Getting ready for the country - preparations underway for the next project, SC4.
Now that we've released Nuevo Retro, we're bored. BORED!!! We want more recordings!!! And thus we gear up for SC4...which means, yes, you guessed it, Here Beginneth-eth the Bloggeth...for SC4
Ahem.
What We're Doing This Time
We're looking to record in 5.1 surround on a porch at a house in country NSW.
We're looking for a wooden porch because we're hoping to get some resonance from the structure as we're recording acoustic stuff. If you've heard the Mangrove Mountain recording of Sweet Misery (on Spacejunk), you'll know why we want to get the ambience...it rocks.
The history so far:
We started Nuevo Retro (SC2) whilst we were finishing Whiskey Talkin (SC1) we started doing demo's with Jim. As we started recording and touring around, new songs popped up.
We were stuck with the problem of 'Sweet Misery' which was always going to need to be recorded live, so we came up with the idea of an all analogue session 'Spacejunk' style, using old analogue gear. This gave rise to the idea of doing a studio album and then following it up each time with an experimental EP. Nuts? yes! Fun? You betcha!
Mid way through recording SC2 we took a few days and recorded SC3-EP1 (Spacejunk) which would have included our cover of 'Dirty Work' by Steely Dan but we were refused permission (as there was melodic change).
Nuevo Retro took around 15 elapsed months with a few gaps occasioned by the Studio Moving, Equipment Failure, Public Holidays and the usual explosions. During this time, Paul got himself a Mandolin and then all Folk Broke Loose.
When Roscoe was visiting us, we tried writing a song for him to record, which became Running Jody. That plus the mandolin and our experiences with Last Drinks at Glenrowan led us to the idea of doing another experimental EP.
And so it came to pass that SC4 was borne - another live recording, on location but this time, we'd go for Digital Recording but with a twist.
Carl, our Gold Plated Roadie likes to sit in a chair at the acoustic rehearsals so he can get a vibe. We came up with the idea of setting up Carls Chair and recording in surround as if the listener was seated there.
Hence my investigation into 3D sound recording, 5.1 and other Utterly Pointless Audiophonic Frippery. What the heck.
We've been playing at least half of the songs from the next recording since January - Running Jody, Tall Timbers, Lucky Streak, Cheap Hotel, Hollow Tree and there's a bunch more coming into the set.
We're aiming to start recording in the next two months over 5 days on location.
If anyone knows of a suitable structure or guest house/farmstay/holiday place drop me a line cos even though this wont be for a month or so, it takes quite a bit of preparation to get 5 blokes + recording organised.
More soon!
MJEB