Post by stuporfly on Jul 29, 2007 12:29:59 GMT -5
I've cut & pasted our latest blog entry - written by yours truly - so you can see that we haven't completely disappeared in the wake of our smash show in NYC last month. We're working incredibly hard with our focus on SBS 2008, and we wanted to let everyone know what we've been up to.
It's been more than a month since we've checked in through our blog, and after yesterday's incredible practice, the other guys have entrusted me to lay down the first report from the Boston Bunker.
Nothing says dedication like four guys shutting themselves into a windowless, airless room on one of the most humid days of the summer with a singular goal: Rock and/or Roll.
I know I've mentioned in blogs past how in awe I am of that indescribable link the four of us have when we play music. I don't want to give the impression that we don't work incredibly hard to make each and every song sound exactly as we feel it should. But it rarely takes long for us to get on the same page and lock together.
We joke about the whole diva thing - it's right there as our profile quote - but the truth is if anyone's got an ego, I've yet to see it come out. Chekhov's Wig is truly a collaborative effort. For example - Just yesterday everyone threw their ideas into the ring about songs. I made a suggestion to both Mark and Carl, Carl and Mark made suggestions to Les, Mark made one to me. It was all tried, and I'm pretty sure it all worked out.
We were pretty unbelievably stoked after our gig at the Baggot Inn last month. But we knew we had more work to do. The Baggot was an appetizer - SBS 2008 in January is the real deal. And as such, we're looking at ways to add new things to the music, and the make our show as much fun as everything else that's happening that night. We're looking at multi-media and creating a vibe.
We're also looking to add more and more new material to the set. I'm pretty sure my fellow band members feel the same as I do, but I think the five songs we sorted out yesterday are among the very best we've ever done.
We came in to yesterday's practice with a list of five songs we wanted to work on, something we always do. The songs are chosen by a process of elimination after being chosen by all four members of the band. It's a very Democratic system that's worked well for us in the past.
I'm not going to reveal any names of songs - though you may be able to figure some of them out when video shot at the practice is edited down. But I will take you through the process a bit.
Song 1 - This was one I originally suggested several months ago, but it didn't make it into the final cut. I'd long given up on it, but Mark dropped it into the mix on the last elimination, and this time it stuck. It went down a storm too, especially the surprise we've thrown into the bridge. I won't say anything more for fear I might really give something away.
Song 2 - This is one of the five songs we've heard from the new album. We hit our stride pretty quickly on this, polishing the edges along the way. I won't say which song this is, but I can tell you that the first chunk of flesh that I tore into one of my hands came while drumming on this one. It was totally worth it. I think you're really going to love our take on this song.
Song 3 - Until now, there's been only one song we've covered that I didn't like at all going in - "All She Wants Is". We turned that one into one of the highlights of our set. With that in mind, we covered this other tune. I really don't like this song at all. I won't say why for fear of giving the title away, but it's one I didn't even have on my iPod until it made it through the elimination process prior to this practice. And now - thanks largely to Mark's fantastic vocals, a bass line by Les that bring the song to a whole different place and a general fresh vibe - I think it sounds fantastic. Still don't like the original, though.
Song 4 - This is one we've been talking about for a while as something extra special to do for the SBS crowd. It was a bit sludgy at first until someone - I forget who, and hopefully they'll remind me in the comments below - said we should bump up the tempo a bit. Voila! Beautiful job!
Song 5 - We never got to the original fifth song on our list, primarily because of this one. We'd taken a break. Carl stepped out of the room, and I was nursing another ugly tear in my hand. Mark and Les started in on this completely random riff. I threw safety aside and began playing along, and Carl jumped in too. As we were just wailing on this thing, it occurred to me that it would fit perfectly to the lyrics of a song we'd never actually considered doing. In one of those you-had-to-be-there moments of pure comedy, I signaled to Carl that I wanted the microphone. I'm not a singer, but I wanted to let everyone know what I was thinking without letting the incredible vibe we'd laid down slip away. While I continued bashing seven layers of shit out of the drums, I signaled for the mic and Carl thought I wanted a drink. We followed that thread for a few more seconds, and when we figured out what I really wanted, he started over with the microphone. The cord was tangled, and everything kept falling over. Then we couldn't get the mic anywhere near me while it was still on the stand. Continuing to play the snare part with my right hand, I grabbed the mic with my left and started singing the lyrics in question...and...no one could hear me. Again - you had to be there. But we finally got it sorted out, and now by complete accident we've got another amazing song in our set list.
Yesterday's practice was amazing, but it was also bittersweet. Les is off to England for a few months, and won't be back until at the very earliest some time in late November. The urgency of getting as much work done as possible was part of the equation yesterday, but so was the realization that we're all going to miss Les (playing with him and just hanging out).
But while the four of us won't be playing in the same room together for a while, Chekhov's Wig isn't about to stop. We'll be sending ideas through e-mails, and while Les is working out bass lines in England, Mark, Carl and I are going to get together in Boston at least once just to run through the ever-growing set so we're not too rusty.
And we'll keep you updated right here in our blog. We're going to check in from time to time to let you know how things are going, and to give you sneak peeks at what we're doing in anticipation of SBS 2008. We'll probably have that video up some time soon (depending on how busy our master editor Mark is, of course), and in addition to Mr. Mishlove's regular trips around the world, we're also going to have band reports from some of the journeys in store for our members over the next few months. You'll never know where you're going to see a Chekhov's Wig t-shirt pop up.
Which reminds me - If you're one of the fantastic fans who've visited our CafePress shop (Chekhov's Wig @ CafePress), take a picture of yourself wearing your t-shirt or button, or getting something out of a fridge adorned with your magnet. We want to put you in our 'Super Fans' photo gallery.
I'm going to sign off now and have brunch with my lovely wife. You'll be seeing and hearing from all of us very soon.
- Crispin
It's been more than a month since we've checked in through our blog, and after yesterday's incredible practice, the other guys have entrusted me to lay down the first report from the Boston Bunker.
Nothing says dedication like four guys shutting themselves into a windowless, airless room on one of the most humid days of the summer with a singular goal: Rock and/or Roll.
I know I've mentioned in blogs past how in awe I am of that indescribable link the four of us have when we play music. I don't want to give the impression that we don't work incredibly hard to make each and every song sound exactly as we feel it should. But it rarely takes long for us to get on the same page and lock together.
We joke about the whole diva thing - it's right there as our profile quote - but the truth is if anyone's got an ego, I've yet to see it come out. Chekhov's Wig is truly a collaborative effort. For example - Just yesterday everyone threw their ideas into the ring about songs. I made a suggestion to both Mark and Carl, Carl and Mark made suggestions to Les, Mark made one to me. It was all tried, and I'm pretty sure it all worked out.
We were pretty unbelievably stoked after our gig at the Baggot Inn last month. But we knew we had more work to do. The Baggot was an appetizer - SBS 2008 in January is the real deal. And as such, we're looking at ways to add new things to the music, and the make our show as much fun as everything else that's happening that night. We're looking at multi-media and creating a vibe.
We're also looking to add more and more new material to the set. I'm pretty sure my fellow band members feel the same as I do, but I think the five songs we sorted out yesterday are among the very best we've ever done.
We came in to yesterday's practice with a list of five songs we wanted to work on, something we always do. The songs are chosen by a process of elimination after being chosen by all four members of the band. It's a very Democratic system that's worked well for us in the past.
I'm not going to reveal any names of songs - though you may be able to figure some of them out when video shot at the practice is edited down. But I will take you through the process a bit.
Song 1 - This was one I originally suggested several months ago, but it didn't make it into the final cut. I'd long given up on it, but Mark dropped it into the mix on the last elimination, and this time it stuck. It went down a storm too, especially the surprise we've thrown into the bridge. I won't say anything more for fear I might really give something away.
Song 2 - This is one of the five songs we've heard from the new album. We hit our stride pretty quickly on this, polishing the edges along the way. I won't say which song this is, but I can tell you that the first chunk of flesh that I tore into one of my hands came while drumming on this one. It was totally worth it. I think you're really going to love our take on this song.
Song 3 - Until now, there's been only one song we've covered that I didn't like at all going in - "All She Wants Is". We turned that one into one of the highlights of our set. With that in mind, we covered this other tune. I really don't like this song at all. I won't say why for fear of giving the title away, but it's one I didn't even have on my iPod until it made it through the elimination process prior to this practice. And now - thanks largely to Mark's fantastic vocals, a bass line by Les that bring the song to a whole different place and a general fresh vibe - I think it sounds fantastic. Still don't like the original, though.
Song 4 - This is one we've been talking about for a while as something extra special to do for the SBS crowd. It was a bit sludgy at first until someone - I forget who, and hopefully they'll remind me in the comments below - said we should bump up the tempo a bit. Voila! Beautiful job!
Song 5 - We never got to the original fifth song on our list, primarily because of this one. We'd taken a break. Carl stepped out of the room, and I was nursing another ugly tear in my hand. Mark and Les started in on this completely random riff. I threw safety aside and began playing along, and Carl jumped in too. As we were just wailing on this thing, it occurred to me that it would fit perfectly to the lyrics of a song we'd never actually considered doing. In one of those you-had-to-be-there moments of pure comedy, I signaled to Carl that I wanted the microphone. I'm not a singer, but I wanted to let everyone know what I was thinking without letting the incredible vibe we'd laid down slip away. While I continued bashing seven layers of shit out of the drums, I signaled for the mic and Carl thought I wanted a drink. We followed that thread for a few more seconds, and when we figured out what I really wanted, he started over with the microphone. The cord was tangled, and everything kept falling over. Then we couldn't get the mic anywhere near me while it was still on the stand. Continuing to play the snare part with my right hand, I grabbed the mic with my left and started singing the lyrics in question...and...no one could hear me. Again - you had to be there. But we finally got it sorted out, and now by complete accident we've got another amazing song in our set list.
Yesterday's practice was amazing, but it was also bittersweet. Les is off to England for a few months, and won't be back until at the very earliest some time in late November. The urgency of getting as much work done as possible was part of the equation yesterday, but so was the realization that we're all going to miss Les (playing with him and just hanging out).
But while the four of us won't be playing in the same room together for a while, Chekhov's Wig isn't about to stop. We'll be sending ideas through e-mails, and while Les is working out bass lines in England, Mark, Carl and I are going to get together in Boston at least once just to run through the ever-growing set so we're not too rusty.
And we'll keep you updated right here in our blog. We're going to check in from time to time to let you know how things are going, and to give you sneak peeks at what we're doing in anticipation of SBS 2008. We'll probably have that video up some time soon (depending on how busy our master editor Mark is, of course), and in addition to Mr. Mishlove's regular trips around the world, we're also going to have band reports from some of the journeys in store for our members over the next few months. You'll never know where you're going to see a Chekhov's Wig t-shirt pop up.
Which reminds me - If you're one of the fantastic fans who've visited our CafePress shop (Chekhov's Wig @ CafePress), take a picture of yourself wearing your t-shirt or button, or getting something out of a fridge adorned with your magnet. We want to put you in our 'Super Fans' photo gallery.
I'm going to sign off now and have brunch with my lovely wife. You'll be seeing and hearing from all of us very soon.
- Crispin