My cousin Ray died last Saturday night. The story is he was at his apartment and his gun accidentally went off, but it is suspicious and the cops are investigating. We weren't real close, which I regret. He was really into Gangsta Rap. I remember a couple years ago, he was trying to get some money together to cut a demo. He said he had some contacts lined up and some things in the works and was looking for $1000 to get it done. We (meaning my dad, uncle, and cousins) all had a good laugh about this. Of course, no one from my family gave him the money. I don't know if he ever got it and honestly I'm not sure if he was any good or not because I never took the time to listen.
Now here I am, trying to make a run at the music business myself. I look back on that instance with great regret. Everyone tells you it's an impossible dream, and that you should just study hard in school and get a job in an office somewhere. Or in the case of my family, strap on some nail bags and swing a hammer for 40 years.
I guess what I'm saying is, if you ever have someone come to you with a dream, and they're not asking for much, and you're in a position to help- HELP THEM! What would it have hurt if someone would've believe in Ray and given him a $1000, or even a few hundred? He was just a kid. When people are 40, it's time to stop chasing the dream. But when you're 20 (or even 28), why not cut someone a break and encourage them to take a shot?!
Who knows what would've happened, but if I had it to do over again I'd give whatever I could spare, even if it was only $100. Art is something that is cherished by humanity more than just about anything else, and yet whenever anyone says they want to create are they are nearly always met with rejection from their friends and family.
Monday, April 27, 2009
2 CD Release Shows THIS WEEK
The first is the much anticipated (by the 4 of us anyhow) BW/C show. Our EP will be back from duplication Wednesday, the day of the show. We play around 10:30 PM @ The Ash St in Old Town PDX. My good friend (BFF) Brian Bergstrom is playing lead guitar for us. Brian and I have managed to play together in just about every band either one of us has been in since high school. He's a brilliant singer / songwriter who is currently working on an album with his band Jettison Bend, but he's been kind enough to take time out to learn our tunes and we couldn't be more grateful.
Then Thursday I'm playing John O'Mara's unofficial CD release at Kelly's Olympian in downtown PDX. Unfortunately John's album was recorded before I came on board so I don't play on it. The live drums were actually played by John Chinburg, a rather famous drummer from my hometown and he did a fine job. I've played 2 shows with John already, but this one will be way better because we've 1) finally gotten the backing tracks arranged to accompany a live drummer and 2) we have added a keyboard player. And, I know the keyboard player from a band I played in before I joined the Drags back in 2006. Portland is a small town.
In other news, I had a great practice with The Winebirds last week. It was our first one after a month off and they've got some great new tunes so watch this space for future shows with them. When I started this blog back in January I had no band and no prospects. Since then I've been hitting it hard and it's really starting to pay off. Not monetarily, but it's paying off nonetheless.
Then Thursday I'm playing John O'Mara's unofficial CD release at Kelly's Olympian in downtown PDX. Unfortunately John's album was recorded before I came on board so I don't play on it. The live drums were actually played by John Chinburg, a rather famous drummer from my hometown and he did a fine job. I've played 2 shows with John already, but this one will be way better because we've 1) finally gotten the backing tracks arranged to accompany a live drummer and 2) we have added a keyboard player. And, I know the keyboard player from a band I played in before I joined the Drags back in 2006. Portland is a small town.
In other news, I had a great practice with The Winebirds last week. It was our first one after a month off and they've got some great new tunes so watch this space for future shows with them. When I started this blog back in January I had no band and no prospects. Since then I've been hitting it hard and it's really starting to pay off. Not monetarily, but it's paying off nonetheless.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
2 Shows Next Week
So next week is pretty big. Unfortunately the shows are Wednesday and Thursday, which is bad if you have to work. But at least they're not during Blazer games!
Wednesday BW/C at the Ast St, show starts at 9pm. We play last, so probably around 11. This is a huge show for us as it is our first actual show. We've played a few open mics, but this is the real deal. Brian Bergstrom is playing lead guitar for us, so we'll be a 4 piece for the first time. Also, we'll have our new EP for sale at the show. If there is any way you can make it out, please do so. We want to make a big splash on the scene and no better way than to pack the house. We've been working up some new tunes and really hammering out the harmonies. It's a challenge as Sasha and myself have never really sung before, but it'll be well worth it.
Thursday John O'Mara at Kelly's Olympian. Show starts at 9, we have the middle slot. John's CD is also just coming out, so you can pick it up at the show. We've added a keyboard player to the lineup. Small world, his name is Jeremy and I played a show with him in The Nights years ago, he was the lead guitarist. We've been practicing real hard also and are very excited to introduce the new lineup and album to you.
Both of these shows are very exciting because they are new, and great effort and time as been put into ironing out the arrangements for maximum effect on stage. For me, this is what it's all about. Live rock and roll on stage just for you. The endless hours of rehearsal that goes into a 40 minute show are mind boggling, but the end result when it all falls into place- that's why I get up in the morning!
Wednesday BW/C at the Ast St, show starts at 9pm. We play last, so probably around 11. This is a huge show for us as it is our first actual show. We've played a few open mics, but this is the real deal. Brian Bergstrom is playing lead guitar for us, so we'll be a 4 piece for the first time. Also, we'll have our new EP for sale at the show. If there is any way you can make it out, please do so. We want to make a big splash on the scene and no better way than to pack the house. We've been working up some new tunes and really hammering out the harmonies. It's a challenge as Sasha and myself have never really sung before, but it'll be well worth it.
Thursday John O'Mara at Kelly's Olympian. Show starts at 9, we have the middle slot. John's CD is also just coming out, so you can pick it up at the show. We've added a keyboard player to the lineup. Small world, his name is Jeremy and I played a show with him in The Nights years ago, he was the lead guitarist. We've been practicing real hard also and are very excited to introduce the new lineup and album to you.
Both of these shows are very exciting because they are new, and great effort and time as been put into ironing out the arrangements for maximum effect on stage. For me, this is what it's all about. Live rock and roll on stage just for you. The endless hours of rehearsal that goes into a 40 minute show are mind boggling, but the end result when it all falls into place- that's why I get up in the morning!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
And The Winner Is...
Here is the finalized CD artwork for the forthcoming BW/C EP. Took a long time to iron out all the typos and make everything fit. And by a long time I mean a couple hours. It has been sent off for duplication and will be back late next week. This is a simple 5 song EP, with a cardboard sleeve. No fancy booklet just yet.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
BW/C EP Update + Other Business
We just did another photoshoot yesterday, along the waterfront and bridges. My old friend Aaron Rogosin took the shots, he's the best photographer out there so if you ever need one- look him up (google search works). Not sure what the final project will look like but it's taking shape. We send everything off for duplication tomorrow and should get it back in just over a week. So just in time for our Ash St show on Wednesday 4/29. That will be our first official show, and we've been practicing real hard so you won't want to miss it.
In other band news, I've got another show with John O'Mara coming up the following night, 4/30, at Kelly's Olympian. We'll have a keyboard player with us as well, so that should be fun. May will see more shows with these two, as well as the triumphant return (after taking a month off) of The Winebirds. And maybe I can get the boys from Dallas to come down from Seattle for a couple gigs in the 503. Also, Ryan Ferris and the Tender Handed Men of Purity is constantly rehearsing so sooner or later we will play out.
PLAYOFFS START SATURDAY GO BLAZERS!!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
For The Gear - Heads
My drums on the Bradley Wik & The Charlatans (heretofor known as "BW/C") EP were recorded with the following mic configuration: Shure SM57s close-mic'd on the toms. SM58 close mic'd on the snare. 2 AKG pencil condensers for overheads. And a Sure kick drum mic (SM48?). The overheads run about $1200 for the pair, but other than that the mics are all pretty inexpensive. Pierre Ferguson who produced and engineered the session did an amazing job. He has a few signature techniques for eq-ing the drums in the mix but for the most part they sound on record just like they do in the room. I use Evens 2 ply coated heads on the snare on toms, with Evans single ply clear resonance heads on the bottoms. The heads were brand new and freshly tuned, which is normal for recording. My kit is a vintage 60s Ludwig, which I've had to do almost no work on, the bearing edges are true and the drums are still in great shape. I use Vic Firth 7A nylon tip sticks. I used to use wood tips, but I find the Nylon tips give a better contact sound on the cymbals, especially the ride. Speaking of cymbals, my ride is a vintage Zildjian which I've had longer than the kit. The crash in the left channel (so on my right as I'm playing) is an inexpensive Sabian which was all I could afford 10 years ago but I really like the sound of it. The left channel crash is a newer high end Zildjian, which I borrowed from my roomate. The hats are cheap Zildjian ZBT, which you can buy a whole set of at guitar center for just over $100.
Funny thing about brand names, they don't mean what they used to. Some time in the late 80s or early 90s a lot of companies realized that they could farm out their manufacturing to China, turn out an absolutely inferior product, slap their once prestigious label on it and sell it to kids who only shop for labels. Don't be fooled, if you see a brand new Ludwig kit for $500 or less, it's junk. The real stuff is still thousands. Best to find the vintage gear, back when everything was still made in the USA by craftsman who didn't know how to turn out an inferior product.
Oh and one more thing, this was recorded using Pro Tools. If you don't know what that means, Pro Tools is a software that came out in the late 90s and quickly became the new industry standard for recording. It enables bands to basically digitally fix every mistake in a recording. There is a lot of controversy emerging in regards to how much is too much fixing. As a band, we pride ourselves on being musicians, thus we have no use for Autotune, Beat Detective, etc... If we get a take that is near perfect except for one beat where my sticks clicked together and I missed the snare drum, we go back and "fix" it. Sure, we could record the whole song over again, but then something else might go wrong and this fix literally takes seconds- studio time isn't cheap! But I am proud to say that no Beat Detective was used. Beat Detective is a plugin for Pro Tools that allows you to input the temp (bpm) and time signature of the song and it will allign all of the drum beats so there are no notes out of place. I would bet that 90% of the music you hear on the radio today has been run through Beat Detective. This record was made without even the use of a click track (metronome played during tracking to keep everyone in tempo) which I'm sure someone with perfect rhythm could tell. But you know what, it makes for a more organic record and rock & roll isn't supposed to be perfect.
Funny thing about brand names, they don't mean what they used to. Some time in the late 80s or early 90s a lot of companies realized that they could farm out their manufacturing to China, turn out an absolutely inferior product, slap their once prestigious label on it and sell it to kids who only shop for labels. Don't be fooled, if you see a brand new Ludwig kit for $500 or less, it's junk. The real stuff is still thousands. Best to find the vintage gear, back when everything was still made in the USA by craftsman who didn't know how to turn out an inferior product.
Oh and one more thing, this was recorded using Pro Tools. If you don't know what that means, Pro Tools is a software that came out in the late 90s and quickly became the new industry standard for recording. It enables bands to basically digitally fix every mistake in a recording. There is a lot of controversy emerging in regards to how much is too much fixing. As a band, we pride ourselves on being musicians, thus we have no use for Autotune, Beat Detective, etc... If we get a take that is near perfect except for one beat where my sticks clicked together and I missed the snare drum, we go back and "fix" it. Sure, we could record the whole song over again, but then something else might go wrong and this fix literally takes seconds- studio time isn't cheap! But I am proud to say that no Beat Detective was used. Beat Detective is a plugin for Pro Tools that allows you to input the temp (bpm) and time signature of the song and it will allign all of the drum beats so there are no notes out of place. I would bet that 90% of the music you hear on the radio today has been run through Beat Detective. This record was made without even the use of a click track (metronome played during tracking to keep everyone in tempo) which I'm sure someone with perfect rhythm could tell. But you know what, it makes for a more organic record and rock & roll isn't supposed to be perfect.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Complete New EP on Myspace
The entire new Bradley Wik & The Charlatans EP, The Winners and the Losers, is now up on our myspace page. Go give it a listen! www.myspace.com/bradleywik
New Songs on Facebook
I'm not sure yet how to directly link to it, but if you are a facebook user simply search for me (Nick Kostenborder). I have a personal page and an artist page. The artist page is brand new so find it and become a fan. You can hear 2 brand spanking new tracks from the forthcoming Bradley Wik & The Charlatans EP which I just finished yesterday. I've also got some rare and unreleased Scotland Barr stuff there. The page should start getting updated a lot more frequently in the coming weeks, as soon as I learn how to use it.
This page is the best place to start for new info, and I'm also on twitter.
This page is the best place to start for new info, and I'm also on twitter.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
more studio pics
This is one of the guitar amps in an isolation booth, which is actually an old safe with a thick steel door. This allows us to all play together in the same room, because the amps are isolated in other rooms so the sound doesn't bleed through to the drum mics or vice versa. Thus, we can adjust each instrument individually in the mix without screwing up the others, but we still get the performance quality that only comes from playing live.
The console / mixing desk / whatever you want to call it
Bradley and Sasha pondering the mix in the control room
The console / mixing desk / whatever you want to call it
Bradley and Sasha pondering the mix in the control room
Studio Update #3 (final)
Done mastering. Sounds incredible. Bradley and Sasha left after mixing last night, but since I have a show up here with Dallas tonight I was able to be here for mastering. The five song EP will be available very soon, and we are all excited for you to hear it! Pierre Ferguson and Norm Baker did an amazing job in the studio (www.foundryforsound.com) so we will definitely be back to record a full album very soon. I now have a half day off, which is great because it will give me a chance to head over to Northgate for some Toshi's Teriyaki, which is truly the best. Not like that boiled glue factory waste I had yesterday. Playing with Dallas tonight at 11PM at the Sky Lark in West Seattle. Then I'll drive straight home because it's been 3 days and I miss Klaus.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Studio Update #2
Just ate some crappy teriyaki. Listening to the Ace Man's podcast while we mix, which is process that requires 5 minutes of input for every half hour or so. There's no telling when I will be needed, I just have to be standing by when the time comes. Thank God for laptops!
This project so far has been the most fun and rewarding I've done, as far as studio work is concerned. When I recorded All The Great Aviators Agree with the Slow Drags, it was a much different process. That album was recorded over a 2 year period, and each musician laid down their part separately to a click track. This makes it easier to piece stuff in over the course of a long period of time, but it really loses the cohesiveness you get when the whole band plays in the room at the same time. It's nearly impossible to have all the notes gel together to form a song when they are played at different times.
So this album we tracked "Live". Obviously, we did a few takes of each song picked the best one. We also did "punch in" a few places to fix things. And the vocals / aux percussion were overdubbed. I much prefer this approach. Upon first listen to the first raw track yesterday we knew this was going to be great. It's just a 5 song EP which we are spending a total of 2 days on, so Sgt. Pepper it is not. But it's got a great rock and roll sound. Think 70s Springsteen meets early Oasis.
More to come...
This project so far has been the most fun and rewarding I've done, as far as studio work is concerned. When I recorded All The Great Aviators Agree with the Slow Drags, it was a much different process. That album was recorded over a 2 year period, and each musician laid down their part separately to a click track. This makes it easier to piece stuff in over the course of a long period of time, but it really loses the cohesiveness you get when the whole band plays in the room at the same time. It's nearly impossible to have all the notes gel together to form a song when they are played at different times.
So this album we tracked "Live". Obviously, we did a few takes of each song picked the best one. We also did "punch in" a few places to fix things. And the vocals / aux percussion were overdubbed. I much prefer this approach. Upon first listen to the first raw track yesterday we knew this was going to be great. It's just a 5 song EP which we are spending a total of 2 days on, so Sgt. Pepper it is not. But it's got a great rock and roll sound. Think 70s Springsteen meets early Oasis.
More to come...
Pics
John Layin down backing vocals
Bradley layin down lead vocals on "Brooklyn"
Me and Norm (co-producer)
Sasha
Ludwig
Studio Update #1
We (Bradley Wik & The Charlatans) are sequestered in Seattle at Foundry Studios working on our 5 song EP, tentatively titled Shark Sandwich. Yesterday we knocked out the first two songs in two takes. Needless to say, we started to feel pretty good about ourselves. About the time we started thinking we might finish all of our tracking in one day, well that's when we started to get bogged down in song three. After about ten takes we decided to come back to it. Took a pizza break, then knocked out song four in two takes.
So we're starting off today with song three and the guys are ready for me so I must quit blogging and start rocking.
So we're starting off today with song three and the guys are ready for me so I must quit blogging and start rocking.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Seattle
I'll be going into the studio next week with Bradley Wik & The Charlatans in Seattle. The plan is to hammer out around 6 tunes mostly live in the studio, overdub the vocals and maybe some percussion, and get it mix and mastered ASAP. We aim to have the as yet untitled EP available for sale at our Ash St show later this month.
The timing couldn't be better for me, because after we wrap in the studio I am playing a show with Dallas at the Sky Lark. Check out myspace.com/dallasmusicseattle for more info on that show.
The two Winebirds shows last week were an absolute blast. More about them later. Stay tuned I'll post pics and updates from the Seattle session next week.
GO BLAZERS!
The timing couldn't be better for me, because after we wrap in the studio I am playing a show with Dallas at the Sky Lark. Check out myspace.com/dallasmusicseattle for more info on that show.
The two Winebirds shows last week were an absolute blast. More about them later. Stay tuned I'll post pics and updates from the Seattle session next week.
GO BLAZERS!
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