April 30, 2016 - 1:13am The movie is called Avalanche Sharks... and it's about sharks that live within a ski hill. It's amazing. Just think about that for a minute... there are sharks in the friggin' snow! Nobody is safe!? My question is how did they get there... and how do they swim through the snow? My other question is... how do they cast people for films like these? Does Steve McBland's agent call him up and tell him he's got a script he's gotta read? It's called Avalanche Sharks. I guess you're either into it or not... or just really looking for work... I don't think this is going to give anyone their big break though... there's a lot of "acting" in these kinda movies but not a lot of places to really shine... if you know what I mean. ... I'll admit it was a toss up between this and "The Coed Zombie Stoner"... I watched 5 minutes of it and it was so bad I had to bail... I'll give it another chance sometime though I'm sure.... it's on Netflix incase you're wondering... but not sure if it's on Canadian or just American Netflix. ... it's ridiculous that's a thing. So enough stalling... it's getting late and it's been a long day. My flight is at 11:30am and flight math means I should get up at 6:30am... which is painfully early and painfully close... and it's shitty because I feel like a lot happened today but I really shouldn't be up all night talking about it... but who are we kidding... I woke up around 7:30am and laid in bed listening to YouTube videos/talks... I try and do that when I wake up or go to bed... or can't sleep... spend an hour or two learning something every day. I was thinking last night I should repack my bag so it's done and ready to go... I overpacked so 75% of it I haven't even touched... just a "piece of mind" thing going to the airport... again... I get randomly selected often for searches. I also thought last night I should grab a pic of my bedroom... A friend told me they were jealous I was out doing "cool stuff like traveling to work with bands!"... meanwhile I'm watching B-Horror films alone at 2am and writing a blog before going to sleep on an inflatable mattress that barely fits in Kyle's office... topped off with a Dallas Cowboys blanket... that isn't even big enough to cover my feet... and I'm not even that tall. ... "grass is greener" sorta thing... but I know what he meant... but I also know he doesn't really want this... and if you're reading this, you know I'm right... a lot of people won't give up comfort past a certain age in the music industry... and that's where the dream can die. ... at 17 years old we'll sleep anywhere... same with 21... and 25 you might lose the smile... 27 we start looking for better options if we can... 30 we want our own bed... and it's all downhill from there. ... but how long will you roll with it until things work out? ... knowing they might not? ... people want to be sold the story... which is fine... I'm guilty of it too... when I hear about my teammates (hockey) travelling so often for work I think it must be awesome... but I imagine the stress that puts on their wives and children... personal lives in general. This isn't a vacation... I might be working with friends, but I'm here to work. ... so Kev calls at 9:55am (need to be out the door by 10am) to suggest a plan to stay at a hotel near the airport. Apparently it's a thing trying to figure out how Kevin and I are getting there tomorrow morning. ... my brain is all "just take Uber"... yes it's a couple $'s but it's simple. ... but now the plan has changed and I need to quickly pack my suitcase too. ... I'm also mad I didn't grab that bedroom picture yesterday. I wanted it for my blog. Mike (Hough)'s flight is later so he was going to stay at Kyle's another night. I grumbled about my missing blog pic and asked him if he could take it for me... (... yeah... I'm a big loser... I know!) We ended up being super late to the studio... long short story shorter... had to run some errands... and find Kevin. I asked Kyle if he knew where Kevin was when we got off the phone and he said "yeah"... when I really should've said "You know Kevin is at Walmart right?" ... lesson learned. So today we needed to get through the rest of the main vocals and as many guitar leads as we could. Alex asked (begged) us to work on some ideas last night/this morning. We got back kinda late but we listened through 3-4 tunes in the truck to come up with some ideas. ... I love this game... the "be good now" game. I stocked a few ideas away so at least I'd have a starting point.... I'm pretty good at thinking up parts on the fly in studio... but this gave everyone at least a heads up. (... I'm getting super tired... so much I want to mention though!?) We started with doing some guitar leads and it went pretty well... I got to play/track a few things. I don't consider myself a guitarist but I can be good enough, long enough to lay stuff down... that's my approach to recording... "just need to be good enough, long enough". Side note... we've been using Jericho guitars on the album... they're long scale/baritones (tuning from drop A# to drop C) and they've been holding great! Look awesome and play well. Highly recommend people checking into them if they need a baritone. ... I still love my Carparelli Diesel though. ;-) We still took an hour or so each song... which is normal for writing and refining ideas. I think we got good stuff but yeah... took a bit longer than I'm sure Alex had hoped. Started vocals around 5pm (I think). We've been going until 8ish so the day is pretty much over in my mind... studio brain side... but my musician brain is thinking we'll be working til 10pm. Kev finished his last lead vocal and touched up a few songs... and by touched up, I mean filled in some screams and the odd line that needed lyrics. Kyle and I played a few games of NBA JAM... I think we went 2-1... should've been 3-0 but Kyle couldn't kill the clock. *cough* So... I'll get to it... as much as we needed to record stuff today... there were 2 things on the agenda. #1. Hough needed interviews from everyone about the album. #2. We all had tickets for flavour tripping. #mberry ... just look it up. ... but in short, there are these pills that block the sour receptors in your taste buds (or something), so everything tastes super sweet... like lemons, limes, sour cream, etc... hence Kev's trip to Walmart this morning. After Aaron's interview, it was time. ... time for flava trippin'. I wish it was on camera... 7 dudes (Kev, Kyle, Aaron, Alex, intern, Hough, and myself) all standing around in a back room... with tiny purply-red pills... wondering who was going to go first. ... Alex wasn't sure at all about this... Hough dove right in... I was impressed. Note to self... either go to rave with Hough... or don't go to a rave with Hough. We all dropped the tiny pill on our tongue after Hough did and then waited... waited... waited some more... mine started tasting like mustard. ... again, the pills block your sour receptors on your taste buds... and it's "natural"... we aren't getting high on drugs.. just making our taste buds wonky for a bit... ....so I guess we can eat lemons...??? Finally moment of truth... Kev was first out the gate to try the lemon. ... yup. Then Kyle... ... yup. Then we all started going after the cut up fruit on tray. ... it's wild. It tastes like candy. ... I like the taste of lemons... like... i can eat them like orange. slices... but it definitely tastes like a lemon... but with this pill... it tastes like candy. ... same with limes. Sour cream was different... sort of cheesecake-ish. Hough tried ketchup. "... don't try ketchup." - Mike Hough The novelty wore off pretty quick and we all went back to doing other things... like playing pinball and NBA Jam. ... still highly recommend trying it if you've got the right group of friends... it's wholesome fun. My interview was next... ... all things considered... I was slightly nervous about what I was going to be asked, and what I was going to say. ... the first day was interesting to say the least. I was invited/asked to help finish writing, do preproduction, and fill in some gaps in the studio. ... but that first day with Alex, it really could've gone either way depending on how each of us approached the situation. It's best to tell the truth... and the truth in my mind was to help him get this record done... I've done a few of them and I know what goes into making them. Yes, there's still work to do, but we're in good shape. Alex and I had a couple chats off to the side... he's either a fantastic actor or he warmed up to me after a few days. He's got a great ear and a passion for the technical side... the tracks/tracking sounds great! Tons of toys at his fingertips in the studio and he knows how to pull tones out of them. I'm not about to try and force myself between of him and the band... that'd be incredibly selfish and a wasted opportunity to learn... I'd be taking away instead of adding. ... another theory I have in recording is "if it's not adding, it's probably taking away from something else." Alex emerged from his interview with a huge grin... "you guys are so screwed! I told the truth!!" ... something along those lines. ... and that's a wrap. We were waiting for Hough to finish packing up his camera gear... I was playing NBA Jam and asked Alex if he wanted to grab a production shot for online. "Yeah sure." ... without breaking stride as he walked past. ... we're buds. *cough* One incredibly packed truck cab (forecast said it was going to rain) and 90 minutes later, I'm back at Kyle's.... bringing my luggage back in the house. ... oh yeah... about that hotel. I guess Kev said he was going to book it... but then didn't... and then when he looked later, it wasn't available any more.... so I had all my luggage with me, as did Hough... and jammed a wet towel and a bunch of damp clothes from laundry last night (which I hung to dry at the studio) for nothing... what's the saying ... "always be prepared"...? I love the guys... but I know how to prepare for working with Parabelle... and when it comes to having a plan... make a list... then once you leave the house, cross the first thing off the list, then crumple up that list up, toss it in the recycling bin... and just roll with it. ... you either want to do this or you don't... and when I said I did... I knew what I was getting into. Bed time for me... 2:40am... bed by 3:30am after I finish this... hopefully I sleep on the plane and hopefully I don't talk in my sleep. Today was a good day. - Mike :-) P.S. I was still f****ing with that stupid MIDI today. *thumbs down* P.P.S. I feel like I've been on tour the past 2 weeks... hopefully that's the case soon.
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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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