It's been almost 4 months with no info posted here. For our die hard fans an explanation seems like the right thing to do. Anyone who's a regular visitor here knows that 2015 was a bad year for business here at Peepers. I had decided later in the year to just record for the fun of it rather then trying to become this big money making studio/label. A couple of people showed up in October asking for studio time and I got caught up in the money side of it again. While waiting for these couple of groups to make up their minds as to when and where they were going to record, I neglected friends who wanted my help with their projects. Well my friends went elsewhere as they got tired of me blowing them off, and the groups I was blowing them off for canceled all studio time. I was devastated for many reasons, but the main reason was my lack of respect for my friends. So I closed the studio on December 10th and walked away from it till tonight. My first goal was to write this and explain my actions. My second goal will be to get back the friends I blew off and get some recording with them done. Third goal is to get a new CD or at least an EP out by June of new stuff I have been working on. Fourth goal is to keep this site up to date with recording chit-chat of some sort and I'm hoping for at least one blog a month but hopefully more. Thanks for reading and a big apology to all those friends that depended on me and in turn I let them down. Happy 2016 to all!
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Its been almost a month since we added the Windows PC and its going well. The Duo I talked about last post has been laying down some tracks in Sonar and seem to like the atmosphere here. It's a good situation for me as I am getting to learn the program and make a little money while doing it. Now before anybody gets their undies in a bundle, I'm still doing this for the music, nit the money. I guess the new machine and a new DAW has sparked my interest in recording new people again.
We over the years had some clients come in here and say they would record if we had Windows based machines. I hate Windows and everything Bill Gates stands for, but it got me thinking. We purchased a new desktop machine loaded with Windows 10. Added to that Cakewalk Sonar Platnium, which really is an easy to learn and kicks program. Had a duo stop by to chat and they noticed the machine and software. Said they used to record on Cakewalk stuff years ago and always liked it. Long story short, they booked 2 hours of time to get some ideas down and then discuss the future from there. The "new" Windows part of the studio will be called SonarCake just because I can.
Since my last post here things have been going pretty slow. One of the guitarists for the J's ripped a tendon in his hand and is recovering. Dick Hurtz has started a Europian tour that is going to take him away at least until October of this year. Jason David is likewise doing a small club circuit tour through the Midwest until September. Noel Enobder has locked himself away with a notepad and is writing songs for a new CD. J.J. Jambles just finished a small tour of the South and will be taking a few weeks off to get some new ideas down. So as you can see, all are busy and hopefully will get some time booked here soon. On a brighter note, the MiniButters surprised me with a call about getting started on their 2nd CD but no firm dates have been mentioned. I myself have been futzing with different DAWs and learning new things to improve my recording and mixing skills. Thats it for now, thanks for reading and see you soon.
That was the slogan I used when I ran for Alderman in the city I grew up in many, many, many years ago. It was supposed to tell the people to get rid of the old politicians and elect me, a new fresh face and mind to help run the city. Well, 16 days ago I posted on here that the studio was slowing down and recording for the love of music instead of the love of money. Now I think it's "TIME FOR A CHANGE" even more so in the studio. I have decided to scale back all the business here at Peepers and just do this for the fun of it on a permanent basis. This is not something I decided on lightly and it still pains me to be typing this. My plan is this. I have several loyal musicians that record here because they like the atmosphere and easy going way we do things. I am going to be centering all of my efforts to making sure that these acts are highlighted first and foremost by this company. The groups represented by Peepers will be The J's, Noel Enobder, Dick Hurtz, Jason David and J.J. Jambles. I really believe that giving these 5 artists all of my attention and studio time will be a better idea then renting out the studio to bands who have no intention on really using us for the long term. These 5 acts have been with me for many years and are passionate about their craft and how they want things done. I wish to thank all the bands that recorded here over the years as it was a great way to get experience and hear new types of music. A special thank you to the Deadbeat Whores who always filled this place with laughter and a great sound. If they decide to move back here to America they will always have a home here at Peepers. Thanks for everything and I hope you will stay a fan of Peepers and keep an eye on this site for updates on what those 5 acts are up too.
Tomorrow will be one month since my last post. In the last month we have had some recording being done, but it has been more of a "for the fun of it" or "how does this sound" kind of recording. I really did not feel like I should charge the regular rate for these recordings but the artists said the price is the price so I charged them. I mention this only because I am finding that when I take away the "I have to do this to make a living" part out of my thinking I seem to do a better job. A couple of months back we were so busy, all I was seeing was dollar signs. I was looking at music catalogs and thinking about buying this and that and I guess in a way not paying attention to my creative, interesting side. This was becoming a job, not music, not fun, a JOB. Now I sit here with a small amount of recording to do and pay more attention to detail and what the artist is really trying to get across. It's amazing I guess how humbling and refreshing it is that by just losing some clients I have become a better person. Right now I'm thinking about down sizing the studio as a whole just to keep this feeling going. Of course if a hundred bands walk in and offer me thousands of dollars I may change my mind. But for right now I am very happy keeping it plain and simple.
The last couple of weeks has been very disappointing for the studio. It seems that all of the projects we had scheduled have canceled outright or are just not responding to our calls. I know from my own experience that not picking up the phone or calling back is a way of avoiding the issue and hoping it will go away. So to that end I am officially ending the phone calls and putting those groups on notice that we will no longer honor any commitment made between yourself and this company. I am going to forge ahead and start two new EP projects with some close friends. I have been blowing them off for a while because these other projects were paying some of the bills. Well, that stops today! From now on I will put family and friends first and that almighty dollar second. Did I win the lottery you ask? Did I become so rich that I don't need the jobs anymore? Of course not, but I have learned that making music is a real joy and all the people that bring me joy doing this are more important then being able to buy an extra mic or guitar when I have enough of those already. I of course will take on paying projects if they show up but doing this for money and fame was never important to me as just having fun.
Guess I lost track of time. Cant believe its been almost two months since I wrote anything here. Not a whole lot of recording being done in the last two months, and Im not sure why. Calls to the bands recording here before have gone unanswered, which leads me to think that either they are taking a break, broke up, or found a new studio. I have taken the lack of work time to delve into new kinds of music like Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. Saw a couple of blue grass/rock-a-billy bands that peaked my interest in that kind of picking and a grinning. Anyway, one way or the other I will get back to recording either the bands that had booked time, or I will get some of this new found knowledge down on digital.
The Archives were in the other day but not much got done. They were not really prepared to get any recording done and seemed very nervous. Im not criticizing, just saying they should have been more prepared. Anyway, I told them that and we all agreed that they would come back next week after they rehearse the songs they want to lay down. Other then that we have been doing paperwork and such. Time to go as the snow is piling up and driving looks to be getting bad.
Worked on the iPad project this evening. Session started at 6:30 and just wrapped up about 10:15. Went well but having some problems getting everyone on the same page. Lots of ideas floating around but nothing set in stone. So far 15 tracks have been started and none of them have been finished. Tomorrow we will be working with a new group called the Archives. This group has no definable style as they group blues, rock, jazz and others to make their sound. They only have 4 hours booked so I'm not how much will get done. Well, I think I will go home and get some sleep.
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Jimmy Z.All around nice guy and Chief Engineer at Peepers. Archives
March 2019
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