Back in 1999, guitarist Charlie Hilbert and I made a demo in my uptown NYC apartment. I remember putting our amps in the middle of the wooden floor. I think we had one mic. I can't remember what kind of tape deck we used. (I was using a Kay 703 amp....about 3-4 watts, I'm guessing.) I've always liked the energy of this one. It's unmastered, pretty raw. Hope you enjoy:
Man, I love hearing stuff like this. It's no doubt my age showing, but while I appreciate the ease and accessibility of home-recording software, all the possible tweaks and modifications often make me feel like that "in the moment" authenticity is lost.
But what do I know. One of the sounds that makes me happiest is hearing those few seconds of scratchiness when the needle is placed on the vinyl. Like this recording . . . you know it's real. ---------- Marr's Guitars
Over a decade's experience designing, building & playing Cigar Box Guitars
I second that emotion. I have some funky old front porch/backyard neighborhood jam recordings from my youth in the 'hood of NOLA that were "captured" on old cassette recorders. If I was lucky, there are some Polaroids that sort of match up to them. They sound like crap, but I can listen and relive with grinning nostalgia through every one.
---------- ~Buzadero Underwater Janitor, Patriot MBH poster since 11Nov2008
I only wish the acoustics were a little less 'room' and a little more 'front porch', but just for the mystique value of it. I'm usually honest and straightforward, but maybe you could have told us it was recorded in an old deserted country store, one of those ones with the big front porches? (Or at least shoot a video there!)
I can't put my finger on what it is about low-fi blues but it activates some itch in my brain that I sure like.
It's always a pleasure to hear a player at different stages in their development! I'd say you sounded distinctly like yourself in 1999. ---------- Ridge's YouTube
Our first all original started out as a session to get our songs on cd so we could register with LOC for copyright. From that we chose the 10 best out of about 17 and ended up publishing Lifestyles of the Poor and Infamous. It was all acoustic through 2 vocal mics in a friend's spare room into a Mac computer. He did a great mix and another friend offered to maser the songs so he could get used to his new software. That cd went to IBC a few years ago under best elf produced. It landed between #30 and #6 that year.
It was not as raw as Honey bee is here. BUT the current cd, Nothin' but a Party. has similar moments.
One of my favorite credos is, Raw, Real, Right Now. In fact we're considering that as a title for an upcoming album. ---------- http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
....And last I forget, imagine the sheer delight I felt, seeing Satan and Adam on U2's Rattle and Hum dvd, busking in Harlem! ---------- http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
