Metamatic Forums Socialising Introduce Yourself Hello Everyone

My name is Paul, and I'm kind of here because I've spent 29 years trying to escape 'Metamatic' and have ended up trying work with it as a genre and a guiding light, and I cannot play a note.

I've met John twice, 1984 after his Liverpool gig and 2007 after the Ica. Saw him in 2003 at the Woolsack in Bristol. I even spotted the man one summer at a service station walking back to a car someone else was driving for him, and no, it was not on fire.

I had Metamatic as a tape, as a reissued disk in 1993 and finally as the double cd reissue. I feel like a fanatic! I swear its only now I've realized how much of a fan I am, its kind of sneaked up on me.

My attempts to make music are on Myspace. I didn't mean to emulate The Quiet Man book, I only wanted to write stories and combine them with visuals on the specific theme of the songs. Its all 'concept' album stuff, but John did it first. Everything centered around Autism.

[url=Http://www.myspace.com/themodelaircraftmuseum][url=Http://www.myspace.com/themodelaircraftmuseum][url=Http://www.myspace.com/themodelaircraftmuseum]Http://www.myspace.com/themodelaircraftmuseum[/url][/url][/url]

Anyhow, I'm in me forties, married and live in London town, and I've probibly seen a few of you around at the Ica.

"He built the ship in the garden shed..."What a line! Cheers.

Hello Paul and welcome to the Forums.

Welcome to the forum, Paul!

Thanks everyone. Would I be okay to post a really long 'my history of Foxy Music' kind of document? Might encourage everyone to write one too, on how I've spent so long a fan.

In 2007 when I told John I'd last seen him in 1984, the poor man's head went down and he was so embarrassed. I think he didn't know what to say that someone would put it like that. It was a sweet moment, or as much as us 'cold synthesizer' types can relate to such things.

Or is that too much about my life with J.F.?

I could just chat...

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the forum

There was a thread somewhere where everyone could explain how they got into JF.

This thread is as good as any though.

Brian

Hi Paul

Nice anecdote.
We'd love to hear how you go "into" John and what it means to you - and when someone finds the thread you can read our stories too.

Makes me wonder if there's some milage in doing a kind of "fan profile/interview" type thingie.

Anyway, welcome aboard

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum.

Like your music, by the way.

Hi HoxtonPaul





welcome to the club!

Shucks. Ta for the warm welcome & the music comments. It's all down to John's rules for making Metamatic. As few tracks as possible, strip down and simple. I think he used a Arp Odyssey and a Polymoog and imported the first Linn drum machine to the UK.

Anyone remember what he's said about how he made the beast?

In 1998 I got a Council flat in Old Street and within a year i'd looked up where the Garden was and found it was down the road. In those days you could still go past it on the bus and see a mysterious dusty old keyboard on top of a booth like structure, through a ground floor upper window. Its a cafe now. I have not actually been inside.

There was this ornate black door on the side of the building with gold knobs, knockers etc. The Garden was written on the bell. Man, I am a stalker! This kind of knowledge is disturbing to be in possession of.

I was part of a gang of us from the early 80's who were seriously into machine music, and owned Wasp synthesizers. One man had a Wasp, two Korgs and a Doctor Boss. He ended up engineering Coldplay. Oh, how people stray from the path in life...

Here is the "Your first encounter with John thread.."

http://www.metamatic.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000302#000001

Brian

Hello Paul, welcome to the forum!
And yes, 'M' rules ...

Hi all - just joined the site & am v. impressed; mainly that Mr Foxx is still getting the appreciation he so rightly deserves.

Riding the bus to work last week, I heard the first two notes of a song I've since forgotten, but thought at the time; " Oh my God... that's The Garden!"

Needless to say, I was listening to Radio One and what I had heard definitely turned out NOT to be The Garden, but it sparked off a few memories and my curious mind led me from youtube to here.
I shocked and surprised myself at how much of the lyric I could remember from Ha!Ha!Ha!, Systems of Romance and Ultravox!. Has to be at least 20 years since I last heard any of them.

The Garden is the last I heard of John's work; after that, babies and marriage kind of took over most of my time, but it's fantastic to know that there are still people out there keeping the flame alive.

Keep up the great work and I hope to catch up with some of you soon.

Big love xx

Welcome to the forum Sally.

You have probably watched some of the stuff I've posted on Youtube.

Brian

Very welcome to the forum,Sally!

It seems you have a lot new stuff to listen to, if The Garden was the last album of John for you...

Andreas

Hi Sally & welcome to the forum.

Mark

Hi Paul and Sally. Welcome to you both.

Paul, I hate to sound like an anorak but it was actually Autumn '83 that John played Liverpool rather than '84,promoting that year's Golden Section album. It would be another ten years before he would return to the city on tour.

Sally,indeed you do have a lot of catching up to do if you lost touch with John's work after The Garden. Check out the discography section of the site to get an idea of all the releases that you have missed. Could cost you a small fortune to buy them all. People on here are always happy to recommend where you should begin.

Hello Sally and welcome to the Forums.

Hi Sally and welcome (ladies first.. )

and a belated Hi and welcome to Paul - nice myspace .

Hi Paul, Hi Sally and welcome to the forum!

Gazza

I meant to say that it would be another twenty years before John would tour in Liverpool again.

Hi all,

jus checked out the discography.... my word - he has been a busy boy,hasn't he??

I certainly have some catching up to do.
Any suggestions where to start?

Also, please tell me that the early vinyl is now worth a fortune.....

Hi there Sally - Welcome to The Forum...

The recent burst of activity has actually meant that I've still got a few things to add to the Discography ...

A good place would be the recently released Cinemascope box set as it includes five CDs and a DVD. Excellent value...

Rob

Hi Paul and Sally welcome to the forum. It's nice to have another female member on the site on what is basically a male dominated site.

Sally I'm guessing you've got an awful long way to catch up.

Peter

Hi Sally, welcome to the forum
There’s always something in the ether just waiting to take you back to a previous love, even by default! and what’s fantastic about John’s work is that he’s both drawing on the past and also still moving forward, and I’m sure that like a lot of forum members here I spent a long period of time in the past vainly checking out the ‘F’ section in the music store racks in some quiet hope, fortunately the flame was just waiting to be rekindled.

Rob’s suggestion about the Cinemascope box set is certainly a good idea, but personally I think you should treat yourself to The Garden 08 2CD Remaster, and the very recent My Lost City, they would make good companions.

Try 'Impossible' too which gives you a ood idea of the scope of John's work with Louis Gordon, or even the live 'Neuro Video'.

83 it is!

Hello Sally. Good to read your experience. I knew a lovely girl back in Liverpool called Alice who adored John. Where is she now Hopefully listening to the same radio!

I told John I was at that gig when I met him and the poor man was clearly embarrassed. Bless. Thanks for all kind words about my Myspace. Hey - where does everyone else keep their sonic tributes to John?

I got a really nice comment from Louis recently too. Wow. x