8.12.04
LOUDER, FASTER
"Get off your ass and start moving
Let's see you spit
Summer's here and the time is right
For throwing a brick"
- V. Bondi
Reassembling the studio after a long weekend at Phase recording with Vic Bondi. We managed to learn and record 7 of Vic's new songs for what I guess he projects as an e.p. now ... it's easily the most aggressive (and politically charged) music I've ever been involved with and it was a blast learning and recording all this stuff over 2 weekends. Particularly with Vic, whose music I've admired since I was a lad of 18 ("Give Thanks" by his first band Articles of Faith was one of "my" records back in the day - I needed smart lyrics along with the aggression and AoF had both in spades). Kudos to Vic for keeping the spirit alive. And all hail the humble SM-7, which has got to be THE "secret weapon" microphone of all time. If anyone reading this is wondering what one 'all-rounder' microphone they should buy for their studio, I say the SM-7 is it.
And I love recording Darren Zentek! How lucky am I to be in a band with this guy ...
Hopefully we'll even get to do this Vic stuff live at some point. But we'll see about that.
I seem to be having something of a hardcore renaissance these days - I caught the tail end of Black Cross' set at Ottobar last weekend and it made me psyched to be alive. Next up, September will bring a project with Paint it Black, who I have been trying to work with forever. We need more music that means what it says, particularly as "emo" becomes the new "boy-band" phenomenon.

Another top several of something or other:
1. Eternals "Rawar Style"
2. Polly Jean Harvey should have made my top inspirational guitarists list
3. Far "Bury White"
4. Randy Newman
5. small but satisfying vices
6. Metallica "Master of Puppets"
7. M/S stereo
8. last weekend's brief respite from MD summer weather
9. dogs
10. Zach Barocas (www.culturalsociety.org)