It’s already May!? How can the year be nearly half over? It’s hard to believe, but I do trust the calendar, so it must be true. I’m excited because I finally get to have JoZ tonight. We haven’t practiced since February 15th! We did get a couple Eruptions in since then, but it really feels like we haven’t practiced in a long time. It’s definitely been over a month, and now, tonight, we rock! Well kind of. JoZ is a lot more EDM than Rock. Maybe not EDM, but it definitely has an electronic feel. I’m really starting to think that if we had a better drum machine, we would be fun at a few parties. Wagz is the guitar player for both JoZ and the Eruption. I think from this point forward I will call him Wagz. It seems easier than typing out his description every time. Plus, I’m on the quest to give you more details, so it works. Wagz has already said that he thinks a JoZ album should definitely be on our list. It is quite a bit different than the Eruption. Plus, with the electronic drums, it would be easy to put real drums in if we so choose. I like that he’s motivated. Any chance I get to record is a blessing. Plus, it’ll really help on our journey towards the Sasquatch Album. That is the ultimate goal for the Eruption, a 7-song epic soundscape. It’s going to be the most layered, textural thing we’ve done. We’ve been working on it for quite some time. I’m too embarrassed to say how long it’s been, but it has been a while. Although I do have to say, that only really now do I feel that I’m actually “working” on it. For the past 20 years we’ve been recording all of our practices. And, at the beginning of every practice, we start off with some improvisational jams. Just to get the blood flowing, and make sure we sound good.
20 years of
jams! Quite a few years ago, I started compiling them. At the time, we were
still using tape. I had this box of tapes, and I just decided to go through them,
and pull off all the jams. That took a long time! We are much more structured
now, and have been using a digital recorder for a while now, and it is a much
easier process than it was initially. This year, we started Jams #67! Each Jam
recording is a compilation of jams recorded at practice. So, basically, we have
66 hours of recorded improvisational jams. At first it was just for the sake of
having them, and it gave us an almost unlimited vault of ideas of which to draw
from. However, we were not really drawing from them, because we had already had
so many written songs that we were taking our time to get to. Well, it’s almost
time! So, for the past little bit, and perhaps the reason it’s on my mind so
much right now, I’ve been going through all of them listening for ideas for
what we’re calling the Sasquatch Album. I finished Jams #35 this morning. There
were actually 4 prospects on there. That is not always the case. I had 2 or 3
in a row that were just “okay,” nothing really stood out. Which I guess can be
expected. They’re not all gems. They don’t all have the “feeling” that I’m
looking for. I’m trying to scrutinize them closely. At first, I think I was
putting way too many into the “save” pile. I had to remind myself that I’m
trying to find the best, not just something “kind of” cool. So, as I’ve been
working on my games, I have a Jams playing in the background. I think it gives
it a more natural feel to listen while I’m doing something, like someone else
would. If I just sit there, listening for greatness, it might all blend
together. But I feel if it captures my attention, while I’m busy, that is a
more natural selection.
Anyway, now that
I’m taking the time, and whittling away at the chaff, I feel that it’s finally
getting some attention. It is finally being worked on. At first, I thought it
was going to be a project we were all going to work on together. But it doesn’t
seem like that’s happening. They kind of expect me to tell them what we’re
doing. That could be partially my fault. But I also realize that going through
66 hours of recordings is tough. It’s time consuming. I’m thankful that I have
the time, desire, and resources. I had only made notes on the first 25 or so.
And, that was when I originally made them. That was 12 years ago! When I re-listened
to them recently, I made separate notes, and then compared them with what I had
written originally. Very few were the same. I know more what I’m looking for
now. When I made the original notes, the Sasquatch Album wasn’t even on the
radar. It feels better to be doing it this way. It’s really starting to feel
that doing it in a small time frame is best, because I don’t have as much time
to forget stuff. Comparing notes from a decade ago is only slightly helpful. If
I was still keeping to those notes, it wouldn’t even be close to what we want
now. I use the word “we” loosely. I’m happy to be halfway through this part of
the process. I’m motivated. And it really feels that working with JoZ is part
of that process. We’re getting better at playing with each other. (Insert
juvenile giggle here.) And we’re getting better at playing along to ourselves.
It’s not always easy to play a different part than you’re already hearing
yourself play. Anyway, it’s easy to get discouraged when you’re not practicing
regularly. It’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see each other very
often. But, when you can find a way to keep yourself motivated and creative,
you can still feel you’re accomplishing.
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