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In Studio, June, 2000
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Seventeen years! That's how long it had been
since the Layabouts had last put out a
recording.
It was therefore with considerable excitement that, on a sunny weekend in
March, we buried ourselves at Studio
A to record an ambitious eight songs:
Damn this town
Better way
And so it goes
Work to be Done
Rant
Face of humanity
Pachamama
Don't talk |
I look around at the various Layabout members slouching in
different parts of the studio. Seventeen years, and most of the founding
members are still in the band. I find it incredible that such a group of
cantankerous malcontents can stick together for so long. Peggy laughs. She
says, "Well - you're just all so funny!"
Perhaps it is the love of a good laugh that moves the band along.
Then there's Robert
Handley, an old friend who flew in from Florida on his
own ticket for "the opportunity to renew friendships, experience
aesthetic orgasms and give support to the production important
music/concepts."
Ish drops by - just because he's in the neighborhood, of course - he
shakes his head. "Managing bands was such a nightmare." He used
to do that for a living; but has long since moved on - he wouldn't dream
of managing the Layabouts, of course.
Step into the resting area of Studio A and you can see why I'm still with
the band. Say what you will about a bunch of social malcontents, they sure
know how to eat! Each band member has brought way too much really
excellent food.
As the recordings progress through the weekend, I'm warmed
by the camaraderie that has glued the band together. Despite moments of
tension brought about by too little space and continual retakes, the
underlying theme of this session is very much one of euphoric
enjoyment.
Todd Fairall, the engineer was persistent and professional, taking us over
some pretty heavy bumps. Dylan Koski-Budabin, assistant engineer was
always there when he was needed and showed marked enthusiasm when
ensconced in the captain's chair, illuminated by the computer screen, tweaking
our recordings using ProTools.
...And that's another thing. Last time we recorded a record, studio
technology was analog and the equipment was specialized and financially
beyond anything we could ever dream affording. Now it's digital. Bob
Handley muses about the future - the price of the technology is falling,
we've got the knowledge - why don't the Layabouts set up their own studio
next time? I concur.
Now it's on to the mixing at Sound54. Then we've got to
find the money to put out the CD. We've already recorded:
Monkey Doo
No heat
Cadillac
Donna Lewis |
...so with the additional eight new ones, we should have
enough for a CD. I'm crossing my fingers.
What follows here are a few pictures taken during the recording session:
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