Mungus in the Studio, Day 9 (Monday, September 1, 2008)
It's 11:31 on Labor Day and I'm all but finished tracking my bass parts for the album. I ran through "Remora" as soon as we got to the studio and, like all my first takes of the morning, it was rough the first time through. The second time was much more relaxed and required only a couple of fixes. We're recording Stephen's part for the intro right now so I can lay down my bass, and then I'll be done.
Amy is here with me today, which is really wonderful. She was supposed to be here last weekend, but the hardware issues made that impossible. As it is she'll be here for most of the day, then head back to my house to pick up her dog Scout and then drive back to Cincinnati tonight. Our living apart is getting harder and more unpleasant day by day, but we keep moving forward. We'll both be glad when this period of LDR is over.
It's 11:58 and I'm finished recording for the album! Now all that's left to me is observing and commenting... and image editing. Stephen is continuing to record layers of guitar to make the track as massive as it can possibly be.
---
1:37 and we're back from Lynagh's and lunch. We're talking about band needs and what we should expect from each member of Mungus. Stephen is continuing to record overdubs.
Adam arrived at 2:09. He had a singing job this morning and this was the earliest he could get here. We're timing how long it takes him to start talking like Herbert. At the fourteen minute mark we laughed and Duane said he would have lost his bet that Adam was going to walk in saying, "Hi there, Lundy-licious!"
2:13 and Duane and Stephen just did something that made his guitar sound like it was an fighter jet landing on a carrier. To do it, though, they had to get into a remarkably compromising physical position. Sadly we didn't get it on film.
---
3:47 and Adam has done numerous vocal tracks for a number of songs, but the main focus of the day has been "Remora". He's doubled the lyrics an octave down in a place or two, and recorded a couple of overdubs.
4:44 finds us listening to Stephen re-recording his solo for "Swing" because, while the rest of us liked it, he hated his original recording. We've been listening to this section for a while now, Stephen shredding away and Duane championing the focus of the original take. We'll see which version gets used in the final mix.
---
5:17 and we've listened to both "Swing" and Undisclosed Song X to get an idea of what we've recorded so far and to hear what we have to work with going into the final mix session, which will start in a couple of weeks (because Duane has a few other projects to mix before he gets to us). We're giving our opinions and knee-jerk reactions to hearing everything together (new backing vocals included) for the first time.
5:22 and "Flame On", then "Get Some" at 5:33. More of the same, tweaking overdubs and commenting on things that don't quite work.
5:42 and we've started listening to "Jade". I love what Stephen has done with the guitar layers on this song (though there aren't as many as there sound like there are). Duane thinks this is our biggest and best song, the one most likely for cross-over success. I just love this tune. The only thing we might add to it is some acoustic guitar.
5:58 brings "Longshot" to the forefront. It's such a big little song, simple and direct with window shattering clarity... said the J. Peterman entry. We're now talking about changing a fundamental vocal part that has been a part of the tune since its beginning and there is some conceptual resistance. We've all agreed to check it out tomorrow when we set up the mics again. Duane's position is that it's more in keeping with who Adam is as a singer to make the change, and while I agree with his points (I think we all do), it's a tough change.
6:11 We're on to "Move" now. The new lyrics going into where the old lyrics start made my hair stand up. It's like a powerful march to destiny. Perhaps I'm given to alliteration today, but the songs coming through these speakers are all so massive and amazing. This is an album that has the potential to change our lives, and listening to it today (unmixed and with Duane doing quick on-the-fly edits) really conveys this.
6:47 and we've listened to "Sex Kills" and are just starting "Ponderous Groove". "Sex Kills" is going to require some vocal re-recording, which we'll get to tomorrow. We talked about the mastering process, which is basically the compression of the sound files and the raising of everything to be as loud as possible without distorting. Duane has a guy who does this (because he'd prefer not to do it) and will hook us up.
We're talking about venues in Chicago. Double Door has gotten some reaction from the room (both Duane and Amy). We're also talking about St. Louis.
---
We finished up the night at Mia's, a great gay bar that's become a bit of a fancy restaurant. The food was either very good or not hot enough, but good. The service was a bit hit or miss, but the atmosphere was really good. We talked quite a bit more about Michael and his issues within the band. Duane made clear how he would have reacted to some of the shit our drummer has pulled (specifically, Duane would have slammed the door on it, and slammed it hard). All in all, it made me feel better about my position of, "Cut our losses and give him his walking papers."
More tomorrow, on our final day of recording!
~Benjamin
It's 11:31 on Labor Day and I'm all but finished tracking my bass parts for the album. I ran through "Remora" as soon as we got to the studio and, like all my first takes of the morning, it was rough the first time through. The second time was much more relaxed and required only a couple of fixes. We're recording Stephen's part for the intro right now so I can lay down my bass, and then I'll be done.
Amy is here with me today, which is really wonderful. She was supposed to be here last weekend, but the hardware issues made that impossible. As it is she'll be here for most of the day, then head back to my house to pick up her dog Scout and then drive back to Cincinnati tonight. Our living apart is getting harder and more unpleasant day by day, but we keep moving forward. We'll both be glad when this period of LDR is over.
It's 11:58 and I'm finished recording for the album! Now all that's left to me is observing and commenting... and image editing. Stephen is continuing to record layers of guitar to make the track as massive as it can possibly be.
---
1:37 and we're back from Lynagh's and lunch. We're talking about band needs and what we should expect from each member of Mungus. Stephen is continuing to record overdubs.
Adam arrived at 2:09. He had a singing job this morning and this was the earliest he could get here. We're timing how long it takes him to start talking like Herbert. At the fourteen minute mark we laughed and Duane said he would have lost his bet that Adam was going to walk in saying, "Hi there, Lundy-licious!"
2:13 and Duane and Stephen just did something that made his guitar sound like it was an fighter jet landing on a carrier. To do it, though, they had to get into a remarkably compromising physical position. Sadly we didn't get it on film.
---
3:47 and Adam has done numerous vocal tracks for a number of songs, but the main focus of the day has been "Remora". He's doubled the lyrics an octave down in a place or two, and recorded a couple of overdubs.
4:44 finds us listening to Stephen re-recording his solo for "Swing" because, while the rest of us liked it, he hated his original recording. We've been listening to this section for a while now, Stephen shredding away and Duane championing the focus of the original take. We'll see which version gets used in the final mix.
---
5:17 and we've listened to both "Swing" and Undisclosed Song X to get an idea of what we've recorded so far and to hear what we have to work with going into the final mix session, which will start in a couple of weeks (because Duane has a few other projects to mix before he gets to us). We're giving our opinions and knee-jerk reactions to hearing everything together (new backing vocals included) for the first time.
5:22 and "Flame On", then "Get Some" at 5:33. More of the same, tweaking overdubs and commenting on things that don't quite work.
5:42 and we've started listening to "Jade". I love what Stephen has done with the guitar layers on this song (though there aren't as many as there sound like there are). Duane thinks this is our biggest and best song, the one most likely for cross-over success. I just love this tune. The only thing we might add to it is some acoustic guitar.
5:58 brings "Longshot" to the forefront. It's such a big little song, simple and direct with window shattering clarity... said the J. Peterman entry. We're now talking about changing a fundamental vocal part that has been a part of the tune since its beginning and there is some conceptual resistance. We've all agreed to check it out tomorrow when we set up the mics again. Duane's position is that it's more in keeping with who Adam is as a singer to make the change, and while I agree with his points (I think we all do), it's a tough change.
6:11 We're on to "Move" now. The new lyrics going into where the old lyrics start made my hair stand up. It's like a powerful march to destiny. Perhaps I'm given to alliteration today, but the songs coming through these speakers are all so massive and amazing. This is an album that has the potential to change our lives, and listening to it today (unmixed and with Duane doing quick on-the-fly edits) really conveys this.
6:47 and we've listened to "Sex Kills" and are just starting "Ponderous Groove". "Sex Kills" is going to require some vocal re-recording, which we'll get to tomorrow. We talked about the mastering process, which is basically the compression of the sound files and the raising of everything to be as loud as possible without distorting. Duane has a guy who does this (because he'd prefer not to do it) and will hook us up.
We're talking about venues in Chicago. Double Door has gotten some reaction from the room (both Duane and Amy). We're also talking about St. Louis.
---
We finished up the night at Mia's, a great gay bar that's become a bit of a fancy restaurant. The food was either very good or not hot enough, but good. The service was a bit hit or miss, but the atmosphere was really good. We talked quite a bit more about Michael and his issues within the band. Duane made clear how he would have reacted to some of the shit our drummer has pulled (specifically, Duane would have slammed the door on it, and slammed it hard). All in all, it made me feel better about my position of, "Cut our losses and give him his walking papers."
More tomorrow, on our final day of recording!
~Benjamin