December 31, 2004
It's final. 2004 was a life-altering year. Thinking back, I am amazed at how drastically our lives have changed and how much we've all done in the past three hundred and sixty-six days. Now, moving into this new year, Painting Daisies, like each individual in the band, is moving into a new era.
I was a teenager with less than six months experience last time we recorded an album. I remember how hard I tried to play my parts well; how many times I repeated that riff from "Carpal Tunnel" trying to get my little hand to make that big stretch and my weak fingers to hold down the strings hard enough to get good tone. I remember how painful every song was to play, and Steve Loree, our producer, telling me I have to forget the pain, to just tell my fingers and my arm to work and keep playing.
This album was one take with Kim playing live beside me and about three punch-ins where I changed my part. How things have changed.
I remeber trying to form the songs for "fortissimo", how we chopped them apart and mendend them back together, each one getting more work done to it than the entire Jackson family put together.
Joby, our producer on this new album, handled our arrangements with a light touch. We already had our songs. We already had our sound. All we need is an album that brings it all together.
And I think this album will bring it together. This is what Painting Daisies have been waiting (and waiting) for. Something that will carry us into a new year and a new era. An album that we will carry proudly wherever we find ourselves in the future.
Christmas Day
Merry Christmas everyone! I'm off to prepare some Christmas duck and veggies, and stop to deliver a few moments of Christmas joy along the way. I hope all my bandmates and all our faithful readers are enjoying a wonderful Christmas.
Honest Muir's Keeps Me Real
I have been performing on stage for the last 20 something years of my life. I have been nervous and had the jitters but nothing can compare to how I felt last night. After getting sunburned and dehydrated, I went with a for a domestic beer at this quaint, local bar called Honest Muir's. It was karaoke night and full to the brim with toothless, hairy men and women from all over the south area. After many prompts from my aquaintance, I was convinced that i should sing a number. My pre madonna/sting hackles went up and I reacted with a "Like...no". Well, eventually I got up and put my name down for an old Jazz tune that Norah Jones covered, "Turn Me On". I was so nervous that my involuntary organs were vibrating! To make a long story short, karaoke is really hard. Even harder than playing your own gig. I had wrinkled, hard livin' karaoke die hards staring me down waiting for one bad note. And yes, there were bad notes. Moral of the story... if you want to become a stronger person, sing karaoke.
I miss recording! Daisy? Kim? Carolyn? How you doin'?
Thanks Metallica and Coke
I can barely see the screen. Daisy, Sue, and I drove for 2 days to bring Muffy and her gear safely home. I am sooooo tired. I took a slight detour in Vancouver. I like to call it the scenic route. Yikes. Finally we made it out of Van and the rest is a blurr. During the final 3 hours, I cranked Metallica and drank copius amounts of Cocacola. That stuff is amazing! I did 130 km all the way here, just in time to sing with Ann Vriend at The RoseBowl. Now I am going into lala land. I miss the studio already. The last two weeks were what I live for. Playing music all day is what I crave. Thanks Joby for weaving our retrospective accounts into one cohesive album. Only a few days in January left for the vocals and keys. Any ideas for the album title? I like "Could you be my squirrel?"
Drummer Hit By Wet Perogy
At approximately 6 pm Pacific Time, drummer Kim Gryba and guitarist, Rachelle van Zanten were preparing dinner for producer, Joby Baker (aka Joseph s. Baker), and guitarist Daisy Blue Groff. After heating a pot of greens on the stove, the element lit on fire and Rachelle started to jump around screaming. Kim Gryba immediately hit her over the head and told her to calm down. Slowly the flame burned out and the butter was wiped off the bottom of the pan. Shortly after the incident, a wet perogy flew from the table, across the kitchen, and hit Kim Gryba in the arm before falling to the floor. What happened? Both Kim and Rachelle, believe it to be supernatural forces. Oh MY GAH!
Moby's Show Cancelled
Sorry everyone for cancelling the Moby's show but we are going to be stuck in the studio until the wee hours of the morning. We aren't going to be able to fit it in. Please forgive us but we will be back.
Daisy just finished some mean buzz-saw guitar to "Dont Leave Me Here". Every day I am excited to be alive and recording musician with such a wicked team.
Now it's tea time.
Drummers Relaxing, Nine Turkeys Dancing
Well, the drum tracks are all done, and they rock. I being kim, have just been doing some R and R the last couple of days. Checking in to see what Rachelle has been doing on slide guitar and other things. She is almost done. One more song. Yeee, Haaaa. It sounds great. I'm really, a very happy women. We have some thoughts on what our album should be called, but I want to hear from you. "What do you think our album should be called. Remember, keep in clean.
On a personal note, I have been doing good. A little tired though. I have been working about 65 to 70 ours a week, you know, doing that good old day job thing. I miss ya all. Can't wait to get back on the road. Well I am going to go back and watch Family Guy, with Daisy. "Ya, the whole band is on the Family Guy kick". It's all about the baby. The dog is cute too.
Remember to go to the message board on the web site and tell us what we should name our album. All right. Take care.
Kim
Fingers very Raw
I am typing very lightly. The skin and nails are almost gone from my fingies. It's the National that does it. I am using 16-58 gauge and it is ripping the crap out of my digits.
8 am rolled around and I got up with excitement running through my body cuz my fave guitar player in the whole world was coming to our studio! Yes, Lester Quitzau came over to help us get some guitar sounds. We used an old Wizard cabinet that used to be Randy's main stage amp for The Guess Who, combined with a Highwatt head. It was daisy chained to an OLD Fender Deluxe. The combination gave a HUGE sound and was captured by 6....count it....6 room mics! Look out Cleveland. So I played pretty much for 8 hours straight and now I am paying the physical price. Tomorrow is much the same. More big ass guitar sounds. I am hoping that I don't have to do the dishes so that my calluses won't fall off. Thank you sooo much Lester for spending your day with us to make it huge.
Now it is almost midnight and we are preparing a track for tomorrow morning. I believe we are going with "Arnhem" which is a very new song about "Operation Market Garden" during WWII.
Thru the Future, Brightly
I grew up listening to "Thru the Past, Darkly" by the Stones. It's a blue octagonal album you just can't miss within any vinyl collection. My fave was 'Dandilion' when I was 3 - "Ruby Tuesday" when i was 4, but I must say "Honky-Tonk Woman" has me right now. I just played Keith's old git from back in the day - very awesome. And the Electric Sitar is just the Bomb - that was for "Khartouche".
Kim is laying down beds for "Don't Leave Here" while I type very quietly as there are room mics everywhere. She's drumming like a pro she is.
This entry has taken me 20 minutes so far - letter by letter.
Joby is a genius. Finally someone who understands us and our nuances and detailing and energy.
This record will kick Heiny.
Look out, world.
DAISY IS PLAYING KEITH RICHARD'S GUITAR!
Daisy is currently riffing on Keith Richard's guitar. I believe it is a Gretsch. Sexy. I have fallen in love with a 50 something Les paul with P90 pickups. Pure output power!!!!!! I love being here. I even found a Big Muff pedal in the cupboard. Oh and a Big Cheese modulator! During the dinner break today, Joby and I jammed on a few blues riffs. The trick with the Les paul is that you have to turn it to "11" for it to sound raunchy and so now I am very deaf and cannot hear syllables properly! Joby is a wicked ass drummer with great groove. He snuck in some weirdness and I followed, I think. I couldn't quite hear. Lester Quitzau is coming over in a week to help with the amp sounds. He is the king of ampage and guitar hugeness. Wait til he sees all the toys here. He will be like a kid in a candy store. Ummm. gotta go and do the beds for "Don't Leave Me Here." Miss you.