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(L-R) Bassist Mark Hickox, singer/songwriter Martin England, Drummer Steve Scully at Thundering Sky Studios, May 2009.

Saturday’s session at Thundering Sky Studios will rest in the corridors of my mind so long as I’ve a memory. It was an incredible blend of creativity, improvisation, and sheer endurance. And laughter. My sides hurt Sunday morning. But laughter isn’t confined to entertainment. It’s an indicator of a loose, productive environment. How many of us wish we could have more fun at work? <<hand raised>> I believe it’s essential in seeking desirable results.

We started the day by tackling the most challenging (and perhaps most important) tune on the record: Wolves on the Walk Back Home. The arrangement and overall vibe were a bit of a mystery to my special guests (Mark Hickox – bass, Steve Scully – drums), and perhaps to myself as well. Whereas every other song was pre-equipped with a general direction, Wolves presented a wilderness of possibility, and because of this, we weren’t entirely sure where to start.

Mags had also informed us upon our arrival that one of the songs we’d recorded on Friday (Green Pine Grove) need to be retracked, simply because we’d missed the mark on its lazy feel (we’d recorded it at a tempo too fast for its essence). 

These two curve balls had the potential to derail the euphoria we’d experienced on Friday, culled from a combination of hard work, trust, and a collective desire to make each song its own village. But adversity has a way of fueling creativity. It makes you dig a little deeper, pushing your mind a little further into the idea bank, hoping for a withdrawal of epic proportions. And that’s precisely what happened.

Up until we began working on Wolves, my relationships with Mark and Steve were mostly work oriented. I mean, we got along great on Friday, and I could tell these dudes were solid to the core in every aspect, but a great equalization occurs when you roll sleeves to the elbow, put your hands in grease, and ultimately solve a problem together. It builds trust, but more importantly, it gives you confidence not only in each other, but as a group. 

Wolves took us nearly three hours to rehearse, arrange and record. There were moments of frustration. Maybe it was just me, but it suddenly felt like everything we’d acheived on Friday was in peril of collapse. It also greatly jeopardized our goal of completing bass and drums tracks on all songs (the ones that called for them) before day’s end. Two feelings arise you encounter a song that doesn’t feel natural. It either makes you question its existence, or it evokes an emotion that if you can somehow get to its core essence, great things will follow. Watching Steve and Mark rise to the occasion was truly inspiring. We got there together with grit, spit, and a little laughter.

But a funny thing happened after we nailed Wolves. Overcoming this obstacle put us in an amazing space, and all songs that followed were executed with creativity and efficiency. Sure, we still had our work cut out for us, but solving this riddle certainly fueled our tanks.

Man with the Gun was next. This song also presented challenges, but we simply withdrew some of the confidence we’d deposited earlier in the day, and answered the call. We then rerecorded Green Pine Grove, this time at a much slower tempo (it’s very Norah Jones, with sparse vocals, a brushed snare and amazingly melodic bass runs), which is gorgeous.

Suppertime hit. Exhausted, we had three songs left to complete. That’s when Jenny and my good friend Marc Cartier showed up almost simulaneously with a healthy supply of beer. Up to this point, adrenaline, tea and water were our sole sources of energy. But there’s nothing like beer to energize a band, however contradictory that may sound. Eric Ott also showed up to supply us with wit (another great motivator).

After a brief respit, we nailed the remaining songs (Prisoner In My Own Town, Circle Your Head Like Stars and Blue In Snow) in three hours. When the smoke cleared, we’d performed for nearly twenty hours over a two day span. We recorded everything live: bass, drums, vocals and acoustic guitar. Overdubs were minimal, and mostly consisted of Steve adding purcussion (shakers, sleigh bells, tambourines). At 10:00 PM, we said our goodbyes, and before I knew it, I was home in bed, exhausted in every way, but with my mind still racing with activity. When I pulled into the driveway, our garden tractor was sitting next to the driveway. Jenny had taught herself how to use it in my absence as both a means to crack me up, and also as a way to support me while I was away making music. Very loving. I am the luckiest man alive, bar none. 

Do you know how when you first go on vacation the first couple of days always seem like they last forever? This is how these two sessions felt. So many amazing moments, none dull. Some required more energy than others, but it all contributed to an amazing result.

It was a real treat working with Steve and Mark. We discussed possibly doing some shows together next fall when the record comes out. With everything they put into these songs, it’d almost feel like a crime for that not to happen. 

Next up: harmony vocals, mandolins, strings, banjos, maybe some electric guitars. I also have two songs to record with bass and drums. I’ll have some samples to share in the months ahead. Stay tuned. 

I cannot thank Mark Hickox, Steve Scully, Eric Ott, Chris Shaw and Chris Magruder enough for helping me with this project. It’s been an incredibly enlightening experience. I am humbled to have their time, energy and attention. I would also like to thank my wife Jenny for her incredible support, and for MC stopping by with just-in-time beers and positive feedback. And, of course, for you for reading, caring. This one’s for you.

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