Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Song #35 Touched (2020)
I started working on this song just before the pandemic started, in February of
2020. Rediscovering my love and appreciation of Joni Mitchell, and having fun experimenting with open tunings, the song wrote itself. The "tearing off our masks" lyrics were
actually a reference to a relationship, and not about Covid, but sometimes life
and art intersect in unexpected ways. Alan Morse, Ira Ingber, and Richy Stano
(The AIR collective) provided the glorious electric guitars a safe distance away
at their respective home studios. Filmed the video over two days during the
summer, in our pool which was being resurfaced, and it was miserably hot. But
suffering for one's art is not as unusual as a once in a lifetime pandemic.
Touched
I never thought it would end this way I never knew the best words to say How much I love you and want us to Tear off our masks and make love at noon
I’m touched
Just another normal weekend Falling off the deep end And dreaming about New York And all the simple stupid fun we had
And the more I get to know The more I want to throw you A deeply romantic kiss But the headlines scream remember this
I know too much I don’t know much This rabbit hole never ends I know too much I need your touch To get me back to normal again
I’m touched
Maybe we should take a walk now Baby, maybe we should talk now About this state of affairs And if all this smoke will clear the air
Back home I’ll make mojitos And we can bounce around like yo-yos Off the walls of the tv While the commercials keep reminding me
I know too much I don’t know much This rabbit hole never ends I know too much I need your touch To get me back to normal again
Don’t know why we’re meant to be here Let’s take a moment just to drink a beer With a little twist of lime To remind us of our timelines
Is this Steinbeck or Clancy Don’t mean to be a negative Nancy But who’s writing this shit I just can’t remember all of it
I know too much I don’t know much This rabbit hole never ends I know too much I need your touch To get me back to normal again
I know too much I don’t know much This rabbit hole never ends I know this much I need your touch To get me back to normal again
I never thought it would end this way I never knew the best words to say How much I love you and want us to Tear off our masks and make love at noon
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Song #34 No Christy No (1991)
1991 was a pivotal year.
I shuttered my studio, Skyline Recording, and disbanded my band, Eckey Thump.
The equipment improvements we made to Skyline (Neve v60 console, an extra 24 track Studer A800 et al.) brought our hourly rate up, but also increased our monthly nut. Additionally, as we were now attracting higher-end clients, the focus of my job became less about engineering and producing, and more about servicing our "guests". I was being relegated to the role of a concierge:
FAMOUS PRODUCER: This isn't Scottish smoked salmon!
Me: Okay, I'll go back and get some.
Meanwhile, Teddy and I attempted to setup our own music production company for commercials, films, etc., and had succeeded only in fatally damaging our musical partnership, and friendship (not forever).
After all the dust had settled, with no studio, no band, and no job (and a young family to support), I began to piece together a new life.
A Kurzweil K2000 synthesizer with built-in sequencing and sampling capabilities took the place of the recording studio and the band, and a post-production position at ABC television became my job.
Richy Stano and I maintained our friendship throughout this turmoil, and we began writing songs.
Here is our first collaboration:
No Christy no
Take some but leave the rest
No Christy no
My time to get some rest goes
I shuttered my studio, Skyline Recording, and disbanded my band, Eckey Thump.
The equipment improvements we made to Skyline (Neve v60 console, an extra 24 track Studer A800 et al.) brought our hourly rate up, but also increased our monthly nut. Additionally, as we were now attracting higher-end clients, the focus of my job became less about engineering and producing, and more about servicing our "guests". I was being relegated to the role of a concierge:
FAMOUS PRODUCER: This isn't Scottish smoked salmon!
Me: Okay, I'll go back and get some.
Meanwhile, Teddy and I attempted to setup our own music production company for commercials, films, etc., and had succeeded only in fatally damaging our musical partnership, and friendship (not forever).
After all the dust had settled, with no studio, no band, and no job (and a young family to support), I began to piece together a new life.
A Kurzweil K2000 synthesizer with built-in sequencing and sampling capabilities took the place of the recording studio and the band, and a post-production position at ABC television became my job.
Richy Stano and I maintained our friendship throughout this turmoil, and we began writing songs.
Here is our first collaboration:
No Christy No
You made me
You saved me
I was walking the line
Between love and hate
You came through
In a matter of time
When my old man weeped
And mamma cried
No Christy no
Take some but leave the rest
No Christy no
My time to get some rest
Mistaken
Forsaken
I've been counting the time
From away the sheets
Who knows that
Who even cares
When your dream are real
The dragons come alive
Take some but leave the rest
No Christy no
My time to get some rest goes
And the only one who could sleep
Was not the only one who was there
The cat the silent witness
Sitting in her pretty chair
Yes I'm boring and helpless and rude
And I might end up playing your fool
But if you can't keep your distance
Then I'm not scared
© 1991 Britt Bacon and Richy Stano
Britt: Kurzweil K2000, vocals
Richy: guitars
I believe we finished this demo at Ira Ingber's home studio... (thanks babe)
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Song #33 Leapfrog (1983)
In 1983, frustrated by multiple attempts to secure a record deal, Ira Ingber and I decided to put out our own extended play record (EP), on our own label, "Beautiful Concept Records". Attempting to push the boundaries of popular music, we were convinced that people would accept odd rhythmic timings, e.g., 7/4 or 7 beats to a measure, if the underlying beats held to a steady quarter note pulse.
We were able to record during "off hours" at my studio, Skyline Recording, and finished "Leapfrog" b/w "Funny Ha Ha, Funny Strange", after multiple late night sessions. The songs were loosely based on fables; Leapfrog nspired by "The Scorpion and the Frog", and Funny Ha Ha, Funny Strange by "The Emperor's New Clothes".
Paul Delph, created the swamp atmosphere in the opening of Leapfrog, using only his analog Prophet 10 synthesizer, as well as the pizzicato strings and talkbox fx, while Pat Mastelotto pounded out the rhythm (not easy in a 7/4 time song) with his new Simmons drums.
Ira cameo'd on bass, and of course played all the guitars.
I engineered and sang.
After raising money (no Kickstarter back then) from friends and family ($3,000), we began the journey of transferring our masterpieces onto vinyl; no mp3's in those days (too bad for us).
We brought the final mixes to legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to finesse the sonic finishing touches for the lacquer master (he had to insert a "de-esser" to suppress to the “spilt second decision” s's during the bridge), created the cover art with the guidance of my godfather, Marc Davis, and the talents of Ira's then wife, Bonnie, figured out the color-separation process with the help of graphic artist and future star, Phil Hartman, and had pictures taken by the sublime Ben Swets.
I hand delivered the finished EP's to record stores, and we eventually sold about half of the the pressings (250).
Hate to sound like an old fart, but geez you kids have got it easy.
Record and mix in your bedroom, and then upload.
Get off my lily-pad!
We were able to record during "off hours" at my studio, Skyline Recording, and finished "Leapfrog" b/w "Funny Ha Ha, Funny Strange", after multiple late night sessions. The songs were loosely based on fables; Leapfrog nspired by "The Scorpion and the Frog", and Funny Ha Ha, Funny Strange by "The Emperor's New Clothes".
Paul Delph, created the swamp atmosphere in the opening of Leapfrog, using only his analog Prophet 10 synthesizer, as well as the pizzicato strings and talkbox fx, while Pat Mastelotto pounded out the rhythm (not easy in a 7/4 time song) with his new Simmons drums.
Ira cameo'd on bass, and of course played all the guitars.
I engineered and sang.
After raising money (no Kickstarter back then) from friends and family ($3,000), we began the journey of transferring our masterpieces onto vinyl; no mp3's in those days (too bad for us).
We brought the final mixes to legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to finesse the sonic finishing touches for the lacquer master (he had to insert a "de-esser" to suppress to the “spilt second decision” s's during the bridge), created the cover art with the guidance of my godfather, Marc Davis, and the talents of Ira's then wife, Bonnie, figured out the color-separation process with the help of graphic artist and future star, Phil Hartman, and had pictures taken by the sublime Ben Swets.
I hand delivered the finished EP's to record stores, and we eventually sold about half of the the pressings (250).
Hate to sound like an old fart, but geez you kids have got it easy.
Record and mix in your bedroom, and then upload.
Get off my lily-pad!
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