Home Recording New Primitive

As I write this, an M-Audio NRV-10 FireWire mixer is on its way to my location. The ball is officially rolling on my little project studio and my excitement to start clanking, banging, grinding and cackling like a madman in my own private laboratory is at its peak. So much so that I've spent a great deal of time looking at what I have on hand for gear and how it might best be integrated into my setup. Which brings me to this:

The Tascam Portastudio 424. It's an old 4-track from around the late eighties/early nineties. This was given to me a couple of years ago by my friend Thom who had it stowed away and then thoughtfully offered it to me when I expressed an interest in recording at home. Well, I just blew the dust off of it and have made it my mission to put it to use.

I, like many others, have a special fondness for analog recording. The debate over analog vs. digital is best argued by more qualified folks than myself, but my opinion is basically in favor of analog at least in terms of overall tonal quality. It's partly a romantic notion of the old way of making records, too. Lastly, it's a matter of so many of the records I love having been done with magnetic tape--the wider the better.

Still, digital has its obvious advantages and numerous strengths. No argument there at all. For one thing it's a hell of a lot cheaper. I just don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on a 2" tape machine. But that doesn't mean I can't spike my digital with a little analog, even if it's only 1/4" tape. That's where the old 4-track comes into play.

I'll be messing around with recording bass and guitar with the 424 and then importing into Sonar to mix with other stuff digitally. If nothing else it'll be a fun experiment and this whole thing is a learning process for me anyway.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

You know what would REALLY suck?

Toenads.

Picture it: instead of having your gonads housed in a cozy little pouch nestled in relative safety between your legs, they're down there where your big toes are now.

A kick to the balls would be a self-inflicted injury.

Imagine STUBBING one of those? You don't want to be navigating around end tables in the dark trying to get to the refrigerator at 2 am. One misstep and you're on the floor in a pool of vomit, sucking wind while those little lights dance around in front of your eyes.

If toenads were real, livingrooms would stay well lit at all times and all shoes would have steel toes. They might even have those coal miner lights attached to them. We'd wear clown shoes.

Think of all the things men could no longer do if we had toenads:

• Ballet (no big loss, I guess)
• Football (barefoot kickers: SUICIDE)
  
• Kickboxing
• Tap dancing
• Sandal wearing ("going balls-out" or "freeballing")
• Tightrope walking
  

Pretty much any kind of kicking, dancing, running or anything but very careful walking in protective gear would be out of the question.

Maybe there ARE things to be thankful for, after all. I'm thankful my big toes aren't gonads.

What are YOU thankful for?

Embracing the Mullet

As a belated birthday gift I sent an old friend some pictures of us from our high school days. Luckily, one of them includes my kickass mullet. Rather than try to live it down or sweep it under the rug I figure why not just step right on out of the mullet closet.

Here you go:


(Lower right, as if you can't find it on your own.)

The things I do for Metal...

Hey Was That A

Couple random things. My mind's preoccupied lately (it's too personal to blog about) and I haven't been much in the cogent thought department.

Hey, that parenthetical statement above sparked something: how conscious are you of your Internet image, as it were? Stuff about you gets archived all over Google and whatnot if you put it out there. Do you think about this?

Other stuff. Here's a photo I took that I'm abnormally happy with 1) because it was taken during a recent trip to my home town and 2) because it's so very eeeeeeevillll:



I took the shot while standing in front of the library where I used to hang out all the time. Means nothing to you, but hey...

Home studio construction stalled out temporarily due to unforeseen "HOLY CRAP A MOTORCYCLE!!!"-type distractions. Vacillation will resume momentarily.

Speaking of the MOTORCYCLE(!!!): I'm off to buy a helmet and other safety-related accessories this Saturday. Will likely register the bike on Friday during my lunch hour.

Musicians: wear earplugs. You do not want tinnitus. Imagine quiet but constant guitar feedback in your damaged ear (the left, in my case). It sucks. Don't be an idiot.

What else? Stay in school. Use a condom. Don't do drugs. Don't eat glass.

etc.

god i made so many mistakes in this post. jinkies.

HUUUUUUUUUUUGE Birthday News

MY WIFE GOT ME A MOTORCYCLE!!! WOOHOO!!!

1997 Suzuki Savage LS 650!!! Pictures coming soon!!!

My wife RULES!!!

Addendum: Here's a pic from the listing. Not the most flattering shot but I'll get some more after I've had a chance to clean & polish it.

Now all I have to do is learn to ride the thing.

Movin' On

I've given this a lot of thought and last night my wife and I talked this over into the wee hours of the morning. There's a very good chance that we're going to be moving within the next 6 months. Sooner, if possible. We're obviously going to have to put the house up for sale and wait to see how it does, so that's the biggest question-mark with the whole thing.

To be honest we've been talking about this off and on for a while now. The toughest part for me has always been the idea of leaving behind family, friends and "the band" but since I really don't have a band at the moment (VUFT hasn't even seen one rehearsal yet) it seems like the right time. Family I can come and see often enough. Friends...well, I'll miss them but everyone has adult lives and stuff now anyway.

We're looking at a few different spots on the map but obviously have some homework to do as far as jobs and real estate. Couple of places being considered are South Carolina, Colorado and Washington. I'd prefer to be as close to the ocean and a decent music scene as possible but we obviously have to be practical.

I'm a little sad about the thought of leaving New England but at the same time a part of me has been wanting to make a new start for many, many years.

ADDENDUM: APRIL FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLS!!!! Hyar hyar hyar hyar!!!

Yeah, I'm a goof.