Warm for the cold
Still feeling ill. Just a headcold, but a hindrance, nonetheless. I did get some disturbing news about a friend of mine who recently took ill. Get well quickly, B. ; your presence is needed here and sorely missed already. Many of us are not feeling at our best, yet today, I'm heading to the gym after work as I've been remiss in the last two weeks. I am firmly entrenched in my disciplines and routines and need to get back to where I was not too long ago. Plus, I have my physical coming up in 3 weeks.
Listened through to Chris' mp.3 drum tracking for "Inside". Sounded great, even with the rough demo playing under it--gave the song a full life. I spent time last night in Synchronic East practicing through the keyboard part for "Bitter Sweet". I'll need time tomorrow as well, because I don't think I'm going to have it 100% by Saturday. I almost feel like (and this is strange, coming from me) we are being a bit rushed for Saturday to complete the recording of two songs; one in parts and one in its' entirety. I don't think I'm coming down with the "Punch Line session stress", but I certainly don't want to have an album that we've labored over and lavished with a lot of love and detail, finish up on a note of rushing through just for the sake of getting it done; that's not my m.o. and if anything, has always been the root of my dislike of just about every record I've been involved in--Two Minutes Hate, The Punch Line, Smile--all sped up and finished half-right. We have a band meeting scheduled for Friday night; I'd like to see what we can do be certain that this will not become a hurried debacle. "Inside" is a powerful song; it deserves the same amount of attention as the other nine songs.
Come what may, I enjoy the company of Bob and Chris to no end--not just musically--and everytime we get together at Maxwell's, the room is automatically filled with good vibes. Even when we're there conducting business (and every time we've gone, we've done just that; it hasn't been just for laughs and drinks), the business gets done under nothing but positive lines. So this really is more of a meeting to finalize the album's schedule and in turn, a celebration that we've reached this very high milestone in the band's history. Like I said, when the three of us get together, it's always been nothing but good times and great conversation. Not to rhapsodize on our collective youth, but Maxwell's has always equalled great memories, old and more recent. And Maxwell's is one of the key places in The Punch Line's group history, so I'm really looking forward to this Friday. I'm going to try and leave here early as I'd like to actually drive up, rather than take the PATH (much as I actually enjoy it), so I can get home early and not be shagged out for the drive up to Bloomfield.
Listening to both The dB's "Stands For Decibels" and "Repercussion". Putting myself in (yet again) method acting mode. It's also fantastic music for blue skies (ferry rides, especially). I have a sense of confidence that The Punch Line album does capture some of that feel. Since I've been in such a mood of reflection toward this album, I think I was able to take the best elements of the bands who've had the most profound impact on me over the years. This album has bits of The Beatles, The Buzzcocks, That Petrol Emotion, The dB's, Husker Du--the list may well go on, but by working in this fashion and listening with a keen ear to one particular style has helped shape this record into our own.
Not that I really need to say it, but since we're at this point of the album, it's the beauty of how this particular line-up of The Punch Line was able to achieve what the other versions did not/could not. Bob and Chris saw the songs and embraced them and put their stamps on them; this was a group effort in the truest sense. Add to that, Chris and Bob sang lead vocals on songs that I had always sung, as my belief in them to convey the emotions necessary was correct. Again, they took these songs and gave them a full life by putting their personalities and talents into the performances. I really do appreciate it; I'm glad I was able to do this with friends and to find a reason to want to play again. Mostly, I just love the two of them; they're my friends and I'm very glad to not only call them friends but to have them as my musical comrades-in-arms validates this reason to do it one more time. I don't recall having as much fun in any of the other bands. So I'm almost ready to close the book on "...to get to the other side" and start looking at the work that lies ahead, post-release.
Damn the Mets. A mere tease. Almost glad that I can't watch them at the moment.
Listened through to Chris' mp.3 drum tracking for "Inside". Sounded great, even with the rough demo playing under it--gave the song a full life. I spent time last night in Synchronic East practicing through the keyboard part for "Bitter Sweet". I'll need time tomorrow as well, because I don't think I'm going to have it 100% by Saturday. I almost feel like (and this is strange, coming from me) we are being a bit rushed for Saturday to complete the recording of two songs; one in parts and one in its' entirety. I don't think I'm coming down with the "Punch Line session stress", but I certainly don't want to have an album that we've labored over and lavished with a lot of love and detail, finish up on a note of rushing through just for the sake of getting it done; that's not my m.o. and if anything, has always been the root of my dislike of just about every record I've been involved in--Two Minutes Hate, The Punch Line, Smile--all sped up and finished half-right. We have a band meeting scheduled for Friday night; I'd like to see what we can do be certain that this will not become a hurried debacle. "Inside" is a powerful song; it deserves the same amount of attention as the other nine songs.
Come what may, I enjoy the company of Bob and Chris to no end--not just musically--and everytime we get together at Maxwell's, the room is automatically filled with good vibes. Even when we're there conducting business (and every time we've gone, we've done just that; it hasn't been just for laughs and drinks), the business gets done under nothing but positive lines. So this really is more of a meeting to finalize the album's schedule and in turn, a celebration that we've reached this very high milestone in the band's history. Like I said, when the three of us get together, it's always been nothing but good times and great conversation. Not to rhapsodize on our collective youth, but Maxwell's has always equalled great memories, old and more recent. And Maxwell's is one of the key places in The Punch Line's group history, so I'm really looking forward to this Friday. I'm going to try and leave here early as I'd like to actually drive up, rather than take the PATH (much as I actually enjoy it), so I can get home early and not be shagged out for the drive up to Bloomfield.
Listening to both The dB's "Stands For Decibels" and "Repercussion". Putting myself in (yet again) method acting mode. It's also fantastic music for blue skies (ferry rides, especially). I have a sense of confidence that The Punch Line album does capture some of that feel. Since I've been in such a mood of reflection toward this album, I think I was able to take the best elements of the bands who've had the most profound impact on me over the years. This album has bits of The Beatles, The Buzzcocks, That Petrol Emotion, The dB's, Husker Du--the list may well go on, but by working in this fashion and listening with a keen ear to one particular style has helped shape this record into our own.
Not that I really need to say it, but since we're at this point of the album, it's the beauty of how this particular line-up of The Punch Line was able to achieve what the other versions did not/could not. Bob and Chris saw the songs and embraced them and put their stamps on them; this was a group effort in the truest sense. Add to that, Chris and Bob sang lead vocals on songs that I had always sung, as my belief in them to convey the emotions necessary was correct. Again, they took these songs and gave them a full life by putting their personalities and talents into the performances. I really do appreciate it; I'm glad I was able to do this with friends and to find a reason to want to play again. Mostly, I just love the two of them; they're my friends and I'm very glad to not only call them friends but to have them as my musical comrades-in-arms validates this reason to do it one more time. I don't recall having as much fun in any of the other bands. So I'm almost ready to close the book on "...to get to the other side" and start looking at the work that lies ahead, post-release.
Damn the Mets. A mere tease. Almost glad that I can't watch them at the moment.
posted by R L Ross at
9:54 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home