May 2014 - The Village Recorder, Los Angeles and Pumpkinland II, Northbrook

Produced by Billy Corgan, Howard Willing & Jeff Schroeder; engineered by Howard Willing

* Anaise!
* Anti-Hero
* Being Beige
* Dorian
* Drum + Fife
* Monuments
* One and All (We Are)
* Run2me
* Tiberius

Drum recording sessions for the Monuments to an Elegy album. After constructing guide backing tracks at Pumpkinland II in April, two sessions are held in the first and last weeks of May at The Village Recorder to track Tommy Lee's drum parts on the masters. Inbetween the two LA sessions, Corgan, Schroeder and Willing then return to Pumpkinland II to work on the masters.

The notion to reach out to T Lee came from The
Shredder, who in hearing me say ‘we really need to get someone like
Tommy to play on this song’ said, “well, why don’t we reach out to him?”
 And let me tell you something: I’ve had the fortune of being in the
room with some of the all-time greats, and when you’re that close to
someone who is the best at what they do you gain insight into the way
they are able to communicate to so many. Let’s call it a universal
language (which music is, obviously), and in applying it with heart/soul
 they present intangibles that give dimension and depth to a composition
 which otherwise would not be as kaleidoscopic.

So
 on flying out a few weeks ago I presented T Lee with the idea, played
him all the songs that I’d worked hard to finish, and discussed the way
we’d be most comfortable finding common ground in the studio. Which
explains the rush to prepare the arrangements for him to drum on, and
also our keeping the work under wraps; so that nothing and nobody could
influence the process.

I’m
also happy to report that not only did we have a blast, but the 9
‘MONUMENTS’ songs sound epic in a way that is indescribable. I guess I
could toss off hyperbole after pronoun, but it would sell short what I
like to call ‘Supersonic Pumpkins’; which is a descriptor in itself.
Tommy hits the drums in a crushing manner, but as many fans know this is
 not without nuance or reaction; as he has a fantastic ear for music and
 plays with the songs in a means that only enhances excitement. The only
 other place I’ve heard this phenomena is with John Bonham of Led
Zeppelin: where heavy drums can sound soft and expressive. Good company
indeed!

As for the
connection, I first met Tommy way back in 1991 when he came to one of
our shows, and through the years we’ve run into each other many times at
 various places. So the coupling is not as odd as some might assume, as
he, like I, has pushed into embracing new technologies, electronics, etc
 where it pertains to making new sounds. He is a wonderful, warm person
to be around, and I wouldn’t have come to him with this proposition if I
 didn’t trust that this was something we’d both be proud of. So we
expect to finish up the drums in a few weeks, seeing as we’re in a rush
to get this stuff out and oh yeah, Tommy’s got this mega-Crue tour to
do.

Let me also add on a
personal and public level that I’m truly excited, for there’s an
excitement in the music that is vital and necessary; especially when you
 consider what’s dying on the vine out there. I believe this is soul
music we’re making, and I’m proud of who I’m stuck in the foxhole with.
Attack, attack, attack…

We’ve fired back up the starship and are back at it,
blowing 2 amps today in our pursuit of a physical, muscular sound that
will meet what’ll be flying drum-wise in 2 ½ weeks time.

After
 sorting a bass sound using the same primary gear as ‘OCEANIA’ (’63
Jazz, Reeve amp, SVT cabinet), eyes turned on my phalanx of
60’s-70’s-80’s heads: Marshalls, Laney, Sound City, etc. Though The
Shredder and I would classify this as boring work, it does in the end
save oodles of time when overdubbing and mixing; saving minutes as
always being an imperative goal.

At least now we’ve got demo versions of T Lee’s drums to dial-in against; a huge advantage.

We’ve
 also whittled the field down to key guitar cabinets: The Mars (used on
Gish, Siamese), and the Silver Ones (Mellon Collie, Zwan, Zeitgeist,
Oceania), plus others used for touring and a vintage tweed Marshall. All
 good, all slightly different by degrees.

Tomorrow begins the additional mapping of overdubs and guitar arranging, as well as taking the bass lines past duh-duh-duh.

We actually have moved on to some other tasks now that
 ANAISE is in the bottle. With The Shredder working up overdubs on
ANTI-HERO and TIBERIUS, I started hacking away at lyrics/better
lyrics/any lyrics at all.

I
wish I had a computer program that had every couplet I’d ever written,
and that could spit back at me if I’m somehow repeating myself. Would
save some brain cells, y’all. So I’m goofed to say that I’ve got a
decent block of ANTI-HERO cogent, something along the lines of a
boy-girl-doo wop-he’s a rebel type schlamazzle. As you can see from this
 king’s English, there’s a reason I didn’t go to no college. Slow work indeed, but signs that a finish isn’t far off…

Ended
 the day with TIBERIOUS middle-8 melodies and a clearer finish vocally,
and then 90 minutes with Jeff to prepare for the acoustic show in
August. Best news is each day is filled with music, music, music; and
ANAISE, ANAISE, ANAISE.

Didn’t see The Shredder and Herr Howard much today, as
 I was building word webs and they (from what I heard through the wall)
were bashing away through TIBERIUS.

The
 piano you see above is my first, which I bought around 1993 and had
once resided in the front of my purple Victorian. It’s a Bauer and was
manufactured in Chicago somewhere in the 1920’s, which might explain the
 good luck I had in writing many of my favorite songs on: BEAUTIFUL,
MUZZLE, ANNIE-DOG, BY STARLIGHT, FOR MARTHA, and others too numerous to
count. And in certain times I’ve found myself back before the stained
keys and mismatched legs: which of course brings memories good and bad,
but also a sense that I’ve done this before; as silly as that sounds.
For no matter how many songs I’ve written (and I’ve written perhaps over
 400) there is always some part of it that brings me to a place of
unknowing.

In real time this
 aligns with my day/evening in the present, where I went over the sparse
 lines of TIBERIUS again and again; and again. To answer my own question
 of ‘why.’ I am reminded of the hours I’ve picked over a line, a word,
the turn of a phrase, which I’d guess goes unnoticed by most but I’ve
also seen where it’s appreciated too; sunsets be missed. But that’s not
why I do it, honestly; although communicating is a pleasure. I pour over
 there fineries because it is like stitching up a delicate quilt, the
‘word’ in many effects that cherry that sits on top of a composition and
 brings it to life. That though is overstating the case. Poorly too.

Because
 no matter how I say what I say, and I’d admit too much of what’s said
is convoluted, the messages are 3-dimensional enough that they speak
forward through the ages; even to me! Is it immortality? No. But it’s
close; for vibration, the sound, the first sound, is light; is life; is
joy.

An interesting day: having started with the online
sale of AEGEA and ended with another swing at RUN TO ME; which
desperately needs a new title. I’m currently considering something along
 the lines of ‘A LIGHT IN EVERY WINDOW.’ We’ll see.

In
 between Herr Howard, sans white suit, guided The Shredder through more
on where they’d left off (in what Jeff calls ‘putting Howard through an
existential experience.’) Howard’s retort was priceless. “I don’t get to
 make records like this anymore,” he said. “This is fun.” And together
we voiced out a clearer map for R2M/ALIEW, stripping away previous
guitars so all that was left were T Lee’s drums and a bass played by an
unnamed soldier. In this I suggested an arpeggiated figure (ala ‘BABA
O’REILLY’ and countless other imitators), Herr Willing making the funny
face that says ‘bad idea, Maestro.’

I
 went on anyway, and within minutes proved him wrong. And showing
restraint I didn’t mention our competing sales figures. Ahem! From there
 I meant to add Mellotron, Howard turning white. “I don’t like them,’ he
 said, sounding ominously like Veruca Salt’s brother Pepper. Tame
strings were used instead, and with a little voila-TONIGHT, TONIGHT
style 335 we had ourselves a dangblaster of a tune.

Lyrics for the ever-changing title are pretty much in order now too, after a few hours rhyming and miming. Question: how many different words rhyme with ‘dream.’ Answer: just one. YOU

Jeff and The Shredder debunking MONUMENTS, I at the
Bauer re-crafting gothy ANAISE anew. Which was easy enough till I came
upon Howard and Jeff in a discussion. ‘Cause Howard likes the song lean
(which I agree with), but that said it’s not a trip I totally
understand. As in the modern-alt song formula: heavy, sluggy drums,
overdriven bass, tinkly keys, and fey vocals over the echoey abyss. I
mean, I get it, but it a’int me. Like I said: guitars, guitars, guitars;
 c’est moi!

Howard is right though, in that that’s what’s getting played. And played. And played. So that was an hour, discussing how I better learn how to rap. JUST KIDDIN! I’m in the lab making techno beats, actually.

ANAISE… When
 Jeff was done-over it-poking the beat with a stick, we shifted to the
newest (squared) version of ANAISE. Which at least we all agree is fab
and pretty. Amen.

MONUMENTS was the big snag today, as our producer
pointed to an earlier arrangement that started with the chorus. I said I
 didn’t mind the start but that such a change would cause problems later
 in the song; which it did. So lots of mucking about there. And although
 I should bore you with the details let’s just say I’d sound like a
broken record. Suffice to say that we made it work, and danced with our
hands to the heavens. Ok, maybe not that, but we did celebrate by eating
 kale salad. Now there’s the kind of deets that’ll keep ya coming back.

This
 sent me back to lyric land, and no amount of whistling brought back my
friend to help. He did send an email though: “Squawk. You lied.” When I sent a reply it bounced back.

We’ve got 4 days left before a return to
Camp Lee, where rocka-rolla always has sentries posted. Ba-boom!

What
 else happened today? A broken board was fixed, a broken heart was
mended, an unbroken song was made anew, and I recast lyrics I once swore
 was done. Was that yesterday?

Lots of bassin’ today, as all 9 tracks were covered,
and then a continued trawl back through (in the same order) with rhythm
guitar. So not much to report other than it’s a bit of an assembly line.
 The exciting part is within essentially 2 weeks time we’ll have
everything set to go: lyrics, arrangements, drums, most guitar parts
with only overdubs to write (visa vie guitars and keys).

This
 means we’re essentially on point to be finished with recording on
schedule; a rarity! But that said, the album is leaner than most, with a
 hyper-focused tautness that feels steeped in some form of modernity; if
 modernity is progress and not moral decline.

A
 side line note for amusement: I’m currently mulling the release of a
‘best of’ (which if you heard the stuff you know I’m joshing) of my many
 demos from 1985-1986; something along the lines of AEGEA; where a
limited-edition vinyl edition will do for the right crowd. Guessing, and
 given the rights issues of what I own outright and isn’t related to
others, I’d say there might be 10-15 albums worth of stuff. And there to
 my surprise on tape 3 of 60 (or so) there was a song idea (long
forgotten) called ANALISE. Unfortunately it wasn’t very interesting or
would have made for a heck of a story. But there’s plenty of other stuff
 worth a chuckle or a nod: some goth, some heavy metal, and even some
electronic stuff.

Spent the afternoon mainly on the end’s piece of
ANAISE, a sort of elegiac coda to what comes before. To Jeff I’d suggest
 that we each develop our own melodic solo passages without hearing the
benefit of the other’s handiwork. And impossibly so our parts fit
together! With only a few alterations required; the timings generated
unique I thought.

That left 9
 songs to sing, and I’d huff through 4: ONE AND ALL, ANTI-HERO, DRUM +
FIFE, ANAISE. Tomorrow our last day before the advent of a final series
of drum tracking.

No, that is not 3 men sitting around a tribal fire.
That would be a snare destroyed by T Lee, the lugs literally
disemboweling from within. Sounds like the true definition of heavy drum
 vibes, no?

I’ve found by
experience that when true rockers play, things melt, splinter, shatter;
and people cry. Oh yeah: and poseurs perish.

So
 what are we really doing? Technically speaking, tracking drums against
the last of the demos, and which when done will be re-adorned with:
guitars, bass, vocals, bird calls, the howling storms of Odin.

Spirit
 wise we’re having a lot of fun, the stories shared the stuff of legend;
 rings in the fire narratives. Young man goes into a BLANK and then
BLANK and BLANK happens. Which then requires a BLANK to be hired to
clean up the BLANK.

Back to
this reality we’re knee deep in ANTI-HERO, improving by degrees the
songs continuity and storytelling. Which is a tough but pleasing process
 knowing we’re going the extra mile to bring the urgency required; for
isn’t the world sleeping?

A quick update from sunny Los Angeles: visa vie the Herculean efforts of
 one T Lee, drum tracking on 3 songs has been traversed; with ANAISE
(pts 1 + 2), MONUMENTS, and ANTI-HERO now all in the fold, and TIBERIUS
on deck. And though the art of this sort of recording leaves little to
report on (“let’s try that one again, if you please”), I can attest to a
 number of smashed heads and imploding snares, unlike anything this
reporter has ever seen. This includes the fracture of unbreakable
sticks, and the death of microphones incapable of handling such
concussive effect. To quote Herr Howard, “there is loud, and then there
is Tommy.”

Hello from LaLaLand, where dreams go to die and are reborn in beautiful, nucleated sunlight.

I
 duly report we have two songs to go: ONE AND ALL, and BEING BEIGE; Sir
Lee having kicked out 3 songs over the weekend. Today is an off day
(hence my reportage), and I’ve heard a rumor that the studio in our
absence is to be inhabited by a couple of guys named Hagar and Anthony.

If
 we finished on schedule Herr Producer intends to sit with T Lee and
sort through the various takes, stitching together what should be one
heckuva frame by which to build a new starship; the album sessions
reconvening at the start of next week and running till it’s done.

One
 bonus of listening from the back each day is to note where certain
lyrics are working (or not), giving me a greater opportunity to clarify
the album’s message, which is…? Dystopia, The Sun, hope, false hope, the death rattle’s of the old paradigms, or whatever lives over the rainbow….

Return to Monuments to an Elegy/Day For Night

1. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Mirrors Within Mirrors, While Tom-Tomming With Hammers", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 8, 2019
2. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Hit The Lights", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus", May 10, 2014
3. ↑ Billy Corgan, "The Original Nature Boy", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 14, 2014
4. ↑ Billy Corgan, "In The Lyric Batch", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 14, 2014
5. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Echoes", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 16, 2014
6. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Official Story", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 19, 2014
7. ↑ Billy Corgan, "A Hard Road", Smashing Pumpkins nexus, May 21, 2014
8. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Thunderbird", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 22, 2014
9. ↑ Billy Corgan, "A Doe, A Deer in the Drive", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 24, 2014
10. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Calling The Starchild in All Of Us", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 28, 2014
11. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Drummmmssss", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, May 30, 2014
12. ↑ Billy Corgan, "Livewires", Smashing Pumpkins Nexus, June 2, 2014