The fourth of July is a big day in the United States. For most Americans it is a day of hot dogs, apple pie, homemade ice cream, outdoor band concerts and fireworks. There are also a few people who recognize the day as commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence and signaling the birth of a nation.
This year the fourth of July will be cause for celebration of another sort in one of the great music capitals of the world. ConFused5, the popular Retro-Rock band from Salzburg, Austria will be headlining at the Rockhouse to celebrate the release of their new album "Out Of Confusion" on the internet-based record label Sellaband. Taking on the role of impresario, bandleader Markus Melms has scheduled a night to remember. On the bill will be the sensational young Dutch band So What and from Argentina, the very talented Gisel de Marco accompanied on guitar by my good friend Pieter Vos, aka Pieps.
Local boys ConFused5 always put on a memorable show but this lineup offers a wide variety of music and is Markus' way of thanking the Sellaband community for the support which made the new album a reality. So What has already raised their $50,000 recording budget and is now interviewing producers for their turn in the studio. Gisel de Marco is well on her way to the same goal and this concert could be the shot in the arm that puts her closer to her final countdown.
So who is Gisel de Marco? The tracks offered on her Sellaband profile reveal a pure voice of rich clarity and dazzling technique. The ambitious productions are still of decidedly demo quality but Gisel sings as if she is in the big room at the old A&M studios. Gisel has a mature sense of dynamics well beyond her years. Her performance on "I Wish I could Fly" demonstrates a flare for the dramatic and shows great potential for what will happen when she has the opportunity to sing on a full-blown studio production.
"I Found You" shows another side of this young singer. The vocal is engagingly performed and, as with the previous track, one could imagine Gisel really letting out all the stops. There is something a bit measured about this track but again, the potential is hugely apparent. There is real character and honesty in her voice on "All The Way." "Roma" is yet another side of Gisel. The vulnerability of this track is haunting and touches the listener in a very personal way without being contrived or disingenuous.
The last track on her Profile is an excellent collaboration with fellow Sellaband artist
Marc Supsic. Hats off to Marc for creating a beautiful soundscape to showcase Gisel's talent. A very musical effort on both their parts. Marc's tasteful writing takes Gisel in more of an alternative direction and the result opens up even more possibilities for her future endeavors.
Gisel has that special ability to make a performance exciting without resorting to kitschy pyrotechnics or simply belting at the top of her lungs. If she continues to develop along the same lines her style and technique certainly offer the possibility of a long creative career. Her command of American pop diction is very natural and she does a great job of camouflaging how difficult these songs really are to sing. One of the keys to understanding how good she can be is the quality of her background vocal parts. Most professional background singers are highly skilled and technically more advanced than the artists they sing behind. Gisel proves beyond a doubt that she can do it all.
So...who is Gisel de Marco? The tracks on her Sellaband profile show a wide range of potential directions for a young singer at this stage of development. There are traces of many influences including Celine Dion and even the renowned vocal chameleon, Marnie Nixon. $50,000 will give her the opportunity to look inside herself and, with a good production team to guide her, she will surely reveal the genuine artist inside.
If you are in the Salzburg area on the fourth of July, do yourself a big favor. ConFused5 will rock the Rockhouse with their new album and So What will give a preview of what we can expect from their own upcoming album. But come early and get a good seat. Gisel de Marco, accompanied by Pieps, will be opening the evenings festivities and she is not to be missed.
Showing posts with label ConFused5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ConFused5. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Notes From RixMix...Markus, Meet Don
Goddamn! It has been a busy spring for me and I finally have some time to write. Many great stories, thousands of miles traveled and two fun projects signed, sealed and delivered. I've just delivered the masters for the ConFused5 album "Out of Confusion" which Ron Hitchcock and I mixed at RixMix here in the LA area. Man, what a great room. The place belongs to our pal Rick Ruggieri, a phenomenal studio designer and a fine engineer as well. As a matter of fact, Rick's latest Grammy award arrived during the time we were working. He placed it on a pedestal between the Mastering Lab monitors so we had to stare at the damn thing 12 to 15 hours at a stretch. I'm really happy for him, but that was just too cruel.
Working in Rick's room was a godsend for us. First of all, he doesn't let a lot of projects in to begin with because it means that either he can't work, or he has to go rent another room somewhere else. Secondly, he designed and hand built the place...and any studio that Rick has a hand in is always dead-nuts on the money when it comes to mixing accuracy. What you hear is exactly what you recorded and there is not a decibel of bullshit in the room. I know that when I take a mix out of RixMix there simply will be no surprises. Plenty of rooms can make a mix sound amazing, great bottom end...sizzling highs etc. But when you take the project for mastering you realize you've been fooling yourself. Ron and I were confident that whatever we took out of the place was accurate and exactly how we intended it to sound prior to putting the final mastering touches on.
Another point in the room's favor is that, being a relatively private facility, there is not the usual parade of clowns walking through the control room to tell you how they would have dialed in the Fairchild or panned the vocals. Although Rick made himself available whenever we had need of his expertise, Ron and I could work in peace and give the sessions our full concentration. Ron had his granola bars, I had my new espresso machine and we just hunkered down and got to it.
We did have one visit with a notable musician that turned out to be fruitful. Ron has a boutique record label of his own and one of his artists is the well-known jazz guitarist Don Peak. For the unaware, Don gained notoriety as the guitarist with the Everly Brothers and now composes TV scores as well as continuing to play his ass off. Don had some business with Ron so we took a short break and visited a while. As Don was telling us how little time he had and how he had to rush off he made the oldest mistake in the book. He asked us to play him a bit of what we were working on. Everyone knows that this always results in at least an hour's worth of "dig this...no, check this out...what do you think of this?" And whatever Don was in a rush to do went right out the window.
We had just been working on a ConFused5 song that had gone through some heavy changes during the recording process in Austria. The vocal had been transposed down an octave ala Henri Salvador, and the rock band that played the rest of the album had been replaced by a well-worn New Orleans jazz/blues combo. Oh...it was still the same guys, just a completely different approach. At that moment we were listening to the guitar solo which had originally been played with a solidbody PRS and a high gain boutique amp. The band's guitarist, Markus Melms had acquired a lovely vintage ES345 recently and I had been dying to prove to him what a fantastic guitar it was. I plugged the beautiful thing into an old Fender Twin Reverb amp and we proceeded to spend the better part of a day creating a whole new vibe for the solo.
As we played the take for Don he looked up and said, "I thought you said you were doing a rock album... this is really interesting." And I have to say it really is...interesting. Playing a substantial guitar like the 345 through a clean vintage amp was something Markus had probably not done in a good long while. A rig like that doesn't play itself, you have to pull the music out with your bare hands. But once we got into it, Markus really put together a nice solo. It had interesting content, beautiful tone and most importantly, it was played with conviction. This is what caught Don's ear...and he spent the next 20 minutes or so showing us what effects and equalization he would use on the track. You see, when you get a performance like that on a recording, you want to make damned sure that the intentions of the player reach through the speakers and tap you on the shoulder as if to say, "Hey man, lend me an ear, I've got a story to tell you."
So Markus, meet Don. If you don't like the sound of your solo, it's all his fault. If you dig it, just remember, it was all my idea in the first place. The public can decide what they think when "Out Of Confusion" is released on the Sellaband label on July 4th.
Working in Rick's room was a godsend for us. First of all, he doesn't let a lot of projects in to begin with because it means that either he can't work, or he has to go rent another room somewhere else. Secondly, he designed and hand built the place...and any studio that Rick has a hand in is always dead-nuts on the money when it comes to mixing accuracy. What you hear is exactly what you recorded and there is not a decibel of bullshit in the room. I know that when I take a mix out of RixMix there simply will be no surprises. Plenty of rooms can make a mix sound amazing, great bottom end...sizzling highs etc. But when you take the project for mastering you realize you've been fooling yourself. Ron and I were confident that whatever we took out of the place was accurate and exactly how we intended it to sound prior to putting the final mastering touches on.
Another point in the room's favor is that, being a relatively private facility, there is not the usual parade of clowns walking through the control room to tell you how they would have dialed in the Fairchild or panned the vocals. Although Rick made himself available whenever we had need of his expertise, Ron and I could work in peace and give the sessions our full concentration. Ron had his granola bars, I had my new espresso machine and we just hunkered down and got to it.
We did have one visit with a notable musician that turned out to be fruitful. Ron has a boutique record label of his own and one of his artists is the well-known jazz guitarist Don Peak. For the unaware, Don gained notoriety as the guitarist with the Everly Brothers and now composes TV scores as well as continuing to play his ass off. Don had some business with Ron so we took a short break and visited a while. As Don was telling us how little time he had and how he had to rush off he made the oldest mistake in the book. He asked us to play him a bit of what we were working on. Everyone knows that this always results in at least an hour's worth of "dig this...no, check this out...what do you think of this?" And whatever Don was in a rush to do went right out the window.
We had just been working on a ConFused5 song that had gone through some heavy changes during the recording process in Austria. The vocal had been transposed down an octave ala Henri Salvador, and the rock band that played the rest of the album had been replaced by a well-worn New Orleans jazz/blues combo. Oh...it was still the same guys, just a completely different approach. At that moment we were listening to the guitar solo which had originally been played with a solidbody PRS and a high gain boutique amp. The band's guitarist, Markus Melms had acquired a lovely vintage ES345 recently and I had been dying to prove to him what a fantastic guitar it was. I plugged the beautiful thing into an old Fender Twin Reverb amp and we proceeded to spend the better part of a day creating a whole new vibe for the solo.
As we played the take for Don he looked up and said, "I thought you said you were doing a rock album... this is really interesting." And I have to say it really is...interesting. Playing a substantial guitar like the 345 through a clean vintage amp was something Markus had probably not done in a good long while. A rig like that doesn't play itself, you have to pull the music out with your bare hands. But once we got into it, Markus really put together a nice solo. It had interesting content, beautiful tone and most importantly, it was played with conviction. This is what caught Don's ear...and he spent the next 20 minutes or so showing us what effects and equalization he would use on the track. You see, when you get a performance like that on a recording, you want to make damned sure that the intentions of the player reach through the speakers and tap you on the shoulder as if to say, "Hey man, lend me an ear, I've got a story to tell you."
So Markus, meet Don. If you don't like the sound of your solo, it's all his fault. If you dig it, just remember, it was all my idea in the first place. The public can decide what they think when "Out Of Confusion" is released on the Sellaband label on July 4th.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ConFused5...FUCK! I Don't Want It To Be Over
FUCK!...always wanted to start a blog like that. The universal plosive monosyllabic attention getter...and a word with deep hidden meaning. But I digress. What I meant to say was, Fuck, I really don't want this to be over. Went in to Sonic Flow Studio and ran up some work mixes and suddenly it began to sink in that the recording sessions for ConFused5 are history. As Sammie Davis Jr. might have said, "I dig this not, man." I haven't had this good a time since...well, since last month in Vienna as a matter of fact. So I guess I should stop whining.
Recording with ConFused5 drove home something that came to light as I was working with SolidTube last month and was also the theme of my article in yesterday's Sellaband Tribune. The greatest single product that this new thing we call Sellaband can offer the artists on their roster is genuine artist development. If the truth be told, the recording budget does not allow for an all out recording/mixing/mastering package without some huge favors and vigilance on the part of a project manager. But it is sufficient for a band to get a good taste of what studio recording can be. Yeah, yeah. Of course you can make an album for the price of a happy meal with your godamned laptop. But that ain't studio recording with a full band, pro engineers, pro gear and an eye looking in from the outside to help get the most out of yourself.
This album will be really good because the guys in the band allowed me to look deeper into their music than they themselves may have. They also, to their credit, are good enough musicians that they can try different approaches without losing their identity. Musicians can be stubborn and inflexible but I find that this usually stems from insecurity...perhaps they don't have the chops and are afraid to admit it. Or their egos won't allow them to see things from alternative angles. This was not the case with ConFused5. Their attitude was, "We've demo'd the songs, and this is as far as we could take it. Now it's your turn."
As someone who believes in artist development, I believe some of the best work toward a record will happen in a rehearsal room. We tore these songs to pieces and the guys themselves discovered how to put them back together in a way that every part and every note became intrinsic to the track. Time was short, but I wanted the band to really believe in themselves. And that meant that they had to relearn the motivating force behind their parts. These are seasoned guys, but they had to turn off the automatic pilot and fly the plane without instruments so to speak. It was amazing. As the parts became simpler, they began to play with real conviction. And suddenly the vocal melodies started to leap out of the tracks.
The other area where the band really grew was in taking a very organized approach to orchestrating the songs. Once the rhythm section was cleaned out, the parts, though simplified, had greater impact and we discovered that there was now much more room for the keyboards and single line guitar parts that give these songs so much character. Markus and Alex play great harmonic single line parts together and featuring them in a mix can be difficult unless there is room. Many times a band can slip into the habit of playing over other parts which are in the same frequency range. It's good to adopt the philosophy of Willie Keeler. He was a baseball player known for his ability to get a base hit whenever he needed one. When asked how he did this he replied, " I just keep my eyes open and hit em where they ain't." Keeping this in mind will definitely make you a more valuable musician in a group setting.
Recording guitar solos with Markus was great fun. We really got into the rhythmic aspects of soloing and with the rhythm tracks as simple and forceful as they were, he found that he had so much more room inside the tracks to really express himself. Beda and Kurt had provided a great bottom end on which to build. The solos in this music are mostly composed more than improvised so it took a while for Markus to relax into the groove these guys laid out for him. But once he let go of the old habits the shit started to catch fire.
I'm so proud of all these guys. They really stretched their musical horizons and played some great music. And it could only happen because they weren't afraid to change. That is the key to developing as a band. You just have to be willing to try other things and to keep an open mind. There are no limits to what you can pull out of yourself if you are willing to say, "Fuck it...I want to be better today than I was yesterday." Not every musician has that kind of courage.
Well, tonight the band and I got together for a farewell dinner. I had so much fun here and hate to leave this town. But, as much as we've grown together as a production team, I think that if I push the talk back button one more time and say "Perfect...except..." they'll be packing my bags for me. I also should send a big shout of thanks out to Wolfgang, Max and Spanky at Sonic Flow Studio. They were all great guys to work with and really know what they are doing...when they're not mounting vacuum cleaners and meat grinders on the wall. Spanky's name is actually Harry but Spanky is his new nom de guerre...I'm hoping it sticks.
So...onward and upward! Tomorrow it's back to Vienna for a quick beer before flying home. Thanks Markus and ConFused5, it's been a slice.
Recording with ConFused5 drove home something that came to light as I was working with SolidTube last month and was also the theme of my article in yesterday's Sellaband Tribune. The greatest single product that this new thing we call Sellaband can offer the artists on their roster is genuine artist development. If the truth be told, the recording budget does not allow for an all out recording/mixing/mastering package without some huge favors and vigilance on the part of a project manager. But it is sufficient for a band to get a good taste of what studio recording can be. Yeah, yeah. Of course you can make an album for the price of a happy meal with your godamned laptop. But that ain't studio recording with a full band, pro engineers, pro gear and an eye looking in from the outside to help get the most out of yourself.
This album will be really good because the guys in the band allowed me to look deeper into their music than they themselves may have. They also, to their credit, are good enough musicians that they can try different approaches without losing their identity. Musicians can be stubborn and inflexible but I find that this usually stems from insecurity...perhaps they don't have the chops and are afraid to admit it. Or their egos won't allow them to see things from alternative angles. This was not the case with ConFused5. Their attitude was, "We've demo'd the songs, and this is as far as we could take it. Now it's your turn."
As someone who believes in artist development, I believe some of the best work toward a record will happen in a rehearsal room. We tore these songs to pieces and the guys themselves discovered how to put them back together in a way that every part and every note became intrinsic to the track. Time was short, but I wanted the band to really believe in themselves. And that meant that they had to relearn the motivating force behind their parts. These are seasoned guys, but they had to turn off the automatic pilot and fly the plane without instruments so to speak. It was amazing. As the parts became simpler, they began to play with real conviction. And suddenly the vocal melodies started to leap out of the tracks.
The other area where the band really grew was in taking a very organized approach to orchestrating the songs. Once the rhythm section was cleaned out, the parts, though simplified, had greater impact and we discovered that there was now much more room for the keyboards and single line guitar parts that give these songs so much character. Markus and Alex play great harmonic single line parts together and featuring them in a mix can be difficult unless there is room. Many times a band can slip into the habit of playing over other parts which are in the same frequency range. It's good to adopt the philosophy of Willie Keeler. He was a baseball player known for his ability to get a base hit whenever he needed one. When asked how he did this he replied, " I just keep my eyes open and hit em where they ain't." Keeping this in mind will definitely make you a more valuable musician in a group setting.
Recording guitar solos with Markus was great fun. We really got into the rhythmic aspects of soloing and with the rhythm tracks as simple and forceful as they were, he found that he had so much more room inside the tracks to really express himself. Beda and Kurt had provided a great bottom end on which to build. The solos in this music are mostly composed more than improvised so it took a while for Markus to relax into the groove these guys laid out for him. But once he let go of the old habits the shit started to catch fire.
I'm so proud of all these guys. They really stretched their musical horizons and played some great music. And it could only happen because they weren't afraid to change. That is the key to developing as a band. You just have to be willing to try other things and to keep an open mind. There are no limits to what you can pull out of yourself if you are willing to say, "Fuck it...I want to be better today than I was yesterday." Not every musician has that kind of courage.
Well, tonight the band and I got together for a farewell dinner. I had so much fun here and hate to leave this town. But, as much as we've grown together as a production team, I think that if I push the talk back button one more time and say "Perfect...except..." they'll be packing my bags for me. I also should send a big shout of thanks out to Wolfgang, Max and Spanky at Sonic Flow Studio. They were all great guys to work with and really know what they are doing...when they're not mounting vacuum cleaners and meat grinders on the wall. Spanky's name is actually Harry but Spanky is his new nom de guerre...I'm hoping it sticks.
So...onward and upward! Tomorrow it's back to Vienna for a quick beer before flying home. Thanks Markus and ConFused5, it's been a slice.
Monday, March 24, 2008
ConFused5 at Sonic Flow Studio...Continued
As I said in my last entry, the guys at Sonic Flow Studio have built a very cool recording environment. The room is large and they have plenty of large studio gobos. These are move-able walls which are used to create isolated areas in the studio. With these we were able to isolate the guitar amps from the drum microphones. They are also handy in creating a vocal booth or for changing the acoustic characteristics of the room itself. Another thing I might have missed if I hadn't taken a good look around is their extensive collection of table-top meat grinders. These are strictly old-school and are of the hand crank variety. Yes, Wolfgang and Max are have an interesting eye for visual design. There are about fifty of these beauties mounted just inside the studio entrance and what says "Rock'n'Roll" better than a platoon of meat grinders standing at attention at the gates of the tabernacle?
Markus has done an amazing job of getting the media to come out for pictures, articles, video footage and interviews. The question I enjoy answering most is "What kind of projects do you enjoy the most?" My immediate answer is always a very diplomatic, "This one!"
But my serious answer is that I really enjoy working with musicians, singers and bands who may not have had the opportunity to work in a real recording environment with an outside production influence before. Working in a professional studio with ample time to explore and develop has a way of refining the musicianship of any musician. And with the right production team a band that is ready, willing and open-minded will grow by leaps and bounds.
Many musicians with limited recording experience tend to think in terms of what their heroes might play in a given situation. All of us are influenced by what we listen to and love. But when the opportunity to make a recording presents itself, the most important thing for me is to dig deep into a musician and find out what he has to say...and then to pull that statement out of him in his own words so to speak. I've done plenty of sessions as a bassist where I've been asked to "do that Jaco thing" or "give me a Larry Graham type of slap thing." But when I'm trying to interpret what an original artist has inside of him, I simply won't stop until the musician himself can listen to the track and say, "oh...yeah, that's what I always wanted to say, I just never knew that I knew how to do that." That moment of realization is the big payoff as far as I'm concerned. If a song sells or not is often a matter of opinion and luck, but if a musician can let himself be taken to that moment he knows he is capable of more than he had dreamed of, then he can listen to the music for the rest of his life with a clear conscience.
ConFused5 is made up of excellent musicians from top to bottom. They are very capable on a technical level but have never had the chance to have an outsider look at their music under a microscope. Fortunately they are also mature grownups and have relatively open minds so we have been able to experiment quite a bit during the overdub sessions. If a musician doesn't have the chops to try different things, well, then you're dead in the water. But in every case, I think we've been able to get to the deepest recesses of the musician's original intent and the recordings will reflect a genuine musical honesty.
Today we will finish off the last of the vocals and I'll go into Sonic Flow to run up work mixes tomorrow. Man, I hate it when things start to come to a close.
Markus has done an amazing job of getting the media to come out for pictures, articles, video footage and interviews. The question I enjoy answering most is "What kind of projects do you enjoy the most?" My immediate answer is always a very diplomatic, "This one!"
But my serious answer is that I really enjoy working with musicians, singers and bands who may not have had the opportunity to work in a real recording environment with an outside production influence before. Working in a professional studio with ample time to explore and develop has a way of refining the musicianship of any musician. And with the right production team a band that is ready, willing and open-minded will grow by leaps and bounds.
Many musicians with limited recording experience tend to think in terms of what their heroes might play in a given situation. All of us are influenced by what we listen to and love. But when the opportunity to make a recording presents itself, the most important thing for me is to dig deep into a musician and find out what he has to say...and then to pull that statement out of him in his own words so to speak. I've done plenty of sessions as a bassist where I've been asked to "do that Jaco thing" or "give me a Larry Graham type of slap thing." But when I'm trying to interpret what an original artist has inside of him, I simply won't stop until the musician himself can listen to the track and say, "oh...yeah, that's what I always wanted to say, I just never knew that I knew how to do that." That moment of realization is the big payoff as far as I'm concerned. If a song sells or not is often a matter of opinion and luck, but if a musician can let himself be taken to that moment he knows he is capable of more than he had dreamed of, then he can listen to the music for the rest of his life with a clear conscience.
ConFused5 is made up of excellent musicians from top to bottom. They are very capable on a technical level but have never had the chance to have an outsider look at their music under a microscope. Fortunately they are also mature grownups and have relatively open minds so we have been able to experiment quite a bit during the overdub sessions. If a musician doesn't have the chops to try different things, well, then you're dead in the water. But in every case, I think we've been able to get to the deepest recesses of the musician's original intent and the recordings will reflect a genuine musical honesty.
Today we will finish off the last of the vocals and I'll go into Sonic Flow to run up work mixes tomorrow. Man, I hate it when things start to come to a close.
Monday, March 17, 2008
ConFused5 at Sonic Flow Studio
After a strong rehearsal week, ConFused5 and I moved into Sonic Flow Studio and settled in to cut the basic rhythm tracks for their new album. Sonic Flow is a studio after my own heart. Wolfgang and Max have built a great sounding room and have stocked it with great equipment. The studio records on either Protools HD or Logic and there is no shortage of great microphones, pre-amps or good vibes. But what I found particularly interesting was the vintage vacuum cleaner collection. I have no clue what they sound like, but they sure look cool.
Markus and Alex have brought Marshall and Orange guitar amps in addition to the Tube Thomsen combo that Markus uses live. The studio has a really nice sounding Vox AC30 and a few nice Fender combos so tracking guitars will be more than fun. The only limitation we have here is that there are only sixteen input channels but that isn't any different than recording in the average analog studio of twenty years ago. With a little thought and creativity we were able to set up the studio to record the entire rhythm section: bass, drums, two guitars and guide piano, in the same room at the same time.
And so, as Captain Beefheart once said, "the fun begun." I had hoped to record at least two tracks per day and optimistically thought we might have a few days where we would catch three. Man, was I ever wrong. All the band needed was a few run throughs of each song and damned if they didn't start nailing track after track. On the first day we finished the basics on four songs and by 6:00 pm of day two...that's 18:00 in Austria, probably because of the weak dollar exchange rate, we had all ten tracks finished and ready for overdubs. As always, I let the band choose one track to record over again just because bands usually get cocky at about this time and think they have a better one left in them. And as usual...I was right and they were wrong. The first take of "Why Me" was loaded with energy and vibe and that's the one I'll keep. But what the hell, we had time to spare, and who wants to quit playing in the studio anyway?
Because the section was working so efficiently, I decided to grab a lot of rhythm guitar doubles immediately upon deciding that the take was a keeper. When playing live, Alex uses an Ibanez chorus stomp box and he asked me if we would be using it in the recording process. I answered that yes, probably...because the door lock in the toilet was broken and this little baby would be useful in holding the door closed. Then I showed Alex my very favorite chorus device.
My favorite chorus has two versions. If the tracking guitar is a Les Paul, I like to double the part with a Stratocaster through an AC30. If the tracking Guitar was a Strat, then I'll double the part with either a Les Paul or a Gibson ES something or other...335, 345 or 355. Since we had Markus' 345 at hand, my favorite chorus in this case consisted of the Vox AC30, Alex's Les Paul Custom, Markus' ES345 and my Knopfler signature Stratocaster. Yeah, it may not be as portable a chorus device as the Ibanez, but it sounds pretty goddamned good. And to tell the truth, I don't think I would use any of the components of my chorus to hold the toilet door shut, so I think we made the best use of the materials we had available.
On day three Herbert and I began to work on keyboard overdubs. Herbert is great to work with. In addition to being a very well trained musician, he has a great instinct for musical ideas and best of all, he has an open mind and is not averse to trying different voicings or rhythmic motifs in order to create the proper soundscapes with which to feature the melodies and lyrics of these songs. We have a deep love for classical music in common and musical ideas fly back and forth in three languages. Between Herbert's German, my English, both of our efforts at speaking each other's language and the language of music, I suppose that totals up to 3.5 languages...but the music is coming together really well and we are having loads of fun.
Meanwhile, because Markus has nothing to do at the moment, he has been doing what he has an absolute genius for, and that is dragging the media out to the countryside and generating interest in this band and in the Sellaband platform. By the time this album is released in July, Markus will have made sure that the very cows grazing on the nearby alps will have heard of it and want a copy of their own. So far we've done at least one interview or media event per day in the studio and tomorrow will be no different...which reminds me...shit! I gotta shave and wear clean socks tomorrow. Ah well, a small price to pay.
Tomorrow we continue with keyboards and then it will be time to record guitar overdubs with Markus. I wonder how many interviews he'll schedule when it's his turn in the box...
Markus and Alex have brought Marshall and Orange guitar amps in addition to the Tube Thomsen combo that Markus uses live. The studio has a really nice sounding Vox AC30 and a few nice Fender combos so tracking guitars will be more than fun. The only limitation we have here is that there are only sixteen input channels but that isn't any different than recording in the average analog studio of twenty years ago. With a little thought and creativity we were able to set up the studio to record the entire rhythm section: bass, drums, two guitars and guide piano, in the same room at the same time.
And so, as Captain Beefheart once said, "the fun begun." I had hoped to record at least two tracks per day and optimistically thought we might have a few days where we would catch three. Man, was I ever wrong. All the band needed was a few run throughs of each song and damned if they didn't start nailing track after track. On the first day we finished the basics on four songs and by 6:00 pm of day two...that's 18:00 in Austria, probably because of the weak dollar exchange rate, we had all ten tracks finished and ready for overdubs. As always, I let the band choose one track to record over again just because bands usually get cocky at about this time and think they have a better one left in them. And as usual...I was right and they were wrong. The first take of "Why Me" was loaded with energy and vibe and that's the one I'll keep. But what the hell, we had time to spare, and who wants to quit playing in the studio anyway?
Because the section was working so efficiently, I decided to grab a lot of rhythm guitar doubles immediately upon deciding that the take was a keeper. When playing live, Alex uses an Ibanez chorus stomp box and he asked me if we would be using it in the recording process. I answered that yes, probably...because the door lock in the toilet was broken and this little baby would be useful in holding the door closed. Then I showed Alex my very favorite chorus device.
My favorite chorus has two versions. If the tracking guitar is a Les Paul, I like to double the part with a Stratocaster through an AC30. If the tracking Guitar was a Strat, then I'll double the part with either a Les Paul or a Gibson ES something or other...335, 345 or 355. Since we had Markus' 345 at hand, my favorite chorus in this case consisted of the Vox AC30, Alex's Les Paul Custom, Markus' ES345 and my Knopfler signature Stratocaster. Yeah, it may not be as portable a chorus device as the Ibanez, but it sounds pretty goddamned good. And to tell the truth, I don't think I would use any of the components of my chorus to hold the toilet door shut, so I think we made the best use of the materials we had available.
On day three Herbert and I began to work on keyboard overdubs. Herbert is great to work with. In addition to being a very well trained musician, he has a great instinct for musical ideas and best of all, he has an open mind and is not averse to trying different voicings or rhythmic motifs in order to create the proper soundscapes with which to feature the melodies and lyrics of these songs. We have a deep love for classical music in common and musical ideas fly back and forth in three languages. Between Herbert's German, my English, both of our efforts at speaking each other's language and the language of music, I suppose that totals up to 3.5 languages...but the music is coming together really well and we are having loads of fun.
Meanwhile, because Markus has nothing to do at the moment, he has been doing what he has an absolute genius for, and that is dragging the media out to the countryside and generating interest in this band and in the Sellaband platform. By the time this album is released in July, Markus will have made sure that the very cows grazing on the nearby alps will have heard of it and want a copy of their own. So far we've done at least one interview or media event per day in the studio and tomorrow will be no different...which reminds me...shit! I gotta shave and wear clean socks tomorrow. Ah well, a small price to pay.
Tomorrow we continue with keyboards and then it will be time to record guitar overdubs with Markus. I wonder how many interviews he'll schedule when it's his turn in the box...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
ConFused5...Rehearsals
We are ready to go into the recording studio! It has been a full work week for ConFused5. Actually it has been two work weeks in one for the guys in the band. All the guys work for a living so rehearsing every available minute has meant that they have been working two jobs this week. I don't know how much their straight jobs take out of them, but I've been working them pretty hard and I think that we will peak at the right time to record a good solid album.
As I've written before, ConFused5 is a collaboration of diverse characters. Herbert is a full time music instructor and a consummate musician of the highest order. He has a great deal of experience in writing and arranging, plays keyboard and wind instruments and is a fine, classically trained tenor about town. And if you know anything at all about Salzburg, being a tenor in this town is no joke. His musical vocabulary is extensive and I get a kick out of him throwing out classical bits and pieces between C5 songs.
On bass and vocals, Kurt is the guy out in front. Kurt has been all over the world as a multi-instrumentalist and is laying down the fat-ass bottom end as well as sharing lead vocal responsibilities with Herbert. C5 is fortunate to have two excellent singers who have very different singing styles and yet blend really well when they sing together. As a bassist, Kurt is my kind of guy. He lays it down big, fat and with intensity. Bass is not an easy gig and he really does a great job of grooving with the kick and catching guitar figures.
Alex doesn't say much, at least I thought so until I stood in front of his amp and paid some attention. On a live gig, Alex may use 3 or 4 different sounds per song because he covers so many bases. One of the fun things for us will be to let him record what he plays live in layers of tracks so that all those great parts are there all the time. He is considered the rhythm guitar player in C5 but his contribution goes much further than what the title would imply.
On drums we have Beda, a professional percussionist, educator and clinician. Beda was a recent addition to C5 and the groove factor certainly went up a few notches when he came on board. He has chops oozing out of every pore and he'll hit anything you put in front of him. But in addition to being a bad-ass drummer, Beda is a fine musician with a great ear, large vocabulary and what's at the top of any producer's wish list, an open mind. When you think about it, drummers get paid to hit things...and sometimes they can be real pricks...not a great combination and perhaps a great subject of a future blog entry. But drummers who are also open-minded musicians are very valuable to a project like this and the recording sessions should be a ton of fun.
On lead guitar, and the guy who's driving this bus down the autobahn is my good friend Markus. Now, Markus is an interesting guy. He works his ass off in the office all day and all he wants to do is play in a rock band. He's also a connoisseur of fine guitars so we have a lot in common in that regard. His efforts in generating the $50,000 Sellaband budget have made him somewhat of a statesman on the website and when we're not actually working on music we are usually discussing either great guitars or the strategies that made this project possible. Add his ironic sense of humor to the mix and you can be sure that none of our rehearsals have had a dull moment.
Tomorrow we move the drums into Sonic Flow studio and we will begin recording the basic rhythm tracks on Saturday. Because this is rock music and the feel is so intrinsic to the style, I want to make every effort to record the tracks with the guys all in the same room. There will be some isolation issues to work out but the final product will be better for our efforts. The keyboard tracks will probably be guide tracks and we will do the final tracks as overdubs after finding just the right sounds. But I want as many of the guitars to go down with the drums and bass as possible in order to capture strong band performances. Once the tracks are feeling good, I'm sure we will do some doubling of the fat guitar parts. The solos and vocals will go down last and I'm hoping that tracking with the full band will render some inspiring foundations on which to build the songs.
So, to the studio we go. In a few days we will find out just how valuable pre-production rehearsals really can be. When getting a band ready to record, I tend to think of things in terms of a sports team. You can win a ton of games all season long, but if you're blown out by the time the playoffs come around, the whole season was a waste of time. Our playoffs start on Saturday and I think that we are peaking at just the right time. The guys are loose and having fun...and that's how you make good music.
As I've written before, ConFused5 is a collaboration of diverse characters. Herbert is a full time music instructor and a consummate musician of the highest order. He has a great deal of experience in writing and arranging, plays keyboard and wind instruments and is a fine, classically trained tenor about town. And if you know anything at all about Salzburg, being a tenor in this town is no joke. His musical vocabulary is extensive and I get a kick out of him throwing out classical bits and pieces between C5 songs.
On bass and vocals, Kurt is the guy out in front. Kurt has been all over the world as a multi-instrumentalist and is laying down the fat-ass bottom end as well as sharing lead vocal responsibilities with Herbert. C5 is fortunate to have two excellent singers who have very different singing styles and yet blend really well when they sing together. As a bassist, Kurt is my kind of guy. He lays it down big, fat and with intensity. Bass is not an easy gig and he really does a great job of grooving with the kick and catching guitar figures.
Alex doesn't say much, at least I thought so until I stood in front of his amp and paid some attention. On a live gig, Alex may use 3 or 4 different sounds per song because he covers so many bases. One of the fun things for us will be to let him record what he plays live in layers of tracks so that all those great parts are there all the time. He is considered the rhythm guitar player in C5 but his contribution goes much further than what the title would imply.
On drums we have Beda, a professional percussionist, educator and clinician. Beda was a recent addition to C5 and the groove factor certainly went up a few notches when he came on board. He has chops oozing out of every pore and he'll hit anything you put in front of him. But in addition to being a bad-ass drummer, Beda is a fine musician with a great ear, large vocabulary and what's at the top of any producer's wish list, an open mind. When you think about it, drummers get paid to hit things...and sometimes they can be real pricks...not a great combination and perhaps a great subject of a future blog entry. But drummers who are also open-minded musicians are very valuable to a project like this and the recording sessions should be a ton of fun.
On lead guitar, and the guy who's driving this bus down the autobahn is my good friend Markus. Now, Markus is an interesting guy. He works his ass off in the office all day and all he wants to do is play in a rock band. He's also a connoisseur of fine guitars so we have a lot in common in that regard. His efforts in generating the $50,000 Sellaband budget have made him somewhat of a statesman on the website and when we're not actually working on music we are usually discussing either great guitars or the strategies that made this project possible. Add his ironic sense of humor to the mix and you can be sure that none of our rehearsals have had a dull moment.
Tomorrow we move the drums into Sonic Flow studio and we will begin recording the basic rhythm tracks on Saturday. Because this is rock music and the feel is so intrinsic to the style, I want to make every effort to record the tracks with the guys all in the same room. There will be some isolation issues to work out but the final product will be better for our efforts. The keyboard tracks will probably be guide tracks and we will do the final tracks as overdubs after finding just the right sounds. But I want as many of the guitars to go down with the drums and bass as possible in order to capture strong band performances. Once the tracks are feeling good, I'm sure we will do some doubling of the fat guitar parts. The solos and vocals will go down last and I'm hoping that tracking with the full band will render some inspiring foundations on which to build the songs.
So, to the studio we go. In a few days we will find out just how valuable pre-production rehearsals really can be. When getting a band ready to record, I tend to think of things in terms of a sports team. You can win a ton of games all season long, but if you're blown out by the time the playoffs come around, the whole season was a waste of time. Our playoffs start on Saturday and I think that we are peaking at just the right time. The guys are loose and having fun...and that's how you make good music.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Next Case! ConFused5
As the night court judge said, slamming the bench with his gavel, "Next case!" I've been in Salzburg for six days recuperating from the whirlwind SolidTube project and am now in the Midst of ConFused5 country. During the week I had the pleasure of meeting with Markus, his lovely wife Joanna as well as Herbert and Regina. We have met over bier, wine, leberkäse, cheese and pizza, always discussing what all of us have closest to our hearts at the moment, the album which we are about to record for Sellaband. Last night was our first official rehearsal with the full band. There is plenty to write about, but behind every band is a story and the history behind ConFused5 is worth telling.
ConFused5's band roster is as diverse as it gets...at least here in Salzburg. The band consists of bandleader and lead guitarist Markus Melms, currently a successful business professional, Herbert Hopfgartner, a graduate of the legendary Mozarteum and career music professor on lead vocals, keyboards and wind instruments, Alex Kranebetter also a business professional on guitar and vocals, Kust Breider, banker and veteran performer on bass and lead vocals and veteran professional drummer Peter "Beda" Bachmeyer. Herbert's lovely wife, Regina, a professor of vocal pedagogy at the Mozarteum can be considered as a quasi band member as she will contribute vocals to the album and has written the texts for the songs that we will be recording.
In communicating with markus by Skype and email over the course of the months we have been planning this project, I have heard bits and pieces of how this diverse group of musicians and lovers of music came together to create ConFused5. But it was over a glass of red at Herbert and Regina's that I finally was able to piece together their story. Elements of The Blues Brothers and Sgt. Pepper run through the tale but it is pure ConFused5 from cover to cover.
Twenty years ago, Markus, Herbert and Alex formed a rock band while in school. They played school parties and local gatherings and, with long hair and wearing the fashions of those times, they dreamed of one day recording a proper album and playing the kind of concerts where someone else carried their equipment from the car to the stage. As happens with most teenage bands, the years and economics conspired to eventually bring an end to their efforts but in the case of at least one of the band members, the dream to one day record an album burned brightly deep inside his psyche.
Cut to about twenty years later. Markus, Herbert and Alex had "shed the things of childhood" as the saying goes, and gone their separate ways. For his fortieth birthday party, Markus, as always scheming to squeeze the last drop of fun from any situation, decided that the best way to celebrate would be to get up on a stage again and have a go at playing in a rock band. Can you say, "Hey man, Let's put the band back together!" Phone calls were made, emails were sent, the Rock House was reserved and there stood Markus Melms leading his old bandmates for an evening of their favorite cover songs as well as a few of the original compositions which will be recorded on this album for the very first time.
Music being the addictive drug that it is, the occasion, rather than satisfy a need, only caused the trio to want more. And so there developed a new band out of the old. Markus, Herbert and Regina started to get together over wine and cheese(sorry, this is no longer a lava lamp crowd) to play music. Eventually, new songs came to be composed by the boys and Regina was asked to supply lyrics. All that was missing was an audience and a reason to perform. And then along came Sellaband.
As Markus tells the story, I had apparently responded to another Sellaband artist in an Austrian dialect that sounded familiar to him. He sent a message to my Sellaband profile asking just exactly where I was from. I went to the ConFused5 profile, listened and liked the music, and found that we share the same roots. Eventually I learned that Markus and I were actually born in the same hospital! Naturally we began to exchange messages and communicated almost daily from that point. And now, by the grace of the almighty internet and because of our shared interest in making dreams come true, no matter how old and dusty they become, I find myself here in Salzburg making music with people I didn't know until a short time ago but who have become and I'm sure will remain fast friends.
So, it's off to rehearsal after which I'm sure I'll hear words that have become music to my ears, "Oiso, trink'n ma no' an?"
ConFused5's band roster is as diverse as it gets...at least here in Salzburg. The band consists of bandleader and lead guitarist Markus Melms, currently a successful business professional, Herbert Hopfgartner, a graduate of the legendary Mozarteum and career music professor on lead vocals, keyboards and wind instruments, Alex Kranebetter also a business professional on guitar and vocals, Kust Breider, banker and veteran performer on bass and lead vocals and veteran professional drummer Peter "Beda" Bachmeyer. Herbert's lovely wife, Regina, a professor of vocal pedagogy at the Mozarteum can be considered as a quasi band member as she will contribute vocals to the album and has written the texts for the songs that we will be recording.
In communicating with markus by Skype and email over the course of the months we have been planning this project, I have heard bits and pieces of how this diverse group of musicians and lovers of music came together to create ConFused5. But it was over a glass of red at Herbert and Regina's that I finally was able to piece together their story. Elements of The Blues Brothers and Sgt. Pepper run through the tale but it is pure ConFused5 from cover to cover.
Twenty years ago, Markus, Herbert and Alex formed a rock band while in school. They played school parties and local gatherings and, with long hair and wearing the fashions of those times, they dreamed of one day recording a proper album and playing the kind of concerts where someone else carried their equipment from the car to the stage. As happens with most teenage bands, the years and economics conspired to eventually bring an end to their efforts but in the case of at least one of the band members, the dream to one day record an album burned brightly deep inside his psyche.
Cut to about twenty years later. Markus, Herbert and Alex had "shed the things of childhood" as the saying goes, and gone their separate ways. For his fortieth birthday party, Markus, as always scheming to squeeze the last drop of fun from any situation, decided that the best way to celebrate would be to get up on a stage again and have a go at playing in a rock band. Can you say, "Hey man, Let's put the band back together!" Phone calls were made, emails were sent, the Rock House was reserved and there stood Markus Melms leading his old bandmates for an evening of their favorite cover songs as well as a few of the original compositions which will be recorded on this album for the very first time.
Music being the addictive drug that it is, the occasion, rather than satisfy a need, only caused the trio to want more. And so there developed a new band out of the old. Markus, Herbert and Regina started to get together over wine and cheese(sorry, this is no longer a lava lamp crowd) to play music. Eventually, new songs came to be composed by the boys and Regina was asked to supply lyrics. All that was missing was an audience and a reason to perform. And then along came Sellaband.
As Markus tells the story, I had apparently responded to another Sellaband artist in an Austrian dialect that sounded familiar to him. He sent a message to my Sellaband profile asking just exactly where I was from. I went to the ConFused5 profile, listened and liked the music, and found that we share the same roots. Eventually I learned that Markus and I were actually born in the same hospital! Naturally we began to exchange messages and communicated almost daily from that point. And now, by the grace of the almighty internet and because of our shared interest in making dreams come true, no matter how old and dusty they become, I find myself here in Salzburg making music with people I didn't know until a short time ago but who have become and I'm sure will remain fast friends.
So, it's off to rehearsal after which I'm sure I'll hear words that have become music to my ears, "Oiso, trink'n ma no' an?"
Saturday, March 08, 2008
SolidTube...Bringing it Home
Feb. 25. What an evening! As I had described in the previous post, we had a nice group of fans and believers come to Wild One Music last night to join SolidTube in singing the final chorus of one of their songs.
The most I had hoped for was to show appreciation to the folks who have made all of this possible and maybe to add some ambience to the track. As it turned out, the group of believers stood around the microphone and created a chorus of such great feeling and vibe that I'm forced to include them in the final recording.
Feb. 29. Last night was our last day or recording at Wild One Music studio. As always, for me at least, reaching this point in a project has a bittersweet taste. The whole gang was at the studio at some point yesterday in case we needed to pick up any loose ends. There were only some guitar, harp and backup vocals to record but I really wanted everyone to come by so that I could shake their hands, look them in the eyes and sincerely thank them for their hard work and great attitudes. And I wanted them to hear this from me in the studio where it all happened.
While finishing the recording phase of a project is reason to celebrate, it also marks the end of our time together, and this leaves all of us with a touch of sadness. We have attempted to record the tracks as a team and as this is the first professional recording experience for some, I have avoided shortcuts and have taken the long way around (as long as the budget allowed) so that everyone walks away from the studio with more than they came with. I think we accomplished what we set out to do and feel as though we've crammed ten years into the month of February.
Today I will review the tracks one last time, make work mixes of everything, and then organize the material for mixing purposes. I'll be in Salzburg recording with ConFused5 during March so I won't see the SolidTube tracks until April. When I open the sessions in Protools, I only want to see the material I will be mixing. The entire session material will also be available of course. But as we have a deadline of May 1st, I need to streamline the process of elimination as much as possible.
One person that has become indispensable to this project is Jakob Grabmayr. The staff at Wild One consists of Jakob and his assistant, Frank Pitters and I hope that both of these guys realize how much I appreciate their hard work and the extent to which they have become an important part of the SolidTube family. Many times I've gone to work in a studio, done what was needed and walked away without anyone really giving a good personal shit about each other. Business is business and as long as everyone gets paid and the project gets done there's no need to make new friends or even know the first thing about the staff and vice-versa. I can say in all candor that this project was NOT strictly business as usual.
Jakob has built Wild One over the course of fifteen years and his technical knowledge in combination with his personal pride and attention to every detail has provided us with the perfect environment to commit this music and the band's personality to every cut on the album. Having been a musician himself, Jakob clearly understands the importance of creating not only a great recording environment, but also addressing the needs of the typical musician when waiting around in the hours between takes. The studio lounge had everything the bandmembers needed to make the time pass pleasantly. I have only two suggestions and I think it will be perfect. One, I would get a set of rubber coffee cups and hide the silverware in a safe place. Some of the guys were new to these things and came close to hurting themselves. Two, A strong door made of bars would be great. Then I could talk to the band without risking one of them running away...there are cats in the area and we had a few complaints from neighbors claiming their pets had been traumatized. Nothing was ever proven, but a good strong set of bars on the door would force the area animal lovers to point their accusing fingers elsewhere. Oh, and I guess there's a third thing. Hanging a tire in the courtyard would be good. It turns out that my guys like to swing on things...sorry about the lamps in the hallway, I guess they weren't as strong as they looked.
So...this will mark the last entry of the SolidTube studio blog. There will be much more to write in the coming months as the project reaches completion. But until then stay tuned for the adventures of Confused5 scheduled to begin on March 7th in Salzburg. And to everyone from Mandana, Mike, the band, the management, the studio and especially each and everyone who believes in this recording...well, the words to express what I really feel haven't been invented, so I can only extend my most heartfelt THANK YOU.
The most I had hoped for was to show appreciation to the folks who have made all of this possible and maybe to add some ambience to the track. As it turned out, the group of believers stood around the microphone and created a chorus of such great feeling and vibe that I'm forced to include them in the final recording.
Feb. 29. Last night was our last day or recording at Wild One Music studio. As always, for me at least, reaching this point in a project has a bittersweet taste. The whole gang was at the studio at some point yesterday in case we needed to pick up any loose ends. There were only some guitar, harp and backup vocals to record but I really wanted everyone to come by so that I could shake their hands, look them in the eyes and sincerely thank them for their hard work and great attitudes. And I wanted them to hear this from me in the studio where it all happened.
While finishing the recording phase of a project is reason to celebrate, it also marks the end of our time together, and this leaves all of us with a touch of sadness. We have attempted to record the tracks as a team and as this is the first professional recording experience for some, I have avoided shortcuts and have taken the long way around (as long as the budget allowed) so that everyone walks away from the studio with more than they came with. I think we accomplished what we set out to do and feel as though we've crammed ten years into the month of February.
Today I will review the tracks one last time, make work mixes of everything, and then organize the material for mixing purposes. I'll be in Salzburg recording with ConFused5 during March so I won't see the SolidTube tracks until April. When I open the sessions in Protools, I only want to see the material I will be mixing. The entire session material will also be available of course. But as we have a deadline of May 1st, I need to streamline the process of elimination as much as possible.
One person that has become indispensable to this project is Jakob Grabmayr. The staff at Wild One consists of Jakob and his assistant, Frank Pitters and I hope that both of these guys realize how much I appreciate their hard work and the extent to which they have become an important part of the SolidTube family. Many times I've gone to work in a studio, done what was needed and walked away without anyone really giving a good personal shit about each other. Business is business and as long as everyone gets paid and the project gets done there's no need to make new friends or even know the first thing about the staff and vice-versa. I can say in all candor that this project was NOT strictly business as usual.
Jakob has built Wild One over the course of fifteen years and his technical knowledge in combination with his personal pride and attention to every detail has provided us with the perfect environment to commit this music and the band's personality to every cut on the album. Having been a musician himself, Jakob clearly understands the importance of creating not only a great recording environment, but also addressing the needs of the typical musician when waiting around in the hours between takes. The studio lounge had everything the bandmembers needed to make the time pass pleasantly. I have only two suggestions and I think it will be perfect. One, I would get a set of rubber coffee cups and hide the silverware in a safe place. Some of the guys were new to these things and came close to hurting themselves. Two, A strong door made of bars would be great. Then I could talk to the band without risking one of them running away...there are cats in the area and we had a few complaints from neighbors claiming their pets had been traumatized. Nothing was ever proven, but a good strong set of bars on the door would force the area animal lovers to point their accusing fingers elsewhere. Oh, and I guess there's a third thing. Hanging a tire in the courtyard would be good. It turns out that my guys like to swing on things...sorry about the lamps in the hallway, I guess they weren't as strong as they looked.
So...this will mark the last entry of the SolidTube studio blog. There will be much more to write in the coming months as the project reaches completion. But until then stay tuned for the adventures of Confused5 scheduled to begin on March 7th in Salzburg. And to everyone from Mandana, Mike, the band, the management, the studio and especially each and everyone who believes in this recording...well, the words to express what I really feel haven't been invented, so I can only extend my most heartfelt THANK YOU.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Trouble Starts on Thursday!
Thursday, January 31, 2008. That's the day I'll be landing on the shores of Vienna to begin the process of recording an album with SolidTube, the first Austrian band to reach the $50,000 mark on Sellaband. Okay, so Vienna doesn't have a "shore" in the strictest sense of the word, but the city does straddle the Blue Danube and that's good enough for me to stretch the analogy by a few miles. This is the first installment of a series of blog entries which will document the rehearsals for the recording, the "Vienna Calling" concert on February 8th and the sessions which will be held at Wild One Music, a recording studio just outside of the heart of Vienna.
But before I get too far into the SolidTube sessions, I think I should flash back to how all of this came about. It was recently announced that I would also be producing an album for another Sellaband artist. Although ConFused5 will be the second Austrian band to reach the $50,000 mark on Sellaband, the leader of the band, Markus Melms was the first artist to contact me upon joining the site and was instrumental in my involvement with Sellaband in general and these two groups in particular. I would be remiss in proceeding with an account of the impending shenanigans without writing a few words about how Markus' dedication to the success of his band has fueled the building interest of the Sellaband community in not only SolidTube and ConFused5, but also in two other Viennese bands, Kontrust and Rooga, both of which will be featured on the program February 8th.
This is clearly a case of "be careful what you wish for...it just might happen." In May of 2007, I was on holiday in Austria and as I strolled through the streets of Vienna, Graz and Salzburg, I found myself daydreaming of the possibility of returning to the country of my birth for an extended time. I knew that there must be a way that I could make some sort of living, but how? All I know how to do is make music and Austria has no shortage of my breed. So I returned home with the fantasy buried deeply in my psyche. I knew nothing about Sellaband and went about my business in Southern California.
It was at this point that my dear friend Lucia Iman began her Sellaband journey. During one of her voice lessons she asked me to accompany her for the Sellaband London Calling concert as her bassist. Well, a gig being a gig, I found myself in the sweatbox that was the Gibson Guitar Studio. To make a long story short, she made a very successful appearance and when we returned to LA I decided to support her quest by buying a part toward her album. I also wrote a few amusing blog entries about the trip and was very surprised to begin receiving messages on my Sellaband profile page from artists I found to be quite interesting. The very first was from someone calling himself "Markus from ConFused5" and the second came from "Docnik" who turned out to be SolidTube's manager.
As Markus was writing from my hometown of Salzburg, I was immediately curious to hear about the music scene in the old 'hood." When I saw the name Docnik on the second message, I thought at first that this was someone having a chuckle at my A.K.A. "Peatnik" which is a wordplay on the names of my boys, Pete and Nick. Out of curiosity, I responded to both messages and so began two online friendships that are soon to become what we all hope to be fruitful collaborations for all involved.
Both ConFused5 and SolidTube were virtually unknown bands on the Sellaband artist roster six months ago. They were working under the radar of the more prominent bands and being on page one seemed a distant goal. Our dialogs became more than the typical, "Come listen to us and buy some parts" spiel, and it wasn't long before I knew that both of these bands were very serious about making it on Sellaband, but at a loss as to how they could break out of a country with a population smaller than Los Angeles county. After exchanging ideas and strategies for possible ways to increase exposure on the Sellaband platform, Markus decided to organize what would become a very successful Sellaband event in Salzburg featuring both ConFused5 and Solidtube, and supported by additional Sellaband artists, Lorraine Jones and Pieps. The "Roll Over Austria" concert proved to benefit all the artists who took part. SolidTube's fans from Vienna, the Salzburg crowd, and the die-hard Sellabanders who made the trip from all over Europe combined to offer the artists international exposure and the prominence of serious contenders in the Sellaband community.
The success of the concert and the ensuing flurry of investment activity inspired these bands to hone their networking and promotional skills. My morning coffee ritual now included looking over the charts to see how many parts had been added to both band's accounts, and sending congratulatory messages at every milestone. Before long, Markus approached me about the possibility of producing the ConFused5 album when the time came. And, as SolidTube reached top 5 status, Docnik made the same overture. In my Bottom-End reviews of both of these bands, I had said that, with the right production team in place, both were capable of turning out albums that could do very well. Little did I think as I wrote those reviews that I would be involved in these productions.
And now, three days before I get on a plane to Vienna, the realization of my summer daydream is just on the other side of the luggage carousel at Schwechat Airport. Ah, this will be fun! February in Vienna with the glorious voice of Mandana. And then off to Sonic Flow Studio in Salzburg where ConFused5 will record their project. Who says that dreams can't come true?
Incidentally, I'll be joining Solidtube onstage as their temporary bass player on the 8th at Replugged in the 7th district of Vienna. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say "Servus." In the meantime, stay tuned to the Bottom-End for a running account of the sessions. Auf Wiedersehen!
But before I get too far into the SolidTube sessions, I think I should flash back to how all of this came about. It was recently announced that I would also be producing an album for another Sellaband artist. Although ConFused5 will be the second Austrian band to reach the $50,000 mark on Sellaband, the leader of the band, Markus Melms was the first artist to contact me upon joining the site and was instrumental in my involvement with Sellaband in general and these two groups in particular. I would be remiss in proceeding with an account of the impending shenanigans without writing a few words about how Markus' dedication to the success of his band has fueled the building interest of the Sellaband community in not only SolidTube and ConFused5, but also in two other Viennese bands, Kontrust and Rooga, both of which will be featured on the program February 8th.
This is clearly a case of "be careful what you wish for...it just might happen." In May of 2007, I was on holiday in Austria and as I strolled through the streets of Vienna, Graz and Salzburg, I found myself daydreaming of the possibility of returning to the country of my birth for an extended time. I knew that there must be a way that I could make some sort of living, but how? All I know how to do is make music and Austria has no shortage of my breed. So I returned home with the fantasy buried deeply in my psyche. I knew nothing about Sellaband and went about my business in Southern California.
It was at this point that my dear friend Lucia Iman began her Sellaband journey. During one of her voice lessons she asked me to accompany her for the Sellaband London Calling concert as her bassist. Well, a gig being a gig, I found myself in the sweatbox that was the Gibson Guitar Studio. To make a long story short, she made a very successful appearance and when we returned to LA I decided to support her quest by buying a part toward her album. I also wrote a few amusing blog entries about the trip and was very surprised to begin receiving messages on my Sellaband profile page from artists I found to be quite interesting. The very first was from someone calling himself "Markus from ConFused5" and the second came from "Docnik" who turned out to be SolidTube's manager.
As Markus was writing from my hometown of Salzburg, I was immediately curious to hear about the music scene in the old 'hood." When I saw the name Docnik on the second message, I thought at first that this was someone having a chuckle at my A.K.A. "Peatnik" which is a wordplay on the names of my boys, Pete and Nick. Out of curiosity, I responded to both messages and so began two online friendships that are soon to become what we all hope to be fruitful collaborations for all involved.
Both ConFused5 and SolidTube were virtually unknown bands on the Sellaband artist roster six months ago. They were working under the radar of the more prominent bands and being on page one seemed a distant goal. Our dialogs became more than the typical, "Come listen to us and buy some parts" spiel, and it wasn't long before I knew that both of these bands were very serious about making it on Sellaband, but at a loss as to how they could break out of a country with a population smaller than Los Angeles county. After exchanging ideas and strategies for possible ways to increase exposure on the Sellaband platform, Markus decided to organize what would become a very successful Sellaband event in Salzburg featuring both ConFused5 and Solidtube, and supported by additional Sellaband artists, Lorraine Jones and Pieps. The "Roll Over Austria" concert proved to benefit all the artists who took part. SolidTube's fans from Vienna, the Salzburg crowd, and the die-hard Sellabanders who made the trip from all over Europe combined to offer the artists international exposure and the prominence of serious contenders in the Sellaband community.
The success of the concert and the ensuing flurry of investment activity inspired these bands to hone their networking and promotional skills. My morning coffee ritual now included looking over the charts to see how many parts had been added to both band's accounts, and sending congratulatory messages at every milestone. Before long, Markus approached me about the possibility of producing the ConFused5 album when the time came. And, as SolidTube reached top 5 status, Docnik made the same overture. In my Bottom-End reviews of both of these bands, I had said that, with the right production team in place, both were capable of turning out albums that could do very well. Little did I think as I wrote those reviews that I would be involved in these productions.
And now, three days before I get on a plane to Vienna, the realization of my summer daydream is just on the other side of the luggage carousel at Schwechat Airport. Ah, this will be fun! February in Vienna with the glorious voice of Mandana. And then off to Sonic Flow Studio in Salzburg where ConFused5 will record their project. Who says that dreams can't come true?
Incidentally, I'll be joining Solidtube onstage as their temporary bass player on the 8th at Replugged in the 7th district of Vienna. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say "Servus." In the meantime, stay tuned to the Bottom-End for a running account of the sessions. Auf Wiedersehen!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Franz Schubert...The Lost Week
Since the time I first became aware of music, long ago in early childhood, I have had an abiding interest in music history, particularly the lives of the great composers who lived and worked in Vienna. I find it fascinating to look further than the dry biographical texts of my college days and examine more closely the daily experiences that inspired Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and so many others to the sublime heights of creativity attained in that city during the golden era of the Hapsburg empire. These were, after all, living, breathing musicians with all the passions, weaknesses and quirkiness prevalent in their heirs of today's music world.
My music history professor at school was an avid disciple of Mozart and we debated many hours over Wofgang's alleged superiority over my hero, Franz Schubert. I had read every word I could find about my favorite composer, and had an intimate knowledge of his letters, notes to friends, personal diaries and even knew the details of his laundry and shopping lists. I felt that I knew, as well as could be known from a distance of 150 years, enough about Schubert to have a keen appreciation for that which made him the composer he was.
When my grandfather passed away in 1974, I received a package from Salzburg containing various personal effects which my grandmother sent according to his last wishes. At the bottom of the box there was my grandfather's handwritten journal describing his adventures as a submariner during the first World War. I carefully pulled back the cover to reveal a note in his handwriting that could not have been older than a month. Translated, it said, "My dear grandson Peter, knowing your passion for stories about your favorite composer, Franz Schubert, I am leaving you something very special which has been in our family since his death in 1828. You may know that he passed from this life in the house at nr. 6 Kettenbrückengasse where my own grandfather was employed as a house servant. On these few scraps of paper are written in the maestro's own hand the facts concerning his absence from Vienna for seven days during the late summer of 1822. You may remember from your studies that Schubert was not a famous man during his short life, and his disappearance was noteworthy only within the small circle of his friends. This cherished momento from the hand of the master I leave to you upon my passing from this life."
Eureka!! Imagine how my heart jumped as I held in my humble hand that which Franz Schubert had held in his own a short 150 years before. Here, translated for the very first time is the document describing seven lost days in the brief life of the great composer:
Ach, Saturday! Today I will not write music. I feel lazy and I think that the best thing is to go for a long walk in the woods. But better that I take paper in my pocket, the symphony must be finished and maybe I will get some ideas from the songbirds...
(Later that night) What a very strange day it has been. I thought that I had walked every path in these woods, but an hour after I passed the Heuriger (Viennese wine garden) I felt that this was a different forest altogether. I did not see the usual landmarks. Where was Hofstetter's hunting shack? The giant Castanian tree that fell in last year's storm was gone. But the sun was still high in the sky and the birds were singing so there was no reason to be worried. I kept wandering in my beloved woods, thinking, always thinking...mein Gott, but the symphony just won't let itself be finished! But now it is dusk and I am very tired. Tired and hungry. I think I will rest for a moment and then try to find my way home. The moon will be almost full and I will surely find the way.
(Sunday Night) I had the strangest dream...and as I awaken it is again dark! Have I slept under this tree all day? It cannot be. But I am no longer tired and my hunger is gone. Ah, the dream...I heard the most interesting music, primitive but yet very soothing to the spirit. It came from the very depths of the forest, from a place I do not know. I dreamed that I followed the sound as a spaniel follows his nose to the back door of Hirschpichler's butcher shop. The strange music drew me deeper and deeper into the forest until I saw a house...well, it looked like a house, but it was built very low to the ground. It was made of a strange material, long tube-like pieces tied together. And the roof was made of long yellow grass-like branches. There were no doors or windows, only the holes where such things should be. And as I looked down I noticed that the forest floor was no longer covered with the dark green moss but that I was now walking on clean white sand! But what was this music? There was a guitar playing only simple chords on the second and fourth beat of each measure. And a low drum on the downbeat with some sort of percussion on every off beat. Nothing sophisticated at all, but the repetition was hypnotic and if I wasn't dreaming, I think that I would have gone to sleep. And go to sleep I surely did because now it is almost morning and the nearly full moon is sinking to the west. Ach, I should have stayed in my room to work on the symphony!
(Sometime Tuesday) The mystery is still a mystery and I am still hopelessly lost but at least I am with friends. Yesterday I was awakened by the same haunting rhythm of this strange new music. I approached the grass covered house and looking in the door, I pulled myself back in terror. Inside there was what appeared to be at least 5 or 6 people, men women and children...but like nothing I had ever seen in Vienna. They were barefoot and dressed in very bright colored clothing. The women had multicolored head coverings and the men...mein Gott, the men had hair and beards nearly to the waist that looked like sheep's wool. And all of them had skin the color of a Sacher torte! I had never seen beings like this but as I recoiled from the door I felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice, "Ja Mann! Come in and Jam a while mann!" The hand was attached to a giant of a man who's shining black eyes looked out of a deeply lined brown face. His deep voice asked, "What is your name, Mann?" I answered, almost shaking out of my clothes, "My name is not Mann, It is Franz." "France!" he thundered. "This is not France, Mann. I don't know where this is, but this is definitely not France! If it is France you are looking for, then you are even more lost than we are." At this the entire population of the house broke into laughter repeating that this was not France at all.
When I saw that they meant me no harm, I found my voice enough to explain that yes, I was indeed very lost, tired and hungry, that my name was Franz, not France, and that I had been wandering in what I thought was a familiar forest in search of the final chords for my Symphony. "Ah, you are a music man, Mann!" "Yes, but why do you still call me Mann, my name is Franz." "We call every man Mann, but we spell it M-O-N, Mon. You...we will call you France, mon. Because you are lost like us and also like us you are a music mon." They went on to explain that they were the last of a lost tribe of Israel and had been wandering the earth looking for their rightful homeland. I was made to feel completely at home among these lost wanderers. They gave me food and drink and when I confessed that I played the guitar, I was not left in peace until I played one of my Lieder for them.
Later that night I sat on a log in the clearing wondering if this was still a dream and if, when I finally woke up, I would find my way home. Bruddah John, as the leader of this band of fellow wanderers was called, came to sit with me. As I looked up at the now full moon, he asked, "Do you want to go there mon?" "Where?" I asked. "Up there mon...to the moon." And with that he passed a long sweet-smelling cigar into my hands. "Take a taste of that mon, and you will be there, on that moon. And then you can look back at us down here. Maybe then mon, you will find your way." I had smoked the last of my pipe tobacco and was craving a smoke so I accepted the cigar and took a long draw... Now it is Tuesday and If I am still dreaming, I am tired and must sleep.
(At this point in the manuscript the writing becomes unintelligible but for a few musical scribblings, symbols outlining what appear to be rhythmic motifs, drawings of the moon in its various phases, and a recipe for mojitos. On the next page Schubert continues...)
Ach Gott im Himmel! If I am not still in a dream and if I have counted the days correctly, it is Saturday and somehow I must either find my way home or wake up! It won't do to miss church again. My new friends and benefactors have taken me in and shared everything with me. Their food is delicious although spicier than even the sharpest goulash. Their tobacco is most interesting however. I find that I cannot smoke an entire cigar or "Spliff" as they call them. After one or two draws, I must lie down while the most curious thoughts fill my head. I feel as if I can create any music in my head but in the end find myself wanting only to eat and play repetitive patterns on the guitar. Bruddah John and I played music for hours while the children clapped on two and four of every measure and the women tapped their cooking pans with wooden spoons. This music has such a charm, I must write something in this style one day. One thing is very certain...I have no more heart to finish the verdammpt symphony. I think that I will just give the first two movements to that idiot Hüttenbrenner in Graz. I'm through with it. They can call it the "Unfinished Symphony" for all I care.
I found that Brudda John's family is even more lost than I am. They are searching for an Island they called Jahmekka. I told them that there were, to my knowledge, no islands anywhere near Vienna, as the city is situated far from any sea where such an island might be found. I made the promise that upon my return home, I would look at any maps that could be found in Father's school house and would return with any information that may prove helpful to these kind people in finding this Jahmekka. But now, Bruddah has held a hot coal to a spliff and...
Here the narrative abruptly ends. Was it a dream? or did Franz Schubert really happen upon a band of future Rastafarians in the depths of the Vienna woods? And do these scraps of writing finally explain why the "Unfinished" is...well, unfinished? I read and reread the handwritten notes repeatedly searching between the lines for more insight into the mind of this great composer. But the true treasure was to be found in what I had dismissed as illegible scribbling. As I stared at the markings a composition began to take shape. Here it was, the original manuscript sketch for one of Schubert's finest songs, "To The Moon." It was all here, the melody and the chords were outlined in a rudimentary way. But there was more. There was a bass line written out and rhythmic patterns were outlined that are unmistakably similar to the music of Jamaica. You can hear the original version of this song, arranged according to notes written in Schubert's own hand by looking at the Sellaband profile of a great band from Austria called ConFused5.
Who could have guessed that a Viennese composer, the immense output of whose short career would not be recognized until after his death, would become the father of Reggae?
Sadly, three years ago, the "Lost Week" manuscript was lost during an unfortunate accident while mixing a pitcher of mojitos. But I can swear that all of the details set forth above are true...well, most of them.
...Some of them...O.K, well... my grandfather DID send me a box of stuff!
My music history professor at school was an avid disciple of Mozart and we debated many hours over Wofgang's alleged superiority over my hero, Franz Schubert. I had read every word I could find about my favorite composer, and had an intimate knowledge of his letters, notes to friends, personal diaries and even knew the details of his laundry and shopping lists. I felt that I knew, as well as could be known from a distance of 150 years, enough about Schubert to have a keen appreciation for that which made him the composer he was.
When my grandfather passed away in 1974, I received a package from Salzburg containing various personal effects which my grandmother sent according to his last wishes. At the bottom of the box there was my grandfather's handwritten journal describing his adventures as a submariner during the first World War. I carefully pulled back the cover to reveal a note in his handwriting that could not have been older than a month. Translated, it said, "My dear grandson Peter, knowing your passion for stories about your favorite composer, Franz Schubert, I am leaving you something very special which has been in our family since his death in 1828. You may know that he passed from this life in the house at nr. 6 Kettenbrückengasse where my own grandfather was employed as a house servant. On these few scraps of paper are written in the maestro's own hand the facts concerning his absence from Vienna for seven days during the late summer of 1822. You may remember from your studies that Schubert was not a famous man during his short life, and his disappearance was noteworthy only within the small circle of his friends. This cherished momento from the hand of the master I leave to you upon my passing from this life."
Eureka!! Imagine how my heart jumped as I held in my humble hand that which Franz Schubert had held in his own a short 150 years before. Here, translated for the very first time is the document describing seven lost days in the brief life of the great composer:
Ach, Saturday! Today I will not write music. I feel lazy and I think that the best thing is to go for a long walk in the woods. But better that I take paper in my pocket, the symphony must be finished and maybe I will get some ideas from the songbirds...
(Later that night) What a very strange day it has been. I thought that I had walked every path in these woods, but an hour after I passed the Heuriger (Viennese wine garden) I felt that this was a different forest altogether. I did not see the usual landmarks. Where was Hofstetter's hunting shack? The giant Castanian tree that fell in last year's storm was gone. But the sun was still high in the sky and the birds were singing so there was no reason to be worried. I kept wandering in my beloved woods, thinking, always thinking...mein Gott, but the symphony just won't let itself be finished! But now it is dusk and I am very tired. Tired and hungry. I think I will rest for a moment and then try to find my way home. The moon will be almost full and I will surely find the way.
(Sunday Night) I had the strangest dream...and as I awaken it is again dark! Have I slept under this tree all day? It cannot be. But I am no longer tired and my hunger is gone. Ah, the dream...I heard the most interesting music, primitive but yet very soothing to the spirit. It came from the very depths of the forest, from a place I do not know. I dreamed that I followed the sound as a spaniel follows his nose to the back door of Hirschpichler's butcher shop. The strange music drew me deeper and deeper into the forest until I saw a house...well, it looked like a house, but it was built very low to the ground. It was made of a strange material, long tube-like pieces tied together. And the roof was made of long yellow grass-like branches. There were no doors or windows, only the holes where such things should be. And as I looked down I noticed that the forest floor was no longer covered with the dark green moss but that I was now walking on clean white sand! But what was this music? There was a guitar playing only simple chords on the second and fourth beat of each measure. And a low drum on the downbeat with some sort of percussion on every off beat. Nothing sophisticated at all, but the repetition was hypnotic and if I wasn't dreaming, I think that I would have gone to sleep. And go to sleep I surely did because now it is almost morning and the nearly full moon is sinking to the west. Ach, I should have stayed in my room to work on the symphony!
(Sometime Tuesday) The mystery is still a mystery and I am still hopelessly lost but at least I am with friends. Yesterday I was awakened by the same haunting rhythm of this strange new music. I approached the grass covered house and looking in the door, I pulled myself back in terror. Inside there was what appeared to be at least 5 or 6 people, men women and children...but like nothing I had ever seen in Vienna. They were barefoot and dressed in very bright colored clothing. The women had multicolored head coverings and the men...mein Gott, the men had hair and beards nearly to the waist that looked like sheep's wool. And all of them had skin the color of a Sacher torte! I had never seen beings like this but as I recoiled from the door I felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice, "Ja Mann! Come in and Jam a while mann!" The hand was attached to a giant of a man who's shining black eyes looked out of a deeply lined brown face. His deep voice asked, "What is your name, Mann?" I answered, almost shaking out of my clothes, "My name is not Mann, It is Franz." "France!" he thundered. "This is not France, Mann. I don't know where this is, but this is definitely not France! If it is France you are looking for, then you are even more lost than we are." At this the entire population of the house broke into laughter repeating that this was not France at all.
When I saw that they meant me no harm, I found my voice enough to explain that yes, I was indeed very lost, tired and hungry, that my name was Franz, not France, and that I had been wandering in what I thought was a familiar forest in search of the final chords for my Symphony. "Ah, you are a music man, Mann!" "Yes, but why do you still call me Mann, my name is Franz." "We call every man Mann, but we spell it M-O-N, Mon. You...we will call you France, mon. Because you are lost like us and also like us you are a music mon." They went on to explain that they were the last of a lost tribe of Israel and had been wandering the earth looking for their rightful homeland. I was made to feel completely at home among these lost wanderers. They gave me food and drink and when I confessed that I played the guitar, I was not left in peace until I played one of my Lieder for them.
Later that night I sat on a log in the clearing wondering if this was still a dream and if, when I finally woke up, I would find my way home. Bruddah John, as the leader of this band of fellow wanderers was called, came to sit with me. As I looked up at the now full moon, he asked, "Do you want to go there mon?" "Where?" I asked. "Up there mon...to the moon." And with that he passed a long sweet-smelling cigar into my hands. "Take a taste of that mon, and you will be there, on that moon. And then you can look back at us down here. Maybe then mon, you will find your way." I had smoked the last of my pipe tobacco and was craving a smoke so I accepted the cigar and took a long draw... Now it is Tuesday and If I am still dreaming, I am tired and must sleep.
(At this point in the manuscript the writing becomes unintelligible but for a few musical scribblings, symbols outlining what appear to be rhythmic motifs, drawings of the moon in its various phases, and a recipe for mojitos. On the next page Schubert continues...)
Ach Gott im Himmel! If I am not still in a dream and if I have counted the days correctly, it is Saturday and somehow I must either find my way home or wake up! It won't do to miss church again. My new friends and benefactors have taken me in and shared everything with me. Their food is delicious although spicier than even the sharpest goulash. Their tobacco is most interesting however. I find that I cannot smoke an entire cigar or "Spliff" as they call them. After one or two draws, I must lie down while the most curious thoughts fill my head. I feel as if I can create any music in my head but in the end find myself wanting only to eat and play repetitive patterns on the guitar. Bruddah John and I played music for hours while the children clapped on two and four of every measure and the women tapped their cooking pans with wooden spoons. This music has such a charm, I must write something in this style one day. One thing is very certain...I have no more heart to finish the verdammpt symphony. I think that I will just give the first two movements to that idiot Hüttenbrenner in Graz. I'm through with it. They can call it the "Unfinished Symphony" for all I care.
I found that Brudda John's family is even more lost than I am. They are searching for an Island they called Jahmekka. I told them that there were, to my knowledge, no islands anywhere near Vienna, as the city is situated far from any sea where such an island might be found. I made the promise that upon my return home, I would look at any maps that could be found in Father's school house and would return with any information that may prove helpful to these kind people in finding this Jahmekka. But now, Bruddah has held a hot coal to a spliff and...
Here the narrative abruptly ends. Was it a dream? or did Franz Schubert really happen upon a band of future Rastafarians in the depths of the Vienna woods? And do these scraps of writing finally explain why the "Unfinished" is...well, unfinished? I read and reread the handwritten notes repeatedly searching between the lines for more insight into the mind of this great composer. But the true treasure was to be found in what I had dismissed as illegible scribbling. As I stared at the markings a composition began to take shape. Here it was, the original manuscript sketch for one of Schubert's finest songs, "To The Moon." It was all here, the melody and the chords were outlined in a rudimentary way. But there was more. There was a bass line written out and rhythmic patterns were outlined that are unmistakably similar to the music of Jamaica. You can hear the original version of this song, arranged according to notes written in Schubert's own hand by looking at the Sellaband profile of a great band from Austria called ConFused5.
Who could have guessed that a Viennese composer, the immense output of whose short career would not be recognized until after his death, would become the father of Reggae?
Sadly, three years ago, the "Lost Week" manuscript was lost during an unfortunate accident while mixing a pitcher of mojitos. But I can swear that all of the details set forth above are true...well, most of them.
...Some of them...O.K, well... my grandfather DID send me a box of stuff!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Okay, Okay, I'll write another Sellaband Review
Alright! Okay! I promise that I will write some funny stuff soon. Also, I have noticed from my statcounter that there have been more than a few hits on the archived pages regarding Breathing and Support. So I promise that there will be an entry with some helpful support exercises for the singers in my audience.
BUT...as I've made some new friends on line through my association with Sellaband, I'm going to dedicate a paragraph or two of every blog entry to review some artists that I think warrant some attention. The ground rules I will adhere to are these:
1. I will not write about artists that I don't like.
2. I will be honest, positive and constructive in my comments.
ConFused5 is a band from my hometown. I had to give a listen to the boys from the 'hood, especially if the 'hood is Salzburg. I listened to the three tracks available on their Sellaband page and my first impression is that this band is not confused at all. There is a characteristic thread running through all three offerings. The main element that appeals to me is the effort made toward honest, vintage sounding instrument tracks.
The harmony lead guitar sections are played very musically and have real balls. The guitars sound LOUD...as they should in this type of music. And the interplay with the keyboards is also effectively executed.
The bass and drum tracks are also aggressively played although I get the Idea that the bass parts are occasionally a bit busy for the style and could stand to "lock" with the drums. The problem here is a technical one. In the old days of analog recording, the bass was frequently a huge gob of mud, pulsating low frequencies along with the kick drum. It was sometimes difficult to make out intricate parts and I think that many older records are perceived to "groove" harder because of a degree of muddiness. With the clarity of modern recording techniques, the mating of bass and kick drum has become much more critical and intricacy can sometimes be self-defeating. Nothing 50K and a good recording environment wouldn't straighten out.
I am very impressed with the vocal sound of the band. A hint of Jack Bruce comes immediately to mind on "Why Me." I would LOVE to hear something from ConFused5 in German...better yet in Austrian dialect. Everybody wants to sing in English, I understand the need to reach a larger audience. But this band is developing a signature sound, an aggressive, masculine yet controlled, characteristic sound of their own. I'd really like to hear them rip it up in German one time.
So, bottom line from the Bottom-End...ConFused5 is not confusing at all. Straight forward, ass-kicking singing and playing. Interesting songs and really good concepts in sound.
Alright then, next entry will be on support, I promise. Don't forget to visit my friends in the links section. Now beat it...it's late.
BUT...as I've made some new friends on line through my association with Sellaband, I'm going to dedicate a paragraph or two of every blog entry to review some artists that I think warrant some attention. The ground rules I will adhere to are these:
1. I will not write about artists that I don't like.
2. I will be honest, positive and constructive in my comments.
ConFused5 is a band from my hometown. I had to give a listen to the boys from the 'hood, especially if the 'hood is Salzburg. I listened to the three tracks available on their Sellaband page and my first impression is that this band is not confused at all. There is a characteristic thread running through all three offerings. The main element that appeals to me is the effort made toward honest, vintage sounding instrument tracks.
The harmony lead guitar sections are played very musically and have real balls. The guitars sound LOUD...as they should in this type of music. And the interplay with the keyboards is also effectively executed.
The bass and drum tracks are also aggressively played although I get the Idea that the bass parts are occasionally a bit busy for the style and could stand to "lock" with the drums. The problem here is a technical one. In the old days of analog recording, the bass was frequently a huge gob of mud, pulsating low frequencies along with the kick drum. It was sometimes difficult to make out intricate parts and I think that many older records are perceived to "groove" harder because of a degree of muddiness. With the clarity of modern recording techniques, the mating of bass and kick drum has become much more critical and intricacy can sometimes be self-defeating. Nothing 50K and a good recording environment wouldn't straighten out.
I am very impressed with the vocal sound of the band. A hint of Jack Bruce comes immediately to mind on "Why Me." I would LOVE to hear something from ConFused5 in German...better yet in Austrian dialect. Everybody wants to sing in English, I understand the need to reach a larger audience. But this band is developing a signature sound, an aggressive, masculine yet controlled, characteristic sound of their own. I'd really like to hear them rip it up in German one time.
So, bottom line from the Bottom-End...ConFused5 is not confusing at all. Straight forward, ass-kicking singing and playing. Interesting songs and really good concepts in sound.
Alright then, next entry will be on support, I promise. Don't forget to visit my friends in the links section. Now beat it...it's late.
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