Apologies for the long gap between updates. Been busy doing stuff I should’ve been updating you about like playing with Strand of Oaks, Robyn Hitchcock, Pernice Brothers (with a string quartet!) Toby Leaman, lotsa fun Cabinet of Wonders shows, recording sessions, buying more drums…. I promise it won’t be nearly two years until the next update.
The big news is that I have a new “home” studio. Like Ratt, I’m (finally) out of the cellar. First time in my life my drums haven’t been tucked away in the corner of a basement where my head scrapes the ceiling. I’ve set up shop in a new space in Philly (with a window!) and I’m really happy with the sounds I’ve been getting. Thank you to all my engineer friends for answering my many stupid questions about microphones, mic placement, etc. I have some holes in the calendar, so if you’ve got songs in need of drumming, please hit me up! Always down for in-person sessions too.
Re: remote recordings, there’s a couple of records I worked on I’d like to call your attention to. First is this beautiful EP from Nicolás Molina “Castillos Soho.” Nicolás is based in Uruguay, so it was by far the longest distance between Dropboxes my drums have traveled yet. I got to do two of my favorite things on this EP: Overdub handclaps and play like Larry Mullen, Jr. (“Auto y Caminoes” is the closest I’ve come yet to the Achtung Baby / Zooropa snare sound).
Second is the forthcoming Pernice Brothers album, Who Will You Believe, the first new Pernice record to be released via New West Records. According to my files, we started pecking away on this nearly three years ago. Worked on it in fits & starts, sending files back & forth to Old Joe & Mike McKenzie in Toronto. Lotsa great, classic Pernice stuff on this record. There’s gorgeous string arrangements and even a choir. And, through the magic of technology, I got to play on a duet between Joe & Neko Case with none of us in the same place! The record is out April 5, but you can pre-order now.
What else? We’ve got six Wesley Stace’s Cabinet of Wonders shows on the books this year, including one in Tulsa in conjunction with the Bob Dylan Center on March 10. Real hot lineup on that one. Got some shows with Toby upcoming, a Philly Tom Petty Appreciation Band thing in the works for later in the year, and a few other things percolating. Gonna be a fun year of drumming.