Transit of Venus

It’s that time of the week when usually I’d be having band practice.  But today I’m still in bed, I was up most of the night playing piano and re-reading Bram Stokers Dracula.  As you probably know if you know me at all or regularly read my blog, we’re putting on this Nosferatu show November 26th.  Screening the movie while playing live music etc.  Anyway, the movie is loosely based on Bram Stokers Dracula.  Very loosely.  The first versions with the title-frames in German had the names changed due to a bunch of copy right issues.  I understand the movie was made without permission from Stokers widow and I also have heard that the production company declared bankruptcy as soon as the movie was released to avoid handing over any money.  The version we’re using has title cards in English, and while many of the names have been changed to match Stokers book again, there are some inconsistencies.  Mina becomes Nina and London is still replaced with  German town Bremen.  The story lines of the movie and book differ quite a lot too, especially involving the endings.  Having read the book and seen the movie so many times working on the project the two have kind of merged together in my mind as “Nosferacula” haha.  In one of the songs I’m singing about London, it’s not a mistake I know the city in the movie isn’t called London, but in the book it is and makes more sense.

I’ve seen a few different versions of Nosferatu by now, one of the main differences between them is the titles-frames.  Actually I’m sure there’s a proper word for those but it escapes me at the moment.  By title-frames I mean the frames showing pieces of narrative or dialogue in between some scenes of the movie.  Anyway, it’s amazing how these can change the movie, when all the scenes are the same but some versions having different narrative and dialogue than others.  It’s bizarre.  I went with the version available in the public domain archives, not wanting to step on any toes and every DVD I’d come across for sale or hire had copyright warnings and “for home use only” etc.

I’m blabbing on a bit I know, sometimes I just like to blog when theres a lot of stuff slooshing round my brain, clears the head a bit lol.

Anyway, the movie Nosferatu and the book Dracula, much better vampires than the ones we get these days.  You wouldn’t see Nosferatu climbing trees with a girl or sparkling in the sun.  Or playing violin at some kind of rock concert. Or wearing shades, or  PVC. He is the evil undead not some kind of misunderstood eternal teenager.

Well thats probably enough blah blah blah from me right now.  I think I forgot what todays point was.  Gonna go drink 500 million billion zillion cups of coffeeeee and hit the piano again.

Related Twitter:

KristieAddison: Re-read Bram Stokers Dracula again last night. Sorry Twilight fans, it’s the best vampire book ever. Sorry Anne Rice fans, your vampires sux

KristieAddison: While Nosferatu is kinda based on Dracula, the storylines are a little different. I think I like the one where the heroine dies in the end.

KristieAddison: p.s. I’m not some kinda vampire nut, I’m just temporarily becoming a little obsessed with them working on current project. It’s research

So, it turns out I don’t blog enough.  Making a valid effort here, look at me I’m writing a blog this very minute!  But it’s gonna be a quick one as once again I’ve got a pretty full on day happening.

Things with the band:  I got back from Malaysia on Tuesday, on Wednesday (I think) Tory and I had a secret practice without the rest of those dudes, it went pretty well.  Later that evening I stole away the fabulous Plum Green to learn the song she’ll be singing, she;s sounding fantabuloustastic! Then yesterday got the projector set up at the practice rooms and had another practice with the few band members who weren’t sick and dying or working away at real jobs (Me Tory and Hayden).  A few technical issues with le DVD, I was ready to break something or someone after spending so long the night before trying to sort things out, and then having yet more issues during the practice.  But apart from the dramas it’s going pretty well.  It’s quite fun playing in the darkened room along to the movie, I can’t really see the keys of my piano and definitely not the music I’ve spent quiet hours notating haha!

I have no idea how many tickets have sold, I have no idea how many are left, I do know this will be my last NZ show so make sure you don’t miss out, and make sure after all this work I’m not playing to an empty room!

Special thanks to Stack Studios, The Rock Factory, Jester Underground, Miscreant Recordings and TAPAC without your support this project would be screwed!

Mwa! Take care, hope to see you October 30th!

<3 K xxx

It’s really cold at my place so I’ve gone to bed early, snuggled up with a cup of tea to answer emails and write a blog.

Planning on taking a little break from gigs to get the ever-evolving band in order as we put together new material, and work on our special Halloween show… Which will be a screening of the 1922 silent movie Nosferatu. We will be playing a live soundtrack to the movie which I’m currently in the process of writing. There will be a couple of familiar ToV songs included but it will be largely new material yay! Venue is booked for Devils Friday – October 30th. Will let you know when tickets are available.

I want the soundtrack to be something that is also good to listen to on it’s own, if all goes well a recording will be released as a concept album. I’m guessing to a certain extent that in order to make it a listenable album I may have to sacrifice some of it’s authenticity as a soundtrack, but I will do my best to make it work as both a good album and a convincing soundtrack.

Well, best be getting on with the emailing and then perhaps some sleep even.

<3 K

Last time I wrote a blog on my phone it inexplicably took several days to show up on the site. Hopefully won’t happen this time as well but who knows really. Not I for sure.

I’m writing this while I am round at The Manor checking out photos from last nights gig and generally hanging about. Got an acoustic set at The Crib in a couple of hours. Looking forward to a nice chilled evening followed by an early night.

The winner of the ToV t-shirt comp is Daniel Radford. Awesome work Daniel I’ll be in touch soon! I also really really liked EJ’s gory entry, and I want to give a special mention to Danny Dowling for the amazing draft I saw on facebook but I haven’t yet seen the finished picture. Perhaps it’s still a work in progress?

Will let everyone know when tshirts are available for purchase.

I can hear a band called Mile High practicing downstairs. These guys are cool. We’re playing at their video release party next Saturday at The Dogs Bollix and it’s gonna be a real fun gig. Come along if you can. If you like us you’ll probably love these guys!

Ahhh it’s starting to get cold here. Right, time to go make a cuppa.

<3 K

P.s. Here is a photo of us all standing round outside with our gear last night cos we were locked out of the venue haha