Due to popular demand and because I can never say no to Jonny, we’ll be back on Saturday 16th May between 5.30pm – 7.30pm presenting Tor FM, self help for alien abductees! Now increased by a whole half hour to a 2 hour show!! Will I make it through ok? Tune in here – https://www.theneonhospice.com/ I got a new needle for the record player so this is gonna sound pro as.
Tons of stuff is already archived on The Neon Hospice, have a nosy through.
Hey everyone,
Hope you’re doing ok out there in lockdown land. Doing ok here, got some work and live by a canal so can’t complain too much about my personal situation but of course I’m angered by our pathetic government as I’m sure you are too.
Been getting on with some music stuff which always keeps me going so here are a few updates.
Delighted to say Plutonic Shine is now out on lovely vinyl so thanks to Feeding Tube Records for making that happen! You can buy them via our bandcamp page and I’ll do my best to get them out asap. Don’t mind going to the PO in Tod for a bit of action.
Julian made an amazing music video for out apocalyptic themed hit, “I’m Born”, do have a look because he did such a good job.
I’ve finally released some recordings made with Delphine Dora during our 2017 residency in Co Cork which is the compliment album to our recent ‘Greywood Miniatures’ released on The Dark Outside. Digital only for now, check it out here on another bandcamp page!
I did a live stream gig on Friday just gone on The Old Police House’s excellent weekly Twitch show, it was a right laugh, I’ve not played a gig in a kitchen for many years. I’m sure if you dig around TOPH’s Twitch channel here you could probably find a recording of it. In many ways though, maybe you had to be there?
Finally, I’ve started doing a spot of DJing for my old pal Jonny Mugwump on his new adventure ‘The Neon Hospice’. Imagine I’ll do it every other week, early slot. I’m no raver.
That’s it for now I guess! Please send me your thoughts and comments, lovely to hear from people.
All best,
Sof
Hello all, hope you’re coping out there. Big ups to everyone making great online noise content at the moment, Theo Gowens, Mariam Rezaei, Ali Robertson, Graham Dunning, “Keith Heineman”. I’ve been watching loads and it’s been great to feel part of the community so thanks a lot for putting the effort in. Can’t wait til this pandemic is all over and we can get out to see live music and friends again.
Anyway before I start crying I’m here to post some new videos made by the house of Tor.
First up Harry Wheeler documented the last gig we put on in Hebden Bridge which was the final piece of our Sound and Music, curator composer residency. The gig featured Alison Cooper, aka Magpahi, as lead jammer on a big folky improv event at The Fox and Goose. It was such an excellent event that Harry has captured perfectly in the vid.
Just want to say a massive thank you to Sound and Music for including us on their project this past year. It’s been so great to be supported and mentored throughout the year and it’s opened up a lot of opportunities for us so yeah, many thanks.
I’ve been trying to get some music done during this lock down situation and it’s not been going too badly. Julian and I have started working on some new The Slowest Lift material going for that perfect apocalyptic scorched out vibe as always. The vinyl version of Plutonic Shine is coming out on the 24th April via Feeding Tube Records so really excited for that. Head over there for a preorder but I think we’ll add some copies to our bandcamp as well. Tape is now sold out thanks to receiving props from Kim Gordon on Instagram, ta love.
Throughout my lockdown I’ve been thinking about performance, putting on shows, the restrictions you now have on these things and one afternoon, with Jake’s help, I put together a new trombone stunt video called Duvet Day. I wanted it to express some creative isolation concerns and hopefully make people laugh a bit.
Right that’ll do for now. All the best, and thinking of everyone going through a rough time at the moment.
Sof x
Hello friends, hope you’re all doing ok out there in isolation land. Things are fine in Todmorden, we’ve had to close Tor Beers for a bit, gigs have been cancelled, the same as what a lot of other people are going through. We’ll be alright. 
I’m on here to tell you that Feeding Tube have put our The Slowest Lift record ‘Plutonic Shine’ up for pre-order and it will be available after the 24th April. If you review records or have a radio show and want to have a DL just ask.
Link: http://feedingtuberecords.com/releases/plutonic-shine/
Loving this description by Byron Coley:
“Vinylization of last year’s cassette by UK duo, The Slowest Lift. Comprised of Julian Bradley (Vibracathedral Orchestra, etc.) and Sophie Cooper (whose Divine Ekstasys LP, FTR 342, is a dang classic), The Slowest Lift has been producing high-quality avant-pop form-waffling for several years. Their eponymous debut album was on VHF, and Plutonic Shine continues their drive into the heart of some very weird beast.
Sophie’s vocals sometimes breath like the air itself, although they can also surface as distorted puffs of lung-powered color, melodically-oriented, but trapped by no ordinary sense of song structure. The instrumental portion seems to be built with electronics and guitars, which create mounds of sound for the vocals to hide behind and dodge around.
Although the sound is as “now” as any hep cat could wish. there is really very little to date this music archeologically. The basic tools for what The Slowest Lift do have been around for decades. It is what Julian and Sophie choose to do with these tools that will knock that beaver hat right off your head.
Gorgeous stuff.
-Byron Coley, 2020″
Take care, Sof x
Not been to the Kirkgate Centre for ages so looking forward to this..
Hey folks,
Just wanted to say Happy New Year and to have a bit of a reflect on what I’ve been up to this year. Feels like it’s been a year of addressing work / career, getting my house in order, that kind of thing. Honestly, I don’t feel like I’ve done enough of my own creative stuff as I’d like to but I’m going to sort that out for 2020.
That said, I’ve put out 3 releases in 2019…
One solo jams CDR – The Little Room. Quite pleased with this one and sort of defines a new direction I want to take guitar playing in. Sometimes I forget I even play the guitar but here we are:
God bless you Jeffery Davison at the legendary wfmu for giving it a few spins on your show – https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/88180
The Slowest Lift, Plutonic Shine. I love this album and am looking forward to seeing it come out on lovely plastic (soz) vinyl in the New Year on Feeding Tube Records.
Greywood Miniatures, by me and Delphine Dora. Been sitting on this for ages if I’m honest. There’s like another 13 tracks we should release at some point. Maybe we’ll do a part 2 in 2020.
I played 17 gigs this year, a few in new collaborations including a big jam with Gnod at Tor Festival, with Emmanuelle Parrenin at Cafe Oto, with Roy Claire Oto = SatNavTod and with new Vibra/ Slowest Lift spin off group (?) Caravan Comedown. Got the recordings of these as well knocking around. Lots of improvisation in structured and non structured ways has gone down.
I had an almost year long residency at Huddersfield Uni creating a piece for hcmf// (who I’ve ended up working for since, cheers guys!) and I put an insane amount of hours into creating ‘Intact’ which is a trombone/vocals piece for 66 speakers. The live playback reception was really great at hcmf//, full house there to hear my intrusive thoughts related to my situation with immediate family members. A problem shared? It was an amazing experience, would love to do more of this if anyone knows how to go about that…?? I’ve not put the track online anywhere yet because I’m not sure what to do with it. If you wanna hear it ask and I’ll send you a link. It got played on BBC Radio 3 which was a nice surprise!
Jake and I had our Composer / Curator residency with Sound and Music which has all gone very well. I had an interview with them about Tor Festival if you fancy a read here.
Oh I dunno, guess I’ll stop going on about myself and head to the Golden Lion v soon. Expect more solo guitar stuff from me and who knows what from The Slowest Lift in 2020. Plus tons of gigs in Todmorden.. intend to keep all this up. I did a survey of all the gigs I put on last year and 69% of the artists were women or non-binary which I’m proud of. I aimed for 50:50 so goes to show what you can do if you are mindful of a situation.
Enough, enough. Lots of love and hopefully see you in some way or another in 2020.
Sof x
photo taken just yesterday by Robin Smith: 
Greywood Miniatures is a new tape made by me and Delphine Dora. Our 4th release together! We recorded the bulk of this back in 2017 at Greywood Arts Centre in Co. Cork, Ireland during a residency there. We then took the recordings back to our homes and added extra bits and bobs to them and here are the results. This came out on a tape via The Dark Outside but sold out really quickly. Digital available whenever you want it. Enjoy x
