It's been quiet around here. Very quiet. Time to answer a few questions about what has been going on in our camp.
First, as a recap to our Maxwell's show, thank you again to everyone who made it out. As promised, both TBR and Lieder donated our full door profits to the American Red Cross. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't amount to all that much, but we believe that every little bit helps, and it's those hundreds of thousands of little bits that are (hopefully) making a difference. If you were there, we hope you feel good about donating because really, it was your donation - all we gave was our time and we were happy to do it.
Next on our agenda will be Asbury Lanes show on Friday, March 19th. If you've never been, I highly encourage you to check it out. It's truly one of the most unique venues I've ever been to (and definitely the most unique venue we've ever played). It might seem strange that we would be so excited to perform at a bowling alley, but then who doesn't like bowling? And bowling mixed with live music?!? Sure, it might not have the same effect as watching the local mullets knock pins as Nickelback blares from the jukebox for the 19,826th time. Actually, that's the idea.
We're also looking forward to reuniting with The Campbell Apartment for this one. They've been on a bit of a break as they pen their second record. With all the guys back on the east coast, we're thrilled to be playing with them (and Lieder) again.
With those brief items out of the way, that brings us to news about the record. I'd like to tell you that I've saved the most exciting news for last. I'd like to tell you that we're putting the finishing touches on it right now. I'd like to tell you all of this - but I can't.
As we've mentioned in previous posts, our limited (and that is putting it mildly) budget has forced us to finish the album on our own. Thanks to advances in modern technology, recording at home doesn't mean a sacrificing quality. This is a good thing - a very good thing - because it allows people like us to make records at a fraction of the cost of booking studio time (in all fairness, our project is more of a hybrid that mixes both home and studio recording).
Unfortunately, that coin has two sides. Working "off the clock" is good for the wallet, but it can also slow down the process. When you suddenly have the time to work at your leisure, it is very easy to lose some of the urgency as the project wears on. I also believe that it affects the way each of us plays our parts. Everybody wants to get his pieces "just right". When you are in a studio paying an hourly rate, there is pressure to work fast; every take represents a few more dollars slipping away. Now that the pressure is off, I've found it harder to get that elusive "final take". I guess a good analogy would be how some closers in baseball need a tight game in order to pitch their best. Not that I would ever compare my sloppy strumming to the precision of Mariano Rivera.
This is all the news I have for now, which I realize isn't much. I can also reveal that there's a good chance this next record won't be released on our Tabbycat Records label. It's not quite definite just yet (which is why I'm not revealing all of the details), but that's good news because it means somebody else wants to put it out.
- Jerry
