Down she went. Right onto my foot. the same foot I smashed the crap out of in college with a pallet jack while doing night stocking at a grocery store. Fear was my main response. After the initial yelp of pain, and "FUCK!!!," I had a sinking suspicion I'd broken the damn thing.
Of course, I also had a fear that I'd broken the bass. The last time I dropped it, it shoved the cable right through the jack plate. (Cheap bass, yes). I didn't even notice until weeks, months later when I was helping a friend record some acoustic tracks, and I suggested some bottom end might fill out the sound. Great idea. Having a non-working bass...not so great.
In the end? The bass is fine, and my foot has a nice, deep bruise across it, but otherwise none the worse for wear.
I was planning to hold off on the bassline until Paul C. could come over and do it, but I needed the bass track to put the guitar parts together. The song has been a bit of a bitch to wrangle. The drum parts are done...maybe. There's a few points where I think everything could be a bit more in synch. I'm thinking I might take another run at it once I've put down the guitar parts.
This is really going to be the first time I've "built" a track out of individual guitar parts...not overdubs, which I have done a lot, but different tracks for the different sections of the song. The verses are going to be lighter, acoustic, or at least clean electric. The pre-chorus and chorus are both heavier and distorted. This sort of thing just didn't feel possible when I was working with just 8 tracks (especially when only 4 were available at a time), but with 24, I have room to play.
But it's moving along, I think I've even solved the lyric question. I don't know that they're brilliant, or anything, but I thin they fit with the tone of the piece, and should be interesting. I am excited to move on to the next couple of tracks, which (as I've said) are more straight-ahead rockers, and ought to be easier to get situated. In particular, Reason has presented it's own lyrical solutions, as well as some structural changes that are exciting. I've also been refining a new riff and concept I'm calling Deliverance.
I feel good. It's been ungodly hot in Chicago, when you add a sealed-up room to record in, and my own sweaty nature, it does get a little..drippy. Even at that, I'm excited and invigorated. Of course, I'm starting rehearsals in a few days for Warped. Which is sure to slow me down, but I am DETERMINED to not get off-task with this stuff. The album will be done before the end of the year.
Speaking of Warped, and Stage Left, if you have any interest in helping, or ability to help, a small, non-profit theatre company, you can find info here about our mid-summer fundraising drive.
Boy, do I wish I was there.
There really is nothing like SDCC. Other conventions just seem...underdeveloped, in comparison. My visit to the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo just felt underwhelming, and I know that's because I was trying to use it as a replacement for visiting San Diego.
It can't compete. Few conventions can. Certainly not the ones Wizard produces.
The planning is underway for a trip next year. As always, the ticketing/hotel situation may screw us, but, if it does, we've discussed a "Plan B," which would be the New York Comic Con. Which does not have the rabid, "I gotta go" craziness of SDCC, meaning you can get tickets without sacrificing a goat, but still would offer a trip away from home. Now places to explore, people to meet, etc, etc.
Part of the problem with C2E2, honestly, is that it just doesn't have that, for me. Because I live here. When I drive home, the fact that I CAN drive home, tends to move me into a more insular experience. I don't feel like I'm in a place where I can, and should, wallow in the experience.
But, yeah....I am deeply envious, downright jealous, honestly, of anybody in San Diego right now. I wish I was there.
