Hello there
It's answering machine bassist and table tennis extrordinaire Gemma here.
After three weeks recording in our countryside retreat Warren House Farm it was finally time to pack up and head down to the big smoke to get involved in some mixing. I was sad to have to leave my beloved table tennis table behind, but after a while, winning all the time became a little dull! And i'm sure repeatedly losing to a girl was doing nothing for the lads' confidence levels. So off to London with us where we must survive on our own, prepare all our own meals, navigate public transport and even spend money from our own pockets.
Although i'm not in the studio for the next three days (alas i write this from my office desk) i can imagine that currently pat and martin are sat with a bottle of evian in hand swapping the same old crude jokes with Dave whilst getting quite excited at how amazing things are sounding. After so long imagining what our debut album is going to be like it feels a little strange to be increasingly close to actually finding out. Ideas about artwork are getting banded about and even the scary question of what is actually going to be on the album has been raised. God knows how we'll pick the first single!
Right this has taken me about an hour to write as i keep having to tab off screen everytime my boss walks in and pretend like i'm doing some work (in case your wondering i haven't actually done any work today, unless you count www.yearbookyourself.com as work, hours of fun!)
Coming soon: A picture of Ben and Martin in matching woolly jumpers looking like two metrosexual guys from a 1970's catalogue. It must not be missed!
Gemma x
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Sunday, 2 November 2008
table tennis.
so we've been recording for 2 weeks now and we're all knackered. i could sleep for a week seriously, but the tracks are sounding incredible. i usually hate this bit, halfway through recording, the OCD in me really comes out, i just hate leaving things unfinished. we've bene off the farm for a few days now, having some time off before i start my vocals on wednesday. pat's gone off to America for 10 days and i'm currently visiting my parents home because i'm finding it too strange being back home.
i'm looking forward to going back to the farm. dave's an amazing producer and such a great person to be around. we're doing alright out of this; home cooked meals each night, outdoor table tennis (me and ben are reaching pro standard now, but still get our asses kicked by gemma, she is stupidly good), it's a beautiful place to make a record.
we're really missing playing live as well. it's only been a few weeks since our last gig, but we've never really gone more than a couple of weeks without playing. we're trying to sort out some tours for january/february 2009, but as it stands we only have 1 date confirmed for this year; we'll be playing a Shake It Shake It christmas show at Star and Garter in Manchester on friday 12th december with Dutch Uncles. this. will. be. historic. any gig with them boys is.
in other news, we're about to sign a record deal with Heist or Hit. this is a small indie label, recently set up by a friend of the band who has an incredible grasp of music, the industry, and the way it all works. he's been such a pillar of strength for us recently, and we couldn't think of anyone better to sign with. we'll talk more about this when it's all confirmed.
much love,
martin x
i'm looking forward to going back to the farm. dave's an amazing producer and such a great person to be around. we're doing alright out of this; home cooked meals each night, outdoor table tennis (me and ben are reaching pro standard now, but still get our asses kicked by gemma, she is stupidly good), it's a beautiful place to make a record.
we're really missing playing live as well. it's only been a few weeks since our last gig, but we've never really gone more than a couple of weeks without playing. we're trying to sort out some tours for january/february 2009, but as it stands we only have 1 date confirmed for this year; we'll be playing a Shake It Shake It christmas show at Star and Garter in Manchester on friday 12th december with Dutch Uncles. this. will. be. historic. any gig with them boys is.
in other news, we're about to sign a record deal with Heist or Hit. this is a small indie label, recently set up by a friend of the band who has an incredible grasp of music, the industry, and the way it all works. he's been such a pillar of strength for us recently, and we couldn't think of anyone better to sign with. we'll talk more about this when it's all confirmed.
much love,
martin x
Friday, 24 October 2008
gin, a man's drink?!
so my new drink of choice is gin... it used to be brandy, but that's so passe. it makes you feel old and bloated, like ya dad on christmas day, passing out in front of the queen's speech or some crappy animated show about poverty. but gin... god, it's a different league. it's got that element of class (not femininity) about it. people think it's a girls drink, but i'm all man, so i wear it well. but whatever, it sips well, and gets you pissed.
i'm currently sat in the control room of the studio, in front of a table full of jack daniels, southern comfort, gordons gin and sloe gin. they sit amongst the biggest array of dried fruit and nuts you'll ever see. we've spent the past 4 days recording the live tracks for 10 of our songs. looking at the alcohol at this time of day makes me feel giddy, but i know it will help us get through the final 4 songs tonight.
we're about to start the tracking for Time now. we've just finished Lightbulbs and it's sounding super. we completed Cliffer and It's Over, It's Over, It's Over yesterday and they are sounding really experimental. It's Over is taking on some interesting influences. i don't really wanna jump the gun, but this record may even have samples of trumpets and strings on it. then again, it might not. we really are leaving things til the last minute to keep the ideas fresh and spontanious. we work best this way.
i hate blogging as i have nothing clever to say. but this is my first attempt so i'll try and get better.
anyways, i'm needed now, so i'll write again soon.
martin x
p.s. a question that was troubling us yesterday: do nuts grow on trees? that sounds right, but there surely isn't a peanut tree?!
answers on a postcard............
i'm currently sat in the control room of the studio, in front of a table full of jack daniels, southern comfort, gordons gin and sloe gin. they sit amongst the biggest array of dried fruit and nuts you'll ever see. we've spent the past 4 days recording the live tracks for 10 of our songs. looking at the alcohol at this time of day makes me feel giddy, but i know it will help us get through the final 4 songs tonight.
we're about to start the tracking for Time now. we've just finished Lightbulbs and it's sounding super. we completed Cliffer and It's Over, It's Over, It's Over yesterday and they are sounding really experimental. It's Over is taking on some interesting influences. i don't really wanna jump the gun, but this record may even have samples of trumpets and strings on it. then again, it might not. we really are leaving things til the last minute to keep the ideas fresh and spontanious. we work best this way.
i hate blogging as i have nothing clever to say. but this is my first attempt so i'll try and get better.
anyways, i'm needed now, so i'll write again soon.
martin x
p.s. a question that was troubling us yesterday: do nuts grow on trees? that sounds right, but there surely isn't a peanut tree?!
answers on a postcard............
10:41
It’s 10:41 in the AM and I’m currently streaming the new Ryan Adams album (So far it’s incredible) I’m thinking of taking a bath and a long walk before recording today. If you walk up the track by the control room you come out on the top of the moor from where there is a great view of the valley. Me, Martin Gemma and Tom (the guy who is assisting in the studio) took a walk up there two days ago and it was great. Yesterday, we finished tracking two songs, which I’m really excited by, they sound great even at this stage. I have a feeling that this album will be partly what people are expecting and on the other hand quite surprising to others. Dave is brilliant at letting ideas live and experimenting with the results, he also such a creative producer to work with, within the first hour he had microphones in dustbins and amps in stables! We are recording live, the records that got us excited about music are all recorded this way and have so much personality that this became a natural decision.
We were lounging around in the control room yesterday and Martin came across some rare Strokes demos on Youtube. I only heard an early version of Someday with alternative lyrics but it was awesome to hear the early stages of that song. He said that there are songs up that didn’t even make the album and that they sound very much like The Velvet Underground. So worth checking out if you’re at a loose end.
I’m hoping we can get another two or three songs tracked today, we only have five left to record now before we start choosing sounds and putting down vocals/overdubs.
Peace out dawgs,
Pat.
We were lounging around in the control room yesterday and Martin came across some rare Strokes demos on Youtube. I only heard an early version of Someday with alternative lyrics but it was awesome to hear the early stages of that song. He said that there are songs up that didn’t even make the album and that they sound very much like The Velvet Underground. So worth checking out if you’re at a loose end.
I’m hoping we can get another two or three songs tracked today, we only have five left to record now before we start choosing sounds and putting down vocals/overdubs.
Peace out dawgs,
Pat.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Another City, Another Sorry
Ok. You may not know this. But this is how it is.
Since Sunday we have been in a farm house on the North Yorkshire moors recording our debut album 'Another City, Another Sorry' with Dave Eringa (Idlewild, Manic Street Preachers) at the control desk.
We have set up this blog to post thoughts, photos and videos.
'We could go and get 40's fuck going to that party'
Enjoy.
Since Sunday we have been in a farm house on the North Yorkshire moors recording our debut album 'Another City, Another Sorry' with Dave Eringa (Idlewild, Manic Street Preachers) at the control desk.
We have set up this blog to post thoughts, photos and videos.
'We could go and get 40's fuck going to that party'
Enjoy.
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