I was due to paint the town mural today, but rain was upped to 48% probability, and worse for me, the temperature for the next week is forecast to drop below 5 degrees, which is the minimum recommended temperature for the paint. I only need one dry day, or even light rain with temperatures over 5 degrees, but it looks like every day for the next 10 days will be wet. Sigh; and to think I was ready to paint this in the first week of September (though much procedural box-ticking was needed).
Anyway, this frees up my week for other jobs. I need to be productive and have today recorded vocals for 'Cat Parasites' and 'Walls (And How to Hit Them)'. I had just one hour alone to snatch these vocals, and I felt rushed and uncomfortable. There is a lot of preparation and filing work for vocal recording. It's surprising how much of the job is about organisation and filing. So many takes, snippets, edits, all need working out and storing in an easy to find way. Backing tracks to sing to need preparation, often preparation for each different layer.
I've spent the day adding the vocals to Walls. I don't tend to like layered vocals, two or three of the same note, I prefer a single vocal line. This is partly because layers are a sign of vocal weakness, a crutch I don't like the idea of. Two of my favourite singers, Kate Bush and Freddie Mercury never really used two layers on a lead vocal (lots of harmonies of course, that's different). Elton John used two layers on Goodbye Yellow Bruck road, but I don't think it helped. On a philosophical level, it can interfere with the directness of emotion in a song.
The plan for Walls had one main layer all through, with more emphasis on the 'and how to hit them' line, so I added more layers there and a high harmony. Some other parts benefitted from being filtered and having a few bonus effects added. Overall, it sounds ok, better than I expected for such a metallic song.
Here are the words:
When I was young
the universe was scary
spent my time
putting up defences
wasted time
trying to protect myself
from the crushing social forces
I only wanted happiness!
Starting to become an expert in
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls!
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls!
And now I'm old
and everything is holding
on to hope
and money really matters
trying to cope
scraping for stability
in the cruel confusing world
I never wanted money!
All my life I've been an expert in
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls!
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls!
All my life
All my life
All my life
I navigate society
upon a ship of industry
and in the vast and fearful sea
I find an island me
An expert in
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls!
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls (and how to hit them)
Walls!
In other news, I note that the ink on my lino-printed CDs is still wet! This is a little disturbing. If it were oil paint (it is water based) it would take a week or two to dry, so I'll leave it for that long before trying again. I need to sell, share, distribute more CDs.
It's been 23 years since Synaesthesia; my first CD, and the only one to be released by a record company (REV Records) in the summer of 2001. I've re-recorded that album 4 times in total. The latest one, the 2020 remaster, is certainly the best version, and the whole album is still rather nice. Perhaps it's time I made a new CD version, my first CD pressing of the album since that 2001 one. All I need is money and the possibility of selling or distributing some.
Tomorrow, rehearsals for Saturday's free performance in Winsford.
