Pre Production

Here’s what we’ve already recorded with Adam:

  1. Light From Light
  2. Las Cruces
  3. Bloodburner
  4. Is That All (Main St)
  5. The Wind That Bends All Things
  6. Hot Sky

Here’s what we’re looking at this go round:

  1. Sweet Dreams
  2. Dozen Hearts
  3. to the eveningstar
  4. Hooker (maybe new title pending)
  5. Restless Sea
  6. like a wolf
  7. These Narrow Streets
  8. Heartbreaker
  9. Hard To Say
  10. You’re Sweet
  11. Finding a Way Home
  12. These Narrow Streets
  13. Oceans Apart
  14. Take a Deep Breath
  15. Sundown
  16. Steal Your Heart Away
  17. Sun Year Long

I’m probably forgetting something here.  If about half of these are keepers the band will have a good record.

Downsize me

I’ve been romanticizing showing up to a gig with a Princeton Reverb.  A silverface or blackface. I had my 60 watt 1982 Concert 4×10 at 4 on stage at the Troubadour last week. I wonder what’s the point, other than the fuller 4×10 bottom end and pusing more air.

Switchable reverb and trem, the Concert has verb only. I might need more than 12w though, but I’m thinking every club is going to mike it anyway.  And if I do decide to downsize, I’d rather go all the way and shed as much weight as possible. I’ve played a ridiculously nice repro called the Lil King by Headstrong Amps in NC. Fender’s now reissuing a ‘65 Princeton Reverb I should try.

This telecaster is still the coolest.  It sounds fantastic unplugged.  I’m thinking of putting in a Lindy Fralin bridge pickup. My pal Leland of Dan and Leland (on tour right now) and who bought me the guitar in the first place, put Lollars into his tele and is left with a lone Fralin. This is where I come in.

Thanks Jillian!

I just picked up my Mex Tele from Jillian in Santa Monica, who transformed it into the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever played.  I’m going to play it tonight at the Troubadour.

All of this leatherwork was done by hand! Every detail. I’ll be glad to connect anyone with Jillian if you’d like to do this with your spare Telecaster.

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Upcoming show and new pics

Just got word we’re returning to the Troubadour in West Hollywood September 8! We’ll be opening for our friends BigBang from Norway.

And some pics from our studio time with Adam …

Guitars, guitars

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and the star of the show, the Boss TU-12H …

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Small faces

  • Fulltone’s just released their new Robin Trower Overdrive and it sounds great. Less mid-scoop than their OCD and GT500 (less “modern”) and less 808/Tubescreamer mid-hump than the Full Drive 2 Mosfet.
  • Last night we all went to Japantown on Sawtelle and rented one of those private karaoke rooms.
  • Ankur is putting the finishing touches on our private demo tracking studio. He just picked up a nice Sheraton for himself to cover a bunch of sounds with one guitar, some interfaces, DIs and room mics. This is perfect timing to track ideas before we go back into the studio with Adam for reals.
  • Wrote a new song that sounded fantastic from the get go the moment I showed it to the guys.  I’m fleshing out a title, maybe “Oceans Apart” or “Clouds Roll East.”
  • We’ve got more band photos on our new Facebook page

Fender Bender

  • So I’ve just written a new song, my first since our last batch of five or so a few months ago.
  • I usually write in batches or “classes” ie “class of ‘06, etc. Then I get on with living and so on.
  • I’d like to spend some time with a G and B Bender Telecaster. Bending my 26 wound Ga whole step is a commitment.
  • We’re in the running for a slot at Austin City Limits.  If you’d like you can kindly vote us in here.

40 days and 40 nights of no blog

Wow it’s really been a month since my last post.

We’ve tracked guitars, vocals, backup vocals and even more guitars with Adam in his studio.

busted out and broken in:

  1. Adam’s new candy apple red Fender Jazzmaster (killer! going to be a recurring tone/voice on the album)
  2. my fingerpicking debut on a Gretsch Tenessee Rose through Roland’s new Space Echo
  3. i think we used a Keeley modded Rat
  4. maybe a Coleman Astro Fuzz which was completely new to me.
  5. an older Guild dreadnaught
  6. 90’s Vox Ac-30
  7. a new Roland Rotary Ensemble
  8. a Shubb C-1 capo !(MVP)

Headstrong, take you on . . .

Going into the studio with Adam next week! Vocals, backing vocals and overdubs on top of what we’ve done so far. Adam is fantastic and I feel lucky just to work with him.

Just played a Headstrong Lil’ King Reverb 1×10 which was spectacular. It would have been nice to have a smaller combo on our tour when we hit smaller clubs in Memphis, Dallas, and Salt Lake.

Going to The Mint tomorrow night to see Dan and Leland perform with a full band.

Asian delights

Anks returned from Japan hours before my Venice housewarming party, bearing gifts from afar.  Japanese guitar picks!

picks

 

Speaking of Japan I’ve included my Speed Racer VIP PitPass.

Carbon footprint

Our touring van has passed California smog check with flying colors.  0 emissions. That’s better than most hybrids.

When Anks gets back from Japan we’re heading back into the studio with Adam.

I would love a Nash Esquire and a Juke 1210.