Booger Blog - Gyrating Bhtch

Mt. Defiance in the gorge today. 11.8 miles long and 4,800 ft gain. IT was raining again but that seems to be what Angie and I do best for hikes. Bullshit! Whatever. I had trekking poles for the first time and they make huge freakin' difference!!!! HUGE!!!! I'm getting in pretty good shape. I think it's time to start trail running.

Nesmith Point hike in the gorge today. 3,800 feet gain in 5 ish miles. It was fucking raining like mad and we got our asses soaked through. It was awesome!!!!

4 mile run today and it felt great. I also sprinted a quarter mile at a 6 minute mile pace. Those fuckers are crazy.

3 miles in the sun and the first time out with NO GLASSES!!!! Feeling like a million bucks.

So we're staying in the guest house on the farm. We got some food and some Jack and some chillin' and then some sleep. Man did we need that after being cooped up in that damn car all day. It's a long ass drive.

The damn kitchen sink was clogged but I just got the plunger from Mooka and took care of that. I feel a bit like a housewife. I am wearing different hats on this trip. From the guy just here to hang out to the band member concerned about how it turns out... to the manager guy who has to keep an eye on logistics to the budding engineer who is a sponge about the techie shit. This trip rocks the house HARD!!!

Shh!! Do you smell something? It's a bottle of Jack Daniels!!!!! Bright Yellow Sun and She's So remain.

Thursday right now. What a great fucking day this was!!! IS!!! It's 10:41 pm right now and they're begun work on She's So. They're replacing the toms right now since I hit them like some lame ass Nancy boy and they sound like turbo ass. The snare sounds like butt too. But now it sound HELLA AWESOME!!! FUCK YEAH!! Anywayyyyy. I had me another fat ass country sausage and eggs breakfast this morning at 1pm. Time is not really a factor in the studio. Then did some business on the phone and took off for Napa Valley. I went to my favorite vineyard, the Frank Family Vineyards, there that Angela and I discovered a couple years ago when we were there. I had me some lovely tastin' and visitin' with the guy there. Turn out he is an ex rocker from the 70's and we talked shop for a while. I just looooooooooove telling people that I'm over at Prairie Sun mixing my bands record. That rocks. Soooo... I bought almost $500 in wine. They have this Chardonay (sp?) that just rules Liquid créme bruleé is what they call it and it's basically spot on. Also got some cab, sangiovesse, and a zin. Three bottles of each. This shit will last me for a couple years. It's not exactly everyday wine.

So now on to bigger and better things. Like... finishing that fifth of Jack that I brought for the session. I've about an inch to go. I just love that shit. Funny thing about Jack. When you drink it from the bottle (with the Coke chaser) it tends to go down easier with time. I just love that shit. No really! I'll say it again! I just LOVE that shit!

Sushi tonight with the boys and Evan spilled miso on his sorry ass. Sweet. And I got hit on by the waitress. That's always nice. Worst food ever though.

Friday night... technically Saturday morning... and I'm home. FUCK SAKE is that a long drive. Yeah so... 1,500 miles round trip to Cotati. FUCK! I'm gassed. Great trip. Great experience. Good night.

3 miles.

Got the mix for Bright Yellow Sun to go on the PDXPOPNOW comp CD. It sounds HELLA AWESOME!!!

FUCK YEAH!

Back from my little 1,000 mile jaunt to the Redwood Forest and back. Drove down 101 with no real agenda at all. Frankly... I almost kept going when I got done with the Redwoods. Both nights found a campground an put the bag out on the pad with a tarp and slept under the stars with the ocean nearby. Awesome.

3 miles yesterday discomfort free. 9 minute miles. Then I ran one lap (1/4 mile) in 1:40... or a 6:40 mile. Back in the 50's Banister ran the first sub 4 minute mile. That's less than one minute per lap... 40 seconds fast than I ran one... and I was moving. Those people are incredible. INSANE!!!!

I heard the rough mix of Riverside with all the vocals on it. INCREDIBLE! James's vocal work is just awesome. The rhythm section is just PUMPIN and Chris's work is stellar. I can't wait for the mix and master. It's going to hella shine. FUCK YEAH!!

So yeah... I got attacked by two things on the trip. One a little fox that would not give way under any circumstances. That was his trail and damned if he was giving it up to a human. Two... a couple of WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY stoned hippies in a campsite. Negative my man... you can NOT have my last beer.

One song, She's So, was done on the DWs, the rest were done on my new 1966 blue sparkle Ludwig's... see the picture. Oh yeah. That's right. They ROCK!!!!!!!!!! I bought them Thursday for a song. Kick of thunder and madness. Toms of power and character. Lovely lovely drums.

I learned sooooooooooooo much about real recording this weekend. How to hit drums properly and cymbals properly. Beat the living F*CK out of the snare to get it to sing but gently coax the sound from those cymbals... Pull it out with the back stroke. Also things like interacting with people and finding the right moment and energy to track well. Being patient and attentive, eating well and getting fresh air... and listening. It's all a beautiful thing.

The guys in my band are just the best. Our producer is awesome.

Right now I am about as happy as I've ever been.

We are not doing drums and bass next weekend. Guitars the weekend after that. Then vocals the weekend after that. We are getting extra days of pre-pro at no cost and we are still doing all of this within our original budget. FUCK YEAH!!!!

Abbie... sup!!!!!!???!?!

I just spent the day tracking with Chris and Curtis and got some great things down. Tonight I laid down backing vox for three songs just to get em on there. We're falling behind in that department a little. Chris got some KILLER sounding acoustic guitar on Boy, and I did this sweet "guitar" intro for She's So. It's actually me singing and then a guitar plug-in on top of it to make it sound A LOT like a guit. Slicker n snot!

Tomorrow we rehearse for the show so I have to rewire the studio for live. Pain in the butt. Gig Saturday that is going to rock the mother fucking HOUSE!!!!

Bands I've been in... in chronological order.

Gyrating Bhtch (life time baby... lifetime... this is home)
Butterman
Julie Larson
Zama
Funkafied X (Bodacious Booty Squad)
Pepper
BABS
The Starbugs
Diggabone
Dorian Crush

Last rehearsal tonight before we pack up the trailer tomorrow. I'm whipped. We hammered at it HARD tonight and we sound pretty damn good.

Got three sets ready to go. IPO, Viper, and Sac/Vegas. 20, 30 and 45 minutes. Each one is different to get the most from the particular show.

Got gels for the lights now... Jason got new strings... I got my new metronome and MY COOL AS SHIT IN EAR MONS!!! www.sensaphonics.com !!!! Go NOW if you are serious about your hearing and talk to katrina. Tell her brud sent ya.

We meet tomorrow at 7 to pack up. Then we leave at 6 am Thursday. FUCK YEAH!!!

So I was out of town last week doing Merry Christmas Bhtch! in Chicago at the Lakeshore Theater. We has about 150 people there and we played our goofy ass songs really well. The slide projector bulb popped right as we began and there was not a spare to be had... fuckin' stage managers!!! (just kidding Ab... love ya!) Video to come soon on this here blog.

What else? The band! We're so ready for an amazing 2004. Can't stand it! It's gonna be HELLA AWESOME!!! FUCK YEAH!!!

This is a test to try and post a movie.

This here is a test of me posting a picture! WOO!

Well shit the bed! That works just fine! This is me in June of 1993 recording the song "Not Even A Little Bit" for the rock opera Captain Flywheel & The Produce Section by Gyrating Bhtch. www.bhtch.com I was playing WAAAAAY beyond my abilities that session. It was errie how we all did.

Went out for pizza after the show with some of the crew and hung with Andrew and his girlfriend A something. Amana? Alicia? A-I can't remember? Two SUPER nice people! Took off about 11 and Chris and I ROCKED out all the way home to The Beatles and The Hives! FUCK YEAH!

Tracked drums on She's So today in 9 takes. Tracked bass at the same time. Scratch vocals. Overdubbed guitars and HOLY SHIT did Chris come up with a hooky part. OH MY GOD!!!! Sick. Left to do on She's So: more guitars, lead vox, backing vox, claps, shakers, some huge ass booming colosal drums from hell sound at the end... and any other texture that comes to mind.

My god... a really really good day.