what have you been doing for the past five years?

[big screen satellite]

a typical question asked of Underworld during interviews for the new album:

(as posted today 23rd July 2007)

"its been five years since your last studio release - what have you been doing?"

dirty.org members answers here please:





Personally, as today is my daughter's birthday, and she is actually 5, i guess i've been raising her for the past 5 years... seems only yesterday that she was a 6lb baby...

lets hope this new Underworld album is a good one for her to listen to...!!!


Matt

[polar_action]

what have you been doing for the past five years?

- wanking
- testing teabags
- watching bargain hunt
- setting up an escort business
- surfing porn
- raking through the bins of "take that"
- rebuilding all our gear after it was set on fire by elton john
- reading war and peace a page at a time
- seeing your mum!
- trying to create a new language using electronic music and dolphin clicks : then conduct the rest of the interview in the style of "flipper"
- nothing

[Dirty0900]

I can't remember what i did five months ago, so five years i a long time. Er...

- Crap multiple jobs.
- Went to uni
- Finished uni

[stauff]

hiding in the foliage and bouncing around weirdly? http://www.interfm.co.jp/n03_gallery/

hrm.. 5 years ago i was still at uni.. crazy.

[Techno_Bunny]

Happy Birthday Issy :D

[King of Snake]

hiding in the foliage and bouncing around weirdly? http://www.interfm.co.jp/n03_gallery/



hehe, monkeyboy karl :)

[Rog]

Avin' it large mostly...........
and socialising the rest..........
oh yeah, some work in between;)

[BeautifulBurnout]

Ooof.

Work:
-Changed career
-Did Bar Vocational Course
-Bought silly costume
-Called to the Bar
-Did pupillage
-Got tenancy
-Built up practice
-Started paying off my student loan :rolleyes:

Personal:
-Said goodbye to my Mum :(
-Found Dirty
-Discovered lots of lovely new music
-Made friends with lots of lovely Dirts
-Nearly got divorced - twice! (But worked it out, thank god).
-Fell in love with my husband again
-Watched my son turn into Kevin the Teenager: "I hate you! You are SO unfair!"


Happy birthday Issy and Lou. :)

[polar_action]

-Did Bar Vocational Course


Yay!!! I wanna do that course :D

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

I feel so connected to you all. Cannot say my doings match Beautiful's work list other than the first tick mark!

One to add on my list:

*Restored reason to an ocean of zombies. :p

[patrick]

I:

finished engineering school
worked at a white water kayak company for a few summers
travelled to south america for a while
went to a number of best-friends from high school weddings (WTF ?)
built a house for my dad (who is an architect) from the ground up
got a job at an engineering company
had a few beers
listened to a few tunes
sleep a lot probably

[holden]

Hmm, in the five years since summer 2002,

-four summers spent working in Argentina
-finished PhD
-moved from New york to Houston
-started new job/entered "real world"
-Moved from apartment to apartment to house
-got robbed at gunpoint
-two trips to Holland
-one trip to Spain
-made 7 or 8 albums that 7 or 8 people have heard
-broke ankle
-fun times with psychiatrists and antidepressants
-gained some weight and grey hairs
-still alive, so no complaints!

:)
Holden

[crazysugarboy]

(Rummages around for old diaries)

Saw u/w 4 times.
Discovered beautiful Danish band Mew and their beautiful lead singer Jonas.
Rated Mew @ Oxford's Zodiac as the best ever gig:).
Dirty Vegas @ London's Astoria a close second.
Bought a computor and discovered the wonderful world of cyber space and all the lovely people you can meet.
Fell hopelessly and helplessly head over heels in love - unfortunately not reciprocated.
Became bewitched with digital photography and photo sharing webbies.
Continued to take photos with hand-made pinhole cameras and make prints with hand-coated chemicals.
Bought an iPod.
Changed to two part-time jobs - book conservator @ Bodleian Library 3 days a week and conservator for Oxford University Archives 2 days a week.

[BufoBufo]

- moved to New Zealand
- moved back from New Zealand
- got to the same age as Mark Renton when he did a bunk to Nuxx
- learnt to iron
- bought a van

... and Oblivion's only round the corner. Get in :)

[BrotherLovesDub]

inched 5 years closer to death
disappointed friends and family
failed at nearly everything
gained weight
lost hair
stopped caring

[porn dog]

Ooooh, two thousand and two.

Got me degree, in softwary computing and such.
Worked in softwary computing and such.
Discovered I really, very much, don't like working in softwary computing and such.
Am still working in softwary computing and such.
Oh, took up a Masters in softwary computing and such. Dropped out.
Tried to bicycle my way across europe. Got injured very early on. On crutches for a month. (Nearly sliced an Achilles tendon.)
Witnessed my Mums' cancer get worse and worse. Left work to care for her. Was with her when she passed on.
Watched my Dad do really well with his cancer, but he's in hospital tonight, not well.
Got to see a couple of places around Europe. I approve, and will return.
Got a big crush on a girl. Did something about it. Was rebuffed. Got over it.
Seen some great gigs.
Rediscovered a love for music.
Lost weight. Took exercise.
Had some good times with good friends.
Set about trying to find a path in life.
Got my tickets for UW @ Tripod. See yis there.

[BeautifulBurnout]

inched 5 years closer to death
True
disappointed friends and family
Liar
failed at nearly everything
Liar
gained weight
Hmmm... maybe
lost hair
Ditto
stopped caring
Pfffffff!!! :)

[polar_action]

lol at Holden

"-made 7 or 8 albums that 7 or 8 people have heard"

think a few of us can relate there :)


last 5 years

- became a heavy drinker
- stopped being a heavy drinker
- got lost in music
- found happiness
- (am sure there was wanking in there somewhere! i would def say that in an interview)

[psychophysio]

Finished retraining as a Physio
Started working as a physio here in NZ
Drank a lot
Spent far too much time playing computer games
Had ankle surgery
Let my appendix explode and acquired a 25 cm scar for my trouble
Ripped over 1000 Cds to mp3 (I had bought them first!)
Saw Underworld in New Zealand at Big Day Out (unless that was 2001)
Had a holiday in the UK
Failed to pay off holiday in UK....
Started exercising
Stopped exercising
Gained weight
Lost weight
Had lots of fun :D

[Leon]

- got a doctor's degree
- had my own practice
- earned lots of money
- bought a house and a car
- lost my wife
- lost my kids
- multiple suicide attempts
- therapy
- I'm good now.

[Ufotofu]

Starting and finishing high school
Playing piano enough to become decent
Marching in band
Becoming an Eagle Scout
Having a fairly nice love life
Joining a indie-synth-pop band and winning local contests
Listening to a lot of music
Running long distances
Learning a lot about computers
Becoming far too good at Guitar Hero 2
Making many new friends
Discovering Underworld
Learning things.

[ReactorReactorReactor]

Let's see...


- Graduated from UCI with a bachelor's in Poli Sci
- Moved from So Cal to Boston to become a paralegal until I could afford law school; moved in with boyf of 4 years
- Discovered turntables, found a school where I could study audio engineering
- found my true calling (aforementioned audio engineering); got my degree in it
- met tons of incredible people in the local Boston scene I immersed myself in; almost all my closest and dearest friends live here
- started learning to play guitar on a midnight blue Les Paul knockoff named Cornelius
- obtained a pair of betta fish; one died, the other lives
- acquired 2 nephews and a sister-in-law
- lost my grandmother, the matriarch of the family
- Made a pilgrimage to CBGB in NY before they closed it down
- Saw the following bands live:
LCD Soundsystem
The Juan Maclean (opening for LCD)
Jamiroquai
Massive Attack
Ladytron
Zero 7
The Rapture
Moby
Sound Tribe Sector 9
The Orb
BT (got to meet him too!)
- took up organic gardening
- got a job working for my dream company
- about to celebrate 8 years with same boyf I moved to Boston with
- currently discussing possibly getting engaged with said boyfriend

Yeah. More has happened in the past 5 years than the preceding 20 combined. This is the most abridged version I could muster up. Now I just need to lose a few pounds and get a DJ residency. :)

[thee carp dreamer]

good grief.

erm...
fell in love. was in a long term relationship with the hottest girls in the world. got my heart broken. most important lesson of my life. whatever.
messed around with a lot of girls. hilarious.
did a year of charity work, collectively raised £667,000.
got fucking good a levels and got into economics at nottingham uni.
changed courses cos economics is a bit silly, so changed to mathematics.
got myself an awesome job in a financial advising firm on commission, earning fucking bucks.
most importantly, learnt how to dj and djed a load of house parties (one of which i recorded, a 7 hour set, and it's amazing) and got my music production to a level where i am somewhat satisfied.

more importantly, goals for the next five years:
create a shortform video
fall in love again, just cos i don't believe i can
get a serious full-time job.
buy "purple rain" by prince.
and that is all. xxx

[thee carp dreamer]

oh. and live:

2004/05/09 the orb live at bristol academy (with dj lx-p)
2005/04/27 lcd soundsystem, the juan maclean live at bristol academy
2005/09/02 the vienna food orchestra live at bristol
2005/10/02 rooster, bodyrockers live at rock city, nottingham
2005/10/03 2manydjs, soulwax nite versions, justice live at stealth, nottingham
2005/10/19 detonate: grandmaster flash, scratch perverts, freestylers, fabio & grooverider, dj zinc
& jenna g, dynamite mc, pendulum, transit mafia, jeru tha damaja, dj friction, the freestylers,
dj deekline live at rock city, nottingham
2005/10/26 mr scruff live at rock city, nottingham
2005/11/12 detonate: dj hype & rage, dillinja & fearless, mampi swift & ic3, total science & 2shy,
artificial intelligence & lowqui live at the ballroom, nottingham
2006/01/27 detonate: high contrast, bryan gee, cyantific live at stealth, nottingham
2006/02/11 detonate: pendulum, dj friction, mampi swift, dj zinc, craggz & parallel forces, phobia,
transit mafia, calmboy, mcs: fearless, ic3, $pyda, sp, verse, menace live at the ballroom, nottingham
2006/03/18 artful dodger, dave pierce live at the atrium, jubilee campus, nottingham
2006/06/05 scratch perverts live at the barracuda, newquay
2006/09/29 detonate: scratch perverts, dj friction live at stealth, nottingham
2006/11/03 kevin "bloody" wilson live at the royal concert hall, nottingham
2006/12/31 justice live at stealth, nottingham
2007/03/02 spectrum: clark & alvin ryan (drums), krafty kuts, atomic hooligan, aim (full live band),
b-boy j live at stealth, nottingham
2007/03/23 !!! live at the rescue rooms, nottingham (with blood red shoes)
2007/05/06 detonate indoor festival: goldie, scratch perverts, dillinja, the bug, andy c, rahzel,
supernatural live at rock city/stealth/rescue rooms, nottingham
2007/05/17 a-skillz live at dogma, nottingham
2007/06/01 elite force live at stealth, nottingham
2007/06/02 just jack live at sounds on the downs festival, university of nottingham campus
2007/06/02 altern8, utah saints, dreadzone sound system live at the marcus garvey ballroom, nottingham
2007/06/08 scratch perverts, goldie lookin chain soundsystem live at the hu-stu summer party, nottingham
2007/06/11 dj yoda live at newquay

[bryantm3]

i've been spinning my wheels pointlessly through middle and high school while inadvertantly alienating myself from other people cos i was on an antidepressant that turned me into an idiot plus the fact that i'm too shy, simultaneously taking care of my brother as if i were his parent, which threw me into this kind of mental breakdown/anxiety fit last week where i couldn't sleep more than 5 hours a night or less for days.
so what's new with you?

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

It gets easier bryant3 and the sleep thing is common from where you are through soph. year college level.

Keep looking straight ahead. :)

[bryantm3]

It gets easier bryant3 and the sleep thing is common from where you are through soph. year college level.

Keep looking straight ahead. :)
yeah but i also had some spaz fits and i had to start taking anxiety pills. now i'm kind of better.

[industri_studios]

Wow - some eventful lives here... lesee...

Got married (on my 10th anniversary)
Won a national advertising/art award
Shared another couple
Placed third provincially for political cartooning
Self-published my first comic book
Got a regular (though infrequent) gig doing magazine illustrations
Switched gears (print to digital) in my job (designer)
Got a good job and moved to the "big city"
Watched my sister-in-law go through cancer (in her mid-20s)
... still watching ...
Discovered you can own more music than you can listen to in a lifetime
... accepted said fact and carried on ...
Became a pseudo-uncle (best friend's daughters)

Hmmm... in print it doens't look NEAR as depressing as it's seemed to live it at times...

[sloff]

Let's see, five years:

Fell in love for the first time in years, got heart broken. Learned a great deal about me and how to spot the evil ones.
Started DJing, radio show first. Standard show, then a specialty show on electronic music.
Managed to turn that into an occasional club gig.
Hurt a dear friend out of my own selfishness and short-sightedness. Lesson learned. Karma pays me back.
Graduated with my BFA (finally after 6 years).
Heart broken twice more (the karma).
Visited Montreal.
Visited Manchester, UK.
A few visits to NYC.
Quite a few more trips to Toronto.
Got to see Skinny Puppy reunited and fucking awesome as ever! Twice!
Met a girl, I've been seeing her for a year and a half, could be a good thing.
Got my first professional job.
Watched my pseudo niece and nephew grow up to be 8 and 6, wow they grow fast!
Oh and moved 4 times around Buffalo, eventually getting my own (no roomie) place in the nice artist neighborhood.

[King of Snake]

nice thread, hehe ok I'll share my incredibly exciting life experiences too..

in the past 5 years (or so) I...

-moved house 4 times, eventually ending up in the awesome city of Utrecht
-studied audiovisual design
-worked as a mailman for for a couple of years during school
-eventually got my bachelor's degree in AV design
-found a job as a designer making tv commercials, brandfilms and stuff like that.
-saw underworld live 7 times (woohoo!)
-discovered loads of cool new music (largely thanks to dirty)
-watched both my parents get remarried after divorce a couple years earlier
-helped my dad move to France (going over there again in a couple of weeks)
-watched my mother go trough cancer, thank god after all the treatments she seems to be ok now
-developed a nasty case of insomnia that still hits me from time to time
-visited fellow dirt Janie in London twice
-quit smoking
-became good friends with other fellow dirt Stimpee (living in the same city now)
-met up with quite a few other dirts over the years
-made plans to visit NYC and Boston in september to see more underworld

[crank]

yeah but i also had some spaz fits and i had to start taking anxiety pills. now i'm kind of better.

it's called living in alpharetta. mansell, winward parkway, etc. both those roads'll do it to you.

[bryantm3]

you're not kidding, mate!

[dubman]

i was 17 5 years ago.

oof.

um

after barely graduating high school i started community college, now i'm in my senior year at UCDavis with a graphic arts major and art history minor. i've done minor things for different companies on campus, some small businesses, and once for CBS. my photoraphy skills have improved dramatically. i also made some of the best friends of my life. i've been in a 4 year relationship with a woman i love though we have our ups and downs, a major one being where i was almost responsible for breaking both our hearts... learned a bit about responsibility there. i'm in kind of a shit job i need to get out of but i dont have the confidence to apply to anything meaningful despite everyone around me telling me i'm more than capable. i've realized that although the small town i'm from in france can be home, there's now a clear disconnect, and there's also a clear outsider perspective on where i am now, despite being well adjusted, so that was interesting...
and, um, yeah.

[monkeygra]

In the last five years?

I...

...started high school.
...finished high school.
...started college.
...learned of the best music in the world, including Underworld.