November 4th, 2008

Writing and/or the Challenge of Keeping all the Plates Spinning

So, when I was making the first two records, I was enjoying a comfortable amount of free time.  I had just quit a comfy interactive gig, and had begun illustrating full-time (this was back in 2001). So I was drawing during the day from my home studio, playing open mics 3 nights a week to sharpen my performance a bit, starting to refine the band performance with John and Dave at rehearsals during the day and recording tracks with Shirk on off nights and weekends.  Sounds like a lot I guess, but it all fit very nicely.

These days, things are a bit more challenging.  I own a small advertising/creative agency called KEROSENE Creative Services and I’m still illustrating steadily, so my days are pretty packed. I also have a family and, as you know, I’m writing and recording another record. So needless to say, my schedule requires a bit more attention to detail than before.

The nice thing is, since I own the shop, I have control of my time, and my work space….

I’ve set up a little writing area in my office.  So on the slow days, and spare moments here and there, I write.

The dark blue double pedal there is a looping device, which lets me play an idea through the guitar (or any instrument I can plug through it), and then arrange additional parts over it.  It’s got a USB connector built-in, so I can transfer these ideas to my computer, spit them out as mp3s for my ipod, and mull over the ideas on the drive home from work.

The rest of the pedals are sounds effects that give the guitar additional voices.  So when I’m over laying parts, I can also try other textures and sounds, creating what starts to sound like a room full of musicians, rather than just me playing.

This is an electric mandolin I picked up in NJ after a recording session one night a few years ago.  I’ve always loved Bluegrass and specifically, the mandolin… hoping to work it in to a couple songs. however, I still have many miles to go in terms of playing the thing.

Here’s the view from my office… not bad, right?  My wife and I moved to Chicago from NYC about a year and a half ago. incredible city…

SO, back to it…. as I said, free time is a bit more precious these days, but there are still some great pockets of time I use to write. Most of KEROSENE’s clients are Hollywood Studios (WB, FOX, SONY, MIRAMAX, etc…) so I fly to LA every 2 or 3 weeks.  Most of the lyrics are finding their way out on the plane.  Actually, most of my writing has always seemed to happen when I’m en route to somewhere.

My first album, “Grenadine” was written on subway trains and planes.  Most of “Sunrise Run” was written on the subway.

I think it’s something about being in your own space, or your own head, when you’re traveling that helps.  It’s great thinking time for me… very little distraction. Sitting in a seat for 5 hours (or even 1/2 hour) with nothing to do and no one to talk to kind of forces the focus out of me.

As far as recording goes, I’ve scheduled full days off from work to work with Shirk.  His studio is only about a 1/4 mile from my office, so its extremely convenient.  And if there are any work emergencies that I need to attend to, I’m not too far away.

So, yeah, it’s a lot to juggle I guess, but I’m not sure I would do it any other way.  I love all these things that I’m doing.  And as long as I can figure out a way to make them all work, I plan on continuing to do them all.

More later.

-PJ