Author: Paul

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2 Oct: studio

KING SHAM
me – vocals
Rob – guitar, bass
John Cerreta – organ
Pete McDade – drums

It’s October 2, 2001. I began this whole process on October 29, 2000.

It does bother me. Objectively I know it’s not as if I’ve actually spent a year on it… even apart from the lack of recording between April and September when we have been in studio it really only amounts to one or two days in a week, punctuated by a couple of weeks off. Hopefully, I’m going to be able to give him a lump sum within the month, and we’ll set aside a block of time to wrap it up. I can’t say enough about Rob and the fact that he has been so willing to work with me on doing this, given the frequency with which he’s actually getting paid by me.

All that said, we began work on song #7 of 11 last night. Pete came in last week and laid down the drum tracks. Last night with a scratch guitar track and the bass already done I did the vocals. One take with a couple of punch-ins, and then doubling it. I could already hear the backing vocals, which is always reassuring. There’s nothing worse than not hearing anything, like staring at empty paper with a deadline looming. Then Rob and John did the intro to the song, a kind of warbley (I love trying to type a word like that… like “wonky”) guitar and organ bit.

Basically things went really easily. I wasn’t absolutely crazy about the song, and I hardly ever play it acoustic. But when we rehearsed the band a couple of weeks ago I brought it out and the version we hashed out sounded great (and I had sort of known that it really was a band song). When I was doing the vocals last night the song wasn’t grabbing me much, I was thinking it might end up being a weak point, but as things fell into place it really started to sound great.

It’s hard at times to keep myself excited about the CD, just because the process has taken so long and has had so many long breaks of no activity. The CD is really meant to be a whole entity (what they euphemistically refer to as a “song cycle” instead on “concept” record, sort of like calling a comic book a “graphic novel,” it just serves to make you seem desperate to not sound uncool) so it’s hard to keep a grasp on it with so much time passing between songs. But I am eager to get it done and out, I want to have a SECOND CD… it’s hard to explain. It’s hard to keep saying that what I do during the day isn’t my real “job,” that what I am is a musician, when I look and only see one CD sitting there. I want development.

Don’t get me wrong. I feel good.

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30 Sep: Atlanta

Benefit for Oakhurst Recovery Program (Atlanta, GA)
solo w/ Sue Witty, Dave Dault, Emily Saliers, Gerard McHugh and the Crafties, Gentle Readers

I don’t want to become repetitive, so if you were to start avoiding these show reports I can’t say I’d blame you.

But this was another good night. I admit, I’m still not crazy about playing acoustic, I never really hit any sense of comfort when I do it, and I never really feel like I handle the dynamics of it like I want to. When I rehearse I’m much more subtle, I think, than when I play live and I tend to clutch the guitar harder and play with less flair. That said, it was a good show. There was a crowd of 200 people or so and they were all into the show and very enthusiastic. Playing acoustic shows can be depressing at times, playing for small crowds who aren’t listening, so it was a good feeling having that kind of response and made it very easy to play off the crowd in between songs. I can be funny on stage, but it’s damn hard when no one’s reacting. As usual, I can’t recall anything I said during the show today. That’s pretty typical.

From a personal standpoint I didn’t really commit many errors, and the ones I did have went unnoticed, I think. And my voice held out all night, which always makes me happy. It’s always the guitar playing I dread, it’s the thing I don’t feel confident in and have to think about constantly. Singing just feels good, though, for the most part and I almost always enjoy it.

My one complaint toward myself is that I wish I were more able to join in when others are playing. I can’t think as fast on my feet as I’d like vocally. And as far as guitar goes I’m nearly incapable of jumping in and improvising like that. The first part of the show was a “writers-in-the-round” format with myself, Sue and Dave Dault. I’ve played with Sue before but had only heard of Dave. Both of them are extremely good at the acoustic thing, and they had played together before and were familiar with each other’s stuff. So there was a lot of interplay between them on their songs while I sort of tried to slide off to the side a bit so I didn’t look like a big goof. Sue did play Radiohead’s “Creep” and I did the extremely high bit near the end of the song, and that seemed to generate a lot of applause and they made me do it again at the end of the song.

Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) played a short set after us, with the band they’re currently using in the studio. The drummer played something which I have tried to look up online to name but haven’t had any luck. It was basically one long floor tom with a pedal that hit the bottom of it lick a kick drum and he played at the top with a set of brushes. He had a hi-hat and two small crashes and he was amazing. I used to always say if you can’t say it with a 4-pc kit you should really shut up, but I may have to edit it even more. He was unbelievable.

I’d never seen Gerard and his band before, either, and they were a lot more retro-pop than the stuff I’ve heard from him before and were very tight. Candi Jiosne in is his band, I know her peripherally, she was a victim in Radiant City’s last abortive recording sessions. I doubt she knew who I was, though. And I have extolled the Gentle Readers here before, but I will reiterate that every time I see them lately I’m blown away. They’re one of the few bands Radiant City played with that are still around, and they have become so much stronger, adept and subtle. It can be rare to actually get to see a local band develop because they so rarely last that long (it’s one reason putting out a second CD is so important to me), but they are just incredible.

The show was a lot like the previous show at Eddie’s, too, in that there was a lot of interaction between the musicians, and whenever that happens it always feels good and actually makes me feel as if I’m in the “scene.” It sounds so stupid, but what can I say?

Sold CDs, a page and a half of new signups, not a bad night.

Back to the studio on Tuesday. More soon.

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6 Sep: Atlanta

Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta, GA)
solo w/ Alastor, weaklazyliar

So, when I go on and on about wanting to create some sort of community between all of the various pop bands in town, last night is what I meant. Shows with bands I know are already preferable, because, generally speaking, the music makes sense together, and there’s no worry that some band is going to try to pull some half-assed ego trip at some point. But last night it felt like there was a real sense of being in this together. I realize how that sounds, but it’s true.

Alastor played first, which I hadn’t expected. They put the show together and I had assumed they’d play last and that I, as the solo performer, would be going first. But a switch from 8pm to 9pm is no big deal to me, it’s not like I’m going to lose audience members from that. Alastor’s drummer, Scott, was playing his last show with them, although he played guitar for the evening. Alastor play a sort of post-punk pop style of music (it’s okay, I don’t really know what that meant… it seemed to make sense when I first typed it) that is similar to mine, I think, in the way that you have to pay attention to notice the fact that hidden behind the music the lyrics are pretty dark and complex (write that down, it may be as close to a self-compliment as you’ll ever see from me). Elizabeth is tired of the PJ Harvey/Patti Smith comparisons, I’m willing to bet, but they’re accurate (hey, I should be so lucky as to get comparisons like that) so why should I say otherwise? Anyway, they played a great set, that was all I was trying to say.

I went on next. I’d like to not become a broken record about my performances, so hopefully you’re not sick of hearing this, but I think I did pretty well. I thought my playing was a bit rough at times, but my vocals were pretty strong. It felt pretty good. It’s funny to think that just the prospect of the fact that acoustic shows are not all I do anymore makes such a difference to my mindset. If I have to pick a trade-off moment for the set, it’s that I played a version of “No Myth” that I really botched, balanced by closing with the new song (“You Are Her(e)”) that went over really well, it seemed.

weaklazyliar played last and played a full band show. They finally broke out the new stuff that they’ve been hoarding all this time. They really seemed ON, though they’ll tell you otherwise I’m sure, and of the new stuff “Someday” was really, really amazing. Gerlinda’s voice was just heartbreaking on it, it was really impressive. I got up and sang on “Snow” with them, something that I love to do. Sometimes I feel as if I’m forcing myself on them, but they keep telling me I’m not. Who do you believe? Anyway, I’d be perfectly happy to be singing back up vocals for them on as many songs as they want my goofy ass up there with them. I love singing to begin with, and there’s something even better about singing harmonies when they’re really working. There are times when I sing with G where it begins to feel like it’s becoming sort of… illicit.

That sentence ought to end any chance of me doing it again with them, don’t you think?

After the show there was a good hour or so of general shmoozing and talking. We’re all fans of each other, and there was just a lot of commiserating and whatnot. All three of us are in the midst of trying to record follow-ups, and we’re all struggling through various setbacks. It felt good to talk to people who are in the same situations, and that’s really why I think creating a pop community in this town would be so good. Also, Jeff, from the Accusations, and some of the Ethers from the Ether Family Presents… (who I’ve been pushing shamelessly on people for the past month or so) were in the crowd, and we were all chatting, swapping CDs, it was just a big ass-kissing love-fest and it just felt good. On a Thursday, no less!

I really think it would work, and be a good thing.

I just don’t have the slightest clue how to go about it.

The crowd for the show was really very enthusiastic, I think it even threw us all a couple of times, getting those lengthy stretches of applause. Thanks to everyone who could make it out. This whole idea for a pop community involves you guys, too, so please feel free speak up here, or at shows, or anywhere. Really.