This Is The Voice – Part III

“Oh you’re calling from that TV show The Voice? Meh, sure I guess I’ll come to LA to sing in front of four celebrity judges and millions of viewers all over the world. Why not. I got nothin’ better to do.”

Months had gone by and I was over the wait. I was leaving it up to fate and went on with my life. At this point all the excitement had been sucked out the whole thing by these ridiculous waiting games. Just when I was about to give up on the whole thing, I got the call! It looks like I’d be heading back to LA!

This of course didn’t mean I made it to the actual Blind Audition, as cuts could still happen, but I was that much closer. I was curious to find out if I’d see any familiar faces.

Hey Roomie

This time I’d be in LA for almost a whole month! I also found out I’d have a roommate the entire time. “What?!” I wasn’t too keen on the idea, but I couldn’t really complain as I was basically getting a free vacation. Since I attended a local community college and just drove in and out every day, I never got to experience the whole college dorm thing. I guess this would serve as the college experience I never had.

I checked in and was on my way to see who my new roommate was. I stumbled into the room over my giant luggage bags and was greeted by a bleach blonde California girl – not the annoying kind, the cool kind. Her name was Megg. Luckily, we had a bunch in common and got along really well. This was going to be much better than I had anticipated.

I left my bags in the room and went to get all my info and paperwork. This time we didn’t require a chaperone, we just had to sign in and out and couldn’t be gone for longer than an hour or so. Three strikes and you’re out. They were serious about this rule.

Our hotel was situated on the infamous Ventura Blvd, where we had a lot more options to pass the time with. When I wasn’t doing something for The Voice my day usually consisted of eat, gym, eat, pool, walk around, eat, sleep. There was even a grocery store nearby, which was amazing for stocking up on snacks, water and the singer essential Throat Coat tea.

L to R: Megg, me and Sugar

After checking everything out, I headed back to the room and Megg and I chatted for a bit. Then there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and some girl was standing outside. She was there for Megg, and I was a bit confused as to who she was. Was she a part of The Voice or was she just a friend of Megg’s who came to visit?

She introduced herself as Sugar. She was another local Cali girl who was there for The Voice. I hadn’t seen either of them during the last round of auditions, because they were local to the LA area and only drove in and out for the meetings and audition. We all got along well and hung out together for the remainder of the trip.

That’s So LA

There was much more on the itinerary this time around – meetings, voice lessons, choreography, make-up, hair, wardrobe, band rehearsals, and lots of filming. We were about to get little taste of what commercial success would be like LA style! It was all really exciting, but as busy it got, I still found time for some good old-fashioned R&R.

Getting some R&R by the pool

Of course the singer circles were in full force now, and I stayed as far away as possible. Megg had the same disdain for them, and we both smirked as the volume of the singing gradually got louder. Oh well, to each their own, but I wasn’t about to lose my voice right before my Blind Audition.

Meetings

I looked forward to the meetings. It was the only hope of getting information on what was going to happen next. Then there were the legal meetings. We were separated into groups and presented with three law firms, in which we were to choose one to represent our group. All sorts of questions were asked, and I tried to pay close attention to how screwed over I was going to be after signing the contract. The Voice would basically own me for as long as I was on the show and even after I was off the show. What was my alternative though? Refuse to sign, and go home? Not a chance!

One of the many meetings

Along with production and legal meetings, there was what I like to call the “crazy test.” We were all given some sort of physiology Bubble Test to gauge our mental stability. Of course we were timed, and I didn’t get to finish but I was eager to learn what the test revealed about me. Everyone had to meet with a Physiologist who would review the test results and determine whether or not you would be a liability to the show.

You might think “Why would anyone be a liability to the show?” Well, I’ll tell you what, going through this process and being on the show is NOT for an unstable person. It is emotionally, mentally and physically draining and could cause someone to have a serious nervous breakdown if they aren’t ready for it. This show really f#@&$ with your head! If you can’t take rejection, DON’T EVER AUDITION FOR THIS SHOW! As a matter of fact, if you can’t take rejection, forget about music as a career.

Voice Lessons

The voice lessons were a pleasant surprise. I’m really glad we got them but for the Blind Audition, I’m not so sure they helped. My Blind Audition song, ZZ Ward’s Put The Gun Down, was naturally raw and emotion filled. The voice lessons had started to polish the raw character, and instead of just feeling the song, I started thinking about reaching a certain note or forming my mouth a certain way. It made me think way too much, and I felt like I lost that emotion the song really thrived on.

That said – all of The Voice vocal coaches are top notch, and I’m so grateful to have worked with them. Later in the competition they improved my singing immensely. For the Blind Audition, they got inside my head too much, which wasn’t any fault of the vocal coaches, it’s just a lot to think about before the big audition.

My favorite matcha brand Breakaway Matcha!

I did learn a whole lot about vocal health though. This was when I decided to stop drinking coffee and taking allergy medicine. Both dry you out and can affect your voice so I wanted to do everything I could to take care of my instrument. I switched to a strong type of green tea called matcha, and I’ve been drinking it ever since! I still miss coffee sometimes, but I feel immensely better off of it! Singers and non-singers alike should give it a try! My favorite is called Breakaway Matcha.

The single most important thing I learned from the vocal lessons was to always warm up your voice before singing!

Choreography

I was a little worried about this one. I had flashbacks of myself practicing break dancing and other cool dance moves in my bedroom. Those moves were best left in that bedroom a long time ago. Luckily, “choreography” was more of a “blocking” lesson – basically how the stage would be set-up, where we were supposed to stand and where to exit the stage. They did give some tips on how to make the performance more entertaining – no break dancing needed.

Make-Up

I’ve never been big on wearing make-up, and my hair was pretty easy to style – just blow dry and go. That would never fly on TV though or at least on The Voice. Because of the type of cameras they use, you had to wear a special HD foundation, so America doesn’t see every pore on your face. The make-up starts out very natural, so they can gradually build you up over the course of the show. As “natural” as it looked it was still way more make-up then I’ve ever put on my face.

Hair

The hair stylists were exactly what I had envisioned a Hollywood stylist to be. They embodied the stereotype I was hoping for, and I loved it! Unlike NYC, LA was living up to all my expectations and pre-conceived ideas of how it was out West. I’m sure any LA native would cringe if they knew what those ideas were, but for me it was just as it was supposed to be.

Wardrobe

Wardrobe was interesting and they surprisingly liked a lot of the clothes I had brought. They had racks and racks of clothes, shoes and accessories. I do like shopping, but after a while I suffer from shopper’s fatigue. This time they did the shopping for me, so no skin off my back! They even tailored my clothes to custom fit me. Not too shabby, huh? The other thing I had discovered while at wardrobe was that a couple rooms down, the cast from the TV show Parenthood hung out. I loved that show, so I thought that was pretty cool.

Band Rehearsals

The band rehearsals was where I came alive. I was in my element, and being able to rehearse with world-class musicians was even better. Paul Mirkovich, the band leader and piano player for The Voice band was super laid-back and said I had a cool voice. I was most excited about the guitar player Justin Derrico – who was P!nk’s guitar player. I’m a huge fan of P!nk so it was awesome playing with him!

One of the buildings we filmed in

Filming

I’ve never had any experience with filming, minus the silly plays my friends and I would record on my dad’s camcorder in middle school. I secretly had visions of the producers telling me “Wow you’re a real natural. You should get into acting!” Well, I never heard those words per say, but I was given plenty of encouragement. I actually really enjoyed filming and wouldn’t mind doing more of it in the future. I had make-up and hair touching me up between takes. I felt like a star already!

My Story

Remember back to Part I when I said you should know your story? Well, after some digging I realized what mine was. It wasn’t necessarily something I’d want to blast all over a major network television show, but I knew it was what helped me get here so I didn’t have much of a choice. That’s what the producers wanted, so I gave it to them. So here it goes.

I grew up in a strong Christian family, went to church every Sunday and spent a lot of free time doing churchy things. It was all I knew, but I enjoyed it and have a lot of great churchy memories.

Me at age 12 with my first guitar

I got a used acoustic guitar for Christmas when I was 12, took lessons and started playing in my church’s band. Years went by, we switched churches, but I continued to play guitar in the church band and stayed pretty involved in church activities.

There was something that I had always struggled with though. I always felt different from others, and couldn’t shake the feeling of being attracted to other girls. I never told anyone because I grew up thinking being gay was wrong and sinful. I guess it would be something that I’d just have to struggle through.

There was a point that I had confided in a good friend of mine who also struggled with the same thing. I thought, “Well maybe I’m not so different.” until one day I was called in for a meeting with my pastor.

He had found out through “my friend” that I was involved in a relationship with another woman, and because that church believed that was a sinful lifestyle, I was not allowed in any leadership role in the church – including being in the church band. I did have an option, however. I could go to counseling to be “fixed”, and once I had successfully completed counseling I could return to being in the church band. That was the last day I ever stepped foot in that church.

Playing guitar in the church band

I was devastated, but didn’t realize how much that affected me until being asked to talk about it on The Voice. They have a way of pulling things out of you. Because church and music were so intertwined for me, once I was rejected from the church I stopped playing music too.

Years went by. The wound healed, but the scar was still there. I played my guitar every now and then in my bedroom. A friend of mine came over one day and asked if I would sing for her. It took me forever to muster up the courage to do so, but eventually I did, and she was blown away. She started telling all her friends and encouraged me to start singing out again. I’ve been pursuing music ever since, and if it weren’t for her support and encouragement I wouldn’t be where I am today. My friend’s name is Sandy, and her and I are now partners.

Sandy and I backstage

After telling my story during one of the on-camera interviews I explained to one of the producers that I didn’t want to become the “token lesbian” on the show. I didn’t want them to focus on that instead of who I was as a musician. She understood, but explained that my story and struggle is what helped get me here, and that she would do her best to spin it in the best light she could. I agreed that would be okay. I didn’t want to be difficult to work with and decided the best thing I could do was just to be true to myself.

Looking back, I am SO happy I got to tell my story and let America hear the struggles the LGBTQ community goes through. I’m actually really proud of myself for telling that story on national TV. I never talked to anyone about it and had buried it deep inside. I needed to get that out. The Voice helped me do that, and I’ll be forever grateful to them for giving me that platform to not only showcase my voice but to also tell my story.

To Be Continued…

Comfortably Numb

When you love someone, you often overlook any negative effects the relationship may have on you as an individual. You think back to all the good times you’ve had and wonder if you’ll ever find something as special. Being passionate about something helps numb the stress, and Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” could’ve been the theme song towards the end of the band’s life.

Tensions began to fester in the damp corners of our practice space. Personal gripes began to outnumber the cobwebs, and indifference began sucking the blood out of everyone like an angry mob of mosquitos. The Novocaine had finally begun to wear off, and the aches couldn’t be ignored anymore. The future of the band was looking more bleak every week. We had evolved from an acoustic trio to indie pop into a full on rock band. We had found our sweet spot – southern-rock with a soulful twist, as a lot of people started labeling us as. It wasn’t necessarily the direction I had anticipated, but it worked, and I was really proud of our album White Horses & Black Jeans. We had great momentum. Andy Seniuk (drummer) and I wanted to take it to the next level by playing more out-of-town shows. We all had day jobs and some of us had kids, but Seniuk and I were willing to do what it took to make a living at it. Brice Meade (lead guitar) and Andy Hynes (bass) were more on the conservative side of traveling and touring, which sucked the wind out of our sails a bit or at least mine.

Strike one.

Meade and Seniuk loved the direction of the band. Coming from rock and metal backgrounds they gravitated towards the heavy rock aspects of our material, and every song started to feel like we were trying to bring about the resurrection of classic rock. Don’t get me wrong, I love classic rock. Led Zeppelin is hands down one of my biggest influences, but it just wasn’t where I saw myself as an artist. I tried introducing different styles of music from hip-hop to pop to funk. It just wasn’t working, and everyone in the band felt confused, including myself. I was trying to force a square peg into a round hole. It just didn’t fit. It became clear we were all heading in different musical directions.

Strike two.

Relationships. Sometimes they take a toll on you, and sometimes they take a beating, especially when you’re a musician. What was once a happy family, becomes a broken dysfunctional mess. Every little thing starts to bug you, and you begin taking everything personally. Most times you get over it and make-up, but the bad blood began to run deeper. Rumors swirled, secrets crept, lies corroded, and grudges stuck like cement. It was a recipe for disaster, and it was only a matter of time before mutiny spread like a plague. At one point Meade pointed out that it was as if we were reenacting the Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours drama. It wasn’t worth the stress anymore and it was taking a big toll on everyone.

Strike three, and I’m out!

It was a decision no one wanted to make. After all, we were like a family, and I loved each member like a brother. But something had to be done, and the time was now. I called a band meeting. Seniuk and Meade had a vague idea of what was coming. Hynes was most surprised, as he usually kept himself out of the daily email drama. I broke the news. “It’s just not working anymore guys. At this point, I think the best thing would be to go our separate ways musically.” Everyone left either sad, angry or relieved and maybe all of the above. It was a bittersweet goodbye. I look back now and I know I made the right decision, but sometimes I still miss it – the band, the shows, the music and the memories. Just like a break up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, you always wonder if there will be someone or something better. I say it’s never better or worse. It’s just different.

I’ll always cherish the great times I had with the band. They are a part of what made me into the musician and person I am today. It’s all a part of the journey and for now The Driftwood Sailors’ ship had sailed off into the sunset, maybe never to return, but then again, once a Sailor, always a Sailor. Until we meet again!

Chronicles of Craigslist – The Watcher

Putting a wanted ad on Craigslist is like casting a fishing pole into a murky lake next to a nuclear power plant. You never know what kind of creature you’ll pull out. There are certain precautions you have to take to ensure your safety as well as the safety of others. Sometimes even after you take those precautions, the poison seeps through the cracks.

So you’ve wrote some songs and learned a few covers. You ask your drummer friend if he wants to start a band, and immediately, he starts spouting off band name ideas like “Firecracker Fire”. And there begins the birth of a band now known as The Driftwood Sailors.

That was a start, but we still needed a couple more people to join our new, dysfunctional family. Where to look? Well, there’s always open mic night, but I decided to take the lazy route. Enter Craigslist stage right.

“Woah, we got like ten hits already!” Seniuk and I exchanged emails back and forth discussing how we would go about auditioning people for the band. We decided to jump right in and have them by the practice space.

Mistake #1.

The first guy we had by, we’ll call him Jim, was tall and lanky. He wore a leather jacket and slicked his hair back behind his black framed glasses in typical greaser fashion. He set-up quietly and we started in on a couple songs. He was killing it! “Wow this Craigslist thing worked out awesome!” I thought quietly to myself as Jim seemed to breeze through the songs with minimal effort. Okay so he can play, but can he hang? We gave him The Seniuk Test.

The Seniuk Test: A ridiculous statement, question and/or joke said in a serious manner by Andrew Seniuk to another person in order to test their sense of humor. The person’s reaction was a good indication whether or not they would be a good fit for the band or just a friend in general.

Jim’s reaction was weird, mostly because he had no reaction at all. He didn’t laugh or act frightened, like the usual. Instead, he acted a bit annoyed. We gave him an F on The Seniuk Test, but we might be able overlook it for his bass chops.

“Thanks for coming by Jim! We’ll be in touch.” The awkward, packing-up silence ensued, and finally Jim spoke up “Are you guys looking for a guitar player? My brother plays guitar if you’re interested.” Hmm, interesting proposition. We waited for Jim to leave to discuss whether or not we could deal with his weirdness, and if we should have his brother by. We decided “yes” to both questions and asked Jim and his brother to come by the next week.

Jim’s brother, we’ll call him Bob, wasn’t anything remotely like Jim, except for the glasses. He was an ordinary looking guy with a generic spiked up bang that had probably stayed with him since middle school. He was a skinny kid but not nearly as tall as Jim. While we weren’t thrilled with his rather vanilla demeanor, we hoped his playing would negate all that.

“Do you know Bold As Love?” I ask him. “Oh yeah, that’s by John Mayer right?” Is this guy serious? On that statement alone I doubted he would work out. “No, it’s by Jimi Hendrix. Okay, let’s start with the first song.” I said in a hurry to forget about what just happened.

The kid could play, but it was just as generic as his flipped up bang. Ugh. Well he wasn’t ideal, but he knew how to play and we really needed to get some players locked in. We were looking to record a demo and play our first show in a few months. We decided on a compromise between our gut and our desperation. We would have them join on a trial basis, with our first show determining if we would keep them on permanently.

Mistake #2.

First on the list was to record our demo, which would be released at our first show. “Why don’t we just record it at home. I could record it on my laptop.” Bob eagerly insisted we skip the studio and record it ourselves. After what almost turned into an argument, I finally said “We are recording at the studio end of story. Seniuk and I will cover the cost.” Bob agreed with disapproval. It was my first band experience, and I had never been in a studio before. I wasn’t going to let the new guy rob me of that rite of passage.

It was recording day and we were all excited to start the process. After the engineer spent hours setting up his mics, his computer died and a whole array of troubles followed. I won’t go into the details in this post, but let’s just say we finished less than enthused with our final product. If you want to read about our recording studio experience check out my post here.

Our very first show in 2010.

Fast forward to the night of our show. It was Thanksgiving Eve, also known as one of the biggest party nights of the year. We all were psyched, with the exception of Jim, who never seemed to show any emotion at all. It was getting packed and at one point the fire marshall was called because there was so many people.

The show was going great, until the time came for me to talk in between the songs. Bob was given a mic for some back-up vocals he insisted on doing. Little did I know that “back-up” would turn into front and center.

Mistake #3.

I introduced the band, and Bob chimed in with “Hey how about those pants everyone?” referring to my floral patterned jeans. Well this was embarrassing. Not for my jeans, but for the complete lack of professionalism exhibited by a stream of buzzed comments made by the new guy. The show started to feel more like a scene from Who’s Line Is It Anyway? rather than a rock show.

Granted, I’m not the greatest public speaker, but silence was better than this. I tried to avoid breaking between the songs as much as possible the rest of the night. It was our last song and despite the improve comedy act, we finished strong and the crowd went wild! We had some inevitable decisions to make, but for that night we just enjoyed the high.

It was the next day, our high had worn off and we knew the time had come to make some decisions. Did Jim and Bob play the first and only show with us? Everyone had the same feelings about it. Although Jim was a bit weird and distant, his bass playing was spot on and we thought he would be a good addition. Unfortunately, his brother, Bob, just wasn’t cutting it. His guitar style didn’t fit and his natural inclination to lead had proved to be a disaster already. I made the phone calls, and we met with Jim a bit earlier to break the news to him first.

The site of the dreadful “break-up” conversation.

We were all super nervous, but I bit the bullet and started explaining to Jim how we felt. We explained that we really liked his bass playing, and that we’d like him to be a part of the band permanently. We then went on to explain how we felt about Bob and hoped that wouldn’t affect his decision to be in the band. That part was a bit of wishful thinking. This is where the fun started.

Jim started off calmly expressing his disgust in us for bringing him out there just to tell him we didn’t want Bob in the band. We thought we were being courteous, but he took it as a plot to turn him against his brother. The poison started seeping through the cracks, and the conversation turned sour real fast. Things got heated and Jim walked out, declining our offer of course. Within seconds he got on the phone, most likely to warn Bob it was a trap and not to meet at the coffee shop.

Next I got a text from Bob asking why we didn’t want him in the band. I called him and explained how we all felt. I soon felt like I was trying to ease the pain of someone I had just broken up with. “This is ridiculous.” I thought as he kept trying to justify the things that just weren’t working. Finally I bluntly said it wasn’t going to work regardless and ended the conversation. It didn’t end there. This is where things got real interesting.

We were all a bit riled up by the situation. There was a sense of relief and disappointment that we had to start our search over. A couple days later I received an email from Jim. He threatened to sue us if we didn’t do as he said. WHAT?! Is this for real or am I being Punk’d?

Here were his demands:

– Name and photos of him taken off all websites

– Recordings of our show (video and audio) and our demo recordings taken off our websites

– Existing demo copies to have the words “Bass by Jim” legibly written in black ink on the bottom of CD cover

– Future CD pressings to have his bass lines removed from the mix

– Future bass player cannot play his bass lines

“I’ll be watching …”
– last words of an ex-band member, found on Craigslist

I laughed at the absurdity of the situation. We weren’t making money off our demos, and I made sure to credit each player on our websites. He had no grounds to sue us so I pretty much ignored that part of the email. We apparently hit a soft spot in the robot-like exterior of Jim but Bob was trying to move on and didn’t care what we did. My favorite part of his email was towards the end where he sadistically insinuated the failure of the band without them and his pleasure in watching it happen. He ended with “Please note that I’ll be watching…”

Yup. That wraps up our first Craigslist experience. Good times.

The Recording Studio III – The Dragon Tamer

 We had come a long way, but our journey was far from over. The road behind us had proved more difficult than we were prepared for and our morale had suffered greatly. Everything started to look the same and we began to wonder if we had been walking in circles.

We were at a crossroads. Were we to continue down the same path in hopes of reaching our destination or abandoned the road ahead and forge a new path? We decided on the later and made our way through the dark, ominous forest.

We noticed a strange, blue glow up ahead and pressed forward cautiously. As we got closer, the silhouette of a man started to appear. Whether friend or foe we did not know. Swords drawn, “Who are you? Show Yourself!” I shouted. The man laughed and pulled his hood back, the blue light from his staff illuminating his face. “I am the Dragon Tamer. Follow me.”

It was July 2012. We had just finished up the same three tracks we started with in January. Now read that again.

It was July 2012. We had just finished up the same three tracks we started with in January. Six months had passed and we had only finished three out of the ten songs to be on the album. Our goal of releasing the album by summer had been slaughtered, and our sanity was next in line if we didn’t find a solution fast.

Now don’t get it twisted. The people at ACME were very professional and knowledgeable. We ended up with three great recordings which would later be used on our album, but the process had gotten too long and too expensive for our needs. We were running out of time and were low on cash. There had to be another way.

I was browsing the musicians section on Craigslist and came across a post advertising a recording special with a money-back guarantee. I was intrigued and replied to the ad. The mystery man behind the listing was a gentleman by the name of Jason Lustig. He was a local freelance engineer with over 12 years of experience and a Bachelor’s Degree in audio recording. The list of credentials went on. Then something caught my eye.

“On Location Recording”

That meant we could record in the comforts of our practice space, otherwise known as Seniuk’s basement. I proposed the idea to the guys and they were all in favor, so we crossed our fingers and booked our first session with him.

Recording with Jason Lustig in Seniuk’s basement.

It was recording day at Seniuk’s. We all felt a sense of relief being in a familiar environment. We hear a knock at the door. A small framed guy, who looked to be somewhere in his 30s, stood there with a big grin. His glasses and demeanor gave hints to a possible gamer and/or comic book reader. “Hey Jason, come on in!” I led him down a small flight of stairs and through a series of doors which led to the practice space. He looked around and set his mic cases on the floor. “Alright I can definitely work with this. Let’s get started!”

Mics were set up and we layed down the basic tracks for the seven remaining songs. How long did it take us? One day! Now we’re talking! Things were looking up, and we felt like we had just found a nugget of gold while sifting through the dirty trenches of Craigslist. Usually our Craigslist experiences resulted in no-shows, crazies and ego-maniacs, but this time we struck pure gold!

The process seemed effortless this time. Maybe it was because we just wanted it done, but there was something magical about the process. New ideas trickled in and were executed without taking up days of recording. We welcomed Lustig’s criticisms and looked to him anytime we were fresh out of ideas. His extensive knowledge and experience in the dark art of musical engineering was exactly what we needed. He knew just how to manipulate the dragon to make it bend to his will.

We finished up the tracks in Lustig’s basement, where he had built a control room and small iso booth for vocals and guitar overdubs. He mixed and mastered the tracks and the CD was sent off for duplication by the end of November 2012. We ended up with an amazing product that we were all really proud of.

Our first full-length album titled White Horses & Black Jeans  was released on December 18, 2013 . You can find it on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play and CdBaby.

Well folks, this concludes my recording studio series for now. I hope you all learned some valuable lessons from my experiences. In case you missed them, here’s the big ones I learned along the way:

• Always come to the studio prepared! Know your parts like the back of your hand.
• Get your instruments intonated and tuned prior to recording.
• When researching studios keep in mind that it’s not all about the fancy gear and bells and whistles. What matters most is finding an engineer that can adapt to your needs and understands the sound you are trying to achieve. This is vital.
• Remember that time is money…your money. Make sure you and the engineer are on the same page with deadlines and budget. 
• Don’t do something just because you think it’s the “right” way to record. Different styles of music require different approaches to recording. Do what will benefit your music the most.
• Have fun and admire the journey!

The Recording Studio I – Slaying the Dragon

Velvet couches, groupies in skimpy clothing, red solo cups filled with your choice of liquor or beer, partying until the wee hours of the morning, and writing new songs on the fly. Just another day at the recording studio.

NOT.

I wish I could say it was that enjoyable. A lot of people have this lavish idea about the recording studio, or at least I did once upon a time. I found out real quick that the studio was not to be taken lightly. It had to be respected. Like a knight going to slay a dragon, you need to be prepared. Wear your armor, wield your sword and never underestimate its power.

I was double fisting it…with tea and pineapple juice. The only “groupie” was my best friend and resident photographer for the band. The engineer’s computer had just crapped the bed. Oh and the couch? Well let’s just say it had seen its share of things I’d rather not know about. It was my first time in a recording studio and we hadn’t even begun to record yet.

After weeks of frustration, no-shows from the engineer and just an overall unpleasent experience, we finally finished our first demo. It got the job done, but it wasn’t something I was going to put in my keepsake box. From that point on we had decided that “live” CDs were the way to go until we were ready to battle the dragon again.

Fast forward a couple years. There was some great hype surrounding the band. We had good momentum. We knew the time had come. The fans craved a full-length CD and frankly so did we.

I researched recording studios in Rochester and surrounding areas and had narrowed it down to a few. We ruled out the fancy, out-of-town one and decided to go with the local, more economical but still great option called ACME Recording Studios. It was an immediate upgrade.

Clean couches, working equipment, and an enthusiastic Argentinian engineer who at first glance appeared to be holding an UDP…unidentified drug paraphanalia. No one mentioned the elephant in the room, but everyone was thinking the same thing.

Engineer: “You want to try it?”
Me: “Umm, what is it?”
Engineer: “It’s Mate! It’s like tea.”
Me: “Oh. Ha! Sure I’ll try it.”

We were all relieved our engineer wasn’t some drugged out deadbeat, and we passed the contraption around – which I later found out was a sign of friendship and community. The dragon seemed to have gotten a bit soft since our last encounter, and our spirits had been lifted. The outlook was good but far from over.

To be continued…

Like A Rolling Stone

The band and I backstage with Van Ghost – the touring act with Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers.

“A rolling stone gathers no moss.”
– Old Proverb

In the success of my Lovin Cup Idol win, I kept the momentum going and started my first-ever band (second if you count the short-lived band I started in Middle School). We called ourselves “The Driftwood Sailors” and were comprised of what seemed like an ever-rotating group of characters. I was the youngest and only female member of the group – which is the way I liked it. Why? Less to compete with I suppose, sorry guys. If you were thinking it was to avoid drama, you’re dead wrong. More on that later.

I had forged some relationships through Lovin Cup Idol, that helped us get a jump start and we quickly climbed the local musical ladder, getting featured in newspapers, blogs and radio stations. I started to feel like my full-time job was becoming more like a part-time job compared to the time and energy being put into the band. It was exhausting, but I loved it. I’ve always worked well under pressure and liked the busyness of it all.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a nerd – especially when it comes to research. I spent countless days reading up on the latest music trends, new marketing techniques, and generally how to “make it” in the music industry. I immersed myself in a wealth of information, how-to’s and tips – and for the most part it all came down to one thing…work hard every single day. There’s no such thing as overnight success – unless you’re Sweet Brown. It’s all about hard work, perseverance and maintaining a positive attitude. Talent and building connections will get you there faster, but work hard and you can achieve anything.

In saying that, we continued to work hard and achieved some pretty awesome things, including opening for former Grateful Dead member Bruce Hornsby and his band The Noisemakers. I attended a red carpet movie premier, personally invited by the director and executive producer of the Late Show, for my original song “Don’t Know What You Got” which I played out with the band. And we recorded a full-length album titled “White Horses & Black Jeans.” This was a first for me and a great accomplishment for me.

So you want advise on “making it” and how to get there? Just remember, “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” Work hard every day and you’ll get there!