Dalloways in Studio with Marlon Brando

Cortnie and I drove to Fresno this morning for a frigid Friday studio session at Royal Dutch Company--Aaron's Fresno studio. The room is housed in a solid slab of a building. Burgundy paint covers some walls, gray carpet covers the rest, black ceilings press down from above--it feels like the sound lab it is. Posters of Marlon Brando as the godfather and Marilyn Monroe as a floosy keep us company.

We built what Cortnie called a carnival booth--a square corner of the room draped with tacked up blankets and comforters--in order to isolate the vocals. Then we went to work. I sipped orange ginger tea with honey as I sang in order to keep those vocal cords loose.

For this recording, the band scored a top of the line Neumann mic from the 1970's--the creme de la creme of pro studio mics, and coupled it with a Nieve preamp for an incredibly warm and distinctive sound. I could tell you more specs, but then I'd have to kill you.

In total, we finished lead vocals for three songs--"Me and Thomas Hardy," "Trona," and "Kenny Filthy"--before my voice tired and we had to quit for the day.

So the new album continues to develop. We've already got drums and bass done for fifteen tracks, and soon the lead and backing vocals we're currently working on will be added to the mix.

Stay tuned for more developments.