A New Beginning (No, it's NOT "Little House...")

Hi Cousins! This is my first 'blog' in a couple of years, so bear with me if I seem rusty.

Not much to report. The BonsaiChainsaw experiment has come to an end. Bryan Ezzell and I did some good 'work', but we are both strong personalities with widely divergent opinions on everything but music. It was one of those pairings that works for a while due to the underlying friction but, like a meteor, burns out quickly. We still have a few tunes in the process of completion, and we'll be finishing those up in the 'fullness of time', and posting them to our IAC page. There will also be a CD in the works (if only for myself and Bry).

One thing that the BonsaiChainsaw experience (sorry Jimi) reinforced to me, was that I am meant to 'work' alone. I have always been fairly solitary and I hate the unnecessary added BS of group dynamics. The majority of what I produce isn't so complicated that I can't manage it, and I 'work' at such odd times, and with such uncommon habits that it would be difficult for someone else to work to my schedule. Besides, I prefer being the whole reason that something works or doesn't. That's the same reason I cut my own hair (yes, I have some).

In the meantime, I've wrapped up post-prod on a cover of "Rockin' in the Free World". This project was begun around 2003, when I started getting back into recording, as a way of coming to grips with digital recording and PC-based multi-tracking. In the intervening years, I changed some tracks, added some and constantly fiddled with the mix. It wasn't until this past year that the tune started to come to life, with the addition of 'live' drums by Troy Whaley, and two sterling (and free-form) guitar tracks from Bryan. I've always liked the song and the "live" feel. I think that it finally has the 'live' quality that it needs (mistakes included- at no extra charge).

Getting the license to release it has been a matter of investigation, perserverance and excessive 'red tape'. I swear- as much as I like Neil Young and his music, I will NEVER cover another Neil Young song (unless the whole process is made more streamlined). Finding who held the copyright was the biggest obstacle (Mr. Young doesn't make it easy). The Harry Fox Agency DID tell me who held the publishing rights, and that helped. A few inspired Googlings later, and I found who held the rights for 'mechanical' licensing. Then the real fun begins: acquiring UPC and ISRC codes (required for the mechanical license), and an internet fax client later, and I'll be posting the tune next weekend (maybe). It seems like a lot of trouble for a tune that probably won't sell a single download.

I suppose this is where I should mention that I view my music as strictly a passionate hobby. I have a steady (so far) job, and I have a bit of a loathing for the commercial aspects the music business, and how it tends to shape (or distort) the creative process. Being an 'amateur' allows me much more freedom than one who is beholden to a label. The tools available to the musician these days are amazing! I first started playing bass in a 'punk' band, when I was still in high school (@1979- yes, I'm old), and we would've killed (or at least, stolen) to get hold of something like Reaper or Cakewalk, or any of the other production tools so prevalent (and affordable) today.

[WARNING! - The blogger is going to lapse into "Old Geez" mode]

I can remember bouncing tracks from a portable cassette recorder (mono) to a portable reel-to-reel recorder (also mono) and back, to layer tracks. Incidentally, if you think I have some odd stuff now, I could play you some experiments that would send your dog running for cover. One thing that all that lo-tech experimentation did, was get me to do more with less (which, considering my talent level, is a helpful skill). I believe that it's good to work within certain limitations. It seems that the more strict the limitations, the more inventive that I am forced to become. It's the aspect of human nature that I find most valuable. It's also a bit annoying. It seems that, as a race, we know that we can do anything, but we have to be put into situations where it's necessary to use that inventive spark.

Oh well, enough for now...