You're So Vain... Happy Birthday Dave!

This week we had our pictures taken, as part of the ongoing work to build our website. This was the first time we have had someone in to take photos of us. I found it hard not to feel awkward with a camera pressed up against my face. I could sense the feeling in my facial expression, similar to that of a dog's when it's aware its owner is watching while it takes a dump. I digress.



















Our initial first draft of the website was Flash-based. After spending endless hours learning what Flash was and how to use it we managed to build a rudimentary site, which... sort of worked. However, after lengthy discussions and ideas we decided to avoid using the format of other bands' website designs. Instead we came to the conclusion that we should steer clear of over-the-top, Flash-based consumer propaganda. Re-inventing the standard 'official band website' design was an atypical Flags challenge. So we had our logo redesigned and Dave and Amy Ricketts (from MoreGood Design) began working on a much more simple HTML site.

Getting tight for live performances is one, if not THE most important target for us to reach. To be able to do this we need to be able to hear each other through our headphones. So far Dave and I have hidden away in the control room, away from Pete's dangerously loud drums. This allowed us to have individually tailored mixes at comfortable levels. There are two down sides to this set up:

• We can't see each other or communicate properly. Dave has to use a major or minor chord to express his positive or negative feelings. Pete has to go through a lengthy process of yes/no questions using a snare to answer 'yes' and the kick for 'no'. As you may gather setting up this way is crap.

• Pete gets lonely and depressed.
  

A set of headphones with high attenuation (blocking out a lot of sound) would allow us to play in the same room by cutting out the drums. We tried out a pair of Direct Sound Extreme Isolation headphones. £80 later, we found the only extreme these registered on was the crap-scale. They had the same attenuation as our £25 Sony headphones. Back to the shop with them. The Beyerdynamics Dt150s have been recommended globally by music shops and studios.

On Wednesday it was Dave's 22nd birthday. Unfortunately his present from Pete and I still hasn't arrived. Fingers crossed that it will arrive tomorrow.

After Pete's phenomenal cock-up frying fish fingers, we hope tonight's chicken fajitas will have less of a carbon aftertaste. Then poker with Palo Nutini's iTunes festival gig in the background, which I went to see last week.