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Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hi folks, It's been a busy summer. I trekked out to Portland Oregon back in June for the second annual TapeOp Conference; served on a panel of veteran recording engineers/producers that tried to answer the complicated, age-old question of "How do you make great drum, guitar, and vocal recordings?" We got to the bottom of the drums, but ran out of time before we could fully hit the guitars and vocals. Those on the edge of their seat will simply have to wait till next year's conference, slated to take place in New Orleans. In any case, Portland's a great city. Friendly people, temperate climate, good food. My band, The Weisstronauts, came along and played a set at Berbati's Pan. 'Twas a blast playing for a big (for us) crowd... July found The Weisstronauts on the road, supporting our new instrumental CD "Featuring Spritely." We went down the east coast, getting as far as Chapel Hill NC (where we played a nifty night with the Two Dollar Pistols) before heading back to Boston. The new CD's available for sale here . Been busy recording bands too... WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO(S)..... BLACKSTONE VALLEY SINNERS: "Rhode Island's Finest Country Band" returned to Zippah to record their second CD. And, yes, it's a Christmas album! Rich Gilbert, Slim Cessna, and Judith Ann invited a parade of special guests to lend a hand with the Yuletide cheer. Tanya Donelly (of Belly/Throwing Muses fame), Jeff Robbins of Orbit, Joel Thibedeau of Stringbuilder, Chris Daltry of The 'Mericans, Jason Kendall of the Deterrents, and The Colonel (of ...& His Lucky Diamonds fame) all waltzed through Zippah Studio and contributed some fine fine singing and playing. I even got to join in the fun by croaking some bass parts. Mustering up holiday cheer in July is not always the easiest thing to do, but we cranked up the AC, broke out the snow globes and rocked around the Christmas tree. Great album. It may even re-define the Christmas Album standard. But "yule" have to wait till November or so to get your hands and ears on one. More info at www.blackstonevalleysinners.com SPANISH FOR HITCHHIKING: This up-and-coming Northampton band brought an album's worth of tracks (expertly recorded by Dave Chalfant of The Nields; also an old bandmate of mine from the 80's collective Ghost Shirts) for mixing at Zippah. Great, moody (do I dare say "quirky"?) pop with an edge. Cool vocals. Drummer Dave Hower (also an erstwhile Ghost Shirt) monitored the mixing sessions so that no funny business could occur. I assure you all that the album sounds great and that you should seek it out as soon as it is released. Now, if only the band would play more often in Boston... www.spanhike.com SCAMPER: Frolicking popster-maniacs Scamper returned to Zippah, asking me to fully produce a handful of songs. This occured and the results are exciting, rockin', and totally worthy of the band's hyperkinetic stage show. Not sure if they're going to release the songs now, or combine them with future recordings... But you can find out more at www.scamper.net MAGIC 12: We recorded five songs on the RADAR system in Vermont, then mixed them at Zippah. Arthur Johnson (of Come and Evan Dando's band) played drums this time. I had the pleasure of playing bass (and simultaneously producing/engineering/chewing gum). Look for a European release sometime soon. www.magic-12.com CAR CRASH SHOW: As I type this, I'm in the midst of recording a few songs with the moody, synth-friendly Car Crash Show at Zippah. Very cool stuff; keep an ear out for 'em. www.carcrashshow.com STEVE MARDON returned to Zippah to cut a few more wry folk-tinged tunes. Sample lyric: "I used to get high on your love, nowadays I just get high..." Funny stuff, with a touch of melancholy, just to keep you honest. www.stevemardon.com TIMBRE PROJECT: Jaime D'Almeida continues to mine new musical territory. This time, ironically, he's doing it by giving his own spin to a few covers. Basics were recorded recently at Zippah; we're going to finish the tracks in Vermont. www.timbreproject.com JOE MAHONEY/THE POPPIES: Creator of beautiful songs/soundscapes. The music spans psychedelia, bossa nova, rock, and electronica. Joe has tracked tons of this great stuff at his home studio and has been gradually bringing tracks in to Zippah for mixing/sweetening/mastering. The Poppies play live only occasionally, so if you see them around town, please do yourself a favor and check them out. WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... READING: Seabiscuit. WRITING: Gear reviews for TapeOp Magazine. www.tapeop.com WATCHING: Led Zeppelin DVD; awesome, and a bargain. A Mighty Wind; if you like the film, keep an eye out... they're taking the show on the road. For real. Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hi folks, Work continues on my new studio in Vermont. A few bands have come up and done some tracking in the space (see below.) I've posted some pictures on http://www.weissy.com if you're curious. On a technical note, I've taken the plunge and invested in a RADAR hard disk recording system. (Yes, I've "gone digital." Never thought I'd see the day...) Haven't trashed the analog machine, but truth be told, the RADAR sounds amazing. And it's a joy to use, sort of like an idealized tape deck. It's portable; I've actually been toting it to the Vermont studio (for tracking) and back to Zippah (for overdubs and mixing.) Any knob-twiddlers out there who might want to know more about the RADAR system can visit www.recordingtheworld.com WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO(S)..... PAULA KELLEY: The ex-Drop Nineteens/Boy Wonder/Hot Rod-der conceived an incredibly ambitious second solo album and I was flattered and psyched to get the call to help out. In Lunenburg's Powerhouse Studio I engineered the initial basic tracking on the RADAR system. Overdubs and editing followed at Zippah, after which my part of the job was over. Paula and guitarist Aaron Tap did more overdubs (vocals, piano, vibes, and harpsichord) in various houses, apartments, and universities using ProTools Free, then took the tracks to Wellspring Sound to overdub, yep, an orchestra (and back to the RADAR format.) Tracks then travelled to Portland, Oregon for mixing by Tony Lash. The end results are astonishingly beautiful. Huge, full-blown, and unlike anything out there in the land of independent pop. CD should be out perhaps this summer or early fall... www.paulakelley.com MY OWN WORST ENEMY: We recently wrapped up work on the second CD by this powerful, bass-less trio. The band and I recorded a handful of tunes in my Vermont barn studio on the RADAR system (in fact, the band was brave enough to play the role of "rock and roll guinea pigs" in the barn studio--they were the first band to record there; it sounded great and went to "tape" without a hitch) and brought them back to Zippah for overdubs and mixing. These were combined with songs we had previously recorded on 2" 24 track at Zippah last summer to make the full length CD. Huge drums by John, passionate vocals by Sue and Steve, guitars ranging from buzzsaw to beautiful. www.eliseil.com BORIS McCUTCHEON: January found me in Tucson, Arizona where I produced and played guitar on Boris' new, upcoming CD, to be called "When We Were Big." Boris is an outstanding singer/songmaker whose amazing debut album "Mother Ditch" I had the privilege of recording two years ago. Wanting to capture the elusive desert/cactus vibe (elusive in the Northeast, that is), Boris wisely booked time at the legendary Wavelab Studio (birthplace of groundbreaking recordings by Neko Case, Calexico, Giant Sand and many others) in downtown Tucson. Craig Schumacher (founder/owner of Wavelab and engineer extraordinaire) twiddled the knobs for the recording and trekked out to Boston in March to assist with mixing at Zippah. Nick Luca and Craig both contributed excellent keyboard playing to the project (there are many bizarre and rare models at Wavelab, including a Microrgan, a Hammond "Chord Organ", and an extremely scarce and beautiful-sounding walnut-cabineted Wurlitzer electric piano.) Colorado-based Brett Davis played some sweet and soulful guitar (and sang that way too!) and Boston boy Jeff Berlin (of Hybrasil) kicked booty on drums. Of course Boris shined on this project, cutting his lead vocals live with the band (not the usual recording technique in these perfection-oriented times.) Look for a spring/summer release of this great CD. In the meantime, if you haven't already, pick up a copy of Boris' first CD, "Mother Ditch." www.borismccutcheon.com VERONA DOWNS: At the eleventh hour before band leader Greg Jacobs became a dad, he booked some time with me at Zippah. We recorded a slew of basic tracks that sounded very promising indeed. More important things then happened; Greg became a parent and the tapes were carefully put in storage for safe keeping. As soon as the dust settles, the band plans to start gigging again and continue work on these new songs. In the meantime, check out their nifty, skewed pop by visiting www.veronadowns.com MITTENS: Great pop trio with a Bowie-meets-Merseybeat vibe. We cut a five song EP at Zippah recently and it's cool cool cool. Hope to work with the band again soon. I don't have a website address for them, but keep an eye out and catch 'em playing around town; you'll be glad. BABY RAY: Ken, Erich, Nate, and Pete trekked up to the Vermont barn studio in February and recorded basic tracks for a new full length album. Drums, bass, and some guitar made the grade; the band has been toiling in their home studio, adding guitars and vocals to the Vermont tracks. The plan is to finish it up at Zippah in the not too distant future. Some pictures of the Vermont sessions are on my website and on www.babyray.com BRENDAN CURTIS: A founding member of SECOND COUSIN, Brendan brought some home recordings of a side project in to Zippah for mixing and sweetening. Very cool garage-y stuff. Sort of Velvet Underground has a drink with Jandek in Detroit. WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... PLAYING: With the Weisstronauts. We've got two mini-tours coming up in May and June to support our new instrumental CD "Featuring Spritely." The CD exists and will be available for sale at upcoming shows, but will not be "officially" released until this summer. Will keep you posted. READING: Shakey (the semi-authorized biography of Neil Young; I found it to be, strangely, a page-turner.) The Walls Around Us (humorous and helpful primer for house construction.) WRITING: More gear reviews for TapeOp Magazine. www.tapeop.com WATCHING: The Beatles Anthology DVD set. Nice package; good to be able to go to fave chapters; but why did it take this long to release on DVD? Oh, and there are some interesting and semi-tense moments on the bonus disc... Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hi folks, A PORTION OF WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO(S) (MORE TO FOLLOW IN A, ER, "timely" SUBSEQUENT NEWSLETTER)..... CHARLIE CHESTERMAN: old compadre; Boston pop songwriting legend; recent Dad. I've been producing/engineering Charlie's fifth solo album off and on for the past few months. Hey, we're almost done! It rocks. Great songs. Amazing playing from his crack combo The Motorbikes. Stay tuned. www.charliechesterman.com TORREZ: band of power and atmosphere; aching, oblique female vocals; readers of TapeOp; atmospheric effect pedal abusers. I recorded their just-released sophomore album "The Evening Drag" (out on the super-hip Kimchee label) with the help of the band (who are all audio engineers to varying degrees) and Zippah assistant engineer Matt Jugenheimer. Recommended. www.torrezmusic.com JEN JOHNSON: up and coming singer-songwriter; think Paula Cole/Lisa Loeb; Daisy Rock Guitar endorsee; quality person. I sure dug producing/engineering (and even playing tambourine on!) Jen's debut CD "Sleeping With The Lights On" at Zippah. She's got an amazing voice and her band is a class act. Check out one of her in- or out-of town shows. More info at www.jen-johnson.com THE SAWTELLES: trio of Connecticutian pop minimalists; strummy Dobro-wielder; fretless bassificator; no-bass-drum drummer. These guys (and gal) must have set a Zippah record by tracking, mixing, and mastering a 9-song CD in two days. I think I remember the recording sessions. Really. sawtelles.com/sawtelles MAGIC 12 (aka TOBY INGALLS): writer of beautiful, haunting, sometimes sad songs; soulful singer; another old compadre. We worked together at Zippah with Nick Buni on drums and Rich Gilbert on pedal steel guitar to create the third Magic 12 CD, entitled "High." I twiddled the knobs and played a lot of bass and guitar on the album while Toby played rhythm guitar and sang the way only he can sing. www.magic-12.com SCAMPER: pop rascals; rock cats; garage enthusiasts. Back in the warm part of the year I recorded a couple of Scamper's gems "Rockette" and "Caramel." The songs have been stuck in my head ever since. I mastered a full-length CD that the band assembled from the above two songs, some home recordings, and a few songs recorded at Q Division. Quite a fun debut. Check it and/or the band out: www.scamper.net CLYDESDALE COWBOYS (featuring JON METTERS): hootenanny hucksters; fun covers; get back Loretta. Jon (who plays guitar with Carla Ryder) scripted a "covers with fake crowd and banter" concept album. My partner at Zippah, Brian Charles, and I recorded it and had a blast. 'Tis a good 'un. STEVE MARDON: singer of coffee; singer of beer; singer of quality wry foot-tappers. Steve returned to Zippah to cut a handful of more songs. Three-fifths of the Weisstronauts (Emily, Kevin, and myself) backed him up. These twangy tongue-in-cheek tunes were paired with others Steve had cut a while back to make up his debut full-length CD. www.stevemardon.com THE DYNAMITE BROTHERS: Chapel Hill, NC purveyors of funk/guitar heroics/sly humor/soul-punk; amazing musicians. I mastered their new CD. Did it by long distance telephone. Great album recorded in Pittsboro, NC by SOOL singer Neal Spaulding. Let me just say "That's a good CD." Nuff said? No? Then visit www.dynamitebrothers.com RECENT RELEASES (recorded musical material I produced and/or engineered) Magic 12 "High" WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... PLAYING: Bass with ORANGE NICHOLE at the Kendall Cafe last summer. Electric guitar (and harmonica, naturally) with DON LENNON on a mini tour of the East Coast and Midwest last fall. Guitar with my own WEISSTRONAUTS around Boston and down the East Coast on our 4th mini tour back in October. Guitar with SOOL at the Midway Cafe just a few weeks ago. Surreal. READING: Captain Beefheart: The Biography, by Mike Barnes. MOJO. The New Yorker. Harpers. TapeOp. Various equipment manuals. PHYSICAL LABOR: Shoveling lots of snow in Vermont. WRITING: Gear reviews in TapeOp. WATCHING: Reruns of The Larry Sanders Show on Bravo. I never had HBO, so I missed out on this the first time around. Amazing. "Hey now..." I've become obsessed. Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hi folks, WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO(S) A couple of months ago I travelled down to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to produce the TWO DOLLAR PISTOLS for what will be their third full-length CD. They made a splash with their last release, a long-ish EP of duets with Tift Merritt and hope to continue their momentum with this album, to be released this summer by Yep Roc Records and tentatively entitled "You Ruined Everything." We tracked at the very well-equipped Kudzu Ranch Studio in nearby Mebane NC. Kudzu is owned by Southern Culture on the Skids honcho Rick Miller (a very nice guy who offered hospitality as well as assistance in overcoming a few technical jams...) The sessions went wonderfully. Frontman John Howie not only has a fantastic trademark baritone, but has written a batch of first class songs of heartache and loss in an updated honky tonk/classic country/pop style. The band was first class all the way; superlative playing with just the right balance of abandon and restraint. My hat's off to Scott, Mark, and Neal. Guests included Greg Hawkes, Chris Bess, and Clyde Mattox, who used to play pedal steel for Johnny Paycheck back in the day. In April, the band flew up to Boston with the tapes and we mixed at my homebase Zippah Studio. Brian Charles assumed the mastering reins. I'm really pleased with the finished record and consider myself privileged to have had the chance to work with the Pistols. Hopefully we can all do it again sometime, geography be damned! More info at http://www.twodollarpistols.net and http://www.yeproc.com I just started work with TOBY INGALLS of MAGIC 12 on his first solo record. Toby's playing rhythm guitar, Nick Buni is on drums, and I'm playing a bunch of instruments. Rich Gilbert has been enlisted to contribute pedal steel guitar and musical saw (more info on Rich's new band in the next paragraph...) Fans of Magic 12 won't be dissappointed; Toby is still writing beautiful, subdued pop and his voice still haunts. Will keep you posted as the project progresses... The BLACKSTONE VALLEY SINNERS are still brand-spankin' new, but have just about completed their first full-length with me at Zippah. How to describe 'em? Hmmm... Well, imagine a towering giant of a frontman (Slim Cessna, of Slim Cessna's Auto Club) crooning sometimes scary country songs. Imagine a multi-instrumentalist (Rich Gilbert, of the Zulus/Frank Black/Steve Wynn/many other groups) hopping from banjo to Telecaster to steel guitar and wrangling each instrument like it was his last day on earth. Imagine Judith Ann of the Boogerheads holding down the bottom end with both concentration and verve. Now imagine an Alesis HR-16 drum machine unapologetically tying the whole thing together with clever and sometimes complex "drumming." Recording these guys, gal, and device was a hoot. Slim cut vocals live while playing acoustic rhythm guitar, a feat rarely accomplished in the studio. I'm told the band is shopping the project, so labels listen up, it's a gem. If you see they're playing in your town, you really owe it to yourself to go check 'em out. More info on Slim Cessna at http://www.slimcessnasautoclub.com Former Eddies frontman JEFF MELLIN stopped by Zippah and cut a song with his grandfather, Pete, on guitar and harmonica. 'Twas a feel-good session whose fruits are intended for release on an upcoming Dren Records compilation. Pictures of the session and more info are at http://www.stereorrific.com When LOS STRAITJACKETS & PETER ZAREMBA were in Boston recently, they found time to hole up in Zippah and record two songs for future release on a single. For those not in the know, Los Straitjackets are normally an instrumental band (based in Nashville AND Los Angeles) but have been touring the country with guest vocalists lately. Zaremba, known for fronting the legendary Fleshtones and for hosting MTV'S 120 Minutes in the mid 80's, laid down some heartfelt vocals and harmonica over the band's surfy backdrop. Good stuff; keep an eye out for it. More info at http://www.straitjackets.com RECENT RELEASES (recorded musical material I produced) THE TIMBRE PROJECT "Ruining Perfectly Good Songs" http://www.timbreproject.com WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO PLAYING: Guitar, harmonica, and percussion with the aforementioned Don Lennon. Last summer I produced his new album "Downtown" (out now on Secretly Canadian Records) and recently played a handful of rare live shows with him in Boston, Cambridge, New York, and Northampton. Jeff Norcross played drums, Peter "Robbie" Linnane provided keyboard work, and the inimitable Sean McNiff played three of the four strings on his bass. A nifty little band, I'd say. 'Twas certainly fun and I hope we can all do it again sometime (we'll have to wait for Don to return from overseas...) With my own band The Weisstronauts. In April we completed "mini-tour #3" which took us out to "the Hamptons," down to Arlington Virginia, up to Philly, and ended with our first show ever in New York City. The new album "Featuring Spritely" continues to be "just about ready." After a few minor changes, we plan on putting it out, um, this Fall. Maybe. (Sorry to keep all you 'Nauts fans on the edge of your seats...) READING: McSorley's Wonderful Saloon. Mojo Magazine. The New Yorker (my better half just got a subscription and I've been known to hog issues.) The Onion. I've got a few good novels lined up, but dang it, I've GOT to finish McSorley's first... WRITING: Not much. WATCHING: Frontier House on PBS (I know I sure wouldn't have survived a Montana winter in 1883), but still, how 'bout that Clune clan? What's up with them? The Boston Red Sox, who, as of this writing, have the best record in baseball. It's actually a little scary how well they've been playing. In know I've said this before, but.... Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hey everybody, Well, it happened again. Time slipped away and it's been way too long between newsletters. Sorry about that; it WILL happen again. WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO..... DON LENNON, the enigmatic, oblique, double-reverse-ironic-with-a-twist songwriter/performer recorded his much-anticipated third full-length album in the late summer/early fall. I recorded, produced and played a bunch of instruments on the sessions. The album--to be called "Downtown"--will be out in March on Bloomington, Indiana's Secretly Canadian Records. Lennon fans, look out: this one's a gem--his best yet. Songs include "Dave Matthews Comes Alive," "Gay Fun," and "Really Dave Matthews." Guest musicians included Dana Colley of Morphine on baritone sax, Meredith Cooper of Shelley Winters Project on violin, Jeff Norcross of Paula Kelley's band on drums, and Peter Linnane of Zippah and Willard Grant Conpiracy on accordian. Anyone out there who's had trouble finding Lennon's music for sale, take heart--you can buy his previous two CDs at: http://www.darla.com or http://www.cdstreet.com And you can visit his new label's site at: http://www.secretlycanadian.com A mysterious side project of mine, SOOL, has been covertly working on a 40-song (yes, 40) second album. The idea is 40 songs that are exactly one minute apiece. We've done sessions at Zippah in Boston, R-15 Studio in North Carolina, and at various radio stations that shall remain nameless. Titles include "Hang Ten, Timmy," "Robo Cop is Back," "The Heimlich Maneuver," "Hot Banana," and two songs called "Sool Time." Not sure when this'll be done, but we're up to about 27 completed songs. Will keep you posted. Sool website is at: http://soolmusic.cjb.ne My mostly-instrumental band THE WEISSTRONAUTS has been keeping me busy during down time at Zippah. After several false starts and super-rushed recording sessions, the new CD--tentatively called "Featuring Spritely"--is nearing completion. It's heavy on clean, twangy, harmonized guitar instrumentals, but it's not afraid to go garage, or bossa nova, or psychedelic, or unabashed surf, or, um, well, you'll have to just hear it for yourself. Guest musicians have included Dana Colley, Will Quackenbush, Rich Gilbert, and Peter Linnane. Songs include "Tawdry," "Classy," "Fruity," and of course "Spritely." I don't mind saying I'm really proud of how it's coming out--all contributors have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Hopefully, it'll be released by the end of March on Stereorrific Recordings. Austin-to-Boston popsters FOOLED BY APRIL returned to Zippah a while back to cut six songs for possible future release. I engineered/produced and was even invited to play some atmospheric guitar. Always a pleasure hangin' with Gordon and his gang. The band plays regularly and, as I've said before, is "happening." More info at their website: http://www.fooledbyapril.com STEVE MARDON has a gift for writing songs about the strange twists that everyday life can take. And he's a hotshot with wordplay, to boot. Add a twangy combo making a racket behind him and you've got an appealing listening experience. I had the pleasure of playing lead guitar alongside Mercy James on drums and Kevin Quinn on bass/backup vocals as well as recording and mixing Steve's three song demo. Keep an ear out for Steve--he gigs around Boston fairly regularly, doing mostly solo acoustic shows. JOHN HAYDON & TEN WORLDS and I continue to work on their next full-length CD. As many of you know, John's a first class songwriter with an amazingly clear voice. I also found out he's a top-notch bassist when he stopped by to guest on bass for the Timbre Project's new project (see next paragraph, duh.) John tells me he's looking to hook up with a rootsy-pop band in need of a bassist/backup singer. More info on John, including contact info in case you need a bass-man at: http://www.johnhaydon.com THE TIMBRE PROJECT. Cool pop tunes. Great musicians. Anything goes/kitchen sink/no rules sonic accoutrements. Pedal steel courtesy of Tim Obetz. The new album is just about done and I'm very proud of it. Keep an eye out for it. And perhaps a live version of this previously-studio-only side project of Jaime D'Almeida. More info at: http://www.fivedollarmilkshake.com Downstairs in Zippah's mastering facility/suite/pad/etc.... I worked with old pals BABY RAY, helping them apply the final spit-shine to their new CD, entitled "Demonstration." It's a bit of a departure for Baby Ray; a broader palette of sounds, perhaps. Suffice it to say that it is every bit up to the quality they've established with their previous two albums. And get this: IT'S FREE for the asking! Head over to http://www.babyray.com and just ask 'em for a copy, and they'll send you one. Frightfully simple, yet frightfully effective. I also assembled and mastered a really quite excellent Christmas music compilation--"50,000,000 Elves Fans Can't Be Wrong"-- featuring Seks Bomba, my own Weisstronauts and Sool, Menswear Endowment, MJ Hibbett & the Validators, The Waistcoats and others. The artists appearing on the CD are a mixture of American and European, so the disc was issued jointly on the Stereorrific (USA) and WIAIWYA (UK) labels. It's technically available now, but because it came out so close to the holidays, it'll probably be more heavily promoted next holiday season. More info at: http://www.stereorrific.com and http://www.wiaiwya.com WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... LISTENING TO: Space Ghost, Zorak, and Brak's two CD's. Casey Kasem outtakes. Trombonist J.J. Johnson. Chris Brokaw. The Buffalo Springfield box set. PLAYING: On the road with the Weisstronauts. We did two mini-tours (in June and November) that brought us as far south as Chapel Hill NC and as far west as Bloomington IN. Considering everyone in the band has a day job AND plays in at least one other band, I feel this was no small feat. Or feet (everyone in the band has at least a size 9.) Met some great folks, played some nifty music, sold some "Jaunty" CD's. We've got another one scheduled for late April. Watch this space for details. READING: Beatle Gear by Andy Babiuk. Exhaustive account of the guitars, amps, drums, keyboards that the Beatles used in their touring/recording career. The author does a very nice job of only detailing instruments he could verify through archival photos and first hand accounts. Many rumors are laid to rest. Many surprises abound (for me, anyhow--e.g. I had known that George used a Fender Strat occasionally starting around 1965, but I didn't realize to what extent he'd put it to use. Lennon, too. In fact--maybe this is common knowledge that slipped under my radar--George and John apparently both played the solo on "Nowhere Man" in unison on their Strats. I guess I always assumed it was Rickenbacker.) Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. Had to check out the book to see what the kids were frothing over. Easy, page-turnin' read. Fun details. Made me remember the good and bad aspects of being 11 years old. Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life by Richard Ben Cramer. Eye-opening biography of the shy Yankee loner. WRITING: I interviewed Chris Ballew (of Presidents of the USA and The Giraffes) for TapeOp magazine. We chewed the fat about analog vs. digital, recording studio ergonomics, songwriting in the studio, gear, and guitar sounds. He's got a new musical thing going with Tad of the Young Fresh Fellows (it's called Chris and Tad) that is super-catchy and fun. The interview should be in the current issue of TapeOp. Free subscriptions at http://www.tapeop.com WATCHING: Disney's Silly Syphonies DVD. Finally, a huge (four hours) collection of early Disney animated shorts. Ranges from beautiful to scary to tripped out. The Simpsons First Season DVD set. Television's finest sitcom gets the box set treatment and it's awesome. I swear I've seen a movie or TV show that has live actors in it too. I just can't recall... Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hey everybody, I'm back. And I've been busy. Yeah. It's true. Check it out. WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO..... I produced a new set of tracks by MY OWN WORST ENEMY (the band, that is). Raw, dynamic, jagged. Great post-punk band. (Is "post-punk" still an accepted musical genre term?) Great folks. I highly recommend checking them out. Oh, and speaking of Eliseil, I had the pleasure of mastering the latest CD from My Own Worst Enemy labelmate KEN CORMIER. The man can play, sing, and put a tune together. More info on MOWE and KC at http://www.eliseil.com. 'Nuff said. Pop singer-songwriter (and Stereorrific Recordings graphics whiz/honcho) JEFF MELLIN enlisted my help putting the finishing touches on his new, sophomore CD. Jeff?s bro Joel produced and recorded the bulk of the disc and the former rhythm section of Slide lent their rhythmic talents. Meanwhile, I played a bit of bass and 12-string guitar, did some "post-production mixing," and wore the mastering hat. The album, entitled "Good for a Gander," features such gems as the Mersey-soaked "Oh, Possum!," the epic "You Sweet You," and the nouveau-country masterpiece "There Ain't No Ash Will Burn." Look for this to be released by the end of the summer. More info on Mellin at http://www.stereorrific.com. BORIS McCUTCHEON cut his teeth hosting open-mic nights on Cape Cod for the past few years while perfecting his particular brand of acoustic-rock-swamp-folk craft. Boris' voice and songs are amazing--there's haunting imagery and just enough rasp to chill a roomful of spines. I had a blast working with Boris at Zippah this spring on a 10-song album that we recorded the old fashioned way: quickly, unfussily, and with a minimum of studio trickery. The result is one of the best acoustic-based albums I've ever recorded. Not sure of release details, but keep an ear out for Boris--he plays fairly regularly around Boston and the Cape. I manned the console and tape machine when old pals MAGIC 12 stopped by Zippah to record a few new songs for future release on various compilations. More Magic 12 info at http://www.geocities.com/haskel_m12/m12.htm. I engineered a very cool CD by guitar and vocal meister TONY MEDEIROS. Tony is well-known for having played for years with The Band's Rick Danko. The CD was put together for Tony's mother, with him choosing her favorite tunes and covering them beautifully. There were a few scheduling scares, but the Mother's Day deadline was met with a few days to spare. ZIPPAH STUDIO NEWS: Well, for those who have been asking about the whereabouts of the Zippah website, I have good news. There is a BRAND NEW ZIPPAH WEBSITE. Nothin' fancy, but it get's the job done. Go to http://www.zippah.com and see what the world's been missing... And please, feel free to update or add web links to the new Zippah site. The old URL absolutely does not work anymore. Also, if you're in a band that has recorded at Zippah and are not listed/linked on the "clients" page, drop me a line and I'll do my best to fix it. NATIONAL COVERAGE: Willard Grant Conspiracy's Robert Fisher was kind enough to interview me for TapeOp Magazine. The four-page piece (including nifty color photos of myself, Zippah, and even the canine Fay Weiss) covers recording techniques, gear talk, and a discussion of recording studio psychology. Check it out in the current issue on newsstands now. And/or subscribe for FREE (you may be too late for this issue) at http://www.tapeop.com. WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... LISTENING TO: Led Zeppelin's first three albums. Ex-Byrds Gene Clark's difficult-to-find 1966 solo album "With The Gosdin Brothers" (I found it on Ebay--thanks to Green Circles for the tip.) Chris Ballew's (ex-Presidents of the United States) new-ish band The Giraffes. Lucinda Williams' latest. PLAYING: As usual, with The Weisstronauts. In early June we "hit the road" for a week-long tour to promote our still-somewhat-new all-instrumental CD "Featuring Jaunty." We stayed with a variety of amazing folks. We made new friends. We took plenty of pictures and managed to eat and sleep well. Oh, and good times were had by all musically. Although there were no truly "bad times," I feel compelled to whine about the nasty case of poison ivy I got in North Carolina. I believe I picked it up while helping a car-accident victim out of a ditch somewhere north of Chapel Hill. I'm not making this up; just ask Sool's Neal Spaulding. He's at nealos@yahoo.com. READING: "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris (hilarious; required reading for anyone with a shred of cynicism), "Zim" by legendary baseball player/manager/coach Don Zimmer (regular readers of my newsletter may remember my recent tackling of Bill "Spaceman" Lee's "The Wrong Stuff" and subsequent commitment to getting Zimmer's side of the story...), Phaedon Press' "Boring Postcards" (not really a "read" per se, more of a "look" at incredibly dull but strangely interesting postcards from the 40's thru the 70's). WATCHING: Baseball, specifically a handful of Red Sox games at Fenway Park and, while visiting California in July, a Giants/Cardinals game at the brand-spankin' new PacBell Park in San Francisco. The uncharmingly-monikered PacBell Park is fantastic; amazing views of the Bay Bridge, the bay, and downtown San Fran. Great food (including Krispy Kreme doughnuts and super-fresh tacos!) Comfy seats with actual cup-holders (are you listening, new-Fenway planners?) Oh, and a nice semi-assymetrical field. The Giants won, um, 6 to 2, or something like that. Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hey everybody, Yeah, I know. It's been quite a stretch between newsletters. I got so behind in reporting my own dang news that I'm only including some of it this time around. Hopefully there'll be an addendum to this newsletter in the coming weeks. So how's by you? WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO..... Pop singer-songwriter-guitarist-bandleader PAULA KELLEY is very close to wrapping up her debut solo CD. Purveyor of multiple bon mots and thrower of excellent theme parties, the former member of Boy Wonder, Hot Rod, and the Drop Nineteens has been crafting a gem of a pop album for the better part of six months now. I've been engineering tracking sessions at both Zippah and Powerhouse Studios and just started mixing the 12-song album last week. Look for a summer release on Stop Pop & Roll Records. More info at http://www.paulakelley.com Multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire CHRIS BROKAW has been a member of about a million cool bands over the years; Come, Codeine, The New Year, Willard Grant Conspiracy, and Snares & Kites are just a few that come to mind. It was only a matter of time before Chris decided to make his own solo record, and I was psyched to get the call to record it. Chris, playing drums, guitars, bass, and (of course) glockenspiel, tracked about 15 instrumental songs--ranging from abrasive to majestic to majestically abrasive--at Zippah. Peter Linnane assisted me with engineering duties. Paul Kolderie did the majority of the mixing; Jeff Lipton is in the midst of mastering it. Not sure of release details; perhaps in a future newsletter. Washington DC-based band MAGNET, who has made its mark by collaborating with former Velvet Underground drummer Mo Tucker and ex-Camper Van Beethoven leader David Lowery, brought me a handful of songs to remix. The tunes, which show a new, more slow-core side to Magnet, were originally recorded at Excello Studio in Brooklyn, New York. We remixed at Zippah. Look for the songs on a new full length CD called Caffeine Superstar. More info at http://www.outersound.com/magnet Former lead singer/songwriter of the short-lived, but critically acclaimed indie pop band Penguin, NICHOLE CLARKE has been working with me on what will be her debut solo CD. (I should mention that I used to play bass in Penguin.) About nine songs are just about completed--one of my favorites being a jarring Laibach-influenced version of Blondie's "Heart of Glass"--and the plan is to include a few remixed Penguin songs that were written and sung by Nichole. This is especially nice because Penguin co-founder/guitarist Dave Egan sadly passed away in December. With the inclusion of these Penguin tracks, Dave's guitar work will hopefully be heard by a larger audience. Last year JOHN HAYDON & TEN WORLDS hired me to mix their debut CD, the critically-lauded "Resolve". This year I was asked to produce and engineer their sophomore disc. I jumped at the chance. We're about halfway through, with five high quality roots-pop songs completed and available on a limited-edition EP. John's got a very strong, clear voice and a refreshing earnestness to his delivery. I had a blast sitting in with the band on guitar at a show recently and hope to do it again soon. For more info, visit http://www.johnhaydon.com New England's finest traditional Hawaiian combo, THE PINEAPPLE RANCH HANDS, completed a full-length CD of traditional Hawaiian tunes at Zippah Studio. I had the pleasure of co-producing the CD with the band, as well as mastering it. The most excellent Peter Linnane engineered. Most of the instrumental tracks were recorded live in the studio, while the sometimes complexly-arranged vocals were overdubbed. The five-piece band, led by steel guitarist Tim Obetz, recently bid farewell to its rhythm guitarist/singer John Johnson, who moved to Maryland. More info on the CD can be found by emailing Obetz at tim@icaboston.org Recent mastering projects of mine have included:
WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... PLAYING: Guitar and other stuff with THE WEISSTRONAUTS. The five-piece band has been playing a lot of shows in the Boston area, and we're planning an East Coast tour in early June. More on that as it develops. Oh, and it must be said that we proudly released a Christmas EP last December and just issued "Featuring Jaunty," a 14-song all-instrumental CD. Both are available for online purchase from Stereorrific Recordings. Visit http://www.stereorrific.com for more info. READING: The Wrong Stuff by Bill "Spaceman" Lee (Don "The Gerbil" Zimmer will never be the same in my mind...I should probably read his recent autobiography and get both sides of the story...), Beatles Anthology (I never thought I would contemplate George Harrison's virginity...), Electronic Musician (trying to catch up on music recording software), The Onion's "Our Dumb Century" (I only wish "Upon My Merry Thresher" was an actual circa 1911 song...), Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (the restaurant industry will never be the same in my eyes...), Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (I'm not sure I can ever eat at McDonald's again....), The Greatest of Marlys by Lynda Barry (can Marlys do wrong? Can Lynda Barry do wrong? I think not x2...), TapeOp Magazine (finally a magazine about music/recording that I actually WANT to read...) WRITING: Some more stuff for TapeOp Magazine including more mixing tips, gear reviews, and a mutual interview with Willard Grant Conspiracy's Robert Fisher. Free subscription available at http://www.tapeop.com WATCHING: I went to an "Oscars" party recently. No joke, it was the first time I ever actually watched the Academy Awards. Man, seeing and hearing Bob "Vincent Price" Dylan accept his award was surreal. He seemed so normal and genuine. I think. Boston Red Sox Opening Day. It was about 45 degrees and raining, but they won the game, and Fenway Park was still a beautiful thing. Visions of Light on DVD--a remarkable and beautiful documentary from a few years ago chronicling the history of cinematography. Also, The Straight Story, a (gasp) Disney film directed by David Lynch about an older feller who drives his lawnmower hundreds of miles to see his ailing, estranged brother. A G-rated David Lynch film--what the...? I sure dug it though.... Until next time, Pete Weiss production/engineering "e-newsletter" WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO My own band, the WEISSTRONAUTS has expanded to include five--count 'em--five members. Co-founder (and Zippah engineer/musical wizard) Peter Linnane left the live version of the group to focus on his own musical projects. It took not one but two stout men to replace him on guitar. They are, in no particular order, Aaron Tap (ex-Betty Goo, ex-Boy Wonder, currently with Paula Kelley's new band) and Ken Lafler (of Baby Ray). For those keeping score, that makes THREE guitarists in the band (including yours truly). We're planning on releasing a Christmas 5-song CD this fall, followed by an all-instrumental 14-song CD in January. Wowzie! Any JANDEK fans out there? Well, if you're not familiar with the elusive, prolific Texan, I suggest you check out http://www.tisue.net/jandek, Seth Tisue's excellent website documenting the perennially mysterious Jandek. Anyway, I recently enjoyed my first musical collaboration with longtime Zippah Studio partner Brian Charles when we covered a Jandek song "Quinn Boys II" for a just-released Jandek tribute CD on Summersteps Records of Pennsylvania. We were both pleasantly surprised to find that our contribution leads off the CD, followed by a track by Dapper, featuring Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. Other artists on the CD include Retsin, Low, and Gary Young. For more info and a chance to purchase this rare and very cool tribute CD, go to http://www.geocities.com/summersteps. I worked with old pal (and sometime musical collaborator) PAULA KELLEY at Zippah Studios on what will be her debut solo CD. It's great stuff; very sweet but sophisticated pop. An EP, called "A Bit of Everything" is out now. We've got more studio time booked this fall in order to finish the full-length CD, to be called "Everything." Fans of Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, and early Bee Gees will dig. Check out her excellent website for MP3's and late breaking news at http://www.paulakelley.com. South Australia's answer to the Small Faces, GREEN CIRCLES, sent me some material to mix and master as the preliminary step to (hopefully) working together in the future. They've got a killer cover of Gene Clark's "Elevator Operator" as well as fine originals such as "Girl in a Morris Minor." To learn more, check out http://www.oztek.net.au/~foxtare/. Originally from Austin Texas, Gordon Wright made his way to Boston via Washington DC with his band FOOLED BY APRIL. Before even moving into their apartment, the band stopped by Zippah and cut a cool version of Big Star's "September Gurls" for an upcoming tribute CD. I was honored to be asked to play bass--'twas fun. They've since found a permanent bassist and are starting to gig around Boston. Pop fans, keep your ears peeled. Or visit http://www.fooledbyapril.com. I've lost track of how many times SEKS BOMBA has been in and out of Zippah in the past six months. And what a pleasure it continues to be. As mentioned in previous newsletters, the mostly-instrumental lounge/spy/rock/bossanova/kitchen-sink band recorded basic tracks for about twenty songs at Sound Techniques in Boston late last year. We've been working together ever since on numerous overdubs (with guest appearances by Rich Gilbert and Russ Gershon) and mixing. As of this writing, just one song remains for a quick overdub and mix, at which point a six-song EP of mostly covers (including Jimmy Webb's "Up Up and Away") will be released. The EP will be followed by a 14-ish song CD of originals as well as a couple of covers (among them an astounding guitar-driven version of Herb Alpert's "Casino Royale.") At least this is the game plan the band tells me. For up-to-the-minute Seks Bomba news, check out their comprehensive website at http://www.bomba.com. I just completed scoring and doing post-production sound mixing on a feature-length independent film written and directed by ALICE COX. At this point in time I unfortunately can't divulge more information regarding the film, but as soon as I'm given the green light, I'll provide more details. Ex-Scruffy the Cat keyboardist Reverend BURNS STANFIELD completed a full-length CD of gospel songs. I rented a Tascam DA-88 and recorded some of the songs live at Burns' 4th Presbytarian Church in South Boston. The remainder of the songs were recorded at Zippah with another Scruffy alumnus, Randall Gibson, on drums. It was a unique project for me as I've always enjoyed, but rarely have had the chance to record, gospel music. RECENT RELEASES OF MUSIC I'VE WORKED ON:
WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... LISTENING TO: Neil Young's first (Neil Young) and latest (Silver & Gold), Soft Boys "Underwater Moonlight", Hot Club of Cowtown, Big Sandy Presents The Fly-Rite Boys, Ken Nordine "Colors" (an amazing 60's concept album that consists of more than 20 short poem-songs, each one about a different color.) PLAYING: with the Weisstronauts and Sool. Having a lot of fun making the "2 extra string" transition from bass guitar to Spanish-style electric plectrum guitar. More Weisstronauts news in a bit. READING: Steve Martin "Pure Drivel" (just finished it; laughed out loud more than once), "There's Something About Jonathan" (the unauthorized biography of Jonathan Richman by Tim Mitchell; informative, but not terribly deep; clearly written by a fan), Harper's, Peter Guralnick "Sweet Soul Music" (just started it; lookin' forward to lookin' back...) WRITING: several somewhat goofy instrumental songs, a song with actual LYRICS (!) about things I like (!), gear reviews and a mixing-tip article for the excellent and recommended TapeOp Magazine (free subscription available at http://www.tapeop.com) WATCHING: The Monkees' "Head" on DVD (forgot how good and weird that flick was/is), Eric Idle exploiting Monty Python live onstage in Boston (my life is that much more complete now), the Red Sox get hot, then cold, then hot, then cold (I think it has something to do with Pedro Martinez being in the pitching rotation...), then done. More soon, Until next time, I am, Yours in rock, Pete PS As usual, if any artist or label out there has any interest in working with me, contact me and I'll be glad to send you a production demo CD. Also, feel free to send me a demo at: Pete Weiss P.O. Box 1790 Brookline MA 02446 phone: 617-734-2562 NEW! CURRENT! email: pete@weissy.com Production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hey everybody, If you're a fan of this newsletter, I've got bad news for ya... just because I sent it out twice in the last two months doesn't mean I can keep up this typing pace! I have a feeling that after this one I'll be back to my "four times a year" pace. And if you're not a fan of this newsletter, please let me know and I'll stop sending it to you. Lord knows wasted bandwidth is singlehandedly responsible widening the hole(s) in the ozone layer. WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE RECORDING STUDIO.... ... Having fun with my still-somewhat new band The Weisstronauts (man, we need to get a band photo one of these days) ... Put together a benefit show for friend and former bandmate Dave Egan; twas a success thanks to the Gravel Pit, Seks Bomba, Charlie Chesterman, and Mistle Thrush ... Just about finished with Lynda Barry's novel "Cruddy"--usually feel like I need a shower after each chapter ... Went to New York for Easter (in the rain) ... Wife Mel and former bandmate Stephen Fredette are working furiously on the "Weissy.com" website, which, when it is up and running, will tell you far more about myself than you ever wanted to know ... Such as the fact that I recently shaved my head and feel like all my body heat is exiting through my cranium ... Okay, on that note, let's move on to... WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE RECORDING STUDIO..... Old compadre CHARLIE CHESTERMAN and I finished his long-awaited fourth solo CD--entitled "Ham Radio"--and lemme tellya, it's a winner. Personally, I think it's his best solo effort yet. Recorded mostly on 24-track 2-inch analog at Boston's Zippah Studio, the album combines the lushness of Charlie's '95 effort, Studebakersfield, and the raw rock element of his last CD, Dynamite Music Machine. Charlie's songwriting has never been more on target; highlights include the punk-pop "Yeah Yeah Yeah," the pure-jangle-pop "Beatle Boots" and the obligatory retro-instrumental-named-after-a-car "Mustang Twang." Recently cut loose from Rykodisc when that label was purchased by Palm Pictures, the former Scruffy the Cat frontman has decided to release this record himself and sell it principally over the internet. When it's released this summer, you'll be able to easily order it directly from Charlie's nifty new website: http://www.charliechesterman.com THE WOBBLIES, the fast and furious New York City trio named after the pioneering labor-rights revoltists returned to Boston for some tracking and mixing. The band has a knack for trekking to Boston during major, world-wide sporting events that all but paralyze my fair town. First it was the Boston Marathon (which pretty much goes right by Zippah Studio...), then there was the Major League Baseball All Star Game '99 (the first time since '61 that it was played at Boston's Fenway Park...), then there was the Ryder Cup (which has something to do with...golf, I'm told...) Anyway, the band combatted traffic snarls with snarling guitar sounds. I hate saying things like this, but "These guys rock!" Their sophomore CD should be out soon and will contain some songs tracked by me and mixed in NYC by Kramer, and some songs tracked in NYC by Kramer and mixed by me...I think. Anyway, for more info, check out http://www.thewobblies.com or http://www.masonringrecords.com The end of March found me at the fabled Studio .45 in Hartford, Connecticut in the all-too-rare but welcome role of "session bassist." New York-based retro-pop-wizardess MARYKATE O'NEIL (of the much-missed Boston band Piewackit) was asked to record her spin on "Pleasant Valley Sunday" for a Monkees tribute CD on Virginia-based Planting Seeds Records. She, in turn, asked me to play bass, which I was very happy to do (PVS is probably my favorite Monkees tune...and whoowhee, what a bass line!) Jill Sobule supplied the famous harpsichord blasts on the swirly bridge. New Yorkers, try to get out and see Marykate some time; she has a great live show, often abetted onstage by Sobule and members of The Lillies. More info on the Monkees compilation can be found at: http://welcome.to/PSR April was WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY month for me. I co-produced the folk-rock-noir band's fourth album for Ryko/Slow River with Peter Linnane (who also played keyboards) and lead singer Robert Fisher. The ever-morphing group just released it's third CD stateside (it had been out for a while in the rest of the world), so the one we just completed probably won't see the light of day till next year. We recorded basic tracks at Rear Window Studio in Brookline MA, with the help of engineer-extraordinaire Sean Carberry. Rear Window is a great studio and had the rare ability of allowing us to record a Steinway grand piano live with drums, acoustic guitar and bass--all with just the right amount of isolation. Carberry brought his collection of exotic ribbon microphones and, golly, did we get some good sounds! After basic tracks, we hauled the tapes up Beacon Street to Zippah Studio and executed many overdubs and mixing. Some of the talented folks who contributed to this album include drummer Terri Moeller and singer Carla Torgerson, both of the celebrated Seattle-based Walkabouts, James Apt of Six Finger Satellite on guitar, Chris Brokaw of Come on guitar, Chicago-based singer Edith Frost, David Curry on viola, Vic of Ville on cello, George Howard on mandolin, bassist Pete "Kickin' Starbucks' Ass" Sutton (of the late Trona), and WGC staple Paul Austin on acoustic guitar and mandolin. If you're a fan of the band's brooding rootsy (broodsy?) music, check out their latest CD, Mojave, out now on Ryko. Speaking of James Apt, he guided singer-songwriter wunderkind HOPE ROTH though her first recording session. Hope recorded five songs (with Apt on bass and co-producing) not unreminiscent of Liz Phair, Tracy Bonham, and Buffalo (not Dusty) Springfield. She's definitely worth seeking out; keep an eye out for Hope plying her craft in Boston subway stations. And if you want to check out her CD, you can purchase a copy by emailing her at hope_roth@hotmail.com. Fans of nifty pop, keep an ear to the ground for Mr. DAVE BRUSH. He's 1) a fantastic drummer, 2) an underknown songwriter in the mold of Pat DiNizio, Marshall Crenshaw, and even Jonathan Richman, 3) darned good at a bunch of other instruments, and 4) the nicest guy in rock. A while back I recorded and mixed an album's worth of memorable songs by Dave (who hauled all his gear up from southern Connecticut to record) and word on the street is that they are available in the form of a "compact disc sound recording." Those who want to sample some "Brush-Rock" can get in touch with the man himself by emailing: dbwap1@aol.com. Two years ago I was working with the up-and-coming singer-songwriter ALEXIS SHEPARD and her band on pre-production for what would have been her debut CD. Tragically, her life was cut short in a bicycle accident just before we were to begin recording. It's been a long healing process, and the Boston music community has paid tribute to Alexis' memory through benefit shows, most notably one organized by her bass player John Raposa. Recently her band members discovered a DAT tape of an acoustic radio broadcast that found Alexis in great singing form and her songs played in her favorite arrangements. Lately I've had the honor of working with the band in the studio as they carefully add tracks to Alexis' acoustic performance. It's working out very well: drums, bass and some electric guitar are augmenting the original recording in an extremely natural-sounding way. Plans are underway to release an album's worth of the songs as a posthumous CD. Alexis is sorely missed, and this CD will be a bittersweet way for old and new fans of her songs to be able to hear them in a form that she would have wanted. In the mastering room at Zippah, I worked on the debut of MY OWN WORST ENEMY, formerly known as JOE COOL. The CD should be out this summer, more info will be available at http://www.eliseil.com ... I also mastered Western Massachusetts reggae outfit DREDI, a CD which had been recorded and mixed at the excellent Zing Studios in Westfield by Jim "Fog" Fogarty. Okay, that's all I can think of now. Keep in touch; and thanks for all the support and encouragement. I am, |
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Production/engineering "e-newsletter" Hey gang, Okay, so this newsletter is more sporadic than I originally intended (the last one was Fall '99). But thanks for your patience, folks. As you can imagine, I've been quite active in the studio lately and intend to fill you in. But first... "WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO".... I'm in the midst of Lynda Barry's latest novel entitled "Cruddy." As many of you probably know, Barry's got a writing-and-drawing style that's all her own and this darkly funny book is a page turner. Her characters in this book, as they have been in her comic strip work, are unforgettable. In the nonfiction department, I just started Steve Waksman's "Instruments of Desire," a scholarly study of the electric guitar's effect on society. The cool thing about this book is that instead of presenting a broad overview which we're all familiar with, it focuses on just five guitar-related artists and their impact. The choice of artists is generally what you'd expect, with one exception: Charlie Christian, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, The MC5 (!?), and Led Zeppelin. Looking forward to digging in. In my CD player lately: Deke Dickerson (how come I only recently heard of this guy? Amazing player, writer, singer. Very fun Western swing-type stuff), The Loud Family, The Graverobbers (great great earthy pop from Washington DC), some late Yardbirds (an era I had never really explored), Lucinda Williams, the soundtrack to Casino Royale (of course Bacharach's music is supercool, but the sonics are what're currently blowing my mind), and Boston's own gritty Tarbox Ramblers (I believe just released on Rounder). My wife Mel has been working on my long-awaited website with web gurus Lise and Chris at Musearts (here's a plug: if you need some web work, I highly recommend them. Go to www.musearts.com). It will have lots of info about my studio work (including many sound samples and photos both mundane and bizarre), as well as the latest Weisstronauts news. Unfortunately, someone already nabbed "peteweiss.com" as a domain name (whoever and wherever you are, email me. We can talk turkey. I'm willing to shell out FIVE big ones for my name back! Yep, five whole dollars. Cash. Think about it.) Anyway, I don't think I can get that name back, so I settled for the short and sweet "www.weissy.com". "WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE STUDIO"..... I engineered and co-produced (with Robert Fisher of WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY; more on their latest in the next newsletter...) five songs for the new, upcoming MAGIC 12 CD. It should be out this summer or fall on Fisher's Dahlia Records label. The group is hard to pigeon-hole (always a nice thing...) and is quite amazing. Slow, melancholy tunes, sung in a an appealingly weary way by Toby Ingalls; majestic piano; Velvets-y guitar work; James Apt of Six Finger Satellite guesting on bass; it all adds up. Magic 12's self-titled debut from last year attracted a celebrity fan or three (I won't mention who...) Keep an ear out for this sophomore effort; it's very worthwhile. RICH GILBERT, whose musical resume is as extensive as his talents (Human Sexual Response, Zulus, Steve Wynn, Frank Black, Tanya Donnelly etc.), returned to Zippah Studio to begin work on a new CORONET PREMIERS CD. I recorded and mixed about a dozen highly-layered, mostly acoustic instrumentals with the group. A variety of instruments, ranging from prepared-zither and synthesizer to accordian and a Middle Eastern dulcimer, were employed and presented microphone-technique challenges. These challenges were met and the final mixes sound very cool. Rich tells me he plans to return this summer with drummer extraordinaire Malcolm Travis to record some more "rock-based" instrumentals to complete the CD. Their first CD which I mixed was a complete gas, so I was very psyched when George from the hard-to-describe (instro-lounge-core-surfy-soundtracky?) SEKS BOMBA gave me a call and asked if I'd like to work on their newest. Of course I jumped at the chance. The band had cut basic tracks at Boston's super-fine Sound Techniques studio back in December and we've since been working on many overdubs (mostly guitar, organ, and vocals, with the occasional saxophone thrown in for good measure) and mixing/editing at Zippah. There are 19 songs altogether and they're all killer. The band was certainly in a groove on their first CD, but they've actually bested themselves with this new stuff. The rhythm section smokes, folks! The latest plan I've been told is that six or so songs will be released on an EP and the rest will eventually show up on a full-length. For more info on this amazing musical outfit, go to http://www.bomba.com. I recently had the honor of playing bass on a song by MISS MARY as well as mastering her debut CD for Stereorrific Records. MISS MARY used to play guitar and sing in the astounding Oscillators, a band I worked with several times and usually likened to "The Troggs meet The Archies on a sunny day in New Hampshire." Mary's solo debut, produced by Oscillators brainchild Joel Mellin, is chock full of swingin' pop melodies that are guaranteed to stick in your head. Look for it this summer. For more info, check out http://www.stereorrific.com. I just got word that the double-live CD by hoity-toity hard rockers THE UPPER CRUST which I mixed and mastered will be out soon on Reptilian Records. Glad to hear a label stepped to the plate, as this is a bombastic, regal, untouchable live document that was begging to see the light of day. Very much recommended. Up-and-coming singer/songwriter JOHN HAYDON brought an albums worth of tracks in to Zippah for mixing. It's quality rootsy stuff, and John's got a great voice. Old pal Jerry O'Hare played a multitude of stringed instruments on the tracks and acted as co-producer. Keep an eye out for John's band around Boston. For more info, go to http://www.johnhaydon.com. Back in December I worked on a few spirited Holiday-related recordings. TIM OBETZ, master of the pedal steel guitar (he's played with Buttercup, Doug Yule, and fronts the Pineapple Ranch Hands) captured a handful of Holiday tunes on tape for a private CD release. It's not generally known, but Tim's got a wonderful singing voice. PAULA KELLEY brought in a couple of Christmas songs for me to master which had been recorded (with the help of a gaggle of friends) at Wooly Mammoth Studios. If you missed it first time around, look for "Why Christmas" b/w "Blue Christmas" on Rhubarb Records next December. Also my own current musical outfit, THE WEISSTRONAUTS, recorded an EP's worth of Christmas tunes intended for release next year (we'll keep you posted). Among the cuts are originals such as "Nothin' Comin' Good this Christmas" (which I wrote with my brother-in-law) and old faves such as a bizarre instrumental version of "Silent Night". Here's the deal: I've been working on a bunch of other stuff, but I'm in a bit of a rush right now and will delay filling you in until the next newsletter--WHICH I PROMISE WILL BE VERY SOON-ish! (Like within a few weeks--no foolin'). Keep in touch; and thanks for all the support and encouragement. I am, |
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Production/engineering "e-newsletter" Howdy folks, Well, I seem to be getting the hang of this newsletter thing. I've been pretty busy with a variety of projects since you last heard from me. But before I get to the music, let me tell you what's been in my head (gee, this is sort of like therapy...) I'm simultanously reading John Irving's "Cider House Rules" and Charles Van Doren's (yes, the "Quiz Show" cheater...) "The History of Knowledge." I'm about a third of the way through both and am feeling thwarted. Irving's doing his "Irving schtick" and knowledge's history is dry as a cracker. Any words of encouragement out there? I WANT to finish these tomes! As I type this, the Boston Red Sox are down 2 games to none in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. (To my non-U.S.A. friends, please bear with me; you need to understand that whenever the Red Sox baseball team starts to show a possibility of becoming world champion, I perk up and jump on the bandwagon. They have not been world champs since 1918 and they have an uncanny knack of succumbing to their arch-rival New York Yankees, who have been world champs an ungodly number of times since 1918...) It's all very nerve-wracking and, ultimately, heart-wrenching. I've been a rabid Red Sox fan since age 8 (I even wrote two books on baseball in the early 1990's...) and have lost track of how many times I've uttered the words "This could be the year" only to head towards winter dissappointed. In any case, this year's Sox team has a great spark and, even down two games, could turn things around. Help us out and say a prayer for the Sox because--who knows?--this could be the year. (Damn! I said it again!) "STUDIO NEWS"..... The Zippah Studio Mastering Suite/Lounge is in full swing. My partner Brian Charles has been very busy mastering loads of CD's in the new facility. He's also been showing me the ropes and, lo and behold, I've gotten the hang of mastering and found I've got a knack. In the past few months I've mastered five CD's and am planning more in the future. WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE STUDIO..... The UPPER CRUST, those devilish upper class fops of hard rock, recorded a live album and asked me to mix it. Let me tell you, besides being devilish and upper class, these fops are also extremely prolific. The as-yet-untitled live album will probably have close to thirty songs on it. We're talking double live album (possibly the most rockin' since "Frampton Comes Alive")! It was a lot of work, but the album is almost done. It's all very rocking in an AC-DC vein, with highlights including "We're Finished with Finishing School," "High Falutin'," "Ne'er Do Well," "Little Lord Fauntleroy," and the very sexy "Boudoir." The band is currently talking to labels, so I'm not sure when it's coming out or who is putting it out, but please take my advice and keep an ear out for it; it's hilarious and it rocks. I realize there probably aren't too many teenagers on my mailing list, but has anyone out there seen the new movie "Drive Me Crazy," starring Melissa Joan "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" Hart? Admittedly it's not a film I thought I'd run out to see, but several months ago I recorded some of the music. Boston indy rock veteran GREG "SKEGGIE" KENDALL (Tacklebox, Brothers Kendall, Tuffskins etc.) wrote the music for the film and brought a handful of songs into Zippah Studio to commit to tape. It was a marathon session, going from teaching the songs to the musicians (including Mike Leahy and Dave Gibbs) to tracking to mixing. Two of the tunes made the film's final cut. One called "Big Day" was used in a rock club scene. Very fun to see a "band" made of actors miming to a song originally recorded 3,000 miles away at little old Zippah! I've been giving some attention to the late, lamented Boston band SCRUFFY THE CAT. A few years ago I was asked to "executive produce" reissues of the group's two albums and two EP's. (The band's entire catalog has been out-of-print for years; CD copies of their first album "Tiny Days" are changing hands for almost a hundred dollars.) This meant that I had to locate tapes (not an easy job, and in some cases an impossible job) pick bonus tracks, mix some unreleased tracks (a 1987 live show from TT the Bears that was taped at great expense on 2" 24-track, but never mixed!) and generally figure out the best format in which to reissue this material. Well, after working sporadically on this for several years, I'm almost done. Three 70+ minute CD's containing all the officially released material plus very worthy demos, live tracks, B-sides etc. All completely remastered and sounding great. I was amazed at how "undated" the band sounds. I guess they were doing the "No Depression" thing about 10 years early. Anyway, the problem is I don't know who is going to put this apparent boxed set out! Any labels out there interested? Email me and I can put you in touch with the appropriate parties. Zippah engineer Peter Linnane and I just completed the first solo project by former AMAZING CROWNS guitar-guy JOHNNY ROYAL. As I think I mentioned in the last newsletter, Johnny recruited great players to back him up, including Johnny Sciascia and Stan Koslowski of The Cranktones/Fathoms. Royal's solo stuff is technically more sophisticated than the Crowns; he's moved in a "vintage jazz-pop-rockabilly" direction. Smooth, snaky guitar runs. Fun times. SOOL is a side project that I've been involved in off and on for years. SOOL is Kevin Quinn and Neal Spaulding (both formerly of the late great DEAD MONKEYS) and myself. We all write, sing, and play a bunch of instruments. We got together and made a laid-back, weird, partially tongue-in-cheek album and we're set to release it on the Boston Stereoriffic label. Look for it early next year. Don't look for SOOL to play live anytime soon though. Neal lives in North Carolina. In past newsletters I forgot to mention working on a very cool project called SNARES & KITES. The makeshift group is a collaboration between Mitchell Rasor (ex-Absolute Grey) and Chris Brokaw (Come, Codeine, Willard Grant Conspiracy). The Dutch label In Betweens Records just released the CD and I've seen plenty of reasonably-priced import copies available stateside if you're interested (and you should be; it's jangly, twangy, shimmering pop with a few dark overtones...) I've been informed that some live shows in the Northeast are being planned. NEW RELEASES (stuff I worked on) Willard Grant Conspiracy "Mojave" plus 5-song CD single (Slow River/Ryko) Okay, that's all I can think of now. Keep in touch; and thanks for all the support and encouragement. I am, As usual, Yours in rock, Pete |
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Pete Weiss Hi all, Lots of you have been asking me things like "Hey Pete, who've you been working with in the studio lately?" so I thought I'd start a sporadic production-oriented email newsletter (in the spirit of the seemingly on-hiatus Zippah Studio News...) I've also included a selected discography and contact information at the bottom of this message for anyone who might be interested in working with me. In any case, this is the first "issue." Before I start with "the news," let me remind you that the "Place to Call Home" compilation CD is out on Reverse Curve Records. All profits go to the very worthy and hard-working Mass. Adoption Resource Exchange, who help deserving foster kids find a permanent and loving home. It's a great cause and a smokin' album. (Hot tip: the CD includes the very first solo recording of ex-Velvet Undergrounder DOUG YULE). I enjoyed the privilege of producing most of the bands on it. Check out Reverse Curve's website if you want to purchase the CD: http://www.instantmag.com/reverse-curve Okay, on with "the news..." I just finished co-producing the third WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY album (and possible EP consisting of the "too weird" outtakes.) It was recorded last fall and this winter at Zippah in Boston with the engineering help of Peter Linnane (who also contributed superb keyboard work.) Ryko UK plans to release this in Europe this spring and Slow River/Ryko will probably have it out stateside next fall. It's a great, great CD. Lots of atmosphere--acoustic guitars, mandolins, echoey violas, pump organs, and the occasional piano--swirling under Robert Fisher's sometimes-disturbing baritone vocals. Fantastic lyrical imagery. Chris Brokaw (Come) came in and played drums on a few songs, as did Walter Salas-Humara (Silos). Check out the band if you get a chance; they won't dissappoint. A week ago I started work on the recording debut of western swing kings THE SPURS. These fellas are the real deal, and man can they play. Cranky Frankie Blandino (The Fathoms, The Cranktones) plays a mean steel guitar, Jerry Miller (J. Geils) astounds and amazes on six-string, while Allan of Country Bumpkins and Electric Logs fame provides magical bass-y vocals. The rhythm section--Johnny and Stan--are the same guys from the Cranktones/Fathoms, so you know they're good. We're hoping to finish a 14-song CD by mid-March. In the meantime check out the Spurs on March 5th at the Midway in Jamaica Plain. CHARLIE CHESTERMAN and I are waist-deep in the production of his latest album (his fourth solo since the demise of his old band Scruffy the Cat, for those counting...) Soundwise it's a departure from his last CD "Dynamite Music Machine" in that it's a bit more polished and actually makes a few concessions to modern recording techniques (!) I wouldn't say it's slick. Shiny is a more appropriate word. The songs are classic Chesterman, full of heartache, wordplay, and deceptively tricky chord changes. This should be Charlie's best yet. Just a few more guitars and vocals and we'll be ready to mix. More on that as it develops... DON LENNON is inexpicably under-known in Boston. Yes, his music is sort of funny, but it's also a little melancholy and there is a wonderful lyrical preoccupation with rock bands and friends. Think of Morrisey hanging out in Providence with Jonathan Richman (and maybe David Byrne stopping by briefly...) To me, this album walks that fine line between novelty and conceptual art. And happily it falls to the latter side. I had the pleasure of producing (and playing a lot of instruments on) this, Don's 2nd album. Thanks again to Peter Linnane at Zippah for getting great sounds and playing dreamy piano. Look for it on Martin Philips Records this spring. BABY RAY's debut "Monkey Puzzle" on Thirsty Ear Recordings is getting all sorts of attention these days. I had a great time working with them last summer in a vacation cabin in upstate New York. High ceiling, hardwood floors...voila...Nathan's drums sound amazing! (Of course, Nathan has something to do with that too...) Monkey Puzzle is a twisted pop gem. If you haven't checked out Baby Ray yet, do so soon. In case you haven't already heard, Rich Gilbert (Zulus, Concussion Ensemble) has a new instrumental band known as CORONET PREMIERS featuring legendary skin basher Malcolm Travis (Sugar) on drums. It's dense, riff-oriented rock played with abandon. The CPs are great to work with (and fast, too!) If I remember correctly, we got 10 fairly complex songs recorded and mixed at Zippah in something like five or six days. Mercy! Tonight I'm going back in to the studio to finish mixing the sophomore album by New Hampshire's THE OSCILLATORS. They are, of course, the illegitimate offspring of the Lyres and Josie & the Pussycats.... Last fall I had fun composing/producing music for the short film METHODS, which is apparently out at Sundance. Members of SEKS BOMBA--whose debut album I had the pleasure of mixing--contributed guitars and percussion. Briefly, here are some shorter-length projects I've been busy with recently: Well, that's it for now. Hope this wasn't too disjointed or egotistical. Just wanted to let you all know what's been going on musically while I do my "knob-twiddling" thing. For now, |