Music For Consumption.
Like a lot of people who have played in bands, I always thought it was a good idea to do everything myself. By "everything", I mean not just writing your own music, but recording it and distributing it, by whatever means neccesary.
Nowadays, there are a number of convenient labels for this kind of ethic, from "D.I.Y.", "indie", "alternative", etc. While I don't think those terms really describe much in the present day, at one time they represented a true alternative to the traditional ways in which bands made music and presented it to the general public.
This independent entrepreneurial spirit was as motivated by an abundance of passion, as much as it was by a lack of capital. There was always a certain amount of pride in being able to exercise complete control over how you presented your art to the world at large. More often than not, limited funds simply forced bands to become more creative, and more resourceful, in terms of how their music would be packaged and marketed.
Back before the days of burning your own CDs or MySpace, I certainly learned about the economics of recording and distribution, when working with Borrowed Time - recording, mixing and producing cassette albums for our home-based Forth World Ltd. label. As with many bands, we found the costs of record pressing plants prohibitive, considering the limited number of albums we wanted to release, so we resorted to cassete albums.
Once the technology became available to record and produce CD media on a home computer, I felt like I had found my niche. This was the piece of the industrial revolution I had been waiting for, and I honestly don't think the music industry can ever be the same again. There will probably always be corporate record labels, and artists who are seeking that level of success might not see the use for this small-scale independent style of production and distribution. Think about it this way: maybe you only want a limited number of discs to sell at shows, or to give away for promotional purposes. You really don't need an expensive studio recording, and you also don't need to pay for more copies than you actually need.
As much as I enjoy playing music, I particularly enjoy recording music - especially in a live setting. I also like tweaking it on my system at home, and discovering how I might be able to bring out more of the dynamics that are already there, rather than add in a lot of superfluous production. I believe the process should be simple and painless; most importantly, the result should be an accurate representation of what the music actually sounds like. Most people would be surprised how little is actually required to make that happen.
These are some of the recordings I've recorded, mastered and released since the turn of the millenium, using minimal equipment and a shoestring budget. These days, you can even print your own sleeves and labels, and eliminate jewel cases altogether. And yes, you can do it all by yourself - but when you'd rather just concentrate on the music, it just might come in handy to have someone else twiddling the dials.
John Wall
A Legacy Concert At 60
[2007; no label]
This was a fun project that came about through my involvement with punk rock bands, but stylistically took place on the other end of the musical spectrum - in a church, rather than a bar.
Organist/composer John Wall was approaching his 60th birthday, and planned a concert in which he could perform a retrospective overview of his work over the past thirty years. The mother of a guitarist I had done some work for wanted to record the event as a 60th bithday gift, and to serve as a legacy for his children.
Recorded direct to an Apple G4 laptop, with a set of Church-Audio pro-binaural mics; running through a Church-Audio AT-20 pre-amp, with a minidisc recorder as a pass-though/back-up unit. Mixed, mastered and digitally transfered, and labels printed on a PC.
Demolition Factor
demo
[2004; no label]
Another lo-fi gem; recorded "live in the bedroom", in two caffeine-fueled, hot summer afternoon sessions. Single takes, no overdubs. Econo-jams from the less-is-more school of rock.
Call me biased - after all, I was one-half of this power duo - but I think we nailed the guitar sound here with our practice amps better than our live Marshall/Mesa Boogie attack. There's a lot to be said for clarity. You want loud? Turn it up. It won't break.
Recorded direct to minidisc, with nothing more than two PZMs in front of two 25-watt practice amps, a drum machine, and a couple of low-end vocal mics; running through a 8-channel Mackie console. Mixed, mastered and digitally transfered, and labels printed on a PC.
various artists
For The Love Of Moldy
[2003; A One Ugly Puppy Production]
A labour of love, compiled from benefit concerts for Steve Moldenhauer - aka Moldy Ramone; featuring the creme de la creme of the Minneapolis TCPunk music community.
Two nights in the 7th St. Entry, eleven bands, 23 songs in all; recorded in glorious old-school 4-track - two PZMs mounted in the room, mixed with two soundboard channnels. Many of these tracks were mixed with assistance from the artists themselves; edited, mastered and transfered to disc with home PC technology.
This double-album-length disc features unreleased live tracks by Arcwelder, Baby Grant Johnson, The Clams, Coffin Cheaters, Kontrol Panel, The Mighty Mofos, Plate-O-Shrimp, Red Vendetta, The Squabs, Trailer Park Queen, and Vaseline Alley - MC'ed by the one and only Ollie Stench, and featuring the man of the hour himself, Moldy Ramone, singing with a few of his favorite bands. All proceeds from the sale of this CD to be deposited into a special bank account dubbed The Moldy Ramone Memorial Trust Fund, to be donated to charity.
Plate-O-Shrimp with Moldy Ramone
Moldy Shrimp E.P.
[2002; A One Ugly Puppy Production]
TCPunk rock stalwart Moldy Ramone takes the mic with pub rockers Plate-O-Shrimp, for a handful of punk/garage rock classics including Attitude, Blitzkrieg Bop, Chinese Rocks, I Don't Care, I Wanna Be Sedated, and Sonic Reducer.
Compiled from two shows: Feb 17 & Oct 19, 2002, at the 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis.
Recorded with two PZMs, straight to 2-track stereo. Edited, tracked, mastered and digitally transfered, sleeves printed, all on a home PC.
This disc marked the first release on the One Ugly Puppy Productions label. All proceeds from the sale of this disc were to aid Moldy in his fight with cancer.
The Hundred Flowers
Live at The Fireside Bowl
[2001; no label]
This impromptu "E.P." is actually a 38-minute live set from a band that seemed poised to stand glam rock on its' head and give it a good spin. [Not the Bay Area 100 Flowers of early punk fame, but a little-known group of inspired and talented individuals in Minneapolis, who have since gone on to even bigger projects.]
Recorded at The Fireside Bowl in Chicago, Illinois, on September 15th, 2001, this lo-fi/high-energy set captures all of the hopes, dreams and fears of a post-Y2K generation that suddenly found itself standing in the shadow of a looming apocalypse only days earlier.
Recorded using only a pair of PZMs mounted on a 12-ft mic stand, running directly into a stand-alone CD-writer; digitally tracked, edited, mastered and transfered to disc, on a PC. Initial run of 100, each in a unique hand-painted sleeve (front and back), with the flyer for the show reproduced on the disc's label.
Borrowed Time
In A New Land
[Forth World Ltd.; 1985]
This was an early dream come true - to be in a band that ran our own label, and produced our own music. Guitarist Melne and I had already released a considerable mount of material on cassette albums, culled from our live shows. Now we had graduated to an actual recording studio,
We had read about various recording techniques used by people like David Byrne and Brian Eno, and we thought we'd like to try some unconventional methods of producing our own music.
We convinced studio owner and sound engineer Jeff Labelle to let us buy enough time for him to teach us some of the finer points of mixing and production, and we became co-producers of our first studio recording. It was an invaluable education, and a lot of what I learned back then has carried over into my continued interest in mixing live sound, and mastering live recordings.
Additionally, I've recorded a number of tracks which found their way onto the following releases:
Plate-O-Shrimp
Fuck You
split-7" single w/The Unstuck
[2004; POSTU01]
Another classic burst of attitude from one of my favorite bands - to see, as well as to record - in the Twin Cities.
Recorded live at a TCPunk party in the 7th St. Entry, this track wound up being the band's pick for a 4-song split-single with local compatriots The Unstuck. Their other contribution was as skillfuly produced in the studio (by ace engineer Tom Herbers), as this track was skillfully "un-produced". How to capture the energy of a live performance? Easy - you don't mess with it.
This was the second time in a decade that one of my recordings ended up on a vinyl release - no less another split-single, and this time on flaming red vinyl!
Recorded with two PZMs, straight to 2-track stereo.
The Nicotines
Joey G. and the Handsome 3
live CD [no label; 2002]
The first time I ventured out to The House Of Rock, in Eau Claire, Wisconson, this bunch of hooligans happened to be the main act, and I can still remember that night like it was yesterday. They commanded the stage, with a presence both charismatic and ominous, exuding an air of almost giddy intensity.
I was working with The Hundred Flowers at the time, and got the idea to bring them out to Eau Claire to share a bill with these fine lads. They all got on so well that in 2002, we decided to bring 'em back to Minneapolis with us for a show at the Seventh Streeet Entry. Naturally, I recorded their set for posterity.
As it turned out, they liked the recording enough to make it their first full-length release - albeit, a limited edition promotional CD. To follow that up, they had to have AmRep alumni Tim Mac record and produce their first studio album. Makes a fella proud to be in such good company.
Recorded with two PZMs, straight to 2-track stereo. No frills, no middlemen. nothing added or removed
- all the energy goes straight to you!
Dumbwaiters
The Manic Impression Of Mutiny and Dung Hi!
split-7" single w/Meringue
[1995; Screw Music Forever]
Recorded during the "speed sessions" of 6-95, in Tampa, Florida, at the home of drummer Chris Millstein (who now plays with the equally excellent band Home).
This was one of those serendipitous events every taper lives for - one of the very first times I was able to adapt my live-recording techniques to a "studio" situation, resulting in a bona fide release! Actual vinyl, no less - green vinyl, even!
The backing instrumental tracks (drums, bass, guitar) were recorded direct to 4-track, using three or four PZMs, which were literally duct-taped to makeshift isolation panels cut from cardboard boxes. Voices and short-wave radio were added and deftly mixed by the band, and - voila! - one side of a split-single!
Guided By Voices - The Bootlegs: Commemorating 35 Years at First Avenue [DEMO/DAMF; 2003]
[Queen of Cans and Jars; live at First Avenue, Mpls, Nov 18, 2003]
Guided By Voices - Hardcore UFOs box set [Matador Records; 2003]
[King And Caroline/Motor Away; live at First Avenue, Mpls, Feb 22, 1996]
Nova Mob [St. Paul, MN] - The Squealer presents... Shuffle This compilation CD [MOHOG Music; 1996]
[Persuaded; live at 7th St. Entry, 1995]
The Pushrods [St. Paul, MN] - The Lowertown Offensive CD EP [End Of The Line Records; 2003]
[Weed and Whiskey; live at The Turf Club, St. Paul, MN Jun 12, 2003]
Murderapolis [Mpls, MN] - Learning To Be Arrogant CD [Sursumcorda; 2003]
[Janet The Pig; Mr. Whitefolks; live at 7th St. Entry, Mpls]
Venison [Mpls, MN] - Venison Box 4-CD set [Sursumcorda; 2000]
[live tracks recorded at 7th St. Entry, August 2, 1996]
Drown [Mpls, MN] - Fistful Of Flowers cassette album [FastLuck Records; 1993]
[667; Bad Poem; live at 7th St. Entry in Mpls, Christmas 1992]
In addition to the releases I've worked on for other artists, the work ethic was honed on my own band projects over the years. This seems like as good a place as any to direct your attention to some of the music I've made available for free, as .mp3 downloads. Freak out to the art-rock-funk of The Hytones, or the hyper-disco punk groove of Dancing In The Dark, tap your feet to the futuristic AM radio sounds of Demolition Factor, or get all introspective to the existentialist beat of Borrowed Time doing Joy Division.
Here are a few of the bands I've actually been in during the past few decades,
all documented for posterity, using whatever technology was available at the time: