DOMESDAY BLOG: "NSN NEW LP FAQ"

Q: When's the new album out?
A: Uhrrr, which one?

Q: There's more than one?
A: Yes.

Q: OK, when are the new albums out then?
A: 'Stasi' is being mixed. 'LIDE' is being recorded late August.

Q: That doesn't really answer my question.
A: I know, sorry.

Q: I thought you were recording 'LIDE' in June?
A: We were. There's more light in August, heh.

Q: What?
A: Logistically better for everyone. More time to hone songs.

Q: So when's 'Stasi' out then?
A: Before 'LIDE'.

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TAGEBUCH: "TO KNOW EVERYTHING"

Comrades,

'Among the Dead City' and title track 'Stasi' are finished. Philicorda drone and marching snare/floor tom have been thrown like a crippled spine into each mix. They provide the perfunctory but necessary backbone to each song.

My left eye has developed a nervous twitch. Too many late nights spent manipulating waveforms, coaxing, coercing them. Mixes are making more sense now. Just some final tweaks and 'Honecker' to record then over to my comrade.

Patience is everything.

Mielke

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TAGEBUCH: "BLITZ UND DONNER"

Comrades,

Honecker and I recorded vocals for 'Stasi' and 'Among the Dead City' last Friday. Aptly, during the latter, the skies erupted. It sounded like bombs were razing the city to the ground. We recorded the storm in all its fury.

"Clouds and firestorms
Among the dead city we scatter
A voice as the walls come tumbling down
Calls you nearer

Face the night, the world is on fire..."

Ah, life after people. And so there's just some Philicorda drone left to record.

Final (instrumental) track 'Honecker' too.

Arrangements and initial mixes will then come under the scrutiny of Honecker's fastidious third eye. The files will then be processed, shredded and stuck back together to be filed under 'Baroque Glitch' in a disused cell.

Mielke
x

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TAGEBUCH: "A LITTLE BIT OF HONECKER IN MY LIFE"

Comrades,

The final 'Stasi' recording session is scheduled for this week. Mixing of 'Puzzle Women' and the eponymous track is in progress. I'm particularly happy with the latter. There is something terrifying about the sound of a teletype machine. One of the earliest field recordings I captured on Dictaphone was of an office printer spewing out spreadsheets. I often hum harmonies to myself when I hear mechanical-made rhythms/sounds. Hoover drone is a particular favourite of mine. I've been doing this since my childhood days. I'm sure it all started in the womb.

Honecker and I are hoping to have this record "finished" before the 'Lights in Darkest England' recording sessions (scheduled mid-June). Then we will start work on the next record, for which the writing is already in progress. Three records in production at the same time, potentially.

Must be the German work ethic, heh.

Mielke
x

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TAGEBUCH: "YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO STASI"

Comrades,

The definitive version of 'Puzzle Women' has now been committed to binary and the behemoth that has become 'Among the Dead City' is making good progress. The Party twitches with anticipation.

Cello overdubs are done. File under "Drohne".

Death cell photography courtesy Herr J Karjalainen at http://www.shark-finn.com/photography.html.

Alles gut,

Mielke, Honecker, Fräulein Nicholls
xxx

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TAGEBUCH: "VOLK HAUS"

Dear Büromenschen,

We have live arrangements of 'Mielke', 'Death Strip', 'Peeping Tom' and 'Among the Dead City' (formerly 'Night Raid on Berlin') now with added cello. Hopefully Fräulein Nicholls will be doing some overdubs for the record.

Honecker and I will be doing some more recording this week. What grew from a tiny germ of a seed having both read 'Stasiland' and watched 'The Lives of Others' has fast become an obsession. We will have more than enough tracks for a full album by the looks of things.

See you Sunday at Das Volk Haus. 70s East German dress code optional.

Mielke
x

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TAGEBUCH: "ICH BIN EIN BERLINER"

Dear Comrades,

Honecker and I spent several hours being photographed in the cold bowels of Bridewell recently, replete with coffee, doughnuts, 70s hair and fashion items, ahem. The atmosphere felt suitably Teutonic. Despite looking like two fat cops out of the German equivalent of 'The Sweeney', I think the concept worked. Evidence will be presented.

We've been rehearsing some 'Stasi' tracks for das Volk Haus gig. Birdengine, Lacuna, and NSN, all under the same roof. With a piano.

Mielke
x

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TAGEBUCH: "TODESZELLEN"

Dear Comrades,

Honecker and I will be descending into the Todeszellen (death cells) of Bridewell very shortly to capture the essence of interrogation on camera. Smell the fear.

Meanwhile, the mixing of 'Mielke', 'Gestalt' and 'Death Strip' has seen April come and go. 'Peeping Tom' is currently in progress. A new demo track 'Six' has been recorded and a new drone instrumental, possibly called 'Die Hunde', is glitching baroque-style.

Some 'Stasi' tracks may well get an airing at the Folk House gig on Sun 11 May. Rehearsals are being planned for a 3-piece set.

Fastidiously yours,

Mielke.

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DOMESDAY BLOG: "GEORGIAN"

We’ve arranged and recorded ’Make the Blacklist’ in rehearsal. One mic in the middle of us, but you get the idea. Enjoy.

Stasi EP photoshoot is being planned. We’ve got access to the perfect location. All very exciting but I’m keeping it under wraps. Wrong blog, I know, but wait and see!

I’ve written a new track for Bristol’s Harbourside Festival. Don’t know if we’ll get asked to play yet, but for the record it’s called ’Georgian’, not to be confused with ’Victorian’...

’Georgian’

On a heartless sea it waits there for me
When the dead child speaks it calls only me
It won’t let me sleep, it crawls over me

In your Georgian home built out of bones
Where the bloodline flows back to the horror
I’m a pig on pills, Death waits in the corner

And a ghost ship floats into the harbour
When the cold wind blows they will take all our children
Wear your coat of guilt, no you won’t be forgiven

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DOMESDAY BLOG: "DJ HEART ATTACK"

Thanks to everyone who came to ’Under the Influence’ on Sunday. DJing was the highlight for me but despite the challenging venue I enjoyed our set.

Sincere apologies for the unacceptable way in which the Thekla staff cleared the room within 5 minutes of us finishing our set. Their behaviour was totally disgraceful. We had NO idea that this was going to happen.

We were under the impression that we could continue DJing after our set. An extremely disappointing end to what should have been a good night.

And to think that this happened on home turf.

EDIT: I should mention that I’ve had an apology from the promoter on behalf of the venue, so I extend that apology to everyone who came to see us and support us.

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