Part of my multi-movement epic which I've been dabbling in and out of for a while. Next time I post anything from this song it'll be part i, all of part ii, and maybe even part iii, put together in what will be its proper almost through-composed form. I don't think it'll stop at part iii though, I'm going to metaphorically go for the whole side of the record...

Interstellar Experience - Sample

One of the four keyboard-orientated covers I'm working on. Hope to have this one finished soon. 

The Dream of The Dolphin - Sample

A lone man walks across the beach in the dark not long after midnight. In his mind are memories and thoughts, through which the man sifts, salvaging whatever meanings and conclusions he can. As he gazes up, he spots a brilliant full moon, shining from a purple and black sky. Hypnotised by the crystalline glows of moonlight, he decides to continue his walk down the dark beach, in the direction of the moon, while reaching out for memories of events he will never experience again.

The new version. The early version doesn't sound that good at all, and rather than fix it (which I couldn't do anyway since I've lost the original master tracks) I decided to re-record the whole thing. 

But anyway, this is one of the first tracks recorded for a concept album I have in mind, hence the story above. 'Spring Song' is another, and hopefully I can get that properly recorded soon too!


Moon Chaser '15

My dad's cover of Pink Floyd's 'If', from the album 'Atom Heart Mother' (1970). 

Brian Millar - If

Here's my cover of part of a score from a nasty ol' slasher film from '81 that I'm too much of a shitebag to watch. I love those old heavily-synthesised scores from those films back then - John Carpenter anyone? - and when I found Rick Wakeman's pretty amazing score for 'The Burning' I just had to cover it. The original music is creepy as hell and the synth sounds are amazing. I wish he did more horror films, he seemed to be pretty good at it.

It took me a few months since I had to learn the whole thing (with all those weird background harmonies) by ear, and then program all those old analog synth sounds by ear too, then arrange the whole thing, but I think it sounds not bad now compared to the original - it's sonically similar in a lot of ways, but mines seems to have a different feel... more dreamy than creepy. But yeah, not bad considering everything's by ear. Once I've got my piano sweeping chops up there's another bit from the score I'm gonna do (hence the "ii") but right now I'll focus on other stuff.

I had to mess around with the intro for... reasons. Anyone who's had trouble with covers on Soundcloud will know what I mean by "reasons". 

Cropsy - ii) Closing Theme

An independent version of my piano intermezzo from the upcoming Medusa suite. This version and the version that'll be on Medusa is cut down, I'm going to do a solo piano recording of the full thing at some point.

It's only a wee piece but probably one of the best things I've recorded. 

Intermezzo (From the Medusa Suite)

Just mucking about with my acoustic, testing out some mixing stuff. Thought it was a no bad wee thing so I've posted it. 

Improvisations #1

Possibly the first of a series? Occasionally I get wee ideas for RetroWave tracks but I don't feel (at least not yet) like fleshing them out into full tracks. Ideas like this. So maybe I'll occasionally post mini-tracks like this.

There was meant to be a big 80s guitar solo in it but my computer's being a Berkeley Hunt and isn't letting me record guitars at the moment, so I took the best bit and done it on the keys instead. 

All synth sounds are from my 1988 Roland D-50. Artwork by Anton Skeor.

Retro Thoughts #1

Some improvisations from a boring Monday afternoon. 

Improvisations #2

i) Cropsy's Revenge
ii) Home Invasion
iii) Stalker Theme
iv) Remains
v) The End?

Some themed OST-style bits and pieces that I recorded (most of) in the space of about 45 minutes, all done on the Roland D-50 with minimal processing (other than the ending, which I VHS-ified). It's probably one of my coolest recordings. 

This was supposed to be twice as long with more pieces but I've not got much time for writing/recording nowadays, which sucks. However, I might expand on some of these pieces in the future...

Slasher Suite (Parts I-V)

Progressive Rock / 80's Style AOR / Occasional bit of Synthwave

Currently working on an AOR EP. Give me a year or two...

John Millar

Popular tracks