Recording Diary - Day Three
WEDNESDAY 17th MAY 2006
The day starts with me making JTL a bacon butty and a brew which he tries to eat whilst ignoring the fact that I am coughing up a l(o)ung in the bathroom at great volume. Ain't good for you this recording lark as we are all beginning to find out.
Purcell did'nt pick us up this morning. Instead a friendly American named Clint arrived. Clint lived up to his name by brandishing a stetson, I don't think I've ever seen a stetson on the streets of St.Helens before. I hope it is'nt the last time I do. Purcell sent his apologies but there was no reason given for his no show. I hope he's ok. Akoustik Anarkhy had sent 4 bottles of champagne with the limo and when DTL and NTL's limo arrived they too had 4 bottles. They had however already drunken two en route.
Maybe it was a little silly of us but we polished off another 3 bottles between us before lunch time resulting in a fully realised recording of ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'. We are currently deliberating over it's inclusion on the album.
It was a bit of a slow start today. Everyone was really tired but it did'nt take long to get into the swing of things and before too long GTL had finished up his drumming duties. I have'nt been able to record any of my parts yet and I'm more than a bit nervous of doing so. Everything sounds acers so far and I hope I don't sound like a one-handed fool when it comes to my turn...despite being a one-handed fool. We've still got a hell of a long way to go before I step up anyways so hopefully I'll dispell some of my butterflies in the coming few days.
One thing that I have'nt mentioned up to now but feel I should is the growing tension between GTL and PTL. What at first seemed like friendly banter today spilled over into something a lot more worrying and vicious. PTL began to record his acoustic parts after GTL's lunchtime chippy run but had been extremely vocal in chastising GTL for getting his order wrong. I'm not entirely sure that he could eat eight whole spam fritters anyway but he insisted that GTL was provoking him by only bringing back six. Whilst PTL concentrated on a particularly tricky guitar part GTL paraded up and down the control room pointing at him through the soundproof glass, laughing loudly and beating his chest. PTL ignored him at first but when GTL entered the recording booth and began to detune PTL's guitar whilst he was playing things became heated. Maybe it was the champagne but finally we calmed them both down enough that PTL could finish the take. I think we're keeping it.
I had not made the connection before but when GTL came back from the chippy run he was sporting an angry looking red mark across his forehead. He told us that he had walked into a road sign but I could'nt help but notice that at the same time GTL was out, PTL was nowhere to be seen.
The dvd lady had only 18 copies of 'Harlem Nights' today so we passed. She promised a better selection for tomorrow's visit.
We have a juggling act of sorts to contend with over the next few days as Paul McCartney has been on the phone about his microphone. You'd think he had bigger fish to fry at the moment, I don't know, maybe it's his way of dealing with things. This means that we must start some of the vocals tomorrow. JTL and I had decided that alcohol may have to play a part in this. I thought whisky as it clears the throat and makes it easier to sing. JTL said lager but I'm not sure of the advantages of that for the singing voice, unless it's warm I suppose. Time is also against us as it's back to work next week so we have to fit our recording sessions around that which makes everything a lot more difficult. Next Tuesday is also taken up by our smashing trombone player Paul Brennan who will be coming in to play on a few tracks. We met Paul the last time we visited Catalyst Studios to book a mastering session for our last single 'I'm Gonna Take Your Girl'. We asked him to spruce up the song and that he did so we're having him back. We also have a string quartet coming from Bolton but goodness knows when or how we are going to fit them in. Having said that, if anybody knows a good trumpet player who is willing to come to St.Helens and hang out with a bunch of losers for a day or two we would be very grateful as we are having huge trouble trying to track one down at the moment.
The songs are taking shape slowly now and I got really excited listening to them today after being a bit worried about things yesterday. I don't think anyone told him but NTL's bass playing in the original run throughs was brilliant. We are always telling each other how good his bass lines are but I think we only do this because when we tell him he does'nt believe us. Unless he is legless on Strongbow in which case he is the one telling us how good he is. I think the songs will definitely take another huge leap forward when we hear them with all his final takes and I can't wait.
DTL finally used his £10 to pay the bill that he needed to pay and I was down to my last pound coin so I did'nt go the Zoo Bar and left with JTL. On the way home it occured to me that Andy's flatulence was virtually non existent today although I'm sure I saw him take his camera to the toilet again.....
The day starts with me making JTL a bacon butty and a brew which he tries to eat whilst ignoring the fact that I am coughing up a l(o)ung in the bathroom at great volume. Ain't good for you this recording lark as we are all beginning to find out.
Purcell did'nt pick us up this morning. Instead a friendly American named Clint arrived. Clint lived up to his name by brandishing a stetson, I don't think I've ever seen a stetson on the streets of St.Helens before. I hope it is'nt the last time I do. Purcell sent his apologies but there was no reason given for his no show. I hope he's ok. Akoustik Anarkhy had sent 4 bottles of champagne with the limo and when DTL and NTL's limo arrived they too had 4 bottles. They had however already drunken two en route.
Maybe it was a little silly of us but we polished off another 3 bottles between us before lunch time resulting in a fully realised recording of ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'. We are currently deliberating over it's inclusion on the album.
It was a bit of a slow start today. Everyone was really tired but it did'nt take long to get into the swing of things and before too long GTL had finished up his drumming duties. I have'nt been able to record any of my parts yet and I'm more than a bit nervous of doing so. Everything sounds acers so far and I hope I don't sound like a one-handed fool when it comes to my turn...despite being a one-handed fool. We've still got a hell of a long way to go before I step up anyways so hopefully I'll dispell some of my butterflies in the coming few days.
One thing that I have'nt mentioned up to now but feel I should is the growing tension between GTL and PTL. What at first seemed like friendly banter today spilled over into something a lot more worrying and vicious. PTL began to record his acoustic parts after GTL's lunchtime chippy run but had been extremely vocal in chastising GTL for getting his order wrong. I'm not entirely sure that he could eat eight whole spam fritters anyway but he insisted that GTL was provoking him by only bringing back six. Whilst PTL concentrated on a particularly tricky guitar part GTL paraded up and down the control room pointing at him through the soundproof glass, laughing loudly and beating his chest. PTL ignored him at first but when GTL entered the recording booth and began to detune PTL's guitar whilst he was playing things became heated. Maybe it was the champagne but finally we calmed them both down enough that PTL could finish the take. I think we're keeping it.
I had not made the connection before but when GTL came back from the chippy run he was sporting an angry looking red mark across his forehead. He told us that he had walked into a road sign but I could'nt help but notice that at the same time GTL was out, PTL was nowhere to be seen.
The dvd lady had only 18 copies of 'Harlem Nights' today so we passed. She promised a better selection for tomorrow's visit.
We have a juggling act of sorts to contend with over the next few days as Paul McCartney has been on the phone about his microphone. You'd think he had bigger fish to fry at the moment, I don't know, maybe it's his way of dealing with things. This means that we must start some of the vocals tomorrow. JTL and I had decided that alcohol may have to play a part in this. I thought whisky as it clears the throat and makes it easier to sing. JTL said lager but I'm not sure of the advantages of that for the singing voice, unless it's warm I suppose. Time is also against us as it's back to work next week so we have to fit our recording sessions around that which makes everything a lot more difficult. Next Tuesday is also taken up by our smashing trombone player Paul Brennan who will be coming in to play on a few tracks. We met Paul the last time we visited Catalyst Studios to book a mastering session for our last single 'I'm Gonna Take Your Girl'. We asked him to spruce up the song and that he did so we're having him back. We also have a string quartet coming from Bolton but goodness knows when or how we are going to fit them in. Having said that, if anybody knows a good trumpet player who is willing to come to St.Helens and hang out with a bunch of losers for a day or two we would be very grateful as we are having huge trouble trying to track one down at the moment.
The songs are taking shape slowly now and I got really excited listening to them today after being a bit worried about things yesterday. I don't think anyone told him but NTL's bass playing in the original run throughs was brilliant. We are always telling each other how good his bass lines are but I think we only do this because when we tell him he does'nt believe us. Unless he is legless on Strongbow in which case he is the one telling us how good he is. I think the songs will definitely take another huge leap forward when we hear them with all his final takes and I can't wait.
DTL finally used his £10 to pay the bill that he needed to pay and I was down to my last pound coin so I did'nt go the Zoo Bar and left with JTL. On the way home it occured to me that Andy's flatulence was virtually non existent today although I'm sure I saw him take his camera to the toilet again.....
posted by the loungs at 3:25 PM
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