1:53pm - Feb 26

The album is almost ready. The mixes are done and the mastering process will start on Monday. If I can manage to get a couple personal loans from friends and family, it will be out before the start of the Can't Stop Won't Stop Tour. I think I find the title of this tour more hilarious then most. The whole Spring Break attitude that college students have is hilarious to me.

I was supposed to be in Mankato right now meeting about the album. Unfortunately we are supposed to get nearly a foot of snow today! So, we decided to postpone the 2 hour drive there until tomorrow. In preparation for the meeting, I read almost the entire text book "Music Law, How to manage your band's business". I don't think I've ever read a book that fast. Andrew loaned it to me Tuesday evening, by Wednesday night I was done. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is managing they're own band.

We did a DIY photo shoot this week. I borrowed some 1930's costumes from Youth Performance Company, where I used to work. We set up some lights and some taped up some white fabric in Nathans basement and we were ready to go. They turned out all right. I posted some unedited ones below.

6:09pm - Feb 10

We finished tracking for the album on Sunday. We recorded all the vocals at our practice studio to save money. My favorite part was on Sunday when we recorded gang vocals. I sat outside while Tim finished up his vocals. With an acoustic on my lap and lyrics hand written on the back of old show posters I taught the group of 7 a couple choruses. Neighbors stopped and listened to a sound and sight I'm sure they where not used to. When the time came, we circled around a single microphone in the center of the room. I wish all those faces had been in the room when I was recording my vocals. I think I would have been more relaxed.

I was supposed to meet with an independent label on Saturday in Mankato to discuss promotion, touring and releasing the album. Laura and I made a day out of it. We got down their and ordered lunch at a small coffee shop. Then I had an appointment to get a RNC solidarity tattoo that some members of the Mankato Area Activist Collective had already gotten. I called the office of the label before we started. No answer. So afterward I called his cell phone only to find out that he was in Minneapolis. Laura and I then headed back to the cities. We'll see about this label.

12:45am - Feb 1st

Just got to Tim's after a long day in the studio. We finished basic tracks for the whole album today. I've never accomplished so much in one day. We started at 10am this morning and locked up at 11:30pm. Today was different then yesterday. We were relaxed. Just a group of friends hanging out making music. It was also sunny and warm outside today. Well, warm for January in Minnesota. For our hour lunch break, Tim, Nathan and I ran around in the parking lot and took a short walk. Then I took another walk with my Dad at dinner. He stopped by to check out the studio and we went to Mesa for some awesome pizza.

The entire process of recording is so exciting to me. I like to be involved in every aspect. And for the first time in my life, we're making an album that will sound great. No more basement recordings, tracking one instrument at a time. I agree, there is something magical that happens in the studio.