Dark Canuck17 Wrote:This is an exciting time not a time for being pessimistic! :thumb:
Ok, so I wrote this last night and just before my battery died on my laptop, I managed to send it to myself, as something happened when I pressed post.
Exciting times for sure!! I just got back from filming a studio session. The new material I just heard blew my socks off. . . I sat through sessions for two songs. Some percussion and vocal. . .
They returned from Hawaii recently and the songs sound that much better for making the trip.
It's not my place to really talk about the album per se, or the songs, as I am just the fly on the wall, so unfortunately, you'll have to take my word for it.. . .
As many of you know, I have been fortunate enough to have witnessed various stages of the recording process as the songs for the new album progress. In that time, I have probably not conveyed to the extent, as to how amazed I am and how lucky I feel, each and every time I leave. Tonight, was no exception.
I am about to go off on a small tangent for a second or two, so bear with me. . . the first time I ever went to the
http://www.thebathouse.com - the hip's recording studio - to actually film the guys playing, I remember being on my hands and knees, in the center of their jam room, with the band all around me and then they played their first note and Gord sang his first line, and I basically shit myself. Not literally, but figuratively, because I couldn't really comprehend that this was actually, somehow, where I had ended up. In the midst of this room, with the guys playing around me.
Then, to top it off, they take a break for dinner and they cook dinner for me. We have beers while Paul BBQs steaks in the back and Downie pulls out these two, absolutely gigantic pies from the big apple, and we all sit down and eat. Then they play again. Fuck me.
Ok. Back on track. Years later now. I still go fuck me. Present day.
I have now seen the band on three separate occasions working on this album, over multiple days, and I can tell you, that watching the guys and Bob work together is really invigorating. There is this vibe. There is a mutual trust, there is a connection and there is the material. It is awesome.
Tonight I sat through a couple of sessions with Johnny and a couple with Gord D. The material is fantastic. Two songs tonight. Songs that they never got to in Hawaii, I think.
![[Image: 2008_09_02-3115.jpg]](http://media.thehip.com/2008_09_02/2008_09_02-3115.jpg)
Anyway, for a while, Gord has been sitting in the control room pondering his song notes. Johnny is playing a couple of percussion parts and refining another. It takes a while of course and sounds great whenever Johnny comes in and Eric puts it all together do that we can all have a listen.
![[Image: 2008_09_02-3118.jpg]](http://media.thehip.com/2008_09_02/2008_09_02-3118.jpg)
The control room is sort of three tiered. I am at the back for the most part, and can see everything pretty well. It's only me and Gord, Johnny, Bob, Eric, the engineer, who I had met before at a previous Bathouse session and the studio tech's who come and go when ever they are needed or to check that everythng is ok. The guy's - Johnny or Gord are usually just in front of me, Bob and Eric are in the battle station just below.
![[Image: 2008_09_02-3114.jpg]](http://media.thehip.com/2008_09_02/2008_09_02-3114.jpg)
After the inevitable set up and fine tuning, they switch from percussion to vocals and it is Gord's turn to lay down his first vocal track. . . I hadn't heard the song before, that I recall and I will modestly state that the musical track was far better than great . . . and then Gord starts to sing.
We are looking through a window into the studio. Gord is behind a music stand that his yellow sheeted notes are on. The room he is in is dim, but not dark, and he has a small reading light pointed at his notes. The microphone looms over the music stand and Gord is on the other side of it. He is about to battle. He has on his uniform. It is time to go to work. He has his jedi knight shirt on. Four colour pen inhand and he lays down this utterly fantastic vocal. Gord nails it. This song is fantastic. I love it. I love what Gord has done with it.
After a few takes and several listens, it is narrowed to three versions and then one. Eventually, I have an opportunity to tell Gord what I think of the song. Gord responds, with a slight grin, something to the effect of, "It was the only thing that I tried that would work." Regardless of anything, this song I heard tonight is truly excellent!
Well, I had to duck out before the session ended - there will be more for me to share with you. I said good bye to Johnny and I waited until there was a pause. I said good night to Bob and Eric and asked them to say bye to Gord for me. See, I didn't want to interrupt Gord in his session. . .Bob looked at me and told me I could tell him myself. So as I left for the night, I opened up the door to the soundstage, and said goodnight to gord as well. I'd see them again soon.
My battery is low, so I have to end this.
Cheers.
MAv.
Edit: I just added a few shots that I took
Edit: night to Knight
