tag:thebarehambones.com,2005:/blogs/blogBlog2022-08-07T14:46:25-05:00The Bare Hambonesfalsetag:thebarehambones.com,2005:Post/70327072022-08-07T14:46:25-05:002023-10-16T09:56:31-05:00Blog Entry #3: Writing "Rise and Believe"<p>When Mike Marshall was playing mandolin in the band, he would frequently come over on non-practice days for songwriting fun. A lot of it we threw away and never even played with the rest of the guys. But every now and then, something would work out. One beautiful day in the Spring of 2016, we moved my piano outside and he and I fumbled around with a few song ideas on my back patio. With beers of course. </p>
<p>I would say we played around with four or five songs that day. One of his we really liked, and at one point later on, we played it with Mike Brown on acoustic guitar Brad on the drums too. There’s a recording of it somewhere, but it just never went anywhere. This happens from time to time. Plenty of my song ideas have ended up on the floor as well. But another one of the songs we played that day ended up being “Rise and Believe.” I had been playing the intro on stage sometimes as a way to let the crowd know that we were coming back from a break. But I had come up with ideas for music for a verse and a bridge. I didn’t have any words, just a basic structure of the song. Mike and I must have played it ten to fifteen times that day. Mandolin was the original call back for the intro when we were trying it out on stage. Mike Brown now plays that part with the acoustic guitar. </p>
<p>I’ve always liked the song “My Way” from Frank Sinatra (written by Paul Anka I believe). I decided to put a spin on it and make it more about being frustrated that things aren’t going well rather than being proud of it already having happened. So the theme of this song is, “I’ve had enough with not getting ahead, I’ve been wasting my time waiting around, it’s time to make some changes and make things happen.” I hope that comes across when you listen, but you never know. </p>
<p>Songwriting is definitely not a science. When I’m sitting at my piano by myself writing lines and trying them out, I imagine the band playing along. But when they play it later, it never sounds like what I have in my head…it’s so much better. Tony takes the chords I play and creates his own rhythm for them. He hits the roots notes on his bass (which is what I hear him playing in my head), but then wanders up and down the scale of the song and creates his own melody within the structure of the song. It does two things: it makes the song much more interesting (and better), but it also creates more of a rhythm and feel than what I had imagined. And Brad feeds off this and plays the drums much more creatively than I could ever imagine. Those two are the power behind every song we play. So while I do play my original structure, Brad, Tony and Mike really create the rhythm of the song. That’s what makes it drive. The strumming pattern Mike picks then adds another dimension. Yes, he’s playing the same chords I am, but he’s also adding percussion to Brad’s drums. </p>
<p>So I can say I wrote the song all I want, but in the band space when we are arranging it as a group, we recreate the entire thing together. And it’s always much better than when it’s first introduced. </p>
<p>The last piece to this puzzle was Jeff Cali’s solo. In the first place, listen to how much he adds during verses and bridges throughout this album. Jeff is outstanding at finding space during verses and adding little fills that transition from line to line of the lyrics. Maybe not so much on this song, but on songs like “Drink a Little Whiskey” and “Trying to get a Win,” he takes all of that structure of a song and puts a great signature on top of it. </p>
<p>But when it’s time for a solo in a song, we just agree on what structure the rest of us will be playing and kind of get out of his way because he's so damn good at what he does. What I like in particular about the structure for this song is that the rest of us play the same thing we play for a verse and also the bridge. Jeff’s transition during the solo from the verse chords to the bridge chords (along with Brad’s energy) is one of my favorite parts of the album. We do that trick again in a song called “I’ll Hold You Up.” Jeff likes to say that he’s trying to tell a story when he’s playing a solo. If you listen, you can hear it. </p>
<p>Now the funny part of putting this song together. We had it pretty much written as an arranged Bare Hambones Song, and I had one more idea. That solo has so much energy in it from all of us that I didn’t like the idea of just going back for a third verse after the solo is over. As I was originally trying to write this song, I had two different melodies for singing the verse. The opening line melody of “I want a life, where I finally get things right,” is not how I originally intended to sing it. Originally, all of the lyrics were going to be fast-paced, like how I sing right after the solo. I had scratched that idea months before in favor of holding some notes longer. But when it came time to finish the song, I asked the guys what they would think of all cutting out at the end of the solo and having me sing this line: “There was always time for me, things that you might not believe, baby, in between you and I,” which was originally the first line I wrote for the song. I didn’t think they’d go for it. Like, it might be too much tinkering. But we tried it and all liked how it added a dynamic for the song after that solo, so it stuck. In the end, we did add that third verse after the solo, but made it completely different which finishes off the song nicely. Brad does a great job of cutting out immediately after the solo and then slowly building the energy back up during that verse. </p>
<p>And then one last note, that’s Mike Brown singing along with me for the last time around on the song. He’s hollarin’ </p>
<p>Well there you have it. Nothing more than a story about us creating a song. We very much enjoy the process, and we hope that you enjoy the result.</p>The Bare Hambonestag:thebarehambones.com,2005:Post/70236652022-07-26T14:12:39-05:002022-07-26T14:12:39-05:00Blog Entry #2: The Year of the Thief Recording Process<p>So we're about to release our first single, "Rise and Believe" this week. The full album release will happen at a live show on Oct 15th at The Brauer House in Lombard. Recording an album can be quite the process. There are five steps really: writing, recording, mixing, mastering and packaging. We feel like we took the longest route possible with all 5 steps. If you're interested as to why, here's the story.</p>
<p><strong>Step 1: Writing</strong></p>
<p>In July of 2016, we released our 1st album, "Time for Kicking." Within a week of finishing that project, we started working on the song, "A Liar in the Year of the Thief." That was the first song written for this album. What we tend to do is plan for live shows, practice to make sure we're ready for them, and add new songs as they come to us. By the end of 2018, we had brought in Jeff Cali as our lead guitar player and spent a lot of time re-arranging all of the songs we play (covers and originals) to incorporate the lead guitar. With the amount of songs we play, that took awhile. By that time, we had 6 of the 10 songs on this album written and had been playing most of them on stage. But with the Spring of 2019 came the departure of Mike Marshall from the band. So for the rest of 2019, we needed to re-arrange the songs again, including the new original songs. </p>
<p>During this process, we kept adding to the new material and playing shows.</p>
<p>Then, along came the pandemic. At the outset, we all stayed home and missed out on practices for awhile. But then, since we couldn't play anywhere live anyway, we decided we would get together and finish writing songs for the album. For the record, the last two added were "Catch the Ride" and "Trying to Get a Win." We spent months playing them to get a feel for them together: what kind of solos we wanted, re-thinking lyrics, adding parts, etc. </p>
<p><strong>Step 2: Recording</strong></p>
<p>Finally, on a cold weekend in Feb of 2021, we went into Kiwi Audio Studio and started the recording. Over two days, we tracked the instruments for all 10 songs. Brad Showalter, who runs that studio, is a great guy and we had a great weekend recording this album. He'll make you take at least one shot of Malort during the process.</p>
<p>Our next move was to record vocals and guitar solos at another studio, Sound Sculptor in Geneva. Dan Yotz, who runs that studio is another great guy. He's been mixing us live on stage when we play at a regular spot, Old Towne Pub in Wasco, and we always really like how it sounds there. So we decided to have him record the vocals and solos and mix the album. </p>
<p><strong>Step 3: Mixing</strong></p>
<p>We worked with Dan for months. Well into the summer of 2021, we worked on the mixes of the songs, but we all agreed that there was something that wasn't sitting quite right. None of us could really put our finger on why. So we decided to give someone else a go at it. We thanked Dan for his time and camaraderie, and moved on to a new acquaintance. We still look forward to working with Dan at our next show at OTP.</p>
<p>Tony had reached out to some bands he knew when he lived in Milwaukee. They all gave him the same name, Vinny Millevolte at Axis Studios in Wisconsin. This was the match. Another great guy. In running into great people to work with, we have been really lucky.</p>
<p>And so we worked with Vinny on mixing until Early November of 2021. The building where Vinny had been renting his studio space had gotten sold out from under him. So our last session was in Wisconsin...in a church. Vinny also does sound for a local church and they let him use the space for recording. So technically, the last thing recorded for this album was an overdub for a guitar solo. It was indeed performed in the aisle of a church. No Malort that day.</p>
<p><strong>Step 4: Mastering</strong></p>
<p>The project then moved on to the mastering phase. If you don't know what the mastering process is...neither do I. But I do know this. Part of it is making sure all of the songs have similar volumes and EQs throughout the album. You stop focusing on individual songs and you focus on the entire project. That's the best I have for you. Anyway, we sent out a couple of songs to three different mastering studios. As our luck would have it for this album, none of them felt quite right. Vinny felt the same way and surprised us with a new option. He had made contact with someone he had met years before and they were trying out some work together. His name is Brian Scheuble (look him up and check out his resume!). </p>
<p>So finally, in February of 2022, the album was done. Recorded...mixed...and mastered. Onto the artwork.</p>
<p><strong>Step 5: Packaging</strong></p>
<p>This is the part we probably could have planned better. I'll take the blame on this one. We could have been working on this the entire time, but I was too focused on the music part. We also changed the name of the album a couple of times. So we reached out to another couple of friends and former bandmates, Chad Hill and Tim Konn. Chad is a great graphic designer and Tim takes great photos. Those two guys really brought it home for us. We can't wait for you guys to see and hear the results.</p>
<p>So just when we thought we had run into every obstacle we could, we tried to order vinyl albums. And found out...that the wait time to have vinyl albums pressed is...one...entire...year. </p>
<p>Man, I'm really proud of this album, but I think we are all tired of working on it. We are definitely looking forward to having you guys have the opportunity to have it in your hands. </p>
<p>So, the expected delivery for the vinyl is Jan, 2023, believe it or not. But we'll have CD's and other options this week.</p>
<p><strong>And the Release</strong></p>
<p>I'll finish this story with the reason we picked a release date of Oct 15th for the album. In the first place, it's a middle ground for having CDs and USB's available in August and the vinyl available in January. So on Oct 15th, we'll make the vinyl available as a presale item, and have CDs and USBs on hand. Secondly, it's finally our 10th anniversary for the first show we ever played (Oct 26th, 2012). And as the first show was a way to have a fun 40th birthday party, Oct 15th will be my 50th birthday party.</p>
<p>That's quite the story. I'm exhausted from just telling it. But it will all be worth it for us the day you get the opportunity to hold this album in your hand or to listen to it on Spotify, Youtube, or wherever else. And by the way, On Oct 16th, we'll probably start working on the next one.</p>The Bare Hambonestag:thebarehambones.com,2005:Post/70196662022-07-21T17:27:27-05:002022-07-25T22:31:27-05:00Blog Entry #1: Origin Story<p>So how did this band get started? I get asked this from time to time, so here it is; for the record.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In June of 2011, I was on vacation with my wife in Australia of all places. South of Melbourne by about 45 minutes in a condo that we found out upon arrival was in wine country. After visiting the Winter Wine Festival that day (and passing a sobriety test on site before leaving...Australians really think ahead), we had made dinner in the condo and were enjoying some of the local wine, meats, and cheeses and looking over the landscape. It had been 3 years since I had been in a previous band with Brad Riverdahl (our drummer). In that band, I was not the singer, I was solely a piano player. I said to my wife, "You know, I think I want to be in a band again and this time I think I want to be the singer. For my 40th birthday next year, instead of a birthday party, let's put a band together and set up a show." Her response was immediate and sincere. "Then do it. I'll do what I can to help." Little did she know that she would be listening to band practice in our house once a week for the next ten years. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My first call was to Tim Konn. He had been our bass player before. Tim is a great guy, a great bass player and has a fabulously unique personality and sense of humor. He plays an upright bass and it's so much fun to watch. Once I knew he was in, I called Brad Riverdahl. This is our 3rd band we've played in. I knew he would do it, especially if Tim Konn was playing. It was time to write some songs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first song I wrote for that show was "Good Time Tonight." It's still one of my favorites. We've never played a show without that song. I was in the process of writing "The Dixon Willies" in Aug or September when I floated the idea to Michael Brown of jumping on stage with us for a song. He was a friend that I had met through my former neighbor. I knew that Mike played acoustic guitar and had spent some time playing open mic nights. He was enthusiastic. I had never heard him play before so I had him come over one day and went over The Dixon Willies with him still thinking it would be a one song thing. He picked it up in about 10 minutes and said "What else do you have?" He never stopped playing with the band from that moment and has been an integral part of The Bare Hambones ever since.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We had everything but a lead player, so we tapped into the 'previous bands' vault one more time and got Johnny Wilson on board for the night. We opened the show at The River Rockhouse (formerly Chord on Blues and presently the Polyanna Brewing Company) in Saint Charles on Oct 26th, 2012. We played 10 songs and I've always been appreciative of the many people who went that night to see us play. What a great birthday party! A recording of that show exists somewhere, but I'd be way too embarrassed to even listen to it now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After that night, Tim Konn and Johnny dropped out. They enjoyed playing the show, but for their own reasons, couldn't commit to being part of the band going forward. So I put an add up on Bandspace.com for a bass player and lead player. It took us a while to figure out the lead instrument, but we landed a huge part of the band in bass player Tony Kubicek. He had relocated from Milwaukee to the Chicago area and was feeling out the area to get involved in playing live music. Loved him from the first song. He had listen to Good Time Tonight and came prepared to play it...wow was he good! I didn't even check with the other guys, I told him that day that the spot in the band was his if he wanted it. Tony majored in music and is trained as a jazz guitar player, but prefers to play his Modulus 5-string bass. What he adds to this band is indescribable. And Tony's level of expectation for the band has always pushed us to be better and better.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>About four months later, and after having 3 or 4 guitar, mandolin and banjo players over for practice, we got Mike Marshall in the practice space to play mandolin. We knew right away that we had found our guy. He plays a great mandolin, handled lead and rhythm like a pro, and he and I did plenty of song writing together too. He and I worked together on Time For Kicking, Last Days, You Have No Idea, and Must've Been the Cocaine. He came up with the music for all of those songs. We enjoyed working with Mike Marshall for years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In 2016, we released our first album, "Time For Kicking." We had the release show at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora. And again, we really appreciated how many people came out that night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In April of 2019, Mike Marshall let us know that he was moving on from The Bare Hambones. We've always liked Mike and still wish him the best. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leading up to that, Tony had found a lead guitar player by the name of Jeff Cali. Tony and Jeff had worked together at Aurora University and had been put together on stage for a work party. Tony came to practice and said, "You have to hear this guy play." So we invited him over. For me, listening to Jeff Cali play guitar is kind of like hearing what the instrument is supposed to sound like. Jeff has played for a long time, but so have all of us. It's not just the experience, the way he adds emotion to the notes he plays. In his own words, it's the stories he's trying to tell while playing a solo. It is the nature of those stories that have become the signature sound of the band. Don't believe me? Come watch us play live and try to not be impressed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So here we are. Tim Larsen, Mike Brown, Brad Riverdahl, Tony Kubicek and Jeff Cali. 10 years later. Still enjoying that feeling when it's time to go on. Still writing. Still releasing music. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That's the story of how The Bare Hambones Came together. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And we 'aint done yet.</p>The Bare Hambones