Darren Hemmings
@mrtrick.bsky.social
I run Motive Unknown. Music maker. Gardener. Failed meditator. I also write the Network Notes newsletter: https://networknotes.motiveunknown.com
Good uses of AI? OK - how about having it create an image of Brian Blessed as an 80s rapper? You're welcome.
March 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Good uses of AI? OK - how about having it create an image of Brian Blessed as an 80s rapper? You're welcome.
Lovely to see These New Puritans popping up in @thequietus.com Portal this week. I worked on the album in question and never forget this email from Sam (then the intern at the label) about Elton John getting in touch to thank them for sending him a copy of the TNP album. 😂
February 21, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Lovely to see These New Puritans popping up in @thequietus.com Portal this week. I worked on the album in question and never forget this email from Sam (then the intern at the label) about Elton John getting in touch to thank them for sending him a copy of the TNP album. 😂
Man Qobuz's whole interface is such a breath of fresh air. It's almost absurd that I'm praising it because it *just* focuses on the music, but after the hot UX mess that is Spotify, this is a clean, clear, conducive app to use and I fucking love it.
February 20, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Man Qobuz's whole interface is such a breath of fresh air. It's almost absurd that I'm praising it because it *just* focuses on the music, but after the hot UX mess that is Spotify, this is a clean, clear, conducive app to use and I fucking love it.
@eamonn-forde.bsky.social couldn't NOT send you this. YOU'RE WELCOME
February 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM
@eamonn-forde.bsky.social couldn't NOT send you this. YOU'RE WELCOME
I still have some free promo copies of my Last Sane Man up for grabs if anyone fancies a copy. Just email darren@motiveunknown.com with Last Sane Man as the subject and it'll reply in a few mins with your unique promo code to get the whole EP on @bandcamp.com for nada. Go go!
February 11, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I still have some free promo copies of my Last Sane Man up for grabs if anyone fancies a copy. Just email darren@motiveunknown.com with Last Sane Man as the subject and it'll reply in a few mins with your unique promo code to get the whole EP on @bandcamp.com for nada. Go go!
TEN'SHUN! I've setup a promo bot to give away 50 copies of my Last Sane Man EP over on Bandcamp. To get a unique code that'll get you the whole EP for free, just email darren@motiveunknown.com with Last Sane Man as the subject of your email. You'll then get a promo code mailed back. Enjoy!!
February 8, 2025 at 5:13 PM
TEN'SHUN! I've setup a promo bot to give away 50 copies of my Last Sane Man EP over on Bandcamp. To get a unique code that'll get you the whole EP for free, just email darren@motiveunknown.com with Last Sane Man as the subject of your email. You'll then get a promo code mailed back. Enjoy!!
Quite stunned at the response to my "Banned From Spotify" piece in Network Notes. I think it might already be the most-viewed article ever, and that's little over 24hrs since it was published.
February 6, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Quite stunned at the response to my "Banned From Spotify" piece in Network Notes. I think it might already be the most-viewed article ever, and that's little over 24hrs since it was published.
This headline absolutely NAILS it:
January 29, 2025 at 4:16 PM
This headline absolutely NAILS it:
£2.50 in a local charity shop. Bargain! Pleased/relieved to dive in and find that thus far all the shops I recognise are still open, seven years after this was published.
January 19, 2025 at 2:45 PM
£2.50 in a local charity shop. Bargain! Pleased/relieved to dive in and find that thus far all the shops I recognise are still open, seven years after this was published.
Is there no way to say "never in a million years do I want that shite Amazon, STOP BLOODY ASKING"?!
January 16, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Is there no way to say "never in a million years do I want that shite Amazon, STOP BLOODY ASKING"?!
The Faber Book of Diaries is truly a wonderful thing. Here is Joe Orton's entry for today (Jan 9th) back in 1967:
January 9, 2025 at 9:53 AM
The Faber Book of Diaries is truly a wonderful thing. Here is Joe Orton's entry for today (Jan 9th) back in 1967:
How many emails is too many? I'd argue this many, for starters...
December 29, 2024 at 7:23 PM
How many emails is too many? I'd argue this many, for starters...
But then this is what my beloved Alborosie spring reverb is doing, LOL. Now that's "character" 😂
December 27, 2024 at 6:52 PM
But then this is what my beloved Alborosie spring reverb is doing, LOL. Now that's "character" 😂
Thought I'd use this clever EQ/plugin checker that puts a test tone into your plugin on one side and measures how the signal changes on the other. This is a Pultec EQ boosted at 10k for example:
December 27, 2024 at 6:51 PM
Thought I'd use this clever EQ/plugin checker that puts a test tone into your plugin on one side and measures how the signal changes on the other. This is a Pultec EQ boosted at 10k for example:
My mate just pointed this out too, which made me smile
December 26, 2024 at 11:21 AM
My mate just pointed this out too, which made me smile
Expecting to see a lot more of this from independent artists through 2025...
December 26, 2024 at 10:42 AM
Expecting to see a lot more of this from independent artists through 2025...
Cracking sale now on at Astral Industries page over on @bandcamp.com. Not a duff release in their discography IMO, but if you've not heard the Deepchord album they released, get on that.
December 24, 2024 at 12:12 PM
Cracking sale now on at Astral Industries page over on @bandcamp.com. Not a duff release in their discography IMO, but if you've not heard the Deepchord album they released, get on that.
I'm sorry but at this point, when the indie sector is being sold out lock, stock and barrel to the majors, a stronger response is needed than this. This is just tepid. Action, trade bodies, not words!!
December 16, 2024 at 9:53 PM
I'm sorry but at this point, when the indie sector is being sold out lock, stock and barrel to the majors, a stronger response is needed than this. This is just tepid. Action, trade bodies, not words!!
Well that was me crushing it on Bluesky in 2024 😆
December 14, 2024 at 2:15 PM
Well that was me crushing it on Bluesky in 2024 😆
Just in case you thought Spotify Wrapped was a wholly benevolent exercise...
December 5, 2024 at 10:06 PM
Just in case you thought Spotify Wrapped was a wholly benevolent exercise...
Currently enjoying Michael Palin's diaries and reading this about John Cleese, written back in 1978, felt oddly prescient...
November 24, 2024 at 1:14 PM
Currently enjoying Michael Palin's diaries and reading this about John Cleese, written back in 1978, felt oddly prescient...
I am a confirmed Bitwig Stan, but this level of British understatement in their latest promotion for v5.3 is, IMO, just another reason to love them even more. "Our drums are absolutely nice" 😆 Don't ever change, chaps, don't ever change. 🤗
November 23, 2024 at 10:03 AM
I am a confirmed Bitwig Stan, but this level of British understatement in their latest promotion for v5.3 is, IMO, just another reason to love them even more. "Our drums are absolutely nice" 😆 Don't ever change, chaps, don't ever change. 🤗