Superstition aint the way

It was a late one last night in the overdub studio…

I think our man Jari thought we would have the stamina for an all nighter. Needless to say we didn’t but we did more than an average shift. Brilliant day though, we had a right laugh. Carey played a keyboard called a Clavinet, it's the same kind Stevie Wonder used on Superstition. She played it through a pedal called Electric Mistress and it was pure funky and even made Jari do a wee sexy dance that made us laugh for ages. He said what she played 'was better than Viagra'. She was on particularly good form and made Jari giggle by saying stuff like ' I've got the f*****g blues, man' while playing away. She also did a rendition of ‘Scotland the brave’ for us which is super funny ‘cause she’s from the garden of England.

To help get us in the mood we drunk a fair bit of 'peoples beer' (3.5%). It doesn't really get one drunk (probably a good thing) but gives one a bit of a buzz. Jari drinks one called Bright ‘cause it's low fat, which is a laugh cause I could probably lift him up with my left paw.

We read in the paper that our pal Richard Colburn (Belle and Sebastian)is DJing tomorrow night at a place called Kägelbanan, which is super close to our apartment, so that’s Saturday night taken care of. It’s such a luxury to have the weekend off, especially with the weather being as good as it has. I’ve got a tan, and that’s really just walking to and from the studio.

Right now Kenny is in doing some singing, Jari just said to him 'this time do it more like Paul Stanley from Kiss would'. He’s a funny wee man.

Oh look at the time, it's almost people’s beer o'clock already…

Tracyanne x

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

That's me home. I left Stockholm yesterday evening, waving goodbye to Tracy, Kenny, Carey (and Field Commander Haapalienen with his wee army cap on giving us all orders) who have three more days of overdubbing bits and bobs before they get to go home too. Its a weird feeling leaving, but its nice to know we're coming home having done the job we set out there to do. Its been a really exciting session for us, we've been working towards this since we finished touring last October, and its great to finally be at this stage and have done it justice.

Anyhoo, i set off from the studio armed with my return bus ticket to Skavsta airport, 40 crowns for the tube and 14 crowns in change left in my pocket, my phone battery was about to die, and if you remember i'd left my wallet in Glasgow, so no cards on me. But what could possibly go wrong. Jumped on the tube, there was a fight on the platform at Slussen Station right outside my carriage with two burly fellows trying to punch each other out which looked like it was a bit nasty. I've seen enough films to know that having a fight next to a rail line with trains running along it is probably a worse idea than just fighting normally. Got to T-Centrallen and jumped off the tube, plenty of time, followed the signs for the buses, got outside, thought, i think i may have come out the wrong exit as these are different buses, wandered about with my bags and bass weighing heavier as time passed and i wasn't where i thought i was, headed back to the exit i'd come out from, managed to find a nice person to ask where the bus station bit was, i'd come out the wrong way and needed to go back into the tube bit, walk along the platform and come out the other side and walk through central station. Luckily the nice lady at the ticket counter let me back through on the ticket i had (thank you) and i legged it back along the platform feeling a bit like that family from the fast show that always appeared running everywhere with suitcases. 45 minutes it took all in to get from the tube to the bus bit. But made it i did, and the bus was late anyway, so it was all fine and dandy. Got to the airport, spent 13 of my last 14 crowns on some pucko milk, which was nice. Flight was slightly late leaving, but not much, we made good time and the captain announced we would be landing 15 minutes early. Woo, then he said we'd be landing in 10 minutes, magic, then they didn't say anything for a bit. Then they said they were going round in circles cause they couldn't land (i immediately thought of Die Hard 2:Die Harder) cause of the weather at Prestwick. More radio silence followed, then they came on and said, Bad news folks, we're having to re-route to Glasgow Airport cause the fog is too bad at Depressedwick. Woo, handy squared, except Sharon, cover star of our first single, was picking me up at Depressedwick Airport. It took an age for them to be allowed to park the plane cause obviously they don't want ryanair planes clogging up a decent airport, and we had to sit in our seats for an age till they got buses sorted to take us into the airport. I got a hold of Sharon who was already tearing back up the 77 like a trooper having heard the news that the plane was re-routed (thank you) and after a lengthy bit of hanging around on the tarmac cause they couldn't fit everyone on two buses, i got my bags and bass, and was collected safe and sound and finally got home at 2am.

In a spectacular piece of bad timing, 'Er Indoors left yesterday afternoon for fieldwork in Chile a few hours before i got home, so the flat is all empty and Lynsey-free. Plus i have to go to work in an hour. But i mustn't grumble, we've only been and gone and done it as Uncle Albert once said, the new record sounds magic, and we're all really excited about you all getting to hear it when its ready.

Gav

strings and things

oor heids have just been blown clean off

gav

monday monday

After the festivities of the weekend, its been back to work today.
All the gear has been moved from Atlantis to the new studio, and we went to visit Bjorn Again to see how his strings were arranged today. They looked great. Its quite the experience hearing Bjorn's string ideas played by Bjorn along to the track on piano, with occasional interruptions for swearing and the frantic scribbling of new notes on the music notations, followed by a smiling Bjorn turning to us and telling us, "thats kind of how it will sound". It gives us a good idea of how its all going to turn out, but its still a lovely surprise when you actually hear the strings and brass on the tracks.

Then it was back to overdub central, where Nicolai Dunger has joined us and is currently in the wee room through from us laying down some BVs as our manager calls them. He's some chanter as they say in Glasgow.

There is something really great about these Swedish Studios, there is such a plethora of great gear lying about everywhere you look. There is a Hagstrom 8 string bass hanging on the wall (an 8-string bass, who'd have thunk it) and a guitanjo, amongst several other vintage guitars and basses. You cannae move for Echo units and old analog bits and bobs that you rarely see in the UK anymore. Its like there was an overwhelming fear of a drought of reverb in the 70's here, and they all went a bit mad and bought everything they could get their hands on to provide echo and reverberation. I'm glad to say that the drought never seems to have materialised, and here they are with tons of vintage gear to make fantastic sounding pop records that we can use.


Strings and things tomorrow, cannae wait.

cheers, Gav

another day off

have done very little today apart from sleep. Went round to the shops next to the park i was in yesterday and saw my wee tramp again, but decided to keep out of the way in case he decided to stalk me again. Days off are great, but can't wait to get back into the studio this week and hear all the overdubs going on.

cheers, Gav

a day off

Its Saturday and after a long week we have a day off today and tomorrow before re-loading and firing again next week with an overdub frenzy.

Its been a beautiful day here in Stockholm, so after a lie in and a lazy brunch i went outside for a stroll about. I found an old Converse trackie top in the charities, which i was tempted to buy, but it was very shiny and i think i may have trouble carrying it off back in Glasgow unless Britpop makes a serious comeback. I went to the park for a wee seat and was going to read a book for a bit in the sun, but as soon as i sat down on the empty bench, surrounded by several other empty benches, a tramp appeared from nowhere and sat down next to me. You don't get many tramps in Sweden, so it was a bit of a surprise. Anyway he tried to bum a cigarette from me, and then just sat talking to me. I tried to convey that i couldn't understand him, but it didn't seem to bother him much, he just kept talking, the fact that i was trying to read a book didn't bother him much neither, so it was all i could do to pack up my book and my wee bottle of ginger and clear off as quickly as i could without appearing overly rude and that was the end of my park fun.

cheers, gav

Grand!

It's after 11pm Swedish time and we're still in the studio. We're supposed to finish at 10pm because the Studio is in a residential area and the people upstairs probably want to get to their beds, or enjoy their Friday evening without us making a racket and disturbing them. It is quite a nice racket we're making though, even if I do say so myself.
We've been adding a few over dubs to the live takes. At this moment in time Miss Lander is tinkering on the grand piano. It's big and regal and it's fillling the room with beautiful noise. It sounds, eh, grand!
I'm very pleased to tell you that after listening back to the live takes, I'm very happy with how the tunes are sounding so far. I can't wait to finish this record. I can't wait for you to hear them. I can't wait to tour them. I just can't wait for it all to start again. Bring it on...

Tracyanne x

stockholm and dry

thats the end of week one of the sessions. Tonight we say goodbye to Atlantis Studios. Its been a spectacular week, we're all on the proverbial cloud 9 with the results so far, the songs are all sounding pretty amazing, and there is still a week of overdubs to go, and even then it will be a very different sounding beast once its mixed and mastered. So its basically all good. So its with a wee tear in each of our eyes that we are leaving here tonight. Next week we do the overdubs in another studio and then its home, heads down for a few months of live shows and day jobs and then mixing the album in July.

Someone asked if there was a release date set yet, but we haven't got a definite time in mind. It will likely appear from the ether at the start of next year, but you never know, if there is a good wind behind us it may be a little sooner. Whenever it ends up coming out and whichever label it comes out on, we'd like to tell you now, its going to be an absolute wee cracker.

I just turned on my computer to discover that some cheeky scamp from the band has replaced my lovely Doctor Who Timecrash desktop (my first laptop had a lovely 2nd Doctor desktop sitting at the TARDIS console with a 500 year diary and my second had a lovely Daleks vs Cybermen scene from the Battle of Canary Wharf, so it only seemed right that my this one continued the Who related desktop theme) (Timecrash was the wee 10 minute special Steven Moffat wrote where the 10th Doctor meets the 5th Doctor, and how happy am i that Steven Moffat is taking over from Russell T davies after next year (yes folks, its magic news) but i digress) has been replaced by a beautiful picture of ABBA in which they appear to be dressed in tinfoil (i say dressed, half dressed would be a more appropriate description).

In true obscura style, we couldn't help ourselves this evening and posed ABBA style outside of Atlantis for a photo, which we will doubtless stick up on the website/myspace in the next few days.

Cheers, Gav

Bliss & Blisters

Most of us are feeling delicate today. As my esteemed colleague has mentioned, we had a little celebration last night at the very near completion of all the live tracks. I celebrated with extra gusto, relieved temporarily because I can rest my blistered, twisted fingers and poor limp wrists for a few more days before we start the overdubs.

When I made it back to the apartment I'm sharing with Gavin at half past three this morning, I thought I was locked out. We have one key between us and Gavin had gone home at a decent, respectable hour, unlike the rest of us. I rang the doorbell for half an hour, and had just about resigned myself to sleeping on a park bench (not such a bad deal in Stockholm) when I finally heard a very sleepy Gavin shout "Just turn the handle!" It had been unlocked all along and my hand had been too weak to open it. Nothing to do with the fact that I was also a teeny tiny bit tipsy, of course. Best half hour of my life.

In today's tambourine news, maverick Swedish pop producer Jari Haapalainen, (famous for his oft-used catchphrase "I love it when you do what I say") is adding some shaky hand-glitter to the songs. He is the only person in the studio today who has it in him to bash a tambourine against his hand for more than ten minutes. I'm not lying, it's really sore. Lee gave it a shot but he's already in pain from playing the best drums of his life. I didn't even bother volunteering. I'm a big lad but it brings tears to my eyes.

I'm all for the notion of someone else suffering for my art.

I cannot wait for you to hear this record

Kenny x

A Good Shoeing. Day Four

Listened to all the songs. All the live versions are finished.
The final song recorded is my favourite. It jerked my tears.
I have somehow managed to complete recording all the basic tracks with no drop ins. Tracy prescribed me liquorice because she thought I said no droppings.
Tomorrow I get do tinkling on a grand piano. It might be The Grand Piano of Abba fame or that might the one behind the organ where I rest my coffee. I think for the sake of nerves I won’t ask till after.
The lovely engineer who looks like Roald Dahl and Charles Bukowski mixed a bit up is currently trying to get the vending machine to surrender its beer for us cos we’re having a little Relaxing Party.
Kenny has very nice shoes on.
He hasn’t for one of the songs. You can try to guess which later.
I should go and join the socialising bit now if that's alright.

Carey x

Nesta: Day Three

Another day another dollar, as they say. We're on our lunch break after getting another couple of songs down, and we're in the middle of recording "Homey in the Sun". Jari keeps telling us we should be more like Primal Scream, and the new record is going to be very rock'n'roll. We think he's joking.

So far in my list of things i have managed to forget for this trip include, my brown suit trousers, my razor, my wallet and enough shirts to last till i go home. I should be used to this packing lark by now, but i still manage to always forget half my gear.

I'm excited because i'm getting to use an old Rickenbacker, it looks pretty battle damaged, but it sound as sweet as the proverbial nut. I used one a lot on the last record and have been dreaming about getting one for years, but i haven't managed to save enough pennies for one as yet. Must get organised before the next time we go to the States to get one. I'd have to re-mortgage my flat to get one in the UK at the moment.

Bjorn Yttling out of Peter, Bjorn and John is doing the string arangements for us again, and he's popping down to the studio tomorrow to let us hear what he's been up to. We're looking forward to seeing him again and seeing how he's been arranging his strings lately. Strange hobby to have, collecting bits of string and seeing all the different ways you can lay them out, but we all have our own little idiosyncracies.

Someone else will be along shortly to tell you more things that have been happening.

cheers, gav

Day Two

Hello,
i'm sitting in between takes, suited and booted (it is work after all) on day two of the sessions for the new record. Its all go, after an age of rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing (the three R's) we're here, and its day two already. The Fifth song has just gone down. This week we're doing all the basic tracks in Atlantis, which is amazing (I should clarify that its Atlantis Studios, Stockholm as opposed to the lost underwater city, although i'm sure that would be amazing also). This is where Abba made all their records. Its a lovely gaff, reminds us a bit of Maida Vale, the BBC radio sessions studios, with big balcony bits and loads of amazing gear sitting about. Next week we move to a smaller studio to do all the overdubs.
After yesterday's slight hangover fest (what better way to celebrate your birthday than sip champagne whilst watching the freshest Doctor Who, ok, so maybe thats my ideal way to spend a birthday, but it was certainly grand) today has been freshtastic and with all the gear set up yesterday we just got straight down to business this morning. So we got two songs down yesterday and we've just done three today, and we're about to go and start a fourth, so i shall disappear for now. We're going to be keeping blogging throughout the sessions, we might even drop some of the song titles for you. Wait and see.....

Gav

City of Plans

Day one. Monday 19th.
We're away away, the flight is flown. A return to the days of suitcase bruises on thighs.

The band are in Stockholm on the first day of work on the new album. We celebrated Tracyanne's birthday a little too vigorously last night and this morning we looked like a fog of ghosts. We are also a little foxed by Stockholm's cruel lapse into winter weather. My summer dresses look up at me with derision. Daylight is pretty irrelevant in the building of songs anyway.

One song in.

A glance backwards. Glasgow. Waiting for the underground train to arrive, leaning against the wall trying not to think about anything and to savour the last minutes of being yourself before you go to work and have to be the smile, watched a man whom it was impossible to picture as young. How do boys grow into having ruddy butcher's faces? He got into my carriage and at the next stop a man who looked exactly like him, round nosed, moustached, round wire glasses, dressed almost identically in neutral but specific smart-old-man-get-up, got on and sat beside him. No one else seemed to notice.

I'm off for song two.

Slightly more topical blog to follow.

Carey.