Into the Studio

Well this past week found me back in a studio again, although this time I decided to simply go into Pacific to lay down the basics instead of doing it at home. I took advantage of the fact that my old friend Doug was in town to get himself hitched and since I was the one who arranged him and his new bride access to the Cabin On The Bay for a few nights, he was more than willing to spend a few quality hours in the recording studio on my behalf to repay his debt.

I don’t think Doug and I have been in a real studio together to lay down tracks in almost 20 years. It was just the two of us, with me in an adjoining room playing my guitar and singing and him in the big room on the other side of some soundproof glass, playing the drums.

I had fairly low expectations going in. Doug hadn’t had any time to learn any of the new songs, and so I had to teach him how they went before we could record them. I was hoping to get at least four songs finished, but in the end, we got all eight. There is just a comfort level we have that comes from playing together for 25 years. We both know each other and trust each other enough that everything all fell together in a nice easy heap.

Tony, the guy who helped mix down the Prairie Dogs Brand New Heart a few years back was behind the board. Today when I came to pick up a DVD of the basic tracks we recorded he expressed interest in putting down some bass on it, which I gladly accepted. I’m really going to try to make an effort to use musicians other than myself on this CD, if for no other reason than I’m sick of hearing myself play.

I always know when I’m on the right track when all the pieces seem to fall into place without struggle. I’m sure there will be some hiccoughs along the way, but I’m not asking for a smooth ride, just one I can take to the end.

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