The Deceptionist:
The Deceptionist is the alter ego of Butch Birds guitarist and former 160dB front-man Alex. Initially spawned in the summer of 2005 as an outlet for his increasingly computer-based music, the term "deceptionism" literally refers [among many other interpretations] to the process of joining together diverse tunes in interesting and unexpected ways.
Even since those early days The Deceptionist's name was synonymous with eclecticism, having become proficient in a variety of musical forms from synth sequencing and EDM production to Blues and Psychedelic Rock.
By the end of 2006 he had picked his guitar back up and was drifting back toward a more instrument-oriented sound; as a result he revived fledgling indie label GLR UK from the days of 160dB and 12 Bearded Germans and in January 2007 his first Deceptionist record, The Candle Burns EP became its first release in almost two years.
Between January and March of that year the GLR site was developed from its basic one-page form and the word was put about. In the six years hence, The Deceptionist has sought out new artistes and groups and gradually developed it into the site it is today: a close-knit community offering over 40 hours of free music from over a dozen different acts from all over the globe.
In the summer of 2007, following an inventive personal ad placed on (now defunct) bristolrock.co.uk,
The Deceptionist met up with Mike (formerly of Mikie and the Wondertrogs)
for the first of many jam sessions which would see them evolve from Fumblin' Wilderbeest through Dmitri and the Sleepless Jerkoffs
and finally into The Butch Birds, playing a twisted combination of psychedelic blues and garage rock.
That December he began his involvement in NIR's Sgt Pepper Project, a botched experiment in online musical collaboration, loosely based on the 'Paul is Dead'
concept / mythos.
Immediately following the online release in May of 2008, he began work on his first Deceptionist solo LP [now known as Ukiyo - Zen] and has been working on it off and on for the past four years - when it will be released is anyone's guess...