The Brief Episode Band...

[280plus]

George Baker off on the left out of the shot. Stu Woods on bass. Two friggin giants. Stu played the bass on "Hello It's Me" and that's just a scratching the surface. He's played with everybody. George has too. George toured with Marvin Gaye and was the house guitar for the Apollo in the late 50's early 60's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnt7M_ofGmo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8cTp__UwDk&feature=related

[geronimotwo]

great sound!  although the bass is lacking on my laptop.  it looks like stu is reading the whole thing.

[280plus]

Thanks, Yes, they're only out on their second gig as the band so things are still a bit loose. What I like about Stu is I met him, knew he had some creds but not really the extent. talked to him he's just a regular guy. Then LATER I read up on him and it's like HOLY **** do you realize who this guy IS ?!? 

(and he took a shining to my project to boot!  )

[geronimotwo]

what is the going rate for bass players out there?

[280plus]

For a two set gig they are generally $200-$250 depending on their background.

[geronimotwo]

add mileage and i'm in. 

[280plus]

How many miles we talking here? 

[geronimotwo]

well, i'm only in the western catskills, so it shouldn't be too bad.

[280plus]

heh, not too far at that, depending on how far west the Catskills go. ;-)

I been to the Game Farm. 

[geronimotwo]

shame they closed, it was one of the better family attractions nearby.  i am about an hour and a half west of there.

[280plus]

I did not know they closed, or maybe I did but had forgotten. Quite a while ago now? Yea, that is a shame. It was a cool place. That's ok, Waterbury, CT has a place on the top of a "mountain" called "Holyland". Built and maintained by a guy who passed about 20 years ago. There is a huge cross that has been a landmark there since 1958. Now it's where the druggies go and also features the history of a rape and murder at the foot of the cross.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_USA

[280plus]

A review of the CD, second one down

http://www.minor7th.com/shorttakes4_11.html

[geronimotwo]

nice review,  what is your role in the project?

[280plus]

Stay out of trouble with the big wigs and write the checks. 

I put the whole thing together, my concept. Took me 4 years. They say she picked the tunes but that was me. I don't really care about the credit though, she's a good kid so I have no problem with her getting the limelight, believe me, she earned it. 

The best part being she is/was just a pup. She had just turned 22 when we started recording. She's a few months past 25 now I think. Anyhoo, she had NO IDEA who any of these guys were therefore she was not gripped by any fear of their status or whatever and they were all just great with her in the studio so it went really easy overall and she was fairly relaxed throughout. We had most of the tunes done within 2 hours of studio time each. That's what you get when you hire professionals. Bottom line, regardless of all else, I had a friggin' blast. One day I had Bucky, Gene, Frank, Vinny and Dae Bennet all together in the studio all to myself. It don't get a whole lot better than that.  Some guys buy sports cars and Harleys for their midlife crisis, I bought a jazz CD. Jeff Pevar said it best, something about leaving cool things behind when we go. 

[geronimotwo]

you can't get the sports car as well?   

i have two technical questions for you

when recording do you start with a click track, drums or other?

in relation to the performers where are your amplifiers in the saloon video's?  i see you are backed into the wall, so wondered how you hear yourselves, miced and monitered? 

[280plus]

you can't get the sports car as well?   

i have two technical questions for you

when recording do you start with a click track, drums or other?

We didn't use a whole lot of click tracks because most of the stuff was done "live" with all musicians present. I think the only click we used was for herington because they all did their parts remotely on that one amd it all had to jive. If your going to use a click track you'd create that first and then build on it. There is no set pattern, a lot of times it could be done in the order of who is available when. The only thing I know is the Bennet guys say never start with the drums because you could possiblytear a hole in the time / space continuum doing it that way. 

in relation to the performers where are your amplifiers in the saloon video's?  i see you are backed into the wall, so wondered how you hear yourselves, miced and monitered? 

I don't believe they are using any monitors. It's a tiny place so I assume they are just refering to the ambient sound they hear coming out of the amps. There IS a small PA system for the mics.