Tours coming in, songs churning out.

so shit, we've got three tunes for the new record already...this is most unlike us. Any of you who may have read this come 2008 and we were writing for New Hopes, may recall a vaguely manic and panicked edge to the text....big news being another new tune once every 2 months.

I had the misfortune recently of having to re-visit a lot of our old emails from that period, looking for my old passport number as it so happens, and had to sit glued to the computer scanning every email in my inbox in a desperate attempt to locate it, the result: nadda. Luckily my mum had a photocopy of it, but thats not the point, the point is what I had to read in the process of said scan. Untold waves of misery fell upon me, I think in my traumatised state I'd blocked out the worst of what was being exchanged between us, from angry rants about lack of productivity to simple desperation and despair as the weeks ground by with so little to show, the endless practices where we'd leave silently and scurry home to glare at the television and turn our backs on our instruments.....

My least favourite one of all, entitled ' 4 weeks to go ' ( until the studio, which was all booked ), documented on a day by day basis our final writing itinerary, and I include it now just purely cos I believe it needs to be purged, note also my wedding is tucked amongst this!

OCTOBER

Week 1 commencing Mon 6th - 12th
2 practices with Tom
Finish new song Music + Tom Vocals
Finalise fast song Arrangements/Parts
Finish Guitars for Pre-prod 1st session. If possible burn CD for everyone especially Gaz and Tom.
Work on new song(s)
Plan Pre-production 2nd session

Mon 6th Record Guitars @home w/Gelang + Practice w/Gaz work on current songs
Tue 7th Record Guitars @home w/Gelang + Practice w/Gaz work on current songs
Wed 8th Picking up drum kit London. Practice w/Tom on current set-list
Thur 9th Practice 6:30-9:30 w/Tom on current set-list
Fri 10th Record Bass @home w/Gaz?
Sat 11th Sweden show. Meet Pelle.
Sun 12th Rest


Week 2 commencing Mon 13th - 19th
Discuss recording arrangements/sound with Pelle
Book Pre-Production for next week w/Guy
Confirm Travel for Equipment to Sweden
Confirm Travel for Me, Jag and equipment to Guy's studio
Work on new song(s)?
Obtain gear
3 Practices for Studio
5 Recording sessions

Mon 13th Practice w/Gaz work on new songs + Vocals
Tue 14th Practice w/Gaz work on new songs + Vocals
Wed 15th Practice w/Gaz work on new songs + Vocals
Thur 16th Record Bass @home w/Gaz + Record drum parts on v-drums
Fri 17th Record Bass @home w/Gaz + Record drum parts on v-drums or Record Vocals @home w/Tom
Sat 18th Record Vocals @home w/Tom
Sun 19th Obtain all equipment inc skins/percussion/strings etc by today + Record drum parts on v-drums

Week 3 Commencing Mon 20th - 26th
Drum Pre-production 2nd session (may need 2 days?)
Send Pelle complete Pre-production sessions via email
2 Practices for Studio
4 Recording sessions
Plan Studio itinerary w/Pelle. Finalise studio days/week for Gaz.

Mon 20th Drum Pre-production w/Guy £150/£250 Note that we may need to push this a few days back to ease logistics? Discussion needed.
Tue 21st Record Guitars @home w/Gelang
Wed 22nd Record Guitars @home w/Gelang + Record Percussion @home and or practice
Thurs 23rd Record Vocals @home w/Tom
Fri 24th Record Bass @home w/Gaz and or practice
Sat 25th Record Bass @home w/Gaz + Send Pelle complete Pre-Production sessions via Email
Sun 26th Tom/Jenni's wedding

Final week Commencing Mon 27th - 31st (only 5 days)
1 Practice for Show
2 Practices for Studio
Confirm travel + driver for show on 1st Nov Leeds
Pick up van for Studio Equipment
Finalise studio itinerary w/Pelle

Mon 27th Rest or Record Guitars/Bass @home
Tue 28th Record Guitars/Bass @home and or Practice
Wed 29th Record Tom vocals @home
Thur 30th Record Tom Vocals @home
Fri 31st Practice w/Tom on current set-list + Pack

Quite how we didn't kill each other is remarkable, I think I've put this up just as a warning to all bands, don't expect anyone to write your record for you, also, don't leave it up to anyone in the team to carry you! It's all on you. Also, this is for the rest of the band so we can all pat ourselves on the back for NOT killing each other, and infact having a ball in Sweden when we did get out there.

Oh, I forgot to mention the tour, next time.