So, for the first time since we recorded the bulk of “Antidote” in 2004, on Wednesday we returned to a studio to record some new songs.

It is an emotionally exhausting experience, a roller coaster full of peaks and valleys. But it is ever so rewarding to hear the mixes as we go along. The songs are coming along great, and we are very optimistic that we’ll have something worth putting out very soon.

A special thanks to Robert at the Hive Recording Studio for his ideas and expertise — and patience. And one thing we especially enjoy about working with Robert is how authentic the production is. Music today is too sterile and there’s no personality in rock music. You have computers and Pro Tools to thank for that. But at “The Hive,” Robert doesn’t let technology get in the way of a truly authentic experience. Such is the essence of rock ‘n’ roll.

If you are in a band that might be interested in working at The Hive, you should check out their website here: www.thehiverecordingstudio.com

The view from the street

Anyhow, back to this project. Just to give you an idea of how we like to work in the studio … our process involves a session with Justin on drums, Mark on bass and myself recording scratch tracks on guitar and vocals. We give each song a few takes and keep going until we do one that we’re confident with. We spent a lot of time in preproduction working out all the parts before we ever hit the studio, so this part of the process went along relatively smoothly. Then we begin guitar overdubs and lead vocals and harmonies. Once everything’s on “tape,” then we begin the mixing stage.

We set aside four days last week to get as much done as we could. It was an intense week, but things are coming along great. We don’t know how long the whole process will take, but we’re excited at how things are coming along.

So here’s an account on how things are going thus far:

Friday, Dec. 7, 2007

Justin goes in to set up drums and sound check the mics.

Wednesday, Dec. 12

11:08 a.m.: I arrive at the studio to find Justin and Mark set up and checking their levels with Robert. I take a look around, unload my gear and start to set up. Once all the levels are set, we work on “Age of Delirum” and “I Know,” and choose the takes we like the best.

12:12: Smoke break

Smoke break: Justin, Robert and Mark.

We also take a crack at “Rain on My Parade,” but decide to try again tomorrow.

3:06: Justin and Mark leave for the day. I start working on guitar overdubs on “Delirium” and “I Know.”

5:36: Robert needs to go burn more money at Guitar Center, so we call it a day.

Thursday, Dec. 13

10:02 a.m.: I show up and Robert and I listen back to what we’ve done. I take a shot at recording some vocals on “I Know” while we wait for Mark and Justin to arrive. They show up and we continue work on “Parade.” We do a take we’re happy with, then it’s on to “What Really Matters.”

We do one that Justin is happy with, but Mark wants to continue trying and works for another hour or so aiming for the perfect overdub. We sit around and get sick of the song.

Mark, ever the perfectionist

Mark and Robert scrutinize a take

2:33: We give “Running on Fumes” a shot on Robert’s brand new electronic TD-20 V-Drum kit, so we can let Robert play with his new toy. We also throw in this little funk jam, and an impromptu ultra-quick take of “Fall Into Place.” It sounds cool. We should revisit that one some day.

Then, in search of the perfect snare sound, we experiment on recording a drum take with the TD-20 over what Justin had already done on “Delirum.” Doesn’t turn out, so we scratch the idea of using the TD-20 on this project.

Justin tries out the TD-20 V-Drum

I try some vocals on “Delirium.” Voice is shot. We’ll try it again later.

The day ends at 6:03 p.m. with a group hug. Yeah, that’s how we roll.

Friday, Dec. 14

10:22 a.m.: I arrive to find Robert doing some initial mixing on “I Know.” It sounds incredible! Bobby Silver, who is doing some guitar work for us on this project, shows up 15 minutes later. He sets up and after careful consideration of choosing the right amps and guitars to get the appropriate tone for the part, records all his parts.

Bobby Silver lays down a guitar track

By 4:30 or so I begin my rhythm guitar overdubs. We call it a day at 6:30 after “Delirum” and “Matters” are in the can. There is some discussion on how to achieve the right guitar tone for “Parade.” But we decide to save this for tomorrow.

Ben plays guitar

Saturday, Dec. 15

10:26 a.m.: I arrive to find Bob and Robert talking guitars (a common theme during these four days). We spend two hours or so trying to find the right vocal mic. I lay down some keeper lead vocals for “I Know.”

Ben’s view in the vocal booth

2 p.m.: Bob records some nice vocal harmonies. We start messing around with some rough mixing on the song.

Bobby Silver hanging out

3:30 p.m.: We start miking an amp to record my guitar parts for “Rain on My Parade.” After some technical issues and a couple takes, all electric guitar parts are pretty much DONE for this project. We call it a day at 4:48 p.m. and will take a couple days off before we head back.

UP NEXT

We still have to finish up the vocals for “Matters,” “Parade” and “Delirium.” Oh, and I’ll be redoing my guitars on “I Know.” Then we’ll be adding a cello to “Parade.” Then we mix!

ROCK
=Ben=

-30-

What is it with these reality shows and their ability to sink their claws into us? They are like a hardcore narcotic — you know you shouldn’t do it (watch it) and you tell yourself “I’ll just try it this once,” and the next thing you know you’re completely addicted! I have had my fair share of battling these beasts myself. I watched the ‘original reality show,’ the ‘Real World,’ and I even got sucked into watching a marathon of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ with my girlfriend one day (NEVER AGAIN!).

But I never realized the true power of their grip until a couple weeks ago. I was flipping through the channels when I saw ‘A Shot of Love With Tila Tequila’ about to start. I instantly knew that this was the peak of a long string of the stupidest TV shows ever known to mankind, yet, I started to watch it. As I watched it I realized more and more how ridiculous this show was, yet more and more … I couldn’t stop watching it. I knew that it was a perfect example of how completely disturbed our mainstream media can be and why other countries looking in at us from the outside think we are so ‘lost’!  How could you not after watching these reality shows! Now, don’t get me wrong, Tila seems like a sweetheart with an angelic smile, but what kind of values are we teaching our children when we find it more important to find out who she finds Love with, or even WORSE, what Hugh Hefner’s three girlfriends do on a daily basis, than how many of our people have died in Iraq, or whether or not there is a child who’s going to go to sleep hungry and cold tonight, OR the fact that our entire social-economic system is on the verge of a ‘bridge like’ collapse?

I am not claiming to be a saint, nor do I preach any religion, but it seems to me that we have strayed too far off of the path. Yes, life is for living and everything is an experience, but we do have a responsibility in this life to make well-thought-out decisions regarding the care and well-being of our people, communities and nations, and carry them out to completion. Instead, it seems that our ‘governments’ are doing the best job EVER of robbing us blind, while we sit ‘hypnotized’ to these ‘UNREALITY’ TV shows. What really bothers me is that our government, mainly the hardcore republican businessmen, who own and run our country, claim that we are a nation of moral do-gooders who need to purge the rest of the world of their evil ways. Well, for a ‘Christian Country,’ we sure do a lot of sinning! In fact, is there a government out there at all that is leading the way to a better world? I would have to say that the governments of the world are constantly fucking up the work that people ARE doing to make this world a better place!

I think the sad truth is that since the days of Christ people have been using Jesus’ name to their own evil ends. Kinda like when George W Bush declared to the world that ‘we’ as a ‘Christian Nation’ were going to defeat the ‘Axis of Evil’ over in the Middle East. HOW STUPID CAN YOU BE? Way to add fuel to the fire numb-nutz!!!!! I mean, do you think that if Jesus came back today that he would go, “Wow, American government, you’re really doing a great job of spreading the good word! Way to represent me and everything I taught my disciples!” I DON’T THINK SO!!! It wouldn’t be so bad if that’s what was actually happening, but when one of our government’s OWN renown economists finally breaks down and says “we are in Iraq for the oil,” you know the cat’s outta the bag!!!!!

Now the Ying to the Yang, the Smiley to the Grim, I saw a GREAT show on TV last night called ‘THE HENRY ROLLINS SHOW.’ WATCH IT!!!!! He interviewed a couple of American ‘Iraqi’ veterans. I don’t care how republican or conservative you are, if you don’t feel, after watching that episode, that we need some serious checks and balances on our current government, and ESPECIALLY its stance on foreign affairs, then you are either completely brainwashed or just plain frightened of change.

Justin~

P.S I know of one Rock & Roll band called Missing Dave who saw this whole thing coming with their song “Reality Show Junkie”!!!!!

It’s been a REAL long time since we’ve gone into the studio to record some new songs. Starting Wednesday we’ll begin production on an EP of some of our fresher material — some songs you might already have heard, some maybe not. We’ve been working hard in preproduction for the past couple weeks and things are really shaping up. We can’t wait to unleash the yet-to-be-named EP upon the world!

The project will feature:
>> “Age of Delirium”
>> “I Know”
>> “Rain on My Parade”
>> “What Really Matters”
>> And possibly a new tune, “Running on Fumes”

We’ll be posting updates on how things are going. Maybe even some pictures. So keep checking back!!!

ROCK!!!
=Ben=

-30-

Hey guys! We just shot a video of a live performance of the song “What Really Matters.” You can check it out here: www.famecast.com/grimsmiley. Let us know what you think!

Also, we wanted to give a quick update of what we’re up to … we’re currently planning a CD release showcase in Seattle for the end of January to mark the release of our debut album “Antidote,” so stay tuned for an official announcement on that. Also we’re currently in preproduction for a new EP we’re going to be releasing in the spring. It’s awesome to be back in the studio for the first time in ages and to be releasing more new music. These are songs we’ve been sitting on forever, and we can’t wait to unleash them upon the world!!!

ROCK!
=Ben=