The Atomic Hour #1

as promised on friday,here is the first mix from Tigertowers,just a taste of little things that have been floating our boat this week.you can listen to it here,or it will be available for download for the next two weeks.This episode includes scuzzrock,powerpop,South African funk,chillout,postrock and an ode to my favourite drink among others.

The Atomic Hour#1
1.The Thievery Corporation-The Time We Lost Our Way
2.Barbera Lyn-The Thanks I Get
3.Letta Mbulu-Mahlalela
4.The Rolling Stones-Torn And Frayed
5.Mogwai-Summer
6.Low-Just Stand Back
7.The Velvet Underground-Oh Gin
8.Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Modern Romance
9.Yo La Tengo-Season Of The Shark
10.Schneider TM-Frogtoise
11.Black Ivory-Surrender
12.The Beatles-You're Gonna Lose That Girl
13.Teenage Fanclub-Sparky's Dream
14.Spaceman 3-The Sound Of Confusion
15.Pavement-Major Leagues
16.Loose Fur-Laminated Cat
17.Dae Kim-Angel Of The Universe

The Atomic Hour 1.mp3

the wicked little atom oblique strategies

being a huge fan of Bowie and Eno,i have always been interested in the Oblique Strategies that they used during the Berlin era.since i could never afford a pack of the cards and also found that obliqueness is a pretty subjective thing i decided to tailor some to my needs.
And now i am going to publish them here,just for the laugh but also just in case someone gets blocked sometime ,they might come in slightly useful.


1.think notes,not chords
2.photographs
3.shift key
4.change mood
5.filter and delay
6.Stanley Kubrick details
7.harmonise
8.go LO-FI
9.+
10.find the perfect unifying note
11.think film soundtrack
12.explore panning options
13.psychedelic
14.why did you start?
15.is this too much?
16.78 RPM
17.does it have immediate impact?if not,>
18.what would Tom Waits do?
19.be patient
20.trust your ears
21.trust your eyes
22.double tempo
23.think Kraftwerk
24.dancefloor politics
25.smear the atmosphere
26.delay
27.turn the progression on it's head
28.lose the keyboards
29.soundscape
30.sparse rhythm
31.what would Curtis Mayfield do?
32.deconstruct the original idea to it's shell
33.think minimal
34.what would the Rolling Stones do?
35.lose the majors
36.drone
37.concentrate on the bass
38.sympathise
39.what would the Beatles do?
40.one instrument and one effect
41.lose the minors
42.what would Bowie do?
43.alternative tunings
44.build-up
45.how do you feel?
46.gate the pattern
47.lose the guitars
48.aphex piano
49.what was the last record you listened to?
50.spliff and coffee
51.say STOP
52.go electronic
53.turn the rhythm on it's head
54.go soul
55.is it needed?
56.honesty?
57.FM
58.what would Wilco do?
59.process the rhythm
60.what would Lou Reed do?
61.cut up
62.brass
63.switch parts to different instruments
64.first number in your head
65.detune
66.double the part with another instrument
67.distort
68.claustraphobia
69.the 3 minute formula
70.four parts,four different numeric patterns
71.change time measure
72.half tempo
73.acoustic
74.what would James Brown do?
75.monochrome
76.Issac Hayes strings
77.sample the natural
78.think Burroughs
79.subbass
80.Hunter S. Thompson
81.lighter
82.raw
83.count to ten
84.the B-movie angle
85.take four cards and combine
86.does it lose the initial groove?if so,>
87.treat the sound with two extreme effects
88.what would the Kilo do?
89.no drums
90.resample
91.reverse
92.technicolour
93.strangle the sound
94.what would Talking Heads do?
95.analog
96.New York
97.digital
98.play on one guitar
99.what would The Clash do?
100.feedback


obviously a lot of these aint that oblique at all and i don't really know what any of the mentioned artists would do but it's a good way of breaking the mental block for me anyway.
do with them what you will...........................

bombsville indeed

friday afternoon done come so here be a few updates from tigerland..........
our track thewisehand from the BMX ep is finished and is posted below.been a bit of a slow week on the mixing process because of indesicions and trying to put square pegs into circular holes and all that kind of jazz but it's all back on track now.
from this week on we begin our very own mix series-tracks we dig put together especially for your listening pleasure.check out for the first one on monday afternoon.
this weekend is set up to be another one full of long drives,grooms minus fingers and all the fun of the fair.
see you on the other side

and why the hell not?.............................

things.as they are.

so it's all starting to fall in to place.The ep is nearly finished but everytime i think its done something else comes along and i go back to the drawing board.nearly there though,and i have a feeling it may just be worth it.
the next collections of songs are falling into two pretty distinct categories-slow,mellow,stripped down late night stuff and other uptempo band-centric stuff.liking all of them a lot so i am just keeping going on all of them at the same time because they all seem to be bleeding interesting ideas into each other.
the Split Lip album is proving to be a real buzz and some of the tunes are going to blow people's socks off.
Captain Moonlight and The River Valley Band's albums are progressing very nicely and hopefully both will be completed fully by Christmas.
was fortunate enough to do the live sound for Glen Tillbrook from Squeeze last night.a lovely man and an incredible performer.
thats about it,don't ever deny where you come from people,
over and out.

Day By Day With The BMX Ep-the saga continues

lots done in the writing recording and mixing stakes this week.The Big Snare has been recording all over the place and Brian the Faceman made it down yesterday to throw his guitar through the space echo and have a few smokes.
Glasseye is now nearly finished so here is how it is sounding so far................

Of Lippage,Tigers,History And Flu...........

Quite a week.
Obama restored a lot of people's faith in the idea of America,now all he has got to do is live up to his own hype.The Tallest order i can imagine but hopefully if he pulls off a fraction of his ideas it will make America a better place.
I have been struck down with an unrelenting flu and this has put paid to my plans on having the ep finished next week up in the air,however we carry on in earnest.
the writing for the second album proper is going very well.most of the music is done and it is lyrics week next week.
The Split Lip album is moving ahead full steam and should be finished for Christmas as will Captain Moonlight's new opus(favourite track right now is Don't Follow Through,you will know why soon).The River Valley Band's debut album is starting to take shape in the mixing stakes now.
Been diggin these guys this week.

D-Day across the pond

Day By Day With The BMX EP-part 4(glockenspiels for avril)

another day,another track.this was originally intended as the title track of our first album but it did not really fit. Well, now it's been dusted off and given a new lick of paint and some glockenspiels especially for Avril Babycham-The Dark Loaf,our esteemed engineer and roadie.

Day By Day With The BMX EP-part 3

Another work in progress from the impending ep for your listening pleasure.proper update tomorrow.13 hours in this little room have taken me to the edge.

lenin or lennon?

Do I Need A Reason?

Day By Day with The BMX ep-part 2

as promised-more tracks from the upcoming ep.don't know how many tracks will be on it but we will keep going till it's done.only rough mixes without vocals but we hope you enjoy them................
stay tuned

Songs For Susie

Our track 'The Heart's A Fatal Flaw' is included on the new charity compilation album 'Songs For Susie',which has just been released for public consumption all over the 'sunny' south east.It is a collection of Kilkenny bands,past and present and we are delighted to be in the company of (deep breath)Kerbdog,Captain Moonlight,Jazz Panda,Little Black Wren,Engine Alley,Pello,the 2 Fantastic 3,RSAG,The Fundamentals,Jilted,The Jerusalem Taxis,Split Lip,Myp Et Jeep,Blue Ghost and The Lost Sessions Band.
Susie was a very good friend of ours and we are thrilled that we could aid the great work that the hospice fund are doing by contributing our track.The cd is available from all the usual outlets at the miniscule cost of €10 and not only is it worth it for supporting this great cause ,it is also a great snapshot of alternative music in Kilkenny over the last twenty years.

Day By Day with The BMX ep

every day this week i will be posting the latest versions of the BMX ep,hot off the proverbial presses as they are recorded.I posted the piano version of the ep last month and this week we are in the middle of finishing the recordings.It will be available as a free download as soon as it is finished.
Enjoy the first track.

The Dynamics Of Alcatraz -Free Download

In honour of the ongoing sessions for our new album we have decided to make our first album'The Dynamics Of Alcatraz' available as a FREE download for the next month.All you have to do is click on the link to Last FM on the right and go to our Good Tiger Last FM page.From there just click on the link to 'The Dynamics Of Alcatraz' and continue into the album page where you will be treated to all the music for free.

Apart from that it's business as usual.writing,recording,mixing,performing,paper rounding,dj'ing,photographing,blogging,boozing,smoking,listening

enjoy your weekend

Budget Special

guilty pleasures 1

The Boss

now it's on

When Face met Face

Our geetar king Brian'Dirk Benedict'Butler met the living legend that is Dirk Benedict while Djing for a load of intoxicated students and causing a riot.he signed a copy of our album.

these little things matter an awful lot to us little people!

a serious note

regrets are for music journalists.

Good Tiger T-shirts Available October 08

sick of the same tired clothing options?
want to stand out from the crowd?
why not try out our new clothing range?(is it really a range with only one product?time will tell i guess)
here is the design for our first fully sanctioned Good tiger T-shirt,guaranteed to make you stand out from the crowd(or maybe thats the crowd just standing away from you!)
purchase details on the way,available in all sizes( except xxl because overeating just aint cool kid)

Dead Record In A Vinyl Desert

Released last spring as our first download single-our stab at Dexys covering Television at Sonic Youths BBQ

The BMX ep

For your aural pleasure today we present The BMX ep-five piano led tracks designed for late night smoking and contemplating.
1.If The 70's Had Known That The 80's Were Coming....
2.Glasseye
3.BMXbandits
4.Found My Baby Drunk In The Headstore
5.The Wise Hand

RADIOSCILENCE BROKEN

back to the world after two weeks of kicking back ,what have i learned?
Well,Obama needs to pull his boots up or the 'maverick' is going to wipe the floor with him,and that is something that i just don't want to consider.
RSAG has just released his second album,and he plays a special launch gig tonight.mighty fine is the album too and i was lucky enough to sit in on the mixing sessions so i should know!
Writing for the next release is going swimmingly,some demos will be along soon.
a new guitar can banish the blues like nothing else.
Monty sure knows how to party.
Ralph sure knows how to leave.
Billy sure loves his champagne.
Swimming pools are the way to go.

enjoy this old tune

time for a Kit-Kat methinks

..................so .............................
it's pissing down in the double K.
I've put my back out and lost three hundred yo-yos from my wallet.

time for some Curtis.

Good Tiger are off on holidays.

see you all in the next cartoon.

Saturday Slips By.................

The Heart's A fatal Flaw(original demo)

sometimes,in the wee small hours,
when the room is spinning due to the empty bottle of bombay sapphire on the floor
i come to the conclusion that this is my favourite thing that we have done so far.

so since it's not on the album we might as well share it here.

Snakes And Ladders And The Kidnapped Son(album version)

Taken from The Dynamics Of Alcatraz.
mastered by some guy who masters a lot of big records.
for a lot of money.
our tribute to 'remain in light' in a real fucked up way.

1yeartothepicnic

We took a little trip to the Electric Picnic last Saturday.While The Big Snare took it pretty easy on the indulging front and Monty pulled a Monty i proceeded to get slowly,but very surely,wrecked.'Twas that kind of day.
All i can say is Wilco did not let anyone down with the kind of performance that makes standing in a field in Laois seem not that bad.
there was an awful lot of shit on offer considering people had paid €250 for tickets but thats for another day.
Anyway,we decided you will see us playing there next year and we will keep you updated on all the trials and tribulations and hoops we go through to get on the bill.
enjoy the Wilco video,work on the new album now begins in earnest this wet and windy September morning.
and ,oh yeah,for the attention of David Kitt-go back to the songs man.........because an electro,krautrock'rock your body'kinda guy,you really are not.sorry.

Four Pictures(from a book on Las Vegas)(album version)

the first somg recorded for The Dynamics Of Alcatraz.
recorded in SpareRoomStudios using one SM58 and one FX pedal

The Heart's A Fatal Flaw(album version)

recorded in SpareRoomStudios ,September 07

Soundtrack To The Slipping Degrees

Soundtrack To The Slipping Degrees live in Cleeres August 1 08
Cheers to Fast Eddie B for the band footage

Creating History(Part 2 of a multitude)

Live in Cleeres Theatre august 1 08

Brian'Dirk Benedict'Butler's first official gig on guitar with Good Tiger.



we could mention that gig in dublin

but we really dont want to.

Creating History(part 1 of many.........)

The Good Tiger crew travelled to London in April 08 to play some music for some people.We did that.then we partied........hard.
and Nandos still aint paid us!

from left-Avril Babycham(chief tech),Monty,The Big Snare(lookin oh so street) and Byrnoes(tour manager i.e. he knew which tube station to get off at)

*thoughts that make us go BOOM*

Sparklehorse.
Richard Pryor.
And because it's Electric Picnic weekend and Ralph is home and stuffed full of antibiotics....
My Bloody Valentine

Solid Soul(from The Dynamics Of Alcatraz)

The Dynamics Of Alcatraz(the little record that kinda could)

Our first collection of songs 'The Dynamics Of Alcatraz' is currently available at all our gigs and from Rollercoaster Records (the happiest little record shop in the world) in Kilkenny.Plans for a larger release are somewhat stunted by a complete lack of funding but hey!....hope springs eternal!You can hear some tracks on our official My Space and we will be putting more tracks up here over the coming weeks.We are currently getting new tracks together for forthcoming releases and we will fill you in on these in the weeks and months ahead.

Issac Hayes R.I.P.

Count On Me

The Big Snare Goes Popcorn

Our esteemed rhythm machine Gerry has just bitten the bullet and purchased a popcorn snare-the secret weapon of Al Jackson Jr. and all the greats of get-down soul and funk.Hopefully it's a little quieter than his other snare which has been measured at 145 decibels while not being struck.

The Legendary Windmill Of Best Laid Plans

it should have been so simple.
play the song.
finish the song.
look good doing it.
best laid plans i guess :-)
Dead Record In A Vinyl Desert,
Eddie Murphys,Thomastown April 9 '08