Mikey's Music - the music of Michael J. Kloepfer

More new music!

2011-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wow - it's amazing what happens when your computer crashes, and there are no distractions to keep you from your life's passion - LOL
The two-week period without a computer has resulted in some great progress on new music, and a lot of art to boot.
I was able to really tear into the lyrics on"The Commodore's Daughter" - a true-life story of love, adventure, and danger ... and pirates!
Thanks to the Fret Club Song Circle for their constructive feedback and suggestions. The way the lyrics stood, it was a retelling of events, but there was something missing: the story. At the suggestion of the Song Circle members, "what makes you want to root for the lead character (in the song)?" And that was what I felt was missing: there's a story, and it's fun and all, but why would anybody care?
Taking the suggestions of Andy, Terri Jo and Melissa, I delved into the song as if it were a movie script: Who are the characters? What are they like? What are their motivations? These things don't have to be spelled out literally in the lyrics, but they inform the lyrics and give the listener a reason to be interested.
I also moved forward with a couple other new songs, Missing You (But Not By Much) and Ritzville, working out lyrics and developing the music.
A new song also emerged, tentatively titled "The Time Has Come."
When my mom passed away, I knew that her death, and the long battle with illness, would be a fertile subject for song, but I didn't want to just 'write about it' - it was too personal to merely produce something hackneyed and trite. If I were to write a song about it, it would have to "say something" about what I was thinking and feeling as we all went through this experience.
I trusted my intuition, and let it sit in the back of my mind. I knew that eventually, it would emerge in song form - if I did not try to force it. And the words came to me. What makes it special to me is the perspective of the lyrics. A combination of all the feelings that were pulling in every direction. The experience gave me a different view on death, and that is what is coming through in the lyrics... I hope.
I am gently persuading this song to come forth on its own, as it is a very personal subject. I'll post more as it develops.

The Stiffwater Years

2011-05-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

This period of my musical history deserves its own section.
Stiffwater was not only a band - it had a life of its own, and at times it was a force to be reckoned with.
The band was a big part of my life during a crucial period of my development*, and had an effect in shaping who I was to become, as a musician and as a creative human being.
*[I'm not going to call it 'growing up.' that would be inaccurate to say the least. ]

The beginnings of Stiffwater-
Our first gig in 1973, as Sidewinder:

L-R: Matt Monfort, Ken "Herf" Herfert, Nelson West, and myself.

1975:

mikeyzmusic through the years

2011-05-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

In order to keep things from getting out of hand, I've broken it down by decade-
From the beginnings in the late 1960s through the present:

mikeyzmusic in the 1970s
The Stiffwater Years
mikeyzmusic in the 1980s
mikeyzmusic in the 1990s
mikeysmusic in the early 21st century
mikeyzmusic 2010 - present

mikeyzmusic 2010 - present

2011-05-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Current mikeyzmusic:

mikeyzmusic in the early 21st century

2011-05-01T15:17:00.001-07:00

From 2000 through 2010:

mikeyzmusic 1990s

2011-05-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

mikeyzmusic in the 90s:

mikeyzmusic 1980s

2011-05-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

A tumultuous time from 1980 through 1989:

mikeyzmusic: 1970s

2011-05-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

...a look at mikeyzmusic from its beginnings in ~1968 through the end of the 70s.
1969:

1971:

1972:

1973:

Touring begins at the early age of 13... 1973:

1975:
with Stiffwater

The blue satin jacket was inspired by the one Edgar Winter is wearing on the back of They Only Come Out At Night:

...only I just couldn't pull off wearing pink....
So our good friend Jo Noxon made me one in blue - my favorite color! She did an awesome job, right down to the satin decorations along the lapel and sleeves. I loved that jacket - almost as much as I love my Strat!

Too much history can be harmful...!

2011-05-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

I'm having a blast going through some old photo albums my sister found, and scanning in photos of me playing music over the years.

In the words of Jerry Garcia: "What a long, strange trip it's been..."

I'll be cropping and cleaning up the photos, then I'll be posting them.
In order to keep things under control - and to keep the posts from being unbearably long, I'll be breaking it down by decade.

mikeyz songs

2011-05-01T13:10:00.001-07:00

New song ideas!

2011-04-28T22:06:00.001-07:00

Got three new song ideas down on my portable recorder this evening.
I must be going through a musical growth spurt or something.
Each one of the ideas is completely different:
The first one is a jazz-type tune, slightly reminiscent of the likes of Tom Waits;
The second one is a haunting, eerie song, that was inspired, ironically by a guy playing blues harmonica... the lyric theme got stuck in my head, and then twisted around and came out as something else completely. It was originally in double-drop tuning, but I'm experimenting with a different rendition in standard tuning;
The third came from a live video of Rory Gallagher playing "She Moved Thro' the Fair/Out on the Western Plain" that I was goofing around learning a few months back. I started messing around with the double-drop tuning. Then I started riffing on this wild riff, and it just took off in a different direction.
The drop D and double-drop tunings really seem to bring something out in me musically. I find myself getting inspired by the big sound of the guitar in the alternate tunings.
There also seems to be a recurring pattern for me - I'll hear a melody or a snippet of a song, and I'll sit down and start riffing on it, and then it takes off in a different direction and turns into something totally different.
Hm... I wonder if Beethoven ever did that? LOL

Fret Club Song Circle

2011-04-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Andy Ard invited me to join his Song Circle last week. It was a real shot in the arm for me musically.
It was a really enjoyable evening. Andy, Andy II, Terri Jo, JJ, and myself attended. We just went around the circle, and each of us would pull out a song or an idea. Sometimes everyone would play along, sometimes we'd just listen.
There was some really good music. Everyone has a distinctive and unique style and musical 'voice,' and each songwriter had some really good, strong material.
I have several song ideas that have been percolating for the last few months. It gave me a chance to dust them off and take 'em out for a spin. I realized that I had been sitting on some good song ideas, and it was high time I did something with them.
It inspired me to come home and start developing some of the ideas.
I'm looking forward to the next song circle!

Feel-good time!!!

2011-03-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

It's really amazing...
No matter how exhausted I may be after work, no matter how tired, or cranky, or whiney...
An evening of playing great music with good friends and bandmates just makes everything feel fine. There is nothing quite like that feeling when a song is going along and everything meshes together just right.... it's a great, happy, fulfilled feeling.
I gotta say, I am really enjoying this period of the band's life, this format - just the three of us - playing great songs, harmonizing, locking in together, it's amazing.
The music is sounding good - but best of all, it feels great!
We're writing new songs, and adding things to old songs... it's fun!!!
I call it "Feel-good time!"

Everything is going to be alright now...

Blast from the past - vintage pics of Mikey playing music

2011-01-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

Here's the breakdown:
With my very first guitar, a Harmony "Stella" - circa 1968:

Playing at church with my first electric, a Sears Silvertone - circa 1970:

With my trusty Gibson ES-175 - circa 1971/72:

Playing my Strat, with Stiffwater - circa 1975:

Playing my Ibanez Paul Gilbert PGM300 with Coventry - circa 2003:

Mikeyz Guitarz: a gallery of the many instruments I have owned (and still own) over the years.

2011-01-30T18:18:00.001-08:00

My guitars, in roughly chronological order:

*indicates a guitar that I still own...
Here's the breakdown:
Harmony Stella, purchased in 1968:

Sears Silvertone electric, purchased in 1970:

My Gibson ES-175*, originally purchased in 1969:

Harmony "Buck Owens American"* (new 1971):

Yamaha "Flying Samurai" - a reissue*, a near-exact replica of the guitar I originally purchased in 1973 - and the original:

Fender Stratocaster* (new 1975):

Gibson "V2" Flying V (new 1980):

Ibanez Paul Gilbert signature PGM300 (new 1996):

Fender Acoustic "Samantha"* (new 2009):

Funny old world, innit?

2011-01-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

I just realized something interesting...
One of the things that I am really good at is deciphering and arranging vocal harmonies - creating distinct individual vocal parts and melodies.
However, the other thing that I have found that another thing that I seem to be really good at is having the other guys sing the part that they fall into, and I find a part that fits in on top of it all. I guess I can just hear it.
Given a choice, my first inclination would go with arranging vocal parts. However, I am learning more and more that I really like finding a part that fits in, fills the gaps like mortar. Or glue. Or another thing that fits in between other things. In addition, if the other guys are singing the parts that they 'fall into,' then everybody is playing to their strengths; i.e., everyone is singing what comes naturally to them, and nobody is out of their element trying to sing a forced vocal part.
I am lucky that I am in a band of musicians who can sing what comes naturally to them, and it works.
Interesting how things work out.

BIG QUESTONS

2010-12-28T21:24:00.000-08:00

I just met with my band mate Scotte to discuss updating our website, and we took the opportunity to reflect on the past year, and take a look at where we are headed in the near future.

The flurry of activity from the last year winds down. The summer, with its crazy schedule of rehearsing, performing, recording, promoting, and networking, is behind us. The new CD is out. The holidays are drawing to a close, and for a moment all is still and calm. I find myself asking, “Well, where DO I go from here?”

This prompts a flood of related questions, for how can I know where I am going unless I understand who I am and what I want? Sure, at some level, I just want to play. But that is overly simplistic; there is much more to it than that.
So I started writing down the questions.( While these questions are valid in a much broader context, for the time being I am focusing on how this all relates to my music. )

Who am I as a musician? What is my musical identity?
What is my creative vision? Where do I see myself going in the next year? The next 5 years? The next 10 years?
What are my strengths?
Where does the joy in music come from?
What moments in music do I enjoy the most?
What parts of being a musician do I enjoy the most?
What unique gifts do I have?
What do I do exceptionally well that is distinctive, that sets me apart from other musicians?
What do I do better than anybody else?
If I were to be identified by one single musical trait or quality, what would that be? What would I like it to be?
How/when/where do I shine as a musician?
What circumstances, environments, situations make it possible for me to really shine as a musician?
What gifts do I have to offer to those who listen to my music?
What benefit does my music bring to the world?
What do I do that is unexpected, a pleasant surprise?
Where do lists come from?

These are all good questions. And what is vital is not so much the answers, as it is the process of asking and exploring the questions, and gaining insight into myself, my goals, and my sense of purpose.

The Gibson is BACK!!! Reunited at long last!

2010-12-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

After several years apart, a dear sweet friend has brought my Gibson back home to me!

Yup, that's me with my Gibson ES-175 back when I was a kid.
It was my first really good guitar (no duh) and I played it in my first band.
It really is a sweet instrument, and I love it dearly.
I took it with me to rehearsal tonight, and it was so cool to play it with the band. There are some things that it is just born to do, like jazz and blues. The problem is, it's almost too easy to play; after playing acoustic for so long, and putting light gauge strings on it, I really had to 'ease up on the throttle' or I would push it out of tune. It really only takes a very light touch to make this guitar sing!
:D
Thanks Stacey, for bringing the guitar to Denver with you! And thanks to Dino and Juliette for keeping it for me the last 7 years!

Amazing Grace ... at long last!

2010-11-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

I was finally able to post the version of Amazing Grace that I created for Mom's memorial service.
I have always loved the song, and Mom had requested that the song be played at her memorial service. I think she asked for bagpipes or organ. I don't play bagpipes, so...
It's just me, Sam (my trusty Fender acoustic), and my Digitech RP20 (for reverb and also for compression/warmth for the layered harmony guitars), recorded on a KORG ToneWorks PXR4.
(Finally, I found a software that could convert my file to an .mp3 that RN would accept. the PXR4 is an older unit, and records at a different sample rate that freaks out RN's upload page.
You can play it in the RN mini-player on the sidebar of this blog (at left), or you can go to my ReverbNation page and listen to it there:
http://www.reverbnation.com/mikekloepfer
It was so wild when they played it at the church; the speakers were way up in the rafters, so it really did sound like it was coming from heaven. I think Mom would have liked that.

NEW SONG!!!

2010-11-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

NEW SONG! This real-life story has been bouncing around in my head for years now... and the other night, I heard a band play a cool reggae beat - it was the perfect fit, and the puzzle piece that brought it all together! (Funny how it takes several years for a song to 'just fall together...lol)
It's a tale of true love, drinking coconut milk straight from the shell, long nights on the beach, signs from above... adventure, humor, and danger....
It's a story about how "Love knows no laws" and the heart does what it will, regardless... that can lead to trouble sometimes... and "Woe!!! Whoa-OH!"
All the while the Caribbean beat lilts along, much like life in the islands...
...and the beat goes:
"Un dit-dit BOOM dit, Un dit-dit BOOM dit, "

Ironwood Rain: An Introduction

2010-08-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

Scotte put together this awesome video: Ironwood Rain: An Introduction
Check it out!
Nice work, Scotte!!!

Merrie, the band, and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

2010-07-05T19:49:00.001-07:00

My friend Merrie from work participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, walking 39 miles to help the fight against breast cancer. All this, after just recovering from surgery herself. She is an amazing woman.
Here she is crossing the finish line!!!

My band passed the hat at a recent gig to help raise funds for Merrie. We are so grateful to those who contributed, and I wanted to pass along this note from Merre:

"Dear Ironwood Rain,
All I can say is Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Michael, your support, and understanding of what this means to me and my friends and family is amazing. You certainly didn't need to jump on the bandwagon, but I am truly humbled that you did. During the Walk, those of us walking solo have a tremendous opportunity to meet up up with some amazing people, my standing memory from this walk will be the woman with her "bucket list" on the back of her shirt. It had some expected items, but the "beat these damn brain tumors" mixed in there made me stop in my tracks. I could only squeeze her hand and walk on. Cancer Sucks...that's it, and as long as I can walk, I will.
So thank you again, it means a great deal.
Sincerely,
Merre
P.S. Love the music!!!"

We are pleased that we could help in a small way, and are discussing possible ways we may be involved next year.

From myself, the band, and Merrie, to all who helped, who contribute and support the cause, a great big "Thank you!"

Ironwood Rain @ Colorado Sound - "Burn The Ships" Recording Sessions

2010-06-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

07/01/10:
Today we recorded more vocals, and had our guest violinist Josie Quick play her tracks on the art rock ballad Where a Man Would Stand and the hootenany extravaganza Ages.
Scotte finished his lead vocals, and JJ and I recorded the last of our harmonies. (JJ came up with a COOL harmony for Where a Man Would Stand I knew right away where my part would be, and they sounded killer together! We are getting where we can read each others' minds.... oooOOOooo....)
On the down side, as time was growing short, we had to scrap the pirate song Pursuit. I was heartbroken, since that song was my baby and my showpiece tune, and it really is a downright epic tune; but in the end I believe the result was worth the sacrifice. We were able to invest the time and energy into taking the other six songs to the next level, and we did!
Next week, Steve and Scotte will finish editing and begin final mixes..
We all breathed a sigh of relief! All the parts are recorded!!! WOO HOO!!!

Scotte sings the heartbreaking art-rock ballad Where a Man Would Stand:

06/30/10:
Vocals!
Today - with the help of Academy of the Arts vocal coach Dr. Scott Martin and his assistant Tom* - we recorded vocal tracks for the title track Burn The Ships, the signature song Fly To You, and began work on the ghost story, The Attic (written by yours truly!)
Then Dr. Scott and Steve took over editing the vocals. It was amazing to watch.
The resulting sound is quite stunning. By the end, my head was full... no more notes could fit into my brain!
[*P.S. Ya gotta watch out for those two - they were playin' tricks on me and giving us all a hard time all day long... LOL "Did you hear that?" I love these guys...)

Scotte sings Burn The Ships:

Gary gets set to sing his part on Fly To You:

06/26/10:
Day 3. We finished laying down all the instrument tracks today, and began vocal tracks. At the end of three days, we have accomplished a lot, and we are very happy with the way the music is coming together...

The master at work - Steve, our producer (this guy is amazing!!!):

Gary puts down some tasty percussion tracks:

Gary St. Germain, the thundermaster, gets set up to do the lightning crash on the ghost song The Attic:

JJ sings the lead vocal on the signature track Fly To You:

We checked this pitch on this long note with a crescendo against the meter, and it was perfect! That is rare!

The sound is phenomenal! I can't wait to share the music with my friends!!!

06/25/10:
Day 2 of "Burn The Ships."
BEEF STEW takes over the control room!!!

Taking a moment to relax, Gary tickles the ivories. He hee! He's actually really good! We never knew...

Today was a lot of hard work. we tackled the two most demanding tunes today. One went way better than expected, the other was a lot tougher than expected. That happens. It was a bit grueling at times, and I'm exhausted. The good news, we got a lot accomplished, and more music in the can.
The sound is phenomenal. Steve is doing extraordinary work as an engineer and as a producer. His ideas and suggestions almost always seem to be 'just right.'
There were other outstanding moments too: when JJ and I were playing the guitars on All I Need, the two guitars started singing to each other. It was incredible! We were both looking at each other saying, "WOW! What was that?" I was playing these two notes, and JJ was playing those two notes, and then these other notes started playing by themselves!

We even recorded a song about a pirate ship!!! I wore this in honor of the song Pursuit:

Stay tuned for more piratey goodness!!!

06/24/10:
My Band, Ironwood Rain, is back in the studio to record our latest CD, "Burn The Ships."
We are really enjoying recording at Colorado Sound, one of the premier studios in the state. Steve is awesome to work with, and the songs are sounding really great.
06/23/10
Here are some pix from day 1:
The Gibson Hummingbird I am using for the project. Damn, this guitar is sweet.

Sonny and Sam:

JJ tunes up:

Scotte enjoying his new Ricky:

The grand piano. We gotta write a song with piano in it now...

Setting up the drums. Dena, Gary and Steve:

In the control room:

Wrapping it up for the day:

The songs are sounding great, the day was productive, and we are exhausted, yet happy!
More to come...

First Friday at Clear Creek Books in Golden, CO

2010-06-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

Last night’s Ironwood Rain gig at Clear Creek Books in Golden was an absolute blast! The weather was BEAUTIFUL. The city had the street closed down for First Friday, they had vendors and entertainment, and there were throngs of people everywhere: in the store, on the sidewalk, in the street… It's a great bookstore in a beautiful location. Craig is a great guy with a terrific wit, and has been very supportive of our music.
The platform section of the store made a perfect ‘stage’ for us to play. We pointed one of the speaker 'sticks' out the door for the passers by, and it attracted quite a bit of attention. The music was ‘on,’ the band was having fun; and judging by the smiles on the faces of the dozens (perhaps millions!) of people who came in to listen, or just to stop outside the windows and watch, the crowd was enjoying the music too!
As a result, we got booked to play the main stage for the July First Friday, (July 2^nd) and we are looking forward to returning to play again in picturesque downtown Golden.

If you’re looking for something fun to do on First Fridays in the summer, definitely come to downtown Golden. We’ll see you there!

A great big thanks to Craig, the owner of Clear Creek Books - a terrific store in the heart of scenic Golden, Colorado. Craig is an awesome guy. The store has a great selection of books, fresh coffee, high ceilings a picture windows with a beautiful view, and a pleasant atmosphere. If they don’t carry the book you’re looking for, they will find it for you!

http://www.clearcreekbooks.com/

New photos

2010-03-24T13:45:00.001-07:00

From the recent Ironwood Rain photo shoot with Harold, aka Harry The Hat.

New IR music

2010-03-21T23:01:00.001-07:00

My band, Ironwood Rain, just finished recording some demos of new songs for our upcoming CD - "Burn the Ships" (working title,) at the wonderful MohrFire Studios in Lafayette, CO.
It's always a pleasure to work with Gusty, he's a terrific engineer and a fun guy.
Check out the band's website for more info, we'll probably be posting some snippets, and we are continually adding video from our various gigs around the area.

New IR beta website

2010-03-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

My band Ironwood Rain got a new test version of our website up and running.
Check it out here .

New photos of the band!

2010-03-09T23:09:00.001-08:00

My band, Ironwood Rain, just received the photos from our recent shoot with our favorite photographer, Harry "The Hat."

Harry is an excellent photographer, and a wonderful guy, and the photos came out fantastic!
Hats off to Harry!!!
Check out the full photo album here

Ironwood Rain debut CD "TRIO" now available!

2009-11-25T13:06:00.001-08:00

TRIO, the debut CD from my band Ironwood Rain, is now available!
The CD features 9 original acoustic rock songs, as well as two unusual classic cover tunes.
Visit the Ironwood Rain store for CDs, t-shirts, souvenir posters and more to come.
You can listen to Ironwood Rain on Reverb Nation.
Visit the website for more information.

Ironwood Rain thumbnails

2009-10-27T13:39:00.001-07:00

The cover of TRIO, the new CD from my band Ironwood Rain:

Back home again!!! V and Sam - long lost brother and sister?

2009-10-14T14:01:00.001-07:00

After years of circulating around the country, I am beginning to get my guitars all back in one place.
Today, the Flying V arrived. I just HAD to put it next to Sam, they are like brother and sister.

What a pair!!!

Thanks so much to Dino for all his efforts to ship the guitar.

Ironwood Rain video "Until The End Of Time" now on YouTube!

2009-08-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

IR is now worldwide! The video for "Until the End of Time" [from our soon-to-be-released CD Trio] is now on YouTube! Special thanks to Gusty and the guys at MohrFire Studios, and SWaT Productions for an excellent video production. Also thanks to the The D-Note, the Buffalo Rose, and the Laughing Goat for letting us film the live shots.
Check it out now:
http://www.ironwoodrain.com/

Or go to YouTube and search for "Ironwood Rain". There you will see an interview video as well.

The tentative date for the official Trio CD release party is November 20 at the D-Note. The CDs should be available for sale by then. Stay tuned for more updates.

The whole experience - from putting the music together, to recording the CD, to playing live, to making the video - has exceeded my expectations.

Ironwood Rain VIDEO SHOOT LIVE at the Laughing Goat

2009-06-29T16:43:00.001-07:00

06/23/09
Ironwood Rain live at the Laughing Goat coffee house in Boulder.

Tim from SWAT Productions getting set to record live video for Until the End of Time.
[No animals were harmed during the filming. One coffee mug was broken, however. ]

Ironwood Rain CD project at Mohr Fire Studios

2009-06-15T12:13:00.002-07:00

My band, Ironwood Rain, is busy recording our debut CD at Mohr Fire Studios.
http://www.mohrfire.com/
First of all, let me say that it is a pleasure working with Gusty and the guys at Mohr Fire. As you can see, the facility is outstanding, and simply beautiful. For example, take a look at the magnificent quilts all around the studio... What an exceptional experience.
Day 4:
06/24/09
Getting down to business. Vocal tracks, guitar tracks, and "safety pants". (It's a long story...)

Getting ready to 'lay it down.'

Listening back to the tracks.
Check out Gusty's custom-made "twisty" didgeridoo just on the other side of the window. It's wild.

Day 3:
06/17/09
Video Shoot!
Today the film crew from SWaT Production LLC arrived to shoot the 'studio' portion of the video for Until The End of Time.

Gusty and the SWaT team discussing deatails and getting set to film. Great guys, fun and easy to work with.
I have no pictures from the actual shoot, because we were all in the video and hadn't a free hand to shoot our own pics.
You'll have to wait for the video.

"A-HA!!!" Moment!

The vocal tracks were good, but Gusty felt they could be even better.
JJ suggested singing his leads while holding his guitar; it felt more natural to him.
A magic moment!
The difference was unbelievable. There was something intangible but extremely evident. The energy was really there. Everything just seemed to flow.

It worked for Scotte, too!

JJ recording vocals for 19K M mph.
(Rock star...)

Scotte lays down the "Na na na's" in 5th of September.

Day 2:
06/14/09
Getting down to the nitty gritty; basic tracks for more songs, then individual tracks, vocals, and harmonies.

We are all in high spirits. This just gets more fun all the time!

The hypnotic tuner. Seriously, don't stare at it for too long!!!...

The magician at work.

It's like NASA.
I wonder if the folks at NASA say, "Wow, it's like a recording studio!!!"

Rhythm tracks:

Scotte and JJ in the big room.

Laying down individual tracks:

JJ gets ready for a track, as seen from the vocal isolation booth.

Scotte listens back to a bass track.

Time for vocals:

Let's try a little mood lighting...

Ah, that's better!

Monkey Shines. You can almost see the steam and feel the heat of the swamp.

Cafe Society. ooOOoo...

19K M mph. JJ is such a rock star.

Really, he should think of changing his name to JJ Rokstah.

And don't forget who is turning all this into a beautiful recording.... "The Magician," Gusty.
[Leaning against the wall by the quilt is a didgeridoo that Gusty hand-built. He's multi-talented.]

Yours truly, working my dulcit tones over the rhythm and lead vocal tracks.

Listening to the results.

As seen from the big room.

As seen from the isolation booth.

The big room, clockwise from the entrance:

[Sam in the big room. Ain't she beautiful?]

To the vocal isolation booth:

By the end of the day, we had two songs 'in the can,' and five other songs tracked and ready for vocals and solos.

Day 1:
06/13/09
[Due to the low lighting, some of the photos are blurry. That's fine, I prefer the ambience.]

Scotte, the mastermind behind the CD project, and the band as a whole. He is standing in the vocal isolation booth.

JJ warms up in the live room. It is HUGE.

Gusty, Mohr Fire's ace engineer, at the helm.
Gusty is an incredible engineer, and really knows his stuff . He knows his equipment and how to use it to get the best recording. His experience and expertise are invaluable, making the most of our time and energy, and making the whole process a real pleasure.
On top of all that, Gusty is a great guy, and unbelievably easy to work with.

JJ and Gusty in the main room.

Scotte tunes up.
We all wound up standing there, staring at the tuner. It's hypnotic, like a truth serum.

Mission control. Great mood lighting - so important to get that creative vibe going.
And the sound?... AWESOME!!!

The view from the isolation booth.

Gusty working his magic. Seriously, it is like watching a magic show.

Scotte gets ready to reccord bass lines.

JJ ready to record.

The view from the control room:

Gusty gets JJ set up to record vocal and guitar on 19K M mph.

More Stuff

2009-06-15T12:13:00.001-07:00

More stuff

Stuff

2009-06-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Owsleys Bar

2009-02-26T19:59:00.000-08:00

02/22/09:
Ironwood Rain played to a standing-room-only crowd* at Owsley’s Bar in downtown Denver.
Our drummer, Roland, gave a spectacular performance.

*That’s because there were no chairs, but that’s not important.

Ironwood Rain plays the Rubenking benefit!

2009-02-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

IRONWOOD RAIN LIVE!!! PICTURES
RUBENKING BENEFIT CONCERT – 02/20/09:
Ironwood Rain performed at the benefit concert for Rubenking Medical Fund, held in Westminster, CO. A large crowd attended to show their support and help a family in need. Also appearing were Left on Colfax and The Jagtones. The stage was beautiful, the music was excellent and the crowd had a great time.
Here are pictures of Ironwood Rain:

JJ:

Scotte:

and yours truly:

Welcome to my music blog!

2009-02-25T18:54:00.000-08:00

This is where I will post news and updates about my music, my bands, and other music related goodies.