J.W.D. / Das allerletzte Frogcircus-Konzert :o(

Tja, Leute, Kameraden, Freunde.

Ihr habt richtig gelesen. Das Konzert im Spandauer J.W.D. am 15. Dezember war leider auch das definitiv allerletzte Konzert der Band. Wir haben uns direkt im Anschluß an diesen Gig in aller Freundschaft getrennt. Mehr dazu später.

Erstmal noch zu den erfreulicheren Dingen. Dieses letzte Frogcircuskonzert reiht sich nahtlos in eine lange Reihe wunderbarer Gigs ein. Viele Freunde, gutes Bier, der immer noch allersauberste Rock'nRoll-Club der ganzen Welt und viele gute Frogsongs.



Noch Fragen? :o)

Als große Ehre empfanden wir auch die Anwesenheit unseres großartigen Produzenten Jürgen Block. Die Aufregung war dementsprechend groß, aber die Freude über seine lobenden Worte im Anschluß dafür noch größer.

Bei diesem letzten Gig ist uns allen aber auch klar geworden das es so nicht weitergehen kann. Unüberbrückbare Differenzen, zu unterschiedliche musikalische Vorstellungen (ein Pophead, ein Soul-Heini, ein Country&Western-Cowboy und ein Punk), und nicht zu letzt auch unsere viel zu unterschiedlichen kulturellen Wurzeln (tut mir leid, ich als waschechter Preuße komme mit Tobi's süddeutschem Laissez-faire-Lebensstil nun mal einfach nicht zurecht...) ließen sich einfach nicht mehr miteinander vereinbaren.



Die Tatsache das Stone vier Stunden nach unserer Trennung das Land verlassen hat macht diese Tatsache nur noch entgültiger.Tja, das wars dann wohl...



.....ach so, ich hab natürlich nur gemeint das es das allerletzte Konzert für das Jahr 2006 war!!!

Ihr Nasen :o)

Und Stone kommt natürlich im neuen Jahr zurück.
Auf uns wartet schließlich eine ganze Welt die erobert werden will.
Wir sind mächtig gespannt auf 2007. Neue Platte, neue Gigs, neues Glück.

Also, Herzschrittmacher rekalibrieren, Blutdruckmedikamente und Taschentücher wieder wegstecken!

Wir sehen uns im Sage am 15. Februar!


Und einen guten Rutsch!!!

Happy Chrimble...

Alright, we've just played the last gig of the year in Spandau ("otro éxito", as someone would say) and before we embark in a little recess for the Xmas time, just a quick note to thank you all for suppoting us this year that's coming to the end.

It's been a very cool year for us, lots of gigs (some very special, like those in Gran Canaria), meeting really cool people, almost playing the Monsters Of Rock (haha!) and a lovely record done. To all involved, a big THANKYOU from all of us.

And before we stop writing more shit here, just remind you that the record is finally mastered and will be online pretty soon, more to come...

Happy Xmas and a froggy new year 2007!!!

Frogcircus, once more at the Knaack

Well, I must admit I came in when the gig has already begun...that´s not usual in me, but…you know..circumstances :) Anyway at first sight I met Marco, another big Frogcircus fan, and someone who knows the lyrics better than Stone…which on the other hand is not so difficult ;). I went quickly for a beer and it was easy to convince Marco to do the same and to stand with me in the first row (sort of, as we were really the first row but standing 2 meters from the stage).

The first thing I thought was: “Wow…it sounds fucking great!!” I mean…Frogcircus is one of my favourites bands, the very fav with Marillion, and I have seen maaaaaany gigs of both, but it doesn´t stop me from being excited and feeling like discovering something new again. Last Wednesday I was there with a stupid smile again, enjoying the music and thinking: “It´s incredible how time goes by…and they get better every time…”

Well, there are mistakes always (or almost always!), but since I saw the band the very first time (20.07.02 funnily also at the Knaack), they really have improved a lot…I had that nostalgic moment listening to Watch More TV and Time…and remembering that in that gig of July, 2002 the bassist was still Wolf, the drummer Tyronne…and Jorge was there too…that piece of Frogcircus who is in Gran Canaria and we missed soooo much…(we love you Jorge!!!). That means I´ve seen the very first steps of everybody, but Stone, in the band!!!



Amazing…and I still go to see them ;). Well talking about the gig…It kicked ass as usual, but even more in these two last gigs, as we have a new “brand” guitarrist, Juancho, who helps to make the band sound more compact and louder (it´s never loud enough you know…). Now seriously…there is no point in being louder if you play bad music…(although many people just do that to hide they are not good enough…), but it’s always a pleasure for the ears (even the eyes!!!) to listen to Frog plugged as well as acoustic. It was also a pleasure to listen to Berlin, one of the songs of the new album, which promises to be a hit (and you will think: the band or the song? I say: both!! :D). Rockin´ n ´froggin time flies…and it was time for Toxic. This is one of my favorite moments from Frogcircus…not only because the cover of Britney Spears is fucking great, but because Stone always says they’re going to play a Metallica, Sepultura or whatever hard rock band cover…and people just get crazy although it’s a BS song…Conclusion: I can´t help laughing and laughing when I see that people think that IT IS a Sepultura cover indeed :D.



Some more songs and the gig is gone :(. But there is always another gig coming :)…and what would a concert be without funny anecdotes…like Tobi´s flying sticks (talking about flying…that was worthy of a Monthy Python sketch), Timo feeling like he was floating during the gig, Stone tearing his trousers by lifting his leg onto the speaker (well that was worthy of a MP sketch too), and Juancho…forgetting completely how to begin a song…it’s not really important, but funny indeed :D. There is always an explanation for those facts: Tobi: wet hands, Timo: some beers, Stone: trousers not suitable to do “star rock poses”, Juancho: well…actually that was the other members who decided to play something different from the setlist ;)

That may show you something of a Frogcircus gig…but the smartest thing is to go by yourself and have lots of fun there…One gets addicted to it…don’t you wanna try it??? This is starting to be too long, but I MUST say thank you to the band, who make it possible to enjoy their music not only at home but live…in the way music has to be rocked and rolled …at least for me…and Frogcircus makes me haaaaapppppy by singing, jumping, dancing and having fun at their gigs…You really rock and make me fly :D

P.S. And thanks to Ricardo & Serena for makin’ it real too…

Diana

The return of the Lemonheads

Sunday night I went to see one of my all-time favourite bands, The Lemonheads at the FritzClub, where we had played in June.

I love the simplicity of their songs, and yet the vibrant good mood or reflective not-so-good mood they can express with a few chords. They were on tour again after almost 10 years promoting the comeback album (which is great, if anyone wants to buy/download/steal it).

A great concert, and though Evan Dando seems to be in a better shape than he used to be in his smack days, he looks quite old and weary, sometimes very fragile. But still has that great voice.

Love and good songs,

Stone

PS: Oh, and by the way, here's a picture of a pea soup that looked more like a frog soup. And no, those two frogs aren't Tobi and Timo.

Gig with Gem (NL) at the White Trash

On November 15, presented by Trinity Concerts, we'll be playing alongside Gem from the Netherlands at Berlin's one and only White Trash, one of the hottest locations in the whole town (just 10 €). Starting at 21:00 h, so get your Wednesday night rocking shoes on!

It happened again...

After years of assuring myself that I didn't need (and even didn't want) a Telecaster (not even yet another guitar, to be honest), last Saturday I succumbed to the Word. Guilty was the black one I tried while recording the album (check the previous post from Day 12 in the studio). Since that day, I badly needed to satisfy another GAS attack.

GAS, for those who hadn't heard it before, stands for Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, (the G alternatively also for Gear). It's a very common disease among musicians, but especially among guitar players. It's that urgent and compulsive need to get some new guitar, amp or effect (whether you really need it or not doesn't really matter, it's a bloody disease!), and makes you lose sleep, sweat and fever until you got it.


So, well, a friend of mine told me Friday night he had seen a cool '52 American Vintage Reissue for a good price and Saturday morning I was at the shop with my rather underused Strat for a trade-in and a deal was struck within 10 minutes, after which I was the proud owner of a Telecaster called Margarita. The paths of the Guitar Lord are always good for a surprise...

Love & Teles,

Stone

PS: Oh, yeah, I had a good time in Gran Canaria too. After all, who wouldn't with so many cool people around?

Hotel Gran Canaria

Hieß so nicht der Eagles Song??!

Ich weiß, ich weiß, ich bin wie immer zu spät dran.Aber Schwaben sind halt langsam.

Ich habe zu El Bajos Geschichte eigentlich nichts hinzuzufügen. Nur ein paar Stichworte.

- Es war ein wunderschöner Urlaub.
- Es war Neuland, im Urlaub auf seine eigenen Konzerte zu gehen. Das ist wunderbar.
- Es war toll, mit Bandmitgliedern, Management, Plattenfirma, Freunden, Verwandten und auch neuen Gesichtern mal mehr Zeit zu verbringen, als im sonstigen Alltag. Wie in einem großen Jugendcamp. Es hat in meinen Augen den gesamten Froschzirkus mit Artisten, Statisten und Publikum noch enger zusammengerückt.
- Die Hochzeit und das ganze drumherum war für mich -und ich benutze selten solche Worte- überwältigend. Zudem perfekt organisiert. Ein riesiges Dankeschön hierbei nochmals an Ellen und Stone plus Familien. Sicher im Namen aller Freunde und Gäste. Das sind Erinnerungen, die haften bleiben!
- Gran Canaria hat mich sicher bald wieder.
- Ein xtra Dankeschön von mir an Jorge und Miguelo (Irgendwer muss das halt übersetzen).
- Ich freu mich mächtig auf unsere neue Platte.

Der TrommelTobi

Gran Can

...phuuu, wieder zu Hause...nach ein paar wunderschönen, spannenden und ziemlich anstrengenden Tagen zurück in Berlin.
Wir hatten uns lange darauf gefreut und haben uns trotzdem kaum getraut auf mehr zu hoffen als ein paar Zufallsgäste und artig geklatschten Höflichkeitsbeifall. Aber Pustekuchen. Unsere Gran-Canaria-Mini-Tour entpuppte sich als ein überaus großartiges Erlebniss.
Zuerst beehrten wir das Paraninfo. Nachdem unsere Gitarren und Drumsticks den Flug schadlos überstanden hatten brauchten wir nunmehr nur noch so unbedeutende Dinge wie Amps und diverse Trommeln zur Zusammenstellung eines Schlagzeugs. Die Zusammenarbeit mit den von uns endorsten Verstärkerfirmen hatte leider nicht zufriedenstellend geklappt, so das wir uns vor Ort doch noch selbst darum kümmern mussten... (Tja Mr.Marshall, ich habe gehört das Mesa/Boogie auch prima Bassamps baut ;o) ...was dank der Hilfe lokaler Musiker und einiger Ex-Frösche allerdings auch nur ein klitzekleines Problem war.
Nachdem wir alles beisammen hatten erledigten wir in gewohnter Windeseile die Klangkontrolle um uns anschließend in einer Bar um die Ecke mit ein paar Freunden und ein paar aufmunternden Getränken (ich rede natürlich vom großartigen spanischen Kaffee, wovon denn sonst???) etwas Mut zuzureden. Schließlich war es schon eine ganze Weile her das der Name Frogcircus die Canarischen Inseln in ihren Grundfesten erschütterte...
Fast schon unerwartet wurde es aber vor vollem Haus ein großartiger Gig. Statt artig geklatschtem Höflichkeitsapplaus wurde es eine super Party. Die Stimmung erreichte ihren Höhepunkt als mit Jorge ein "Ur-Frog" die Bühne betrat und den letzten Teil des Gig's mit uns spielte.

Suddenly it sounded huge and fat, incredible. You're really a great musician, mate. When you entered the stage the whole thing was getting right. Probably you have to move to Berlin, there's no other way, isn't it? :o)
Einigen Damen stieg der Rock'n Roll ein wenig zu Kopf und wir wurden mal wieder mit duftenden Unterhöschen und riesigen (wirklich riesigen :-o ) BH's bombardiert. Sehr nett...
Alles in allem ein gelungener Abend, nach dem wir uns nun um so mehr auf den nächsten Tag im La Calle freuten.
Nach einem sehr entspanntem Tag am Meer trafen wir uns also in diesem wirklich coolen, kleinen Club um zusammen mit Ritchie Kotzen den Abend zu gestalten. Der Laden füllte sich in Windeseile und war schließlich gepackt bis unters Dach. Dank der sprichwörtlichen Leidenschaft der Spanier rockten wir das Haus zusammen mit den Fans in Grund und Boden.
Nichts gegen die Coolness der Deutschen, aber in Sachen Rock'n Roll und Party haben die Spanier eindeutig die Nase vorn. Ein liebenswertes Völkchen allesamt.
Dem nur mit einer akustischen Gitarre angetretenen Ritchie Kotzen war offensichtlich etwas mulmig zumute nach unserem Inferno die Bühne betreten zu müssen und seine ruhigen, stimmungsvollen, wunderbaren Songs zu singen. Kein Grund zur Sorge, das Publikum feierte einfach weiter und Ritchie freute sich wie ein Schneekönig das er sogar noch eine Zugabe spielen musste. Ein wirklich netter Kerl.
Nachdem nun die Pflicht getan war hatten wir noch ein paar Tage Zeit um die Canarische Sonne und den Ozean zu genießen. Der eine oder andere von uns hatte auch noch so ein, zwei Sachen zu erledigen :o)

After all we would thank all spanish friends and fans.

(as we were walking on the beach: "...hey guy's, you are Frogcircus, aren't you? We saw you yesterday! It was so fucking great..." :o)

We'll be back soon! That's for sure.
See you there.

Love&Bass

Newspaper bits & gig report

Here are two articles on the Spanish papers Canarias7 and La Provincia from our last two gigs in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the first time in almost six years that we played back home as a full band. Canarias7 even ran the two-page article you can see below, cool guys.

It was a really rewarding experience, getting to see so many old faces and friends after such a long time, but especially so many young ones who came to see us and kept on buying the CDs after the gigs. Playing with Richie Kotzen was a very cool thing too, he's such a cool guy and amazing guitar player as well. We're looking for a second guitarist, so maybe he wants to audition for the job :o)

Of course, we used the chance and, being in Gran Canaria, we couldn't miss going to the beach everyday, enjoying the sun, eating marvelous food and tasty rum and even doing other things along all the rest, ehem... It was great to hang out all together with friends and family away from Berlin and relax a bit. Now back in Berlin and back to business, the record is being mixed and it's sounding great, can't wait for you to hear it.

Oh yeah, and by the way, today is John Lennon's birthday, so indulge yourself and listen to Strawberry Fields...

Las Palmas gigs, Frogs with Richie Kotzen!

Just a short note to remind you that we'll be playing in Spain again on September 28 & 29 (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria). The 28 gig will be at university club Paraninfo, and the 29 at La Calle with Mr. Richie Kotzen himself, who is currently on tour in Spain! Check out his site, the guy's a hell of a guitar player. It's quite an honour for us to play with him, let's see who gets louder :o)

Recording the new album - Day Twelve

And in the end… well, in the end you just go home and thank God, Buddha or whoever is in charge now that the sessions are over. At least the main part of them, if there is anything else to do it will be a short hit’n run before the mixing stage, which should begin sometime next week or so.

So, today was dedicated to listening back to a few things and mainly to finish recording “Toxic”. Off we went with the fattest rhythm guitars on this side of the Spree, the lovely Paulina plugged into a wall of Mesa/Boogie to call your tinnitus back. It was so loud at times that we had to biuld a “wall” in front of the amp to prevent brutal feedback leaking out. Pity it was done so fast, sometimes it’s got a therapeutic effect on me to turn up the volume to the maximum and let loose. Not that I (or anyone) can stand it for too long, but sometimes you just need it to be L-O-U-D. And it fucking was.



After that we had ringing ears and a silly grin, so we turned our eyes to the acoustic guitar so rest a little bit and did two tracks of a grooving, driving and quite percussive acoustic with my ever-faithful Songwriter axe. I love that guitar (if you didn’t notice). Sounds quite nice together with the full-blast guitars behind.

Only one thing was missing to get the guitar tracks ready: a Tele. Yes, you heard it right, for once I left the Gibsons aside and used a Fender Telecaster that was lying around in the studio (what does Jürgen not have?) and it was exactly the kind of sound we were looking for. I was quite surprised how easy the Tele was to play, in comparison with the Strat and Jaguar I have at home. A really cool guitar. Hmm, I want one. I always want another guitar, do I have a problem, doctor? Yeah, probably I do, but what the hell, I still want one.



So there we were, with the basick tracks finished and ready to put the vocals on top. “Toxic” is a bitch to sing, by the way, as we bloody put so many up and downs in our version of the melody. But still managed to get it done before 10 o’clock, the planned time for this the last session. I still had to pick up all guitars and shit lying around, and there’s still more stuff to take the next time we reconvene in the studio to listen to the rough mixes.



It’s been four weeks of rock, roll, loud guitars, driving drums, grooving bass and a lot of fun. Working with Jürgen again has been really incredible, this guy knows his job. I’m looking forward to his mixes as well, as he always likes to put little hidden things on the records (probably me talking about hamburgers before the take, cursing and swearing, Tobi screaming before banging drums, coughs, Timo laughing, etc.) We believe this is the best bunch of songs we’ve done in a while, and are really keen to share them with you as soon as possible, although that never depends on us, but more on the label and those people in ties. And for all of you who have read and suffered this sessions diary, go get a life and search for friends on MySpace or wherever! Don’t you have anything more interesting to do than to read the mental diarrhea from this guy? Still, thank you, good night. Stone.

Songs done:
“Toxic”: electric and acoustic guitars, vocals

Recording the new album - Day Eleven

An afternoon packed with little things to do and get finished. Before the others came in, I had an appointment with the fishbowl to record the vocals for the last of our songs pending, “Stitch The Memories”. I had deliberately left it till the end as I had no definitive lyrics to it, and I had spent the morning writing lines on a paper and hoping to get something out of it. Didn’t turn out that bad at the end, actually.



So there I was, stitching the vocals together, and as a grand finale of the fucking vocal parts, a real screamer, one of those you only have one take to get it right, as the throat will be simply unusable anymore after that. Never been a real shouter myself, kind of envy the singers who can shout all the gig long and still have voice left for softer parts. But fate didn’t put me in a hardcore band, so it must be OK to sing like I do, I guess. I hope.

When Timo arrived we started playing back stuff from the other days and found out I had sung the wrong word in “Time” (“wait” instead of “waste”), and being the basser’s tune he was really keen on getting it right on tape. So back to the fishbowl to re-record one simple fucking short word. Probably the same way that Mariah Carey gets her records done, word by word, as the legend says (hey Mariah, if you’re reading this and want to sue me for saying that, take into consideration that Tobi really likes you and is a big fan of your artificial tits… but all the rest of us simply find you awful, so it’s OK, sue me if you dare, bitch).



Another tune that was still pending to redo was the bass track on “Stroboscope”. The Rickenbacker bass used didn’t really fit in with the tune’s sound, so Timo walked around and picked up an old East German violin-shaped bass (brand Migma, ain’t that cool?), sort of like the old Höfner ones, but with a fuller sound, and that was it: the perfect sound for the song. Sometimes the cheapest piece of gear can save your life.



Before Tobi arrived we had time to overdub some handclaps on “Stroboscope” and “Scent”, for which we were joined by two innocent bystanders (thanks Tom & Di). We looked a bit like the rhythm section of a flamenco group. Looked stupid, sounded cool, actually better than I had thought.

By the time we all should already be at home and sleeping, the drummer arrived (typical) and everything was ready to track the drums and bass of our cover of Britney’s “Toxic”. We don’t know if we’re putting it on the album at all, but we always like to record some extra special shit to have around if needed anytime. Last record we did “Tomorrow Never Knows” from the Beatles, so “Toxic” was due this time. Having already done the song before at the studio in Fürstenwalde, we got it nailed in a record time, and now I’ll get back next week and finish it, officially ending the first phase of the recording. Until we decide that everything is crap and have to do it all again, hehe…



Anaid Zeravla and Daniel Priester were there taking a few pictures of the session too, which means by now we have about one zillion photos of the recording sessions. That should be enough for a few lives, innit? Perhaps a few of them will come on the album cover, if we ever decide an album title and all that design shit.

Now a few days off, which I’m really grateful for… The next studio should be not so far away, three weeks of continuous driving back and forth have ensured the oil companies a nice surplus for this year’s balance. Not that they need it with the current prices, them bastards (they’ve killed Kenny!!).

Songs done:
“Stitch The Memories”: vocals
“Time”: vocal bit
“Stroboscope”: bass, handclaps
“Scent”: handclaps
“Toxic”: drums, bass

Recording the new album - Day Ten

An afternoon solely devoted to doing vocals. Urgh! We didn’t have much time, so after filling a cup of soja milk to prepare the throat for all bad things to come we started right away with “Scent”, which went pretty well. But first I had to listen back to the demo to write down the lyrics. I can never remember the lyrics to it, not even to save my life. It’s pretty simple, actually, perhaps that’s why I keep messing with the order and never getting anything right. I’m a lyric disaster, I really envy singers who can always rememebr every single line of fucking long songs. One that comes to mind is Greg Graffin from Bad Religion. Have you ever seen the guy live and read the lyrics? Have you ever noticed that they play a million songs at each gig? And that the guy still remembers every line? That is simply amazing. I wish one day I won’t have to use a teleprompter like Axl Rose… that was lame.



“Off The Tide” was a drag to do. It’s got so many high-pitched spots and my throat was already so fucked that we needed quite some time to get it right. I should stop writing melodies that are not possible to sing, I must do like Rivers Cuomo from Weezer, keeping it simple and effective. By the way, their last album Make Believe was incredible (go get it, kids!).

After being completely sore we jumped into “Time”, which was way easier o do in comparison. It’s a shorter song and we got it nailed quite fast, so we had some time and energy at the end to try a few ad-lib vocals. Screams, I rather call’em. You’ll hear what I mean when the album comes out. Talking of album, we already have a possible title for it, but must chew it for a while to decide. After Allergic, we should call it Anesthesiac, Contagious, Forensic or something like that… I mean, if Metallica got away with Load and Reload anything goes, don’t you think?



Songs done:
“Scent”: vocals
“Off The Tide”: vocals
“Time”: vocals

Recording the new album - Day Nine

Nine already? Phew! We are nearly getting to the end of the first phase of the recordings, basically having everything on tape before taking it back home for relistening and fine-tuning shit if necessary. It’s a good thing to do, as being too long in the studio deep into the songs can be a little blinding (or deafening, in this case), so it’s good to take a break, listen, digest, rethink before finally deciding on how the songs must sound in the end before the definitive mixing.



So we started with the two songs still missing any guitar work, namely “Follow You Around” and “Off The Tide”. “Follow” was especially fun to do, experimenting with serial switched phasers and tremolos to add a little bit of spice to the clean guitar parts. It just sounded completely specey and floaty, almost like life at half-speed. Those Small Stone phasers from Sovtek always remind me of that scene in the Beatles film Help!, where the mad scientist switches on a “relativity cadenzer” and everyone sort of moves at half-speed and taaalk quiiteee looow and sloooow, grooouuummmpppfff brrreeeuuuoopp… Great film, by the way. Try to get it at your nearest vintage video dealer.

What was I saying? Hmm, got lost again. Oh, yes, the phased guitars, sorry. So after having too much fun doing them, we switched to “metal guitar frenzy” and plugged the Explorer into the Mesa/Boogie turned to twelve or so (fucking loud, if you ask me) and had a jolly good time acting like metal gods from a Manowar cover and watching things move everytime sound (and air) came out of the speakers at full blast. And yet another hairstyle after it, like the one you have after riding a motorbike on the highway at 250kmh without a helmet… you get it. Fucking loud, but fucking great.



And suddenly, we were facing the last guitar tracks from the last song still standing, “Off The Tide”. Although the more attentive among you might remember we had recorded it last year for the film thingy, we felt like if we’re putting it out in the album, we needed a version from the same sessions, in order to have a more integrated sound. So there we were, tracking the song again. If we were to redo it, then why not change the guitar sounds? And so we did, left the Les Paul resting and took out the mighty Explorer and the SG for the solo. It’s a rather straight in-yer-face song, so there were not many sound gimmicks to try, just bloody frog’n roll from start to finish to make you shit in your pants. Well, at least piss a little, if you don’t mind.

Anyodds, before lunch we took a try at singing a little bit and getting forward with it, so “Into The Sea” and “1976” were done, and then off to our favourite Asian bistro in Treuenbrietzen (probably the only one as well, we haven’t searched that much either).

Back at the studio we felt a little lazy and while the coffee was brewing, we switched on a Rhodes Mark I electric piano (yes, yes, a real vintage Rhodes!) and did some jangling for a break in “Scent” that we didn’t really know what to do with. And funnily, it sounded quite good, the ultimate 60s feel to the song, that was already rather vintage-sounding. It was fun to play a piano again after quite a long time, and those Rhodes pieces are wonderful instruments anyway. Even if we don’t put it in the end mix, it was a blast to do.



Coffee was ready, and the last part of the day had begun. “Stroboscope” got its vocal parts, as did “Follow You Around” and later on “No Better”, the only song we have started and finished on the same day. And suddenly gone was the day, the sun went to bed, the moon tried to shine through the rain and the little froggies all went happily to bed, to dream with vocal parts and shit.

Songs done:
“Follow You Around”: all guitars, vocals
“Off The Tide”: all guitars
“Into The Sea”: vocals
“1976”: vocals
“Scent”: rhodes piano
“Stroboscope”: vocals
“No Better”: vocals

Recording the new album - Day Eight

Start of a new week, and early in the morning I’m already with my headphones on, the guitar hanging, the amp buzzing and ready to continue where we left off last time. I brought my goold old SG guitar with me, the one I bought in LA and later almost destroyed after a gig… you can still see the scars on the body, oops. So we used it for the first track of the day, “No Better”, the newest of the songs on this album. Doing fat rhythm guitar tracks is always the best part of a session (as opposed to vocals, which is a drag to do), so that was the logic choice on a Monday morning to lift up the spirits and get energized, first on the SG and then on the Explorer. “No Better” is one of those songs that keeps pushing forward from the start, a lazy headbanger kind, but I love it. Getting the guitar licks on the chorus later proved a little bit more difficult that thought at first, as I’m such a lousy solo player anyway and couldn’t stop having a laugh all the time. The lack of sleep and the overcaffeinated coffee sometimes plays tricks on you...



After finishing with “No Better” we shifted all our attentions to “Frames Of The Past”, which we had already started with acoustics. We took out the Les Paul and did all the clean tracks, the fat tracks and than the solo tracks, for which we used an old CryBaby wah. The good old sound of a Paula into a wah, just classic. Even the solo went well, in less than the usual takes, hehe.



As we had done enough tracks and felt a little relaxed, we decided to start doing some vocals. I mean, you have to do them sooner or later, but better later than sooner. Or rather never than later, but we are pros (are we?). So back into the fishbowl, as we call the separate cabin where I have to hide to do the vocals. And off we went into “Frames Of The Past”, “Peaches” (one take of punk rock), “If You Only”, “Berlin” (that sounded really nice) and “Voltage”. By the time we finished with it, it was already fucking late again and time to go. And so we did after listening back to a few songs from the day so that everyone was happy, and off to bed.

Songs done:
“No Better”: all guitars
“Frames Of The Past”: electric guitars, solo, vocals
“Peaches”: Vocals
“If You Only”: vocals
“Berlin”: vocals
“What’s The Voltage William?”: vocals

Recording the new album - Day Seven

…And on the seventh day, they rested. Did they? No fucking way! On the seventh day we were still recording guitars (I didn’t really remember there were so many before the album) and coming forward, just two (or were they three?) songs still to be completed before starting with vocals.

Again, the full band lineup was there to give opinions, get bored, read magazines, nod in approval from time to time and some of them also to record (by the way, have you seen Tobi’s new drums? Cool or what?) We decided to finish up those bunch of songs which we had started during the week before starting with new ones, otherwise we might lose control of what we already have, what we had planned to record, what we are currently planning to record and what will be done in the end. You know, “Didn’t we have a guitar lick still pending somewhere? I cannot remember which one on which song right now, but it was something like ga-ga-bum-cha-ga-ga-cha-bum… Shit, we should have written that down”. Those kind of sentences can be quite often heard if you don’t keep a control (also called paper and pencil) of the progress.



Anyway, as we are quite decent and clean people and always like to have our things in order and tidy (except for T_b_), we started by finishing “Stroboscope” and its doubled chorus guitars. All I can say is that it was an experience running two Marshall amps through a Marshall pedal and still wondering afterwards if we had a marshall’y enough sound. We did, don’t worry. Or worry if you don’t like Marshalls. So, in less than half an hour, first song of the day wrapped up in paper and ready.

“Berlin” was next. Going through several options we settled for a fat Big Muff sound for rhythm guitars and then a solo full of feedback with the semi-solid guitar. It was a pain in the arse during takes when I wasn’t playing, it kept howling all the time, but when you started to play it was tone heaven. Hearing the song afterwards in the control room for the first time with all guitar parts was quite an experience, almost a psychedelic one (hey, what was in the coffee anyway?), we were just blown away. I cannot wait to hear the final mix of this one at full blast.



After another coffee and a short chatter on the speed of light, we dove into “Scent” and did some guitars for the chorus experimenting a little with preamps and several different combinations of modern and vintage amps, Les Pauls and Explorers. I don’t really know how that can sound, but if Juergen says it’s ok, then it’s ok. I always say his ears should be in a museum. Now some handclaps overdubs and that kind of shit next time and we’ll have it in the can.

Again today, “Time” was left for the end part of the session. After double-tracking rhythm guitars with AC30’s and some licks, Juergen brought out one of his many gadgets lying around in the studio: a real vintage tape echo machine, with thousand knobs and wheels. We wanted a real surf sound for one specific bit of the song, and what we got was much cooler than just that. I was having a blast playing around while Juergen was kneeled on the floor fiddling with the knobs again and making amazing sounding noises. It was so cool, man, I was laughing madly while playing, wanking with the sound, while Tobi and Timo where in the control room also having hysterics at my face of pure delight. Too bad we couldn’t play longer. It was already quite late and we had to go home to do the kind of things you do at home when you come late from the studio. And I mean get some sleep, of course.

Songs done:
“Stroboscope”: more rhythm guitars
“Berlin”: all the rest of the guitars, solo
“Scent”: chorus guitar bits
“Time”: rhythm guitars, surf!

Buying a new drumset - What a day!

Oh yeeaaaah!!!
This is mine.
From now on.



MY NEW SPAUN REPTILE HYBRID CUSTOM-SET (ACRYL/MAPLE)

Is it sexy or is it sexy??!

Green is the colour of a frog...


I`m so exited to show u (and me,of course) the fat sound of it
at our next shows.

Greetings from a veeery happy TrommelTobi

P.S. Pictures of me and my froggy drumset will follow...for sure!

Recording the new album - Day Six

Time flies when you’re having fun. We’re already into the sixth recording day and well ahead of the schedule, six songs are already complete except for vocals, which always come at the end anyway, when the singer is way too tired and ready to go home. We should record the vocals first next time around, hehe.

After being treated once again to the delights of a wonderful salad (so that our stomachs wouldn’t be louder than the guitars), we continued tracking acoustics from the day before, as the various microphones were already prepared for me to mistreat. “Frames Of The Past” was the first, and just after one take and then double-tracking it to get a fatter sound it was in the can.



“Berlin” was a little harder to get, as it’s quite a long number (around 5 minutes) and the guitar groove goes on forever. Probably I didn’t warm up my right wrist enough before it (Tobi had taken the Jenna Jameson magazine home), or probably I was just too damm stupid to get it right, but by the end I had a stiff right arm and it was fucking hurting from going non-stop on the guitar. I just bloody lost the plec as well, couldn’t get a grip, so it got a bit messy there and had to redo the whole thing again after a short pause.

And then, “Into The Sea” was there, probably one of my favourite tracks on the album. We started with the acoustics again, and after finishing them, the workhorse Gibson Songwriter went back into its case for the rest of the sessions, as it won’t be needed. Well, probably, you never know later on. We then added some amazingly sounding clean guitars with the ES-333 into the Peavey Classic 30 and into a 4x12” Engl cabinet… and it was one of those magic moments. For me, at least. It’s such a nice regular arpeggio going up and down that has something of a nursery rhyme in it. I had really a “floaty”, hypnotic feeling doing it (or perhaps I was just digesting the salad, go figure...) But it was nice anyway, I hope it comes through in the song. Fat guitars and the solo came later on, and this is where a Mesa Rectifier and a Les Paul can really do the job. And so, we finished “Into The Sea”, just waiting for the vocals to come. Did I say I liked the song?



We set up several smaller amps again to do some clean guitars on the next batch of songs, mainly the Classic 30, a Mesa 50 Caliber and the pair of AC30’s. For “Berlin”, we also used a few ultracool pedals, among them one from Sovtek called Small Stone. Ain’t that cool? Anyway, then we tried a few different amp setups for “Stroboscope”, not quite sure which one to use at the end, so we recorded all of them and Juergen will have to look in the mix which one suits better. Sometimes having too many possibilities can be a drag, as all of them sound nice, but using one or the other can change the mood completely. Sometimes I remember when I had my first shitty guitar and ever more shitty amp, and I was just so happy with that one shitty sound, as I didn’t know what was out there. Ignorance is bliss, they say, and a little truth is there too.

Before calling it a day, we almost finished “Scent” and its anti-solo (you’ll know why when you hear it) and took a try at “Time” with the Les Paul straight into an AC30 just ten minutes before going, which went surprinsingly well. At least it sounded so to our tired ears, it may all be just complete bullshit when we listen back to it next day. Such things hapen. Quite usually, indeed.

We’re taking a day off (cool) and will be there again on Thursday afternoon ready to frog and roll again. Stay tuned.

Songs done:
“Frames Of The Past”: acoustic guitars
“Berlin”: acoustic and electric guitars
“Into The Sea”: all guitars
“Stroboscope”: guitars
“Scent”: guitars
“Time”: guitars

Recording the new album - Day Five

A new day, a new week, the same little band. Day five of the recording, today just Timo and me there. After a wonderful and way too healthy lunchtime salad we were all really grateful for, it was time to continue the good work. I took along the Explorer guitar, so it was crunchtime for some killer riffs in drop D. Metal mania! “Peaches” was the first to be slaughtered. It’s a fucking fast punk number that I’m glad just lasts one and a half minutes. Otherwise I couldn’t make it. It went really fast, just two takes and in the can.

“Stitch The Memories” came straight after, as it had the same guitar tuning and similar sound and feel. But I was especially looking forward to recording this one all the time. It’s got a fat bluesy riff going most of the time in three different parts of the stereo panoramic and then a totally melodic chorus in the middle before it becomes a screamer at the end. Explorer deep into a Mesa/Boogie running through two different cabinets and there was the sound, exactly as imagined. Loud, fat, dirty and mean. Groovy… Then after some overdubs with the Les Paul we had it ready for the vocals, which can be quite fun to do in this song. When we do them later on, I mean, for now we’re rather concentrating on the guitars and shit.



And as we had the mighty Explorer at hand, we decided to finish up with “If You Only”, for which we already had recorded some guitars last week, but was left incomplete waiting for some extra guitar double-tracking with a different sound. I think we got it pretty well.

By the time we had done these three, the body (and especially the ears!) needed a little bit of a slowdown. After discussing a bit which song would be next and which guitars and amps would be used, we decided to start recording some acoustic guitars. It was not exactly early (rather fucking late already) and it was the right moment for a more mellow approach before going home for the day.

After testing several tube microphones which looked like spiders from outer space (they probably were, too), we started doing some rhythm tracks for “What’s The Voltage William?”, just for the sake of having that extra crispy percussive sound going in the background. Together with the overdriven ones, the song is simply killer, looks like we have an opener already. Yuhu!



Change of microphones again, and into a rather speedy version of “Scent”, where acoustics have more weight (they carry the whole song actually) and then some bits of “Stroboscope”. I was simply amazed at how cool those bloody tube mics sound when heard through headphones, they pick up every single minimal noise and nuance of the guitar… I just didn’t want to stop. But as it was already half past late and if we arrive later than midnight we lose the crystal shoe and our cars turn back into pumpkins, we decided to call it a day. A night rather. And off we went. Goodnight.

Songs done:
“Peaches”: all guitars
“Stitch The Memories”: all guitars
“If You Only”: guitar
“What’s The Voltage William?”: acoustic guitars
“Scent”: acoustic guitars
“Stroboscope”: acoustic guitars

Recording the new album - Day Four

Zzzzz...hmmm?... Oh, you're there! Oops, sorry, just snoozing a little. Well, the fourth recording day came and we conveyed at TB in the afternoon to continue recording guitars.



After inspecting Jürgen's copy of The Beatles Complete Recording Sessions: The Abbey Road Years by Mark Lewisohn for a while and desperately wanting to take it home, tapes were ready to roll, and nothing better than starting a fresh new song, "If You Only". That's when Timo, casually passing by, suddenly asked "What?? Oh please don't tell me it's actually a G#... Shit!!" So, well, yes, we wouldn't argue over half a note, so he had to re-record the song again, this time with the right note on it.

We did several takes of the main riff guitar with the Les Paul and redid them again just to be sure they will kick ass when we double them with the mighty "riff-machine" Explorer. It didn't take that long, so we decided to start and finish a complete song, and the choice fell on "1976".

Wow, that was the beginning of the amp parade... the cool thing about Jürgen is that he really loves to experiment with different combinations of amps, boxes, guitars, pedals, preamps, more amps and a lot of crazy shit you wouldn't believe. You can see he loves that adventurous spirit of those Beatle sessions back in the day when he searches for sounds. He won't just settle for one or two cool sounds and use them for the whole record. Instead, every song has got to be a little gem with recording tricks and special touches. Not bad indeed.



Anyodds, as I was saying, we started with '76, tracking clean and "not completely clean" guitars with the ES-333 and also the Les Paul for the dirtier parts and the metal frenzy at the beginning and ending of the song. Timo and Tobi, who had arrived by that time, probably had a good time laughing at my faces when I turned up the Rectifier full to the right and at completely insane volume. True metal never dies, baby! After the take my hair was combed back from the wind and I had the face of someone who has seen the other side and has returned. Amazing. About five different amps used for the song, how cool is that?



Listening back to the track we were all grinning silly for a while, but before going back home for a break until next Monday, I just wanted to finish "Voltage" and get the solo recorded so that at least we had two full songs in the can ready for vocals next week. A quite "creamy" solo, you will hear...

So, first week finished, a LOT of the work done, and now over to three days of rest for our ears. Time to change strings to the SG and Explorer to bring them in, time for Jürgen to get a few other amps (!), time to disconnect. And mostly, time to sleep.



Songs done:
"If You Only": rhythm guitars, bass
"1976": all guitars
"What's The Voltage William?": solo

Recording the new album - Day Three

Timo was already there when I arrived today in the afternoon, he was checking out yesterday's bass tracks and deciding which ones needed to be redone before going into guitar mode. It's not exactly a tremendously adventurous or creative thing (it's actually quite boring listening just to drums and bass), but as with a house, you have to check that the foundings are solid enough before starting with the decoration.



At this point I must again express my utmost fascination with Jürgen and his ears. It's incredible what the guy can listen in a take, song or whatever. We'd be thinking "oh, great take, so cool", and he'll just nod and mumble "that finger accidentally hit a string while changing the chord". And we'd listen to it, and, exactly where he said, there was some minimal noise... incredible. Watching him edit and tweak knobs is a show by itself. Reminds me of those kids in front of the game console hitting knobs and twisting buttons at incredible speed and still getting to the next level. That's Jürgen more or less, all ten fingers on the sound desk or the keyboard, concentrated look, and in the blink of an eye he has edited the song to a reasonable thing from the mess he had before...

Then it was time to record two songs from Monday and redo a few from yesterday. "No Better" was especially fun to do for Timo, as he always remembers the right progression and key changes...



When we had finally got what we wanted with the rhythm tracks, it was finally time to start with guitars. About fucking time! As it was already late enough, we decided to start with an easy one, and the choice fell on "What's The Voltage William?", which could be a nice opener as well.

Recording guitars is where Jürgen has more fun at, which is really nice for me. We just did two rhythm tracks, one with the Les Paul into my Peavey Classic 30 and the Orange box, and the stereo track with the Les Paul into TWO Vox AC30 (a really vintage one and a top boost one) running in stereo with distortion provided by a Marshall Guv'nor pedal. Amazing how those little cheap pedals can sound... After just one take we decided to hold it there until the next session. The song really kicks ass already now, can't wait to hear it finished with vocals and shit.



Anyway, another productive day. Three days and already into guitar recording mode... yuhu!!

Songs done:
"Berlin": bass
"Scent": bass
"Stitch The Memories": bass
"Stroboscope": bass
"Follow You Around": bass
"No Better": bass
"What's The Voltage William?": bass, rhythm guitars

Recording the new album - Day Two

Yawning and desperate for coffee we arrived (too) early in the morning in Treuenbrietzen after picking up yet more shit from the HQ, ready for a long day of frog'n roll. Timo was already there, so "unfortunately" we saved our backs from unloading more bass amps, guitar boxes and things.



After the first cups of coffee it was time to start with the serious stuff. Banging on the drums for a few minutes to get warm while Timo was setting up his gear to record and I was going into my aquarium like a goldfish, we were ready for the tapes to roll. Well, actually it's not tapes, it's a hard disk system, but sounds cooler.

"Time" was the first victim of the day, and it went quite smoothly, just the usual two takes and ready it was. "No Better" wasn't that easy to nail, especially the ending that Tob always felt he should play on and on and on. Oh, and Timo didn't hit a single right note too! :o) Jürgen was shaking his head all the time and I couldn't help but laughing, so it was wrong notes by me too... thanks god I was just doing the pilot track and not actually recording anything.

Short ciggie pause and into "Into The Sea" and "Frames Of The Past", both going really easy. You could notice which ones have been played live over and over again. And Tobi changing snares and hi-hats all the time to try out new sounds depending on the songs... "If You Only" saw the first sparks of energy jump around, I wish we had recorded my screams at the end of that one, really kewl metal. Bang! Same with "Stitch The Memories", three takes and ready. And just before going for lunch, "1976" and "Peaches", both done in the blink of an eye. Especially "Peaches", which runs for exactly... the blink of an eye. We tried it at a superhuman speed at first, but sounded way too sloppy so we redid it at a simply fucking fast tempo.



The most bizarre experience of the day was the place where we went for lunch: an Asian food corner which also served döner kebap, which meant they had mixed the best (and worst) of both cuisines into a... well, funny blend to say the least. They were absolutely astonished as they saw 5 people walking in at the same time, I think after that they closed the place for the day.

Treuenbrietzen is a small place, all cobblestones, no asphalt. Probably the birth rate among bicycle riders has been steadily going down for years, but no one seems to care. Absolutely nothing to do, except recording. The TB Studio is located in a backyard where you would never guess it, and probably that is what makes it so special. In the middle of nowhere, you have this absolutely incredible studio, packed with all kinds of gizmos, amps, huge sound desks, and everything for the modern (and not so modern) musician. It's quite cozy, I must say. And no distractions too... well, what can you do there anyway except working on the songs?



Back in the place we were all lying around on the couch, not wanting to do anything but sleep a long siesta. Too much Turco-asian food can have that effect on active people like us. Tobi had to have yet another ciggie before going into the recording mode again, and to really shake things up, we started with a slow number named "Berlin" which took more than the usual takes to get done, mainly we were all snoozing around while doing the song. It wasn't such a good idea to do slow songs right after lunch, believe me... "Scent" followed and went definitely better. Afterwards, "Stropboscope" and a remake of "Off The Tide", which we had decided to re-record for the album, not using the previuos tracks from the Soja Studio in September, mainty to give the songs a sense of unity and all that shit. This was done with closed eyes, even the bass player nailed it. :o)

Before going home (it was already seven or so), we took a chance on a song called "Vertigo", which we were not so really sure about, as we had never rehearsed it before. After a few takes it was clear that we had enough songs for this album ready to work on, so we left it for the next one. A pity, 'cause it's a nice one, but perhaps not so fitting with the other ones.



An extremely productive day, I must say. We have now all the drum tracks and mostly all basses ready (with Timo trying cool things with the 5-string MusicMan StingRay, the Fender Precission and the Rickenbacker 4000/1 he borrowed from a certain singer).

Songs done:
"Time": drums, bass
"No Better": drums
"Into The Sea": drums, bass
"Frames Of The Past": drums, bass
"If You Only": drums, bass
"Stitch The Memories": drums, bass
"1976": drums, bass
"Peaches": drums, bass
"Berlin": drums
"Scent": drums, bass
"Stroboscope": drums, bass
"Off The Tide": drums, bass