News & Updates

7.28.04

Dogs can teach us a lot, if we pay attention. And not just to turn around three times before laying down.

Alright, Tim Den of Kimone has been here and gone. We had 6 days or so of heavy mixing, punctuated only by trips to the dog park. This was the first attended mix up in the new "control room" (which I have been calling "the aviary" because it's the highest room in the house) and I think it went pretty well. Tim's such a mellow and thoughtful guy, it was great to work with him again. The band had an FTP site up and we were able to get mixes out to everyone for comment and correction as they got to the finishing stages, so even though band members were in locations as remote as Florida and Massachussetts, everyone got his 2 cents in. Thank you, high technology. And thanks Tim for being a great guest. It's a cool record - Kimone are just about the most genre-defying rock band I've ever heard. I hope it connects with someone out there.
I've seen some really bitchy reviews of the Trident S-100 mixer but so far I've been pretty satisfied with mine. Some folks out there in the recording microcosmos really hate John Oram. As expected, the EQ is hardly what you'd call "surgical" but it sounds nice (and Trident-ish) for really broad sweetening/sculpting of things ... at this point I refuse to believe it's "the same EQ from the series 80 just without the low mid-band" either. But it does a fine job getting mixes away from the ProTools master buss and it's got a larger console's worth of routing options. And it's paid for.
"The Demolished Man" is better than "The Stars My Destination." Ian McEwan's "Atonement" is next ... Martin Amis was always top of my list; I used to get Ian McEwan and Iain Banks mixed up in my head all the time - they were just "the dark Ia(i)ns" - maybe I'll be a more focused reader this time. Saw "The Human Stain" the other night and though it's a flawed movie, it made me rethink my aversion to Philip Roth. Maybe the book is next up ... the movie is not amazing but it's so full of actual real "acting," it's scary. Even Gary Sinise is good in it. Nicole Kidman - she's just on this higher artistic plane than almost anyone in big movies. She can conjure a complete character in one throw-away gesture. She's such a famous "Star" and yet she can still make you forget it's her - you go straight to the character. And Ed Harris - the master of the thousand-yard stare. You will not believe Anthony Hopkins is a black man, but he's still pretty great to watch. I guess I'm recommending this movie even though I have big problems with it, just because of the damn acting. And because I appreciate seeing a relatively new movie that is so character-based, rather than just throwing lots of action at the screen to try to keep you hooked.
Channels is (are?) going to have a busy Fall season. More info on the page whenever the dates are actually confirmed.
I am blogging just to blog really, no newsworthy news - getting ready for rehearsal with Vic Bondi, rescheduling the Life and Times recording now that they have a permanent lineup (Allen seems really stoked), trying to figure out how much I will be able to record other people, with the stuff that's on the Channels horizon ... we are now sharing a rehearsal space with Liars Academy, which is pretty cool ... I've just heard some of the new Helmet songs. I have always been a big Helmet fan (see Jawbox "Novelty," songs 1 and 2, for particularly damning evidence), and I will always give Page the benefit of the doubt even though it's a shame Henry and John aren't in the mix. Glad Chris Traynor's in on it. Good that it seems to break the mold of the old Helmet stuff a bit. All this, after one little listen ... one thing I do know, that jittery animation of the Helmet logo (on the site where I heard the songs) has GOT to go. Nearly gave me a Grand Mal seizure.
Has Jimmy Iovine always been known for his catholic musical tastes?
Also heard some songs from the Jawbox tribute record that's coming out. It gives me a funny feeling to know there will be a tribute record to my old band ... but a lot of what I heard was really cool and unexpected, really creative. Way better than the original songs in a number of cases.
I've been hearing snippets of the Democratic convention coverage on PBS radio and it's funny, they play old radio clips, comparing this one to previous ones - a lot of clips from the really infamous DNC in Chicago in '68. There was a lot of bad news then but at least there was actual news. Of course I should be careful what I wish for. What's a better wish: real news or no news?

Johnny Cash "The Man Comes Around"
Magic Band "Moonlight on Vermont"
David Shire's theme from "The Conversation"
every Catherine Wheel record
the Beach Boys' "Stack-o-vox" CD from the Pet Sounds box
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Take Them On, On Your Own"
Articles of Faith "What We Want is Free"
thinking I'm playing a Radiohead guitar line only to realize it's probably Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - or maybe it's a mash-up of both, either way it's a damn good line ... but can I get away with actually using it?
the Creatures
Public Enemy

7.22.04

R.I.P. Jerry Goldsmith: February 10, 1929 - July 21, 2004.
One of the great film composers and one of my all-time heroes in music.

7.21.04
Spent the last couple of days fixing up the home studio control room in anticipation of the Kimone mix. Got a pair of Mackie powered monitors to contrast with my usual NS-10 setup, put all my outboard gear into a giant rolling shockmount rack, and, having mixed the entire Red Animal War record and the Channels e.p. sitting on a wobbly wooden crate, I even splashed out and bought a proper office stool (used of course).
I will continue to feel slick about all this interior decorating until the 3rd floor collapses under the weight of all the gear.
Kimone did a bunch of overdubbing and vocal recording themselves - all very cool stuff - and I was relieved today when I got the DVD-R from them and it all fit perfectly back into the original ProTools sessions.
Justin from Red Animal War wrote and promised to send CDs but I haven't got them yet. Can't wait to see the thing.
Recorded 5 songs by Kudzu Wish last week - great incendiary punk rock, smart and even funny in all the right ways ... what a nice bunch. They stayed at the studio and they even took out their own trash!
Sent the Kudzu Wish e.p. and Apollo Quartet full-length out to Alan at West West Side yesterday for mastering.
Changed the title of "Dear Mandarins" to "O Mandarins" after Zach Barocas reminded me about the Burning Airlines/Scott Ritcher collaboration "Dear Hilary." Oops. But that's what friends are for.
Coming up, Darren and I are going to do some recording with Vic Bondi! Vic sent me some demos a while ago and it's good stuff; it's worked out that Darren and I will be the rhythm section, and I'll get to record one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Looking very much forward to it.
And a major overhaul of some parts of this site is in the works, including a bunch of different and new mp3's ... and before too much longer, channelstheband.com will be up and running as well.

Another Day, Another List
1. David Letterman's Fahrenheit 9/11 Top Ten on the Michael Moore site
2. finally discovering Alfred Bester
3. True Systems Precision 8 mic pre - lots of gain, very clean, M/S decoding on 2 channels - it's cemented my M/S addiction and using it has made me feel like I just bought all new mics. This sounds like ad copy. Shoot me now.
4. the Conversation DVD - what other DVD has bonus commentary by the sound editor?
5. Gene Hackman, any movie
6. Robert Fripp - how did I leave him off my guitar heroes list?
7. the Catherine Wheel "Adam and Eve"
8. Thylacines
9. Tim Burton
10. being on the ACLU mailing list so I could get that scary/funny "pizza" animation they sent out
11. the Maritime video
12. the "red eye" AKA "depth charge" AKA "shot in the dark."

7.16.04

The Most Pedestrian Top 10 Ever: that's right. Guitar Heroes.
1. Jimmy Page
2. John Fahey
3. Geordie Walker
4. Gary Lucas
5. Roger Miiller
6. Wino
7. Duane Denison
8. George Harrison
9. Bob Mould (circa Zen Arcade)
10. Dave Gregory
11. Andy Gill really deserves to make this list.

7.9.04

Going up to Brooklyn tonight - tomorrow I get to record a song with the Forms in their own studio (one of my favorite new bands - check out their full-length "Icarus" which was recorded with Steve Albini). No ProTools! We'll see how the new technologically-dependent J. gets by without his software ...
Did a little bit of drive-by Channels recording on the old Tascam cassette 8-track the other day. Darren is such a pleasure to record. I threw up 3 mics in the "John Bonham Triangle" style in our rehearsal space, got levels without even really listening ... and it sounds reallly cool. He, Pete Moffett, and Zach Barocas might be the only drummers I know with whom I'd be comfortable doing that. Actually I think Jeff from Red Animal War would sound great recorded this way too ... I want to do more of it, it's just such a great "organic" drum sound. Our space has windows overlooking the Jones Falls expressway so you get traffic sounds in there too. Anyway we demoed a new song called "Dear Mandarins" which (I'm only a little self-conscious to say this) was directly inspired by seeing Fahrenheit 911 the other night. Janet has the most bad-ass Gang of Four bassline going in it.
Anyone reading this who hasn't seen F911, you should run to the nearest theater, and be prepared for an ass-kicking. The end reading from Orwell's "1984" chilled my blood. Thank you Michael Moore. No thanks for my past 2 nights of fitful sleep, but thanks for putting it all out there and getting people talking & thinking.

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