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Messages - HdE

#1
Off Topic / Re: RIPs
12 January, 2023, 05:06:44 PM
That one really hurts. One of my favourite guitarists. And he always came across as a really decent fella.
#2
Just a quick update - an edited version of Thursday's livestream has gone up on my YouTube channel. So if anyone would like to watch it without the hassle of cathcing it before the Twitch VOD expires, you can do so - with a bit of waffle and jankiness snipped out, and some handy chapter markers to boot!

I'm bloody good to you people, aren't I?
#3
'Ow do, folks?

It's been AAAAAGES since I posted anything in here. I hope everyone's keeping well and hasn't been driven insane just yet by monarchy related gubbins. Thought I'd drop in very quickly to honk the horn about something I'll be doing later today.



If you're a fan of the Alien movies, and you've been swept up in the recent tabeltop roleplaying resurgence, this might be relevant to your interests. I've got hold of the physical edition of Free League's much delayed Heart of Darkness scenario for their Alien roleplaying game. So I'll be doing an unboxing and overview, as well as offering my thoughts on the content.

There's rather a lot to unpack with this one. And there may even be a quick peek under the hood at something I've got in the works for later in the year...

If you'd like to watch this, either live as it goes out tonight or later on VOD, you can catch me on Twitch via this link:
https://www.twitch.tv/totally_unoriginal_hde
#4
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
30 December, 2021, 11:49:51 AM
Ages back, I posted in this thread about Sam Brown's '43 Minutes' album, and there was a bit of discussion about how sad it was that she'd lost her singing voice.

I figured I'd pop back in here to share some unexpectedly awesome news. A pal tipped me off this morning that Sam had been posting on Facebook back in August about heading back into the studio to record new music!

She's very quickly dispelled any notion that this means she's recovered her voice. Sadly, that hasn't happened. But she's teasing an album of electronica that will be 'very different.'

Honestly, I'm over the moon about this. I love to see people fighting back past circumstances like hers.


#5
Off Topic / Re: RIPs
23 December, 2021, 12:12:46 PM
So sorry to hear of your loss, Von Boom.

Please take care of yourself.
#6
'Allo folks! it's been a while, eh?

I've been sidelined from online content production for a bit thanks to some annoying and persistent health concerns. Basically, if it wasn't my duodenum, it was my inner ear. I'm still not 100%, but I'm in a reasonably good place to start doing things again.

On Saturday night, I'll be doing a thing on Twitch at 9:00PM. Horizon Forbidden West is currently slated for release on February 18th, 2022. And it looks IMMENSE.



If anyone fancies hanging out with me for bit, I'll be scrutinising ALL of the gameplay footage that's been released to date. I did this roughly six months ago with the initial gameplay reveal, and folks seemed to enjoy that quite a bit. We're gonna go deep with this one!

You can find me on Twitch via this link - new followers are more than welcome!
https://www.twitch.tv/totally_unoriginal_hde
#7
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
07 September, 2021, 01:16:18 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 07 September, 2021, 11:09:38 AM
I much prefer the remixed version - I know what you mean about the vocals, but the original version is one of those late 90s / early 2000s 'loudness war' production jobs and a lot of the nuance is lost in favour of volume. I've got a whole bunch of albums that could do with a remix on that basis.
Whichever mix you've got though, it's an underrated album imo and in places quite poignant. I think I'll give it a spin later today!

You're not wrong! I remember being quite disappointed that the original mix was such a full-on assault. Especially after wondering for so long if Test For Echo would be their last album.

I need to give the remix a deeper listen. There's a few instances where I really appreciate being able to hear additional detail. But I also detect a few elements that were straight up *not there* in the original mix, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I'm basically just a bit sore about how Secret Touch (my favourite track on the album) has been handled in the remix. Don't get me wrong - just as with everything else on the album, it's nice to hear a more sonically cleaned up version of it. But when it gets to the part where Alex Lifeson lets rip, it feels like all the guts have been shovelled out of it. 
#8
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
07 September, 2021, 10:55:26 AM
Having treated myself to a new CD player recently, I'm currently having a MASSIVE adventure with my CD collection, revisiting a lot of old discs and seeing how they benefit from being played on decent kit for the first time in a decade or more.

Over the weekend, I discovered what a difference headphones make. Like a fool, I'd been using my expensive studio monitors. Swapping over to an old pair of £30 Kitsounds (I kid you not!) has opened up a lot of those albums and made them sound much livelier.

Something I've checked out recently is the remixed version of Rush's Vapor Trails album. I remember the original 2002 master copped a LOT of very justified criticism for its production. (One drummer pal of mine told me 'I love the songs, but all I can hear is clipping.)

The weird thing is... I'm not sure I actually prefer this mix. To my ears, there's more detail and plenty of stuff that was previously hidden leaps out of the mix. But it sounds like Geddy Lee's suddenly been put in a box with a mic and pulled way forward from the rest of the mix. His bass is where it should be, but the vocals suddenly sound TOO clear.

It's weird, but I think I prefer the energy of the original mix.



#9
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
20 August, 2021, 08:48:30 PM
Quote from: MumboJimbo on 18 August, 2021, 08:26:17 PM
Thanks, Hde, I'm 3 albums away from Anoraknophobia, so I'll be getting around to that one soon. That's the one that invented crowd funding!

I need to dig it out again now that my new CD player's arrived.

Since you asked me about the post AoS albums, I've actually picked up Sounds That Can't Be Made and F.E.A.R. on CD. Figured it'd be rude not to have something completely fresh to listen to on my completely fresh player.

So far, I have to say I'm a bit mystified by the claims some have made that these represent Marillion's best work. They're good albums, but neither of them have got that hook that drew me into my favourite albums of theirs. F.E.A.R. leans a bit too heavily into ambience for my liking on a first listen. But I reckon it could grow on me.

Still listening to Sam Brown's 43 Minutes more than anything else right now, though. That album's so, so good!
#10
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
13 August, 2021, 08:04:21 PM
Quote from: MumboJimbo on 13 August, 2021, 01:48:19 PM
That's cool that you used to play it live! Which albums after AoS stand out for you?

Gaahhhhd, that's a tricky one...

Truthfully, I kind of tuned out after 'Somewhere Else,' so I've yet to properly listen to anything they've put out since that. I'm telling myself I'll catch up on them all when their next album releases. I've heard bits and pieces of 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' and quite liked those.

Of the albums I can give a qualified opinion of since AoS, 'Anoraknophobia' is probably my favourite. I think there are some really strong songs on there, and I love how the band sound. 'This is the 21st Century' is probably my favourite track from it.

That's another one folks would do well to look up on YouTube / Spotify or whatever. It's hard to believe it comes from the same bunch of musicians who knocked out Kayleigh and Lavender in the 80s!
#11
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
12 August, 2021, 07:32:36 PM
Quote from: MumboJimbo on 12 August, 2021, 12:56:35 PM

I didn't know she duetted with Fish, I'll have to search that out.

Yeah - it's a weird one. Just Good Friends was on the album Internal Exile, I believe. But the album version is sung entirely by Fish. I've no idea why, but the version with Sam Brown seems to be a single-only type deal. Maybe in this age of endless digital remasters and repackaged editions there's another way to get hold of it? It's quite nice.


Quote from: MumboJimbo on 12 August, 2021, 12:56:35 PM
I've been getting into Marillion a lot recently... I've been going through their catalogue in order, and am so far up to Afraid of Sunlight, and that may just be my favourite yet. Definitely the best Hogarth-era album so far, IMO.

Afraid of Sunlight is one of my favourite albums of all time! Some truly fantastic songs on there. Out of This World and Gazpacho are particular favourites of mine.

I have especially fond memories of Afraid of Sunrise as well. I played that a couple of times at gigs during my spell as a no-name local musician. Really lovely song. As much as Marillion still seem to be a bit of a laughing stock to those who have no real knowledge of their music, it ALWAYS used to get a great reaction from folks.
#12
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
12 August, 2021, 12:45:33 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 11 August, 2021, 10:14:34 PM
She's Joe Brown's daughter isn't she... or did I dream that...

She is indeed!
#13
Music / Re: What's everyone listening to...?
11 August, 2021, 09:24:30 PM
A very odd (and too lengthy to summarise) sequence events has recently led me to pick up a copy of Sam Brown's recently remastered album '43 Minutes.'

Sam Brown will either be a name you already know or find yourself asking 'why does that sound familiar?'

This is the same Sam Brown who had a chart hit in 1988 with 'Stop!' and went on to be a backing singer for Pink Floyd, Barclay James Harvest, Deep Purple and Gary Moore (among others.) She may be more recognisable for her frequent appearances on 'Later... With Jools Holland.' Being a massive Marillion-head, I was mostly aware of her due to her duet with Fish on 'Just Good Friends.'

Sadly, she lost her singing voice in 2007 as a result of a cyst on her vocal cords. Which is a tragic loss to music.

I've been investigating her solo albums recently, and 43 Minutes has proved to be a real surprise. While it's very much her own album, with her own stamp on it, it's reminiscent in places of Kate Bush and Tori Amos. There's some very strong song writing on it. It's a concept album, which comes as a surprise, and it deals with some HEAVY stuff (I'll not elaborate - but if folks are interested, everything's just a Google search away.)

Really great stuff. And probably the best album I've bought in ages. It's sent me down the rabbit hole of checking out everything she's done. And even though I always knew she was good, I'm having a lot of 'holy shit' moments where I discover certain performances.

If you guys appreciate truly great female vocalists, go check out her lead vocal on Pink Floyd's 'Great Gig in the Sky' from the Pulse tour. Or any of the live stuff she's done with the late Jon Lord.

She had vocal range that was a mile wide. And having seen interviews where she comes across as a very down to earth, likeable lady, I don't mind telling you that I've actually had a little cry over the thought that she'll never sing again.
#14
Not actually pertaining to video games, but I think this might be of interest to certain folks on the forum.

This evening at 6:00PM UK time, I'm going to be putting on one of my soon-to-be-regular show and tell streams on Twitch. The idea of these is that, each week, I'll turf out something cool from my Stash of Interesting Things and put it on camera for your edification.

This week's artifact is a very special HD Blu Ray release of the '90s cult classic anime CYBER CITY OEDO 808, which I'll be talking about at length. If you remember this one, or have any fondness for it, why not swing by for a bit and we can share some memories!




My channel can be found via the link below - don't forget to whack the 'follow' button over there if you'd like to keep up with my weekly streams! That'll help me a lot as I work toward affiliate status on Twitch.

https://www.twitch.tv/totally_unoriginal_hde
#15
Quick heads up that I'll be attempting to do another Twitching today at 5:00PM UK time.

Nothing video game-y, mind. I've had a rather juicy product of the anime / giant robot variety arrive via my postal portal. As it's quite fancy, I figure it might be worth trying a stream around that for an hour or so.

What's in the box? What could it be?!

OBLIGATORY TEASER IMAGE: INSERT YOUR OWN 'SE7EN' JOKES HERE:


Also worth mentioning: I'm coasting along on maybe an hour's sleep today, so God only knows what state I'll be in by the time I go live. So if you do drop by, prepare to see me in my natural state - i.e. running on fumes, and quite likely to have a narcoleptic episode live on camera.

See... I don't half give you lot value for money!