101 Tips To A Better Band: #3. How You Look Means More Than How You Sound. (In most cases)9/11/2013 Right off the bat... some will argue this is the problem with music today. It's not about the music! Oh, it's still very much about the music... just as much as any other time period if you really want to argue the score. The thing is, we're typically introduced to new music online... and we don't browse the web with black screens... I've tried it on my barely functioning 2006 macbook pro... nobody wins.
... so assume their eyes are always connected to their ears. Odds are if someone shows you a new band/artist, it's on YouTube, or Facebook, or SoundCloud, or Reverbnation, or Myspace (cough), etc. There's always a way to catch the eye right off the get go, put the listener in the head space/mood you want them in, and THEN deliver with your awesome music. Don't underestimate how much we value appearance... as a species in general. Think about something as simple as picking apples off a stand. There could be 500 apples, but given the choice, we choose the ones we like, and pass over the ones that are bruised... unless you're one of those people who intentionally pick bruised apples just to tell people you only pick bruised apples... you know who you are. Care about your image... you will learn to depend on it. It's what keeps the door open with potential new fans. Pick some bands you like (that are appropriate), go through their photos, discover what you like about them and how they could apply to your band... the common thread!. Hire a pro photographer, or at least someone you trust that's semi-pro. Same goes for stylists, graphic designers, videographers, etc. You don't have to spend a fortune but don't be cheap... aka budget of around 1/4 of what someone good and affordable costs. At least test the waters working with pro's to see what you're missing and/or what you could be doing a whole lot better. Whether you're on a date, a job interview, or you're trying to sell a pile of dirt on Craiglist, present it in a way that catches the eye and creates interest. Effective and efficient advertising (dirty word I know) takes a little time and costs a little money. Be smart about it and you'll always be above those who were too cool to care about their image... since even if they say they don't... you can always tell when they do... you know who you are. - Mike
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#DearBands: Stop Jamming.
I hate jamming... straight up. I was originally thinking of calling this "Stop Practicing" because I dislike practicing just as much as jamming... but I don't mind practicing... I just hate when people show up to rehearsal to practice. What's the difference? Well, it get's down to what your focus is. Most of the time when I hear people are getting together to jam, what they actually mean is they're getting together to get high, have a few beers, sit around, run the set, play 2 chords over and over pretending they're writing a song, etc. Jamming is a focused, complete lack of focus, that bands will do 3-4 times a week, months on end, pretending they're being productive within their rehearsal space. This is not productive. This is hobbyist, recreational, weekend warrior, friends and family nod their heads when you talk about the band, shouda, coulda, woulda, in textbook form. So still, what's the difference? Practice: In a band sense, something that should be done on your own time. When you shit the bed at rehearsal, take those soiled sheets home with you, and practice on your own time. Police yourself. You know what you have to work on if you have any competency in your ability whatsoever. It's one thing to run over a part a couple times in rehearsal in order to clarify something in context... but if you flat out can't play a part, don't know a part or the arrangement, or can't remember the words/melody. Practice. At home. On your own time. Rehearsal: In a band sense, something that's done to prepare for shows and/or recording. Although it does apply to preparing for the studio, usually the goal is to iron out the set... you're practicing the set... not jamming out the set... unless you 100% plan to jam it out on stage. What you do in the rehearsal space is what you're going to do on stage... and bands wonder why they end up getting drunk and stoned at shows, spending huge amounts of time with dead air between songs, meanwhile still "killing it" to an empty room. Writing: In a band sense, this can be mistaken for jamming, but writing is introducing new ideas with the goal they become new songs. You can pretend your hero's get in a room and jam... but they're actually writing. It's premeditated. There are ideas brought to the table, a pecking order to vote up/down ideas, and there's focus. Most of the time they aren't doing most of their writing in the rehearsal space anyway... they core writers are doing that on their own time, and refining the ideas there, with the rest of the band. The amount of times I've heard bands run over the same two chords for 20 minutes, truly believing they are breaking new ground, especially in the rock world, just to show the idea to the singer, and expect them to make some lyrics fit. This is the wrong way to do it. Sure some bands get lucky... I've seen it first hand... but most of the time trying to jam and stumble across a new song... it's going to suck. We all heard that song Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl did... they were "just jamming and it's what they came up with"... that's along the lines of what Paul said to a massive crowd... the ol' pre-song disclaimer. Think about that. Paul and Dave jammed... wrote a new song... and it was sucky. ... and they knew better. ... and you think jamming is going to work out for you? ... it's not a good choice... I'm telling you... as a friend. Personally, I think they knew it kinda sucked (hence the disclaimer) but because of who they are, they knew people would eat it up... or at least forgive them for jamming when they could've been writing... then again some days you sit down to write and nothing comes out. ... I'm getting a little off topic, but you get the idea. Stop jamming unless the main goal is to simply have fun. If you're trying to run your band as a business... every time you pick up your instrument, have a goal in mind. A goal to practice, to rehearse, to write, or as much as I hate to say it, even to jam (fart around). Your time is valuable, especially since you most likely have a day job and other commitments. Jamming should be at the bottom of the list once you get going, or at least once you decide to start going... because once you get going, you'll quickly learn how little time you actually have to spend playing music. ... yup, read that last bit again. :-) - Mike Ok... so I don't know if I'll actually hit "101 Tips" but I've decided right now I need a place to extend some of my #DearBands into mini rants.
... yes mini rants... rants under 10,000 words. So the last week I've been going through a digital stack of demos submitted, and my ever growing list of bands to check out online. It's hard stomach at times, but when I have a spare hour or two, and I don't feel like doing something WAY better with that spare hour or two, I go through a 15-20 bands on the list, and email the ones I like. I typically get a response 24-48 hrs after emailing... but some of the responses really show the person on the other end really didn't do their homework... at all. #DearBands, do your goddamn homework! Seriously... anybody emails you, check their signature, and be a dick. Put on your dick coat, dick glasses, and dick hat... and play detective! That's what Google is for... and Facebook... and ReverbNation, and BandCamp, and iTunes, and SoundCloud, etc. I'm not saying I'm going to change your life, but it should take 90 seconds to do your homework on me, or anybody else that emails you, and have an idea of what they can bring to the table. Some of you make such asses of yourselves in emails it's insane... insane and entertaining... meanwhile your band might be really good! Imagine it was a label, management, or another award winning producer (cough)... I'm pretty patient with people but time is always valuable... and after 3-4 messages back and forth... and it seems like whoever is on the other end is writing you back on their iPhone while sitting on the toilet... c'mon. I quickly forget about them and move on to bands that are ACTUALLY somewhat serious... or at least seem to be trying a little. Most of you complain nobody out there is helping you and you're trying to get by on shoestring budgets. Do your homework, network, make the most of meeting anybody at any opportunity. Do your homework. Please. As a friend. - Mike (... because when you're laughin', you're smilin'.) So I've decided a couple things... well decided and accepted.
#1. I failed largely huge big at posting October's recap last month... last month as in November. I apologize to those who asked what happened to it. In short, it's hard to write these because of time and because so many projects spill over from month to month. It's hard not to go into crazy detail but also tough to just skim over things as well... especially when you're me... and if you know me personally, you're probably laughing a little. I'm going to keep at it though now that I have a better idea how long these will take now... and how long I'd like to make them. #2. Along with the 60+ #DearBands ideas sitting in my Twitter account, I have a bunch of blog posts partially started which I'm planning on giving more attention too soon. I'd like to post at least once a week in the new year... or whenever inspirado strikes. Like most things though, the hardest part is getting started, but once you have some momentum it'll get easier and easier. The feedback has been great so far though and it helps motivate for sure. #3. A couple is 2. November... A couple hiccups with projects opened up some space to work on new tunes with All But Over and brand spankin' new band, The Joy Arson. I have to say, working with a band that has nothing released is a little more difficult than one who has a few releases under their belt with their sound developed. Songs aside, you have an idea sonically what you're after and what they think sounds "good". With a new band, it's a clean slate. You'll get some references... typically of bands that have albums that won Grammy's, spent tens of thousands of dollars to make their albums, full of top shelf talent, etc, but you really just need to start recording and see what makes peoples ears perk up. I believe in bands sounding like bands. Sure, a producer/engineer/mixer can help sculpt the sound, but the bottom shouldn't fall out if they're out of the picture. A band shouldn't be lost creatively or sonically if you take people on my side of the glass out of the equation. Part of the job is pulling ideas they have out of their head and getting them to come out the speakers... the process gets a little easier with each release in most cases since they get better at articulating their ideas and you have some form of reference to what they lean towards. It's not that I think one is more fun than the other, just each present their own set of obstacles to overcome. The goal is to have these tunes out early December and they're pretty close to being wrapped... year is almost over... my birthday, xmas, then new years... then valentines day... I need a vacation. Next! I finally re-wired the studio! I've been putting this off since July I think. There are lots of spots in a studio that never get cleaned... I do my best to get to them at least once a year, do a thorough clean/vacuum. I'd picked up a couple new pieces for the studio as well and needed to make space for them. You'd think this isn't a big deal but re-wiring and shuffling things around can cause stupid amounts of headaches... like when a cable that was 2' too long before is now 2" too short... awesome. The new setup has minor changes but I noticed the improvement instantly. Comfort is key, and if I wished something was "another way", I'd rather just find a way to make it work that way. Customize it for me, just like anybody would their instrument. Lastly... aside from a shit ton of meetings, emails, and phone calls discussing projects for next year... I had a couple rehearsals and played a couple shows with Age Of Days opening for My Darkest Days (the shows were technically beginning of December). Lots of fun and it was as if things picked right up from the summer. There's word of a tour or two next year so we'll see what happens there... as much as I love the studio life... sometimes it's good to change it up... and it's always good to see things from the other side of the glass. - Mike (... yeah I'm hurrying... I have a system though.) Sometimes it's hard to find the time… and sometimes finding the time to find the time is a problem in itself. I do my best to write these near the end of the month instead of the beginning of the next month but honestly, sometimes there's just so much I'd like to talk about that it's overwhelming... so before we get into double digit days of November *cough*… here's October. Early in the month, Breached finally used their prize from last years CMW "demo listening panel thing" which was a day at the brand new (and hugely big large) Revolution Recording studio. This place is huge… and awesome. The plan was to film and record an acoustic EP with the time instead of record a song or something. For the type of band they are and the production style involved to "do things right", recording a song just didn't make sense. If you plan properly, odds are you can maximize your time and energy… all without leaving the other side (who donated the prize) feeling taken advantage of. (...or sad... confused... and alone.) The day was pretty relaxed… the Love & Crossbones (film/video) crew were all very fun and professional, while the house engineer(s) and staff were all very pleasant to work with... something I sort of miss from my days at Pocket Studios. Having my own place, I work alone a lot, which has it's pros and cons. If I had to choose one over the other though… working with a great team is the way to go for sure. Dynamics are important in life and the dynamic you get from being part of a great team can be one of the best things about any job. Often it's a delicate balance, but so far, the vibe is good there. Revolution beyond a studio really, it's a creative space. I skipped out early to play hockey that night but it was reassuring to know they were in good hands. It's a nice change to just enjoy hanging out in a studio… as a fan… even though I was technically there to produce it. UPDATE: The Breached EP is mixed and ready to go… just waiting to finish up the video aspect and hopefully I can share it soon! (... and now...) Indie Week. The last few years I've been quite active during Toronto's big 3 indie music festivals/conferences (CWM, NXNE, Indieweek). This was the first time in a while I didn't really get out too much. I'd typically check the schedule, plan my route, hope the weather co-operates, and then enjoy my evening(s) checking out bands with a friend or two. I found the schedule tough to navigate online this year… serious side note for a minute… why can't these festivals get the schedules right? I understand there's a lot of info to organize but really… they always seem to be missing something I'd consider important… like genre, hometown, set time, etc. I'd be awesome if you could quickly scan through the schedule or filter on an app by genre... then at least you'd know what kind of acts to expect... you just can't get enough info from the artist/band name and venue. So the last couple years I've been asked to judge for indie week… all good... it's fun to watch some bands and give opinions… the latter being something everyone has to and loves to do in this line of work. I can't remember how behind schedule the show was, but when I got there, on time, there wasn't much going on at all… just the bar staff and a few volunteers milling about. Classic. At least I had time to grab food and meet up with some friends in town close to the venue. Eventually I got a text from another judge that the show was starting and I made my way back over to the venue. If there's one thing that sets pro shows apart from amateurs regarding shows… it's set times. Pro shows run on time. I don't know how they do it, but rarely do bands hit the stage more than 5-10 minutes later than they're scheduled at a well run show. Oh wait, I do know how they do it... people get in shit for showing up late and not going on stage on time. There are penalties, consequences and repercussions for not doing things the way organizers had planned to run the show. A personal favorite is the excuse to push back a show until "our fans get there". Seriously... if you tell them you're on at 10pm, and they show up at 10:45... they aren't your fans... they are your friends... and apparently your friends don't care enough to see your band... they care enough to come out and have a few drinks whenever they feel like it. (... make sense?) The thing is... trying to schedule hundreds of bands in a weekend and not having a strictly enforced schedule screws up peoples evenings. If you're trying to showcase bands and people can't see the bands, this defeats the purpose of buying a wristband that gets you into multiple venues over several nights to see as many bands as the festival encourages. There's been times I've shown up to find out a band isn't on for 30 minutes… and times I've shown up, on time, and a band is already halfway through their set. Again. I don't get it. I don't get why 90% of shows that could run on time, don't run on time. It's one of my deal breakers when it comes to sticking around at shows... since I'm actually there to see the bands… so when there's no bands… and considering how much sleep and free time I get… I'd rather be doing something else that late at night… usually involving house pants, a bowl of cheerios, and watching happy wheels. (... a little window into my life.) That being said, the show Saturday night was really solid. I think it was one of the strongest lineups I've seen… definitely the strongest I've got to judge. Every band looked great, sounded great, had some memorable tunes, and the atmosphere of the venue magnified the energy. Good times. I felt good about the band that won the night and knew they'd represent well at the finals the following day. Speaking of… the finals were great too. Being held at Tattoo, there's a great stage, audience set up, and sound system to showcase the finalists. It's a shame Tattoo seems to hate bands and treat them like shit… but that night seemed to be an exception since I hardly noticed. Right from the get go, the acts were solid, entertaining, and had a nice blend of pro polish and scrappy DIY. Lots of genres represented… folk, rock, metal, instrumental electro jazz… I skipped out to grab a bite to eat at one point, but a couple things I thought were missing were hiphop/urban and RnB. Last years winners were Tiny Danza (aka Nixon now which is a whole 'nother topic). I didn't catch them that night but I'd seen them before. Even if they weren't your cup of tea, you knew they were good… no argument. There were lots of great acts that night as well, and it seemed like everything was represented for the most part. This year, it just seemed odd none of those acts made it through. (... I notice these things.) It was a great night overall though… more a celebration of bands and artists doing what they love, after countless hours in the rehearsal spaces, showcasing what they've come up with. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Congrats again to Burning The Day on taking home the top prize. I had my own top 3 and they were in it for sure. I was surprised the judges gave them the edge in some ways but in others, how could you not. Sometimes it gets down to criteria on a sheet, sometimes it's doing what you know is the right thing to do… and sometimes you do what you feel is the cool thing to do... possibly because you're out of touch. Take that however you want, regardless, Ireland will enjoy what's coming there way. Finally, the new Morgan Sadler EP is done! Mixed, mastered, and in the can! You can check out the songs here, here, here, and here. I'm really happy with how things turned out and looking forward to posting the songs when the time comes. Morgan's been thinking a lot about how to release, redefine, and basically launch her new music and "brand". It works from the ground up these days which has many advantages… in the long run for sure. We've had quite a few brainstorming sessions and I'm looking forward to where she's at in a year... or two. Big picture. ... and now to finish writing November. - Mike (... I'm working on it.)
“It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission." - Grace Hopper Last night I received a message on Facebook from a friend inviting me to use a new twitter account "group". They provided the account info/password, a few quick and simple guidelines, and suggested I allow other individuals to have access to the account information as I saw fit, in order to tweet from it. I was horrified. Luckily, there was a window of opportunity to park the account in an attempt clear up some major (and obvious) concerns I had with this. Upfront, I don't think anybody can claim ownership on a hashtag… but #DearBands is something I came up with and have been using for almost a full year now on Twitter. Since the beginning, the tweets have been well received and I've been encouraged to tweet more often. While a few think it's a platform to poke fun at bands, there's actually a bigger picture in mind and I believe in order for an idea to grow, some care should be taken while planting the seeds. #DearBands is an anonymous association of music industry professionals ranting and blowing off steam about bands today. This is false. #DearBands is a hashtag created by @HeyLangford to give gentle reminders to bands and artists to be aware of how they conduct, promote, and represent themselves online and in person, with a goal of encouraging amateurs and professionals to engage in conversation through various forms of social networks, in order to share ideas, opinions, and work towards a greater good for the music industry of tomorrow. This is true. In response to parking the account, which you can imagine didn't make me the most popular person in the room, I wanted it to be known I felt like my brand (and idea) was being compromised and the "new" description wasn't even close to what my original intentions are… and where admittedly the idea to form the group had come from. Being friends, I'm disappointed with how this has played out the past 24 hours but here are my concerns/issues: I don't believe in anonymity, especially online. If you have something to say, stand behind your words. Praise or criticism, it's not what you say, it's who says it... that's why the pen can be mightier than the sword. The weight of the words are lost if it's said without a face or personality to accompany it. Chances are the account/hashtag would simply become intermittent bite size chunks of comic relief… in my opinion, the lowest rung on the entertainment ladder on something like Twitter. I've encouraged others to tweet using the #DearBands hashtag through their personal Twitter accounts, and slowly, they have been. This enables us to create a sort of searchable database of information, and that's a great bi-product Twitter. Good advice doesn't provide "one size fits all" solutions so allowing others to attach the tag to their tweets has a lot of value to the reader. Again, while there has been humour sprinkled in at times, the goal is to offer advice and guidance, and encourage discussion. Only fools, especially in present day, would take anonymous advice. I don't believe ranting and venting about bands/artists is constructive to helping bands/artists. Sure, we all have times we need to (there are things you tell your best friend, things you tell your mom, and things you'd only tell your dog), but I feel that, and I have 50+ #DearBands sitting my drafts folder, what we put out in the world comes back three fold. We should have positive or at least neutral intent with our words and actions as often as possible. On the top layer, there's humour and/or sarcasm to many of my tweets, but that's part of my personality. At the heart of it though, I believe the intentions should be positive. Say things that provoke thought, a response, and encourage others to pass it on. Considering the amount of bullying awareness going on these days, I'd rather not be part of that problem, and embarrass and/or discourage people from doing what they love. I believe the solution is simply not being part of the problem. That being said, during a somewhat, one-sided heated conversation on Facebook last night, I provided several solutions. The main one being, if you want a place to rant and blow off steam anonymously, fine… but why attempt to hijack a hashtag I've been using almost exclusively the past year, attempt to redefine it, and pass it off as your own? Why can't it be called something else? I can accept certain places need anonymity (... elections anyone?), so a simple solution for both parties would be to create something new… perhaps along the lines of "Clients From Hell". I won't name names (they asked for anonymity after all), and I'm sure their intentions are good, but this really caught me off guard yesterday… especially coming from a friend. I'm not the aggressive type, but I'll stand up for who and what I believe is right, and do what's necessary to defend my ideas and opinions… and in cases like this, be open to work together for a compromise. Hopefully this is all resolved soon but I felt the need to say something sooner than later. The internet is a big place and there's lots of room for everyone, good or bad, to do as they wish. It's unfortunate sometimes others attempt to claim ownership on someone else's idea… considering it's that way of thinking which prevents others from sharing their ideas in the first place. - Mike "... use it or lose it." September was one of those months I feel like I did a bunch of stuff… but don't know what I did exactly. I had a few hours to think about what I wanted to write about during my flight back from Edmonton the other night… a common thread for last month? Professionalism. There's a couple main points I'd like to make and I'll do my best to keep this to a toilet sitting's length. Early in the month I finished mixing Sarah Shafey's next album. First and foremost, Sarah, and Donna Grantis (who c0-produced the album) were a pleasure to work with and I think we're all happy with the results. Initially though, my radar went off that Sarah could potentially be difficult to work with. This is nothing personal, this is based purely on past experiences with similar artists. "... if it happens once..." Sarah is very organized. How is this a potential problem? Over the past couple years I've accepted a few things about musicians… one of them being, be cautious of musicians who don't act like "musicians". That doesn't mean they have to be a complete train wreck… but there's typically a large grey area around details like timelines, deadlines, payment schedules, reading/comprehension, financial priorities, common sense, etc. You know… little things. They'll get done, you just have to accept the patience necessary that come with the lifestyle. Sarah showed up to the first mix tweak session with point form notes, for all the songs, and copies for each of us. "Amazing. " I love point form notes for mix tweaks… tell me what you want, not how you feel. There's lots of code names I can decipher (eg. "warmer", "darker", "brighter", "Bohnam"), but for the most part, just tell me in almost primal terms what you want.
It's simple that way. It's not being rude, it's being specific. You don't have to describe the neighbourhood when what I really need to know is the address. Sarah also mixes and engineers, and this is her album. "... you're here to ruin everything... aren't you." We all have our ways of doing things and what sounds right to us… sometimes knowing too much about what happens behind the curtain is just as annoying as assuming you know what happens behind the curtain. This wasn't the case at all with Sarah though, it just made it easier for her to articulate what she was thinking. Bottom line, being organized has a couple ends. On the bad end, it's simply an obsessive attempt at micro-managing with a side order of unrealistic expectations. Instead, you should be able to roll with the setbacks and not prevent progress when there are opportunities to get ahead. Another problem with badly highly organized people, is they're always aiming to hit the bullseye as opposed to crossing the finish line. They'll constantly reset the cycle, thinking another attempt will give better results. Imagine you're driving and you see the same intersection 4 times… yes, you're still moving but chances are there's something wrong with your directions and/or your sense of direction. I think that's the problem with artists that can't finish in general. We don't always have to come in first or hit the bullseye. Completing art is about getting it across the line... that being said, where you set the line is up to you. On the good side of being organized... efficiency, focus, and endgame vision. "Smart." Next. I did a spec mix for a band early last month. I do spec mixes often and although my track record for getting the project is pretty good… sometimes I don't, they let me know, and it's totally cool. Considering our initial meeting, this particular project seemed like it was for sure, just going through the normal paces to know what I'm getting into time wise. They explained early on how the previous studio they'd recorded at had screwed them over a little (red flag) and that they had a tight timeline. I turned over the spec mix within the week and explained it'd be best to have the rest of the songs asap if they wanted it done by the end of Sept/early Oct. One week goes by… nothing. Two weeks go by… still no response. Response from management was they didn't know what's up either. "... something seems off." Fair enough. By this point I'd already assumed I wasn't getting the project but it wasn't official until I saw the band posting about mixing at the original studio on Facebook... Facebook official!? It's not like people aren't going to find out what you're up to, it's just that you look like a bit of a knob for leaving people in the dark or directly attempting to indirectly mislead them. Then again, with some people, it just doesn't cross their mind to say anything for whatever reason. "... most of the time, it's better to say something, all of the time." The main annoyance isn't the poor communication though, again, musicians being musicians. It's the time I don't get back. I blocked out a chunk of time to do the project since they were on a tight schedule and it seemed like all things were "go". It's not about how long the band/artist thinks a project will take... I do a mix on spec to see how long I know it'll take me. I don't want to cut corners or wear myself thin trying to hit a deadline if it's unnecessary. It sucks to look in the mirror and see dark circles under your eyes from a project that just wasn't worth it. So lack of communication is one thing, and I know the band will have their excuses, but the long and the short of it is, it's unprofessional… not to mention it leaves a mark on the people who referred them. Will it end someones career? Of course not… but acting unprofessional rarely helps in the long run. So bands/artists, just keep these things in mind when someone doesn't bend on budgets, timelines, and deposits. Another band or artist before you is to blame. They got there first and messed it up. It's up to you to break tradition. "... just stay the fuck away from this tradition." So, with that out of the way… I was blessed with the presence of The Pecan Sandies later in the month who were in to record a few more tunes for an upcoming release. They were in earlier this year and were just as much fun this time around. It's a simple 2-piece, baritone guitar and drums driven rock outfit, and easily one of my favourite acts in the city. They talked about a few of their video ideas and I can't wait to see them completed and out in the real world… two great musicians making simple music they love and have fun playing. What a concept. Lastly, as I made a slick reference too early in this post, I was in Edmonton last weekend to record drums for some new Tupelo Honey songs. I love mentioning these types of gigs to people… their response is a mix of "that's cool!" to "why would they bring you all the way out there? Is there nobody out there who could record it? Are you actually THAT good at recording drums? Am I in the presence of drum recording royalty or somethin'??"… yeah that last bit sounds better in a Joe Pesci voice… seriously though… some people make comments like anybody could do it... which is 100% true… to a point… but when it gets down to it, it's shitloads more fun to work with your friends, and much easier to work with people you've worked with a lot in the past. "... good times... it's a team sport." The recording process is just that, a process. The more you work with people, the more you understand their process and don't have to say much to know what's going on. Like most things in life, it's more fun when you're good at it. Put a good producer, a good engineer, a good drummer, and a good assistant (to glue everything together) in a room for few hours, good things happen… and we have fun in the process. I usually see the Tupelo guys when they're in Toronto… it's been years now since we first met and the visits are frequent enough I forget they're on the other side of the country. We've flown Greg to Toronto a couple times to track drums here, so it was fun to go out there for a change and I'm glad Jeff (producer) threw the idea by me and the invite. It was a quick trip but felt more like a visit with friends than actual work. … then again work rarely feels like work... and on that note... "do, do, do, do, do, duhdoo, do
do, do, do, do, do, duhdoo, do do, do, do, do, dooooo0000." "... for every question, there's an answer." August… let's start with the easy. The Parabelle album is out… it actually came out like 5 times it seems like. I woke up one morning to see posts on Facebook about how the Kickstarter folks had received a zip file over night with the new album in it. This was a bit of a surprise since they were aiming to get them the physical copy 2 weeks before the actual album release date (August 28th)... but manufacturing hiccups set things off course a bit. (... shut your big damn mouth Big Bird.) These days, I say just put it out. Once it's ready… just put it out and let it roam free on the internet. I think the days are gone of the big hype machine for an album… considering the days of the full length album are in question anyway. If people are waiting for it, they'll hype themselves up. We can still let people know when something is coming out… but I find it kinda lame when bands get a little too hype-y about something nobody is waiting for. We all need exposure for the music, but ultimately word of mouth is the best way for it to get around. This takes time, especially in the beginning. Not long ago, if a single or album didn't react right away, say within the first couple weeks, we'd consider it a flop. These days, it can take months for something to catch on and even then, you should still be constantly working on and releasing new quality material. Granted Kevin has been releasing material for 7+ years through Evans Blue and now Parabelle, one band has 140k+ likes, while the other is approaching 10k. That's the difference exposure makes though... EB had a couple songs on the radio early on... Parabelle... close to no radio support so far. They've been working other areas, building up their fan base through regional touring and word of mouth... being approachable and reachable at shows and online creates an engaging relationship. The fans feel like they're part of the process opposed to of just a consumer. This builds core fans and it's all about the core fans, they're the ones who keep you alive. (... it's all about meeting people and makin' friends.) The response has been great for the new album though. I'm always a little anxious when an album gets released… I imagine it's similar to that "kids first day of school" feeling… quite fitting right now. I know I like it… I know the band (unless they're lying) like it… but that doesn't mean the fans will... and pleasing your fans is part of the equation. It's about creating a balance between trying new things, but still keeping enough of the familiarity. You have to leave time to experiment during the writing process as well as in the studio. Sometimes you hit on something you feel is great first try, other times, you know there's a good idea in there... it just takes a while to refine it. When it's right though, you know it... and that's where listening to your gut comes in. One of the hard parts of producing is learning and knowing how to listen to your gut. It's not always the most popular opinion in the room… but when it thinks it's right, or more importantly thinks something is wrong, it'll keep you awake at night until you act on it. (... and if you don't, it'll haunt you forever... until you die... and then a bit past that.) Another surprise... they decided to post some of the album demos on BandCamp. Throughout the year, they passed me about 20+ demos and from those we went over some ideas and directions for the album. The demos posted included a few tunes that, although we still felt were good, just didn't fit with what we were aiming for or were simply replaced by a stronger tunes later on. I think it's neat for fans to be able to hear "demos". The process of record making is pretty raw and messy at times, so being able to include some "behind the scenes" content so easily these days is awesome. It's safe to say most of us on this side of the glass have heard the raw Motown, U2, and Led Zepplin tracks by now… we geek out over them because we can hear the in between stuff... the kind of stuff I refer to as "hiding the body" during the mix stage. We get graded on the final result… but there's lots of gems and lessons in the process for those who are listening. (... you have to understand the angles of your audience.) ... I've made 5 albums with Kev now ( 2 w/ Evans Blue, 3 w/ Parabelle)… just thought of that. I should do a post on 'Melody' sometime. I have a lot of memories from that record... not to mention how much I learned making that record. It was the first one (label wise) I felt I really had a big part of... I knew people were going to hear it. There was very little pressure on me and only had one person to report to, that being the producer (Trevor Kustiak), but I can only imagine how much pressure was on him. Considering the success of Cold (but I'm still here) I'm sure all the higher-ups wanted to get their fingers in stuff... feel like they're contributing. There's lots of people who feel the need to put in their $0.02... especially if they feel it's their money being spent. The record turned out pretty good and seems to be a favorite from EB fans. I still get emails from EB fans saying everything from simply "great stuff!" to "I wish we could work on an album together". Considering that album came out 2006... I'd consider it a success if people still care about it. (... and it feels good.) So... back to August, for those who are wondering, I have been busy this past month. It was split pretty much 50/50 between producing some new Morgan Sadler tunes and mixing Sarah Shafey's next album. I'm equally excited about both but I'll start with Morgan… Morgan is a singer/songwriter/pianist. When we talked about what she wanted to do (hear), we spent quite a bit of time listening to references and talking about where we'd like to draw inspiration from. All these references are "full band". Morgan is a singer, songwriting, and plays piano. One of the things that grinds my gears is when producers steamroll what an artist is, at their core. This is often under the disguise of "development", but if you strip away all the extra instruments and production, does the artist remain intact? Do they still know what makes them "them"? Can they still write songs they're happy with if the producer is out of the picture? A good producer will bring out the best in a band, but with solo artists, you really have to listen to what they want to do, and decide before you start, or very close too, if you think you can deliver. You can still put your sonic signature on a recording but it shouldn't overpower the artist. We're a spice, not a main course. The initial chemistry between artist and producer is the key to understanding where the limits are... and experience working together builds the trust needed to push them. I'll keep this short since we're both pretty excited with how its turning out… it should be all wrapped up this month… and hopefully it comes out on YouTube not long after. YouTube is the new radio… just a reminder. (... yip.) The Sarah Shafey album is a mix project referral from Donna Grantis. Donna and I met a couple years ago during a quick tour playing together in Dane Hartsell's band. It's nice hearing from old friends and always fun to hear and see how others track their records. There are some solid players on this album! It's nice hearing great takes and people playing together. We're just into the mix tweak/touchup stage but I'll be sure to pass along some links once it's released. Some side notes… Both of my hockey teams made it to their division finals which took place this week. One just came up short 4-3, the other took home the top prize in a shoot out. Both were great games and it's always fun feeling some pressure. Fall/Winter season starts up in a couple weeks... it's always nice to get a fresh start. That's one of the things I love about my job... with each new project, I feel like I get a fresh start. You're always learning new things throughout the process when you take a project from start to finish. I achieved 100% failure rate in heading to the cottage last month. Too busy. Way she goes… but if it stays warm… that's the plan this month. Plus, considering how much it's rained recently, the fire bans are definitely off now. I haven't had a summer until I've roasted marshmallows. - Mike (August... we got some new shit on Mars.)
"I have a lot of friends on here that are producers and Engineers. Most of them work 12 hour days, 6 days a week making music. They are dedicated and passionate. Their main goal is to make people happy and make their lives richer with great music. This is a shout out to all you guys burning the midnight oil!" - David Bendeth If you don't know who he is… Google him. He's produced some pretty serious records the last decade and had his hand in shaping the sound of modern rock. I, like most people, scan through my Facebook news feed each morning and he posted that a couple days ago (yeah we're Facebook friends *cough*). I think it was quite late at night but it put a smile on my face... and that's always a great way to start the day.
We ARE dedicated and passionate. Our goal IS to make people happy and make lives richer with great music. Music professionals love what they do to a point they probably can't do much of anything else… we're distracted by our passion, be it recording, playing, mixing, performing, composing, or often all of the above… until one day it consumes us and shows us we can make a living doing it. Also, it's safe to say just because we aren't in the studio or holding an instrument mean the working process stops… we go through our day to day life thinking about it more or less 24/7. To some we're "workaholics". To some we're obsessed. To us, I say we're simply in love. There's a relationship between anyone and their craft. You decide how much time you make for it and you decide how it's nurtured. We all have relationships in our lives outside the conventional ones that aren't easy to identify and explain to others… everything from sports to fashion to books to food to partying. What do you care about? What do you make time for? What's on your mind? It's not about how we spend our money… it's about how we spend our time. I know how I spend my time… and I laugh and smile about 400 times a day because of it… and yes that was a Krispy Kreme reference. - Mike P.S. I actually have more I'd like to say on the topic but it can wait for another time… it's more venting... and I like to be in the mood to go off on certain things. It's more along the lines of dealing with people who think it's ok to abuse our time, ignore our value, and downplay our experience... mainly because they feel music, or whatever it is you do, is a hobby... since it often is for them at least... therefore we should be on an even playing field right? (... this is how we do it.) The 2012 London Olympics are underway, the Parabelle album is done, and I'll say it… I'm already looking forward to the outdoor rinks opening here, downtown Toronto. I like the warm weather too, but downtown it's not a nice heat in my books… it's muggy… I've been very grateful to have a shower at the studio lately… and some AC. It looks so nice outside… until I open the window... and it's like opening the oven... and that oven is cookin' up somethin' fierce on public transit. So July… I spent the first week and a half out west playing drums with Age Of Days. They gave me the heads up they had some shows opening for James Durban, and Buckcherry. Sounds good to me. I kept a daily journal which I'll post at some point (yes... along with my Juno journal I've yet to finish posting), but in short, I've never had so much fun on tour in my life. For the most part, when you really break it down, being in a band isn't a lot of fun... unless you strictly do it for fun. (Turds Of Misery... doin' it for fun, seriously, circa forever.) It's long hours, tons of costs, little respect, shitty pay, drama, egos, no sleep, bad food, lost/stolen stuff, general "surprises", you name it... and most of what being out on the road really is can test you mentally and physically. The biggest part of how well things go, are the people around you. Want to know the type of people you're with? See how they (naturally) act and react when they're tired, hungry, late for something, hilariously early for something, have something stolen/go missing, someone intentionally offends and/or disrespects them, or some unforeseeable hiccup happens and you're seemly up the creek. Really quick, you'll know who's a team player. (There's 5 of us and you only got one hotel room?!) Ten days isn't long, but going out long enough you feel the need to do laundry is often long enough to know what kind of people you're with. Up there with getting a quality recording, doing a quick tour sooner than later is important for long term goals and can save some serious time and headaches down the road. Again, I'll post up the journal at some point but in short, it was such a fun group to hang with… tons of laughs, tons of breakfasts, lots of rock… good times. Oh… another thing while I'm thinking of it… I'm very grateful I still get the opportunity to play. There's lots of studio folk who've come from a playing background, but never get back on stage for one reason or another. One of the reasons I was excited to get out and play was to really remember what it's like for when I'm talking to bands. Anybody who knows me, knows I can spew an endless supply of thoughts and opinions, but most of the time (biased opinion here), I know what I'm talking about... and at the very least, and more importantly, I have their best interests in mind and only trying to help. An easy approach to leading or coaching is to "never shoot the ball". The fear of loosing the ears and eyes of your players from missing the shot, since you know, it's so easy if you just do what I say, outweighs leading by example. In most cases... I'd say that's a problem. (... tell tale sign of bad leadership right here.) I've never (ok, very rarely) been afraid to try and express an idea on an instrument, any instrument, no matter how shitty it may sound. Sometimes it takes a second, but I know I'll get close enough to get my idea across. This is something I encourage EVERY member of the band to get comfortable with. I'm not saying we need to start allowing the bass players to start writing the songs here *cough* but if you're going to talk the talk, it's important to have walked the walk or at least willing to try. I'd never ask a band or artist to play or do something I wouldn't feel comfortable being on stage along side… and that's including 3 children's albums! The future of professional studio folk are still musicians, writers, and performers at heart… we just happen to have recording and production chops as well. (... chops.) K… done talking about that now. Tour was awesome… kinda want to get back out again… although there's lots of records to be made and projects on the table these days… we'll see what happens... Age of Days has a new single coming out next month... we'll see... I had fun. The new Parabelle album is done. (... I understand that car.) We finished it up last week and I swear... for a few days after it was "done" done… I still felt like I should be working on it. It's different when the band isn't located here since there's no real, final hurrah or final push to get it done. We listen, make comments, make changes, rinse/repeat a couple times and then it's done. It won't be long until it'll be up on torrents and I'll be using Google translate to read comments on Russian metal forums. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out though… I love the first single (it came together last minute in the control room one evening), and I LOVE the lyric video Kevin did for it. He's so creative and has so tons of ideas… I honestly hope he gets to see all of them through. Time, money and resources are always a factor with any creative, but I think the success of Parabelle's Kickstarter has really hit home that people are listening, wanting, waiting. People will invest in good ideas, and they will invest and support artists. It gets down to vision, momentum and timing… and getting your head out of the sand (or your ass… or other peoples asses) long enough to know when the iron is hot. (... bang on.) You can check out the new single here… so far the fan reaction has been great and perhaps leave a comment and let me know what you think. I've been getting some more interest from other bands, labels, and management since it came out as well to mix their stuff or work together down the road. They don't care we're from different cities (or countries for that matter)… just a sign of the times… and it's great to see it's becoming less and less a factor. I took a quick trip up to the cottage with the lady and the folks mid month… did some fishing, lots of eating… and a fair amount of paddle boating. I love paddle boats… I need that on a shirt. The rest of the month I did some spec mixes for a couple albums and an EP… got them all, so now it's about trying to make them all fit… thankfully they all have staggered deadlines. I also started working with an artists named Morgan Sadler over the weekend. She was shopping around for producers (#DearBands, it's called doing your homework) and ended up coming by the studio to meet on a referral from Dell at OfTheBearBooking. The vibe was great and soon after she dumped about 30 demos in my inbox to pick from. Awesome. Pre-production went super smooth and similar to the kids albums, she's trusting me to "be the band", which is something I have a blast doing. The goal is to finish the 3-4 tunes with Morgan next month (August), get fixing/mixing some other projects, and run up to the cottage once or twice more… if I can edit at the lake, I'm going to. - Mike (July... good times.)
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Mike Langford - Official BlogBeing on both sides of the glass, I get the chance to wear many hats in the music industry. This is a place to share my thoughts, views, predictions, rants, stories and news! Categories
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