Category: Members' News

If any mixposure member is interested, I have coupons to CDBaby which will allow you to download my EP "Oldest Roadies on the Earth", and my latest CD "Stripped Bare" from the CdBaby website. If you are interested in either, or both, just pm me.

If you're already a member of CDBaby, then downloading is simple. If you're not already a member, you will need to join, but it's a simple thing, doesn't cost anything, and opens up lots of independent music that you might not otherwise hear. I've been with CDBaby now for 10 years and they do not spam you.

So the offers there if anyone is interested. If after hearing the tracks you were minded to leave a review on CDBaby, that would be appreciated, but it's not a condition. Each coupon has a different password enabling one download, so the coupons once used can't be transferred to someone else.

Don't be bashful. 

Cheers, 

Brian

It's nice to be back to Mixposure. It's been a while since I've been particularly active. I have in recent years been involved in working with David Pendragon who is a producer who was heavily involved in the early years of this site. That plus attempting to run a legal practice makes it difficult to spend as much time as I would like here. 

For those who might remember me from the earlier days, I am now recording as "Brian Ralston's Self Tort" rather than "Self Tort" - a significant reason for that was that the most recent recordings have been more "singer/songwriter" than "band" and, perhaps more importantly, my most recent (and hopefully future) recordings use real people playing real instruments.

In 2013 I put together a band to be part of our ABC's "Exhumed" competition and as I mentioned in my penultimate blog we won the Sydney final of that competition. I will be posting in coming days some videos of that night which was one heck of a blast. Sadly the geographics involved with the members of that band did not allow it to become an ongoing thing. 

However, in February, 2015 I happened to be playing a solo spot at a gig in Sydney, and after my set I was approached by someone I knew from my past dealings of mixposure, but whom I had not previously met in person. That was Robert Smith or "Robbo" as he's known in here. Rob's sons were playing in a band at the same gig after my set and we talked about getting together. In November 2015 Rob was part of a band that was put together for the launch of my most recent CD "Stripped Bare". We have also played a few times together as a duo and keep talking about putting together a funk band (Rob's call) and a Joe Cocker Tribute Band (my call).

Anyway, I will be posting some tracks of my most recent recordings including the EP "Oldest Roadies On The Earth" and "Stripped Bare". There will be some downloads, but having spent a lot of time and money in getting them together I won't be giving away the whole box and dice for free. Oldest Roadies is already up at iTunes, Amazon etc and Stripped Bare should be up there in the not too distant future. The recordings will include tracks co-written with well known mixposure people such as Melsi, Carol Douglas and Lex Zaleta. 

Thanks for allowing me to come back after such an absence.

Cheers to you all

Our Australian National Broadcaster the ABC has, on its youth network, run for many years a competition called "unearthed" seeking young unheard bands. 

The Sydney afternoon presenter on 702ABC (who himself played in well-known Sydney bands in the 80s) decided to run a similar competition for more mature musos which he called "Exhumed".

I decided to form a band to enter the competition and we were shortlisted for the Sydney Final which was held at the Basement, one of Sydney's premier musical venues. And lo and behold we won.

It was a fabulous night and now we have to wait to see whether we survive the cull from the 42 regional finalists to the final 6. 

In the meantime though, we are part of a People's Choice contest with other regional winners. I am attaching a link where, if you wish, you can go to vote. Needless to say we are "Self Tort"

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/exhumed/bands/

I've received two pieces of great news today, involving members of ims.

Firstly Alexis Van Eeckhout has become a proud grandfather again with the birth of Julian born 18 April, 2008. Alexis assures me that mother and child are both well, although as Julian took his time in coming the grandparents are a bit stressed.

Secondly, Corrado Rossi posted a blog on myspace today celebrating that his composition "Where" had been chosen the Best Classical Song for 2007 on IACmusic.com. Here's the text of Corrado's blog:

Happy to share with all my friends this great news!
My song "Where" has won the Golden Kayak on IACmusic.com for the Best Classical Song of 2007
Considering I had also 4 final nominations, this was a beautiful result for me.
Thanks to everyone for the support and... enjoy the song!

http://iacmusic.com/artist.aspx?ID=18319


Congratulations to Alexis and Corrado on their great news and achievements.

Cheers

Brian