After nearly a year off to recover from the COVID issues, the trio met again for the first time in nearly a year for a 3-hour practice session at John’s airplane hangar (nope…too poor for an airplane). We started with a few cover songs and then moved to some old and new John “Crash” Davenport originals. It was especially great to have our elder citizen, Dave, back adding twin Ashika African drums to the hot island sound that we have created. John just added a 22nd gig to the list of performances coming your way this year. You don’t want to miss some of the fun and new songs that we have created just to make you smile and forget about your troubles for a while.

I called my son, Max, last night and asked him to help me with the album cover art for my new album. As the lead concept artist for Gearbox, he is very busy. He took the time to create this concept album cover for me. Thanks Max.

Last night was my 6th session working on the album, “Gone Too Far”. I try to get in at least 3 hours during every session. My goal last night was to complete the 7 tracks using the 6-string acoustic guitar. I used my 1964 Martin D-28. Last session I laid down 7 tracks with my Guild 12-string acoustic guitar…I still have one song yet to re-record in a different key with the 12-string. The new key will fit better with the cellist (and fellow Island Song Trio band member and good friend), Timothy Barrett, who will be adding cello tracks to 3 of these songs. I elected to work on guitar because I have a bug in my throat and the vocals would have suffered. I always try to have a plan (and a backup plan) before I enter the studio so that my time there is well spent.
We recorded 3 takes of each of the 6 songs so that Shawn Daley, the engineer, could overlay them and “cut and paste” (my terms not his) any errors he might find. As seen in my previous post, each song had its own recording notes that I followed while listening to the band tracks in my headphones. Also in my headphones was the sound from my guitar so that I could add emphasis when needed and not overplay the instrument.
I finger-picked the music for the song “Last Day of My Life” way too loudly during the first take. The strings were buzzing and it sounded harsh (I call them studio nerves) so we re-recorded the song with my guitar louder in the headset so that I could play more softly and with more emotion.
Before leaving the studio, we put a plan together for next week’s session. Next week I will record the last track using the 12-string acoustic and begin work on vocals. We also discussed the album art issue. Each album requires album art that can fit the emotions that the artist tries to evoke. Shawn came up with an old diver’s helmet…gone too far? I said that his air hose could be cut. I sent the concept to my son who is the lead concept artist for Gear Box (any Borderlands gaming fans?) and he has some great ideas.

On Monday, March 15, my good friend, Tina, will be in-studio to tape a Facebook Live event that can be downloaded, documenting a bit of the recording process. She has been helping this old guy with social media enhancements. Until next week, bye.

For those of you with experience in recording studios, this will be Recording 101. Some songwriters, however, might get something out of this blog. Looking back on my first two recording attempts (producing 2 albums) I can honestly say that I was not prepared for the experiences. I am sure that the recording engineers shuddered at my novice approach to making “records”. I thought it would be easy to reproduce what I play on stage because I have performed the music many times. The main difference between the two types of performances is that one is normally not being recorded and the other records every little mistake the artist makes. Garbage in, garbage out. Recording time is much too expensive not to be intimately cognizant of every word, every beat, every note.

Here is how I now prepare for my weekly time in studio:

1. Make a video/ or audio recording of each song and place them in Dropbox with everyone involved having access. This would include other musicians and the engineer.
2. Print out the lyrics to the song to include beats per minute, musical key, and chord structure. Get this info to all involved.
3. Use the Dropbox video/audio as the “scratch” track from which the song is produced. If not, get to the studio and lay down a basic guitar and vocal scratch track that will be used as the backbone for each song.
4. From here the process might diverge. In my current album, “Gone Too Far”, I hired a studio band to come in and in two days recorded bass, drums, and lead guitar. This recording then became the foundation for my acoustic guitar and vocals.
5. In my second album, “Island Kind of Life”, I recorded my acoustic guitar while listening to my scratch track and then added vocals later. We recorded many of the songs with friends and family adding crowd noises like a live stage performance.
6. I rehearsed each song on “Gone Too Far” at least 20 times with timing notes marked and harmonies highlighted in green. Transitions I marked in yellow.
7. I noted the times on the initial recording to easily find starting points for each verse, the bridge, and the choruses. This facilitates rehearsals.

There is much more to the process, but I can cover that stuff later. My suggestion…get to work. The recording process can be daunting, but you can master it with the proper preparation. Questions?

Bass, drums, and lead guitar tracks are now completed and in production on 14 of the 15 original songs on this album. John is in the process of laying down an acoustic-only track for the song, “Last Day of My Life”. For him, it is a tough guitar-picking labor of love. Shawn Daley and John are co-owners of The Mohawk Studio that is now the focal point of the 107 year-old stone church wherein lies the recording studio. John is always looking for interested partners in the venture.
Once the band tracks are completed, John will add acoustic guitar and vocals to the remaining 14 songs. Stay tuned for updates.

The Island Song Trio practices in our studio located in my airplane hangar at the Port Clinton airport. No, I do not own an airplane, but my boat is in there at the moment. As you can see, it is quite an ultimate man-cave with a full kitchen, bedroom, laundry, wet bar, living room, and full bath with shower. My friends stay there when they come to town. Oh, there is always cold beer in the frig!

Best seat in the house? I was the musical guest of Tom Mack and the crew at South Shore Marine Sales during this year’s (virtual?) Cleveland Boat Show, performing live on Friday and Saturday, January 15 and 16. Thanks to everyone for their support of local musicians.

My next album is a bit more on the serious side, reflecting the many moods that haunt me on a daily basis. In addition to introducing very serious subjects such as suicide and drug usage, there are a few wonderful love songs as well. Because of the virus safety threat, most of this album will be recorded in studio without my wonderful friends, David and Tim, who help make up the Island Song Trio. Shawn Daley is producing the album at The Mohawk Studio in Sandusky, OH, with the assistance of three studio musicians playing lead guitar, bass, and drums. The basic tracks for nine of the songs are completed (sans vocals) with the remainder being recorded on January 15th. Once the tracks are completed, I will add acoustic guitar and vocals. If the vaccine gets to my Trio in time, we will also add David’s African drums and Tim’s cello to the mix.

in the meantime, I have been writing at least one song every week over the last several months. I am very lucky to have all of this quiet time to reflect on life, this dangerous world, and the loved ones in my life. Here are some examples:

Wrong Side of Right….where you should never be

Waitin’ For the Day….love lost…maybe forever

Say You Will….love me ‘til the end of time

Me, Me, Me….lovin’ you, you, you

Love Second to None….written for my wife’s yoga class

Freedom Isn’t Free….a reminder regarding our civic duties

Lakety Snake…could be a children’s song about we encounter here at the lake

Without You…a tongue in cheek look at a bad marriage perhaps

Stay tuned for more albums coming out this year…..STAY SAFE!!

My beautiful wife, Diana, and I dressed as pirates for the 2018 Dinghy Day festivities at the Nor’easter Club on Catawba Island.

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Not much happening with the Covid crisis creating havoc amid the music world….no venues in which to perform, etc. The Island Song Trio finally finished our newest album, “Island Kind of Life”, recorded at The Mohawk Studio in Sandusky, Ohio. The tracks include:

1. Old Man Dancin’
2. Island Kind of Life
3. People Like Me
4. Livin’ My Life This Way
5. I Missed the Damn Ferry Again
6. Island Forecast
7. Little Red Bucket
8. Bought a Boat
9. Perch Search
10. Island Saturday Night
11. Battle of Lake Erie
12. Starve Island Resort
13. Morning After Put-In-Bay Blues

These songs reflect the character and lifestyle of those living and partying on the Lake Erie Islands. Old Man Dancin’ describes some old fart trying to pick up some young chick, with his body rejecting his efforts. I Missed the Damn Ferry Again suggests the dilemma faced by island revelers…should they keep partying or try to catch the last ferry home. I revisited Morning After PIB Blues because I like it so much (a true life story). Perch search speaks to the thousands of boaters trying to catch the elusive Lake Erie yellow perch. If you want to misbehave on your boat at the islands, there is plenty of opportunity as seen in Bought a Boat. In 1812, Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British fleet 15 miles from where I live to help secure our nation from British rule. The Battle of Lake Erie is a history lesson that describes the event. If you leave South Bass Island to the west and round the island too tightly at night heading east, you may end up at Starve Island Resort. While on the Jet Express, heading to the “Bay” for some social gathering, I overheard a lady complaining about the pouring rain and how it was going to ruin her weekend of fun. When I asked her what her plans were for the weekend, she replied, “I guess sit in the Round House all day and drink beer”…ergo I wrote Island Forecast. Speaking of the famous Round House Bar, you may often see people with a Little Red Bucket on their head. Yep, if you visit any of the drinking establishments on the islands, you will be singing and drinking with People Like Me, thus reflecting the Island Kind of Life.

As of this date, we are beginning to record our next album of more serious music titled Gone Too Far. I keep changing the list of songs I want to record as it is difficult to choose among the 213 I have now written. They are my babies and I want each song to receive the recognition they deserve.