Here’s the latest mix of “I am the Moon.”

Does everyone understand what I mean by “mix?”

As any project is being made, the “mixes” - which is the mix of the instruments with the vocals and background vocals, and the EQ and the volume of EACH THING - are called “rough mixes.”

The mixes you’re listening to here aren’t AS rough as some mid-project mixes because Ben likes to mix as he goes.  Then he tweaks everything constantly.

(For instance - we’ll probably change the volume of things over and over again.  It can be pretty amazing how you’ll obsess with ONE little volume change for one guitar solo.)  Anyway, the FINAL mixes don’t happen until the whole CD has been recorded, and you’ve had time to listen. And you and the producer of your CD will listen in various locations - car, home, on bad speakers — so that you can make note of things that sound bad or good, etc.

Make sense?  I might write more about mixing cuz it’s a fascinating topic. Mixing is everything. Pulling stuff OUT is everything too!

So - this is Rough Mix #4 or 5. I can’t remember where we’re at with this!

Here’s what’s new:  Electric guitar and real drums.  There’s no bass yet. That bothers Ben a lot - because it makes it harder for him to add much real drum. (Since bass and drums kinda go together.)

Have at it!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I’m posting “Virginia” today because it’s a happy song.

And also because it’s one of the states that showed us last night that there’s no such thing as a red state or a blue state. That there’s just United States.

We’ve got real drums, real claps, electric guitar, mandolin - and a bass track played by the baritone guitar.

And we’ve got a new president!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Hello Record Producers!

So, I’ve noticed something.

You’ve been out of touch in the last month.

Okay. Okay. I know.

It was ME that was out of touch!

And actually, I planned it.

It was a gift to you.  Really!

Wanna know why?

Well, think about it.

The next time you’re at one of those froo-froo music biz cocktail parties, you can hang out with all of the artist management types and record producer types, and say things like:

“Geez. ‘Artist Management.’ Now THERE’S an oxymoron.”

And you can join in on all the stories about all the artists who just kind of disappear in the midst of important projects and the like.

Here’s what you can say:

“I’m producing this one chick? And we were in the thick of a pre-launch campaign. We’d given her close to FIFTEEEN THOUSAND BUCKS.  We flew her to New York City three times. She SEEMED like she was into it.  And then?”

(And here you take a swig of your Grey Goose dirty martini. And you shrug.)

“Nothin’! She just DISAPPEARS.”

(Pause to wipe your mouth with your sleeve.)

“What the f-?”

And someone else will pick up the story with, “Oh, that’s nothing.  I was working with Boy George once…”

See what I’m saying here?

I’m giving you the TOTAL UNEDITED experience of working with an artist.

PLUS, the added bonus of getting some dirt about other artists in the process!

Cuz let’s face it…

The fact is this:

Artists are flakey sometimes.  We’re downright divas at other times.

And I have given you full-on membership benefits – the right to roll your eyes whenever you’re in a discussion about artists. (You can thank me at one of the CD release shows. Or in the comments section below.)

Seriously though…

There are five things that have kept me away from this project.

Here they are in no particular order:

1 – After my three days at the studio in September, I got very sick.

I think it was lack of sleep.  The West Village apartment I’m staying at is very loud. (One night I woke up to the sound of one of the patrons of The Monster vomiting exuberantly onto the street below me.)

2 – I got well. But then I got sick again two weeks later.

(Probably from remembering the vomit episode.)

So, Ben and I cancelled our October AND November studio times so that my voice would mend thoroughly before I hit the studio again.

3 – I’m not exactly loving the current mixes of the songs. (Sorry, Ben!)

I’ll post these next rounds of mixes, and I’ll write about my hesitations. But it’s taken some listening for me to be able to articulate what I’m hearing.  This is one of the things I forgot about when I started this site.  You always end up getting one round of mixes that doesn’t quite feel right.

4 – I’m a little stuck on the song-contest song for Barbara!

The song is called “How to Be Real.”  And I’ve written and re-written. And I’m a hyper-critical writer.   But it has to be done before I go back to the studio!

5 – The U.S. Elections.

I’m mostly not political.  But in the past year, I’ve become passionately political. I’ve turned into a Rachel Maddow fanatic. And I have no fingernails left.

Now, I don’t expect you to believe the same things I believe. But I also am not a big fan of the Shut up and Sing campaign.  I do think our whole planet is at a crucial tipping point, and that politics is reflecting it.

So, before I post another song –

(Tomorrow, if I’m in a good mood. Thursday, if I’m not.)

go vote today!!!!