On the way...

En route...got out of Cincinnati around 745am.

Damage report is small this time:

1 car battery


That's it. We'll be in the car for the next 12 hours so send us messages.

Photos:

Last nite, Ian, Justine, and Matt W came over for a while:




First Light:




Beds:






Uncle Tom hard at work:




(L to R) Ric, Seth, and Ric listening:




Weird Vox amp that Moss has been using:




THE solo:





One of the places where vocals happen:





Mine and Hananel's guitar junk:





Drums:





The last thing we did today was about 20 minutes of space noise:









Parting shot of the Control Room:

Done

Tracking is DONE!


(pics soon)

It's just the end of the world (of warcraft)

So it seems like we are only hours from the last tracking session on this album. All that'll be left to do after today will be mixing and producing, which got us wondering about what to do with the album artwork. I already know what company will be pressing the CDs for us (I've used them before and they have great PR, do great work, and have great prices), but thus far the actual artwork itself is lacking. One of the ideas was using a Chilean artist that Moss and I both admire greatly. We'll be blogging regularly once we get back after we have these ideas set down on paper...right now I think we need to really just brainstorm and get everything written down that we want to do for the album.

This is really shaping up to be the album that we really wanted it to be. It's hard to believe that nearly a year ago, Hananel and I were invited to come up to JRC's basement studio by Chris and Moss. I've really appreciated the freedom to express what I want to express by what I play or sing. There are parts on this album that I helped come up with, but I wouldn't have made any advances towards that end without the encouragement and support of the rest of the band. In fact, I'd say that without working with these guys extensively over the past few months, most of the ideas I've had regarding anything on this album would have never come to fruition.

Last night, we started up video chats with all sorts of people...Matt Wilkerson...Ian Fritzsche...even Justine Spinoza. We figured out how to conference call, too. If you have a moment during the day, download Skype to your computer and search for the name sethgolden. I'll leave this laptop on most of the day I think, and we'll all be here tonight after we go out to eat to celebrate.

Word.

-seth

states.

...and just in case you were wondering, Matt Wilkerson, the score is now 11-2, and I'm the one who's layin' down the boom hand.

There is no spoon... There is no 3rd movie in the Matrix trilogy...

Last night, we finally accomplished something notable: we made Chris watch The Matrix. It is such a good movie. I really wish they would finish the trilogy and make the third movie. Wouldn't it be wonderful to finally see the Winonaryderchowski siblings complete the story arc? Too bad there isn't a third Matrix movie...

Question:

Has anyone been to The Sub? Is it still there?

-chall

Day 3?

Lots of work is getting done...we're pretty much finished with vocals, a few stray guitar parts left and some atmosphere...and we might have a record tracked.

Here's some pics:


Han cutting vocals:




Moss finally gave in to the peer pressure and did a little tracking with a Vox:




Ric @ work:




Justin Golden (from the band Ellery) is engineering the tracking of a lot of our vocals:




This is where we live:





Earlier we went downtown to a bookstore and scored some print. Right now, Seth is cooking veggie and real burgers, Han is washing dishes, Moss is watching TV, and I'm writing. Tonite is a likely candidate for a film to be watched on. Tomorrow morning we tie up a few loose ends and then have a listening party after lunch to see if it all sounds like we think it does.

At this point it looks like we'll be exiting early Saturday morning.

And yes, I'm still working on the Podcast. The hard part was getting the M4a file out of the Mac, into the PC, and converted to .WAV so it could be edited. Yes, I find it ironic that I had to use my PC to edit the Podcast because the Mac didn't really know how. It's all digital.

-chall

Well, we're not THAT bored

At least, Hananel isn't.


She's discovered Ninety-Nine Nights, a game I have on Xbox 360 that I brought up here. She's been playing it for the past hour I think...I think that makes her a gamer now.

So tonight will be a night of gaming, video watching, and enjoying the cool air provided by our fans.

Chris got many tracks done on guitar. So did John. We've had a productive day. I have not much else to report. Oh, other than quesadillas.

Kicking out the jams

So Hannelore and I kicked out some vocal jams this morning. The best part is that we did a lot of scratch vocals last time that served their purpose far better than we thought they did originally. I'm practically done with vocals. I'm going to punch an extra part (previously unheard by any audience except the Mavity) for "Dreaming with the Upsides Down" that should add a bit of dynamic buildup for the end of the song.

As far as bass goes, I've got a synth bass track to put on "Simulacra." In addition, depending on how things go over the next few days, we might do noise tracks for the same song. We're moving along fairly quickly, almost on a par with the last trip up. I think we got more structure established the last time, so it formed a foundation for us to actually work on some of that this time.

I'm not sure what we're doing for lunch, but my belly says it needs to happen soon.

-seth

Day Two

So, currently, vocals are happening...at least until lunch...then back to guitars.

We went to Indiana last nite. If Moss ever gets on here, I'll let him tell the story.

I think we recorded our first podcast last nite...I still have to edit it though...so maybe we'll have it up tonite.

More later.


-chall

One day done

So...the count for the first day is:

Moss and myself made major ground on the guitar side...lots of keepers today...

Tomorrow, we're gonna split the day...half vocals, half guitar.

At the moment...Seth is cooking us a fine pasta dinner...then, we'll probably go for a drive around town...then possibly watch a film...yeah...the rockstar life.

Don't forget to call the rockline 229-233-4724, and send all donations/carepackages/hate mail/food to:
The Monastery
2601 Stanton Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45206


Maybe we'll start that Podcast tonite.

-chall

Enough about this recording stuff

We just got done talking to Matt Wilkerson on Skype. By talking, we mean video chat.

So if you want to chat with the whole band, get Skype. Look for my name (sethgolden or Seth Golden) and the whole band will be on later tonight to chat. We may in fact do a philosophy table discussion with everyone that is invited to it.

Plus, here's cool photo editing this Mac does.



If anyone else gets bored, let us know...right now, Hananel and I are the only ones not having to do anything like work or whatever...

-seth

Manic Monday

So...I got keeper tracks on 4 tunes before lunch...Moss is back to work now.

Here's some photos:

Me tracking guitfiddles:







This is what the other folks do while guitars happen:



(seth with his new Mac...I think it runs on Biodiesel)



Moss just started some guitar tracks:




Through these amps:




Uncle Tom:






Seth is trying to video chat on his Mac with the Wilkersons. I have to go see what that means.

-chall

Addition

We have some new additions to the family:












1 Stroup Handmade Guitar
1 Ampeg Amp


Happy Graduation.


-chall

Hello

Hello Kaitlin and Sarah.

Pics cause we're bored

Habanela:





Seth:





Moss:





Chall:





Chance:

(photo not available)



Emily:





So, we are down a member....Chance was not able to join us this trip. We miss him already.

We had Cracker Barrel for lunch and I'm happy about that.

We're somewhere in Tennessee now...Emily predicts that we'll arive at 5:43EST. I hope she's correct.


-chall

Here we go again...

We successfully exited Thomasville around 6am this morning....it's 10am now and we're just North of Atlanta...Moss is driving, Seth is Navigating...I'm writing, and Hannelore is sleeping. Actually, we're all still pretty much asleep (except for Moss hopefully) and don't have much else to say at this point...so we'll provide you with a running update of our soundtrack.

1. Dan Warren mixed CD
2. "Get A Grip" Aerosmith
3. "2.0" Garbage
4. "Absolutions" Muse
5. Best of The Pixies
6. "Heartbreak Station" Cinderella
7. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster II
8. "Abbey Road" The Beatles
9. "Blister Soul" Vigilantes of Love
10. "The Heath McNease Fanclub Meets Tonite" Heath McNease

-chall

Over the river and through the woods...

...to Hordinski's house we go...

We're leaving Sunday morning at 5:30 AM. Same deal as last time....we'll keep everyone updated daily on this blog.

And for your viewing pleasure, a picture from our last show.

On to June?

Alan Parsons has declared April to be officially over. In that case, come to our show Saturday night at The Sub...doors at 9pm. There's someone famous opening for us.

-chall