When Blogs collide

It was just another Thursday night. Another day, another dollar. Being a musician these days costs loads of cash - so a decent job comes in handy. You do find yourself burning both ends of the candle, as the great Neil Young suggests. But hey, here we are rockin along.

A familiar scene, my house mate and a friend hanging out in the lounge. I'm not sure what hit me, but even as we were being introduced I was reaching for a sundanze kid badge to help spread the word. A few polite pleasantries later and we were back into our own grooves.

Upon returning down stairs I was greeted by some excitement and commotion. My housemate's friend was puzzled at having scene this, sundanze kid name before. And there, in front of our faces on her computer was her blog and a comment left by none other the The Sundanze Kid requesting, "Can these recipes please be translated to English?"

Worlds Collide

I had no idea that the text I was reading was Latvian - let alone my house mates long time friend. A few months early I was exploring other blogs, seeing what was out there. I started to follow a few other bloggers, mostly in languages I couldn't understand but could appreciate the pictures and effort these people were making.

So there we have it. A few days later, as I'm nervously attempting a new Jamie Oliver Morrocan dish, she is hanging out in the kitchen - WATCHING - me cook!!! Literally saying, "I love watching other people cook." I'm thinking oh shit, yikes this is going to get bad. Alas, it turns out my cooking this evening is pretty good (hard to stuff up that particular recipe to be fair). My accidental real life blogging chef friend was quite complimentary to my cooking and this meal. Phew!

Too bad chef doesn't like the taste of my music!

The chef as a photographer

Dilemma number 9, 9, 9, 9

Dilemma can come in all shapes and forms. Cheese, no cheese. Mayo, no mayo. What some people call decision making, I turn the simplest of choices into nail biting life or death ordeals. Well, maybe not life or death...

Cheese or no cheese.

The journey of The Light in The Darkness, has seen a number. Not all of which I have written about. Getting to the solution of these dilemmas, for me, often results in celebration - ie not thinking about it any more. Thus, not reflecting or writing about it. But having read out my blog intentions, I will endevour to keep the dilemmas coming - no matter how trival (hmmm - should I change font now... or later).

The Light in the Darkness Saga has seen -
Home or Studio Recording Tragedy.
The Rhythm Episodes.
The Epic When to let fly the songs live? chapter.
Producer or me, me, me opera.
The tale of The Changing of the strings.
Brand or no brand adventures.
Album cover/artwork legends.
To bar code or not to bar code.

Speakers...

And now we are in the midst of the chapter titled - Head Phones or Speakers. Although I have previously mixed and master the album (pre-human drums) I have stummbled across the differences the tracks can sound when mixed solely through the speakers. My bad ass Sony Active Speaker system has been with me every note of the way - but not as a mixing advisor as such. Though it did give me some clues when I layed down one day and notice a bag full of base ruining the overall vibe.

Or headphones...

It feels like a few days having this occupy my mind, but a little reading and thinking about all those days in the studio by the side many a producer and the answer is simple...

Speakers to mix - head phones to fix!

Welcome Brother

.... to The Light in the Darkness.

The man of the moment!

All the way from Melbourne Australia!, through the fabulous world wide web, my bro and I are reunited. While I reach for the Explorers and an extra layer to keep myself from shivering from the damp English darkness, Lorne Chaston has been sweating it out under the hot Aussie sun. He has just completed recording some tasty beats and is helping fend of these winter blues - it's like chocolate to my ears. The perfect way to start the weekend. Right now I am fine tuning the tracks; Thunder Cracks, Without Blood, Burning Lungs, Green Grass and Beyond, in readiness for the independent release of The Light in the Darkness.

The man in action.

The energy and life that he has brought to the recordings is amazing, like twisting a 2D sound into something 3D - more depth, life and human nature. An energy unreplicatable and truly unique. It's great to be reminded of the talent and power the guy posses! The tone of the toms are just something else. Dudes spend years trying to get that.

The man and the machines.

Throughout this journey I have taken all the ideas and possibilities to the end of the road, in aid of getting the best result. Taking the extra time to get to the end of a path only to turn back is worthwhile and has helped me establish how I'll do things in coming albums, recordings and projects. It has help me not only develop a sense of style and technique, but a pedagogy as to why I do things the way I do - not just because this is what others have had success with, or is that cliche bit of knowledge that everyone has, but has no idea why. As time consuming as this "method" seems to have been, it has always worth the wait. I guess, I should say know, this further emphasis the power and possibilities of DIY. Without the clocking ticking and your wallet choking to death - while you pay off some guys condo and Ferrari mortgage.

It is all coming together and I want to say a big thanks a million bro - I am stoked that you are a part of this, the sounds so close yet were on the flip sides of the world!

The Pine Forest that features in

"Into the Darkness" and inspired the lyrics -

"Pine tree dreams escape the broken belief."

Now, how am I ganna get that elusive sister of ours on this?