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Much tiredness, BUT life is good.

Biggest news: We started day one of Southern Backtones Mixing. It went long. We moved in and out of The Zone. We started to do some 'subtractive arranging' which worked great (removing parts). We spent a while on the snare sound (bad idea: it was already good). We roughed in the main vocal. We dealt with guitars. We started to listen with the orchestral submix. We compressed the sh*t out of that. We worked. We got tired(er). We burned references. We went home.

The next day was Saturday. Stevel, Jason, and I got there early. I took Steve out to the picnic table in the SugarHill park. It was sunny and nice. Steve looked like hell in the light. I'm sure I did too. I began what I thought was going to be a long talk where I tried to convince Steve that we were too tired to mix,.. too burned,... to close to the material,...that it was time for a break to rest and get some perspective. Before I got 30 seconds into my diatribe, Steve said, "Let's call it! Great idea! I'm TOTALLY waisted, and, (here's the closer,...), yeah I listened to our mix from yesterday AND IT SUCKS" The man spoke the truth. So we called Hank and Mike, explained the situation and then met John Griffin and Leigh Crain over at Intern Heba's house in Pearland for some home cooked, vegetarian Egyptian food. After our meal, we fellowshipped and tripped out on fatigue toxins on her back porch. It was great. We rescheduled the mix for the second week of June. The project is incredible and deserves the best. Now we will close it right.

On the following week, we tracked basics for The Googe. I haven't had that much fun in a tracking session in quite a while. The band was superpro in that they were patient with the process. Bobby laid down some killer drum parts, and we got SOLID bass performances from Brian. Now the 'B Boys' are out of the way, having laid down a high performance challenge for vocals and guitar. We tracked while listening to the orchestral parts Kevin Ryan has cooked up for us. They kept us inspired and on tempo as well.

We've cut the guitars already for Sound Breaking Ground (see why I've been a bit tired?), and we will start vocals tomorrow. Channing is going to get run through the wringer tomorrow. But I'll try to be kind.

I had something happen today that I have never heard of before. Logan had sent some of our work to be reviewed by a local music critic. The person wrote back to say he was not a fan of that particular type of music, and then (get this!) went on to comment at great length about what a piece of crap the CD was!!!!!!!! Wow! Good thing he didn't like that type of music, and, oh yeah,.. that he didn't want to review it in the first place. Poor man was confused! Let's review the correspondence a BIT closer,.... um, yeah right,... he doesn't like that kind of music,.. yes, and, uh,.. oh yeah he's not going to review it,... um BUT, HERE"S YOUR OWN PERSONAL REVIEW SO I CAN TELL YOU IT SUCKS, LIKE, IN PERSON.

I'm stupified, but enlightened.

Here's to The Googe, Sound Breaking Ground, and The Southern Backtones!


I'm out,
Dan

Entirely Absent From Yon Page Have I
Whilest Gently Adding Grist To The Analog Mill.


Yes, I know, I know..... (Matt Googe), this page is not exactly getting a workout at the moment. So no more BS..

The Southern Backtones record is going to be huge. The sounds are equalled by the performances and we are making a record like the ones we dearly love. All the while, having a super-good time with much fellowship and good (if somewhat adolescent) humor. Standouts have been: Todd's percussion tracks--totally flipping me out for their focus and execution, Hank's vocals--he's leading us into new territory, Mike's creamy bass parts (thanks for letting me leave the high end, Mike), and John Griffin, who's focus and drive resulted in the most painless guitar recording I've ever experienced, Steve Christensen's unreal warehouse drum sound, and Hebbah-the-Intern (spelling, Hebbah?), who has been an unbelieveable help, and TOTALLY able to hang with the boys. This record will turn heads and ears. What happens next is up to the Gods because this record is a no compromise piece of art. You heard it hear first. Look for pictures and songs on this site soon (also a sore subject at the moment, so cut me some slack). Maybe I should train Logan to post this stuff....

OH YEAH! how can I forget. Kevin Ryan has recorded additional parts for the SBTones and sent us approvals. Now, I know that regular readers (reading my irregular bloggs) already know that KR has ascended the mortal plane with his musical abilities, and that my tired overused hyperbole is no longer enough to sing his praises, BUT.... Kevin's parts are simply perfect and we all fall at his feet chanting 'we're not worthy'! Somewhat similar to his Googe Orchestral Musings

Sound Breaking Ground kicked my ass yesterday. We started the guitar overdubs and we started to find the places where we needed to massage the drum vibe, so we started to make the correction and.... DENIED! The editing did not work AT ALL. So. The Dave and Channing went home when the couldn't take anymore of watching us f*k up, and Steve and I pulled a bleary-eyed day of 'maybe this will work'. I go in to finish up early and try the guitars again today.

The Googe! We start tracking next week. Bobby's drums burned up in his rehearsal space, but he has new one's coming, and Denise is back from Russia with her new daughter! We are pumped and ready for basic tracks next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Winter Roberts music is in the re-think place. We have a great song, but are massaging the melodic delivery to more suit her voice. Sort of in the trenches on this one at the moment, but I trust the process.

I'm speaking to a new artist, Carolina Bedetta, about doing some singer-songwriter stuff with her, and I've gotten Liz Pappademas' new demo on my desk.

Sarah Sharp is building on the momentum of her release and a great South by Southwest. I miss working with her dearly, and wonder if she is ready to do some more songwriting (Sarah?). She will be singing with Mark Gearey here in Texas next month, and will be heading to England for a summer tour. I hope to have pictures posted of our South by Southwest party soon.

OK, time to take Joe Ann (my producer in training and UberDaughter) to school.

thefocusedlove,
Dan