www.beaurocks.com

I went ahead and put the whole thing up there, streaming. That's the final tracks, before they go get mastered. (okay, and there's two prince covers at the end as well. No, they're not going on the CD).

Check them out, tell me what you think. Where is Artist08 these days?

beauhall said:

I'm lurking!! If you don't think I've been reading my idol's posts and listening you must be crazy! Crazy-azz beotch! I've actually just started messing around with my Zoom again after a long layoff. I've got about four songs that need to be finished and funked up a cover for the band to play. I was thinking about posting it, but...

Yeah, well, I checked the org and found that your last post was sometime in 1994, discussing that new grunge crap. So, just figured I'd call you out, cracker.

I'm thinking about dropping the Zoom for a Pro-Tools mac thing. Maybe. Maybe not. When I find the money, I might.

That's where you're wrong. I was arguing who was better - Color Me Badd or Boyz II Men!

beauhall said:

When your ready, call this guy: Cliff Soucy - 561-688-0067

He'll save you a TON, not to mention all the hook-ups. He's like a MAC broker or something. Because he orders over a million bucks a year from Club MAC: http://www.clubmac.com , he gets incredible discounts. Tell him I sent you.

Frank just got his new rig. He's lovin' Logic right now.

jshua

Hey Beau!

I like the recordings, very well done, looks like you're exploring new territory an it's interesting!
I'm missing something though, i think your home recordings sounds edgier, less sophisticated (eeh.. dunno if that's the right term) and in my personal taste, it seems to be missing here (after listening to it forthe first time hey)

but still great job, can't wait to get my hands on it!

You're probably right hh. The hardest part of this whole journey was keeping the songs fresh and new, 120 hours after you first started to record them. Keeping the thrill in your fingers, on the guitar, on the 12th take just ain't that easy.

When it's me, in the basement, with nobody around, there's no pressure to get it right. When it's me, in a studio, recording a CD that's going to capture what I do, for the masses, there's a lot more pressure to just get it right, not to explore and throw goofball passages in there.

It sucks, but that's a huge part of it. When I'm playing the bass, in the basement, I'll pop thump odd notes here and there, almost like a "hmm, if this sounds good, I'll leave it in, if it sounds bad, I'll re-do it, or, maybe not..." but in the studio, it's anywhere from 6 months to 15 years since I first recorded that song, and whatever I was thinking when I did the demo has long-since been absorbed by the beer. Also, I've had so long to hear the demos, I've picked out the parts that I really like from the demo and exploit THAT part, and forget the parts that make THAT part so interesting.

Without contrast, you just have grey. for that one passage to kickass, it has to be surrounded by non-kickass passages. make sense? On She's Too Rich For Me, for instance, I way overdid the bass playing. The original was sparse and empty, except for a flourish every now and then. When I sat down to record that part, all I could do was to nail that flourish, over and over again. I had to re-do the bass part 4 different times, (different nights in the studio) just to UNDO that stupid flourish that I really liked. It's like baking a cake of nothing but icing.

There are some spots where I told the engineer that I was going to just throw crap at the mic and see what sticks... the most obvious would be the beautiful dual-piano solo on "Can I Get Some Lovin'" - something that I've started calling "the sound of two cats fighting on the ivories". It's horrid. Horrible. Just plain awful. But the engineer thought it was so funny/bad that it actually worked for the overall vibe of the song. I agree.

But yeah, I wish I could have put the oomph into these versions that are in the originals. Comparing this version of "Whatchagonnado" to the original version for instance - the original is definitely rawer, slower, and this one is slick and popped up... I don't think I could GET the same feel over again. That song was done in 1 day originally.

Which reminds me of an old band that I used to love. I have their demo tape and pretty much wore it out. When they got a major-label record deal, I had such high hopes. But when the record came out, it totally lacked whatever it was that I liked about the demo tape. It was way too polished. I complained about it on their message board and the manager wrote me an e-mail saying pretty much what I've told you here... more pressure to Get It Right kills the freedom to just See What Happens.

And that's why live music is so exciting.

Thanks for the comments. I'm really trying to separate myself from comparing these versions to the demos - it'll just never be the same, and if it was the same, why bother to go into the studio, right? These are going to be different. Better in some ways, I hope, and yeah, the demos will always kick ass too.

That'll be my "Crystal Ball" in 15 years.

I understand what you're telling me here, and i've read your studio reports that whole period.
As a first studio-outing, very well done..!!

(and it's not even the final thing).


btw: One of the songs (show her my oh face) u previewed a 'works' version with the drummer that almost seems to lose it, and if i remember correctly u put the end at the beginning, that was exciting dude...

(i'm listening for the second time right now..it definetly is growing on me..)
[Edited 7/13/05 9:49am]

Listening to "What U Gonna Do" I like that harmonica part almost as an extended chorus..somethin Prince does quite often. Good voice.

Anti Social Butterfly is good man. The beat I'm still tryin to get a grip on. Now this one has to be live. This would be hard to play.

Superhot Lady Cop - FUNKY! The chorus is the best thing about it. I am diggin the story, it is funny!!! This should be the single from what Im hearing, followed by What U Gonna Do..or maybe that first.

I'll buy your cd ! Man, that's really good !
But... one condition : Life can be... & I would... put it on your cd!! These are great !!!

I'm still waiting to find out if i can get the mechanical publishing rights to put them on my CD. It's not looking good. I did a search and discovered that very few US indie bands have done Prince covers...

Breaking out of lurk mode just to congratulate you with this cool work, i checked out all the songs and it's a funky and consistent album... hope it gets picked up...

I hope it gets picked up by people with money. I'm not looking for a record deal. But hey - if somebody wants to do a cover version, and make a movie named after the song, hell, I'll be your huckleberry.

Couldn't hurt. Maybe you want to head over to Collipark Music (your home town) and see if you can get DJ Smurf to listen, critique. Just last week they inked a deal with Asylum/Warner to develop/promote independents. I think there's a heavy urban link there...but as you are in Atlanta - may want to drop it by.

Oh hell yes I will. Red you rock as always.