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Dave Reports On The Recording Of The Wired To Earth Follow Up Album

March 2nd, 2013 by WebMaster

Good news everyone, the follow up to Wired To Earth is well and truly on the way and by all accounts, the recording sessions are going extremely well. To get a better idea of how things are going, a few fun questions were flung at the band, and the responses are now coming back. Up first is… Dave Gregory!

 

 

WebMaster: How much fun are you having recording another album? Does it feel different to when you were doing the first one?
Dave: I always have fun playing with these guys. I actually prefer rehearsing to recording; no pressure! Studios can be very intimidating places at times, even after doing it for so long. But we’ve cut the last couple of tracks live with Mitch Keen in the studio, which has been quite liberating for all of us. Something certainly happens when we all play together, and the results on playback confirm that.
I recorded most of my solos on ‘Wired To Earth’ at home, after the basic tracks had been cut. For the next record I’ll be going back into the studio with Mitch to do solos and overdubs, which I will write ‘in stone’ beforehand.

 

WebMaster: How do you feel about the progress that’s been made so far? How much has the band recorded?
Dave: We have only recorded 3 basic tracks so far, though one of those is 17 minutes long! At present we have two more songs ready to record. We’ve been waiting for studio equipment and microphones to be delivered, and for  the studio to become available. It all has to be fitted in around work and family commitments, which take up a lot more time than you might think. But there’s no time pressure; only when we’re satisfied the record is as good as it could be will we put it out.

 

WebMaster: Is there a track or part that you’re particularly excited about?
Dave: I’m enjoying everything that’s ‘on tape’ so far. Way too early to get specific about ‘moments’! But Daniel has come up with a raunchy instrumental thing reminiscent of Crimson’s ‘Bible Black’-period, which we’ll cut live in the studio. I’m looking forward to that.

 

 

WebMaster: Has there been any particular moment during the writing/recording that you’re not going to forget?
Dave: I can’t guarantee that I won’t forget! Those moments rarely make their presence felt until the songs are all mixed, though recording Dan’s song ‘Summer Now’ together was a real joy.

 

WebMaster: How do you think the new album is going to compare to the last one? Do you think it will be recognisable to fans of the first album, or is it likely to be quite different?
Dave: Oh, it’ll definitely sound like us; just better-produced and more confident, hopefully. We have no plans to add keyboards, horns or strings so it’ll be another mix of varied guitar textures, and I’m hoping to feature the guys’ vocal harmonies a lot more. They’re really fine singers, and because they work regularly as the Hi-Fidels their throats are always ‘blown-in’.

 

WebMaster: What gear have you been using mostly so far?
Dave: Last summer I finally got hold of an early Marshall 50-watt ‘plexi’ rig, and I’ve been enjoying playing through that at rehearsal; such a wonderful, warm-sounding little amp. But my old faithful Matchless DC30 is the one I always come back to, and is the perfect stage and studio amp. You just place a mic in front of it and the sound is there! I’ve also dug out my ’82 Gibson Flying V, which is a fantastic guitar. Daniel played it and had to have one! So we’ll be recording those, as well as my ’61 Gibson SG Special, the Tom Petty 12-string and a Telecaster. I also have a lovely Gibson Starburst electro-acoustic, on which I’ve written a little piece that might or might not show up on the record. So many guitars, so many overdubs – we have much to do, but I don’t think I’ll be stuck for choice.

 

WebMaster: Which part of the entire writing-recording-polishing process do you think you enjoy the most?
Dave: I like the early stages at rehearsal, when we’re knocking ideas around and an arrangement suddenly falls into place. But I really love mixing the most; something I’m not able to do with our records as the music is all on Mitch’s computer and I don’t have a similar set-up here at home. We let Mitch do all the hard work, then come in and pull it to pieces! But I would prefer to be ‘hands-on’ at that stage, like in the old days when we all huddled around the console with a couple of faders apiece. Can’t do that with a mouse.

 

Dan’s thoughts coming up next…