11.7.16
Up about 8, read 50 p. of Gerswhin book before breakfast.
Peter Hughes came up from Charlotte, caught up while waiting for Mitch, stuck around until dinner - good to have another sounding board (and some confirmation that things seem to be going well). Tracked "Our Films, Their Films," w/ my guitar through an Orange-style amp, overdriven. 2 or 3 takes, used the chaos/no wave breakdown from an earlier one (slower by 4 or 5 bpm, which doesn't matter in this context). Re-cut "Old Currencies" (1 take + punches), and "Boring Postcards" (4 takes) from 1st day - "thicker" (in Mitch's word) and more confident on both. Same gtrs as the first attempts, different 2-amp set up. Peter and I agreed that recording seems like so much less of a struggle against our own competency than when we started. Broke for lunch and a little bit of frisbee in the yard. Matt spent some time going through Mitch's percussion to change the kit for a junky/scrapheap sound on "Shovel-Ready." Brandon played 6-string bass for a change, I played a very strange 1964 Standell, a guitar I never heard of that Mitch brought out when I asked if he had a Mosrite. I think we got it in 4 - Matt says it's another stamina song, which I wouldn't really have thought. Also did another gtr pass on that, and a terrible, but kind of great-sounding solo w/ my MXR pedal.
Dinner at Clark's, the recommended barbecue joint, Lexington-style, which means chopped pork w/ a "red" ketchup/vinegar/pepper sauce, w/ slaw, hushpuppies, and greens. The real deal. Came back and had Pete play a picking/textural guitar track (Strat/Matchless) over "Currrencies," and several different solo ideas. Mitch brought out a mid-1960s Fender instructional manual, which advised never to play the guitar so loud that the amplifier makes an unpleasant distorted sound. Knocked off between 9-10, had our usual beer/decompression at the cabin, listening to various Weird Al songs.
My facebook friend Drew Boston writes: "there is no way Clinton is a two-term president. The fact that that hasn't been written about more shows the scary lack of foresight and thought of the Democrats. and the scrubbed-up, 'I actually support protestors' GOP candidate of the future is getting groomed in the wings right now. and their election will put the final nail in the coffin of the welfare state and any hope of even tepid social democracy.
nothing will be 'over' after tomorrow. the real horror is only beginning." Adding that here to check back in 4 years and see if he's right.