Recording at Ashley's

Returned home last night after spending the weekend recording and mixing Nik Fackler's upcoming debut album. We did it at Ashley Miller's private studio located in the country right outside of Kansas City. The situation was ideal. I loved knowing the mixing console of the studio was originally owned and customized by Bruce Swedian, who worked on Michael Jackson's Thriller. Ashley even had a platinum Thriller disc signed by Michael on display. Really fun stuff.
Nik and Ashley were/are great to work with because everyone is in a create mode and ideas fly constantly and many things are tried. Everyone is honest too and handles reciprocating honesty in a refreshingly sane manner.
Nik's record was inspired by the breakup he went through with a girl he fell for hard. The songs really capture the range and intensity of feelings one goes through when this happens. Many times while listening to the final mixes I remarked to myself that what we had done is the kind of music I look for as a collector. I'm pretty jazzed about it.

thoughts

Use the blog dammit. Well I'm excited and distracted having found out that touring with Cleemann is on for this fall. It really has been a high point in my life to play music with this guy. It also has been a saving grace that I have been able to play so much music in general and travel so much doing it. Even though I am approaching my 55th birthday I dare to look ahead at a point where I am a full time paid artist. I can't waste time regretting not doing certain things sooner in my life. Everything happens in its own time. I'm thankful and I believe that is part of the blessing.

after the tour

Touring and working intertwined is tough. Switching back and forth between the mindsets was harsh on the body but well worth it. Getting to know Gunnar Cleemmann better was very refreshing. That might seem like an odd description but it really encapsulates the total of the experience. I don't know what it is like for anyone else, but part of the way I experience everything is as a reflection of who I am. I see lessons in most things, not that I can always learn these lessons but I get the information. Gunnar is a deep feeling artist and silly prankster and everything in between. His natural inclination to lose himself in each moment was very encouraging. This openness to the human experience comes through the music strongly as well. Traveling to places such as New York for the first time, to play this music was just amazing. The fact that I could share the whole experience with an old and true friend, Gary Foster, made it all the more enjoyable and rewarding. It was so much fun shopping for records with Gary let alone playing music with him. Cleemann's music is so fine and minimal all you have to do is hear him/us play it live. Consistently on the tour I experienced people being moved by the music, really connecting. These incredible moments and memories make the hard work involved so worthwhile. I could go on about what it took for Gary and I to make the tour, but the lingering effect of the music and friendship shared is too strong.