I'm Interested.

Since the Bass Big Muff took a shit at COJ practice on Friday, I'm still in the market for a fuzz. I'm convinced that EHX has a gnomes problem (certainly a big quality control problem). The Black Finger turns itself on and off randomly, and this one suddenly went microphonic on me. Lame. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? It Sounds pretty fierce:



I'm still lookin' for one of those Fender Sublime Bass Fuzzes to check out.

I Lied.

We actually recorded eight songs last Tuesday. I thought that it was seven, but, as a bass player, I rarely have to count past six, and usually four. So, I can't count to eight--oh well.

I got the rough mix today and it's lacking in several areas (when listened to on my bass-infested computer and car--on the 1970s Sansui, I can EQ the badness away). I have to keep in mind that these are mere demos and far from perfect:

• The songwriting and arrangements really work, though. We did a good job with Ross' songs. I'm so proud of us.
  
• If we can tighten up the bass track's low end and carefully tweak the midrange, we'll be set. I think that if I did a DI track and we used an in-phase room mic for the bass a way off, it'll fix my floppiness, which is the worst part of all of this (still not playing like I need to for a three piece, perhaps). Maybe some crap was done to the bass track unbeknownst to me--Greg did it right with a DI and a room mic on the 8x10" moderately loud with a touch of limiting on the DI (the UA 1176 plug in rocks). Maybe I just need to record with a different setup entirely.
  
• The drums weren't terrible, but again, the low end is really loose. There's virtually no crispness on the cymbals. I'd like to hear more of that. I want the snare to crack a little more, too. The percussion just ain't quite as tight-sounding as I'd like.
  
• The guitar actually sounds much better than I thought it would after listening to the playback. It could use a little bit more presence, but basically, it's cool.
• The vocals actually are great, and that's what I think that the magical one was shooting for. Sometimes, they sit in a weird place, but I think that's because it has a really smiley EQ curve (no mids) on everything else. There's a couple of places that ADT would be cool, or RDT as the case may be.
  

I'm trying to not let this bum me out at all. This isn't for real, after all. This is just for (fuckin') Ronny to figure out if the arrangements will work. I think that we've made impressive progress in two months. Mostly, it's production problems that have shown up, which is the whole point of pre-production, I think. Some of the improvisation is brilliant, though. I love it when things happen.

The new and improved 'Army of Stars' is really the best I've heard since Last Man on the Moon. Somehow, we managed a rock 'n' roll fine, which I didn't think that I had in me.

This new one is great, with a little bass-cut, man.

----------------
Now playing: Ross Etherton and the Chariots of Judah - Goodnight Everybody (5:01)

Maggots Are Back!

My twelve-hour day today can only mean one thing: summer is right around the corner!

Good:

1. School's out, so the Starbucks on university hill is easy to drive into;
2. Rockshows;
3. The summer haircut;
4. Motorbikes!
   

Bad:

1. Wondervu is beautiful this time of year, although the recent precipitation means that the "roads" are soft enough to gobble up trucks;
2. Tomorrow, I'm laying tile all day in a steel building--Sweatyman rides again;

Ugly:

The three yards of rotting meat that I had to deal with at four o'clock.

The Thing of it is, I know what's happening (heavy) I'm really trying to refrain from the epic introspective (BS) posts. Also refraining from mundane shit. Actually, i'm preparing for delta server delta format. Keepin' it real, an' shit.A complete anxiety meltdown today. I parked the rig because I couldn't see straight, couldn't breathe, and was fully going to pieces for no apparent reason (this was really painful to me). There was frantic calling of friends that I don't think would participate in a conspiracy against me. Erich thinks that I'm in need of a drink (after 22 days sober? this is a record, indeed), and that things have been going far too well for me lately (or, better than I've become accustomed to). Thus, my unconscious things are the real conspirators. He also believes that people have better things to do. This all seems quite reasonable to me. ( i have a controlable desire to diagram sentences--should've done this post in latin just for fun--maybe next time)I know that it's completely fuckeed (tm), really. That doesn't stop it, though.(insert three hours here)A trip to the store of liquor (the bra-less wonder), and i'm much more relaxeed (tm). Dr. Vodka, Lift Your Skinny Fists (beautiful record) on repeat, some comfort food, and a quick chat with meine Donnerbrüder (et allia), and I'm back in one piece for the time being. Thank you to my best townie friends (and dr. e-dogg) on this one. I owe y'all one, really really.Still, I think that I need to pay a visit to a shrink (EEEK). There should be an anti-anxiety inhaler (or weed, as Erich suggests) or something else that's new and cool and instant.

I'm really trying to refrain from the epic introspective (BS) posts. Also refraining from mundane shit. Actually, i'm preparing for delta server delta format. Keepin' it real, an' shit.

A complete anxiety meltdown today. I parked the rig because I couldn't see straight, couldn't breathe, and was fully going to pieces for no apparent reason (this was really painful to me). There was frantic calling of friends that I don't think would participate in a conspiracy against me. Erich thinks that I'm in need of a drink (after 22 days sober? this is a record, indeed), and that things have been going far too well for me lately (or, better than I've become accustomed to). Thus, my unconscious things are the real conspirators. He also believes that people have better things to do. This all seems quite reasonable to me. ( i have a controlable desire to diagram sentences--should've done this post in latin just for fun--maybe next time)

I know that it's completely fuckeed (tm), really. That doesn't stop it, though.

(insert three hours here)

A trip to the store of liquor (the bra-less wonder), and i'm much more relaxeed (tm). Dr. Vodka, Lift Your Skinny Fists (beautiful record) on repeat, some comfort food, and a quick chat with meine Donnerbrüder (et allia), and I'm back in one piece for the time being. Thank you to my best townie friends (and dr. e-dogg) on this one. I owe y'all one, really really.

Still, I think that I need to pay a visit to a shrink (EEEK). There should be an anti-anxiety inhaler (or weed, as Erich suggests) or something else that's new and cool and instant.

I Swear I'm Not Trippin'

I did the Jeremy weather report first thing (literally stumbling out of bed), and I really really saw two or three inches of new snow out there. Since I'm flying solo today, so to speak, I really didn't want another storm. It happens, though.

The best part of the snow is that it was entirely a hallucination. The stress elves (naked, thus, real) must be getting to me.