11 North, the Seaside Chapter

For those who aren't in the know, I'm working on Carl Creightons new album called 11 North.

Alright, so after 2 long days of recording at the Seaside Lounge we got a whole lot done!

We got all the drums, and bass done. We almost got all the guitar done.

Here are all the nerdy details:

Instrument                Microphone             Preamp

Kick                             RE-20, D112           Vintech

Snare                          SM57                        Vintech

Rack Tom                  421                            Sytech

Floor Tom                  D-12e                       Sytech

Overhead L&R          AT4060 Tube        API

Behind the set           Coles 4038              API

Bass Guitar                RE-20                     API

Strummed Acoustic AT4060                  API

Picked Acoustic        AT4060 & 4038    API

Electric Guitar         Coles 4038              API

It has punk drums, it has looping on the intro song, it has very little piano, Charlie plays with a pick on a lot of songs. Basically, it's very different than Minnesota (Carl's first CD.)

In the coming weeks we will be writing string arrangements, recording vocals, doing some more guitar, recording strings, recording horns, making sense of "I've Lost My Mind", and mixing.

It's going to be awesome.

I'll keep everyone who reads this (I think I'm the only one) updated!

~ Blake

I need another world, this one is nearly gone.

Check out the new Antony and the Johnsons... it's heartbreaking (as always.)

There isn't much other news.

Finally going into the studio with Carl this weekend... should be a fun time.

~ Blake

If I could settle down, then I would settle down.

Alright, I found a box for the BX10. And now I'm writing a second blog entry today and I don't feel lame because it's my first day.

I realized I didn't really explain why the name of this blog is The Homesick Collective. Well, it's a cool name and was originally going to be used for a small label I was starting up with a friend but that kinda didn't work out for the time being. For now it's just a name I'm using for this blog and for the different music projects I'm involved in.

So, in other Homesick Collective news:
I will be putting my (Arthur Advocate) EP "Allie, Don't Let Me Disappear" out for free the same way I did the first one (same site and everything... http://foundation.feelgoodlost.net (big up to Dhruv for making the site).) It's kinda crazy... I don't know if I really like it all that much, but it's interesting at the very least. I went a little overboard with the 80's synth sounds, and the weird vocal effects, and the random sound effects, and the drone-y intros. Basically, I went completely overboard with the whole project. Most likely the result of getting into pschyedelics for the first time. I am excited to show other people it, because I've completely exhausted myself of the songs and can't even tell if it's somewhat good anymore. I guess that will be up to you to decide. It has 4 songs and 1 little interlude thingy. I'm sure I'll have a press-kit esque blog when the site gets up.

In other complete bullshit news:
I read an interview with Steve Malkmus from Pavement on my train ride back home to New Jersey which prompted me to buy a super deluxe version of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Being unfamiliar with Pavement, but having a basic idea of what I was going into I was pleasently suprised. Me and Tim were driving over to Andrews place listening to the CD and for the first few songs we were catching each other up on our various failures and successes and only half paying attention to the CD, and then "Range Life" came on. As soon as the chorus hit ("if I could settle down, then I would settle down.") and we stopped talking and starting the song over. We then did this about 5 more times... then went on to enjoy the rest of the CD. All in all, I'm glad I like Pavement now.

Blogging

Hello Blog World,

I've always had a little distaste for blogs/bloggers... thinking it was just a bunch of snobby folk rambling about bullshit. Which is, for the most part, true. I'm going to be that guy now. Whatever.

The purpose of this blog is to write about my upcoming musical adventures for myself... and maybe someone else will stumble upon it.

So here's the low down on my current project:

I'm going into the Seaside Lounge Recording Studio next weekend with Carl Creighton. He is an amazing singer/songwriter and has some crazy plans for his second record. Being a little crazy in my approach to music and the art of recording as well, I am thrilled to be able to work with him. For those familiar with his stuff, it'll be like that... with a whole bunch of vocal overdubs, strings, horns, percussion, train noise, random street noise, etc... Oh, and the songs are pretty different than his first CD. So, it really won't be like "that" at all.

He has a blog where he'll write about all his thoughts on the progress of the CD, while I'll write about a bunch of nerdy tech stuff on mine.

Well, I have to find a box big enough to fit this giant spring BX10 spring reverb now. Wish me luck.

~ Blake