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| Our Three Truck - One RV fleet. |
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| Chicago. |
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| Cadlebox... who rocked it hard. |
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| My handwritten patch sheet, which the Keyboard player for Sammy Kershaw wadded up and tossed aside, cuz he's an asshole, I guess. |
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| Road-selfie. On the way home. |
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
July Road Trip
Went to do audio stuff at Rockford Town Fair in Illinois this past week. Here are some random pictures...
Thursday, June 2, 2016
My Synth Pile has grown...
Here's a picture of my Sequential Prophet 6 (middle), joining it's brethren, the Dave Smith Instruments Poly Evolver (bottom), and the Mopho X4 (top).
Saturday, May 7, 2016
A missive to an unknon co-worker...
Dear Unknown Co-worker:
I sincerely appreciate the spirit of thoroughness that led you to vigorously wrap these XLR connections with e-tape. I can only assume it was the same spirit (gründlichgiest, if you will) that led you to wrap e-tape around the twist-lock motor cable, despite the fact that, as the name suggests, they LOCK into position.
The spirit of thoroughness is good.
But let me tell you about the spirit of load-out….
Perhaps it is a more cynical ethos than that to which you are accustomed. But make no mistake, it is a spirit of efficiency! The idea is to take all the gear and other associated show ephemera and put it into the cases, trunks, boxes, totes and what-have-you, then, as quickly as possible, load it all those onto their assigned vessel of transport so that we can leave, and eventually go home and not be at work any more. Accomplishing this objective is made considerably more difficult when I (or others… but in this case it was me) have to undo needless and excessive taping in the middle of a frenzied push to get out the door. Not only did it injure the cause of expeditious departure, it caused me to briefly (but earnestly!) wish you severe proctological distress.
In the future, please measure the unlikely circumstance of an XLR cable becoming disconnected during a show, against the certainty that the show will have to be struck when it is over, before over-zealously taping cable together.
Sincerely,
Sound-Dick.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Recording
In between the usual soundguy gigs, I've finally had the time to track a band at the studio. They are called Off the Wagon, and they're doing some pretty aggressive rock-a-billy. It's been going well so far. I'd love to put up a bunch of pictures... but I just don't have the inclination to take pics while I'm in the control room. So here's one:
Also... the Royer 121 is the shit for recording guitars.
Also... the Royer 121 is the shit for recording guitars.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Then this happened...
...you're working your house audio gig, and a tour comes through, and they're sub-renting gear from another of your employers. It's a small world.
Monday, September 21, 2015
The 250th York Fair
Here's a bunch of pictures...
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| The PA Hang was 12 Vertec per-side, and 12 EAW SB1000's per-side (not pictured)... |
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| Brad, the A1 dealing with crap on the phone during the Brantley Gilbert load-in. |
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| Bob and Tony, of IATSE Local #283 in the pissing down rain, setting up a diva thrust. (Also during the Brantley Gilbert Load-In) |
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| As the rain started... |
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| I carry many things in my 5.11 bag. Tools, a cable tester, Aleve, and yes, always a change of socks... for miserable, rainy days. |
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| Monitors for Foghat. |
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| PM5D selfie. Required for audio guys. |
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| Wrestling... enough said. |
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| American Authors, not to be confused with Armenian Aurthurs. |
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| Bob and I participating in "yarrrrrs" (mine was lacking in this photo) for Talk Like a Pirate Day. |
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| The ugliest guitar I have ever seen in person. It's a slime green Parker Fly, owned by the guitarist for Alabama. He has a matching fiddle. |
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| Last day of the fair. Doing monitors (from stage left this time) for Laura Alaina... whoever that is. |
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Ennui...
... it's killing me.
Red Sea Radio is about to release a new digital single, and this one is very special to me.
I guess I need to begin way back in November of 1999. I was freshly eighteen, and still living with my parents, driving around in a 1984 Volkswagon Vanagon that I purchased from a local rockstar and hairdresser. I had a lot more chutzpah in those days (and I reckon most people, especially dudes, do.), and I wasn't hesitant to pick up a guitar and sing.
One very late night I was in the living room trying to learn 'Girl' by the Beatles. I kept messing up at the same part, and one time, out of frustration, I just began quickly strumming a succession of chords. This accidental progression became the chorus to "Ennui (It's Killing Me)." After old man Thompson yelled at me, and told me to go the fuck to bed, I retired the guitar for the evening.
The next day it was pissing down rain, in that miserable way that November does sometimes. I struggled to get out of bed before 1pm, and was dreading going to my psuedo-job at a local coffehouse/record store/music venue. Eventually, though, I ambled out of bed, flipped on the television, and began to watch Disney's 1977 animated film, The Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh. Those who are familiar with Pooh, may remember the song from the flooding of the Hundred Acre Wood, right as Piglet is swept out of his house. It goes something like "and the rain, rain, rain, came down, down, down in rushing, rising, rivlets..." And that became the first line of the chorus, "And the rain came down..." (Yeah, I'm a fucking thief.)
Coupling that opening line, with my general attitude toward leaving the house and doing things (an attitude that maintain to this day), I managed to cobble together some very dour lyrics, set to a rather jaunty, Beatles-esque tune.
The song sat in my brain for a couple of months. There was an attempt at performing it with a hastily formed band called "Temporary Ben", but that didn't last, and the afterward of it could be a different blog about different things all together. Alas, the song continued to sit in my brain, where it went through some mental refinements; counter-melodies being formed from the vocal melody, a short key change after the bridge, etc...
Twelve years later, an asshole said something assholish to me, (nothing new there, us assholes always practice our trade on each other) mocking me about being "in a band." In the context, which I'd love to get into, but again, that would be another blog all together, I should have let the comment go. But I couldn't. So I called up the members of the (at the time) defunct Red Sea Radio, and hastily arranged some practice sessions. I wanted to put this fucking song out into the world. After a couple nights of rehearsal, we rented a Fender Rhodes electric piano, and booked some time at Seventh Wave. We cut the drums, keys and bass on a Saturday in December 2011. And despite leading to a kick ass show a year later (Red Sea Radio, Live at the End of the World)... the song was shelved.
Once again, the song sat... on a hard drive (that's a step forward, I guess), and in my brain. Occasionally filtering out into the world as a bedtime song for my son, Michael. And it was the occasion of Michael's fourth birthday that finally brought this thing to completion, 15 (almost 16) years after it was ejaculated into existence. I had already bought him all the Rescue Bots, and felt he needed something MORE for his birthday. Something he may not appreciate at four years old, but may come to cherish later.
Using the existing backing tracks, Jackieraye, Adam and I once again headed to Seventh Wave and cut guitars and vocals, in two nights of what I'd consider a pretty fun time. Karen and Lanie joined us for some hand clapping, and in fairly short order, I had a rough mix to give to Michael for his birthday.
The icing on the cake, so to speak, was when I asked Lanie (Michael's big sister) to do a little drawing to act as cover art for Michael's copy. I expected something nice, because the girl can draw, but I didn't expect something as perfect as what she presented me. I quickly scanned it, and it's now the official artwork for the single (see above), because, as Jackieraye said, "she gets us!"
Now, after some polish to the mix, and a mastering session with the brilliant Mr. Rubal, it's ready for the world outside of my brain, and outside of bedtime sing-a-longs. I don't really go on about writing process of individual songs that I write, or record, unless it's for more technical reasons, or as a portfolio piece. (Who really gives a shit?) But this song is important to me. It has stuck with me for so long because I think, musically, it's the closest thing to an ear worm I'll ever write, and lyrically, it's still a very accurate and honest portrayal of how I often feel. And yes, musically it borrows from 'Girl' by the Beatles, and lyrically, it seems like Robert Smith re-wrote the words to "I'm Only Sleeping", but it's still earnest in a way that I can't help but be proud of.
I must say thanks to the others in Red Sea Radio; Jackieraye, Adam, Al and Chad, who all went above and beyond in the recording of this song. And thanks to Michael, for inspiring me to finish what I started. And thanks to that asshole who pissed me off enough to start what I finished.
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| Perfect artwork by Annelene Wahl. |
I guess I need to begin way back in November of 1999. I was freshly eighteen, and still living with my parents, driving around in a 1984 Volkswagon Vanagon that I purchased from a local rockstar and hairdresser. I had a lot more chutzpah in those days (and I reckon most people, especially dudes, do.), and I wasn't hesitant to pick up a guitar and sing.
One very late night I was in the living room trying to learn 'Girl' by the Beatles. I kept messing up at the same part, and one time, out of frustration, I just began quickly strumming a succession of chords. This accidental progression became the chorus to "Ennui (It's Killing Me)." After old man Thompson yelled at me, and told me to go the fuck to bed, I retired the guitar for the evening.
The next day it was pissing down rain, in that miserable way that November does sometimes. I struggled to get out of bed before 1pm, and was dreading going to my psuedo-job at a local coffehouse/record store/music venue. Eventually, though, I ambled out of bed, flipped on the television, and began to watch Disney's 1977 animated film, The Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh. Those who are familiar with Pooh, may remember the song from the flooding of the Hundred Acre Wood, right as Piglet is swept out of his house. It goes something like "and the rain, rain, rain, came down, down, down in rushing, rising, rivlets..." And that became the first line of the chorus, "And the rain came down..." (Yeah, I'm a fucking thief.)
Coupling that opening line, with my general attitude toward leaving the house and doing things (an attitude that maintain to this day), I managed to cobble together some very dour lyrics, set to a rather jaunty, Beatles-esque tune.
The song sat in my brain for a couple of months. There was an attempt at performing it with a hastily formed band called "Temporary Ben", but that didn't last, and the afterward of it could be a different blog about different things all together. Alas, the song continued to sit in my brain, where it went through some mental refinements; counter-melodies being formed from the vocal melody, a short key change after the bridge, etc...
Twelve years later, an asshole said something assholish to me, (nothing new there, us assholes always practice our trade on each other) mocking me about being "in a band." In the context, which I'd love to get into, but again, that would be another blog all together, I should have let the comment go. But I couldn't. So I called up the members of the (at the time) defunct Red Sea Radio, and hastily arranged some practice sessions. I wanted to put this fucking song out into the world. After a couple nights of rehearsal, we rented a Fender Rhodes electric piano, and booked some time at Seventh Wave. We cut the drums, keys and bass on a Saturday in December 2011. And despite leading to a kick ass show a year later (Red Sea Radio, Live at the End of the World)... the song was shelved.
Once again, the song sat... on a hard drive (that's a step forward, I guess), and in my brain. Occasionally filtering out into the world as a bedtime song for my son, Michael. And it was the occasion of Michael's fourth birthday that finally brought this thing to completion, 15 (almost 16) years after it was ejaculated into existence. I had already bought him all the Rescue Bots, and felt he needed something MORE for his birthday. Something he may not appreciate at four years old, but may come to cherish later.
Using the existing backing tracks, Jackieraye, Adam and I once again headed to Seventh Wave and cut guitars and vocals, in two nights of what I'd consider a pretty fun time. Karen and Lanie joined us for some hand clapping, and in fairly short order, I had a rough mix to give to Michael for his birthday.
The icing on the cake, so to speak, was when I asked Lanie (Michael's big sister) to do a little drawing to act as cover art for Michael's copy. I expected something nice, because the girl can draw, but I didn't expect something as perfect as what she presented me. I quickly scanned it, and it's now the official artwork for the single (see above), because, as Jackieraye said, "she gets us!"
Now, after some polish to the mix, and a mastering session with the brilliant Mr. Rubal, it's ready for the world outside of my brain, and outside of bedtime sing-a-longs. I don't really go on about writing process of individual songs that I write, or record, unless it's for more technical reasons, or as a portfolio piece. (Who really gives a shit?) But this song is important to me. It has stuck with me for so long because I think, musically, it's the closest thing to an ear worm I'll ever write, and lyrically, it's still a very accurate and honest portrayal of how I often feel. And yes, musically it borrows from 'Girl' by the Beatles, and lyrically, it seems like Robert Smith re-wrote the words to "I'm Only Sleeping", but it's still earnest in a way that I can't help but be proud of.
I must say thanks to the others in Red Sea Radio; Jackieraye, Adam, Al and Chad, who all went above and beyond in the recording of this song. And thanks to Michael, for inspiring me to finish what I started. And thanks to that asshole who pissed me off enough to start what I finished.
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