Tag: John Cerreta

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25 Feb: studio

SHERMAN
John – Wurlitzer, organ

A while back, Rob picked up a Wurlitzer, more or less simply because I had expressed a love of them and wanted to have one on my CD somewhere. Last night we finally used it. It has some rattle and buzz to it, so Rob taped the hinges on the back, and we stacked some phone books on top of it to minimize it as much as possible. The sustain pedal doesn’t work on 4 or 5 keys.

I love it. I want one. I thought I did already. The only keyboard that has the same effect on me is the Mellotron (or it’s American counterpart, the Chamberlin) but it’s sound is more specific and not something I would want to use on every song. But the Wurlitzer… what it does to any song is just amazing. Last night when we were done I sat down at it and played with it. I love the sound it makes, and it’s so easy to make it sound good with only very basic piano skills (which are what I have, at best).

I wanted to take it home right then. If there’s anyone rich who loves me please surprise me. That’s a Wurlitzer 200 electric piano.

Anyway, John did two different tracks, one with vibrato and one without, we opted for vibrato. He also added some organ bits on the chorus. We also did two little flourishes using a piano as an autoharp, basically, taking off the cover of the piano, I held the keys down for the chord and John would strum the strings of the piano with a pic.

Unfortunately, there was bad news for the night. Josh Joplin’s label is flying Rob up for the next two weeks to have him produce 2 or 3 tracks for Josh’s new record, and if they like them he’ll be doing the entire record, which will mean he’ll be in New York through March. I am genuinely glad, because I like Rob and Josh, and I think it’s great that the label is having him up to do it. But it also shoots me in the foot, which is no one’s fault. It means no recording for at least a month, and also throws the March 23 show into turmoil. Pete can’t play it so I was already talking with Michael Lorant about playing drums, which meant getting him up to speed. Now I also have to decide whether to do the show without a lead guitarist or find a replacement.

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21 Jan: studio

SHERMAN
Pete McDade – drums

MYSTERY COVER SONG
Pete McDade – drums
John Cerreta – Vox organ, Clavinet

Tonight represented (barring the return of “Mr. Mysterio” to the track list) the last two songs. Meaning, every song intended for the CD has some part of it complete. It may not seem like much, but for a CD that was begun in October of 2000 it means a lot.

Pete came in to do the drums for both songs. Having him on most of the final songs has been great, not just because I love his playing, but because I think it’s helped add some cohesiveness to the process, if nothing else. Having him there makes it almost a band project, rather than the string of hired guns it started out as. He nailed the drums to SHERMAN in a couple of takes (having never heard it before), the other song in about 2 or 3. John did the organ work for the mystery song and he also played around with the Wurlitzer while SHERMAN was playing back, leading me to realize that will be the song that has the Wurly all over it. Damn, but it sounded good. I did the vocals for both in 1 take, the backing vocals for song #2 in 1 take with a few bits and pieces added in afterwards.

The cover song was done a little looser than anything else has been, just because it’s meant to be an extra track that’s a little light-hearted. This particular song seems to have suffered a fair share of musical abuse from the Million Box since we started playing it. An atonal, existential version keeps popping up in rehearsal, and in the studio an impromptu “sexy” version of it appeared, which may or may not see the light of day.

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15 Nov: studio

NOW WAIT FOR LAST YEAR
Me – vocals
Rob – bass, guitar, some keys
John – organ

When I arrived Rob had already laid down the bass and keys. The song already sounded vastly different than it ever had before. But this is a good thing on a song that’s been floating around for so long. I did a scratch vocal so he could do the electric guitar parts.

Then we did tracked the lead vocal. It took me three takes, which I realize now is nothing, but it’s a lot for me. The first take was alright, but we decided to try another one and keep the first, too. So we did a second take, at the end of which I told him I wanted to scrap the whole fucking take (it’s on tape). There wasn’t anything glaring on either, but I just didn’t sound like I gave a damn. I suppose I’m a bit preoccupied and I didn’t, really. So we tried one more, and I kept my eyes closed and tried to stop thinking. It was a much better take so we stuck with it.

John then did some organ work. It’s not too far from done, really, it needs some backing vocals, and maybe a few odds and ends.