I've built a Winter People website: http://www.winterpeople.com.au. Basically a very nice link to the Dog Years EP. We're also in the Jager Uprising Finals at The Annandale, which has a $10,000 first prize. So fingers crossed for that and we've got "My Town"> on rotation at FBi radio. So smooth sailing currently. I Like Cats finished recording at Big Jesus Burger, and now we wait for the raw tracks to be mixed/mastered (not sure on the ETA for release). Its a huge relief not to be at the mixing helm! Though I will be putting my mix hat back on in a few weeks because Winter People are going to record a 2nd EP. And final note on the music-technical front - I ordered a Coles 4040 yesterday! I'm hoping its warm ribbon tones will complement and smooth out the glassiness of my condensers. Lunchbox and Great River Pre next up.

Also, perhaps my most major thought of recent times, I think I'm going to take my first overseas trip at the end of this year. I'm twenty-two now and I suppose that's relatively late in one's youth to get foot loose. I've always felt tied down to Sydney because of various continuing musical and artistic projects. I've been hesitant to sabotage their possibilities by leaving. But the Winter People and I Like Cats will both be on hiatus in a few weeks and I will be finishing university at the end of the year. So I think its a perfect time to go. My plan at this point is to travel by myself, but stay/visit with various friends in various countries. Currently I have confirmed friendlies in London, Paris and Scotland. More updates on this as plans unfold.

Finally, with my month off from Uni (in between recording/mixing the 2nd Winter People EP) I'm hoping to record an album of piano songs, if time permits. Also quite a few new sketches to update the site with AND I think I may dive into a redesign of Riversend again. Which will make Version Nine if you can believe it. Seven years of Riversend. Seven Years! Anyway, farewell. Till next time.

The Winter People EP is finally done. Overall, I am quite happy with the final product. Certainly, its a step up in professionalism from The Life and Times, but I am a little ambivalent about the results of the mastering process. The mastering compression I thought sounded good and certainly added a nice analogue flavor to the sound, but there was some additive EQ done which I felt made the bass guitar far too prominent in the mix. However, the upside of this, is that I now have quite an explicit set of instructions to give any future mastering engineers regarding the sound I'm after. One of the songs from the EP, 'My Town', got added to the MySpace Australia page, which will hopefully garner some listens from around the home-island.

In other music-recording news, I Like Cats are going into Big Jesus Burger studios next week to record an album. Pretty exciting. A little nerve racking.

My show schedule has also picked up, with the Winter People playing a (sold out!) show at The Van Guard on Wednesday night, and then I Like Cats at Club 77 Thursday night, and again on Sunday at the Annandale.

My gear desires have been moderated by reason. Sortof. After splashing out on a Royer 121 Ribbon, I'm going to start up a API lunchbox collection, first preamp on my list is the Great River, then the API 512c, then a Purple Audio Biz. I think that will give me quite a palette, between my mics and preamps.

Anyways, in art news, still a few sketches straggling out here and there, will upload the new ones soon. I am keen to dedicate some time to painting, come Uni holidays - still have the Train Station idea bubbling away. I just need to collect portraits.

Oh, and I've got about five piano songs of a similar vein that I want to record as a little EP. This will also probably have to wait until the University Holidays.

Alright, till next time, safe travels.