Skip to main content

Tales from Karma Frog: Recording Update

Another productive recording day at Karma Frog on Monday. I tracked the master vocals for four songs for the new record. I was very pleased with the performances. My producer Adam, was very supportive and gave me some good coaching along the way. One of the numbers required channeling a bit of James Brown and Barry Gibb simultaneously. That means really getting loose. Like I said, I am thrilled with the results. Preliminary mixes are the business of the next two weeks. We are well on our way with a remake of "Supermodels With Gatling Guns" and one of my collaborations with Bryan Farrar, which Adam is now thinking might make a great single. Plus, Adam threw a whole bunch of Hammond organ onto a handful of tracks. Welcome to 1975.

The other vocals were for the LP's title track, and another big ballad that will take a sonic journey to my sophomore year of high school. Fortunately, the heat didn't bear down on us in the studio, until we took our breaks outside. It was a gorgeous day in Reseda, just hot as blazes.

Following the recording session, I met up with Bryan and Matt Soule to rehearse for tomorrow night's show at Molly Malone's. This will be my first live performance with my band in a year. I have spent the past twelve months guest starring, which is a gas, with Adam's band for his various tribute shows. And of course, I have been writing and recording. But now, it's showtime!

I have lost track of the number of times that David Bash has been gracious enough to present me as a part of his International Pop Overthrow Festivals here and abroad. I am looking forward to the show tomorrow for several reasons: nothing beats live music, I'm debuting a new song and my friends the Resonant Heads are on after me. It's going to be a fun night. I am on at 9:45, but I recommend getting there early to check out the other acts. And of course, stick around for the Res Heads. A Talent For Loving will be on sale at the merch stand if you don't own it. And there will be free glossy IPO programs. Be sure to check them out, they are great souvenirs of the event.

Sunday, I performed a solo acoustic version of Bruce Springsteen's "The Wrestler" at church. Always fun to do something unusual for the good church folk. I also read the scripture from Genesis, Jacob wrestling with God. Get it? I felt the two went well together.

Tonight, I'm taking it easy. I'll practice bass parts and pick out the wardrobe for tomorrow. I look forward to seeing many of you at the show.

Peace and Disco Beats

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Being There [Grammy Recap]

Hey Soul Mates, Check out your boy. Yes, I did look that damn suave at the Grammys last night. Look, the tickets very clearly said "black tie." What could be less rock and roll than black tie? Not wearing "black tie." Frankly, the hipsters and the club girls just looked silly. Maybe I'm getting sartorially conservative, but you must be clean for the Grammys. We arrived early in the afternoon. A beautifully mild afternoon in downtown L.A. and not a sign of the predicted rain. I wanted to experience the whole nine, so we got there in time for the "Pre-telecast" ceremony. This is where 97 of the 108 gramophone statuettes are awarded. It was much more entertaining and endearing than the actual broadcast. The winners were genuinely moved, were not limited in their speech time and came in all stripes. Now, very few of the acts I voted for won. But the day did start off with a bang as OK Go won best short form video for the treadmill hopping video for Here...

John Lennon 40 Years On

Remembering John Lennon today. Forty years have flashed by. I can still hear my clock radio turning on to the incongruent sound of the Beatles on Dec. 9, 1980 and wondering why? I think about John every day. I am fortunate to have been able to make pilgrimage to Mendips, Abbey Road and Strawberry Fields, NY; to play on stages like the Cavern, the Jacaranda and the Troubadour where he performed or made trouble, or both. Here’s a quick playlist for you and me. (Just Like) Starting Over I Should Have Known Better Bless You Nobody Told Me Strawberry Fields Forever Nowhere Man Enjoy the day. Fill it with peace. Fill it with music. #JohnLennon #Liverpool

Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air - Book Review

“The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air” is a trippy new mystery novel from Phillip Mottaz. It captures the grit and gilt of the City of Angels with the flair of a contemporary Raymond Chandler. The brisk pace and wit are reminiscent of Douglas Adams’s entries in the detective game. Flourishes of  Fletch  and “Medium” also spring to mind. However, Mottaz has added a psychic/mutant/superhuman touch and his own comedic voice, structure and internal monologues to the proceedings that help the author announce his own style and the arrival of a literary heroine for a new generation. Hairstylist and budding private investigator, Danica Luman is the perfect character to convey the irony, angst and sarcasm needed to tell a 21st century L.A. crime story. Danica also represents anyone who thought it would be neat to get tangled up in a mystery and the darkly comic cautionary tale that follows. The genre is recognizable, but Mottaz offers a fresh take on the not-ready-for-prime-ti...