Transparent recording process reveals all. Archivists know that the most illuminating moments in music often come when the engineer leaves the tape machine in recording mode, as the musicians talk about whatever suits them. This week Shelly Peiken and I finished writing a song we started last Spring. It’s called Better Not To Care. For the sake of remembering the …
Transparent recording process reveals all. I do believe all components of this recording are present and complete, the first song in The Singles Series to reach that mile marker. It now requires some objective ears to mix the thing. Gotta tease out each part more separately: Kelly Jones backing vocals, John Fields bass drums production, Mike Railo piano, Ken Chastain …
Transparent recording process reveals all. I’ve known John Fields a long time. It’s a friendship that veers between collaboration, BBQ, the camaraderie of our same-aged daughters, and our passion for the great music. With long-time relationships, comes funny stuff. Truth becomes unavoidable. Walls come down. And elephants in the room suddenly begin screaming. He and I met at his studio …
Transparent recording process reveals all. After years of not playing the slide guitar, “Invisible” beckons to shake off the rust. It’s something I love to do, having learned how in the 90’s, playing along to “Love In Vain” on The Rolling Stones‘ “Let It Bleed”, and J. B. Hutto & Lightning Hopkins records. It got to the point where we …
Transparent recording process reveals all. Originally I’d shown up at John Field’s studio to talk him through my drum vision for “Invisible”, a new song by Cliff Hillis & myself. Instead, John picked up his trusty Harmony bass, and got to work laying it down. Without any thought or discussion we kept last week’s rough drum edit muted. Besides, he’d …