is devestated...
I just found out that very good friend of mine passed away last night. I met Eric Polozune about 2 years ago when he answered an ad I posted for a keyboard player. From the start he was one of the most helpful, humble, and positive people I have ever met. Since we first met Eric had been battling muliple health issues, but never let it slow him down or dampen his spirit, drive or determination to make music. His beautiful playing (mostly B3 organ) perfectly lent itself to my original music and he and I had been speaking regularly and anxiously looking forward to getting together in the coming weeks to play.
Eric can be heard playing on one of my songs "Out With The Tide" on my MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/bryangordon. I will be going through my archives and posting more in the next few days, but until then take a moment to listen and remember a fine musician and my good friend. Safe trip Eric.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
What's the hold up?
A few months back I decided that, in an effort to actually finish a recording project, I was going to record a bunch of my original songs acoustically with no frills... just guitar, voice, and a little harmonica. My plan was to get something finished quick and press a few hundred copies I could sell at my solo shows... my thought at the time was that since I hadn't gotten an original band project up and running in spite of 3 years of trying to (at least nothing that lasted more than a few weeks), I would be best off presenting these songs in the only way they were consistently being performed.... but like most of my my ideas "the devil is in the details".
I quickly went into my studio and banged out 19 or 20 songs live that for the most part I was pretty happy with... then I sat down and listened to them over and over, decided which ones I wanted to put on the album, added a few effects and stuff that needs to be done to make the recording ready for pressing. I had realized pretty quickly that I was going to have to redo "Better on Our Own" and "Juliet, Juliet"... "Juliet" came out OK, but I had slurred a few words and that bothered me, and "Better" (for lack of a better way of putting it) just wasn't right.
Dealing with everything that needs to be done after a recording is done is not where I shine, I tend to overthink stuff and second guess myself... while all of that was going on I gave a copy of the recording to my friend Julie Corbalis and her behind the scenes guy, Scully, for them to review. They both have a nice way of letting you know if something is shit without making it sound like that's what they are saying... but at the same time being supportive and encouraging (exactly what I need). Before I heard back from them I went to work on getting a press kit page together on my website to pick up some new "cover" gigs. Part of that was having to record a few cover tunes so interested parties could hear what I sound like live. Once again I quickly knocked out a dozen tunes, but since they weren't going on an album I did very little to the recording as far as post production... after listening to the finished product I started to decide that I liked the minimal production of the cover recording more than what I did with my original stuff. Argh!!!
When I finally had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Julie and Scully, Scully immediately confirmed something that I had been feeling myself... he said "on the songs you started with harmonica, I wanted to hear more of it through the rest of the song". There is a completely logical reason for why I didn't play a lot of harmonica after the song intros... I can't play harmonica! I mean I noodle around a little bit, but I am far too self conscious to be blowing away any time I'm not singing. Not only that, but I racked my brain trying to make the few parts I did play "interesting" and I didn't want to screw that up by playing more, (and not very well). In the end I totally agreed with him.
All in all they liked it and thought I should release it as is, but when someone else recognizes the same flaws I do, then I have to start thinking that the flaws are there and I am not just being overly critical of myself. Put that together with the fact that I liked the overall sound and feel of the cover recordings better and I am starting to think that I better get back in the basement and re-record the original stuff.
None of this is really that important in the grand scheme of things, but I have made mention that the acoustic album was in the works and perhaps there are a few of you out there wondering what the hold-up is. Well that's pretty much it in a nutschell.
On the off chance any of you would like to judge any of this yourself, there are a handful of songs from both the "cover" and "original" recordings posted on the press kit page of my website www.bryangordon.net/Press_Kit.html . You decide...
Peace, Bryan
P.S. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I quickly went into my studio and banged out 19 or 20 songs live that for the most part I was pretty happy with... then I sat down and listened to them over and over, decided which ones I wanted to put on the album, added a few effects and stuff that needs to be done to make the recording ready for pressing. I had realized pretty quickly that I was going to have to redo "Better on Our Own" and "Juliet, Juliet"... "Juliet" came out OK, but I had slurred a few words and that bothered me, and "Better" (for lack of a better way of putting it) just wasn't right.
Dealing with everything that needs to be done after a recording is done is not where I shine, I tend to overthink stuff and second guess myself... while all of that was going on I gave a copy of the recording to my friend Julie Corbalis and her behind the scenes guy, Scully, for them to review. They both have a nice way of letting you know if something is shit without making it sound like that's what they are saying... but at the same time being supportive and encouraging (exactly what I need). Before I heard back from them I went to work on getting a press kit page together on my website to pick up some new "cover" gigs. Part of that was having to record a few cover tunes so interested parties could hear what I sound like live. Once again I quickly knocked out a dozen tunes, but since they weren't going on an album I did very little to the recording as far as post production... after listening to the finished product I started to decide that I liked the minimal production of the cover recording more than what I did with my original stuff. Argh!!!
When I finally had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Julie and Scully, Scully immediately confirmed something that I had been feeling myself... he said "on the songs you started with harmonica, I wanted to hear more of it through the rest of the song". There is a completely logical reason for why I didn't play a lot of harmonica after the song intros... I can't play harmonica! I mean I noodle around a little bit, but I am far too self conscious to be blowing away any time I'm not singing. Not only that, but I racked my brain trying to make the few parts I did play "interesting" and I didn't want to screw that up by playing more, (and not very well). In the end I totally agreed with him.
All in all they liked it and thought I should release it as is, but when someone else recognizes the same flaws I do, then I have to start thinking that the flaws are there and I am not just being overly critical of myself. Put that together with the fact that I liked the overall sound and feel of the cover recordings better and I am starting to think that I better get back in the basement and re-record the original stuff.
None of this is really that important in the grand scheme of things, but I have made mention that the acoustic album was in the works and perhaps there are a few of you out there wondering what the hold-up is. Well that's pretty much it in a nutschell.
On the off chance any of you would like to judge any of this yourself, there are a handful of songs from both the "cover" and "original" recordings posted on the press kit page of my website www.bryangordon.net/Press_Kit.html . You decide...
Peace, Bryan
P.S. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Soon it will be over (:-(>
A few months back, in an effort to quietly sit together with my wife and kids at night (if only for a half hour), I purchase the first season of the "Partridge Family" online... I wanted us to sit down and watch something that I thought would appeal to all of us (6-46yrs) and I had always had fond memories of the show, so I figured we could give it a try...
We are now coming to the end of season 3 and I am starting to worry that my "C'mon Get Happy" feeling will soon be replaced with an emptiness that will never be filled. Believe it or not "The Partridge Family" has become quite a tradition at our home and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we look forward to our half hour plopped on the couch (Reily sprawled across the end chair and Sammy (our dog) jammed somewhere in between me, Kate and Sullivan on the couch). Sometimes it's not as quiet as I had originally envisioned it... the Gordon's can't really sit through a T.V. show without making fun of something... Keith's girly walk... the fact that we haven't seen their dog (Simone) since the first episode... and oh that nutty Reuben!
Now if you are reading this blog odds are you know I have always been a fan of syrupy 70's music, and the Partridge Family is no exception. I used to watch the show religiously when I was a kid and I can safely say that I'm sure that in some twisted way it played a big part in my getting involved in music... but what I didn't realize when I was 7 years old was how good of a show it actually was. I think it's easy for people to lump it together with the "Brady Bunch" (a show which I NEVER liked), but short of them both being "families" I see very few similarities... to begin with, the fact that they were being raised by a single mother (widowed) was a huge break from norm of 50's and early 60's shows... and if you can look past the silly shit like the bus getting stuck in a ghost town, or them having to get dressed up in chicken suits, the problems they dealt with were far more true to life than the Bradys would dare to approach. For instance, in last night's episode Keith was failing sex education and Danny tried to help by lending him his copy of "Playpen" ("Playboy" knock off if you haven't already guessed)... no 11 year old Brady ever admitted to having a Playboy hidden in their room!
As I said when I started this rant (or is it ramble?), we are coming to the end of season 3 and soon I will be ordering season 4 (the final season) and I am starting to feel sad that it will be over, mostly because I will know that I have now seen ALL of the episodes (when it was on T.V. you always though that you must have missed a few)... I know we will find another show to keep the tradition going (we're already talking about the Monkees), but it just won't be the same.
Peace, Bryan
We are now coming to the end of season 3 and I am starting to worry that my "C'mon Get Happy" feeling will soon be replaced with an emptiness that will never be filled. Believe it or not "The Partridge Family" has become quite a tradition at our home and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we look forward to our half hour plopped on the couch (Reily sprawled across the end chair and Sammy (our dog) jammed somewhere in between me, Kate and Sullivan on the couch). Sometimes it's not as quiet as I had originally envisioned it... the Gordon's can't really sit through a T.V. show without making fun of something... Keith's girly walk... the fact that we haven't seen their dog (Simone) since the first episode... and oh that nutty Reuben!
Now if you are reading this blog odds are you know I have always been a fan of syrupy 70's music, and the Partridge Family is no exception. I used to watch the show religiously when I was a kid and I can safely say that I'm sure that in some twisted way it played a big part in my getting involved in music... but what I didn't realize when I was 7 years old was how good of a show it actually was. I think it's easy for people to lump it together with the "Brady Bunch" (a show which I NEVER liked), but short of them both being "families" I see very few similarities... to begin with, the fact that they were being raised by a single mother (widowed) was a huge break from norm of 50's and early 60's shows... and if you can look past the silly shit like the bus getting stuck in a ghost town, or them having to get dressed up in chicken suits, the problems they dealt with were far more true to life than the Bradys would dare to approach. For instance, in last night's episode Keith was failing sex education and Danny tried to help by lending him his copy of "Playpen" ("Playboy" knock off if you haven't already guessed)... no 11 year old Brady ever admitted to having a Playboy hidden in their room!
As I said when I started this rant (or is it ramble?), we are coming to the end of season 3 and soon I will be ordering season 4 (the final season) and I am starting to feel sad that it will be over, mostly because I will know that I have now seen ALL of the episodes (when it was on T.V. you always though that you must have missed a few)... I know we will find another show to keep the tradition going (we're already talking about the Monkees), but it just won't be the same.
Peace, Bryan
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Could it be??????
Last night I got together to jam with a couple of local guys for the second time and once again it was great.
The first time we got together we came in with no preconceptions, nothing planned... the goal was to just hang out and make some music (and of course, have a few beers) and by the end I was pleasantly surprised that I seemed to be in the company of real musicians (which never ceases to humble me). But what really surprised me is that everyone got along and we all seemed to be on the same page about what we were hoping to accomplish... even though at the onset the goal was to accomplish nothing but have a little fun.
Last night we decided we would come in with a few songs prepared and this is where I started to worry... it's hard enough to get three guys to agree on a group on songs to do, but to actually have everyone come into the room prepared to play those songs is rare (especially when they've never heard a few of them before). For the past few years I have been a bit obsessed with a band called "Wilco", an obsession I'm sure must tire my friends and family... I didn't want to scare these guys off, but if we were gonna work out some songs I really wanted to do something by that band. "No problem, let's give it a try" was the response.
The first sign that things might go well was Tony (bass) pulling out notes and lyric sheets (hey, I had those... could it be that I'm not the only one that is that anal?), but then those dreaded words "I couldn't get the songs to burn to a CD" (here it comes, I knew there would be a problem)... "so I went to YouTube and learned them... do you want to do the live versions or studio? I learned both".
?????????? What could this be I was hearing?
Then in walked Mike (drummer) and it was the same thing! The icing on the cake was Tony saying "that Wilco tune is really cool!"
For the next 2 hrs. we had a few beers, worked out harmonies and little details (which as far as I'm concerned is what rehearsals are for). Learning how to play songs at rehearsal is for high school kids that have nothing but time... but if you are a soccer dad that has a job and a house, do your homework and come in prepared.
By the end of the night we had pretty good renditions of "Jesus, etc" (Wilco), "Molly's Chambers" (Kings of Leon) and "No Matter What" (Badfinger). We also touched on "Use Somebody" (another Kings of Leon tune) enough to know we could pull it off next week.
I have been trying my best to have fun and not have high hopes... but I think it's safe to say that after last night I have a pretty good dose of both.
Peace, Bryan
The first time we got together we came in with no preconceptions, nothing planned... the goal was to just hang out and make some music (and of course, have a few beers) and by the end I was pleasantly surprised that I seemed to be in the company of real musicians (which never ceases to humble me). But what really surprised me is that everyone got along and we all seemed to be on the same page about what we were hoping to accomplish... even though at the onset the goal was to accomplish nothing but have a little fun.
Last night we decided we would come in with a few songs prepared and this is where I started to worry... it's hard enough to get three guys to agree on a group on songs to do, but to actually have everyone come into the room prepared to play those songs is rare (especially when they've never heard a few of them before). For the past few years I have been a bit obsessed with a band called "Wilco", an obsession I'm sure must tire my friends and family... I didn't want to scare these guys off, but if we were gonna work out some songs I really wanted to do something by that band. "No problem, let's give it a try" was the response.
The first sign that things might go well was Tony (bass) pulling out notes and lyric sheets (hey, I had those... could it be that I'm not the only one that is that anal?), but then those dreaded words "I couldn't get the songs to burn to a CD" (here it comes, I knew there would be a problem)... "so I went to YouTube and learned them... do you want to do the live versions or studio? I learned both".
?????????? What could this be I was hearing?
Then in walked Mike (drummer) and it was the same thing! The icing on the cake was Tony saying "that Wilco tune is really cool!"
For the next 2 hrs. we had a few beers, worked out harmonies and little details (which as far as I'm concerned is what rehearsals are for). Learning how to play songs at rehearsal is for high school kids that have nothing but time... but if you are a soccer dad that has a job and a house, do your homework and come in prepared.
By the end of the night we had pretty good renditions of "Jesus, etc" (Wilco), "Molly's Chambers" (Kings of Leon) and "No Matter What" (Badfinger). We also touched on "Use Somebody" (another Kings of Leon tune) enough to know we could pull it off next week.
I have been trying my best to have fun and not have high hopes... but I think it's safe to say that after last night I have a pretty good dose of both.
Peace, Bryan
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