I have 3 songs I'm working on right now, here's a few snippets from all of them. Lately I'm finding that working on a bunch of songs at the same time is good, if I get sick of working on one I can just switch over to another one!
2019-06-20 04:18:18 +0000 UTC View PostWe'll get back to the video podcasts soon, for now please enjoy this one, the cover art was done by your very own Andrew Saltmarsh.
Go check the album out here - https://alexmaiers.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-chefs-circus-absurdities
Give us more album ideas in the comm...
Hey guys, thanks for all the feedback concerning this. I've decided to let a limited number of CDs go out to the general public for 24hours only.
But if you, the precious golden amazing patron, would like an extra copy, then you get priority.
So use this bandcamp link if you'd like to grab one -
2019-06-04 12:17:50 +0000 UTC
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All CD pressing plants have a 500 unit minimum, so I have some surplus CDs that I don't know what to do with. Should I -
2019-06-04 04:43:58 +0000 UTC View PostI'm noticing that there are quite a few mailing addresses missing so I reached out to a couple of people and they assured me that they have updated their details as per my instructions in my previous post a few days ago. So I contacted patreon support to see if they had any explanations. I wrote -
"Hello, I'm wanting to send some CDs out to people on various ti... 2019-05-14 07:16:08 +0000 UTC View Post
VERY GOOD! The first CD containing all the songs so far from Patreon are here! I will begin the mailout process this week. So all you folk that have pledged $96 or above will be receiving one of these. Here's the important bit - you need to make sure your address is up-to-date on your profile
2019-05-03 07:27:12 +0000 UTC
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Man writing lyrics is pretty tough sometimes. I have 3 songs now that are more or less complete, I just have to write lyrics for them. I'm FINALLY starting to get vague ideas but in the meantime please have a listen to this next track instrumentally.
2019-04-24 10:27:07 +0000 UTC View PostOk here's where I'm at with song number #25, it started out as something then it headed somewhere else.. Salty has done the cover art, I should have it done by the end of the weekend or so.
ACE
Hey guys, I should have this piece finished in the next few days, in the meantime I did a little video breaking down all the various bits and pieces. Cheers!
2019-03-26 09:54:34 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello everybody!
When we started this patreon a year ago, the idea was to write a whole bunch of songs and get you guys to choose which songs were the best fit for a CD release. I still like that idea, but I thought as a special treat for all your ongoing support, for all subscribers that have had a...
When is the "global golden hour" to stream when everyone around the world can tune in?
I *think* the best time is around 9am here.
So, the plan is to stream Monday morning at 9am, which means it will be around 17:00 Sunday afternoon in the USA and Canada, around 22:00 Sunday night in most of Europe, and Australians can watch during breakfast or in that first hour at work.
I think ...
Come and join us!
You Patreon folks will get an edited HD version of this after the show.
2019-01-12 11:22:30 +0000 UTC View PostSalty and I will be livestreaming the next "Open Mike Night" in about 24 hours from right now, so that means we'll get underway at Saturday 22:30 AEST. Which, I think, is about 12:30 in the afternoon in most of Europe, 6:30am in the USA/Canada.
The plan is to make the livestream public, and then we'll upload a high-quality Patreon-only edit of the video the next day. I've picked 6 songs to d...
Listen live with Mike from Toehider as he reflects on the 20 original songs, 10 covers and 2 custom-made songs from 2018.
2018-12-31 14:43:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone, here's another little video I put together testing out some pens for those who like that sort of thing.
I hope you enjoy.
Salt
2018-11-20 05:24:24 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey guys!
So over the years we've been asked a load of times about the artwork for Creature being made available as posters/prints. Well I dug out the original artwork files today which were created much bigger than CD size, and have put it up on my Society6 page as a high quality art print.
These are serious, no nonsense archival, gallery quality prints. I've ordered a few in the past and...
2018-11-19 09:00:20 +0000 UTC View PostHey guys, just letting you know there'll be 3 new songs and 1 topical cover coming up over the next two weeks! I've had a rough week trying to quit sugar, but I'm happy to say I think I've seen the last of the cravings!! Yessssss. Also I'll be doing a "riffffsss" video this week so let me know which songs you'd like me to break down and talk about. Hope you're all doing wonderfully! 💖💖
2018-10-20 08:23:50 +0000 UTC View PostAaand here's a third song idea for you to check out, as usual there are no vocals on it yet..
So I'll be finishing these three songs over the course of the week. Hope you all are doing great!
Hey gang, here's some more music I've been working on. It's kind of through-composed, and I think this is my first attempt at that. I'm not really sure how I'm feeling about it.. I might lift riffs from it and turn them into other songs. Who knows! What do you think?
2018-10-09 07:23:40 +0000 UTC View PostHere is how song #18 is coming along. There's just mainly vocals and solos left to do.
I think the thing that takes the most time when I write songs is the lyrics.. and a cool song title.
Anyway this one will be another addition to the "I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories" story, which I'm toying with the idea of stringing all the songs together into one big long song. Not sure at ...
Hi Salty hope you're doing great today man.
So here's what I have so far for #16, I have some character names and a basic feel for the song, got any ideas that could fit with this?
Cheers,
Your mate Mike
*DO NOT LISTEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR UNFINISHED WORK*
Ok here's how song 15 is shaping up. Verse melody needs a little work. Needs more high synth arpeggios.
Aiming to get this finished by tomorrow..
Art tease above.
2018-08-02 02:04:22 +0000 UTC View PostOk so as usual, don't listen if you don't want to hear unfinished ideas!
In other news, my computer has been consistently crashing and BSOD'ing since I got back from Europe, so I'm about to take it back to the place that built it. Cross your fingers for me that the problem is not too expensive!!
Hey guys just a quick update - Salty and I have been sick so we'll have the new piece ready on Sunday! Thanks for your patience, new podcast and another new piece in this following week too. Cheers!!
2018-07-13 06:11:11 +0000 UTC View PostHere is how song number #14 is shaping up. It's weird how sometimes I initially aim for a certain sound, but then quite quickly it starts to sound quite different. And then an annoying quandary begins, like should I fight it and try to return toward the initial idea, or just allow the thing to take its own path etc etc..
Anyway this should be ready before the end of the week. The little single ...
Hey guys, just letting you know I'm getting super pumped to get back to work on Monday! Graspop was a blast, catching up with everyone and also meeting Mark and Simone from Epica and Tom from Evergrey was awesome. Mark in particular was really cool, doing Loser and Everybody Dies was super-fun. I had some amazing conversations with Tommy Karevik and it just sucks that there wasn't more time to tal...
2018-06-27 11:07:28 +0000 UTC View PostI just did two covers over the last couple of days for the $13.99 tier people. One was more or less identical to the original, and the second was quite different to the original.
Anyway, I'm interested to know what your thoughts are on the whole cover thing. Do you generally prefer covers that are close to the original, or do you prefer to hear it completely changed up? Or maybe you don't ...
