About

In November 2009 I didn’t have any money or work, so I decided to try to write a song every day over Advent. It was the height of the militant atheist period in Western culture, and I was attracted by some aspects of it, so I called it Atheist Advent. I soon learned that the tension between two opposing concepts can be a source of creativity. I found out I could write songs much more quickly than one over three years, which is about what I had managed before.

This was the first song.

The songs grew into the band REASON BREEDS MONSTERS, which took everything much further than I had ever dreamed or imagine. We closed down in 2014, but reformed in 2018, after a long sleep during which Gin and John went to Indonesia, by bike, because they understand what humanity is doing to the biosphere, Katie also had wonderful adventures, and other band members did things which, if not equally interesting as those three, then at least pretty interesting all the same.

Here’s the last song RBM recorded.

This year I am trying to write songs again. I have no idea whether I will manage it this time.

7 Responses to About

  1. I just wanted to comment briefly that I’m enjoying listening to 2009’s songs in preparation for this year’s (they’re much better presents than those cardboard Advent calendars I used to get at school). Thanks for linking to the Scattering, as well–I hope you don’t mind if I spotlight Atheist Advent on my blog for the holiday season too!

    Best wishes,
    Isabela

    • admin says:

      Thanks! But listen – consider if that cardboard school Advent calendar also had a nasty, nasty stale chocolate behind each window … could these songs still compare?

      I don’t think so.

  2. Saw you in the street earlier outside the One Stop Shop. After we stopped, I said I’d have a gander at your stuff. I particularly like Jabbering Away In Their Own Language and Christmas Postal. Looking forward to seeing what the rest of the month will hold… It’s a shame I won’t make your show tomorrow. If I wasn’t doing a gig of my own I’d definitely be there.

    Look at what I do in my band!: http://www.skyrocketjack.co.uk

    • Ben says:

      Sky Rocket Jack has a lovely sound and a lovely website; and the images of C90s are bringing a tear to my eye. ‘Argos’ is a beautiful name. Why did they name it after Antiquity?

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