CUSH

While the Doc and Snowman are busy surfing for internet porn... I have been working on some new songs. The Doc flowed over some new beats for me to work on and let me tell you how exciting it is to work on bass line over a loop and a tambourine...



Never the less, I got three more ideas that hopefully will inspire greatness from the rest of the peeps.

Andrew should be done mixing and working on other projects this week... which finally means moving forward for CUSH and wrapping up The Lassie Foundation.

Thanks for all your patience.

Question: Who will win Project Runway this year? I can't tell you how disappointed I was with Chris getting bumped off this week. I saw his Bryant Park show and it was amazing, much better than Rami's. I hate to say it, but i believe that Christian will win it. He seems very one dimensional but his designs seem to captivate the judges. Here's to the puffy shirt.

currently listening:
jenny ondioline-stereolab
april skies-jamc
pale shelter-tears for fears
zoo pie-gbv
alice's house-psychedelic furs

CUSH

Yes, it has been a while... At this moment CUSH has trimmed the jams to about twelve ideas, some more or less fleshed out while others have no flesh, just their skin and bones. For Andrew, Snowman, and I it is apparent that we need to write or jam out at least another five to ten ideas. This will start tomorrow.

Also of note, we are trying to wrap up the Lassie jams. They sound amazingly thick, does that sound dirty? Wayne has finished up all of his lead vocals, we need to do some bgv's and overdubs and then we should be ready mix. In a nutshell, the Lassie jam 1 sounds like a mix of "Promise Ring" meets Stereolab. And Lassie jam 2 sounds like a mix of "I Can Be Her Man and Bomber's Moon".

Currently Listening:
Sci-Flyer-Swervedriver
Back in Your Head-Teagen and Sara
Signal and Translator-They Sang as They Slew
Crimson and Clover-Tommy James and the Shondells
Out of Control-u2

CUSH

I like being redundant and... well, the holiday's have still hit us like a ton of bricks. Not a whole lot has happened since the last post. Some of us have been working on new songs for The Lassie Foundation and finishing up mastering for They Sang as They Slew; but no new CUSH. Hopefully, after Andrew gets back from vacation on the pacific rim we will be able to continue to working on the new CUSH record.

We hope all of you have had a great holiday.

Cupie

Currently Listening:
When the Sun Fades-At the Foot of the Cross, Volume One
Some Candy Talking-The Jesus and the Mary Chain
11 O'Clock Tick-U2 (live at Red Rocks)
Sheila Takes a Bow-The Smiths
I Believe-REM

CUSH

The holidays have it us like a ton of bricks. We haven't worked on much or should i say anything since mid November. We are fairly confident that after the holidays that we will finish the pre-production process of writing and demoing and get on to actually recording. The funny and frustrating thing is that after seven years of starting, stopping, and starting again, someone finds another jam that they like. There is always one of us who cannot remember the song, much less playing on it. Which I guess is kind of neat-o. Kind of the like the guy or gal who finds a new species of animal; no one new it was out there.

Campuzano

currently listening:
Imperial Teen-pig latin
Girls Against Boys-go be delighted
Cocteau Twins-itchy glowbo blow
Curve-already yours
Snow Patrol-shut your eyes

CUSH

This afternoon I spent some time pouring over the jams that we started and never finished for all the false start CUSH records... Some are real amazing and I have no idea had we played them. Others were real awful and I have no idea why we played them. But that is CUSH, the process... We like to work. I can't think of any other band that works harder than CUSH to push through the process of making music. Yes, I know that sounds conceited, but we really enjoy the blood, sweat, and tears. The problem is that after all the blood, sweat, and tears ,we aren't really left with much but with our blood, sweat, and tears. (add blood, sweat, and tears, to the drinking game)

We have written music and not necessarily songs because we never have had a singer to steer the ship. Some would argue that this is a blessing and some narcissistic; we agree, but it is seven years later and we can't finish a record.

Campuzano

Currently Listening:
watch me bleed-tears for fears
feel so real-swervedriver
happy birthday-concrete blonde
girlfriend in a coma-the smiths
pearls before swine-77's

CUSH

On the documenting and making of the CUSH record "black heart, white soul", besides this kick ass blog, we have started to video the process and will try to put up some studio footage of the writing and recording process, as well as some of the audio of the jams of us fleshing them out. (take a drink)

Also, hopefully, you will hear from Andrew, Snowman, Jamey, and maybe from Wayne who may or may not offer some insights.

Campuzano

Currently Listening:
Shy-Peter Murphy
Broken Bones-Jesus Jones
Alone-This Mortal Coil
Boys Say Go-Depeche Mode
Reverence/Sidewalking (live)-Jesus and the Mary Chain

CUSH

Last night, Andrew, Wayne, and myself all got together to write and flesh out some more jams. (new drinking game; every time anyone uses "flesh out" in this blog you have to take a drink)

We worked on three song ideas. We got the first one musically mapped out. Andrew's guitar tone was absolutely amazing sounding. Maybe he can explain the sound to you all a bit better, but he used an incredible sounding Boss Pedal, that I guess at some point was a rack. But, whatever it was it sounded bitchin.

The second song, sort of morphed into something like a Red House Painter song. Beautiful chord selection and voicings. Wayne played a big part in this one working on the chord arrangement with Andrew. I would call this our funeral song... A beautiful one.

The last one, Andrew and I tackled last week. With Wayne on the drums and trying to flesh out the vibe (take a drink) it took an interesting turn. As such, we have decided to tackle this one with more of DC post punk feel and something we can't do well. So, obviously we struggled with this one a lot and called it a night. We really liked the spirit and vibe a lot. Pulling it off, well we'll see. I guess this is the challenge for all bands; when the song is taking you a different direction than you intended. Especially if it is a style of music that you are not completely skilled in.

Being in the Prayer Chain and CUSH we have always let the song sort of lead the way... We haven't really fell in to a style of music or a strict genre we just kinda see where the music takes us. I don't know if it is because we get bored easy or because we are or not good songwriters; just a curse we have to bear for better or for worse. It's frustrating sometimes because it feels like we are all over the place, but at the same time very exciting because we don't know if the next song or turn will bring jubilation or utter frustration. But hey these are the ingredients that make CUSH and we think they taste pretty good.

I am done fleshing things out. (take a drink)

Songs fleshed out last night (take a drink):
Divide and Conquer
The Funeral Song
Meso-America

Campuzano

currently reading:
As A Man Thinketh-James Allen
Entertainment Weekly

currently listening:
rain-madonna
memorize your lines-sleater-kinney
television-bloomsday
working overtime-new order
safe european home-the clash