Darren Francis

news update

2011-12-30T15:54:00.001Z

I've decided to put the podcast on hold for the time being, the simple reason being that with all my other projects I simply don't have the time to update it - the lack of updates in quite a while here no doubt testifies to that fact.

I'm currently mixing the third album by my band Logos, as well as working on a number of writing projects including a novel, a second collection of shorter pieces, and a second spoken word album.

I'll also be providing much better quality versions of the podcast tracks at my bandcamp page here (the tracks on there at the moment are the standard podcast versions you'll already have heard).

For news and updates on what else I'm up to, check my website at www.darrenfrancis.co.uk

For news and updates on Logos, go to www.logosnexus.com

Podcast # 5: God Thing

2011-02-18T00:39:00.001Z

My apologies for the very long delay in getting this latest podcast up. As some of you will know, I've been very busy with my band Logos - you can find out more about that, and download our first album, at http://logosnexus.bandcamp.com

I've also finished and released my God Thing spoken word album, and you can listen to the album in its entirety - and download it - at http://darrenfrancis.bandcamp.com

This podcast previews the God Thing material.

Download the podcast at http://darrenfrancis.bandcamp.com/track/podcast-5-god-thing.

You can also now download all my previous podcasts at http://darrenfrancis.bandcamp.com/album/darren-francis-podcasts

Update

2010-06-30T19:19:00.000+01:00

Just a brief post by way of an update. I've been very busy with writing projects and finalising the mixing of God Thing, not to mention with my band Logos (for more information about that and to hear tracks, go either to the Logos myspace page or the Logos blog), hence the next podcast is a lot later in coming than I'd have hoped. I hope to have it up here before too long though.

Podcast # 4: Binary

2010-04-20T21:33:00.004+01:00

My apologies for the fact that this one is much later than I'd hoped. I had intended to have it out earlier in the month but my laptop died and I've had all manner of technical frustrations getting my recording equipment to work properly with my new one.

Today's story is called Binary.

This story was written in August 1997, first published in the anthology em three in July 2001, and later published in my book Spell in February 2008. At the time of composition Clinton was US president, and the passing of comet Hale-Bopp, the Heaven's Gate suicides and an air of pre-millenial angst were the order of the day. These comments may perhaps help some of the story's lines make more sense to contemporary readers. Perhaps.

This is the first podcast I've done with music. If you want a version of just the track Binary itself, without all my blather at the start, you can download it at my ReverbNation page at http://www.reverbnation.com/darrenfrancis You can hear other tracks by me there, too.

Link to file: http://darrenfrancis.brinkster.net/podcast4binary.mp3

You can also hear it at my myspace audio page: www.myspace.com/logosdarrenfrancisaudio

Note that the latter version only features the track Binary itself and not my spoken intro.

For those of you who enjoyed my crop circle story last time round, I'm doing a lecture on the history and folklore of crop circles and crop circle making in London at the end of this month. Here's the info if you want to attend:

Darren Francis - Crop Circles: Magic, Myths & Makers

An illustrated talk for London Earth Mysteries Circle, Tuesday 27th April 2010

Since they first caught our attention 30 years ago, the debate on crop circles has raged; otherworldly communication, or trickster? Tonight's speaker has seen the subject from both sides of the fence, and presents for your entertainment a history of crop circles, an analysis of the research which some maintain proves that crop circles cannot be of human origin, and an insight into the theory and practice of their (alleged) making. Illustrated with slides.

7.15pm start. £4.50/£4.00 concessions/£3.50 members.

Venue: The Theosophical Society, 50 Gloucester Place, W1U 8EA. Nearest Tube is Baker Street.

Website for further information: http://www.londonearth.com

The Owls Are Not What They Seem

2010-03-28T03:06:00.005+01:00

Ahh! It suddenly feels like Spring!

I've finished recording God Thing. Subject to some mix-tweaking, and finalising of artwork, it'll be available to listen to online (and as mp3 download and CD) shortly.

This evening I've been recording my next podcast, a 'with music' version of the story Binary from my book Spell. It'll be up here when it's ready; shouldn't be too long.

Podcast # 3: Circulating

2010-02-28T00:20:00.003Z

My third podcast features the story Circulating, which is taken from my book Spell.

This is perhaps one of my most-read stories. It was originally published on Pulp, in January 2006, under the title Circles. After its appearance in Spell, it was published in issue 4 of Fissure magazine in October 2008. Thanks also to my friend 'peaceful', for posting a link to the Pulp version on a crop circle internet forum, which no doubt attracted a fair number of readers who would otherwise not have encountered my work.

Link to download: http://darrenfrancis.brinkster.net/podcast3circulating.mp3

Don't forget you can now subscribe to my podcast directly using iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/darren-francis-podcast/id357427902

Crop circle photograph courtesy of Peter Sorensen.

Subscribing to my Podcast via iTunes

2010-02-22T14:20:00.001Z

You can now subscribe directly to my podcast in iTunes by clicking this link:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/darren-francis-podcast/id357427902

Though be sure to keep an eye on this blogspot page too as obviously any non-podcast related news posts and updates here won't be downloadable from iTunes.

My new podcast will be available in the next day or so.

God Thing

2010-02-19T00:05:00.004Z

A few years back I wrote a piece called God Thing, which was specifically crafted to be recorded as a spoken word-with music project by myself and a friend. The collaboration never happened for various reasons, but recently - following my house move and renewed enthusiasm for writing and creativity after a fairly dark period in my life - I've decided to record it all myself.

There are eight tracks altogether:

1. W9GFO
2. Black Olives
3. Fissure King
4. God, Love, Money And Other Snares
5. Will I Dream
6. Scarecrow
7. The Hills Are Alive
8. Hollowed Be Thy Meme

You can hear demo versions of some of these tracks on my myspace music page. At some point in the near future I'll be making much more polished versions of all the tracks available for download (and - possibly - on CD).

The original text of God Thing was published in my book Spell. You can read a version of Black Olives on my main myspace page. You can buy a copy of Spell here.

Podcast 2: White Swan, Aylesbury, Bucks, 19th September 2009

2010-01-04T23:04:00.009Z

For my first podcast in a while I wanted to do something a little different.

The text on this track was taken word for word from my notebook, and written at the date and venue indicated in the title. You can see the actual notebook pages I was reading from below (yes, I omitted the last page; the text didn't seem to fit for these purposes). Characters and themes from the novel I am currently writing - as well as my usual manias, the ten thousand things - slide in and out.

This track was recorded on the evening of 4th January 2010. The backing music is Heather's Lament by Samatha Dean, from the album Broken Notes (which you can download for free here).

You can listen to it at my myspace audio page here. Download version will be available shortly.

Notebook pages follow. You'll need to click on the images to view the full pages.

New Tracks

2010-01-02T13:55:00.004Z

My apologies for the long delay in updating this page; life got in the way. Separation, divorce, moving home, and general madness have all taken their toll. I have been writing a great deal, though, and recording new tracks. I'll be posting a new podcast here very shortly, but in the meantime you can hear demos of a couple of the new tracks (with music) that I've done recently at my myspace audio page - myspace.com/logosdarrenfrancisaudio

Podcast #1: Red Room

2009-07-09T18:54:00.007+01:00

My first podcast, featuring the story Red Room which appeared in my book Spell. To download and listen to it, right-click and save HERE.

128kpbs. Duration: 10 min 28 sec. File size: 9.6 mb.

If you want to have a listen before (or instead of) downloading, I'll be posting all my podcasts on my myspace audio page (where you'll also be able to hear other pieces by me), though bear in mind that as and when I add new things there I'll be taking off the older pieces so it may not stay up there long.

Website: www.darrenfrancis.co.uk

Myspace: www.myspace.com/darrenfrancis

Myspace audio page: www.myspace.com/logosdarrenfraudio

Addendum, January 2010: The audio quality of this track is really crappy; before too long I'll re-record it.