Stormcellar Band Home Page

Update: yeah well 2 hours between blogs is a long time. The dates I'd scheduled all went Gersproingggggklonkfriblitzblecch

ARGH.

Rescheduling...

Howdy Folks.

I spent yesterday trying to arrange some additional days recording for The Curious Assembly,  it looks like I may have arranged sufficient sessions at various studios to complete the project..

Ah.

Except for one track.

Ah.

Bugger.

Right. 

Here kitty kitty, here kitty.

I'd like to point out the incongruity of writing the saddest song we're written so far, on a day of bright sunshine.

Here's the writing environment in my backyard (needs mowing) on a Sunny Saturday afternoon, a few weeks ago, when we wrote Cry for You.

Bright sun, cheerful backyard, sunny day and then we wrote this one;

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Finished in on Monday night, it's pretty, but sad.

In fact, looking at Onward Traveller, QATO and the new one Sun Shines On, this collection of songs will definitely have a brooding element.

Go figure.

I am determined therefore that the next thing will be all bunnies and rainbows.

This friday night from 9pm at the Town Hall Hotel, Newtown.

I think it's free entry. 

Australias first lady of Blues Rock,  Christina Crofts our special guest, ably backed by the Stormcellar Rhythym Posse

AHA! Once more we donned our disguises and mingled with the Folk...err....Folk.

Heh. Yet another genre we've snuck into, pinched the bits we liked and then run off chortling into the night. Go the Stormies!

Yep, we followed up the 6:30 blues/rock epic of Twice Shy Girl by recording a Convict Folk Tune, that has us sounding like Contemporary Folk Folk!. Like genre-crossing ninjas we are.

Pirate Ninjas.

Arr.

I may have mentioned that we're under the gun to get our next album out and that we're pushing ahead at speed. this weekend we were lucky enough to find a studio on the direct route of return from our Oberon show that was willing to record on a Sunday

We rose early to get there for a morning start from Oberon where the weather had cleared.

But once again, as we drove onward...typical stormcellar weather

But it cleared by the time we crested the mountains and made our way to the Valley Studio where Roger C. had given up his Sunday to help us out.

I didn't know it until after we'd booked in that Roger has had the odd bit of experience with Folk stuff.

I actually have this song book at home...

Here's Roger, Rosie, Mr Wizard and Bill (on the couch) getting QATO together (you bet I aint gonna type Queen Above The Ocean every time I refer to it,. QATO, get it?)

The Valley Studio has a gorgeous outlook, Here's Mr Wizard in the garden soaking up the vibe with his mandolin.

Tinker and Fettler sat in on the song, here's Tink getting ready

I dont think Tink has any idea how superb a player she is. Wait until you hear the recording. Wow.

Prices in Springwood were kinda high $7 for a pie? OUCH so I opted to make sandwiches. Yes, that's why I get a Producer credit on the album.

After the pit stop, Fettler joined in

and Bill added bass track to a song that previously had no bass when we play it live. way to go Bill.

Then it was my turn in the barrel, and Roger worked me over pretty thoroughly. I changed lyrics, had my timing corrected, received quite excellent direction and was even persuaded to add harp.

Roger had such an affinity for the material that he really added a series of layers and ideas to this track, it's simply stunning.

Also massive props to Rosie for adding a sonic texture that's now my favourite new music thing in the world for today. Way to go.

The Curious Assembly has done something interesting for us. Previously, our songs were all recorded under one roof/studio. That means there's a certain homogeneity to the production and engineering.

With The Curious Assembly, we have taken pains to choose studios and engineers with a predilection for each individual style of song. Today it paid off by transforming a good song into a great recording.

Hats off to Roger C, bravo sir.

UPDATE: Some folks I have shared the recording with want to know who made that great sound. Well, contact Roger Corbett here: http://www.thevalleystudio.com.au/

Our great thanks to two of the most generous and talented musicians we know in Michael Kerin and Tinker Duffy for joining us in the song. Their band the Righteous Prannies will be releasing a track soon and I'll post a link when I can. 

This week we're scheduled to mix Cry For You and then go record Slipping Through These Blues. Once again we're heading into uncharted territories.

So as we change tack once more, I am reminded to keep with our Shakespearean themed trip, I can only offer to the purists who shake their head that we have once again crossed boundaries..

If we Stormies have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but to double click

to remove such songs from your play list

So gentles, do not reprehend:

if occasionally the rules we bend:

And, as I am an honest feller

We warn of what lurks in the 'cellar

Cos we're likely the kind of blokes

who groove on country

blues & folk

in fact we kind of like the range

from Jap'nese Pop to 80's strange

creating iridescent hues

from mixing weird stuff

with the blues

For as Mr Gilley did foretell

what e'er you play, play it well

and tarry not with tags and fads

for there art but two forms of music;

Good and Bad.

Howdo Folks.

This is one of those times it was better for us to be on the road and for you to be watching from the safety of the lounge, with mists, wet roads and distance to travel.

But first.

The pack.

The roads

The Mists

They're refurbishing the hydro majestic. If any place was worth a rebuild, it;'s this one,. Ought to be stunning.

as we drove down the wet and misty roads on the first day of Autumn, the mountains greeted us with wonderful cold wet rainy weather, a blessing after our summer.

Rosie took some stunning shots with the HD camera thing.

At the Oberon RSL I spotted my favourite broken street sign and got all arty.

We had a heck of a night playing. Jo came up, Fettler and Tinker joined us and it felt like all of Oberon came out to see us.

Tinker was out to try out a part for the following days recording of Queen Above The Oceans. We played for almost four hours, running all of the nice stuff with Jo at the beginning of the evening and then graduating to the faster and louder stuff at the end.

Cheers to Allan, Ben, Grahame, Robyn, Misty and her mum and all the folks who took such good care of us.

If you ever happen to be near when Jo, Fettler and Tinker join us; don't miss it, its a remarkable combination.

I video'd the whole thing but I'm keeping it under wraps for now until I check the sound out.

Right now I gotta go do the blog about the next day and the recording of Queen Above The Ocean.

Righto.