And what if, in addition to lacking "liveness," it's also 2 weeks too late?
I don't know... But in any case, below you can read some notes Chris and I made while we were in the studio working with Danny Casentini and Johnny Snapp and Willie Samuels on what turned into our "A Place of Our Own" EP.
We would have totally liveblogged this, in true "Get Stoked... Or Pumped!" spirit, but there's no wi-fi at Nu Tone.
So is this a deadblog then?...
*****
Place: NuTone Studios, Pittsburg, CA
Time: 3:25 PM
By: Frank Cruz
The hi-hats we’re using to record “We Have the Technology” were used on Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” record. No shit.
Danny is in the main room right now, going through a second take... er, I mean a third take of drums for this song.
Tom-Fucking-Petty.
*****
Time: 3:28
By: Chris Dixon
Hi-hits closed or no? That is the question.
The answer? Closed. Sounds cleaner.
4th take. Shit, just as I typed that... 5th take. Sounds fucking great though.
*****
Time: 3:30
By: CD
Tom fills are siiiiiiiiiiick.
*****
Time: 3:35
By: FC
I just sent Joel a text message telling him about Tom Petty’s hi-hats. Hey, can that be the title of the record?
*****
Time: 3:36
By: FC
Danny had been kicking our asses in practice about these breaks at the end of “Technology.” We just got through a really good take. But then we asked him, “Hey Danny, were you going to do those breaks there at the end.” His response: “SHIT!”
*****
Time: 3:37
By: FC
Chris just asked Willie, the owner and engineer at NuTone, if he could take pictures in the main tracking room. Willie said yes. I can see the flash going off through the control room window. And that’s a good take.
*****
Time: 3:56
By: FC
Tambourine overdubs are about to begin on “Technology.” It smells like smoke in this place. It kind of hurts my eyes and my throat but I’m not going to complain. It reminds me of spending time at my grandpa’s house. I’m sure all my clothes will smell like smoke when I get home.
*****
Time: 4:37
By: CD
Danny is done for the day. John is up. But first Panda Express. The quiet of dudes eating Chinese food is deafening. While at Panda Express the cashier asked us what we were doing and Frank let her know we were recording down the street. She handed him the receipt and said, “Well, I hope your studio has a window.” Frank asked why and she then went on to explain that after you eat at The Panda you get gassy. Everyone agreed that it was pretty inappropriate. We are thinking of writing a letter.
I also witnessed a dude about to hit his wife. They were with their kid and shit looked tense. She just kept whispering, “I dare you. I dare you to fucking hit me.” He was leaning over to her side of the table and had his hand back. I turned around and next thing I knew he was walking out to his car to chill for a minute. She kept feeding the kid. It was awkward!
So I would like to think he takes off when he gets that mad at home. I hope he does. But if you happen to be reading this, dude, don’t hit your wife. Or anyone. Pussy.
*****
Time: 4:46
By: CD
John’s in the live room. Shit is about to get wild.
*****
Time: 4:57
By: CD
Danny farted first... That we know of.
Still looking for a bass head to go through. Thinking about going DI.
*****
Time: 6:18
By: FC
Danny was snoring on the couch. Party-ed too hard last night?... I opened my fortune cookie and there was no fortune inside. That has to be a bad sign. Now
Chris is looping and making laser beam noises with his guitar. And we’re almost ready to lay down guitars on “Furniture & Photographs.”
*****
Time:6:20
By: FC
Only forty minutes left in the session. We’re trying to figure out how many bars are needed for the intro. My stomach is making weird noises, but so far it’s all staying in. Even with the carnitas and menudo for breakfast and the Panda Express for lunch, I’m still doing a good job at maintaining.
We think it’s 6 bars for the intro. Take 1: Chris’s electric guitars.
*****
Time: 6:25
By: FC
I decided there was too much flange on the electric guitar. And I told Chris so. Take 2: Chris’s electric guitars.
*****
Time: 6:27
By: FC
Take 3: Chris’s electric guitars. Sound hella sick.
*****
Time: 6:34
By: FC
Chris got a good take. Going back to punch on the heavy party.
*****
Time: 6:37
By: FC
We turn our attention to “We Have the Technology.” I have to fart pretty bad. But I’m going to hold it until we’re outside.
*****
EDIT: And then we were done. Chris took the least amount of time and his parts were sick. Willie helped us transfer the tracks, and we said goodnight. A week or so later I went back and we mixed. Willie kept calling it a "Rough Mix" and I suppose it is. But it's alright with me.
