Last night I met with a friend of a friend who happens to have a home studio. We met once before; he seemed like a good guy and came recommended as an engineer, so I gave him a call. I braved some pretty crappy weather -- driving through the snow for 3 hours to get to his place in Chicago, just to talk and play some music.
After some chat and eating some dinner, we threw up a couple of mikes and I played "C'mon Angel", my Johnny Cash-style country murder ballad. We recorded and mixed this thing in just an hour or so. I don't think it turned out too bad for such a short session. And I enjoyed working with him, so I think I'm gonna use this guy for a couple of tunes on the next record, but this is just a demo.
Here's a link to the page where you can stream it:
I really wanted to approximate a mono, Sun Records mid-50's kinda sound. And I think that, for a digital 1-hr. recording, we did okay with that. Too clean, of course, but not bad.
It's another first step, but a singnificant one. Now, I have something to show to friends and musicians to let them know that I am, in fact, serious about this undertaking. A couple of emails have been sent, so we'll see who responds.
Saturday night was a big night for me, musically.
The concert and all that, that I mentioned earlier.
I thought that I was supposed to go on at 9, but apparently, it was 10! Sadly, that made me have to leave before hearing much of the headliner (Trakan), who I really did want to see. I hope that he wasn't offended. Grrrr.....
As to my set, it was hit and miss, in my eyes. It took me some time to readjust to hearing myself so LOUD!!!! I kept wanting to downplay it. But I knew that I couldn't. Awkward. Self-conscious. At least at first, it was. I thnk that I did settle in a little bit into the set and played well, but not great. (I think that age is taking its toll on my already limited range. I found myself having to slip into falsetto more often than I used to.)
Still, the response was positive and I am looking forward to hopefully getting back out for more shows. Get the blood pumping again. And get the incentive going for more writing to start happening. It was interesting to see the response to some of the newer songs. Now I just wanna get back out there with a band, so that I can see how some of the songs that really need a full band will play out for an audience.
Okay... let's keep rolling and pick up some steam.
So in only a couple of days (Friday) I'll get back in front of a group of people to play my songs. At a bar. At night. In other words, just like the "real" musician that I used to be and not just a daddy playing at home or at a weekend bagel shop gig for his kids.
The main differences will be, I feel:
A) I won't have to censor my own lyrics for the sake of the kids.
and
B) I can get back to rocking my balls off.
Even playing an evening, downtown coffeeshop gig doesn't really let me totally cut loose like I can at a bar. Just doesn't feel right in that atmosphere. Maybe I'll be able to reach back to touch some of my punk rock past. Even if it is just an acoustic guitar. Bob Mould did it, so why not me? (And, I have in the past.)
Also, my #1 (and only) groupie -- my wife -- will be there to support me for the first time in a long time. We actually got a sitter. Now I gotta convince her to get up and sing with me. I think I'm breaking her down.
And, I'm sharing a bill with "my" former keyboard player. Or, rather, the guy who played keyboards in my band that just disintegrated last year. So, that should be fun.
Speaking of former bandmates, on a sad note: I think that my friendship with one of them may be over. I'm a sensitive bastard, and he has his eyes on the prize, no matter who he hurts in the process. It's a bad combo. I don't understand his motives, and he apparently doesn't understand mine. Twists the knife over and over again.
I think that he's basically a good person who has found that it just feels too good, even if he's unaware that what's making him feel good is his dick in my ass. No lube.
There's a hole in my heart; as if someone close to me has died.
In a sense, they have.
I have just been in contact with a local guy who is a helluva bass player and (hopefully) has a rehearsal space, too. Seeing as how bass is my most pressing need right now, this could be a huge step, provided it happens. He also owns a recording studio, so maybe, if this happens, I'll have a sympathetic ear for the recording.
I also have a gig coming up in a couple of weeks — the first club gig since the band broke up.
My former (and hopefully future) keyboard player will be there, playing with another band. In fact, he helped me get the gig, so it'll be nice to see him there.
I think that he knows the bass player to which I am referring, too. So, this might be a good chance for part of us to all get together and talk about what the hell is gonna happen going forward. Or, at least, what could happen.
Oh, and for those of you in the Chicago area:
the show is January 4 at Molly Malone's in Forest Park.
Good times and hopeful prospects.
Hi.
I'm Todd and I recently lost my band.
I'm starting this blog as an ongoing record of one man's attempt -- a 37 year-old suburban dad's attempt -- to put together a band from scratch, to keep my creative fires burning.
You see, I once had a band -- Hop On Pop (a name that I will continue to use) -- that released an indie record with a bunch of friends. It was a dream come true. And, then it was my turn to help our bass player have his dream come true and play on HIS record.
Actually, all of us played on it... all of Hop On Pop, that is. The record came out earlier this year and it is something that I am proud to have been a part of. But then said bass player decided that he needed to keep pursuing his own muse and he took the band (and the rehearsal space) with him, so I was out of luck, as I have no place to rehearse and no band with whom to do so.
All the guys and I are still friends (having recently reconciled with the bass player), but I will make no illusion that I harbor no lingering resentments. I do. No matter how much I love him. And I do. Like a brother. But this has been a tough one to swallow, since I expected to resume with Hop On Pop at some point, with all its members still intact.
As Kurt Vonnegut frequently said, "So it goes."
I'm attempting to get on with it.
And I hope that I will do so. But I don't want to work with anyone that is a complete stranger, only with folks that I know (or know through friends) that I trust and that meet my standards and a dad. (No drugs, etc...)
Yeah, I got a long road.
I hope that you take the walk with me.
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