Mick Mercer’s show – Almost Anglo Saxon track – another play!

Posted on April 5, 2015 by diamondseeds

What a lovely surprise to find that Mick Mercer played another track from Almost Anglo Saxon on his show!

Mick Mercer – check out his radio show

I was gobsmacked that he played The Ballad of St Margaret – although I had already clocked that Spon seemed to like this track.

Mick Mercer’s Radio Show Here
I had written this song as I discovered that Margaret was a genuine Saxon princess and her family were invited to continue the Anglo Saxon line of English royalty. Needless to say 1066 was not a good year to turn up. She fled with her mother and ended up in Scotland as her ship was blown off course.

The tale becomes a love story as the Scottish king fell in love with her and she became Queen of Scotland. As she was a very religious Christian I wrote the song as a sort of hymn. I wanted to tell this Anglo Saxon woman’s story as she was greatly loved in her own lifetime and beyond.

I feel very honored to have my work appreciated and played on Mick’s show. Almost Anglo Saxon really is a special project. I hope that the world will one day come to know and love it.

Buy Almost Anglo Saxon Here

Almost Anglo Saxon Gets Radio Play!

Posted on March 25, 2015 by diamondseeds

Mick Mercer plays a track from Almost Anglo Saxon – The Song of Wayland Smithy!

Mick Mercer played a track from Almost Anglo Saxon!
Isn’t radio play a great thing!
At the beginning of March Mick Mercer played a track from Almost Anglo-Saxon much to my delight!

Click here for Mick Mercer’s Radio Show for 8th March 2015

It is so gratifying to be recognized as a contributor to the music scene, as diluted as it is now that huge corporations have just about killed it. Mick Mercer truly enjoys discovering new music and plays a real mix of material. It was a pleasure to be included and be part of something so special.

The track was Wayland Smithy – although he was trying to play Eyes of An Eagle – it didn’t matter to me as I thought Wayland Smithy really stands out as different. My only regret was that the listening audience were not told the title of the song, so the lyrics were not put into any context. However, I believe that the sign of a good song is that it means many things to different people. The subject of Wayland Smithy is about loss and imprisonment (as Wayland the Smith was separated from his wife and kept prisoner by a king – to make fine jewellery. Wayland sought revenge by murdering the kings sons and making their skulls into fine cups for the king). I hope the song still entertains without the listener having to know exactly what the song is about!

Mick Mercer is also an author – usually about the Gothic genre!

Just one of Mick Mercer’s publications

Tea on the Lawn, Umbrella Fair, Northampton

Posted on July 4, 2014 by diamondseeds

From folk to funk – its all here!

Well a busy time altogether means no time for blogging, but at last I got around to it. The last year has been all about writing and I have produced some children’s stories. I invented a witch called Gwubbins and sent her on adventures with her friends, many characters or figures based on folk I have known, with lots of fiction thrown in. Getting peoples kids to read the material and provide feedback has been an uphill struggle and I have to rely on my own judgement a lot.http://gwubbins.recklessrelic.co.uk/

I don’t engage with children very much, so these stories have been written for my own inner child to enjoy. I feel that I have discovered another facet for artistic expression.
Inventing playful characters and scenarios and honing it into a readable, engaging piece of work has been truly rewarding. The art of storytelling is no mean feat! I am shocked that I have spent so much time and effort on this project, and am totally immersed in the process. Hence, music practice was neglected, although we worked on my latest album in fits and starts, and I am sure it will be finished soon.

So I got offered a half hour slot at a little gathering called Tea on the Lawn and realized that I needed to practice like mad because my finger tips had gone soft and I had forgotten the chords. I was getting over a dislocated thumb (!) and had to fit practice times around the neighbours and wait for some space to bash the hell out of a guitar. Then, because I had practiced the songs at a fast tempo, the songs were too fast when I played them at the gig.

Ella Jo – I was trying to remember how to play on a stage again!

On a positive note I didn’t mess up and I remembered all the words. I had forgotten how it felt to perform, but the audience were generous and kind and it was not a disaster!

Corinne Lucy – Engaging performance – strong songwriting!

There were other people doing their spots at Tea on the Lawn and I was blown away by the talent and enthusiasm. The goodness of the crowd, the punters and the organizers, was truly heartening. Check out – CorinneLucy.com

www.jimtom.org

Mel on Whistle!

So I am going back for another crack at the open mike because I felt encouraged and supported, and who knows, it may be better this time?

It is fantastic to be given the opportunity to practice performance at this little gathering!

Look up and go! www.umbrellafair.org.uk

Spring Equinox Blog 2013

Posted on March 20, 2013 by diamondseeds

The long winter of 2012 has dug in its heels and is still with us this March 2013.
In the week between Christmas and New Year we produced a one off original Diamond Seeds podcast. Ella Jo as ‘EJ the DJ’ charted the music made in her home town of Luton, a place renowned for terrible architecture but which actually has a pedigree stock of music which flourished in the post punk era. Airspace was provided for an archive of this music and a little history given about the bands and their stories. In years to come we expect this Diamond Seed Podcast No 5 to become a valuable resource regarding the social history and musical legacy of an English town in the early 1980s. Great bands from the present also feature, showing how the music scene has remained an important and innovative aspect of the town, even if the authorities and wider population mostly ignore it!

Since the beginning of Winter, Diamond Seeds has supported Ella Jo’s decision to release some of her writing work in ebook format, due to hefty publishing costs. Thus ‘Journey of A Tarot Reader’ can now be found on Smashwords as well as a book explaining how a trip to India cast light on an aspect of the origins of Tarot itself.

To create awareness of her work and introduce her books, Ella Jo released a free ebook about her experiences of reading Tarot. Using autobiographical material and containing suggestions for a Code of Practice in Tarot Reading, she issued the ebook ‘How to Read Tarot with Confidence’ two weeks before Christmas 2012. By the end of March the downloads had reached over one thousand and was being read across the world. All this before the official release by the publishers! (No longer Available)

Staying with the writing bug, Ella Jo began 2013 with a brand new project, branching out into children’s fiction with ideas for a series of friendly bedtime stories about a witch and her adventures (First story due for release in April 2013).

Music-wise, Ella Jo’s new album, Almost Anglo Saxon is progressing slowly as and when time will permit. In March, as the weather took a turn for the worst and the temperature dipped horribly, Fliddling Flick came to stay and laid down some beautiful violin tracks for some songs on this album.

Laying down the violin tracks for ‘Ethelread The Unready Blues’

Spon has been involved with creating UK Decay’s new website – designed to provide updates for the adventures of the band since it reformed. The old site is still available for memorabilia from the bands early days. The new website is dedicated to providing current information for those supporting this incredible resurrection. UK Decay were in the studio recording new material in 2012 and April 2013 sees the release of their album ‘New Hope For The Dead’ containing brand new UK Decay tracks.
Visit the UK Decay site for latest feedback and gigs to be announced for UK Decay.
The single Killer and B side, Heavy Metal Jews, is available April 2013 in white vinyl no less!

We have scattered dreams with Diamond Seeds – watch as those seeds live and grow!

Journey of a Tarot Reader – now an e book!

Posted on August 30, 2012 by diamondseeds

Here is a new review of Journey of A Tarot Reader to coincide with its release as an e book!
It is by Ella Jo Street and it was good to read through it again!

Click here to buy Journey of A Tarot Reader

No great heavy tome of a book is this – it is light to carry and light to read. However, when I picked it up to review it, I found it hard to put down.

This is a book about a journey, a girl who reads tarot takes herself away from her life for a summer to discover what she thinks will be a Bohemian beach life in Greece. Based on her journals she gives a true account of her experiences and her inner world. Her travelling continues as she decides to go further than she had planned and she keeps a diary from the perspective of a Tarot Reader.

The journey reveals people and places as she explores Turkey and leaves her asking questions about the emergence of Tarot in the West. She shares her story with wit and energy helping to reveal the nature of the places she visits.

The book’s strength is its readability and the driving pace that it takes as a travel story unfolds. It reflects the summer of 2012 in Greece, Turkey, and later Hungary and Czech Republic, on a mission to gain an understanding of the foundations of these cultures.

The clues collected in her travels cause serious research on the author’s return and the book ends with some information that lovers of the Tarot may appreciate.

So, all in all, Journey of A Tarot Reader is a biographical travel story, with tarot overtones, which can enhance an understanding of tarot in today’s world.

This is the first book by Ella Jo Street that sees her finding her feet as a writer. Her other tarot publications attend to each major arcana card in a series of volumes called Edictum of Tarot. (1st Volume out soon)

Some sections of her work about the first four major arcana cards will be made available soon on e books.

Pod casts take off at Diamond Seeds

Posted on August 22, 2012 by diamondseeds

A new blog at last – it has just been over a year since the last one – and what a busy time indeed!

Last summer saw us at Stonehenge and Strawberry Fair, taking in the delights of our festive culture, seeing how folk can gather and make merry, singing and dancing and just getting on with each other. Many old friends appeared again in the last year, and it was a joy to find new faces too!

But what of Diamond Seeds?
Well music projects continue, but go off at a tangent, so while much has been done, little can be said of it! (All will be revealed eventually).

To celebrate the start of the Olympics, the Diamond Seeds fraternity attended a little festival in Luton, put on BY the people FOR the people, and there was a fantastic turn out and many bands gave their time for free over the two days at the Leftfield Stage.

The Adenoids played at the Leftfield Live Stage in Luton the day the Olympic Torch came through.

Ella Jo At the Leftfield Live Stage. Held on the day the Olympic Torch went through Luton 2012

2012 has been the year that we have launched our pod casts and there are now three available to stream. The idea has come to fruition and it has been a real pleasure to host some of the top new artists that are about this summer. Check out the pod casts if you haven’t already – they run for approx 45 minutes. You will not be disappointed with the quality of the production or the pure talent that we have found. Each edition plays ten superb songs from different genres from the best up and coming artists from around the world. http://www.diamondseeds.co.uk/podcast.html

We like to be inclusive and continually value all contributions, so keep the music coming in!!!!

Steve Spon Solo projects

Posted on May 30, 2011 by diamondseeds

Spon’s input on the Diamond Seeds Label

DOOMSDAY DOT COM….NOSTRAMUS
Is this the end of drum and bass as we know it?

A sound concept tapestry with a strong musical current, including samples which expose media hysteria amongst both dark and light themes. Nostramus comments on the phenomena that shape our early 21st century; times where fear is founded for some, and a plaything for others. More info.

Tracks – 12
Label – Diamond Seed Productions
Year – 2011
CD Album Price – £9.99 inc shipping* BUY NOW
Digital Download – I Tunes | CD Baby
Sample clips on Soundcloud

EARTHLIGHTS REMASTERED…..NOSTRAMUS

Described as ’21st century pagan drum and bass’, the ‘Earthlights’ album by Spon’s alter ego Nosramus was released in 1997 by Recordings of Substance in the UK and Shadow Records in the US to critical acclaim. Now remastered in 2010. More info.

Tracks – 10
Label – Diamond Seed Productions
Year – 2010
Price – £9.99 inc shipping* Buy CD
Digital Download – I Tunes, E Music, Amazon
Sample sound clips here

DARK AMBIENCE PROJECT…..THE HIDDEN CORE

A feast of sound-scarped nightmare visions and eclectic journeys. Culled from the darker psychotropic-fueled imagination of The Big Eye, Bud Brothers and Nostramus’s Steve Spon. More info..

Tracks – 13
Label – Diamond Seed Productions
Year – 2011
Price – £10.00 inc shipping* Buy CD
Digital Download – Available soon
Sample sound clips – Available soon

STEVE SPON PRODUCTIONS : ELLA JO’S ALBUMS

LIMITS OF MILKWEED…..ELLA JO

Ella Jo provides melodic nutrition for a runway to the stars.
This album’s sound-scape provides a rich feast good enough for a Space Shuttle journey. In the Universal Soup of Life, it makes a seriously good sound track. More info..

Tracks – 10
Label – Diamond Seed Productions
Year – 2008
Price – £9.99 inc shipping* Buy CD
Digital Download – I Tunes, Amazon, CD Baby
Sample sound clips here

ALTER EGO…..ELLA JO

Following the Soul’s whisper, Ella Jo gives clues in this album as she reflects on a hard world, but refuses to be beaten. Here there are tuneful explorations of serious issues, interwoven with the joyous stuff of dreams. More info..

Tracks – 10
Label – Diamond Seed Productions
Year – 2008
Price – £9.99 inc shipping* >Buy CD
Digital Download – I Tunes, Amazon, CD Baby,
Sample sound clips here

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING…..ELLA JO

This album is like a porthole where beauty is borne of trouble, and passing through it is a cleansing, uplifting experience. Work well crafted will always channel human experience into sweet depths, for those brave enough to share it. More info..

Tracks – 10
Label – Diamond Seed Productions
Year – 2010
Price – £9.99 inc shipping* Buy CD
Digital Download – Available soon
Sample sound clips – Available soon

* January 2011, Subject to slight fluctuations owing to currency conversion rates. CD’s available from Kunaki USA priced at $9.80 plus $4.20 shipping, total price $14.00 (UK = £10.00, Euro 10.80) Delivery to UK and Europe around 8 to 14 days. Payment via PayPal and most major cards.

Steve Spon’s solo projects…a brief biog

Since the demise of UK Decay and then IN Excelsis back in 1985, Spon has continued producing music for himself and others.

As the resident engineer/producer at ’33’ Recording Studios he worked for a decade on a wide variety of different genre’s. He helped produce many post-punk bands in the eighties and nineties, including Click Click, Karma Sutra, Passchendale, Party Girls, Irritant, Crowe Jayne amongst others. He also produced numerous commercial recordings for the ’33 Jazz’ label, as well as co-producing many underground dance tracks for the emerging DJ culture.

Bass lines and drops that Spon helped produce rocked many a dance-floor at that time.The surge in technology in the art of music production during the late eighties saw Spon honing his music production skills. In 1990 he teamed up with ex Click Clicker’s Derek ‘E’ Smith and Graham Stronach to form a new band called ‘The Big Eye”. Described by the band at the time as “Techno–with-guitars”, TBE played a handful of live shows, produced a couple of EP’s and an Album, (both on vinyl and CD) over three years for the London based Hydrogen Dukebox label. Most of these are now out of print, and like a lot of Spon’s past material, are very rare to track down.

Spon latched early onto Jungle – the emerging Drum and Bass genre of music. During the early nineties he crafted a collection of tracks of his own. His material aimed to create a more thoughtful and ‘intelligent’ spin to counter the frantic naivety of the early hardcore rave sound. During this period the classic ‘vocal-lyrical’ approach had taken a back-seat to the repetitive and minimalist sound scape. This suited Spon’s eclectic and original use of samples to create mood shifts that mold deep, optimistic and relaxing sonic journeys. This was Spon’s first major ‘solo’ project with guest vocalist Prince Malachi, MC13, Caroline Nische and Natasha D, the proposed album was to be called ‘Earthlights’ under Spon’s new artist name; ‘Nostramus’.

This was released in July 1997 by London label, ‘Recordings of Substance’ and licensed to the US ‘Shadow Records’ label. ‘Earthlights’ went onto sell a respectable 6000 copies world-wide and tracks from the album were seen on many a ‘chilled–d & b/electronica’ type compilation album. In 2010 Spon re-engineered and re-mastered ‘Earthlights’ for the Diamond Seeds label (there is a link to further information and sound clips of the album above)

Spon continued producing and re-mixing for others up to the end of the nineties but aside from a limited edition Exodus Festival album, ‘Bomb Babylon‘ (a DIY darker, pertinent and bombastic affair – that, in Spon’s own words was, “unfinished”), there was no further Nostramus release until the 2003 ‘Hero of Bamboostick’ EP on Jolt Records.

In September 2011, Nostramus released ‘Doomsday Dot Com’ and unlike in the case of the the ‘Earthights’ album, Spon has introduced his guitar sound on some of the tracks. Another project has involved re-mastering some of Spon’s more esoteric and subliminal work from the nineties. He has produced an album called ‘Dark Ambience’ by ‘The Hidden Core’ (or THC for short!), containing largely ambient and beat-less material, but with brooding, sometimes menacing sound collages. You wont find much guitar in this mix, but UK Decay and IN Excelsis listeners may be familiar with some of the darker sonic dream sequences, a style used in the UK Decay’s ‘Werewolf‘ and ‘Unexpected Guest’ introductions for example. This is all available on the Diamond Seeds Label.

Spon’s production work with Ella Jo

Early in 2004, a singer songwriter Ella Jo knocked on Spon’s door. She had been looking for him since the ’33’ studio shut down in 1998. EJ promptly readied her old battered guitar and promptly sang him a handful of songs that she had wanted to record for a good number of years. She also explained that she had spent several years backpacking to far slung places across the world on her own.

This obviously impressed Spon enough embark on a musical relationship that would last until the present day. The end result was a collection of three classic albums incorporating many differing styles ranging from Pop, Neo Folk, Acupela, Avant Garde, Gothic, Drum and Bass and Electronica. Arguably the Ella Jo sound is perhaps not what one would expect from the guitarist of UK Decay at first listen but it shows off Spon’s deftly touch on music production.

Ella Jo’s music is eclectic and shows an inner wisdom that only someone with her wide travelling and life experience can reflect. It journeys through genre’s and styles with utter contempt for the narrow marketing niche, instead celebrating the oratorical rhythms and cadences of modern everyday life from a female perspective.

Although largely musically driven by Ella Jo, Spon has contributed to all three of Ella Jo’s albums with keyboards, bass, drums and other orchestrations as well as producing the overall sound. On the third album ‘Attitude is Everything’ he plays guitar on a couple of tracks with UK Decay bass-man Ed Branch also contributing.

We could sum up Ella Jo’s music as pure, captivating, elevating and an enigma to the preconception and cliché’s of a male dominated business and listener ship. She avoids overplaying that card here, transcending the open minded listener, male or female, to a greater purpose; a true artist.

More details on Ella Jo’s three albums here.

LINKS

News update for Diamond Seeds

Posted on March 31, 2011 by diamondseeds

English Winter Weather Dec 2011

What a winter!

After re-locating to the English countryside, it became painfully clear that we had one wood burner to warm the whole house through the most severe winter since 1963! The burner, like a hungry dragon, needed nourishment day and night; so valuable time was spent, seeking, gathering, and sawing wood. Not only did the fire need to be fed regularly, but with sensitivity (damp wood did not catch alight and dry wood burned too fast) – it was quite a responsibility, which could not be neglected and took a lot of coaxing. Although our fire strategies worked, there was little time for much else, so Diamond Seeds was put on the back burner while we sustained life through the cold.

Ella Jo’s winter gigs

Having missed a gig at Bedford Esquires with the Nimblewits, and another at the Hat Factory in Luton, Ella Jo hauled herself to Luton’s Castle Tavern on December 11th. Relieved to see some friendly faces, her gig was like a coming home party! Familiar with the Lutonian banter, Ella Jo hailed the spirit of the crowd and banged her way through some songs without a set list. The anarchic atmosphere in the pub brought out her busking character – the crowd picked up on her cheerfulness and agreed that it had been worth getting out of bed for!

EJ Castle Tavern Dec 2010

The Castle Tavern gig was arranged by Marianna – the promoter and arranger of Luton Aid, a day of live music held to raise money for charity. Back in the summer of 2010, Ella Jo had played for this event at Luton’s Hat Factory to a very attentive crowd – the character of the audience made her feel as if she was performing in an auditorium! This was a high point in the summer, as Ella Jo felt that audiences were beginning to connect to her performances and enjoy her material as a folk artist….

The ghoul of winter flu and colds hacked our lungs as we spluttered our way through Christmas, and a couple of Ella Jo’s gigs got cancelled…..only a back log of the Peep Show series could cheer her up and things looked better as the New Year rolled in…..Although the winter season isolated us and tested our strength, we were still able to appreciate it’s beauty, and fiddled with our projects whenever our frost bitten fingers thawed a little….

Winter Haw Frost in December 2010

In February Ella Jo met up with the Nimblewits again as she supported them at the Foresters Pub in Bedford. Her gig did not go as she expected….The Nimblewits were using disco lights and the box was placed on the floor to the side of EJ’s performing space. The main lights went out and the disco lights jumped into life. Ella Jo proceeded into her set blinded and distracted, finding it hard to see her set list! In a noisy pub atmosphere this gig was a bit of a challenge – but then, that’s what playing live is all about….

Richard, the drummer of the Nimblewits remembered a song from years ago and requested ‘God Made Television’ – Ella Jo performed these two verses acappella, the first time to an audience for over 20 years – it can be found on her album, ‘Attitude is Everything’…

Ella Jo supported Seth Lakeman at his gig at the Hat Factory Arts Centre in Luton in March 2011

Her latest gig to date, (March 11^th 2011) has been to support Seth Lakeman, when he played at Luton Hat Factory whilst on tour of the UK. Seth Lakeman, from Devon, is an English folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist – playing the violin and guitar amongst other instruments. Being nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize it was no surprise that the gig sold out – and Ella Jo played to her largest audience yet….. It was an invigorating experience, with a welcoming audience and good technical support….

Having damaged her thumb five weeks before, and being unable to practice for the gig, she bit the bullet for this one – but she found herself at home with the audience, feeling a connection and getting comfortable to play for forty minutes. Reflecting on those precious moments on stage, she is philosophical :

‘Although the audience want to know the artist, the ultimate relationship lies between the listener and the song’s performance. In that forty minutes the songs were all that mattered. I put my heart into manufacturing these entities of expression, in the moment, to connect to those who were ready to listen. Nothing else mattered as we shared in the music – it seemed that many in the crowd felt my passion and understood. – it was a very special time….Seth Lakeman and his band played a fantastic gig that night and it was a real pleasure to support him, I recommend his music to all those who love feisty folk music!’

Nostramus Spin off project – Dark Ambience – The Hidden Core THC Album

Recently released – THC (The Hidden Core) Dark Ambient album is a spin off project by Nostramus. ‘A feast of soundscaped nightmare visions and eclectic journeys. Culled from the darker psychotropic-fuelled imagination of the Big Eye, Bud Brothers and Nostramus’s Steve Spon – edited and re-mastered in 2010 from tracks originally recorded from 1990 – 1996.’

Nostramus Drum and Bass

The fantastic ‘Doomsday Dot Com‘ by Nostramus will be the next release on Diamond Seeds – a prophetic gathering of Drum and Bass tunes and samples. After the Japanese earthquake it seems that time has overtaken some of the themes and has left Spon from Nostramus wondering what the reaction will be to his material. He says that all the material on the album pre-dates the horrific events that have burdened Japan. The album is a tapestry with a strong musical current, including samples which expose media hysteria amongst other, lighter themes. The album itself is a comment on the phenomena that shape our early 21^st century; times where fear is founded for some, and a plaything for others. He exposes the human responses to dealing with a world that we cannot control including elements of superstition, anger and the need to release stress in a musical whirlwind of joy. Nostramus encompasses all these emotions, waltzing the listener through a reality check – reminding us to question our distorted world, keep our feet on the ground and trust our senses. The delight in this work is the unceasing movement between light and shade, the highs and lows, the scowls and the smiles…..Was Drum and Bass ever supposed to go this deep?

As for Ella Jo, history has inspired her to write an album about the Anglo Saxon era. As no music survives from this time, there is much room to be imaginative and she has invented songs about Anglo Saxon events. This folk album will be named ‘Almost Anglo Saxon’ so that purists will not be offended, and she has already had a lot of fun composing songs for this project…With a handful of songs left to write, recording should begin in late 2011.

Matthew Adams Folk Artist from Devon

Exposure for new musicians

People may be aware that we want to support up and coming musicians especially in this time when the industry is so difficult to break into. We are pleased that Matthew Adams has been in touch with us, and coming soon is a review of this up and coming folk artist….

Good News about our album prices

Last but not least, we have recently revised the prices of our albums when purchasing physical CDs from the supplier, www.kunaki.com

You can now obtain each album for approx £10 – inclusive of shipping – making them a great bargain for music lovers!

www.diamondseeds.co.uk

Update – the news from Diamond Seeds this Autumn

Posted on September 22, 2010 by diamondseeds

Well it’s been a few months since we had the chance to update this site – it’s been a busy old time! The summer is nearly over and we are settling down to web stuff yet again.

The hard work has been paying off and there is now another book available on Diamond Seeds Publications, the second issue of Tarot Decoded – for the High Priestess Tarot Card. The research for this book by Ella Jo Street resulted in giving more than a simple explanation for the card; it is probably best described as a pagan source book. Reading back the proof copy has been a pleasure – this book really is indispensable for understanding the meaning behind the card and gives a complete mythology into the background behind magic with a factual look at witchcraft, designed to educate and widen the horizon of those with an interest, and enrich a reading for anyone training in the art of Tarot Reading!

Next up we have not one but two CD albums now available from the genius fingertips of sound-master Steve Spon. He tells me that he will be writing a new album with his band UK Decay this year, so we are lucky he has made time to re-mastered and release two eclectic albums first conceived in the 1990’s. It seemed touch and go to the outsider who may have wondered at leaving one CD in the freezer for a week, but when it was time to dust it down and record it onto modern equipment the icicles dripped dry and the music was re-born!

First album to hit the light of day was the Nostramus Earthlights album. A long process of digging out the masters and re-booting them for today’s technology began in December 2009, but this summer all was completed and the world was blessed with some magnificent intelligent Drum and Bass – reborn. There are classical elements in this album which makes no apology for having a life force all of its own. As with all of Nostramus’ material it enriches the everyday experience of music into a festival of warped realities and harmonic vapour trails. Listening to it I firmly believe that Steve Spon writes sound tracks to sci fi movie’s that haven’t been thought of yet! The tunes and the sound-scapes create inspiration for anyone with a vision for art or film; in short, he is way ahead of his time.

And it’s not like the stuff I’m hearing is complicated. It goes from pretty moments to dark tragic times – all eventualities may be present, yet it is timeless and simple without being repetitive. Spon’s other new album, under the name THC, is called Dark Ambience, and I swear it actually breathes. For my taste, the music really has reached another level with this album – and I think the genius was born of pain and passion which was sieved and refined into the most delicious mix of tunes and rich instrument sounds – as if it were a magic music box found in Merlin’s cave – reflecting the future into the present whilst mixing up sound elements from the past; there’s something reassuringly recognizable – only to disappear into weirdness that is nearly hypnotic. My copy of this CD is already nearly worn out!!!

The summer was topped off by a couple of gigs that went well – UK Decay played again at Blackpool’s Rebellion festival, this time in the picturesque Winter Gardens, and Ella Jo played an enjoyable hour at Luton Fringe Festival giving her songs an acoustic airing to an appreciative crowd. She said, ‘I got to the bottom of what caused my legs to shake on stage – it stopped when I stopped wearing heels, and I do so love my boots, but in the end, wearing sandals cured the problem!’

Please bear with us

Posted on June 15, 2010 by diamondseeds

Please bear with us while we update the web site!

We are putting in a new navigataion system and number of pages don’t exit as yet.

If you get an ‘oops’ from Google or a blank page we are working on it!

Please check back later

Diamond Seeds

Music, Books and Radio

Category Archives: Diamond Seeds News

Mick Mercer’s show – Almost Anglo Saxon track – another play!

What a lovely surprise to find that Mick Mercer played another track from Almost Anglo Saxon on his show!

Almost Anglo Saxon Gets Radio Play!

Tea on the Lawn, Umbrella Fair, Northampton

Journey of a Tarot Reader – now an e book!

Pod casts take off at Diamond Seeds

Steve Spon Solo projects

Spon’s input on the Diamond Seeds Label

Steve Spon’s solo projects…a brief biog

Spon’s production work with Ella Jo

News update for Diamond Seeds

Update – the news from Diamond Seeds this Autumn

Please bear with us

What a lovely surprise to find that Mick Mercer played another track from Almost Anglo Saxon on his show!

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Spon’s input on the Diamond Seeds Label

Steve Spon’s solo projects…a brief biog

Spon’s production work with Ella Jo

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