Dogwood Days of Summer

Dogwood with Nathan Chapman and Scott Velazco
...in the control room at Vibe 56 Studio

I suppose it isn't summer anymore, but we were all "in heat" about Dogwood reuniting in our studio. Dogwood consists of Steve Chapman, Ron Elder, and Ken Fletcher. Steve's son, Nathan, has used the Vibe for a variety of projects including some Taylor Swift tracks recently.

Dogwood recorded their tracks "in-the-round" all together, acoustic guitars, bass, and vocals all at the same time. No other overdubs were applied, or even needed.

Here's a track that they graciously allowed me to upload for you here, it's called, 'After The Flood':



You can learn more about Dogwood on their MySpace page:
myspace.com/dogwoodreunion

Rugged Terrain

Lining It Up
...that is not a purse.

While out and about at the Nashville Flea Market last weekend, I came across the same exact rug that we've got in our control room. I almost didn't recognize it, being on a different plane and all.

I had my son take a photo of me in front of the vertical version of the rug. Instead of using the rule of thirds while taking the photo, he divided by 0.

[edited to add...]
That is SO not a purse, it's the little bag for my digital camera. No, I will not carry your car keys in it either.

Console Tape Dispenser Returns After Extended Tour

Console Tape Dispenser
...best described as a console tape dispenser.

I completely acknowledge the fact that this blog does not receive the updates that it should. This update will focus on the return of our console tape dispenser that went missing several months ago. The rights to this story are available, just contact me at cj@vibe56.com and we can work out the details and make this into the movie and/or mini-series it is destined for.

One of the first meaningful purchases I made as the new studio manager for Vibe 56 was this console tape dispenser. I made a joke at the time that the console tape dispenser signified our arrival of "real recording studio" stature. It wasn't that funny then, just as it is now, and you didn't even have to be there. This occurred in February 2006.

I noticed in the spring of this year that the console tape dispenser was missing. After keeping an eye out for it for a couple of weeks I finally broke down and focused a full, money-is-no-object, search of every last corner of the building for the console tape dispenser. The mystery only grew, while the case remained opened.

I came into the studio a few days ago and found the console tape dispenser just sitting in the middle of a table located in our kitchen/lounge. The sun was shining through the blinds on the window in such a way that the console tape dispenser appeared to glow. It was back home.

It turned out that the console tape dispenser had been returned to us by Drum Paradise. They had found it inside of a kick drum, presumably used to weigh the kick drum down in lieu of the more-typical sandbag, or even brick / large rock.

So we're back to being an officially sanctioned "real studio" as governed by the presence of our newly-returned console tape dispenser. It feels good to be whole again.

Crashing the Studio (part 2)

(Everyone was alright)

Look Who Crashed the Studio!

Artimus Pyle and CJ

Hey! It's Artimus Pyle, former drummer with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Artimus was in town to promote his brand new solo album, Artimus Venomus. He had just played a well received show at the Mercy Lounge the night before he and his crew stopped by the studio to say hello to a frequent Vibe 56 producer, Elisha Hoffman.

By pure chance, I had listened to a radio interview with Artimus the previous evening. He survived the infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash back in 1977. Clearly, Artimus has had some amazing experiences, but appeared to be well grounded and a positive guy.

I took a group photo of everyone that dropped by the studio that day. I took several photos, and noticed that our intern, David Wilson, was struggling with his photogenic abilities.

You Can't Handle the Intern

David Wilson
Vibe 56 Studio Intern

Actually, handling the intern is negotiable.

David Wilson has joined us here at the studio as a full time intern for the summer. David was actually present the night the studio celebrated opening its doors for business. If I recall it correctly, he actually helped me carry a keg across the parking lot. Good times!

David has been a tremendous help to the studio and our clients. He's been around music for most of his life and played keyboards and clarinet in a band the first time I met him. It's a good thing to keep in mind in case you need the odd clarinet overdub.

Mr. Wilson, along with our house engineer, Scott Velazco, have become a one-two punch in our mission of recording excellence. Essentially, that means the studio is overstocked on positive vibe and Diet Coke.

If you'd like to find out more about David Wilson, you can do a simple Google search on him.