11.6.17

Up 5:30. Dithered, went for a cup of coffee and read Smullyan, came back at 8. Read Otis on train to Park Slope around 9:30, got another coffee nearby, daybook poem, made it to studio by 11, Matt rolled in just after I got there. Did the rest of his percussion: tambourine and handclaps (w/ me) on “Faith and Credit,” a syncopated shaker part on “Illusion,” a military snare overdub on “Enemies of Song,” a woodblock that I’m not sure about on “Boring Postcards”; also his very short backing vocal on “Our Films, Their Films.” Took a break for lunch and walked over to Unneameable Books – bought The Bluegrass Reader, and had the odd experience of not finding any poetry I felt compelled to buy. I’m either cheap or disenchanted. Returned, worked out the “classical” (nylon-string) guitar overdub on “Enemies,” and 2-3 theremin tracks on “Our Films, Their Films.” Sang the chorus harmony on “Guesthouse,” after which I’d run out of overdubs I was prepared to do. Comped Monica’s vocal for “Any Road Home.” Tried to sing “Boring Postcards” through 3 different mics – did a few complete takes, not sure if it’s enough to comp a real take from. Did some data transfer and finished around 8, chatted with Michael for a while about the jazz scene. (Turns out he’s yet another Oberlin grad, so we know some people in common.) Read more Otis on the way home. Also listened to at least an hr of the A-Z playlist over the course of the day. Got home around 10:30, recorded some expenses, put on Monk’s Ellington album, lights out by midnight.

[The Kings of Ragtime, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” to Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers “All For You”]

11.5.17

Spent day recording at Figure 8 in Park Slope. Up at 7, got out by 8:30 for 11 am start time at rec. b/c I knew the trains might be fucked up between weekend service and the NYC marathon, which proved to be the case. Listened to podcast interviews w/ Daniel Kane and Roscoe Mitchell on the way, got to studio at 10:30, found the studio, got there just after the rest of the band. Michael, the engineer, was easy to work with, and the place is well-equipped (tho we were in the smaller downstairs room – a little narrow). Tracked “Any Road Home,” took maybe 3-4 takes to get the feel. Glad we did this as a band, w/ stand-up bass. Did an additional guitar pass for comping, but then switched to a semi-acoustic Guild the studio had, and that felt more like the song, so that’s the main guitar track now. Lunch break – Korean tacos. Turned to “Paradox” (cover from a GE industrial musical) which also took a few takes, but nothing outlandish. Matt did use a click track for this one, and we sped it up eventually, though it’s still about 15 seconds longer than the original. The rhythm guitar track is not super-smooth, but it’s not going to be the point of the track - I only punched obvious mistakes. Matt put down shakers and/or tambourine on “The Old Currencies” and “Guesthouse,” we’ll do more percussion tomorrow. Monica Howe arrived just about 6, I let the band leave and we worked on her vocal for “Any Road Home.” (Not by any means an easy or foriginvg song, esp. in a spare arrangement.) Sang a number of passes, basically it’s one of these things where 85% of it was there on the first take, and everything else was detail. (Not surprisingly, we talked about Elaine Stritch recording “The Ladies Who Lunch.”) Knocked off at 8:30. Productive day. Read about Otis Redding on the way home. Back about 10, lights out before 11.

11.4.17

The flaw in this system is that the more one is doing, the less time there is to write about it.

Woke up a couple of times in the night, up for good at 8:30. Went to coffee briefly, read to p. 50 of Redding bio. I’m sure I’ve never seen this much detail about his family in Georgia. Mainly just got my self ready, listened to the studio takes of some of Laura’s songs for the form. (We both independently figured out where the extra minor chord is in “Indoor Fireworks.”) Got equipment outside at noon (taking a lot of stuff for a local gig, felt like going on tour), talked w/ Bree and neighbors while waiting for Laura to pick me. Rode to Union Pool, said hi to Gail O’Hara, soundchecked, hung around. Played my quick solo set about 2:30—no, major fuck-ups, gtr sounded good on stage. “Just Because It’s Dying,” “Man Up,” “Boring Postcards,” “Guesthouse,” “Not Just When We Kiss.” Watched Governess, a heavyish trio from D.C., and Cotton Candy (Mark from Unrest and his wife Evelyn, who was in Blast Off Country Style). They do commercial jingles a cappella – “The Jordache Look,” “Charlie” [the perfume], many local radio spots that no one outside of D.C. would know. It’s insane, but entertaining. Explained “industrial musicals” to Mark afterwards – I was truly shocked he didn’t know about this stuff. Played Laura’s set, Pete joined us ½ way through. Intimate rather than rollicking, and there are always things I could play better, but in general, it felt musical – we were all listening to each other. The crowd (modest) seemed to appreciate it. Hung out for a while afterwards – talked to Richard B., Claudia Gonson, Brendan Gilmartin, Cliff Schumacher, a facebook connection named John Everhart (who wanted to talk about my least favorite topic). Got paid, but I don’t think I sold any merch. Rode back to JH w/ Laura, loaded in, ran into Bree coming back from the store when I went back out to get a bite. Home and settled around 9, read a bit of Smullyan, lights out 11 if not earlier.

11.3.17

Up at 8:30. Dithered online. Went to E77 at 10:30, worked through a couple grafs of intro. I think I need to put something back a little earlier in the section. Back home at 1, rested for a while, finished the Kluge. Fantastically depressing book. Bree went out, I skipped trying to go to the Kitchen to get on the wait list for the sold-out Raincoats 33 1/3 launch. Just as well – had a lot to tick off for the show tomorrow (esp. after Gail wrote and asked if I’d do a few songs solo, which I hadn’t planned on) and recording Sun./Mon. Spent a couple hours making a new chart for “Paradox” in Sibelius. Tried out my amps – the Princeton seemed fine after it warmed up, then started crackling like a m.f. when I tried it again later. The Deluxe (which is larger and heavier) is ok, a little buzzy – could be my outlets. (Describing these lame, ordinary hassles, and the extent to which getting anything done/squared away/prepared never goes entirely smoothly—whether because I’m a fuck-up who tries to take on too much, uses time poorly, and doesn’t have many of my life in working order, or because it’s like this for everyone—is as much the point of these posts as anything.) Played though some of my songs, and some of Laura’s set, before packing the piano. Made a list of what I have to take tomorrow so I can think less. Took to bed around 11, started reading Jonathan Gould’s Otis Redding bio and Raymond Smullyan, The Tao Is Silent. Put on the A-Z playlist, drifted in and out.

[Neil Young, “Alabama,” to Caetano Veloso, “Alegria, Alegria.”]

11.2.17

Up at 6. Got coffee, finished Monson. Rehearsed “My Old Man” with Bree. Train to library around noon. Had a bite, got to library, worked on intro 1-6. Not bad: Cut down the first half of the current section to about 2K. Getting there. Headed to Sid Gold’s for David Nagler’s show. Chatted w/ Jennifer O’Connor. Sang “Dress,” with Jessica Pavone on violin, about 2/3 way through the set – pretty decent, except Joe McGinty blasted some feedback while working the mics w/ the iPod Mixer. Jennifer was quite good – “Dress You Up,” “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off,” and “Raspberry Beret.” Home around 11, visited w/ Bree, watched an episode of the Menendez miniseries, lights out 12:30.

[Karen Lake, “Air Mail, Special Delivery” to Alabama, “Neil Young”]