Seems like a ominous title for this point in time. Back in the year 2000 (just after the first big crash), Ramona the Pest released its second album, Little Knives. ‘Crash‘ was a secret unlisted track that could only be heard after the 20 minutes or so of silence that followed the last song on the CD (ala Nirvana’s original Nevermind CD release). Hence, few heard it and those that did were likely startled out of their inside voice when it came blasting out of the speakers, perhaps while vacuuming (the original multi-task). Back when you had to listen on a stereo or boombox, not computers.

‘Crash‘ was one of the first songs Val and I had recorded together with just acoustic guitar and voice back in 1993. I had always wanted to produce a sort of Bo Diddley rave up version and finally got the chance with Toby Hawkins on drums. Toby is one of the most creative and talented drummer/percussionists, who rarely ever gets behind a kit. In fact, the the only time I had the pleasure was here and on Gunnar Madsen’s fantastic Power of a Hat record we did together in 1997.

Toby had been over at our warehouse studio doing a djembe overdub when we three got to talking about the old days. Toby suddenly hopped on the always mic’d up red sparkle WFL kit, adjusted a few things to his liking and we were off. Tracked live with Val on acoustic and vocal, myself on electric guitar and Toby on kit. A few backups were added right after and it was done. That’s often how great tracks happen, it all just comes together fast. Val is spot on as usual and I was happy with the guitar work. Check the hi-hat work and the hoodoo groove Toby came up with – really interesting. And when the chorus hits it really swings!

Recorded 100% analog on my dearly missed 1969 3M M23 1″ eight track open-reel machine and Soundcraft Series II board. My guitar chain was also completely analog at the time, so the echo on the guitar (and on Val’s voice during the mix) is for sure a Maestro EP3 Echoplex. Also for sure is my trusty ’67 Tele and ’65 Princeton Reverb. I love this track, hope you do too!

Happy New Year. Feels like it’s going to be an interesting one. To start it off as such, how about pulling out some skeletons in the closet?

Lauren Weisbecker, the twelve year old daughter of my high school bandmate and drummer, Will Weisbecker recently posted a comment on The Early Years. In response, I dug around for some nuggets residing in my strange but true audio folder. I found a few that merit exposure:

This was written and recorded by my friend and fab musician, Gunnar Madsen back in the late 90’s when Gunnar was a staff composer for Atari Games. He hired me to play metal guitar on this dittie for use in an auto racing arcade game called California Speed. Just imagine yourself tearing down Highway 101, becoming airborne, literally flying, smashing into trees, cars, rocks, and miraculously crossing the finish line – no doubt propelled by this double shot of caffeinated metal riffage. Since neither Gunnar nor I own any rights to this tune, I post it in the hope that one of us will get sued by Atari. We could use the exposure.

The game received a very limited release, but I did encounter it once in real life while on tour with Ramona the Pest. We were hanging out in a random sports bar in Denver, Colorado when the tune sort of wafted by. Hey that’s my guitar! I exclaimed to my skeptical bandmates as we made a beeline to the source and played it quite a few times.

This is a recording made in the late 90’s for an ad agency competition. Two friends of Steve Lucky‘s worked for a big firm in SF and Steve got me in on the gig. We recorded it on a 1/2″ 8-track reel to reel deck at my warehouse space in Berkeley. Steve plays organ and I play the slide guitar bits. A fun tune that apparently earned an honorable mention, but lost out to…a heavy metal tune. Apologies for infringing on someone’s copyright here.

And last, a classic from 1988:

R’n’R with a nod to Mr. Rogers by Manatee, a band I played in with my old college ‘mates. This is from Unlikely Mermen, our first official cassette release in 1988. Recorded on my Tascam Porta Studio 4-track in the 3rd floor living room of a dilapidated mansion in Newport, RI that the bass player and I lived in that summer. It was pretty much one big party and we pretty much wrecked the place. Erik Esckilsen plays the Bob Stinson approved end solo. Never did find out who left the phone message.