Ask a music scene micro celebrity - Page 12

thespoil · #**111** 07-04-2007, 02:29 AM

Have you ever worked on a record that turned out so poor you asked for your name to be left out of the credits?

What were the Gub sessions like?

Number27 · #**112** 07-04-2007, 02:42 AM

I know I've already asked two questions but this thread rocks.

1) If a hundred years from now people could only hear one album you worked on which would it be?
2) If you could create a dream band who would you select?

electrical · #**113** 07-04-2007, 02:49 AM

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Have you ever worked on a record that turned out so poor you asked for your name to be left out of the credits?

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I am actually indifferent to being credited in any case. I make a lot of records, and a band putting my name on their record is inviting associations that they may not think are valid, and categorizing themselves in a way. I think it's nice that bands want to thank me for the work, but in most cases I think they'd be better off taking all the credit themselves and not mentioning me at all.

So no, I've never asked not to be mentioned, but I have a general preference for not being mentioned, in consideration of the band.

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What were the Gub sessions like?

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Pretty ad-hoc. The two drummers, Bill Reiflin and Martin Atkins, played on everything, but the rest of the music was dependent on who they invited to participate on a given track. A lot of it was improvised. It was a pretty loose way of working, and it could have been a disaster. A lot of things done that way are.

cameronw01 · #**114** 07-04-2007, 02:50 AM

By the way, since I first read this thread I can't stop listening to my old Pixies, Urge Overkill and McLusky CDs.

electrical · #**115** 07-04-2007, 03:25 AM

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1) If a hundred years from now people could only hear one album you worked on which would it be?

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For my own tastes, probably Goat by the Jesus Lizard. What an awesome band. They were just about perfect for their first five years.

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2) If you could create a dream band who would you select?

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That's a pretty meaningless question. Some musicians are terrific at one style or idiom of music, but clumsy at others. Some people have a distinctive style that they have developed a whole style of music around, but are not technically "good" in general terms. In particular, vocalists and guitarists can use abstract sound and timbre to great effect, without being particularly concerned about things like timing and pitch. In their own music, these effects can be perfect, but in any other setting, they would be ugly and inappropriate.

So, I have some favorite musicians, but they would probably make an awful band together.

Drummers: too many to count, all brilliant.
Bass: Tony Maimone, Barry Adamson, David Wm. Sims, Tracy Pew
Guitar: Also quite a few. Keith Levine, Wilco Johnson, Billy Gibbons, Malcolm Young, Andy Cohen, Robert Quine, Shannon Wright, Yanni Papadopoulos...

electrical · #**116** 07-04-2007, 04:42 AM

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oh one other thing, i noticed you didn't mention damon che among the great drummers you've worked with? what was it like recording him?

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He's an awesome, inventive drummer, but he has been personally irresponsible and put some dear friends in harm's way, so I don't generally think highly of him. Incredible drummer though. He has invented techniques and effects for his playing that are distinctive and uniquely his. I have to respect that, regardless of what else he's done.

electrical · #**117** 07-04-2007, 04:52 AM

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how many musicians have you nailed?

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Had to do some research and cyphering. I think it's about a dozen.

Quanah Parker · #**118** 07-04-2007, 02:37 PM

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how many musicians have you nailed?

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Had to do some research and cyphering. I think it's about a dozen.

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At the same time?
Awesome!

Ok, seriously.
Do you have any favorite "toys" you're really digging right now? (Musicial or otherwise.)

turnipmonster · #**119** 07-04-2007, 04:10 PM

I know you said upstream that you don't listen to a lot of music on your time off, but do you have any favorite music that would surprise us? like gamelan or something?

also, you worked with ken vandermark on a portastatic record, what do you think of him? thoughts about the chicago avant garde scene in general?

also, what do you think about jeff parker, and have you worked with him much? I really loved his playing on the new hamid drake/fred anderson record and had never heard of him before, that's why I'm asking.

electrical · #**120** 07-04-2007, 04:19 PM

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Do you have any favorite "toys" you're really digging right now? (Musicial or otherwise.)

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Kevin from Electrical Guitar Company is making some incredible guitars right now. Beautiful workmanship, they sound incredible, and he'll custom make anything you ask for. There's a new low-power Orange guitar amp called the Tiny Terror that is great for recording and is really versatile. I'm still really into the David Josephson microphones, specifically the e22S (which we had a hand in designing) and the C700 (awesome vocalist microphone).