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Posted by Rob Johnson ((Music))

'Upon a Painted Ocean' was recorded by Geoff Swan at The Ranch Production House and Grovesnor House.

Photography by Sebastian Kraus.

The album features guest vocals by Max Bemis of Say Anything.

Additional vocals: Mary Spender.
Drums: Drew Shipsey.
Trumpet: The G.

Studio Diary Archive

Posted by Rob Johnson ((Music))

THIS RECORD HAS BEEN INFLUENZAAD BY THE FOLLOWING STIM-U-LIES...

(I gave up on this towards the end of last year, but here is the remainder of the "archive." Enjoy!)

NOVEMBER; Back to the future@Grovesnor, a possible celebrity disease, celebrity cameos, the dark knight the dark knight the dark knight, massive attack, Geoff cooks up a cheesecake, blu-ray, Razia's Shadow and way more stuff I just can't remember....

OCTOBER; An new home for the recording, aka B5, aka THE RANCH... Metro; the world's hardest working drummer... The Empire Strikes Back. "Are you sneezing plectrums now Rob? Just make sure you don't 'pick' your nose." "Don't worry, I Geoffinately won't..." The newfound criminal appearance of GS+RJ meaning that we now get followed in Tescos by moustached security guards - whilst local youths make off with 3 pot noodles and a 6 pack of kit-kats. (Or break into my car - fuckers.) The following pearls shocking revelations from an un-named source: "I got 3 videos on my iphone - that's all you need. Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and a porno...." "I've been getting around a bit, I need to get up the clinic or something..." "That's great, but I think it needs more cowbell." Music wise; Guns 'N' Roses, Infected Mushroom, Mike Oldfield, Mute Math...

SEPTEMBER; "In The Patchwork Sky" A Record, by G. Swan, aged 25. Look for it in stores SOON... Robocop having a heart attack... Skewered guinea pigs... Met'fuckin'allica... Sue She...

(3 months in the US...)

JUNE; Geoff Swan's patented "Trilogy of Freshness" (c)2008. Viva La Vida. Hitting switches. Blowin' tweeters, or not as the case maybe... The weekend that was, including in no particular order.... DRUMS, guest vocals, T-rumpetting, (cheers Drew, Mary Spender and The G)... Shia + Damon-Keys, a visit to see a cheeky bit of delica-talent to get GS a few dirty olives, Trevor Horn's short shorts, cobblers, Morgan Freeman, the hardest song ever, GS' magic dust & DCI B. Detective. And the immortal line "would a copy of Falling Down starring Michael Douglas help?"

MAY; The G's birthday amazon vouchers (£75?!), Iron Man/Boy, the nutcracker analogy, track one, the prospect of the LOST season finale, a complete change of pace, coming unstuck...4 bars in 5 hours - Progress? The Joker, Fairground rides, LATIN drums, GS comitting no less than 3 crimes in a matter of minutes, Zack, A.C., Screech and Kelly Kapowski, dennis the MENACE, Dark Knights, Jazz clubs and crossing the fine line into insanity... JOGA, Paolo and Nikki, Lando Calrissian, some more stuff I can't remember.... Bjork, Boards Of Canada, Getting 1/3rd DONE... Pendulum. A visit from BS and Stu. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade... Deep Blue Sea, things that are QUIET/LOUD, Tubular Bells 2, Photography specifically of the Polish variety, Luca, Heavy breathing, More takes than a Cloverfield scene, Gamorrean Guards, a thumbs up from Spider-Man, GS Man Flu, Firebreather by Thrice. This cd being nothing to do with LOST... "Stand By Me", Stairway to Heaven, At World's End, Lost In Translation (I think My Bloody Valentine), Girls from Guildford, War Of The Worlds, SHIKSA! Industrial strength tunnel fans, Death Cab, PUPPETS by Atmosphere being the greatest song in my world at the moment, GS being hardcore and burning candles at both ends, M83 and opening my eyes as to what my RC-50 is actually capable of (thank you whoisjohnnywright) and being thankful I didn't sell it... Narrow Stairs, When Life Gives You Lemons... and Saturdays=Youth. Also Dexter Season 2... Lucy Gallagher as she clearly is a physical gem... Stamping on boxes and copious amounts of handclaps, 300, Crocodile Dundee's didgeridoo...

APRIL; Enya, helicopters, astronauts, the sound of the sea... Kate Bush, Metallica and the Sugababes...
You can find more images from the studio right here. Cheers!

Influences

Posted by Rob Johnson ((Music)) in

"Upon a Painted Ocean" - Significant Influences.

Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield

To Record Only Water For Ten Days by John Frusciante

Chroma by Cartel

Dear You by Jawbreaker

The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of Niggy Tardust by Saul Williams

Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever by Explosions In The Sky

The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me by Brand New

Combinations by Eisley

I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child by Manchester Orchestra

By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Trainwreck by Boys Night Out

What To Do When You Are Dead by Armor For Sleep

So by Peter Gabriel

Move Along by The All-American Rejects

Summer In Abaddon by Pinback

What It Is To Burn by Finch

The Police

Dropkick Murphys

Narrow Stairs by Death Cab For Cutie

Maths & English by Dizzee Rascal

Untitled by Blink-182

Riot! by Paramore

Riot On An Empty Street by Kings Of Convenience

In Rainbows by Radiohead

The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails

Incubus

Ludacris

Gym Class Heroes

Red by Guillemots

Box by m e l l o w d r o n e

The Con by Tegan And Sara

Leviathan by Mastodon

Epiphany by T-Pain

Good Girl Gone Bad by Rihanna

No Really, I'm Fine by The Spill Canvas

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel

Harvest by Neil Young

Rage Against The Machine

Planet Of Ice by Minus The Bear

Bone Palace Ballet by Chiodos

Jimmy Eat World

FutureSex / LoveSounds by Justin Timberlake

Enter by Russian Circles

Give Up by The Postal Service

War Of The Worlds by Jeff Wayne

The Matches

The Music Of; Michael Giacchino

Steve Jablonksy

Thomas Newman

Daniel Licht

Hans Zimmer

Under The Boards by Saves The Day

In Defense Of The Genre by Say Anything

And one cold-blooded mass-murdering clown...

bye ogg raff eeee

Posted by Rob Johnson ((Music)) in

"As idle as a painted ship... Upon a painted ocean."

“Upon A Painted Ocean” – is guitarist Rob Johnson’s [Forward Is The Farewell] attempt to create a new ‘Tubular Bells’ - esque instrumental record for a new generation. The album (which is currently being recorded and nearing completion) is a deluxe soundscape comprising of 15 tracks creating the soundtrack to a film within your imaginarium.

An epic, atmospheric and tonal piece, the album is wrought with feeling in which the differing songs become the characters that you choose to create as the songs become scenes to the movie in your head. Meanwhile, the record has a tone that attempts to install various feelings and emotions within the listener - albeit without the benefit of words, whilst abiding by the universally accepted principles of a 3 minute pop song.

It is certainly an ambitious piece, a brief glance at a few choice song titles; “Point the Gun and Pull the Trigger,” “FATE/CHANCE,” “...End Credits,” serve to illustrate this. Whether it works will be down to the individual experience of the listener, but each and every person who listens to the album will be presented with a musical, elaborate and potentially inspiring experience that attempts to recapture both the magic and possibility of the instrumental album.

'Upon a Painted Ocean' will be availabe in the early months of 2009, keep a weather eye on the horizon...