LONG TIME NO SEE

Sorry no news for a while. It has been super hectic here. JR is working on the Invisible Music project and the tunes are just commin' down like a hard rain. The songs are killer, and I mean KILLER. Not just some good songs, all good songs. Kind of reminds me of Neil Young's "Journey through the past" meets Allman's "Live at the Filmore East".
Also went back to working on my "Tropical Depression". Just laid down the bed for "No way out" and JR graced the song with his patented multi part harmony vocals. He also threw in a nifty little piano intro. I love the song. Going to try to play it live this week at the open mic a Havana if the weather and my schedule line up right with the Venus and Mars. Hope to talk JR to go up with me but he's busier than I am. Going to try to get Susan in to play some violin on a few of my things in the next few weeks. I can sort of feel the end of the line comming and am getting antsy to finish this Albatross.
The new piano is slowly becoming my "Great White Whale". When tuned right it sounds unbelievable. But, every time I get it tuned, it goes back out a week later. Then, it sounds awful. I never know which one is going to be there when I go out. Not sure what the answer is.
I have a lot of piano to get done so I have to figure it out fast.
John Prine project is going well. Last week tracked the guitars for "Angel from Montgomery" and "Billy the Bum". Hope to get the vocals this week. Got to find Marie!
Till we meet again, Peace Marc

to the red line

Summer is here and ELEGBALAND is running wide open. Invisible Music (JR's) project sounds soooo good it's off scale. Nice to hear searing guitars and a full rock band. Greg and John have grasped the pebble from my hand, and now, appear to be the new masters of the studio. Our Retro 176 has become the roux in our mix. You can't get bad tone from it. Today Susan Snow comes to lay down some violin on select tracks.
The Prine project is moving forward. We have a few more bands on board. I hope John Prine has a good security wall around him because I am going to get to him. He will be involved by the time I finish. When he hears the quality of the recordings and the wonderful interprtations of his songs, he will have no other choice. He also will find out how utterly relentless I am. We love you John!
Tropical Depression is moving forward. I was supposed to work on vocals this a.m. with Greg, but I have a cold and sound like I have a mitten in my nose. Guess I won't be in the boys hair today as I don't want them all to get sick. Gotta take care of my boys.
One last lament, why does a fifty year old man still get pimples. It just isn't fair. Bad enough I look older than everyone else, but why the fuck do I need a pimple to acentuate my age lines. If I ever get to talk to GOD we are going to go round and round over that. Nothing like feeling like shit and looking the part too. Today I shall hide from everyone with sight. Have a great day, Marc

full time job

ELEGBALAND has finally become a full time job. I am booked every night this week and all weekend. I love it but it really cuts down on my blog time. Not to mention my own creative time. Luckily I don't need to be creative now. I'm too busy polishing my latest turd.
Got some chilling guitar tones today for the storch solos. Think Dickie Betts. Woman tone as Clapton would say. Les Paul straight away.
Becoming a guitar tech thanks to greg. He sure does like to graft guitars to each other. Who knows whats next. I have some ideas, maybe he'll fall for one.
Till next time, marc

what a long strange trip

this week has been a whirlwind.  JR and Greg spent four days turning on every piece of gear at the same time.  The result was amazing, although we did find one line hum.  Damn 60 cycle.  I also didn't know you could put a tube mic so close to the floor.  The room sounds for the cuts are so thick they sound like molasses.  

Storch vocals followed with Bill doing the leads on "Rain till we need it" and "Just ain't so".  It was cool to see his reaction when he donned his headphones and stepped up to the mic.  After about 10 minutes he said the mic was more like a musical instrument.  He said he had to relearn how to deliver the song because of the responsiveness.  In the end, he lamented that you could "feel" the emotions with the setup.  I told him that was the RETRO176 and the PELUSO combination.  It's a whole different animal.  

Last night I was just hangin and Greg asked if I wanted to play "Circling the drain" with Blackfinger.  I grabbed my guitar, yeah, I took the blonde, I always take the blonde, and went down to Southshore.  It was fun playing with them.  I forget how much I miss playin out.  I could tell I was all nervous and stiff.  Once the sweat starts flowing it just like ridin a horse.  I had a flippin ball.  Thanks Greg, Sean, Jesse and Andy.  Sorry bout the solo Andy. It all worked out well to because Gregs guitar died so I left him mine for the rest of the night.  

Today we work on Maureen Maureen.  Then when JR wakes, it's on to invisible tasks.

Happy fathers day to all my dad friends and my best friend, my dad, Clyde Ward.  I know there have been times when he wanted to throw me down the well. 

Gonna play guitar with Lunchbox on July3 for the new PROFIT BOYS video for "Got em' like".It's gonna be filmed at the Miarge in Lake Worth. Let's see, a strip club, alcohol, and cameras.  This could be epic.  Please save a few pennies for us in case we need it for bail.  Todays pic is from the last episode of "got em' like".  Wow that's one skinny white guy.  Joey Ramone!  I don't care, I've got lots of guitars.   

invisible invasion

Help ,i've been taken over by invisible people.   somebody made off with my studio.  I hear music, but nobodys in the building playin.  Weird scenes in the gold mine. Hopefully the spirits will finish tomorrow and i can continue on with the projects at hand.  Till then enjoy these pics of greg at his new home,and, john storch blistering my 68 les paul deluxe. see ya marc

Call Weekend

Sitting in the OR again spending my weekend. A little old lady is next to me groaning in pain waiting to ditch her gallbladder. Pain sucks, as she keeps saying "I can't stand it". This is my second trip here today.
Greg is in the studio putting bass on Maureen Maureen. I just ran home and racked up the API so he gets the TONE you know. API ARSENAL PURPLE = great bass tone. He is using the RON bass on the track. That guitar sounds so big, bouncy, and round. Speaking of Ron, the devil struck again and yours truly bought his dads 1967 Gibson B25N. I can't believe that one, the sound is so rich and full. Especially for such a small instrument. Its probably due to the forty plus year old mahogany opening up during the aging process. That is why old acoustics sound so superior to new ones as a rule. Old wood is better (being my age I like the sound of that). One hundred dollars. Wonder what his dad would say (or think). Such a tragedy. The monkey wins again. Should I have just let him pawn it and loose it? I love this guitar.
John and Greg start the Invisible Music recordings tommorrow. Drums are up first with Jeff Snow. I just put my drums away to make room for Jeff's huge kit. It is a set of CC custom made drums that mirrors the John Bohnam set. It is one of the nicest kits I've ever seen, though I'm still partial to Gregs set best of all. I just love those drums. Speaking of drums, Greg is becoming quite adept at playing drums for recording. Sometimes he amazes me with his abilities. He's quite versatile.
This week we have lots to do. Monday night is Storch vocals. Tuesday are Chafin vocals. Wednesday I want to work on some of mine before I forget them. Friday I have a friend coming over to edit. I need to finish the Storch project, as well as Chafin, so that I can move forward with mine. Everyone seems so busy with their own stuff I just can't ever seem to get time to have them work on mine. I want to get some violin soon on a few cuts, I'll start bugging folks soon.
I'm gonna put up a huge time block calender in the studio so I can keep better track of time. I feel as though it will help. Lately we have had a lot of last minute cancellations. Thats OK for the people cancelling but leaves me with large blocks of wasted studio time.
No pics today as I am not home. Have a great day, Marc

WHAT DAY IS IT?

I' FEEL AS THOUGH I JUST THAWED OUT FROM BEING FROZEN A HUNDRED YEARS.  When I walked out the studio door the other ay, I noticed the season had changed.  I've got to take some time off.  We are so busy.  The Chafin session last night went off without a hitch.  JR and I chased a ghost in the machine all day and it disappeared right before the session.  Andy killed the guitar solo to Heroes the night before.  All Storch guitars are in the can, and next up are the vocals.  I might begin the vocals to my songs today.  The frames are in place for me to try the real thing on a few more, "Painting the town", by me and "Hello in there" from the Prine sessions.  

Our new gear rocks.  The RERTO 176 is the single most amazing piece of equipment I have ever owned.  It makes anything passing through it sound better,  like fairy dust.  The Arsenal Audio EQ can carve out a path for an instrument that has never been available to us before.  Plug-ins are nice but this EQ is transparent. 

JR and the "invisible people" begin recording saturday.  That should be a treat.  I love hearing new JR material.  It is the standard I measure the rest by!  

Todays pix are of recent sessions.  First, my friend Ron Desaram.  Next is Greg recording Andy's leads on "Heroes".  John Storch strangles a strat for the Storch CD, and Coconut Phil wiggles the strings on a cherry SHOWBUD pedal steel on "Speed of Loneliness".  Lastly, Andy shows how the monkeys do it.  Now all he needs is a prehensile tail.

Remember, nothing matters but the music.   It is the intertwining thread that is our lives. It is the pulsating beat of our world. The complex rhythms that start with our heartbeat and follow with our minds.  I hope my muse never leaves.  I couldn't imagine a life without a soundtrack.  


I hear vacation plans are in order for Nikki and her friend Pinky.  Lake Worth beach, is that right?  Maybe Blackfinger will play "Sunshine Smackdown" while your in town.  Should be a hoot!  Till Later, stay on the beat, Marc