 7" as well. How else would a dub record work if we didn't actually use the same sort of stuff that dub artists use? Anyways, we'll try and fuck up a song that we love (Watching) by making it more creepy and dropped on it's head. If you don't know what a dub siren does, well here's an example in the video below. Also look into the works of King Tubby, Scientist and Lee "Scratch" Perry. 

Why make a dub version of a punk song? Well, there's a long lasting connection between reggae and punk going back to the beginning where Don Letts was spinning reggae in between punk sets at the Roundhouse because there wasn't enough punk records. There's hundreds of bands since 1976 who have been directly influence by punk and reggae (or reggae's predecessor ska). Plus Imants Krumins was a personal friend of the members of this band, and a huge influence on this sort of project, and he loved dub and reggae, so it's a bit of a nod to our dear friend who passed away a couple years ago now.

The second is that the "Watchful" tape is recorded and will be Skull Servant NE/SE's debut.This will probably be out soon, looks like the end of April, we're just finishing up the art for the cover and insert. Two compositions (don't know if we can call them songs per se), each running about 9 minutes, taking up an entire side of a tape. Think of it as a companion to the Watching 7" EP. Should be duplicated later this month and as soon as the covers are printed, we'll be good to go.

Listening 7" EP (Digital Version) Now Available

This thing took too long to make.

Go to the Skull Servant Bandcamp and grab it for free. Donate if you like. Recirculated if you like. Feedback on it is appreciated, but won't influence us. Unless it's the ear-piercing squealing kind. E-mail us at skullservantnoise@gmail.com if you're really keen on sharing your two bit ideas.

Patches are available again, visit Hammer City Records to pick one up - $1 suggested price.

Servant #2 Would Like To Announce

This happened in the last MRR...

We appreciate the kind words written by Al Quint. Intriguing is something we're hoping to provoke from the listener. We're trying not to sound like other bands, we don't want to sound like them. Fuck them. 

Ominous. Yes. Industrial Clatter. Yes

New Year

Well, the apocalypse didn't happen, neither did the collaboration with Snakecharmer due to shit weather. No one thought it would rain on December 21st in Canada. Think of us as the saviours of the world, because had we played clearly the apocalypse would have happened. We'll be sure to get together soon and work out some times to actually collaborate and perform. Hopefully with no chance of rain. We're nihilistic, but death by electrical shock is a bit too much.

More last minute changes to the Watching 7" mix before it heads off for pre-mastering, then to the plant. I'm finally happy with the mix, had to bring up the snare and finalize the song names. Been working with the order as well. So the Watching 7" is:

A Side:
Listening
Listening 2

B Side:

Watching

We posted Watching on Soundcloud already. If you dig it, you'll like this whole 7". Mid tempo punk songs, with oscillators, tape loops, samples, metal percussion and noise. Think Born Against meets Test Dept with an undercurrent of Confuse. Bandcamp will be available soon, at that time I believe we'll offer the whole thing for free. When it's back from the plant, I'd like to get the price point about $6 North America plus postage. There's only going to be 200 of them, and more if the demand is such that we need more.

Already working on the Citizens 7" which will tackle the themes of how people respond to media manipulation - covering the range of emotions from fear, paranoia, impotence, and silence. Three songs are written, one partially recorded. I suspect these will be faster shorter bursts and maybe we'll continue the tradition of one longer blast on side B of the records.

Also working on a Skull Servant NE/SE tape to be out mid summer focusing more on the noise constructs that Servant #1 and #2 are crafting. I think it will be a companion piece to the Watching 7" - with the compositions "Satellites Falling From the Sky" and "Watchful Overlord" making up a side of a C-20 each. Recording is done, or as done as these things get, with art being constructed soon. These things take time.

Servant #2 has some solo noise works planned. Cassettes under several different monikers and dealing with many different subject matter. More as those projects develop as well.

We also acquired a button press so I would think that we will be pushing out tiny buttons. Those won't be too expensive. Spread the message, serve your skull.

Total Collaboration Set No. 1

SCDCSS

Improv/Noise/Apocalypse

Bring out your video cameras/digital cameras and document this. We want footage of this to edit together for a DVD. Contact us at skullservantnoise@gmail.com for the details of how to get it to us.

SCDCSS

Snake Charmer Death Cult Skull Servant.

Total Collaboration Set 1.

December 20.

Before this show:

If you don't know where, ask at Hammer City Records. Or use critical thinking faculties and scroll down.

Look But Don't Touch, Listen But Don't Hear