So, as some of you may have noticed, I haven’t updated for quite a while….for this I apologise. Although, I haven’t been very active here, I HAVE been VERY active in working on new material,filming and planning a live show and making some very useful connections! I have been very focused on pushing UGFL to the next level.
I now have a writing partner – TOXX(SIC) who will provide live vocals during live shows. We are looking in to ways to produce a high energy show that will (in simple terms) BLOW THE F*CKIN’ ROOF OFF!! If you follow UGFL on youtube (youtube.com/ugfluk) or facebook (/undergroundfreelancerofficial) you will have heard the new material but for those of you who don’t…..
ENJOY THE NEW MATERIAL AND WE’LL SEE YOU AT A LIVE SHOW SOON!!
Joel Gethin Lewis wanted to explore low light photography and is fascinated by light coming through small gaps. Here are some shots I took myself whilst in the research lab with Joel and Richard.
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For more information about the Screenlabs project, check out :
@don_b_kong (BBC) “@UGFL amazing – can’t believe you made these moody, atmospheric tracks on your iphone!”
– this was a tweet I received from someone I spent the day working with yesterday after he’d listened to my tracks on : http://www.youtube.com/ugfluk
If you don’t already know, I’m Underground Freelancer, aka – UGFL or Jason. I create music using my iphone and ipad. I’m ALWAYS connected. ALWAYS active online. Currently, I’m in the (very) early stages of planning what could potentially be a MASSIVE project!
This is the beginning.
I’m an avid biker, having covered thousands of miles in ALL kinds of weather and had a few ‘spills’ along the way… I’m still here to tell the tale and that’s what I plan on doing for this project.
I belong to a motorcycle club (not the kind you see on Sons of Anarchy). We are a family, we ride together, drink together, party and most of all… Look out for each other!
– this is what I aim to capture within this project, both in the UK but on an international level aswell by utilising tools such as G+ hangouts to communicate ideas and exchange thoughts about the subject.
The sense of family, tradition and history within the biker culture, BUT…….
The difference being, I am unique. I’m not your stereotypical classic rock loving biker…
I’ve grown up with an interest in music. Making it and listening to it but also in computing, technology and in recent years, the evolution of this technology has enabled me to combine my passions. Music, technology AND motorcycles…. Now, as I stated earlier, I don’t fall in to the stereotypical biker mold…
I LOVE ELECTRONIC MUSIC.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love traditional rock music… But this thing of electronic music being so readily available, the portability, being able to make music no matter where I am, with NO INSTRUMENTS! Being truely MOBILE and CREATIVE.
I’m sure that the majority of people reading this will have listened to my music at some point through this site? If you’re new to UGFL, all my music is created using mobile devices. (Iphone 4s and Ipad) I am also interested in the use of these devices in film making.
In documenting my culture and traditions, I will use traditional film-making techniques on unconvential devices. Mobile phones to film whilst riding giving different POV, filming interviews with them, documenting events using mobile photography and social media.
All the music for the film ( as I’m sure you’ve guessed will be created by myself using my usual methods)
Also within this project seeing as though I will focus on using mobile media, I will be contacting people involved with mobile creativity to give more of an insight in to the emerging world that has become such a big part of my life.
I will be expanding on this post as the project develops so please check back regularly for updates on my progress and see how this exciting subject evolves.
Today, I was part of a fantastic event that gave people the chance to interact with people working within the TV/media industry.
There were workshops, masterclasses, discussions and to finish off the day, there was a networking event.
I spent the majority of the day assisting the social media team, tweeting questions to the guests, answering questions from twitter followers sent to the #bbccop hashtag.
Throughout the day I got to see the inner workings of an industry I would very much like to be part of when I graduate. It was exciting, interesting and provided me with invaluable experience. It gave me the opportunity to speak to some great people and promote myself as a potential future employee.
I was invited to take part in the MoMoMCR event by my lecturer (@heloukee)
– This was an event for industry professionals involved in software development (specifically aimed at education) and I was asked to speak and give a students perspective in using applications as a creative/educational tool.
Having never presented infront of such an audience and especially knowing that although, I am interested in technology and software development, I am nowhere near the level that these industry professionals as you will probably gather, I was EXTREMELY nervous.
As the other speakers from – http://www.apadmi.com , Sheffield Hallam University, 3 Sheep and a certain Mr Volker Hirsch were all discussing the benefits of mobile devices and applications within education, I made the snap decision to gear my presentation towards this also.
– To me, making music is second nature and something that I never think about… I just do. Recently though, I have been made to question my reasons behind WHY I write using certain methods, techniques AND of course, MOBILE DEVICES.
Well, Whilst presenting to my audience, as I stood there, discussing Nanostudio, it became quite easy to relate it to education. It is a very simple app, when compared to DAW’s such as Protools, Ableton, Reason and even Garageband… and the more I spoke, the more I realised that, it would be a superb way to get children involved in making music on the go… enabling their creativity no-matter where they were. This was the main focus of my presentation.
I played one of my most recent tracks ( “Working All the Time”) which received a very positive reaction (always good!) Â and received some very positive feedback.
The night in general was extremely beneficial to me as I have met some very interesting people and made ome very useful contacts.
– I’m looking forward to attending the next #MoMoMcr event in January 2013!!
For more info about Mobile Mondays Manchester, check out :
Paul Walker (owner/photographer@ Pure Portraits) contacted me, asking if he could photograph me as he needed subjects for a project documenting people who don’t fit in to the mould of what society thinks is normal. Being heavily tattooed and pierced, I fit in to the category of not being what’s deemed the ‘norm’ so we went to the studio and after setting up the camera and lighting, Paul got the shots he needed to fulfil his brief.
Once Paul had got the shots he needed, he kindly obliged and took shots for me to use as promotional material. As my logo revolves around gas masks (due to my fascination with them and the feeling of anonymity they can create for a stage persona) we included the mask and headphones in the shoot for effect.
Paul’s done a fantastic job on the shoot and I can highly recommend him!
I can’t believe the last 2 years have come and gone so quickly. There are 7 MONTHS, just 7, left of my degree!! This year is going to be a busy one. I have so many things I need to do and quite a few things I would really like to get involved in… It could turn out to be rather hectic!
For me, last academic year turned out to be the most beneficial so far. I had the privilege of working with some of the most exciting and forward thinking lecturers on the #ELVSS12 project which required G+ hangouts at crazy times due to timezones, working to create films using mobile phones and portable devices to show just how easy it is to be creative on the fly. I’ve already volunteered to take part again this year in order to pass on the knowledge and skills I gained from being a part of the group last year… even though I have my #FYP to be getting on with. – Talk about dedicated!! I am also writing music for the 24 Frames 24 hours project AND putting the finishing touches to my album (“Information Age” ) which I will be releasing soon via iTunes so as you can see, it’s all go go go!!
I know my fellow students will all have their own things going on and have some brilliant ideas for their projects this year so I would like to wish everyone all the best and good luck!
Ok, I know, I’m churning these things out like Stock Aitken and Waterman but hey!! when you’re feelin’ it, you gotta run with it!? Music keeps me sane and that’s what I love to do… I wrote the majority of this using my iphone (as per usual) but felt the drums were a bit naff because my fingers are to big to play any complicated patterns on the tiny screen…. so, utilising the desktop version of Nanostudio available here : BLIPINTERACTIVE , I used my Akai MiniAK purchased from the good people at Production Rooms, Leeds and played via MIDI. Anyway, I’ll stop rambling now…
Pulse is a new track which will feature on my album “Information Age” due to be released via itunes in early October. I hope you like it and share with your friends! Thanks! #UGFL
I had woken up that Monday morning with the plan to get a shower, get dressed, have breakfast and then go filming with my good buddy @watersidestudio.
This however was not to be the case! We arrived at MCUK to find the Batmobile (aka Tumbler) and the Batpod. I felt like I had walked in to my 9 year old selfs fantasy world. We stood watching as the team from the BBC filmed their items for Blue Peter and I un-be-knowingly struck up a conversation with the gentleman that built the batpod. He explained that it did run and was fully functioning as a motorcycle and told me about the logistics of riding it. I was in my element! We continued to watch the filming, all the while getting wet in the glorious Mancunian weather!!
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Chris Corbould who is one of the best known SFX supervisors in the business and also got chance to speak to the pyro operator. As a student of audio and video this was an invaluable opportunity for me but as a fan, it was like a dream come true!!!
I came up with an idea whilst travelling (as I often do), got to my hotel room and continued to work on it. Here is the result of a couple of hours staring at a mobile phone screen with my headphones on.Â
I should really start working on a live show of some description. I have the music and people are interested in my music but…There’s a fear of the unknown. If it were just a case of setting up my drums, guitar, bass or microphone and playing, fine, easy, NO PROBLEM. It’s not though. Although I’ve been writing music using computers for a number of years, I have only been using my current setup for a couple and although everything works at home, there’s that fear of “WHAT IF?” Â – the laptop crashes, I trigger the wrong track at the wrong time, hit a wrong note or worse still, PEOPLE DON’T LIKE WHAT THEY HEAR???! Maybe I’m being paranoid or just over-thinking things? And anyway, how, with the style of music I write, do I make an interesting performance out of a laptop, keyboard and sampler?
I REALLY would love to get a live show together. It will be a LOT of work and planning but this is what I need. I need to make the leap from bedroom composer to live show annihilator! I want people to be blown away, to go home from my gigs and talk about it for weeks afterwards because they were so impressed by it.
If anyone has any ideas and would like to work on a concept with me, please, give me a shout!
This was a short hangout discussing the ELVSS12 project. We used mobile devices – Ipads, Iphones, Ipods etc; to create a film highlighting sustainability. It was created collaboratively between students in France, NZ and the UK.
– It was recorded at 1am which is why I look worn out.
A mate of mine, the artist CLAN asked me to add a soundtrack to his promo video recently. Having heard my latest collaboration with Needle Fac7ory, he asked if he could use it as it fit with the idea in his head.
UGFL - undergroundfreelancer.com 