Darren

Darren has left isinglas. I’m not gonna go into the reasons. But it has happened. I kinda saw it coming. We have been discussing that the chemistry has gone ever since we all reunited in October. I don’t blame him for leaving, or that I’m angry with him, well I am a bit. If you don’t wanna do something, well don’t do it, you know?! I’ve often explained that being in a band is like being in a relationship. And often it can get as complicated as one. I think it’s so true now. We joked over the phone call that it was like he was breaking up with me! It was funny!! I have not fallen out him. We are still friends.

Over the last 2 work shifts I was so down and sad cos of what happened. But when people asked me what was wrong I just couldn’t tell them cos they wouldn’t be able to relate to how I’m feeling. They wouldn’t understand.

Darren could always interpret my songs straight away and take them to the next level of levels. And also he was a fantastic drummer. He got me and my songs. I will truly miss making music with him and I thank him for making music with me in the past.

As for the future of isinglas, to me it is unknown. I am jaded and tired. I have put so much of everything into the band since I was 16 and I think it’s all gone. I need a break. I will not be able to get the band off the ground again and juggle college at the same time. One will have to give.

Ill finish up with what I’ve often sang in the isinglas song ,“Anon”:

“Who knows what the future will bring”

Thank you to everyone who has come seen us play and listened to us and have been involved in the band in anyway over the last few years. It has been much appreciated.

As for me Pallus Sinfony will continue and this site will be my future.

Christmas Time

“Another Year is over,
Another Year has passed.
Situations have gone in a flash”

I can’t remember which one of my songs that is from but I think it’s appropriate to start me off!! Haven’t have much time to write over the last few weeks in the diary cos of college and stuff. But it’s Christmas Day so I have no excuse for my lack of time now!

Everyone is zipping around in their Christmas spirit. I have felt Christmassy since I was 14. Not since my Mothers passing have enjoyed the “Season of Good Will”. All those tingles of Santa coming on Christmas Eve I had when I was younger are well gone. Just to hear “Oh Come all ye Faithful” and say to myself, “Yippee!”

Maybe Christmas has a new meaning for me now. Slowing down, relaxing with family and friends. I dunno.

When we were younger we used put our “Christmas Bags” in the hot press upstairs and we would jump into bed after Midnight Mass and try and fight the Sandman coming, but it was always useless, he would always win!! Whoever awoke first would wake the other two brothers and we would drag our bags into our bedrooms and show off to each other “How class Santa was this year”. We would eat chocolate for our breakfast from our custom stockings from above the fire place. We would continue to play until one o’ clock when our “Clothes for Best” clothes were pulled onto us and those shoes that weighed a tonne and pinched our toes were put onto our feet. We would then jump into the car and spend the rest of the day pulling crackers and eating our fill in my aunts house in town until it was so late I couldn’t stay awake.

But those days are long gone. I reckon not till I start a family of my own will I feel those tingles again. I hope.

Happy Christmas to everyone and may you all find love and happiness in the year to come!!

“Diminished Details”

Around the time I recorded this song I blew a transformer in my tube amp and had to fish out €300 to fix it, ouch! I recorded the guitars on my transistor amp at first but I rerecorded it all when I got my tube amp back, it’s sounded so much better! This is the first song I think where I recorded all the guitars thru my amp.

Once again Dav take a bow for your bass line! Ha!

I love the “warmth” of the guitars on this song, tubes all the way! I had a lot of fun recording the solo and writing the lyrics. I initially recorded the vocals on a dynamic mic, just to see how it would sound. It sounded grand but it didn’t seem to “fit” over the music so I had to whip out my trusty condenser!

I’m finally touched on a subject, after five years of wanting to. Finally felt right I suppose, I don’t know.

I’m after striking up an odd relationship recently with someone. Well more than recently. When I’m around her it’s so intense, like I’m drained physically and emotionally when I go home after. I can’t sleep because of that. It all sound so classical! It could be because I like her (on and off), it could be her personality. She doesn’t invade my thoughts. I think it’s just being in her presence. It could be anything. Anyways she inspired the lyric: “I’m counting down the days on the back of my hand” (and many more since! I’m gonna name her “The Tempest”) She joked recently that she’s my muse. Sweet Tempest. If she only knew! I love words. They can do anything.

“What Went Wrong?”

A fun and simple song to record after the ordeal of “Echo Falls” (isinglas are now playing that song, it’s faster and it sounds well!) Not much to say about this song, I put 2 songs together for it. I guess I had Turn in the back of my for it, well the singing anyways. I pretty much recorded everything in the one take, it’s probably obvious! Ha!