Today marks our last official day recording at HeadGear Studios. It’s been 5 full days- 18 pots of coffee, 57 cigarettes, 16 ham and cheese croissants, and a whole lot of good. Here is a short recap of our experience making this record.

• Arrive
• Set up- start playing.
• Our first trip to Depanneur! (ham and cheese croissant. roast beef. killer. #4. #7. #9. #10)
• Computer blows- 3hrs gone
• Styrofoam cup art!
• Ron is god.
• CoffeeCoffeeCoffeeCoffeeCoffeeCoffee
• Rhodes in the control room. Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby.
• Depanneur. Again. Again. Again.
• Aaron’s amp breathes its last breath.
• Raid Josh’s apt for gear- a THD Univalve Amp that saved the day.
• KYLE THE MAN!
• Playing with HeadGear’s gear
• Ian dumpster dives, comes back with a new kitchen table.
• Miguel stops by to film. and eat cuban food. (he will go on to ride his bicycle to montreal, alone)
• Mood is still, a bird.
• Overdub-dub-dub-dub-dub
• Mr. Milkman likes RayBan

Tomorrow will be a big step for us as a band.  Not only have we added a keyboard player, this is the first time that we’ll all record a song together.  It’s like starting afresh, baby.  It’s been too long since I’ve been part of a legit recording session.  Maybe this feeling that I’ve been having is what a woman feels when she is wanting to carry and bear another child

Looking forward to blossoming musical with this band.  The future is open…..just gotta feed it some baby food tomorrow.

ciao-

ian

It isnt the same as what it used to be,

im feeling the shakes come into my knees.

We’ll be heading into the studio with him next week, and taking to stage for our first show as a five-piece at Glasslands, on Sunday Feb 19.  .

Hope you’ll come see us.

-Aaron

The crowd was more hyped than any New York crowd I’ve seen since Rage Against the Machine.  New Yorkers respond well to big productions, professional work on lighting and of course, on sound…

The sound at Webster Hall was incredible.  I’ve seen shows there that sound pretty average, but last night it was incredible.  And she didn’t just sound like the record.  She took the songs from Actor and changed them, not beyond recognition, but she altered rhythmic feels and orchestrations in bold and striking ways.  At this point in her career, she has the money and the wherewithal to achieve whatever she wants, for sure, so this was really interesting to see.  Lately people have been preaching the importance of sticking to the script at shows, and while I hear where they are coming from, it’s not something I am finding easy to swallow.  I think of songs as living organisms that grow over time, evolve, and even have moods…in order for me to achieve the presence in performance that is so important, it needs to be fresh every night.  And I think my instincts are good when we are talking about when to explore and where to hit it right on like the album.

Speaking of albums, to anyone who is reading this, I want you to know that I in my own right and we as a band are starting to write a new album.  We are going to record it this winter, and it will be our debut full length.  With Ian’s growing voice in the writing process, and with this conscious effort to write a bunch of tunes…NOW…rather than take the culmination of whatever had been written previously…the sound is sure to shift and probably take on a more cohesive direction.  Can’t wait.  I’m still stoked when I listen to Live Sessions but it is time to make an album.

Thanks for reading and keeping up with us.

Aaron

For a brief time only, thus, you can get them as Bonus Tracks on Live Sessions if you purchase the digital download. Later on, we’ll be releasing them in their own right or as part of something bigger.. Anyway, have a listen, and be there next week for the shows!

Much love.

He saved my ASS last March. He was subletting my room while we were on tour and didn’t pay me until I really needed the money at SXSW. Now, he’s going to be playing the bass. We couldn’t be happier about this fella.