DandyLyon Whine News

Your Last Song

2012-02-15T22:48:00.000-05:00

Not the last song on the album ...

Most of this song is the bridge to an older song of mine "The Object Of My Affection." The bridge of this song is the verse of the same song. Interesting how things change.

It's a fun pretty little exercise in rhyme and reason.

And we honkey tonk it up live. Only a few days until the release show where you'll get to hear it for yourself!

Penn Station

2012-02-14T22:42:00.002-05:00

So, this is the one about my father.

Or at least anger I had towards my father.

A big part of this album is saying things so that I can move forward with my life.

So, I hope that is possible.

The Hollow Spine Waltz and If You Loved Me

2012-02-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

The Hollow Spine Waltz -

This one was inspired by the CAKE cover of Willie Nelson's "Sad Songs and Waltzes." It's called the 'hollow spine' waltz because the word "Coelacanth" means "Hollow Spine." Lucky for me, the lyrics also lead to having a spine a little less than solid.

If You Loved Me -
This one is the other tune inspired by a friend's bad breakup. I was working on the music for a while, and then he had this realization that he had to get out, that he was in a really bad situation. I tried to put myself in his shoes and this song is what happened.

As a side note, I put together the deluxe editions tonight and they look really good!

I Don't Want To Live Anymore

2012-02-11T18:53:00.000-05:00

I wrote this song one morning when a rehearsal got canceled. What initially was supposed to be a demo, but it turned out really good. A day later I got a video of a guy flying a kite by the disc golf course and it just seemed to fit. That's where the idea to have a DVD with the deluxe edition came from. Here's the video:

Solenoid

2012-02-10T22:18:00.000-05:00

Solenoid is the newest of all the songs on the album. I believe it to be inspired by a friend's rather nasty break up, though maybe just a residual vibe, as there is another tune that comes later on the album that is definitely inspired by said events.

That being said, I have put a starter in every truck I've owned, except the most recent one.

I'm sure it's coming. It is inevitable .

The Old Man And The Me

2012-02-09T22:10:00.000-05:00

Amazingly, this one is not about my father...

It's about a guy slowly realizing that waiting for unrequited love is a bad idea and that investing time in doing and being what one wants to be is a good idea. In this case he decides to head out to sea.

Special thanks to Josh Foeller for the line "You can teach a man to sail, but you can't teach him why." I guess it is an old family saying, but I would not know it if it were not for him.

Satanic Mechanic

2012-02-08T23:54:00.000-05:00

Satanic Mechanic started many years ago as an attempt by a colleague and I to write a modern day blues tune, one about selling your soul to the devil. We were brainstorming and thought that maybe these days the devil drove a big black sport utility vehicle instead of a big black Cadillac. The original lyrics went "I know he's coming, he's coming for me rolling along in that SUV. He should be driving a Cadillac. It ain't that long, but it sure is black." A version with these lyrics will be available on the extras DVD that comes with the deluxe version of the album.

The lines "Don't want to die. Don't want to die alone. Don't want to lay in the garden of stone. That's why I call you on the phone, cell phone towers, they guide me home." is an homage to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album on which two tunes make reference to towers guiding him home. One being the refinery towers and one being radio towers.

I'd like to think that this song has an overarching Nebraska feel to it. I think of it as about a good man forced to make a hard decision and now he has to pay for it or die running from it.

Coelacanth .... the song

2012-02-07T23:12:00.000-05:00

Today I start posting about a song everyday. Today we'll take a look at the lead off track - "Coelacanth"

Dreamed I was an ancient fish swimming in the sea.
Nothing ever changes here, nothing except me.
One day soon I know that they will come looking for me saying
everything's been changing here, everything but me.

This is it, the crux of the album. I wrote it quickly on a hot summer night and I recorded it on my phone to make sure I wouldn't forget it. I recorded the song multiple times afterward and for a long time none of them lived up to the original. The original will appear on the DVD of the special edition.

I have always hated songs that are about the hard life of rock stardom. In line with that I must state that I love Joe Walsh's Life's Been Good To Me So Far. I liken the song Coelacanthto the lines "It's tough to handle all this fortune and fame. Everybody's so different. I haven't changed."

This song, and this album, is all about change, a change I need to make, but in order to do so I need to let go of a lot of pain, and a lot of baggage, and start the slow process of becoming a better, more open, well-rounded person.

Regular and Deluxe Editions

2012-02-06T00:48:00.000-05:00

Coelacanth will be available in two different versions, standard and deluxe.

The standard version will come with the full 10 song album. It will cost $5.

The deluxe version will come with the full album and a dvd containing a video for all 10 songs as well as some alternative takes and demos from the recording process. The deluxe version will be available for $10

You can pick up either copy at the Coelacanth Release Party, Feb 18th at The New Dodge Lounge!

My first encounter with a Coelacanth

2012-02-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

Sometime in 2010 I was in a biology for dummies class titled 'Life On Earth' to get gen ed credit towards my music degree. The class mostly consisted of watching the David Attenbourough series of the same title. The class was run by a scrawny asshole full of dry, biting humor. I loved the class.

The material for the class was presented as the timeline of life on earth, from the first proteins and amino acids up through modern day. One day we were talking about the evolution of fish and how they worked their way out of the water. Let's take a moment to talk about these fish. There are two kinds of fins that can be found on fish, ray fins, and lobe fins. Unless you've seen a Coelacanth you have never seen a lobe finned fish. Why is this important? Well, lobe fin fish have four lobe fins, two up front and two in back, ...and the bone structure shows five tarsals inside the fin.

Ever notice how all animals with fingers and toes have five of them? That's because it was a lobe finned fish that first came out of the water and survived. There are plenty of these fish in the fossil record, but we thought they had been extinct.

That is until 1938 when they were found off the shore of South Africa. The ancient fish lives. It has changed a bit. The one found was a new species, and another species has since been discovered.

Coelacanths live in dark, cold water at high pressure depths. They are about six feet long and weigh about 180 pounds. They reach sexual maturity somewhere between 20 and 25 years, and they live to be somewhere between eighty and a hundred years old. They've lived for millions of years, forgotten and abandoned in the dark while the world changed. Now roughly one Coelacanth's lifetime has passed since they've been discovered. Are they perfect for not needed to have changed or are they doomed to die off slowly for all the change that has happened around them?

INFORMATION!

2012-02-03T23:21:00.002-05:00

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coelacanth

poissons antiques

2012-02-02T12:53:00.001-05:00

Useless Fact #1

2012-02-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

In the push to the release of Coelacanth comes the daily posting of something ....

Some kind of news having something to do with the album. Today's info falls into the completely useless category, hopefully the information to come will be much more interesting and edifying ...

Coelacanth will be exacty 40 minutes and 22 seconds long if you are obtaining it digitally.

Add two seconds to that if you are planning on procuring the album on compact disc as there will be a standard two second buffer at the beginning (though not tabulated on your CD player's time clock).

This has been useless fact number one (#1). Please check back tomorrow for something hopefully a bit more useful.

Website Redesign and Coelacanth Release Details

2012-01-16T09:44:00.001-05:00

DandyLyonWhine.Net has gone through a redesign. Spend some time and check it out. With any luck you will find it more functional and easy to use.

Coelacanth, DandyLyon Whine's second full length album, is coming out February 18th at The New Dodge Lounge. Opening up are Looking Up At Down and Keith Bedore. Show starts circa 9:30 and the cost is five dollars.

The New Dodge
8850 Jos. Campau
Hamtramck, MI, 48212

Here's the facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/271014969628849/?ref=ts

official release date for Coelacanth, Saturday February 18th 2012

2012-01-06T00:22:00.001-05:00

At the New Dodge Lounge in Hamtramck.

Details and stories to come...

The Day After Labor Day

2011-09-06T16:08:00.000-04:00

Here we are again, the day after labor day. It's been two years since I finally got the guts to head into the basement to record and put out my first album. Since then I put a band together and played a bunch of shows. The label that started for real with that album has grown. Things are looking good all around. I just wanted to touch base and let you guys know what's going on.

I personally am having an extremely busy fall in my personal life and due to that the band is not actively booking. We won't turn down shows that come our way, but we're not going to seek them out. We certainly will be performing "All The Way Home" at the big CDCC Nigel Tufnel Day celebration at The Berkley Front on 11/11/11.

What we will be doing during this time is working on our long anticipated second album.

Coelacanth will be released on February 18th, 2012. That's a little less than six months from now. The preliminary recordings for the album are sounding pretty good. You've heard what "I Don't Want To Live Anymore" sounds like, and if you were lucky enough to get the exclusive single you know what "If You Loved Me" sounds like, and if you've made it to a show in the last six months or so then you've most likely heard a lot of the album.

I am really excited about the album. The entire band will be performing on this album, not just me, and the musical interaction is great. I am truly blessed to be the weakest musician of the group. The sound is amazing. Upgrades in gear and improvement of recording techniques is giving this album a great sound and feel. Overall though what is really going to grab you is the tunes. These tunes are the best I have written.

So we look forward to having you all hear it. More info on where we'll be releasing it and how you'll be able to get a copy as details emerge.

Thank You,
Jeremy Otto
DandyLyon Whine

Album Release Date, Show Video, etc.

2011-08-13T12:02:00.000-04:00

Greetings All,

Just a quick update:

We're playing the 2nd Annual CDCC Potluck Jamboree on August 27th at the Communist Day Care Center. Click here for your official invite / directions.

The official release date for Coelacanth is February 18th, 2012, just about 6 months from now. We've got a lot of good music going into it and a lot of good extras being built around it as well.

Here is video of the entire solo show put on by Jeremy at the Berkley Front recently:

Thanks,
-Otto

Axis Mundi Fest

2011-07-31T17:17:00.000-04:00

This upcoming Friday, August 5th, 2011 will mark the first annual AXIS MUNDI FEST, featuring the best from five local labels, Communist Day Care Center, Forget Records, Algae Tapes and Records, Sonic Lullaby, No Money Records, and more! The show will be at Sparklewood / North End Studios 2937 East Grand Boulevard Detroit MI 48202. 15 bands plus art from 10 artists for $5 cannot be beat. Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00, DandyLyon Whine is scheduled for 9.

Here's the facebook event
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=256962344313893

We'll see you there.

I Don't Want To Live Anymore

2011-07-13T10:29:00.000-04:00

New song, New video, from the new upcoming album: "I Don't Want To Live Anymore" from Coelacanth coming in early 2012

Update

2011-06-23T10:40:00.000-04:00

I hadn't realized how long it has been since the last post. Here's a recap of what's been going on:

DandyLyon Whine now has a permanent bass player! Elliott Kleinfelder has been playing with us for the last couple of months and has really provided the anchor we've been missing. It's amazing what you can do when you don't have to worry about just getting by. Elliott's presence has truly allowed us to stretch and I am confident in saying we are stronger than we ever have been.

With the album a ways away but people asking feverishly about it we released the first single off of it "If You Loved Me" as a limited run of 12 copies. They are hand numbered and not available for download. They are not for sale on the website. The only place they you can get one is at a show. I am proud to say that we are down to one remaining. For those of you keeping track it is number 11 of 12, as someone purposely took number 12.

The upcoming album is to be named 'Coelacanth.' A Coelacanth is one of the oldest species on earth. It is a giant fish (about 5' long) that lives deep underwater mostly in the Indian Ocean. It has gone unchanged for approximately 360 million years. It is also a lobe finned fish, meaning that the fins of the fish have a skeletal system similar to human hands and other mammals. A descendant of the Coelacanth is believed to be the first animal to walk on land. It is ancient and unchanged but inherently tied to modern times. It is a dichotomy. How does one exist in a changing world when one cannot change? Look for the album most likely this winter.

Upcoming gigs include:
July 1, PJ's Lagerhouse with Sound And Fury, The Ashleys, and Extra Large Childe
July 10, Club Bart, that is if they're open again and honoring previously booked gigs, w/ DINOSAUR MONSTER
Aug 5, AXIS MUNDI PALOOZA at Sparklewood/North End Studios
Aug 27th, 2nd Annual CDCC Potluck Jamboree

I think that's all for now. I'll try to be better about this in the future.
-Otto

UPDATE: meh

2010-11-13T19:21:00.001-05:00

I just figured I would let you all in on the official scoop from Camp DandyLyon Whine.

First I wanted to once again thank all of you that came out to that great gig at the Crofoot, wherein we were the only band to actually show up. It was a great rockin' time. As you may have noticed, we were performing without the net of a bass player. This has been an issue for some time and we have made the decision that while we will not turn down any gigs that come our way, we will not book any gigs until we have taken care of this oversight.

Are we giving in? Oh, no. In the intermediate time we will be working on material for the upcoming album, due mid to late of next year. A lot of good ideas are brewing and I truthfully expect this album to be my best work.

In the mean time, the label is doing quite well and we are getting set to start recording a few new bands and hope to have that material out soon. There has been a slight site redesign and the addition of a forum on which to sound off about whatever you wish. Check it out at http://communistdaycarecenter.net

Thanks again and keep tuned in.
-Otto

The Day After Labor Day Full Album Youtube Playlist

2010-10-05T22:58:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the 21st Century

One year after The Day After Labor Day

2010-09-07T16:29:00.000-04:00

It's been one year since the release of The Day After Labor Day. I suppose in a technical way we're still two days away from the date, but here we are a year later on the day after labor day. A lot has happened in that year. I recorded the album myself over the preceding summer. I played all the parts, did the mixing, mastering, and created the art and layout on my own. It was a labor of love, but it was also a labor of spite. I wanted to prove to everyone that I had what it takes to put out an album on my own. I was sick of getting the reviews of "It's alright, but it's not 'X'." I still don't know if the album is great, that is something that is left up to the listener, but at the end of the day, I did it and I have something to show for it. Let it be known that if ever I should die, god forbid, that someone contacts Vinyly records in England and has my ashes pressed into an LP of The Day After Labor Day.

A few weeks before the album was to come out I was contacted to play the first Varnerstock. This gig would take place a few weeks after the release. I put together an all star band out of the best musicians I knew and began to rehearse. It probably wasn't the best gig I've ever played in my life, but it sure felt like it. Playing my music with a band is one of the best feelings I've ever had. When I'm playing with them I feel like I am part of the audience, listening to the music they're playing. As a band we've come a long way. We've a string of successful gigs behind us, and we're starting to get a following. By the way, Varnerstock II is this weekend at Varner Recital Hall on the Oakland University Campus.

The release of The Day After Labor Day also signaled the rebirth of The Communist Day Care Center. Now functioning mostly as a record label, CDCC is the label I've put on different projects since high school, be it music, video production, or qbasic programming. The title was taken from a line of dialogue in the John Waters movie "Desperate Living." I of course heard it first as a sample from the end of Marilyn Manson's Portrait Of An American Family. There is a band out of San Diego that also uses the name. You should check them out. They're good. As a label we've picked up a few acts and put out a few CD's. The long awaited full length album from Einheuser, titled Einheuser, should be out soon. Should be. The debut release from JFn'K is the first release we've put out with 100% in house production. From the recording to mixing and mastering. From the duplication to the artistic layout printing, we've done everything. It is also the first release that stands to make it's money back. We're not quite there yet, but we're close. CDCC is also part of a larger collective of local labels, the Axis Mundi Collective. This network really provides a lot of support and we are really happy to be a part of such a great organization. Long live Axis Mundi.

So, where does this leave us? Well, it is the day after labor day. It is a change in season, it is the day we come off of vacation and go back to work. It is the day that we start to get things done. What's next? Well, as a label we're going to grow. We are going to find and put out artists work so that it can be heard. What are we going to do as a band? We're going to put out another album. I am currently in the songwriting process. The approach to this one is going to be different, and I'll be collaborating with my band mates in the recording of this one. There will be no short cuts, not that there were last time, but there will be no solid deadlines to work against until it is known how long it will take to be right. Expect good things from us. Expect good things from the label.

In parting, go and do good things. You can do it. If you can't do it on your own, find people to help you. It is possible, and, after all, it is the day after labor day. It's time to get back to work.

DandyLyon Whine Site + New Video

2010-07-13T20:26:00.001-04:00

http://dandylyonwhine.net is back up and running! Hosting has switched over, and just so you know, the running tally of downloads of "The Day After Labor Day" is at that magic number 69.

To celebrate Communist Day Care Center has just released the new video for "On The Eve Of The Zombie Apocalypse." Click here to watch it!

Website Issues

2010-07-12T09:55:00.001-04:00

For the next couple of days there might be some issues with DandyLyonWhine.net. Please check out the site directly on the Communist Day Care Center website: http://communistdaycarecenter.net/DLW/DLW

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Great Gig

2010-05-24T13:28:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to stop by to say thanks to everyone who came to the show the other night. It was a great success because of you guys. Thanks so much, and I'll be posting some more upcoming shows soon!

THIS THURSDAY AT THE BERKLEY FRONT!

2010-05-18T23:10:00.003-04:00

DLW will be rockin' The Berkley Front this Thursday opening up for Detroit Alt-Country Rockers DUENDE! This FREE show will start at 10 PM sharp! Make sure to make it out for some great rock n' roll!

The Berkley Front is on 12 Mile east of Woodward, or just click here for a map

May 20th

2010-05-03T08:56:00.000-04:00

I've just finalized the set for the 20th and it is a rockin' one! We are debuting four tunes on this show! You don't want to miss this one! I love exclamation points!

The best things in life are free, like this show. We go on at 10 opening up for one of Detroit's best groups DUENDE!

So be there or be square.

The Berkley Front <---------- (Click for map)
3087 West 12 Mile Road Berkley, MI 48072-1301 - (248) 547-3331

UPCOMING SHOW!

2010-04-12T11:11:00.001-04:00

Hello DandyLyon Whine fans! I ain't dead!, yet.

Sorry about the long time from the last post, but I come with news of an UPCOMING SHOW!

May 20th, at the Berkley Front, opening up for Detroit's amazing alt country, roots americana band DUENDE! This should be a great show and we're premiering a lot of new material. This should be a great time and I hope to see all of you out there for this rockin' party.

I'll post when I know our time and cost and etc!

Rock On!
-DLW

WEBSITE REBUILD!

2010-01-14T00:45:00.002-05:00

By the way - you may have noticed that the website has been half done for a while, well it's finished now. Nothing great, but a few more options, and it certainly looks nice. Well, at least to me it looks nice. I could easily be wrong. Check it out: http://www.dandylyonwhine.net

P.S. - If you got here from the website, just go ahead and ignore this post.

Chariots Of Silk!

2010-01-13T23:17:00.002-05:00

It's finally arrived! All of you do yourselves a favor and download Locognosis Records' T-Rex tribute album! It is an awesome collection of songs done by an awesome collection of local Detroit bands, including a version of 20th Century Boy by Dandylyon Whine.

Check it out via free download today!
http://www.locognosis.com/store/display_album.php?id=1

And while you're there check out the amazing collection of great local acts. There are many albums available for free or next to nothing. There is also a list of upcoming shows as well as a roster of bands. Most likely you like a band that is on this label and just didn't realize they were put out by Locognosis. Seriously these guys are the most underrated record label in town. Check it out.

CDCC

2009-12-14T22:21:00.003-05:00

Welcome To The Communist Day Care Center

Tell Your Mother I Hate Her! Tell Your Mother I Hate You!

Changes, Updates, Projects!

2009-12-13T22:10:00.002-05:00

Hello All!

I am sorry for the lengthy absence from any news, updates, new content or any of it. There are good things a-comin'.

First up there is a website overhaul in the making. The website as you know it, and which is currently still running, was designed specifically to launch the album. Having sucessfully launched the album, now the site needs to be changed to promote the music and live band as well as the album, and thus turn into an actual website.

Also in web news is the launching of CommunistDayCareCenter.Net. I have not linked it because I bought the domain and hosting tonight and there is not anything on the site. This will finally make public the moniker I have used since high school as a production company for any media I out out. As it stands I would like to find some a band or two to put out on this label if it will help us all out. It should be noted that eventually all the CDCC material from previous years will be posted as well, and yes this does include the infamous "Alien Incident In Rochester."

Gigs should be on the way. I've got the feelers out to do some booking so I'm excited to see where that goes. As well as the full group shows, I am also looking to do some solo and smaller group projects, all of which I am very excited about. You will know about dates as soon as I do.

That's about it for now, but all news front facade aside, I really can't wait to get out and play some more. The things that have been keeping me from attending to the things here, and from actively booking, have been as of recent times very crushing, and unfortunately will continue to for a while. Anyway, I know I disappear easily sometimes and I just want everyone to know that I'll keep playing whenever I can as long as you keep listening when you can.

Thanks.

HIDDEN TRACK!

2009-10-20T13:05:00.000-04:00

Hidden track is hidden. Http://dandylyonwhine.net

2009-10-14T00:40:00.002-04:00

Thanks to all that came out to VARNERSTOCK '09! It was good rockin' for a good cause. Soon I will have audio up on the website. Hopefully I will have the time to do a website revamp soon as well!

In more immediate news, THE CUTLASS VIDEO IS DONE!

Check it out here: CUTLASS VIDEO!

GIG!

2009-09-19T10:12:00.002-04:00

Come see DandyLyon Whine make their FULL BAND debut at VARNERSTOCK '09!

One week from today (Sat. Sept. 26th, 2009) at 7:00 pm in Varner Recital Hall on the campus of Oakland University DandyLyon Whine will kick off VARNERSTOCK '09! This is a free show, but all donations benefit the Danny Jordan Endowment.

Album Doing Well

2009-09-16T22:27:00.002-04:00

Wow. It has been a while since I've written.

Sorry for that, my life has been hectic. Between working a couple of crazy 14 hour overnight shifts, to a teachers strike at school, to being sick for the last four days I really haven't gotten much done. Certainly nothing has been finished on time.

The album is doing well and I thank each and every one of you that has taken the time to download and listen to it. I hope that listening has proven to be an enjoyable endeavor. So far the album has been downloaded 33 times in the MP3 format and 6 times in the AIF format. To add to that I am, as I write this blog, uploading a copy of the album in FLAC format for those of you that want loss less in a non-apple format.

I have also updated the MySpace page to have a few more tunes on it. I will most likely upload the enitre album over the next few months now that MySpace allows one to post ten tunes.

I have had a few orders of the print disc as well. Thanks much to those who have made that purchase. I hope that the packaging and extra disc live up to the cost.

Thanks again. Check back very soon for some info on an upcoming gig.

Restocking Fee

2009-09-07T10:15:00.002-04:00

I'm putting this one up early because the ALBUM DROPS AT MIDNIGHT!

Restocking Fee is certainly the capstone of the album. If there is a thinly woven concept throughout then this song is the plot summary. It is the embodiment of my writing style, which I characterize as simple, standard, yet beautifully voiced chord progressions and desperate, hopeless lyrics.

The title comes from the fact that I bought a chest freezer I was going to convert into a kegerator that ended up not working out. I had to return it, and of course there was a restocking fee. The term just seemed to fit. The very first demo I made of the song included the voicemail message I got from her explaining the return policy and etc. Unfortunately I am not sure exactly what happened to that version or else it would have ended up on The Day Before Labor Day.

So, that's it. 9 tunes, 1 album, 1 summer, no rest. Back to regular life, the grind, and no recovery over the last 3 months. Tomorrow is the day after labor day, the day you go back to school, the first day of fall. Summer is over and it is time to start working again, pick yourself up by the bootstraps and go onward. It is the end of the childhood; The end of innocence. It is the time to realize there is nothing out there you can count on but yourself, that anything can change at any moment, and nothing is worth relying on. If it needs to get done you need do it. It's time to grow up and it is time to start being a man.

4:10 (Sure)

2009-09-06T19:17:00.003-04:00

4:10 (Sure) was created in 12 hours. One night at 4:10 am responded with "Sure" and sealed an inevitability. By noon the next day the song was written, and by 4 pm the demo was recorded. It was the right answer, but the wrong situation. I'm not the kind of guy that says "Don't." I am also not the most interesting guy at the table.

The album version of this song is actually recorded from the demo. Both of the guitar tracks and the organ track are in the original recording. I attempted to start the song from scratch, but after laying down about 5 guitar tracks and trying all sorts of methods I just could not get as good a sound as I got on that original demo. Thus I used the original demo file and rerecorded drums, vocals, and added bass.

If Lazy Sunday is the least personal song on the album, this one is the most personal song on the album. I look at the lyrics and think that some of them are hokey and cliche, but each one of them is linked to a memory during a very specific time my real life.

One left to go. Today is the day before labor day, which is the title of the demo CD that comes with the limited edition print version of The Day After Labor Day. If you were interested in hearing that demo, well it's on there. www.dandylyonwhine.net

Doubling Up

2009-09-05T14:44:00.002-04:00

I missed one, so today you get two!

ON THE EVE OF THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE is the only completely new song for this album. The song has no demo because it was written during final recording. It is a fairly straight ahead rock tune with a blues progression that goes to 4 at the bridge. Pretty standard stuff. The name has nothing to do with the song, but it works. I don't know about you but I think that leaving town on the eve of the zombie apocalypse is a good idea. The other possible name for it was IT'S TOO HOT TODAY, a Simpsons reference. Decent, but not as good as the final.

LAZY SUNDAY is the classic hit. It's the one that all the girls like and is the only hopeful song on the album. Every other tune is really desperate, this one is willing. The truth: it was inspired by a Country Time Lemonade commercial. It is the least personal song on the album and the one removed the farthest from my true feelings.

The demo is missing the beginning of the bridge section, due to the fact that it did not exist at the time that the demo was recorded. That section was written during the song's tenure as a Russian Spy Orchestration song. Like I Don't Wear My Seatbelt Either this song had different, better lyrics. I think we called the song "Goodnight Berlin."

Two more to go. Two days till release!

Knights Of Livonia

2009-09-03T21:55:00.002-04:00

KNIGHTS OF LIVONIA was originally known as LOST AND FOUND. As with most of my songs, this one was fairly complete musically long before it was finished lyrically. I specifically remember sitting down on the patio of my buddy Josh's house the summer before I re-entered school and playing this song on his old cheap hand me down acoustic. I played the tune a lot that summer because it was the newest completed song. If you buy the print edition with the extra disc of demos you will hear the lyricless version.

I'm not sure when the lyrics began. Once they were written they remained basically unchanged, but key words and ideas started to move around after I was kicked out of my fathers house by his girlfriend. I felt homeless for a long time after that. I have since remedied that, but the situation has completely changed my outlook on life.

There is nobody else. There is no one else. You can't count on anyone but yourself. Those who claim to love you will turn their back on you. If you want it done right, do it yourself. It's true when they say you can't go home. etc...

2009-09-02T20:34:00.002-04:00

TRY SO HARD has been floating around for a while. My best guess places it sometime shortly after high school; I'm ten years out by the way. However it was in a completely different form at the time. As you can hear from the album preview that is available on the MySpace page, the song is currently in a slow swing, countyesque style. The original was a straight ahead rocker. Unfortunately I have no original version of the song recorded. I am toying with the idea of playing that version live when I get a band together for gigging.

This song is definitely a favorite around the campfire.

The Co. Ink

2009-09-01T20:58:00.003-04:00

THE Co. INK was the first song I ever wrote that really related to, even depicted, real events in my life. That first verse "Ever since that night behind the bar / sandwiched between you and your car / I can't sleep at all. / I stay awake ..." I suppose it helps that I have sleep problems. Anything out of the ordinary causes me to stay awake, just for its sake.

2009-09-01T00:25:00.002-04:00

Cutlass was written shortly after a friend of mine committed suicide. He put his heart and soul into restoring a '71 Oldsmobile Cutlass. I am sure that he had many other issues weighing on his mind as well, but wrecking it threw him over the edge. He was at least able to drive the car home and park it in his garage one last time.

The song has more to do with my own suicidal fantasies and my longing to not burn out, but fade away. The lines asking "Will you take me back?" are often misinterpreted as a jilted man asking to reenter a relationship. They actually are the character talking to God and asking if it's ok to come back early.

Update and Song Series

2009-08-31T00:13:00.003-04:00

Quick updates and then the beginning of a series on the individual songs of the album.

The print copy is on the way. It is a double disc set, "The Day After Labor Day" is the album, "The Day Before Labor Day " is a disc containing demos of all the songs except for "I Don't Wear My Seatbelt Either," and "On The Eve Of The Zombie Apocalypse." Answers to questions about those songs not having demos will be answered in their individual profiles. I have the jackets in hand, they will be assembled and numbered individually on demand. The discs themselves are being produced by an outside company and will be arriving about the time that the album comes out. Orders will be processed as quickly as possible. The official track listing is as follows:

1.) I Don't Wear My Seatbelt Either
2.) Cutlass
3.) The Co. Ink
4.) Try So Hard
5.) Knights Of Livonia
6.) On The Eve Of The Zombie Apocalypse
7.) Lazy Sunday
8.) 4:10 (Sure)
9.) Restocking Fee

I am still trying to devise the best way to set up the downloading. If anyone has experience with web design and file distribution let me know. Help would certainly warrant beer.

If you have not heard it, the album cut of "Try So Hard" is currently on the MySpace

For the next nine days, which happen to lead up to the release of the album, I will be giving, in album order, info on one song per day.

I DON'T WEAR MY SEATBELT EITHER does have a lost demo somewhere. If a copy actually exists I don't know. I would love to get my hands on it, but I'm not sure if anyone that has a copy would remember it. I suppose the story starts quite a while ago. I went to go see the band Mofro with my friend Jonny. The band has adequately named their genre 'Back Porch Soul." After seeing their amazing lap steel player, I mentioned to my father in passing that I was interested in procuring a similar instrument. Lo and behold next Christmas I received such an instrument as a gift from my father. The music for IDWMSE was written a few hours later. This song floated around for a good while without any lyrics. Eventually I ended up jamming with some guys known as Russian Spy Orchestration, which was an early grouping of what is now the band Prussia. In this band I played a drums and lap steel. We did record a demo, but as I said, I have no clue where it is. I would love to hear it again, espescially with the lyrics that Ryan came up with for it, which I don't remember at all but I am sure they were much better than mine.

Then one night about a month ago on a warm, wet night, on a forty minute drive home on semi back roads coming home from a friends house, I blew through a yellow light. A while back someone taught me that when you go through a yellow light that you kiss your hand and touch the ceiling of the vehicle you are in. Some people think this is for good luck, or good sex, but this person, and subsequently I, believe that a yellow light is the traffic light gods winking at you, letting one know that at any time they could send someone through that intersection and take your life from you. A kiss is just your acknowledgment back to them that you are humble to their mighty power. Going through this particular yellow light inspired the lyrics for this song.

Blowing past a yellow light is just like God is winking right at you
'Cause next time you go past one you don't quite know if you will make it through.
Drivin' with me you know that you take your life in your own hands
'Cause ridin' with me you know you won't take me as your man.
But I'm gonna keep on drivin' straight, gonna blow every red light that I can.

ALBUM COMPLETE!

2009-08-23T12:35:00.002-04:00

I finished the album at about 12:15 today, today being Sunday, August 23, 2009.

Now comes the fun of designing the website to get the album out. Truthfully I am not even sure if I have the bandwidth to get the album out there. That was not something I even thought about until after I had purchased the space. It doesn't really matter, because I have no clue how many people are going to download it. I suppose I will cross that bridge when I get to it. For the record I am going to make the album available in high quality MP3 and Aiff Formats.

I also am Ninety-Nine percent sure that I will have a print copy available for purchase. The idea is that the print copy will be a double disc set with all the early demos from the album on the second disc. The title of the album as you know will be "The Day After Labor Day;" the demo disc will be titled "The Day Before Labor Day."

DandyLyon Whine - "The Day After Labor Day" - Get it 16 days from now on the day after labor day, 2009.

Finished Tracking

2009-08-10T15:25:00.003-04:00

Tracking for The Day After Labor Day wrapped up last night, Sunday August 9th, at approximately 9:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. I've spent the morning mixing two of the songs, "The Co. Ink," and "Try So Hard." I am going to do a first mix of all the songs and then give them a multiple stereo test as a group as opposed to doing that with each track individually. That way I can create the tones I want first and fine tune later, while at the same time getting a chance to experiment with album order.

While it is important to use as much ass power as one can to finish a project, I believe the rest of the afternoon is going to be spent rummaging the local Salvation Army in search of personal cassette players for use in the Walkman Mellotron I am building, and fishing.

The album will come out as scheduled, available as a free download from my website, DandyLyonWhine.Net, at Midnight September 8th, 2009, which happens to be the day after labor day.

Tracking To Wrap Up This Sunday

2009-08-06T12:22:00.005-04:00

Or, at least that's the plan. I am getting pretty close. I think...

I've been told that it's time to talk a little more about the music itself, and not so much the process. I've described basically all of what I am doing on the recording and technical side of this project already. The problem is that I am not quite sure of what direction to go. How does one describe the artistic side of it? How does one describe something that is supposed to hit people different ways? Certainly I have crossed into pretentiousness; My music is far from high art. I think for the moment I will give a list of what tunes are going to be on the album.

In no particular order (meaning that I haven't even thought of the album lineup) :

I Don't Wear My Seatbelt Either
Cutlass
Try So Hard
Restocking Fee
Lazy Sunday
the Co. Ink
Knights Of Livonia
Leavin' Tune (Working Title, will certainly change)
410 am - Sure

As it stands that is 9 tunes, something that my buddy O.T. will appreciate.

The other day I started to track Knights Of Livonia, and my friend Josh came over and took some pictures, which is something I really appreciate because I find it hard to take pictures of myself when I am recording. Myspace angles don't flatter me anyway. Here are some of the photos. If you haven't seen it, he also took the picture on the front of my website. Here are some of the best shots.

The most important part of the recording process is making sure that there is hot coffee at hand.

His Mind, His Memories, His In Your Face Interface

2009-07-25T23:22:00.005-04:00

Here it is, the one, the only, M-Audio Fast Track Pro:

Mic's Came In!

2009-07-23T23:52:00.006-04:00

The mic's I ordered have come in! The recording can resume after having to take a few days off from tracking. The micropnones include two Audio-Technica Pro-37's and an Audio-Technica AT2035. Here are some pictures:

I also received word today that the audio interface I ordered has reached the distributer and was shipped to the store today, and thus it should be in my possession within the next few days. Needless to say I am quite excited.

I used the AT2035 to record some tracks tonight through the preamp I've been using for the rest of the recordings so far and am already really happy with it. It is easily the best microphone I have ever used. It is super sensitive while running very quiet.

I also decided that it was time to show off the guitar I bought a month ago specifically for this recording process. It is an Epiphone Sheraton II.

As a side note: I saw one of my favorite performers for the first time last night, Jason Lytle, formerly of the band Grandaddy. When I say favorite I really mean it. This guy really speaks to me. It was an amazing performance. I picked up his new album and I can't stop listening to it. It is a little more laid back and mellow than the Grandaddy stuff, but it is so desperately sad that I literally have to choke back tears at times when listening to it. The album is called "Yours Truly, The Commuter" and it is on Anti Records. You should own a copy.

Lyrics.

2009-07-22T01:03:00.003-04:00

Some of the tunes I've been working on are brand new. Some of them have been floating around for a while missing parts. Most of the time those missing parts are lyrics.

Tonight some of those lyrics came to me on a long late-night drive home.

Now all I need are the bridge and final verse lyrics to a brand new song and I will have all the album lyrics finished.

THE BEAST!

2009-07-16T11:32:00.011-04:00

THE BEAST, My friends is a Lowrey Organ that I acquired for free many years ago now. I was working the floor at the drum shop and a call came in asking if we would take an organ. I said that the shop did not, but asked the older woman on the other end of the line what she wanted for it. She told me that it was free to anyone who would come pick it up. The following Sunday my Father and I wrestled this behemoth down the steep and narrow staircase of a condo. We narrowly avoided hitting her walls on the way down, and at one point my Father nearly swung the Lowrey into the lady's TV. From then on it has lived in the basement on 2nd St., the basement of my Father's new house where it was continuously abused by his Grandkids-In-Law, and finally in it's proper station in my basement studio, The Communist Day Care Center.

This instrument is being heavily featured on this album and I am having a blast finding all the different tones I can get out of it. Just wait until you hear the bite on "Lazy Sunday"! So without further ado - A pictorial of THE BEAST!

The other day I was working on recording the organ track for "Restocking Fee" and one of the C#'s on the upper manual (keyboard) was sticking. I'd had this trouble before and I decided that I would open up the back of the organ, something I hadn't done before. I figured I would be able to access and fix the key easily and I would get a good look at the electronics, as one of my recent ideas was that I could get in there and do a point to point cleaning so that all the connections would be good and the sound
would improve. This is what I found.

f a

There is no way I'm going through and cleaning all of that. Not only would it have to be amazingly meticulous and time consuming, but I'm almost certain to knock a wire loose and have no clue of where it came from.

The Lowrey does have a Leslie Speaker as you can see. I thought I'd point that out because it's pretty sweet. It also has a place to connect an external Leslie as well.

Oh Crap! I shouldn't have told them it was a Lowrey! Oh Crap! I shouldn't have told them it was on the album! Oh Crap! I certainly shouldn't have said it was "Lazy Sunday," and "Restocking Fee!" ......It's too hot today.

Website Up And Walking!

2009-07-13T10:45:00.003-04:00

Http://DandyLyonWhine.Net

There is now a website. There really isn't anything on it but a photo right now, but it's there. I spent most of last night getting my domain name to link to my web host, and then most of this morning getting Dream Weaver to link to communicate with the site. My main focus right now is on finishing the album, but when I'm done I have to have some place to put it, right?

At the moment I have about eight weeks to finish tracking, mix, master, package and release the album. If I have the ass power to get that done then this is the tentative plan: The expected release date is September 8th, 2009. The album will be released on the website as high quality Mp3's for free. I plan on also releasing a physical print copy in nice packaging and with a second disc of demo tracks from the album for sale at shows and on the website.

The album is currently slated to be nine or ten tracks long. The song selection spans from some of my older work, to newer staples in the live show, along with some new songs and songs that were only played a few times a very long time ago. Right now a collaboration is in the works for one of the tracks with Brainz in '08.

The rest of today will be spent recording. Tick Tock Tick Tock ...

Track 1 Tracked!

2009-07-04T00:30:00.003-04:00

Earlier tonight I laid down what may be the final track for track 1. These were the vocal tracks to "The Co. Ink." There are a couple of ways that the mix could come out and that could effect the tracking, so I just finished putting out a couple of rough mixes, and tommorow starts the process of listening to them on different stereos to see what the prevailing ethos of this mix should be. There is also the chance that I may throw a bass guitar track in there at some point, most likely after I aquire a bass guitar.

"The Co. Ink" is a very dreamy track, which is one of the reasons I was able to record it already. At the moment I am still waiting for my audio interface and microphones, all of which should help give a cleaner sound. The hiss that I got on this particular recording however, really adds to the ambiance of the track. I am really excited about this one. It is turning out very well and is a great way to start the project.

2009-06-24T23:17:00.005-04:00

I started experimenting with tracking vocals tonight. The recording itself didn't come out all that great, but it lets me know what direction to head in. I'll start by showing off the vocal booth.

Yep - "Heeerrre's Johnny."

(what? too soon?)

This door leads to my illustrious vocal booth known for it's class and comfort.

This is actually the best sounding room in my house. It is small and isolated and has a nice mix of echo and reverb.

So far I've only been working on one song. This is mostly because I've been waiting on a new M-Audio FastTrack audio interface to arrive that will allow me to record easier and with more better sound quality. Currently the way I am capturing sound is by running a microphone into a Behringer Ultra-Voice-Pro Preamp/Processor and adding effects when needed by running a T.C. Electronics Dual Effects Processor in the Behringer's effects loop. (So far the only thing I've used processed effects on is tonights vocal tracks, and the way they're sounding I'll most likely retrack them without the effects). I've been sending the audio signal from there directly into the mini audio in on my MacBook and using GarageBand as the recording software. I've been using an AKG D190E Microphone I inherited to record the tracks for this song. Overall this setup has been giving a noisy background to the tracks, which is ok for this song because it needs to have a dreamy background. Anywho ... Soon I will also be purchasing a pair of Audio-Technica Pro 37s and an Audio-Techinca 3035, all of which will have better capturing capability and help make clearer recordings.

Thats all for now.

Attempt 10,000

2009-06-22T20:37:00.001-04:00

Well, once again I am attempting to record an album's worth of material, both in quality and quantity.

I have been down this road many a time before. Each time I get impatient and settle for tracks that are not up to the standard they should be. In previous attempts either I settle for inferior performance due to impatience, or I end up with recording errors due to not setting things up right and then being too lazy to start the process over again. Most of these recordings are now floating around labeled as "demos." Check out http://www.myspace.com/dandylyonwhine if you don't believe me.

The last time I tried to do this I enlisted the help of some friends with a decent recording setup to help me record. I figured that having other people on board and excited about a project would make keep me going and doing it right. Unfortunately they live quite a ways away and schedules have not been lining up. Only getting one day in a month was not working out well for the recording process, especially with my idea behind the recording process.

My identity as a writer comes much in the American Singer/Songwriter tradition. When one comes from that tradition it is extremely easy for every tune to sound like just another fok-rock song. My philosophy for this album is to work like Wilco did on the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, which is to deconstruct the song through the recording process and try to come up with a different approach. This can come from trying something new while recording, jamming and recording multiple takes, it can come from recording it the standard way and then trying to approach it differently. The idea overall is that I don't want these songs to sound the way I already hear them in my head. Most of these songs have been floating around for years. I'm bored with them the way they are and will and have been coming out that way on the recordings I've made.

I've started tracking already on what I hope to finally be the finished product. I already like the way it sounds and I think I'm on the right, pardon the pun, track. I've been through alot of changes and a lot of things that have been trying in the last couple of years. I've made a lot of decisions that have made major changes in my life. I am not complaining, so far I've somehow magically come out on top, but it's also been eye opening. It's a hard reality to wake up to when you realize that nothing is as it seems. What I'm getting is that this newest period of my life is the one that I'm finally somewhat coming into my own and seeing certain things the way they are, all of which prepares me to make the most honest album.