MILK: COMPROMISED

"The latest version of the song 'Reel to Real' by The Mekano Set contains a sample of the original song 'Reel to Real', performed by The Mekano Set."

Continuing in their pursuit of all things obtuse, Mekano Set members Beth and Milk have begun collaborating on material for their pop duo incarnation of The Mekano Set.

As if that isn't puzzling enough, The Mekano Set material consists of cover-versions of Mekano Set songs such as Reel to Real, CrockTrack, UnReel, and others, I dunno, I mean, I don't get paid to tell you this stuff. Jesus... Anyway, a spokesperson for the band suggested:

"You know how it is with bands, they split up, fall-out, fight over the name, royalties, musical direction etc. This way they cut to the chase - do all the ridiculous stuff with a sense of irony - that way you don't make the mistake of doing it for real. Does that make sense?"

So yeah, acting under the guidance of musical / conceptual advisor The Hilt, the dynamic duo are utilizing material assembled from Mekset jams as the basis for a "contrived, concise, restrictive and restricting set-list".

As Nigel claims, "well I mean it's pretty simple... erm... they're masquerading as a pop act, prostituting themselves in order to feed the real Mekano Set's more sinistrial activities. Apparently..."

To further complicate matters, Nigel and Lewis will apparently be brought, or bought, in as part of the live band for this corporate party scumfest.

"We're still very much a four-piece." Insists The Shore, "although at the next gig we'll be a quintet... erm..."

In other news, The Shore's debut CD will be entitled 'The Shore'... and will, unsurprisingly, feature a nautical theme.

Nigel is rumoured to be collaborating with neo New Vague composer John Table. But you just don't know do you?

All four members of group have recently made trips to their home-towns, seemingly in preparation for these forthcoming enterprises.


PERSONAL DISASTERS

In a fit of pique, Milk "accidentally bought the wrights to Beth's solo album", adding a clause in the contract which now means that while the album {working title 'Working Title'} is still in production, Beth is legally bound NOT to appear on the album. Milk has since apologized to all involved, although no attempt has been made to resolve the contract.

In other news, Thursday 20th May saw the band locked away in an underground recording studio somewhere in East Sussex, where they recorded a set of experimental pieces utilizing analogue synths, Casio keyboard beats, and acoustic guitars. The material will be presented in an unedited form as soon as the group can find the right leads to transfer the recordings {the band played live to an antique Reel to Reel Revox tape recorder} to a digital format.


WORK AND PLAY

Beth is currently in Switzerland seeking inspiration for finishing touches for the album. Nigel has left his day-job in order to devote himself fully to the day-to-day logistics. Milk has just finished mixing tracks for the Reel to Real ep. Plans are afoot for a gig / party in August to celebrate the launch of the band's first hard-copy offerings, as well as the launch of The Nervous System.


ALL CHARGES DROPPED

East Sussex Police have finally called off the search for missing Mekano Set member Lewis.

Brighton Police were notified of the disappearance of the troubled aesthete by fellow band member and notorious control-freak Milk McKenzie, who discovered Lewis's empty, unlocked flat over the weekend of 7th May 2004.

"I was supposed to collect him for some overdubs and he was a day late. His flat looked like it had been trashed. I wouldn't care, but it's me that's paying for the fucking studio time. I just thought, man, if he's got himself killed that is just so unprofessional!"

Mekano Set members Beth and Nigel were called in for questioning following eye-witness accounts of them "burying what looked like a fucking body, man" beneath Brighton pier.


FOOTING THE BILL

Scholtz Vitrine main-man Steve Hood made an impromptu trip to Brighton on Monday, following a confrontation between Beth, Milk and a music journalist at Brighton's prestigious Regency Hotel on sunday.

Steve, a Doctor of Acoustics and founder of the mysterious Scholtz Vitrine Group, settled a bill for over £3,000 in damages to hotel property destroyed by normally laid-back vocalist Beth during an interview.

"The bloke from ****** Magazine accused her of being English. She didn't like that."

The interview will not be published by the magazine in question, although Milk's recording of events may become available in the GOODIES section of this site.


The Mexicano Set

Last summer the group appeared as 'The Mexicano Set' at a Mexican restaurant in central London, where they performed ambient Salsa versions of material from their forthcoming remix album 'Please Read the Instructions.'


The Mekano Sect

In April 2004 the group turned up the mixing desk to 11, wore leathers, long black wigs and dark eye makeup, passing themselves off as death metal band 'The Mekano Sect', appearing at a certain thrash-metal venue in central London.


NIGEL AND LEWIS PLAN ALCOHOLIC SIDE-PROJECT

Performing as part of the Scholtz Vitrine Brighton Fringe events in an abandoned beach-front lockup, The Mekano Set played 'school desks' as accompaniment to Milk's improvised ranting on theme of 'escaping the confines of the flesh'.


BETH AND LEWIS PLAN 'ACOUSTIC-INDUSTRIAL' ALBUM

At a recent gig at Brighton's Hobgoblin, Beth and Lewis sat in the audience making notes for the forthcoming DVD documentary 'The Making of The Mekano Set', while Milk performed a series of post-industrial torch songs, accompanied by Nigel on spanish guitar.


NIGEL AND MILK TOUR EUROPE WITH 'SUITCASE SOUND-SYSTEM' DOG SANDWICH

In a recent 'secret gig' in Manchester, the audience were treated to coffee and cakes while the band took it in turns to read extracts from one another's private journals, accompanying themselves on tabla drums, ukulele and a borrowed harmonium. The gig also featured a 'special guest appearance' by musicologist Dr. Jo Stapleton on cello, loud hailer and accordion.


NIGEL THREATENS TO 'SHAVE HEAD'! WHO'S HEAD?

In an effort to avoid the stalker he acquired during his first six months of Brighton life, Milk has employed a Milk tribute act to take care of his day-to-day obligations. However, the trouble-making muso has assured SchVtrn Group that he will not be using the impersonator for live performances: "cause we'd have to pay him."


BETH AND MILK TO 'DO A CURVE'


News compiled by Rollo Kim, S.V. Hood, and U Brünn, with the full cooperation of The Mekano Set [apart from that control-freak Milk and his 'PA' Miss Plums. who are about as cooperative as the plank of wood in the film The Plank].

See also: News, MP3's, and CD's.