Dear All
2021 is soon to be over, and I can’t say I am sorry to see the back of it! Let’s see out the old year in style by escaping grim reality with another episode of Spiral Dial. Listen and follow on iTunes, Spotify and Soundcloud now! You can also download this month’s track on Bandcamp. Alternatively, if you fancy a spot of time travel you can jump on board with our subscribers to leap forwards to Series Two Episode Three!
Since it’s New Year’s Eve, we’ve dug into the archives of memory and had a good old rummage around. I am proud to present the results….12 Days of Spiral Dial Statistics! Guaranteed to be many times more reliable and informative than any other facts and figures currently interfering with your focus.
1 series completed: not only have we completed Series 1, 8 episodes of Series 2 are already in the can for subscribers!
2 episodes recorded at every session – surmounting all obstacles caused by deadly viruses and computer crashes.
3 Pizzas have been eaten at nearly every recording session in 2021: a grand total of 34 (minus one when DRP was sick and one when I was cutting carbs in an epic display of self restraint!)
4 Languages have been spoken in the studio. English, Old English, French (both modern French and the four letter variety, admittedly more of the latter than the former) and Welsh (the band is 3/8 Welsh!) We also now have four levels for our subscribers: Spiral Diallers, Captain’s Swirl, Heavenly Helix and Parabolic Purr.
5 The number of synths the roborecorder has been controlling in the vast majority of episodes, with, as yet, no need for additional limbs.
6 The number of non percussion instruments Adam has meddled with in the name of sound effects: a sofa, a pencil, a wooden folding stool, keys, a water bottle and an iron DIY worktop. (We are still waiting for the chance to get nasty with a watermelon!)
7 pieces of software are used and abused every month to produce Spiral Dial: Ableton Live, Adobe Audition, Max for Live, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Scrivener and Softstep Editor.
8 speakers are set up in Anarres studio as I write this! NS10s, Yamaha HS10s with matching sub and an Auratone Mixcube in the control room, plus two RCF PA speakers in the main room. Half of these actually belong to Adie Hardy, currently sunning himself in Brazil (thanks, dude!).
9 is the number of instruments the three of us play over the course of the episodes. Recorder, saxophone, vocals, piano, synth, cajon, bongos, percussion and bass guitar.
10 formats of each piece of artwork are produced each month especially for each episode by the incredible Pushing Normal.
11 Our position in the Top 60 Scifi and Fantasy Podcasts on Feedspot!
12 The number of recording sessions we managed in 2021! Not bad in the middle of a global catastrophe.
13 This one’s my lucky number, so adding it on just because.
Phew! We’ve come a long way together, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without your support. We’re very much looking forward to bringing you more LIVE episodes of Spiral Dial strangeness throughout the year to come. Wishing you all the very best for 2022!
Liza x
