September 2005
Hi there. I know it’s been a while since my last update, but suffice it to say we’ve had a few setbacks. Never fear, all is well (or at least healed).
Since I last wrote, we announced that we’ve officially hired Steve “Zildjian” Richardson as the drummer for Esucarys. That has since proven to be the best decision we’ve made in years. Steve (let’s just call him Zildjian)…Zildjian has, over the course of 4 sessions, recorded all but the final song on the album (The Confession). There is nothing easy about these songs and he is truly rising to the challenge.
Our next meeting with Zildjian should mark the final session for this (now) long awaited, and sometimes seemingly ill-fated record.
On the music end of the recording, we are really making headway. I’ve finished all the rhythm guitar parts for the disc (except for the final song), and just finished the acoustic solos last week. I bought a Yamaha “Silent” classical guitar for the recording. This made the recording of the acoustic sections virtually painless. I say virtually, as I hadn’t played a classical guitar in about 15 years. I love that instrument, but I have never owned one. They do indeed take a bit of getting used to. They are a far cry from a scalloped-fret 7 string electric. In fact, they are damn near polar opposites.
Steve Koelling called just the other day to let me know that, aside from a couple of solos, the keyboard parts are pretty much done. That’s the wonderful thing about keys: Since they are recorded direct, if you get a good take during the demo process, you’ve suddenly got keeper tracks. I must find a way to do that with guitars…
Many of the vocal tracks are complete as well. This coming Sunday I’ll be recording more vocals. We’ll also be listening to the entire record, with notebooks in hand, to put together a punch-list of what it’ll take to put a lid on this marathon project.
I’m glad to say that the next time we correspond, it’ll be to tell you that it’s done. I will not put a target date at the end of that statement. I will, however, say that it won’t be long now…
Best wishes. Steve Sorrell.
