Recording Session
Day 1
The Coffee Sessions
Day one found me waking up in beautiful downtown Ashville. I was running late for my session but that’s one of my problems, or maybe not, as we say, "I might be running late, but I’m right on time".
Anyways, I was late but the vibes were cool. I hadn’t seen the Avett Brothers since we performed together at the Summer Camp. We jumped right into the studio. Echo Mountain Recording Studio is a beautiful converted church. I was just blown away by the vibe the minute I walked in.
We shared some stories, showed off our guitars and sat down making some notes and discussing ideas for recording the songs on the list. I spent the first couple of hours tracking my solo tunes, Heaven, Baby Honey Girl and Milk and Sugar.
We had a sick sound going with a completely natural room sound as well as the whole performance running through an old Supro Royal Reverb. It sounded good and dirty. I was a bit tight once I started recording, we call that red light fever. So Heaven was a bit of a challenge but I worked through it and got a take. Baby Honey Girl went quicker as I’d been playing that for a couple years. Heaven was written for the session. Milk and Sugar went quick but I think we will put some drums on that joint.
We took a break and came back to work on "Katie Miss". We all started jamming on it- guitar, nylon string guitar and banjo. It sounded so nice Danny and Julian put up some mics and we recorded about 8 takes experimenting with different picking techniques. Later I recorded "Green" and "Home". Both we decided to reapproach with the band.
I had a couple beers and re-recorded "Heaven" and "Baby Honey Girl" with a different vibe. I felt like the night time session was dope and I went home happy. Ahead of sched. A great first day.
I’m considering a couple different names for the record "The Coffee Sessions" "Down and Dirty" and "The Sweet Spot". The Sweet spot is a reference to finding that sweet spot while recording.
Day 2
Found me waking up to a beautiful Ashville morning. I woke up too early again. This time at 8 am, an improvement from the 5:11 am I experienced the first day. Nerves, what can you do…Anyways, I snoozed til 10:20 and got up hustled out for a quick wake up run, got my coffee and headed to Echo Mountain. I was actually the first one there. Can you believe it??!
We started the day picking takes of "Katie Miss". We had a real nice take but the Brothers decided it was too jumbled with 2 guitars and a banjo picking. We decided to recut. I switched from Seth’s steel string ‘76 5-35 Martin to a Kohno classical guitar from the mid 70’s. A beautiful sounding guitar. I still used my thumb pick on the nylon strings. Scott played his new Stelling Banjo and we played the song down 3 times using an edit of takes 2 and 3. It sounded sweet with an improved vocal performance as well. Seth then overdubbed his harmony on the tags, and a beautiful piano part on the outro. It sounded sweet.
We moved on to checking more tracks. Milk and Sugar was next. I had done 3 takes. I was pumped to hear 3 solid takes of National Dobro, Vox and Harp. We used and edit of takes 2 and 3 and started lacing. I had written this song this summer for my acoustic solo set on the Jack Johnson tour. It had been getting a great response live and I was using it for my set opener. I have literally picked that song everyday since I wrote it. Scott Avett sat at the drums and put Kick and Hats on it. A simple Boom-Kaw rhythm that sounded like a train next to my foot stomp.
Next Seth Avett played a great honkey tonk piano part. Scott went back in and recorded a backup vocal on the chorus. Seth and I did some barber shop ahhhs on the last turn around and it was hot cooking when we put it down for the day. I was doing this live and addressing the crowd with "this song is about coffee, `Oy~Oall like coffee?!?". The Avetts encouraged me to keep that talking in the front. "Talk to the people G", that’s what Scott said. I was hoping to get this song done as I felt it would be a great album opener as well. Now with a killer take in the can and the coffee intro. It seems more and more like I will name this record "The Coffee Sessions".
We took some hoagies for lunch. The only reason I’m writing about hoagies is- who the freak ever heard of hoagies in North Carolina? Not this Philly kid. Anyways it was pretty damn good.
We decided to approach another tune. We were going to mess with Seth’s pick of "You’ve got to Die" an old Blind Willie McTell song but then we decided to approach a revamped version of my version of Bob Dylan’s version of the traditional song "Fixin’ to Die". I play this song in drop D tuning. It really drives and is very dark and emotional. This is another tune I’ve been doing for some time now but over the summer I really honed in on it breaking it down into this Bukka White guitar slapping section in the middle.
Scott had an idea for a kick handclap beat that reminded me of some Philly marching band shit. The North Philly Stompers or some shit I saw on South St back in the skateboarding days. Really it’s that big beat on Queen’s "we will rock you". I picked up my Gretsch Sunburst Dreadnought that I use on tour, Scott was at the kit kicking and clapping and Seth sat down and filled out the clap. To be all cutting together live is just bringing the vibe. We discussed the arrangement. We would have the beat with acapella harmony for the first verse, then the guitar would drop with a single vocal. Verses, breakdown, verse, and return to claps and acapella harmony to finish. We left the accapella sections empty during the cutting, we would overdub them later.
We ran the tune once cold and listened. I was kind of blown away with the vibe. We contemplated looping the kick/clap beat but we decided to try a couple live takes. We ended up with 5 killing takes and one insert of the last verse. The first two we called rehearsals so actually the 3rd take
we called the first take etc. Danny edited takes 1,3 and the insert piece.
Scott left the sess around 8 and Seth and Danny cut me laying the lead on the acapella sections. We called it a night. We called it a great night. I think in a recording process like this you keep peeling away layers. Layers and layers of everything. You’ve got to get to the truth. You’ve got to get to the music and break through. You’ve got to bleed. You’ve got to be inspired and go there all the way. It~Os a hard thing to explain. But you’ve got to keep peeling away the layers.
Day 2 was an emotional day and I felt that hair raising on the back of my neck more than once. We are on track.
Day 3
I woke up at 8 again. 8:11…I knew it was 8 again. I could just tell. The room in the back of the condo has no windows so you never really know what time it is. I knew it was 8.
I snoozed for a bit then finished up last nights notes. My girl was leaving for 50 days or so to Milan and she was packing for her flight. It was our last day on the same time schedule and she was really leaving for a long-ass-time so we were both pretty emotional. It was going to be a real time of focus for both of us but we are going to miss each other like crazy…Life and love on the road…It’s the life we lead.
I took my run, got my coffee and headed back to the spot for a shower and some breakfast. I got some supplies so I have my yogurt and berries, some Kombucha, milk, beer, coffee, butter, eggs, turkey bacon, smoked trout, sardines and Kettle Chips. Add White Lightening to that now as well as some of the good NC greenery. You could say, I’m Just Fine.
Anyways, I called my record boss Emmett Malloy and gave him an update then called Sarah on the way to the studio.
Today we had the Avett Brothers band showing up to accompany us on some more full band tracks so I was pumped. We started off with a number that basically started as a bus jam around ‘99, 2000 called "The Road". We settled into a circle around the drums to rehearse. As usual, Danny was right on it. He and Julian set the mics while we rehearsed the song. Within no time we were laying down versions. After about 5 takes we were settling in. We decided to run the tracks instrumental and overdub the main vox, harmony and solos. We cut 3 instrumentals and Danny made a quick edit. We had a take. I overdubbed a main vocal and we moved on, saving the Avetts harmonies and our solos for next week.
I thought "Walk On" could be a good tune to hit next with this set up. The drums had some minimal baffling but it was 100 percent live. We were set up in a circle. Clockwise starting with Jacob on the Phattie drums (the house kit), Seth on a Martin acoustic, Bob on the upright, me on Seth’s 76 Martin (because I busted a strang on the Gretsch) and Scott listening for parts and arrangement.
We ran a bunch of rehearsals and a couple takes then listened. It sounded too jumbled with all the drum bleed in the acoustic guitar mics so Seth layed out and we ran a couple more takes as a trio. It felt pretty good but I was hitting a bit of a wall. This was the first track we had really struggled to get a take of. We ran it about 4 times or so as the trio and came in for a listen. I took a bit of fresh air while Danny edited a master. It sounded better than I thought it would but it needed some help. I sang a lead so it was ready to lace. I thought if we could get Warren Haynes or another one of the greats to play electric rhythm and a solo we should do it, so we put it aside and will return to it next week for the icing.
By now it was 8pm or so. We had time for one more. Scott, Seth and I went in the office to discuss a song. We decided to end the night up cutting an old Blind Willie McTell tune that Seth had brought to the table "You’ve got to Die". We kept the same set up. Scott got back on the banjo, Seth on the guitar and I picked up the dobro in open G with the slide. It felt so good, like butter. We decided to cut the track instrumental. We played about 4 takes. I could’ve kept playing that jam all night. We used the last complete take then we all went out to cut the vocals.
We did 4 takes of singing, trading verses.
To hear the Avett Brothers sing is a beautiful thing. It’s a beautiful sound, clear, true and expressive voices, both unique in themselves. I was once again really feeling blessed to be here and getting to work with these tremendous musicians.
We went back in for a listen. The sounds were just so down home, Mississippi. Scott and Seth just killed every take. It was just moving me every listen. I’m telling you what. Too good. Right then JB (not my homie from philly), showed up with two jars of White Lightening. The only other time I had moonshine was here in Ashville when I traded guest list at the Warren Haynes X-mas jam for a jar of Tupelo Honey. But one sip of this JB’s White Lightening and you were drinking some of the purest drink made. I would stand it up next to Johnny Blue or any top shelf shit any day of the week. I’m serious. I’m bringing a jar home.
The Brothers, Bob and Jacob headed out after an amazing day. I was stalling behind and it wasn’t too much trouble to convince Danny to give me a couple more passes on the vocal. I did 2 more passes singing my verses and playing harp for the solo and the rhythm.
We listened down. I said, "this is my favorite track so far". Danny said, " that’s what I’ve said about every track so far".
All in all it was a great day and I’m certain we got at least 2 keepers. Walk On I’m on the fence about. We may need to re-cut. But I’m telling you what, that "You’ve Got To Die!!!!" That’s something else.
Now its 1 am or so I’m at the condo. The Houseman is En Route. He is racing up from Nashville to play the drums on 8 tunes. We are making a record.
Day 4
Houseman showed up around 2:30 am last night. I gotta hand it to Jeff, he is dedicated to his music. He always said to me that the music is the one thing in your life that will never lie to you. Music will always tell you the truth. If you’re good to you music it will be good to you. I’ve been good to my music. Jeff is definitely good to his music. When he got the call, he hit the road from Nashville to Asheville, a 400 mile drive. Time to get busy.
So anyways, I got up at 10, streach, run, coffee- met Houseman at the coffee shop. He looked local enough too. We headed back to the spot. I got ready had my breakfest then, running right on time, we headed in Jeff’s ride to the studio.
Seth was there and Jeff and him rapped for a bit. We all fell into the the vibe and started planning out the day. Seth and I discussed some tunes. I wanted to try for 4 songs. The four were "Get Going", "Just Fine", "Ma Mere" and "Keep On".
We got our meeting out of the way and decided we should have our regular game of Ping Pong.
Seth and I have been having an on going Ping Pong game. Honestly, he keeps whooping me every time. But I’m getting closer to the W and trust me, I can take it. Lucky for him there’s no hoops that’s all I gotta say!
We went upstairs, and Bob and I got around the kit to work out the first tune, Get Going. Jeff hung in the lab and got to acquaint himself with Scott and Seth. In the meantime Bob and I had the song charted out and ready to go. Jeff cam out and laid down some sick as New Orleans stomp and we fell right in. We did four takes. Jeff knew it was on, claiming the 1st take. But we got even better and ended using an edit of the 2nd and 3rd takes. What a way to start the day.
We shifted our attention to "Just Fine". Just Fine was a song I had written this past year with Cisco Adler. I knew this song was a hit since Cisco and I, but mostly Cisco, had created it. I cut it with Slightly Stoopid in our writing session, once with Cisco, once with Paul Simm. I put an acoustic demo on my Avett Brother’s session demo and out of the 20 songs I gave them, "Just Fine" was one of the top 3.
Its a tough song to try to record. I want it to sound like some old Rolling Stones record but in an updated situation. This song was our first wall of the day. We started rehearsing and then running takes with vox, without vox, and it was getting better but were just not killing it. We decided to run a click track which I’m sure will be the one and only time in this session but this track called for it. Once the click was up we tried both 70 bpm and 72 bpms. Finally we settled on 72bpm and cut 3 takes. The Brothers said we had a take in there so Danny started the edit. I was fried on it and stepped out.
The whole process took a soid 3 hours. I’m glad we got through it. Houseman was a bit out of his comfort zone stylisically with Just Fine so when we returned I suggested we kick into some Johnny Cash/ Bob Dylan rhythms.
I’ve never seen a drummer have a better brush shuffle train than Jeff and I had 2 tunes, "Home and "Ma Mere" that fit the bill. I went over both progressions with Bob and we were thumping along when Jeff came out. We cut 4 takes of home. We used a complete take of "Home". Take 3. I sang my lead and the Avetts coached me on the vocals. Both Scott and Seth are such incredible singers and they really were able to help me get my lines happening on what is a deceptively difficult vocal melody.
We were set up around the drums again. We started cutting "Ma Mere". Ma Mere was a song written for my grandmother Mere Mere. It has no change and was easy to show Bob who locked in on it. If the magic during the day happened a little stronger here I don’t know but I was in it man. All these songs we are cutting I feel so connected to. Ma Mere especially. I don’t sing it often, but when I do, its always for Mere. We cut four takes. And the Brothers and Danny said all four were takes.
I was feeling the zone so I sprung one last tune on Jeff and Bob. This one was called "500 Mile Girl" a tune I wrote for Sarah when she used to take the train up from NYC to Boston when we first started dating. I had the tune for a couple of years and the vibe seemed right. I showed Bob the changes. The groove is similar to the song "Front Porch Lounger" from The Hustle. Jeff locked in on it and Bob found a real nice pocket. We got four takes and again I was really feeling it. Finally, I was satiated——necer!!!! I really had my breakthrough day today.
Day 5
I’m writing this on day 6. Its just now 6:40 am and I’m about to board Delta 5228 service to Atlanta then on to Sacramento for a show with Sheryl Crow. Damn!
We have a 2 day break from the studio while I fly out to do this show in California. The show was booked before we even knew if we would have the opportunity to record in September. If it’s booked, it~Os getting played. Off I go.
Rewind…Yesterday started at 8am again. I was so excited about the previous night that I woke up with a start ready to go. The usual. Stretch, run, shower, shave—no, coffee—yes. And off to the studio.
We had cut 5 tunes on day 4 and I could definitely feel that my energy was starting to wear a bit thin. We had 3 tunes left to cut.
We started with a new take of "Walk On" with Jeff on the drums. We tried a new feel for 3 takes with a more Neil Young kind of swing (like Old
Man). It wasn’t really happening so we went back to the original treatment, which was again that shuffle train romping which is Jeff’s forte. Seth and Scott came out to cut live on this. Seth played his Martin capo~Oed on the 5th fret. Scott was on the banjo, Bob on the upright, I had the Grestch Sunburst and Houseman was on the Phattie kit. There was a nice vibe in the room and we had it on the 3rd take or so. I cut a vocal and we moved on with a real nice track. I had written this tune in hi school, probably like 1988. Finally, hopefully, "Walk On" would find a home on this record.
We came in from the tracking and Steve Martin (who is a damn good banjo player and was recording at Echo Mountain the previous week) had dropped by to say hey to the Avett Brothers. That was pretty cool. I had him sign my Gretsch "To G.love- you’re a jerk- Steve Martin". One of my favorite movies growing up was "The Jerk". This was a good omen. Too cool!
We took lunch and got ready to play "Keep On". "Keep On" was a song I originally recorded on the Kings Court session with Keith Keller, Jeff, King Kane and Teo Lessameyer. Both Keith and Teo had passed away since that session more than 14 years ago. It’s pretty sad to think about that as I write this and I’m sure if they were watching they woulda said, "Hey G, we already got a great take of this in New Orleans!" Oh shit maybe it was Jeff who said that…Rest in peace my friends.
Again, I wanted this song to be on a real release at some point. For the first time during the session I picked up the electric, the Gretsch Black Falcon. We ran about 7 takes or so. Finally we got a good drum take. Honestly, after a couple of takes I realized that this song didn’t really fit into this group of songs. Seth and Scott were both feeling it and they rallied me to at least get a working take, which we did. Honestly, this was the second wall I’d hit during a session which has been so fluid. I knew with 16 or 17 songs cut I would have to decide on 2-5 songs, which wouldn’t make the record. I had kind of reached this point with Keep On and Green which I cut solo on day one. I thought this was positive as I can never make up my mind on
this sort of thing. For me to be able to say, "these won’t make it" that’s a feat in itself. Trust me.
Daylight was fading when we approached the last tune of the cutting session. We had decided to do a version of Paul Simon’s "50 Ways". My manager Jay had been trying to get me to do a cover of this tune for years and we discussed doing it for the record. Leading up to the session I worked up my own version. The Avetts were into doing something unique with it.
The original song is all about the drum part played by Steve Gadd. Our gut told us all to do something completely different. We decided to go with a more hip hop approach. Scott and Seth sat at the kit and cut a couple different clap and kick patterns to loop up. This was the first and only time on the session we broke it down like this and I was excited for this type of experimentation. We made a verse loop and a chorus loop. I cut acoustic and Bob cut the bass. It really sounded beautiful and definitely unique with the acoustic and upright along with this
clap beat.
My idea was to finish the regular arrangement which would be to the loop, then we would cut a fast tempo jam on the chorus changes at the end for an outro.
We all went out. Scott on banjo and Seth at the piano this time. Bass, drums and me on guitar saving the harp solo for an overdub.
We did this tremendous hi speed hoe down jam that was was meant to really take off until it reached a huge and slow last chorus which would retard and prove to be a classic ending. We cut the jam completely live and it was on fire. When it is all pieced together its going to be quite a production, the HipHop Hoedown version of 50 ways.
It was an epic way to close out what has been one of the heaviest cutting sessions I’ve ever been involved with. We were all hooting and hollering.
We listened down to a bunch of tunes checking "Katie Miss" for the first time as well as "Heaven", "Baby Honey Girl" and "Get Going". I particularly was feeling "Get Going" and "Katie Miss" was very tender.
Everyone definitely needed a break from the studio after such an intense 5 days. I know I was worn out. You put so much energy and focus into those few minutes when you go for takes. Trust me its not tiring like washing dishes for 8 hours. I’m not complaining I would do it 100 days in a row if I could. But damn I’m tired.
5 days straight and 16 songs recorded.
In this order more or less
Heaven
Baby Honey Girl
Milk and Sugar
Feelin Lowdown
Green
Fixin To Die
Katie Miss
The Road
You’ve
got to die
Get Going
Just Fine
Ma Mere
500 mile Girl
Walk On
Keep on
50 Ways.
I have decided to leave off Green and Keep On. That leaves us with 14 songs to finish. It~Os definitely a lot of work but doable as the 3 solo tunes are done, there’s keeper live vocals on many of the tracks. It~Os really going to be an amazing last 4 days when we return on Sunday to overdub. The Brothers have plenty ideas and the skill and soul to make them work. I think we will run the gammet from ultra live raw performances to full blown production pieces. Exciting stuff. But don’t worry its all going to be raw. This record is going to be something different. Hats off to Danny for really creating a unique sound. Everyone here is injecting so much character into these songs and they are alive.
I’m landing in Atl and looking forward to sleeping all the way to Sacramento. Jeff’s right behind me and I can overhear him talking to the woman next to him. She saw his drum magazine and asked him if he was in the band. He said yes and told her that we were making a record and now flying to California for a one off. She asked, "Do you love your life?"
Yes.
Day 6
This one started slow for me. I had to take a quick trip to Sacramento to open up for Sheryl Crow (who sounded great) and a crowd (that was one of the worst I’ve played for), so I was a bit sleepy after the hard travel. Love it. Especially love Delta airlines…
I got up slow and said so long to Houseman, who I can’t say enough about. Jeff really did an amazing job and on short notice. He cut 8 keeper tracks in 2 days and saved the record. I will say it again, thanks Houseman aka Jeffrey Clemens!!
Jeff rolled on back to Nashville over the Blue Ridge Mountains and I dragged myself out for the run and the coffee. I rolled in a bit late around noon and was pleased to see film maker Tyler Hanson who had flown in to document the sessions on film and stills. The Avetts also had their friend Mike Beyer come in to shoot so it was good to be catching some great visuals along with the music.
I made this "To Do List" because today and the rest of the week we had plenty of shit to do. Plenty.
We had 4 days left to finish the overdubs and all the cutting. At the coffee shop, The Coffee Den on Lexington, I saw from a hand bill that The Black Crowes were playing that night in town. I had wanted someone, Warren Haynes to play a lead on 2 tracks, "Walk On" and "Just Fine". When I saw that The Crowes were in town I knew that my old friend Luther Dickinson, one of the guitar greats of my generation, was in town.
When I hit the studio I ran the plan by the Brothers and they were down. I called and left a message for Luther to see if he could do a couple tracks before his soundcheck at 4. I also emailed Warren Haynes to see if he could play on something as well. In the meantime we recut the lead vocal and harmonies on "Walk On".
Luther got the message and rolled out of bed and made it to the studio. We put up "Just Fine". "Just Fine" is this beautiful chord progression which is basically the same progression as the classical hit "Pachabels Canon". Luther picked up a pre CBS circa ‘67 Strat and played a second rhythm alongside the acoustic. After we got that he picked up my brand spanking new Gretsch Black Falcon hollow body and played sick leads till he had to roll to sound check. He killed it.
We spent the rest of the day overdubbing various tracks. Some of the highlights were:
Massive group claps on Fixin to Die, We cut about 10 tracks of claps of the 3 of us in different rooms and at different distances from the mic.
The Road—I cut 3 Harp solos and Seth did a beautiful acoustic flat picking solo on his Martin. The Brothers also cut their harmonies.
Just Fine—Scott sang a really high harmony on the pre-chorus and chorus
All in all it was a good first day of overdubs and I realized that although we were moving along well, the workload was such that we would have to keep the foot on the gas.
I ended up the night watching The Black Crowes on their final tour. It was a great show and after I went back and said hey to Chris Robinson. Chris was one of the artists we reached out to originally to produce the record. He was a part of the record afterall with me bringing the spirit of his southern preacher singing into the studio on Day 7.
I rambled home down the back streets of Asheville tired as tired but feeling like I had a found a hundred dollar bill on the ground.
Day 7
Tyler Hanson came by the crib at 11:30. We had some breakfast and hit the streets. Tyler wanted to film some talking and you know I can talk. We walked around for 30 minutes or so rapping about the record and the recording process.
When we arrived at Echo Mountain around noon thirty the Avetts were in full swing. It turns out Danny has been moonlighting as well. He has comped the bass and claps on "50 Ways" and its sounding sweet. Danny stayed after last night and did some editing. He did some tonight after he left. He may still be doing it now.
We are in full swing now with every adding there last bits of fuel to the fire. All I can say is that again and so many times throughout the day the chills come and the hair raises on tha back of my neck.
So many laughs too. Such passion into the music and plenty of good times. My old friend Kieth Keller from New Orleans who produced the Kings Court and part of Coast to Coast Motel once said to us, while cooking up a big pot of Cabbage and Andouille, that making a record is like running a marathon. You have to pace yourself and eat well! And its crazy because whether its 2 days or 2 years, you’re running a marathon.
We cut a lot today, more claps, more harmonies, I cut the lead vox on the two singles "Just Fine" and "50 ways". Seth laced "50 ways" with the Falcon and piano on the choruses. What else…? Seth put bass on Milk and Sugar and Fixin to Die. Both are pretty much wrapped. We finished "Home" which is a sparse arrangement Harmony and a low shaker with the live take.
I played my acoustic on Just Fine, the Brothers sang on "You’ve Got To Die" with Scott singing the high Belt. That was it. We headed out around 10. Julian and Danny stayed. Danny began work on the Bass on "Just Fine"
2 more days left. Everyday I go for my run to Eloise St and say a prayer for my Aunt Eloise, Mere, MiMi and Grandpa, Uncle Bob, Grandfather Murphy, Marianne and ask them to send their blessings for the record. I can feel it. I can feel them there!
