OK. So the gauntlet has been thrown down and Mister Fusty is up for the challenge.

Record a whole album in just the 28 days of February of either 10 songs or 35 minutes+

Crikey.

I’m going to give this a go, for the fun of it and also because I’m curious how it will affect my creativity, music making skills, songwriting, well being etc. I’m going to be posting regular updates of how I’m doing on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and on the RPM Blog,  so “follow“, “like” and keep checking, if only to see if I’m still ok. If you hear nothing for a while assume either I’ve declared, “CAN”T BE ARSED!!” and given up or I’ve gone mental.

Wish me luck.

Hi there! The first post of 2012 is a new track called “Sunrise (It’s a Good Start)” which you can download FOR FREE using the player below or on the Soundcloud page. My vague plan this year is to try and release a track a month (roughly) and if they hang together well, and I have enough songs, gather them up like marbles and release an album of them. So far I’m on track! Although it is only January…

Sunrise (It’s a Good Start) by Mister Fusty

Greetings. Remember the incredibly corny Christmas tune I released last year? Well, it’s back! I’ve made it available again for this years festive season, including it’s instrumental version as the “b-side” (which IMO is the better version). Listen or download below or at Bandcamp.

Now on to Mister Fusty’s future…

Recently I have been pondering what to do with old Fusty. Options I have considered include: abandoning him in a forest, changing his name or putting him in a cupboard for a few years. Any of these things may still happen! However next year, instead of recording a collection of songs for months on end (rather like a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter) and then releasing an album, I’m going to release one song at a time . So whenever I finish a song, and decide it’s good enough to enter the wild, it will magically appear for you to download free here and on the Facebook page, Soundcloud  etc. Hopefully this will happen at fairly regular intervals during 2012/13. If I have a decent number of tracks that I’m happy with I might add some spit & polish and make it an album. It’s a vague plan, and I am prone to change my mind, but I’m trying a different approach anyway.

Thanks for listening. Have a great festive season – cheers!

It’s that time of year again where I declare my favourite albums from the last 12 months, it’s not been a vintage year but there’s still been some great stuff around. For those with Spotify I’ve created a list of all the albums (apart from the two that aren’t on there*) HERE. I’ve also made a shorter playlist featuring a track from each album HERE

Here’s the list in no particular order..

PJ Harvey – “Let England Shake”

Iron & Wine – “Kiss Each Other Clean”

Gruff Rhys – “Hotel Shampoo”

Pugwash – “The Olympus Sound”

The Horrors – “Skying”

Treefight for Sunlight – “Treefight for Sunlight”

Jonathan Wilson – “Gentle Spirit”

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi – “Rome”

Jonny – “Jonny”

Fionn Regan – “100 Acres of Sycamore”

Wilco – “The Whole Love”

Jay Z & Kanye West – “Watch the Throne”

The Jayhawks – “Mockingbird Time”

White Denim – “D”

Ryan Adams – “Ashes & Fire”

The Silver Seas – “Chateau Revenge”

Ron Sexsmith – “Long Player Late Bloomer”

Real Estate – “Days”

*The High Llamas – “Talahomi Way”

*Gillian Welsh -“The Harrow & The Harvest”

The Beach Boys -”The SMiLE Sessions” (Technically a re-issue but as The Beach Boys version of SMiLE hasn’t been officially released before I’m counting it as new)

Mister Fusty – “The Waiting Room” (Oh ok, that last one was a plug!)

Here it is at long last, the new album from Mister Fusty, “The Waiting Room”.
The album was recorded on and off between Aug 2010 & February 2011 by myself  with mastering and additional mixing by Jimmy Ether and artwork by Paul Thompson. Thanks to Jimmy & Paul for their time & efforts!

I’m very proud of it and I think it’s the best thing I’ve done as Mister Fusty. Of course I would say that though!

The idea, lyrically, behind this album was that each song would be from another person’s perpective, each song would be a different story (or part of one). The rule I set myself was that none of the songs would be about me or particularly based on my own experiences. Although some of the ideas are based on real events, for instance “Empty Chairs” came about from reading Julia Baird’s memoir about her relationship with her half-brother John Lennon. John’s mother died tragically after being knocked down by a car and I remember reading in the book that John & his mother Julia were due to visit his Aunty (one of Julia’s sisters) the day after the accident. His Aunty (Anne I think, but I don’t have the book to hand), obviously devastated from the news, took a picture of the chairs they would have sat in out in the garden on that summer day and framed it. It struck me as a sad and strange thing to do and it became an idea for a song.

Another real life inspiration was “Rainbow Valley” whose lyrics were inspired by this article about the dead bodies that litter Mount Everest  (warning: link contains images you may find disturbing).

I hope you enjoy the album, it’s available to listen & download (in a multitude of formats) at the Bandcamp store or using the player above. The album is also available on iTunes and will appear on other stores/music services shortly. There might be a vinyl release later in the year, more news on that at later date.

Do let me know what you think of the album in the comments below or on the Facebook page or through Twitter. It’s always helpful and I very much appreciate feedback.

Thanks!

- Rob Gibson, August 2011

The new Mister Fusty single has been unleashed! “All Seeing Eye” from the forthcoming album, “The Waiting Room” is available now, it’s b-side is a non-album track “Arthur’s Apothecary”.

You can listen and download an mp3 version here at Soundcloud.

Or if you want a lossless version (and to support the artist!) You can download using the player below, it’s only 99p for two songs –a bargain!

If you don’t see the player click here

I also made a video, it’s shot on my phone although don’t let that put you off.

“All Seeing Eye” – Mister Fusty from Mister Fusty on Vimeo.

Here’s the artwork, by Paul Thompson, of the new album by Mister Fusty called, “The Waiting Room” and below is the track listing.
The album is now finished and tracks from it will be previewed on the Mister Fusty Facebook page over the next week, do stop by and have a listen!

A free digital single, “All Seeing Eye” with a non-album b-side, “Arthur’s Apothecary” will be out soon. Stay tuned for more info!

All Seeing Eye
Empty Chairs
Running Off the Edge of the World
Rainbow Valley
There are Seven Levels
All at Sea
Maniacs
Chemistry
Cargo
Tattershall
Station Announcement

Mister Fusty – “Chemistry” from Mister Fusty on Vimeo.

Whilst we wait for the new album to be polished into shape at the mastering labs, and the artwork department to throw their artistic ideas around their garret, here’s a track that didn’t make it on to the album. It didn’t really seem to fit in with rest of the tracks. It’s very much a throwback to the earlier instrumental stuff I used to do.

I didn’t even get around to giving it a proper title.
Instrumental No.1 by Mister Fusty

It’s only mid-February but there’s already a clutch of great albums already released so far this year, including (in no particular order) PJ Harvey – “Let England Shake”, Gruff Rhys – “Hotel Shampoo”, Jonny – “Jonny”, Yuck – “Yuck”, Destroyer – “Kaputt” and Iron & Wine – “Kiss Each Other Clean”, plus there’s a new Radiohead album today (which I’ve not properly listened to yet). Upcoming there’s albums by R.E.M., Elbow and Fleet Foxes which I hope will be as equally as good.

How about Mister Fusty’s latest? How’s that going you may ask? It’s nearly complete recording wise, I have a couple of vocals to do but I think I might just record another song or two just so I have plenty to choose from when I make the final selection of tracks.

A mad thought fleetingly crossed my mind the other day to do a double album, but then I realised that it was a ridiculous idea (stupid mind). I still can’t decide on a title from a list of two or three I have.

The sound of the album is much more guitar-based than my past endeavours, I’d day it was slightly psychedelic, slightly late ’80s indie pop. Anyway it will be released sometime this year but I can’t say when yet – hopefully the first half anyway (crossed fingers). Also there will be a deluxe special edition with an extra something,  I won’t mention any more details yet until everything is in place. Onwards and sidewards!