Monoprints # 2

This may be my last blog post of 2013 as I'm going to be very busy before and during Christmas.
I've done some more monoprints and there is a selection below.
I've been doing a fair bit of writing of poems and songs recently.  Also working on a new Shemboid album but that won't be finished till well into the new year. 
It was an idea to do a Rev Rev gig in Chester again just before Christmas, but that is not going to happen now - it's such a busy time of year and getting all my stuff there and storing it somewhere out of the way is always very difficult, there isn't much room for it - so best forget it for now.
 Okay, I'll keep it brief so I wish you all the best for the festive season and I'll see you sometime soon.
Here are the prints,
love,
Shem x

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 17 - 2013

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 18 - 2013

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 30 - 2013

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 25 - 2013

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 27 - 2013

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 26 - 2013

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 21 - 2013

Monoprints #1

I've been doing some monoprints recently.  They are only small (about A4 size).

If anyone's interested in any let me know, they won't cost the earth (around £30)

They are all unique pieces and signed.  Here is a small selection, hope you like them....

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 09 - acrylic on white card

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 04 - acrylic on white card

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 15 - acrylic on white card

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 03 - acrylic on white card

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 05 - acrylic on white card

Alan Sharples - Monoprint 13 - acrylic on white card

Paul Klee exhibition and some new work of my own.

I recently went down to London to see the Paul Klee exhibition at Tate Modern.  The pictures on show were fantastic and there were absolutely loads of them!  I hadn't realized before I went that he actually painted on a small scale.  Most of the pictures were no bigger than A3 size.  There were a few bigger ones, but not that many.  It was very inspiring and to see them for real meant you could get an idea of how he worked.  It took us something like two and a half hours to get round them all, and it was quite intense because you had to get very close to most of them to really see them properly (due to their small size).

I felt very inspired to do some painting as soon as I could when I got back to Leeds,  so I have been working on some new pictures of my own this last couple of weeks.  I haven't got many finished ones yet, so I will not show you the unfinished ones. Here's a finished one...

Also there are a few quite interesting pictures I did on my phone....

and finally a happy accident.........

Thanks for tuning in.......see you soon,

Shem

Recent Rev Rev gig.

There's a new Rev Rev tab you can check out now.

We did a gig at the Golden Eagle in Chester on 4th October.
Here is a review by Dan Schott;

http://thedanschott.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/rev-rev-the-alternative-alternative-4th-october-2013/

There's some rough video footage included too.

The recording I made of the gig sounds very good.  Some good psych jam elements. 
We're going to release a live album sometime next year.  We already have some good tracks and this last recording has plenty of fine ones.  They get better every time.
The recording sounds a hell of a lot better than the video footage linked above, I hasten to add.

It always takes us a few songs to get warmed up, but when we get going, the going's good.  We did two sets on the night.  The second set is always better than the first.
We don't actually rehearse very much because I live in Leeds and the rest of the band live in Chester.

I'll keep you posted on further developments.

Daniel Schott's Blog

Daniel Schott seemed to like the new Shemboid album "In The Clouds" and asked me to write something for his blog, which I did.  I may have made omissions or mistakes, but I had a go and the result is now online at

http://schottslist.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/in-the-clouds-by-shemboid-in-his-own-words-alan-sharples/

Give it a go.  There is some crazy video footage of Vibracathedral Orchestra embedded on the page too.
Thanks to Dan for his interest and giving me the opportunity to write for him.

Some new releases from Shemboid and The Eye Window

I've been really busy lately and now finally have got round to releasing three new albums.
The Eye Window albums are

TIME WALKS TALL
This is an album I recorded a couple of years ago and didn't get to release properly until now.
It is mainly focused on psychotic guitar freakouts, with minimal songs.  The three tracks on it are quite long and the album runs to about 36 minutes.

THE GHOST SHIP
This is a brand new album which I started last year and have now finished.  If you find some of my releases a bit alien, then this might be for you.  It is more of a rock album and has some nice songs, I think, as well as the edginess.  The CD-R version is a limited edition of 50 hand-numbered and signed copies. About 43 minutes.
Check out The Eye Window tab above.

The Shemboid album is called IN THE CLOUDS
Here we are back to talking with aliens and the music is drone-like and guitar and keyboard driven. It was created using a loop station and layered and then worked on computer to create these four compositions.
The four tracks add up to about 36 minutes.
Check out the Shemboid tab above

All of the above albums are in CD-R editions of 50 hand-numbered and signed copies.
Check them out....
I hope you like them
Cheers, Shem

Latest musical activity

THE GHOST SHIP
I've been very busy working on new music.  The latest Eye Window album is finished.....well the music and mix etc anyway - I just have to do the artwork and sleeve now.  It is called "The Ghost Ship".  I think it's better than the last one (FS) - well, I'm pleased with it so far - although I do like the last one too!  Hopefully it will be ready for your listening pleasure soon.

TIME WALKS TALL
I've also had a look/ listen to the one before, which never really saw a run of more than about 6 or so.
It is called "Time Walks Tall".  I've had a think and decided to remove one of the tracks (Come And Gone), which always seemed to niggle me with doubts about it, so I'll re-work that one for a later album.
The remaining tracks seem to work better together without it.  I'm going to do a different cover for it too.  I'll post that up as soon as I get them printed and artwork done.

NEW SHEMBOID ALBUM
Another Shemboid album is on the way.  It is the one I talked about right at the bottom of the page at the start of the year.... yes, it was ages ago now!  Again it is the sleeve now that is delaying release but will be ready fairly soon.  It is a noise-related album and still sounds good to my ears, so I'm going ahead with it.
I'll let you know the title one day soon......

Ok that's all for now,
cheers,
Shem x

New Shemboid CD-Rs

I have finally got round to releasing the two volumes of The Sun Sets by Shemboid in CD-R form.
Check out the new Shemboid Music tab above for details, where all the news and music of Shemboid
will be posted to in future.
Or go to shemboid.bandcamp.com

The Sun Sets

I've finally got round to posting the two volumes of The Sun Sets on bandcamp.
They are both there for download only at the moment - I haven't got round to doing the physical copies yet.
They are downloadable at 2 quid per album - cheap as chips!
Check them out here - http://shemboid.bandcamp.com


There are two long tracks on each album.  These were originally created in 2008, but this is their first public release.   They were further edited early on this year.  The collage artworks were created at the end of April 2013.

New Page

I've just added another page to this site.  There is a tabs bar above with buttons for "Home" and "Artwork" so far.  I'll add some others soon, but for now check out the artwork page.  I've uploaded a selection of paintings and collages from 2012 and 2013.

THE EYE WINDOW

I have been working on my latest album under the name The Eye Window, which is my project for more straight ahead-ish, though still quite psychedelic, rock songs.  The album is provisionally titled "The Ghost Ship".  I've been working on it, on and off, for the past year.  I have all the songs, but need to finish off the recordings with odd bits and pieces to do yet..... mainly the drums.  It's not as sweet as "Freedom Sunshine" (see below), but I am rather pleased with it so far.

The previous album by The Eye Window is called "Freedom Sunshine". Most of the songs on that were inspired by falling in love a couple of years ago.  It took me nearly two years to complete.
"Freedom Sunshine" is a very melodic album, and quite sweet in parts, though it still rocks where it needs to!
If you would like to hear something of mine that is song-based and melodic and harmonious and mostly up-lifting (unusual for me!), then try it out at -
theeyewindow.bandcamp.com - and if you like it, PLEASE BUY IT!!

NB - If you don't like songs, singing, melodies and such-like then avoid at all costs! - but it is something I sometimes do and I like it!

PAINTING AND MUSIC AND NEW RELEASES.

PAINTING
Hi,
It has been a busy year so far.  I've been painting mostly and have done about seven canvases plus about ten paintings on paper.  These were done mainly in January and the very beginning of February.  See below for a small selection of images.  There are a few that I haven't photographed yet, which I'll get round to soon and I'll post a couple of those too in the very near future. 

MUSIC
As far as the music goes..... well I still have not finished the sleeves to the new albums I mentioned previously, but I'll do it this week.
I've been creating some new pieces of Shemboid music the last week or so.  In fact I'm not far off having enough stuff for yet another album already.... it'll have to wait a while for release though.

AND YES!!!!
The "Knurr & Spell" compilation is finally completed and in our hands.  This is a proper cd album of four noise-type bands. Mine was recorded in 2008!!!! It has taken ages to get it out but is now ready.
The album is called
Knurr & Spell. - being psychedelic sounds from Yorkshire.
The track list is as follows.....
1. SHEMBOID - Myths of the Prehistoric Future.
2. OCELOCELOT - Bontempi Bastet
3. MORAL HOLIDAY - No Forks
4. FOLDHEAD - Taser Delerium
All the tracks are very long and the cd is full to the brim so good value.
It is on Phil Todd's Memoirs of an Aesthete label
Available at -    http://memoirsofanaesthete.bandcamp.com/album/knurr-spell-being-psychedelic-sounds-from-yorkshire

Ok that's all for now,
be seeing you,
Shem

Some recent paintings (January 2013)

Alan Sharples - Untitled 1 - acrylic on canvas - 40cm x 30cm

Alan Sharples - Untitled 2 - acrylic on canvas - 40cm x 30cm

Alan Sharples - "Aerial" - acrylic on canvas - 50cm x 60cm

Alan Sharples - "Airwaves" - acrylic on canvas - 66cm x 92cm

New Year Releases

I was in Chester in December doing a gig at the Golden Eagle with my band Rev Rev.  It was quite packed and went down rather well, despite the fact that it was over three years since we had played those songs.  (Our last gig was in September 2009 at the City Bar.)  It was also good to see a lot of old faces from Chester there........ a good night!

Now then,

I have some new finished Shemboid music for release very soon.  I have not quite decided the album title as yet, but the music and recording is all mixed, mastered and ready to go.  It is very much a noise type of thing.  There are four tracks, with the titles as follows.....

1.  Summer Rain, Melted Brain
2.  Sea Of Snakes
3.  Fluttering, Muttering and Burning the Toast
4.  Okra Shooting Eggs Can Grate Cheese

The artwork needs to be finalised too.
It should all be ready and out there in a couple of weeks.

PLUS

I have decided to put out an edited version of The Sun Gallery, which was originally a four-disc set of improvisations.  The first release saw only five copies made and I did not really push it at the time.  They were recorded in mid-late 2008. 
The new edition will be called The Sun Sets and will be in the form of two single cd-rs as Volume One and Volume Two.   
There are two long tracks on each disc
I am also going to do new artwork for them.
Again, these should be available in about two weeks or so.
I'll keep you posted.

That's all for now,
Happy new year,

Shem

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