Weeknote 0018

5 May 2023

With no other commitments, I made substantial headway in the van (a self-build campervan) over the long weekend.
- In its original configuration as a DPD delivery van, had a bulkhead behind the cab, which I decided to remove so that the seats can rotate to face inwards. In its place are two plywood panels to tidy up the pillars: they were among the first things to be made, but many steps were necessary before they could be permanently fitted. They’ve also needed a recent repaint. The one behind the driver’s seat is wider as the kitchen will be immediately behind.
- With the panels now permanently installed and with the back and the middle of the van almost complete, the gap between gives a sense of the scale of the kitchen.
Holiday planning is underway for our next trip to Japan next month. A couple of the less obvious destinations I’m very excited about.
Other than that, just a short week of work. Good meetings though. My first trip to Nottingham, which is a nice city centre.

[In which Mo learns the bass guitar]

A change in the band. Our exceptional drummer Ciara has many plates spinning at the moment and is stepping back. So Andi and I are considering what to do with ourselves: perhaps something edgier and more electronic. I spent a good while thinking whether to park all the existing material and start afresh, or whether to continue but change production styles. I think it’ll end up as a combination, across different projects.
So, I’ve been messing about on the bass, trying new combinations of pedal sounds. I picked up a second-hand EHX Bass Soul Food overdrive, which is a glorious-sounding thing given what I paid for it. I also rejigged the order of the pedals on the board so that I can push the Kongpressor really hard. I don’t think I’ve got it sounding exactly right yet, but it’s in there somewhere.
Having enjoyed a proper set-up, my little bass has a glorious jangle to it, and it has reintroduced me to its very highest notes. With the T-Rex Quint Machine, it’s fierce Deep Purple power-chords all the way.
Many of the bass parts for the band I wrote for and played on synths, so I’m going back and re-learning them on the bass. I’m pleased I asked Andy the luthier to fit the Hipshot Xtender to the E string: I’d not realised how much I rely upon the D below.
My technique is still mucky and I’m not that quick around that frets, but it’s coming along slowly.