Update, sorry we have been so quiet on the blog front this month, after releasing our last Making of an Album episode we have embarked on a little Side Quest, to make an album in a month for the LightsandLines record label challenge.
We have been busy, putting all our spare time into the making of this album in a month, with just over a week left until submission date, we have the last bits of mixing and mastering to do.
I (Andy) have been keeping a diary to go along with the making of this album in a month, and it will see the light of day in the future, probably when the album gets released, or it might form the backbone of a podcast that Nick and I will do for June. So June, was originally going to be the 4th part of our Making of an Album series, but we do not have time to put that together in that sense, so we have put it on the back burner for a while while we deal with this new May album.
Expect a single track from this album we are making to surface on the 1st June, we haven't decided which track we are putting forward for that yet, so stay tuned for that.
Okay, back to work, got an album to finish.
Also, Bandcamp is a thing, and you can get our latest things on there right now!
You can still listen to all our old episodes, please leave us comments and give us ratings on podcasting apps, it helps a bunch.
And what do ya know, it's a playlist of our improv squared videos on youTube! lovely
As promised, here is the video for 'The More You Learn, The Less You Know'.
From our podcast feed
To accompany our most recent podcast episode 'Making of an Album Episode 3: Alternative Writing Techniques' we decided to throw together a song using our new improv squared method of song construction.
The song we put together was this one, 'The More You Learn, The Less You Know'.
Nick and Andy improvised a 3 minute dirty track, then they layered over the top of it with another improv. Then the track was bounced and Andy went away and wrote some lyrics to go with it (see below for full lyrics). The boys then recorded the vocals, Nick mixed and mastered the track, and Tada! full song made in a couple of sessions.
The video was done in a similar fashion, we had recorded ourselves making the song, so all we did was just overlay it all over itself, pretty weird but quite effective we thought.
Please like, share and subscribe
And comment, tell us what you thought
As promised earlier, here are the full lyrics
THE MORE YOU LEARN, THE LESS YOU KNOW by Andy Jackson
From the pedestal, always poised to fall Dust off, trust cost cuts take it all Down the drain, round the bend in a fuddle Bruised and beaten and in need of a cuddle Spell checking out the witch, stitch in time On the line served straight up with a lime Hit the cooks books for a fresher look Let the knowledge marinade into every nook
Life sets the test, we have a go The more you learn, the less you know Since we exist, let’s try to grow The more you learn, the less you know It’s ups and downs, a wild show The more you learn, the less you know The more you learn, the less you know
Nurse the purse string theory nothings happening Waste resources reinforces this recycling No certainty on survival guaranteed Malnutrition breeds servants to the corporate greed
Life is the test, let’s have a go The more you learn, the less you know No one knows best, it’s afterglow The more you learn, the less you know Through ups and downs we live the show The more you learn, the less you know The more you learn, the less you know
Stacking A grades while the memory fades Got stats but the facts always misbehave Plot points got this map in a muddle So confused now I’m in need of a cuddle
We passed the test, we’re good to go The more you learn, the less you know Place the bets, go with the flow The more you learn, the less you know Get Joel and Mike, call Tom and Crow The more you riff , the less you groan Fight or flight, or toe to toe The more you learn, the less you know The more you learn, the less you know The more you learn, the less you know
...
Here is the YouTube version for ya.
Coming up next we have a special side quest we have accepted for the month of May, and I (Andy) am going to keep a bit of a blog diary going with it. Check in soon for an update on that front.
Cosmic Bos march onwards with the third episode in the Making of an Album series, this time discussing alternative music creating/writing techniques.
Welcome to Episode 3 of our Making of an Album series
For this episode, Nick and Andy (Cosmic Bos) take you through a selection of alternative writing techniques, discussing The Beatles contribution to the world of songwriting, in particular their later more experimental work, to the general explosion of alternative techniques of music creation that came about in the 1960's.
After that, Cosmic Bos turn their attention to their own writing techniques, breaking down the improvisation process, following the trajectory of 'Rainbow Appearing', a song improvised last year in the 3rd full improvisation session (Summadelica), through to it's development for live performance and preparing the song to be an album contender.
After improvisation comes improv-revisation, the basis of the first two seasons of Cosmic Bos Improv Music Podcast, where the music was improvised and then revised in the edit. The boys discuss this and play an example song 'Hold Me in Slow Motion'.
After Improv-revisation comes Improv Squared, Cosmic Bos's current alternative writing technique, essentially a mash up of improvisation and improv-revisation. Nick and Andy talk you through this with an example song 'Badder Decisions' from their Improv Squared album - Petit Champignon de Lumiere
To conclude the episode, Nick and Andy put together a brand new improv squared song called 'The More You Learn, The Less You Know', a video for which will be available in the another blog.
The Instrumental version of 'The More You Learn, The Less You Know' will be available on bandcamp for you to come up with you own vocals to if you so please.
If you wish to participate in future Improv Squared shenanigans please email us at cosmicbos@gmail.com
Please like, share, comment and subscribe
Peace and Infinite Love
Cosmic Bos
P.S - Here is the YouTube link to the episode, should you not like the above direct podcast link.
We had the privilege of doing The Premium Blend Radio Show on the 14th of April 2022, it was an absolute blast, we got to play 5 of our songs and talk at length about ourselves, while host Stuart Clack-Lewis expertly drove the show along with a bit of help from the lovely Pebbled.
Nick and I (Andy) are often more at home making music, well, at home, but it was great to take our sound out to the people. We will get out on the live music scene more in the near future, there really is nothing like it for musicians.
Stuart and Pebbles running the show
Nick and I (Andy) waffled on about ourselves and our music making process, and we played 5 live acoustic renditions of tracks from our back catalogue and two from our most recent album.
Stuart Clack-Lewis does a sterling job bringing fresh new indie music to the ears of the masses, and he has an eclectic list of awesome musical live guests lined up, and he podcasts the whole thing so you can listen when you want. What a great free musical deal it is, endorsed by Cosmic Bos for sure.
We also did an interview for Marc Schuster which was a lot of fun too, find that here
'Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See' came out as a single at the same time as 'Vaccine', but it took us a little while to put the video together, but we got it done, and proudly present to you right here.
Cosmic Bos presents 'Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See'
Music by Nick and Andy Jackson
Lyrics by Andy Jackson and Google Translate
So we had this song, where it is half in French and half in English, and it's pretty silly, but also educational in some sense, and as fans of the Euro experiment (please don't Boo!) and in particular the melting pot of ideas and life approaches that it welcomed, we wanted to make a video that honoured the fine culture and history of France, and more accurately, the unfair way that British people judge the French.
We approached a good friend, Dean, and asked him to translate the lyrics into sign language, which he did amazingly. So now what we have is a Eurotrash inspired music video with a 'find the baby' game, a language lesson and a sign language lesson, all rolled up into one musical joint.
How many Theo's could you find?
Answers on a postcard to Paris please
Thanks for all the support, please share our podcast with everyone you ever meet, it helps it really does. Do it for Theo, more people need to see this wonderful French baby stereotype we have forced to dance in our silly video.
YouTube playlist of all the wonderful Improv Squared Music Video's we've made this year.
Welcome to the blog that accompanies Cosmic Bos Improv Squared : Petite Champignon de Lumiere
The podcast with the most improvisation for your money, in their newest experiment, Cosmic Bos serve up an Inception level of improv, where it is mathematically stacked, layered up with extra instrumentation, and then presented in it's final song form for your very ears. It is improvisation, squared, hence its name.
For our first full helping of Improv Squared, we serve up 11 musical courses, ranging from the worldly starter, to the meaty main course, to the sweet desserts and back round again, in a strained metaphor that is bigger then the bowl it is trying to fill.
Here is the full tracklist:
Champignon, Lumiere (ft. Joe Philogene & the Cosmic Bos Family Choir)
Faded Memories (Lyrics by Dayne Howcroft)
Astral Underwear
Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See
Vaccine (ft. Chris Mace)
Back is Back (ft. Chris Mace)
Badder Decisions (ft. Joe Philogene)
Magic Fun Guy (ft. Donny Stax)
Ensemble Story
Talking Frog (ft. Joe Philogene & Ram Dass)
Forever Bruised (Lyrics by Dayne Howcroft)
This has been an absolute joy to work on, and the future for improv squaring looks very bright, with several artists already waiting in the wings to be part of the next Improv Squared album. Very excited to get moving on the next phase of this experiment, whilst we continue our 'Making of an Album' series of podcasts (and well, making an actual normal album). If you have a few spare pennies could you do us a favour and go buy the album on bandcamp? it would mean the world to us.
On band camp you can buy the album from this link here.
We have been working away on video content for Improv Squared for a while now, with the first single we put out 'Faded Memories' being a simple one shot of Nick and I (Andy) playing the first round of the improvisation (Guitars and Vocal), we subsequently added Bass and Synths and another cheeky Electric Guitar to the mix in improv rounds 2 and 3. The lyrics were written by Dayne Howcroft, with the rough chord structure having been constructed before starting. A pretty loose Improv Squared, but it's a banger.
'Ensemble Story' was the second first single (we released them all as double A sides) and that was purely just Nick and I (Andy still, haven't changed writer mid sentence) doing 3 rounds of improv. We had seen Elbow perform a few weeks prior, and this song certainly feels a bit Elbowish. The lyric is from my Book of Songs (B.o.S) and was melodically improvised on the spot.
'Astral Underwear' was the third song released with a video, which is similar to Ensemble Story, except this time with some crazy overlays more like the improvisation videos with Joe Philogene. This track was the first Improv Squared song we ever made (although it was followed on the same evening by Ensemble Story).
'Forever Bruised' was the fourth song, and another lyric by Dayne Howcroft. This song was kept acoustic and raw, to reflect the depth of the lyrics, and the video is another one shot of just Nick and Andy (that's me, just in case you were unsure who was writing this blog).
'Vaccine' was the fifth song, and this one required some extra special video treatment. We have had Green Screen facemasks sitting around ready for a music video for a couple of years now, when facemasks became the fashion to have, we figured it only made sense to get green screen versions. So we did, but didn't really know what to do with them, until now, and the song 'Vaccine', which features Chris Mace coming on an improv squared adventure with us, and the Cosmic Bos Family Choir appearing in the trippy video.
There is further video action to come from this record, with 'Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See' coming next weekend (with a Eurotrash inspired video I think you will like) and plans in place for a truly epic dance video for 'Back is Back'. So stick around, subscribe to our shenanigans where you can, and stay as amazing as you clearly are.So from Baby Theo and Uncle Andy, from the set of 'Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See', we say some things in French and probably eat some cheese.
Have a wonderful day
We love ya
Cosmic Bos
P.S - Here is the Youtube link if that is how you like your podcast
And here are all the video's that go along with Improv Squared
With the full album coming out very soon (1st April in fact), Cosmic Bos would like to turn your attention towards our latest single 'Vaccine'.
It is advised that you listen to the song at least twice to make sure you are fully Vaccinated, but for complete coverage it is advised you listen at least once a day.
This song has been released alongside a companion A side, 'Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See' which will be getting the video treatment too, we just haven't finished it yet (it has been filmed, just needs editing)
The music for Vaccine was made by doing layered improvisation, with our special guest Chris Mace joining the Bos bro's, meaning only two rounds were needed (although we may have done three rounds, I scares remember). The music was then matched up with a previously written poem by Andy Jackson called 'Vaccine'.
Here is the original full poem
VACCINE by Andy Jackson
The world is a scary and dangerous place
But based on the numbers, the human race
Is doing just peachy and spreading out quickly
You can tell coz the host body’s getting quite sickly
Could it be true, just like the flu
We are the virus, the variants too
Earth did some healing when we stared at the ceiling,
Imagine if earth gets the vaccine for you
Sure we are clever and built for adaption
But Gia’s been having an allergic reaction
She’s depleted and requires serious attention
It’s unmediated, A Greta intervention
We are the virus, earth is the host
She’s having a stroke, can you smell burning toast?
We’ve got to act fast, we risk getting the ghost
If toxic shock sets in we’ve an hour at most
Harmonious living tween host and microbes
The employees are wearing the emperor’s clothes
Earthquake, tsunamis, volcanos and fires
Are vaccines for us, the deadliest virus
Heart disease, cancer, common colds and flu
Are all types of vaccine, if the virus is you
So bigger picture, it isn’t all gloom
Let’s change our behaviour, there’s still wiggle room
Old ways of thinking should remain in the tomb
Stop staring at Lara with a hundred times zoom
We are just moments on a timeline of plenty
We enter with nothing and pretend we aren’t empty
But once we’re fulfilled any more is just greedy
The overspill should be providing the needy
And anything we take we give in return
Earth owe us nothing, we need to learn
Ignorance is letting half of the world burn
Self fulfilling vaccine as the tables turn
...
Few more words there then in the song, but there was no way to fit the whole poem in so it got a little butchered to fit the music.
Coming of the 1st April is the full album Cosmic Bos Improv Squared: Petite Champignon de Lumiere
11 tracks, all in some way crafted using our new music making technique, Improv Squared. Including the singled 'Faded Memories', 'Ensemble Story', 'Astral Underwear', 'Forever Bruised', 'Vaccine' and 'Sir, France is 'cross the Sea, See'.
As previously mentioned, there is another video to come for this album, and then potentially another one after that for the song 'Back is Back'. More on that to follow.
The album will also be getting a bandcamp release to hopefully get us some much needed revenue.
Thanks for being awesome
Please leave us a comment, or share this with your friends
Peace and infinite love
Cosmic Bos
P.S - Here's the YouTube version for anyone who prefers their music videos served up in that particular fashion, or if the podcast one above doesn't work.
