Mishkin Fitzgerald posts
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October update 🌙 two weeks in
Hello Humans,Just a quick update from me today.I’m now two weeks into my HRT treatment, and honestly, October already feels so much kinder than September did. I'm feeling a lot more like myself and, combined with therapy, it's all going well so far.I want to thank you all so much for your beautiful comments and support on my last post. Reading your messages made me feel very seen, and very supported!My last month’s Photobox is here. It's a little collage of moments from the past few weeks:🫒 my trip to Crete (including the leg...
BITCHHOUSE party tonight! (pyjamas optional)
Hello Humans,The doors to the BITCHHOUSE are finally open, and you’re all invited!Our debut album as the electronic witchcore duo HVIRESS is finally out in the world.A sinister, sulphur-hot celebration of magick, rebellion and divine feminine fire.To celebrate, tonight we’re throwing a Listening Party, live on Bandcamp.You are all welcome to join us, with or without your pyjamas! Hana and myself (and some of the HVIRESS crew) will be there, and we would love it if you could come along too...We’ll be playing the album in full, chatting abo...
Adjusting and becoming... an honest update
TW - mental health, hormones, medication, bi-polarHello Humans,I just wanted to give you an update. I’ve been on a bit of a rollercoaster lately.The video above explains more, but I’ll also do my best to put it into words here for those of you who prefer my words over my waffles. ;)I’ve just started HRT, and as anyone who’s been through that journey will know, the first few months can be tricky.I’ve been experiencing some emotional turbulence and have had to step back a few times just to find my balance. I’m also about to begin ADHD...
Music & Magick - creating your own audio sigil
Hello Humans,The final "thing" for September is a video demo in musical magick - how to make your own audio sigil.This is something I've used many times when I'm stuck on a song, want to put something intentional into my music, or I'm just bored and looking for inspiration.If you’ve ever wondered how a symbol of intent might translate into sound, I walk you through the whole thing, using a witches’ circle, some old sheet music, a ruler, a pencil, and a piano.I love this method because it’s a little random and strange, ...
God of Neither (a new song)
Hello Humans,[Trigger Warning - holocaust, death, grief, religion, genocide, war]This month as promised I’m sharing a brand-new song called God of Neither.It’s a demo mix at the moment, that I’ve done myself, just for Patreon ears, while the full EP dedicated to my grandma, Marcelle, slowly takes shape. Garry will give it a proper polish later, but I wanted you to hear it first as it is.It was recorded on her 130 year old Blüthner piano, so you can hear some creaks and squeaks. All part of the charm of an antique piano.The song grew out ...
An Invitation - in the studio with Crimson Veil
Hello Humans,This month’s video blog (edited by the ever-brilliant Matas) is a real glimpse into my happy place. We’re deep in the studio process, out in Kettering, recording parts for the new Crimson Veil album EUDAIMONIA.So far we’ve laid down all the drums, most of the guitar and bass, and some of the vocals. The foundations of every song are in place, and I’ve never been prouder of this project. The album is beautiful and challenging, and is easily the best thing I have ever worked on. I can't wait to share it with you.Hana is w...
A huge step… (and some wild 🍄👹 surprises)
Hello Humans,Thank you for voting on my blog last week! The decision was loud and clear - this month's main offering will be a new song called "God of Neither", which is based on the last conversations I had with my grandma (Marcelle) before she passed. So far I've recorded the pianos and done my first scribbles of the lyrics:Most of these are nonsensical ramblings but that's how I write, the more that comes out of my head and up on the page, the easier it is for me to form full, poetic sentences and tweak it til it's do...
This month - up for a vote?
Hello humans,This month is going to be a crazy one for me (see video above), so I've decided rather than overstretch my already overflowing brain, I'm opening up the rewards to a vote.You’ve got two choices:Option 1: A brand new song, called God of Neither, played on my 120-year-old Blüthner piano (the one that belonged to my grandma). The piece itself is inspired by her and our many conversations together in her final years.Option 2: A mystery cover! I’m leaving the suggestion box open. You throw the ideas at me in the comments, I...
Tritones – Tension in Music
Hello Humans,I just did an 11-minute talk on the Tritone – the interval supposedly once banned by the church (diabolus in musica) and later embraced by metal bands everywhere, myself included. It’s part lesson, part songwriting tips, and part me geeking out about where it shows up in my favourite songs (and a few of my own).I kept it pretty light as music theory can get a bit intense... but do let me know if you want moarrrrr.If you’re into dissonance, or just a bit nerdy, then this is for you. (TwoHaiku I believe you requested this, so l...
Stage Invaders and Rider Goblins (Touring with Combichrist pt.2)
Hello Humans,It's time we finally release Part Two of Touring With Combichrist!This chapter covers the full UK leg of the tour. 14 shows in a row, no breaks. By the end of it we’d become expert snack pests or "rider-goblins", living off whatever we could scavenge (mostly crisps), slowly losing our minds to the endless diet of pizza and chips. I still can't really look at dough without my stomach doing a little flip.There is also a hilarious moment where we have to sew Anna's costume in a rather... awkward area... 😆Despi...
Dear Daniel Ek (A Love Song for Spotify) 😉
Hello Humans,I’ve just recorded a new little number for you called Dear Daniel Ek (The Spotify Song)It is a comedy song. If by comedy song you mean “singing about the Spotify boss who made his billions off musicians, then decided to invest in an AI arms company that builds drones and drops bombs.” haha. Well... sometimes I have to laugh or I will just cry.To be honest I sort of feel like the only power I have in this situation is to write a song, so that's what I've done.The first video/song playthrough is up here , so you get the...
Last of the summer treats
Hello Humans,I'm writing from The Parlour Studios in Kettering, where Crimson Veil are laying down drums (done!) and guitars (doing it now) for our new album EUDAIMONIA.I just wanted to give you a quick update about what's to come this month on Patreon.Here we go...Part two of the Combichrist Tour Vlog - things get spicy as we descend into the second half of the tour, find out what happens! If you missed Part One, it's available here.a new song "Dear Daniel Ek" - a song for Spotify I wrote in the pandemic, that is somehow ev...
How Mishkin met Garry - A Patreon Exclusive
Hello Humans,As promised, the final "thing" this month is an informal chat between myself and long-time musical partner Garry.In this interview we discuss how we met, how we grew together and how we manage to continue to create music together nearly 20 years later.It's not very structured - we did write up a lovely script to follow and then it somehow got deleted (arg) so we just decided to freestyle it.I hope you enjoy our ramblings... the talk comes in at just under 30 mins so do feel free to grab a cuppa or do the dishes and just...
Touring with Combichrist - Part One
Hello Humans,Happy Monday. Hope the start of your week is going ok?You've been waiting a while for this one and it's finally here... a beautifully put together tour video-diary of our tour with Combichrist - Part One.Thank you to Matas for editing this so well, I know it was a task-and-a-half.Watching this gave me some lovely memories, I don't think I'll ever get over what a wonderful experience this was. I'm sure it's not the last time Crimson Veil will cross paths with the likes of CC, Extize and Esoterik...Hope you en...
I Don't Love You (MCR Vocal Cover)
Hello Humans,As promised, I have here a vocal cover of I Don’t Love You by the world's best loved emo band My Chemical Romance.I chose the song because it has a strange personal history for me. Back when Garry and I were navigating a rather emotional chapter (falling in and out of love over several years and eventually ending up together) The Black Parade ended up as part of our soundtrack. Perhaps you can hear this album's influence on some of my solo songs? I would say it has definite Seraphim vibes, and don't judge me! This son...
Nudity, News & New Patreon Perks
Hello Humans,I hope your summer is going splendidly and that you’re enjoying the hot weather—most importantly, I hope you’re happy and well.I’ve been back on the road again, and I wanted to update you on all my news... so grab a cuppa and read on.🔥 Fetish and Fiery Pants 🔥Crimson Veil just returned from playing Burning Pants in Germany—a “sex-positive” fetish rock festival.Here we are backstage before the show, grinning like fools, completely unaware of the number of penises we’re about to behold. Yikes.Between the nudity,...
Pretty Little Knife (first playthrough)
*TW - self-harm, addiction, mental illness. (lyrics at end of post)Hello humans,It’s the end of yet another month, and today I have something special for you.A brand new song.This on is straight from the guts, and it’s called “Pretty Little Knife,”.Here is Garry and myself playing it through for the first time, on acoustic guitar, and raw vocals.This is nothing polished., it's just the bones.It's quite a poppy, catchy number but the lyrics are pretty heavy.I wrote it as a letter to the part of myself that used to seek escape thr...
Combichrist Tour - the photos!
Hello Humans,I've been back just under a week now.Gradually catching up on sleep... work... life. It's all quite overwhelming but today I finally felt like my to-do list was under control.It's a nice feeling.Here's a quick video message from me (and George) to let you know what's coming next... for now I shall leave you with my top pics from the Combichrist tour...Doing a "tour therapy session" with Garry, backstage in Dublin.Me holding "the precious" - our carnet and waiting for the Belgium authorities to ap...
Home.
Hello Humans,I finally arrived home. After 7 weeks away, 34 shows, multiple ferry trips and miles of road... I am HOME.This is just a quick update to say "hey", and now I'm retreating to the bed for a couple of days to rest and recover.It hasn't quite hit me how incredible the tour was. I can't wait to tell you all about the adventure.For now here is a full photograph of the entire family, band and crew members who I shared the experience with. I will never forget this. I can't thank you enough for supporting me while I ...
Enter pianos...
Hello Humans,I'm in Hamburg. Catching a tiny moment of space before we get back in the tour bus and continue on to the final part of the tour with Combichrist.Everything feels completely surreal right now and I'm feeling quite spun out the on the tour rollercoaster.When I get back next week I'll be able to debrief with you and probably I'll do a big video blog with all my adventures... or perhaps we could have a zoom hangout and I can recount my tales?But I imagine I'll need a big rest when I get back so please bear with me ...
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again – A Cover From the Road
Hello Humans,I’ve just found a quiet moment in Limerick, looking out over the River Shannon while our soundcheck run late. It’s rare to get space to pause, but I wanted to share something with you while I can.Before we begun this epic tour, I recorded a cover of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from The Phantom of the Opera. It’s one of my favourites—aching with grief, and a song that hit me hard as a child, learning to play it on piano and discovering this musical for the first time.When I recorded it, I was running on pre-tour fume...
Going on tour with Combichrist - part 1
Hello Humans,This vlog is all about the run up to the tour, and the monumental amount of preparation it takes! You'll get to see behind-the-scenes and me flapping about trying to get everything done.As for now - all is well from the road, and we're settling nicely into tour life. Today we reached the UK and now have a run of 11 shows straight, wow.COMBICHRIST and the other bands are absolutely lovely so we've really lucked out in terms of crew, and making lots of new friends.It's exhausting, but exhilarating. As to be expected!I...
Wicked Little Town in Romania
Hello Humans,I’m writing this blog backstage at "Form Space" in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.Somewhere between soundcheck, makeup and the merchandise I've found a moment of quiet to share something with you all.Touring with Combichrist is incredible and surreal in equal measure, but of course, a tour of this size and length can be all-consuming, and it's difficult to get even one minute to yourself at times.It's important for me to unplug and today feels like the right time to release my cover of Wicked Little Town, from one of my...
Greetings from Milan
Hello Humans,It occurred to me that May is well underway and so is the tour with COMBICHRIST 🤘🏻Things are going well so far.There have of course been some lows (a cracked snare in a disorganised load out) and some highs (seeing a new fan mouth along the words to Shift in Geneva).My physical health is good - running, yoga, breathwork, supplements and plenty of water. I struggle to sleep in the bunk of the night liner - it’s a little bit like crawling into a coffin that is constantly being bumped down a flight of steps 😳 but it’s def...
Welcome to...
...THE BITCHHOUSE.Hello Humans,It's here. The title track from our upcoming album BITCHHOUSE."BITCHHOUSE rules - it's a safe space for you to hang with your favourite people, away from the male gaze and any other judgements from society. In the BH you can be lazy, wear what you want, eat what you want, lounge around and essentially just act how you feel." - Hana & Mishkin, HVIRESS.And good news - after a few meetings with Give/Take records, we now have a release schedule for the whole album.Here are some dates for your diaries:A...
Hana Piranha's Northern Crimewave
Hello Humans,I am writing to you from a window seat... in a train carriage... in Belgium, on my way back from Diest. Last night we played a biker venue called "Hell".As you can imagine, they were somewhat confused when we performed over an hour of progressive metal (including a 12 minute long song called Task), but we think they liked it! 😂We're now two shows into the Crimson Veil tour, and in a few days we join the band COMBICHRIST, and I cannot wait!Everyone is well and happy - apart from Garry who had major tooth surgery right...
The Angel of The North - March Photobox
Hello Humans,I have a monster photobox for you this month. March was busy!This selection features the full Hana Piranha tour, some beautiful outdoors shots, and my trip to Whitby (which is absolutely stunning).DOWNLOAD/VIEW PHOTOBOXPlease enjoy the snaps and I'll be back soon with... a new HVIRESS song, a vlog and a top secret piano recording.I am currently in full flow preparing for the 7 week Crimson Veil tour, which kicks off 26th April in Belgium... We're opening for Combichrist (fuck yeah!) on most of the shows, for full dates have...
Song Breakdown: Present Company
Hello Humans,This month's music lesson is a short but sweet re-visit into one of my much older tracks—Present Company. Some of you who've been here a while might remember it from way back when it was first released in 2012 alongside the beautiful slow-mo, boxing-match music video where I get punched in the face for real. Ouch. I thought it would be fun to revisit the song to give you a proper musical breakdown: chords, structure, melody.🎵 THE STORYPresent Companywas the first "solo" song I ever published, being at a time wh...
Piranhas on tour... money... and more
Hello Humans,I'm having a fabulous time in the middle of the Hana Piranha tour - you might have seen some beautiful pictures popping up on social media. If you haven't then here are a few of my favourites... (photos by Jeremy Sayle) We're halfway through the tour now and on our way to Newcastle. It's been incredible to play bass and pianos every night and bond again with the Piranhas.Here's the mid-tour photo with bands Palindrones(Electronic Synth-Pop) & Flesh Tetris(High Energy Freak-Punk)---JAN/FEB PHOTOBOXFor some more p...
Gwasanaethau! And other things I have learned.
Hello Humans,Got another doozy of a vlog for your eyes and ears...This one includes highlights from last month's tour with The Velveteen Orkestra (or mostly Dan), where we adventured up-and-down the country sampling the very best of service station snacks.It also includes some behind-the-scenes from the epic new Hana Piranhavideo for Elixir of Life, if you haven't seen it yet please do go give it some love here.As always, incredible editing skills from Matas - you will enjoy the Lord of the Rings / Dan Shears mash-up especially 😂😂...
