GETTING WARMER…

At my age, you’d think I’d be kinda done with writing and recording. You’d think the excitement disappears, and a malaise sets in. “Yeah yeah yeah…another album…”

What’s my age again?

Drummer/producer Mike Sabatini sent me the first mix of a new song, which we both decided would be the first single/video. My eyes widened and heart raced…that Peter Pan feeling woke up. After offering my changes, Mike sent another mix…and then another…and then…well you get the idea. Each one better and better. His friend Jon offered more pearls of wisdom, suggested more EQ options. Mike sent another mix.

THIS IS THE ONE!

Yeah it’s one song so far, but it’s enough to make those butterflies come back. I didn’t think that would happen anymore. Sometimes I like being wrong. I always say that my heart and hair still think I’m 18. And it’s never been more true than hearing the final mix. I went right to work on creating the above teaser clip.

But wait…another one?

This time you hear a bit of the melody along with the riff. But the melody doesn’t sound like a typical guitar lick, does it? Well it is but I added a bitcrusher effect, and unintentionally, it sounds like a tortured saxophone. John Coltrane meets Joe Satriani? I would say so!

We said early on that this album should be about “layering guitars” and we accomplished that. This is the most guitar-dense album I’ve ever done. Sounds strange but true. In the past, some stuff sounded skeletal because I was thinking “How will I play this live?” Since I’m no longer performing my own songs live, this was the prime time to make a bold statement. And it worked.

Mike is taking his time mixing the rest of the album which is fine with me. For once, I’m in no rush to get something out the door. The last album saw me over-eager and far-reaching, and it blew up in my face. I own up to that. The first single will be released within the month and then soon after, I will post a pre-order link. Things need to build slowly, not bash people over the head.

Of course, Joe Lambert will be on-hand to master the album, and he’s definitely one of the best in the business. Other bands have gone to him and they walk out changed people! He makes things sound massive, and yes I’ve seen him work his magic. A simple knob twist here and there, and POW! When my spleen is re-arranged, that’s a good sign.

Though I am very excited, hopes are still kept to a minimum. My confidence has come back, yet humility cushions things as well. Hearing this final mix brings me back to when I heard my first album on playback 23 years ago. All I can think is “That’s ME? I wrote THAT?”

Damn right I did!