Author: Luke

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I’m thinking of remixing all the tracks off of JUNEAUREVOIR, my all cello instrumental album, or having other electronic musicians give it a go. This song is my first foray into it.

For any purists out there, this track is not pure anymore!

Which leads me to a quick note about what I do. Currently I am making music across a broad range of genres, here is my quick summary:

1. Garage Rock With Cello, Punk-Folk Action (ala REDWOOD SUMMER)

2. Highly orchestrated dark electronic influenced with vocals, cello, beats and lots of other sounds (ala Midnight Door).

3. Cello instrumentals, kind of classically influenced, kind of not, it depends (ala JUNEAUREVOIR)

4. Dark dance electronic beats with cello, instrumental and mainly live at parties and whatnot. (Album on its way)

OK, so that’s out of the way, below is the track, enjoy, and thank you.

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PS – Click here to listent to a sample of the original on iTunes

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*warning = this is a loooong rant.

Luke Janela live at The Catalyst, January 28, 2010 - Photo Credit: Pete Geniella, petegeniella.com
Photo: Pete Geniella

Last Thursday, January 28th, I got to open for AFI, one of my favorite bands. We played The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, and all the pieces fell into place for a great great show.

The show had been big in my mind for too long, I knew it was on, but the band I had recorded REDWOOD SUMMER with wasn’t to be available. I thought, ok, we’ll just make it happen for a good long while, and yet the band wasn’t nailed down, even just a couple weeks before the show.

My own fault, because the obvious choice for the best drummer was right in front of my face; I finally realized that I needed to call one of my best friends and bandmate of many many years Mr. Keith Feigin. He was with me for my first show ever, he recorded Blue Star, he recorded The Key, he is an amazing drummer. However, he hadn’t played drums, literally, for 5 years. Nonetheless, he was open to the idea. We’d jam on the songs, and if it worked, great. If not… welllllll….

My brothers pointed me in the direction of a guitar player they knew also in Ukiah (Keith lives there now), my hometown. A really talented guy who knows the business, touring all the time with his band, Luke Slinkert. Fortunately for me, Luke is also a huge AFI fan, which meant that the expenses and time spent practicing and traveling, especially when compared to the nominal guarantee we were getting to play (standard for opening bands) were worth it.

So I headed up to Northern California with less than a week to prepare for the show. A new band, I didn’t know Luke S. that well, and I didn’t know if Keith was going to be comfortable playing drums at all. I didn’t know how well my cello would play live, if my amp would even do the trick, if this was really realistic at all, or if it would all sadly implode.

I was optimistic, however!

Got into Ukiah, really really excited and anxious for our first practice that day, stopped by a friend’s apartment, bent down to pet the cute gigantic growling pit bull and promptly got bit in the face by said dog. Everything was suddenly chaotic, the dog got pulled off, I looked down at my hand and blood was dripping everywhere. Asked where the bathroom was, went in, and saw my lips looking pitifully mangled, kind of hanging there, as if confused, in all kinds of directions.

We rushed to the hospital, Keith was there, my brother Nate was there, my Mom showed up soon. I was sitting in the emergency room and I was on the verge of tears not because of the pain, which was pretty intense, so much as the idea that we would not be able to play this show. I wanted, I needed to play this show. It mattered to me.

The doctor stitched things up and took his time. He was great because he seemed to care and methodically put 28 stitches in my lips and face. He did a nice job. I went home, high on morphine and still wondering about the show.

The next morning things were good enough in my face to go ahead and schedule a practice, albeit without vocals from me. We’d play through the songs and kind of evaluate if it was even conceivable to go up on a stage in front of 1,000 people in less than three days. Things went well. I don’t know how, but Keith could really really bust it out still. Luke S. had memorized all the songs quickly and instantly was laying them down. The first time through the set was a little scary. The second time, the songs already sounded great.

So we had two more rehearsals to go. And they went really really well. Our set was only 6 songs and went like this:

True North
Strobe Light
The Unattended Ball
Time Is Near
Closure
Fever Saved Me

It clocked in at about 25 minutes, and we played it over and over again, just one song leading into the next. The last rehearsal we played through the set 5 times straight. That’s all we could do.

And it sounded good. I can honestly say that I wish I could re-record a version of REDWOOD SUMMER with the songs recorded in this raucous, garage/punk style that we had formed together in few days. Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Vocals. Simple, sweet, short.

There’s a kind of crummy sounding/looking recording of it available for the curious here:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4262515

We drove down to Santa Cruz the day of the show. I went to college in Santa Cruz and knew it oh so well. I learned to really play cello there. I played the clubs and coffee shops (mostly coffee shops when I was there) often, it was my town. It was epic to return to the big venue in town and be loading my stuff in.

AFI’s bus and equipment truck were there, and the equipment had been unloaded. To me, it was an impressive setup, boxes and boxes of gear and stage equipment. The stage was already setup, with AFI’s huge banner tied like a curtain behind the drums. Davey Havok was walking around talking to all the folks at the Catalyst (he is a verifiably super-nice person by the way), Adam, their drummer was there. I love Adam, I don’t think I know very many people, musicians or otherwise, who are as cool, kind and humble as he is. Smith was running the show, Fritch was selling the merch. Much of the AFI crew was intact from the last time I had seen them play, only since then they had gone on to sell millions of records and land a #1 billboard debut. And yet they are still real, down to earth, nice people. No BS. And they are GOOD if not AMAZING as a band these days. I watched their sound check and they now have this amazingly fluid sense of their own sound, super super tight and just, in their element. I suppose the countless weeks of touring will do that for you.

Pre-show AFI, at the Catalyst

My nerves were crazy. I was still on antibiotics for my wounds and couldn’t really eat well so I had been on a liquid diet for the whole week. It was an enormous and woozy feeling. All my favorite people in the world, my family and my girlfriend to name a few, old college friends, showed up pre-show.

At one point me and Keith walked around the block to go grab a protein shake for me and a bite to eat for him, and the line to get in the club was already around block. That recognizable AFI crowd, dressed in black, non-conformist, devoted. Then we were scared… would they boo us off the stage? Also, up on the marquis, my name alongside AFI and Ceremony. Really cool for me, a good image, unexpected, and great.

The Marquis

Then we just tried to be not nervous. And soon enough it was time to get on stage. And we’d have to not blow it, of course.

Keith pre-show

And we got up there and just tore through the songs. The crowd was amazing. They were kind and into it. There were a lot of people in there too, 500-1000, I can’t really say a good estimate, but a lot. And the sound ruled, and my bandmates NAILED IT. And it was fun. This was it, a good show, good music, that euphoric state that musicians live for. It really was… yeah. It was great.

I had a lot of people to talk to when it was over, and thus I missed Ceremony. AFI put on an incredible performance, as they always do. Those guys play their hearts out EVERY TIME they go on stage, and that is often. They give everything to their fans, which is how it should be, in my opinion. The songs were so tight and so good, they played a couple really old ones, and a couple new ones off of Crash Love, and a few from in between. I was kind of in heaven, I had a great view, and I love seeing AFI play.

AFI performs live at The Catalyst, January 28, Santa Cruz

My brother took some amazing pictures of AFI that night, check them out here.

So the night settled down, nothing to crazy that evening, as my stitches were still healing and that was a good excuse to kind of get to ruminate on the whole thing. I couldn’t have asked for a better show, with better people around me. I’ve already directly said my thanks to all mentioned, but to my family, my girlfriend, my friends, to that crowd, and to AFI, I have a lot of gratitude.

Now it is on to the next big show. I’m eager to get it all going. I’ll let you know as it unfolds… Thanks so much for stopping by…

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And obviously. This one, hard to believe, was very close to making it onto REDWOOD SUMMER. I like it. I was playing around polyrhythms, where you have different rhythmic times all stacked up on top of eachother. A lot of African music gets crazy with polyrhythms.

I used weird instruments on this one, one in particular called a ukelin. It’s this very odd looking beast, which mysteriously was given to me by my physics teacher in high school. I can’t even really explain why h would just give me such a gem, and why it was given to me by my physics teacher and not my music teacher, but I’m not complaining. It has like 300 strings. Ok, it has like 60 strings. I haven’t ever figured out how one is supposed to tune it, let alone play it.

The other instrument you hear is a mandolin. And frame drums. And weird lyrics (per usual).

It didn’t make it to REDWOOD SUMMER because it didn’t fit. The album is kind of all over the map emotionally as it is, I didn’t feel like “super whimsical” was what was needed to be added.

So yes, enjoy. Thank you for stopping by. And happy holidays. Oh yes, I forgot, that is the reason I went ahead and published this now. It could, in some parallel universe, or exotic country, or in your stereo perhaps be some type of holiday song somehow. It has the timber, I suppose.

Stardust Is Stardust

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B sides are always around in my boxes. I have a lot of ideas that eventually would lead to a melody, but sometimes, like in the case of this one, will never be duplicated because the performance is so unique.

So here you go, so amazingly uncut or edited:

Here Is Enlightmenent

permalink to this post: http://midnightdoor.com/word/?p=558

I was playing around with vocal range in this one, total Mariah Carey inspired (kidding), it’s pretty rambling for sure. I’ve got a “holidays” ish song coming next week, so stay tuned!

REVERIES
REVERIES
Attack of the besides
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First off, I’m thrilled to let you know that I’m opening for AFI on January 28th in Santa Cruz… why thrilled you asked? as opposed to excited? Well, I’ve passed through the excited threshold and into the realm of thrilled because AFI is a band I’ve admired for a long long time, and who, in their music and their unrelenting devotion to creating their own sound, their own way, have become one of my favorite bands ever. So basically I’m opening for some musical idols. Pretty cool.

Next off, life has been changing in big and little ways, mostly big… I now live in Los Angeles… still settling in but indeed, it is done. We’re perched on a little hill and I’m really excited to see how the music fares down here.

Last off, for now, I have a lot to say for and about Nevada City. Though I feel very happy to move forward etc., I feel I owe a great debt to all the amazing musicians and friends I made there, and have a good long rant to write about all that. Will miss the good things there… very much!

Onward!

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Oh I apologize for the disconnect… I’m out and about, making a move to a different spot on earth and, not surprisingly, being in transition makes everything else go “pause”.

It’s exciting… so much going on. I’m looking forward to playing great shows, meeting amazing people, and generally making music more often.

I also have a lot to say about the greatness of Nevada City. So I’ll be posting soon. Wish me luck!

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Yesterday REDWOOD SUMMER finally made its way onto iTunes which signified a kind of final touch to the release of an album. (JUNEAUREVOIR is still on its way there)…

So how does an album come about from start to finish? I’ll tell you the story of REDWOOD SUMMER…

Basically a year ago I decided I was going to record a new album… the steam had stopped whistling for MIDNIGHT DOOR and it was time to explore new songs again. Only I became distracted when making MIDNIGHT DOOR… I was frustrated that I had recorded all these songs off that album without having a real live setup for performing them. The songs were written on the road and out in the world, not the usual where you try out songs live generally before they make it on the album. I was stripping the songs on MIDNIGHT DOOR down to the drum and bass tracks and pressing play on my ipod and performing along. Which, I have come to accept, is totally legit, especially of course if it is YOUR music you are playing along to, your beats, your sounds. I used to think it was not so legit, until I saw a few performances that incorporated the same technique, and it didn’t feel or seem weird to me at all. One caveat of this is that I really think if you play along to beats it HAS to be electronic… it’s true to me that playing along to ‘real’ sounding drums from a machine is kind of cheesy looking/sounding (in my opinion). Plus, then you are truly playing with the whole organic meets electronic thing, which does yield some interesting results and feels very much a part of our times. I think I like Thom Yorke’s solo stuff so much because he is able to work with (besides the brilliantly abstracted beats and great compositions) his raw voice, very plainly effected, wafting over the top of what feels like a Bladerunner landscape.

Holy tangent.

Anywaaaaays, the point is is that I got distracted by working on beats and effects that I could perform live, without accompaniment, and most importantly, which left lots of room for improvisation if necessary. My thing with electronic music and all music really is that if there is no room for improvisation at all, if it is super super polished and things are always done “perfectly” and the same, it is not really music. It’s theater. Which is fine. But I feel like at the core of music is the subconscious and its yearning to budge in and elbow things around here and there. I feel like it’s about the emotions of a room becoming one with the music. Et cetera.

So I worked on that and played a few different art party type things, improvising cello over beats around set songs and making the beats go this way and that and using lots of effects.

How did that lead to REDWOOD SUMMER which is very organic and non-electronic? Well, I just kind of missed making bedroom acoustic guitar anthems. I got so far away from home with that stuff that I really felt sentimental about sitting down and writing poetic lyrics by a fire with an acoustic guitar. Which is EXACTLY what happened with the writing of REDWOOD SUMMER… we had the opportunity to house sit a really beautiful house in Nevada County, with vistas of the foothills and gorgeous star filled skies, and there was a woodstove and no tv and no internet and the evenings were cozy and quiet. And I just started writing songs like crazy.

Most songs you hear on REDWOOD SUMMER were written in a three week period in January (more irony). Usually the process was to just grab ideas quickly, really as quickly as possible, meaning not interrupting the flow of musical idea by writing it down… this time I just used a handheld recorder, played through a new “song”, whether it was finished or not, and then started another. If it was any good, I kept it and worked on it. I’m not sure what my lyrics sound like to you, but you might be surprised to know there was a pretty good amount of polish on them. Obviously I’m not a real storytelling songwriter, but I do like to make the words work their own story and set their own stage. I spent a lot of time on various pretentious preconditions that I won’t bore you with.

I really wanted to record these songs to album as quickly as I was writing them, but you know, life gets in the way. We had to leave that housesitting gig but actually ended up returning in April I believe it was. By this time I was anxious to get this REDWOOD SUMMER thing on tape, I had a good sense of what I was doing and what I wanted, and I didn’t want it to slip by… so I set up my recording equipment in the upstairs bathroom of this great house, which had a really big all tile shower. I fit all my mics in that shower. I liked the closeness of the sound that the mics picked up in there. I tried just doing things simply, getting good guitar takes first and foremost. A huge part of REDWOOD SUMMER was playing guitar a lot again, so it was important to lay that down. Another part of the album though was actually, really, fully incorporating the cello into the main thrust of the song, making the cello NOT a supporting instrument but the center of the sound.

So what I wanted, by the way, was a country album. Well, not a country album in the traditional sense, but an album that felt like the places I’d grown up, the woods. I’m not sure that that makes sense or that it translates at all, but that’s why you have side A with its sparkly, sunny, swaying rhythms, and side B with its darker undertones. It feels like meadows and forest to me, it feels like Northern California to me. And of course, I wanted the process to be more “like it used to be” when I wrote songs: the edge of a bed in a lonely room to sit on, a quiet spot on earth, and no “coolness” filtration, no “authenticity” filtration, no input whatsoever from the “tastemakers“.

So I got most of the basic tracks down. I recorded cello and guitar, and I sang most lead vocals.

By that time it was May and soooooo much more time had gone by than I wanted.

The last four months of album making are probably the strangest for an independent musician. You gotta understand, when you are working full time and being a musician in your other time, there is no label pressure for a drop date, there is no pressure whatever, and so it is very very easy to let albums slide along and before you know it it takes 5+ years to finish an album. I have seen this happen many times, and I just really wouldn’t like the feeling. For one, or perhaps the main thing is that I try and capture a specific window of time/my life/my thoughts/the world in my albums, and if it takes more than a year it just seems like too much input on that front, too many influences. I mean, I had already been completely influenced by the Nevada City music scene subconsciously… I really thought that the mountain melodies and rocky yuba campfire cabin ghost song vibe wouldn’t get to me through Mariee Sioux, Alela Diane, Casual Fog, Them Hills and others, but they did, dammit I admit it, they did influence me. They inspired me to return to my personal truth being the core of the music. Purity of vision, untampered. It was really playing with Aaron Ross that had this affect on me the most. I have never heard let alone met a songwriter so talented and so potent with their own truth in music. And I was hanging out with him all the time, recording albums, playing shows!

The last four months were just a matter of gathering people in one place. It seems easy but for some reason it can be maddening. I wanted a real ‘community’ vibe on a lot of the songs, and getting Aaron Ross and Cody Feiler to sing on a lot was essential. Molly Allis banged out the drums in one day (one one take mostly! she is amazing), and of course Chuck Ragan and I met up for an afternoon to trade music. There were still lots of little things missing, the cello solo in the middle of ‘True North’, a piano for ‘The First Step’… these things really just kind of slowly slowly fell in line. But the finishing magical touch was realizing that my beautiful and way too modest girlfriend has a beautiful voice. We started by recording her voice on ‘Soundless’ and I realized I needed that voice on a lot more of the album. What was good about that was that it was pretty easy to get her in the same room with me! The “choir” you hear in ‘Strobe Light’ was recorded the day before I finished off the album, layering loads of her lovely voice until a big enough sound was achieved.

So, yes, this is an epically rambling post and I congratulate you for reading this far…

So you’ve got the thought of the album, you’ve got the writing of it, you’ve got the preliminary recording, and then the tricky follow up recording. Now you’ve got to do something with it.

As an independent musician (without a lot of money) you end up doing your own mixes, and therefore listening to the songs over and over and over and over and over again. I’m not very good at mixing, I always want all elements to be louder, and have a hard time with nuance in sound, but I learned a lot with this album. In the end though I’m not sure if I would have ever landed on what I wanted, it changed too much. It would be ideal to hand off songs to an external ear that you trusted and then say “have at it!” but it’s just not possible for me. I’m a control freak about my music, and plus, I felt my tracks were a mess and wouldn’t want to do that to someone!

Basically what happens is you spend four hours straight looping the chorus of one song trying to decide if the cymbal is too midrangy and whether the cello should have a touch more reverb. It’s kind of awful and time consuming but somehow rewarding.

Lastly you just set a date to send it off to be mastered and you stick to it. Because the mixing could literally go on for-ev-er. Thankfully Grass Valley is blessed with the best engineer with the coolest studio and greatest gear and mostly an incredible ear in Dana Gumbiner of Station To Station Recording… The luxury of calling him up is not something I took for granted.

He took my final mixes and really really filled them out. He made the sound of the cello big, and the sound of the backup vocals full. He kind of technicolored the album, in short.

So, and really, this is the part I want to get to… so you are done. You have the final mix, all mastered, and in your hands.

You may have noticed that there is not a lot of time to think about promotion, with everything else going on, let alone booking shows. But that, my friend, is what you must go and do.

I make my CDs through a ridiculously great and anonymous company that cranks them out quickly for me, and most importantly, for my meager budget, does not require that I buy 1000 at a time. At that point I send them to CDBaby, which gets them for sale, and also sends the digital files off to iTunes and Amazon and a number of other digital retailers. CDBaby truly is necessary for the independent musician, especially moving forward into the digital age.

And also, because if you’re reading this deep into the post you must be somewhat interested, also you wait. You put the CD out and you wait. You wait mostly to hear the pebble reach the bottom of the well. A few friends and family casually tell you that they like the album and it makes you glow for days. You check your email and website statistics incessantly to see if it is spreading on its own. You spend a lot of time doing that, it’s true, and I bet it’s true for most artists so I’m not afraid to admit that I’m in the phase where you are rather keen on listening for whispers of feedback.

The next and perhaps last step of an album though, and don’t you forget it, is to go out and play shows. You can’t can’t can’t sit around waiting for feedback. You have to go and bring the music to people directly.

And so the life of an album evolves. I still really really want to put out a vinyl version of REDWOOD SUMMER and JUNEAUREVOIR. I think it would sound great on vinyl. I’m working on a big move, and I really would like these albums to get wider distribution. It would be great, of course, if a label with reach picked either of them up. Playing more shows will be great. Getting JUNEAUREVOIR and its cello epicness into film would be my dream with that.

But mostly you, sitting somewhere, maybe standing, maybe headphones, maybe not, maybe at home, maybe in your car, maybe with yourself or with friends, mostly you hear it. Mostly for maybe only 1 minute, it makes a dent on your day and makes your day more important and beautiful the way that music can do that. Maybe it becomes a companion for a few months because it speaks to where you are at in your life. Maybe you know someone who it seems like would love it. That’s the final, and most important step. It could be now or 20 years from now. That’s one thing I love about making things. You never know…

Wow thanks for going with me down those million tangents. In short, REDWOOD SUMMER is done but not done. Hope this inspires you to bring things to completion (but not completion)… if anything, it might be oddly inspiring that 10 songs could take over a year to get out to the world… and yes, the year is worth the effort.

Be well, enjoy October,

Luke.

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Just took down the full album preview of REDWOOD SUMMER on MySpace… now it is time to get the whole album. It’s available at several outlets, digital and physical versions, and it wants you to get it today…

Things are on the move, I’m planning a massive change in scenery, heading from the Nevada County mountains to the Los Angeles hills. Yeah, big change. It will be a fun adventure. More on that later.

As promised, two more albums are in the works, to complete my initial vision of 4 total, all different in theme and tone. The 3rd and 4th are more electronic, one instrumental dance music like I’ve been playing at parties and gatherings, and one full on singing and beatboxes like I’d been doing live previous to REDWOOD SUMMER.

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It’s been a few months of polishing, taking the rough edges and wearing them down. The albums, my other life of work, my home, all of these things have been brutally grinded down and now their sheen is impressive.

I’ve known for a while that I needed to make a leap, and now I’m about to.

I’ll fill you in when it actually happens, so as not to keep it from happening by talking about it, but I think it will be good for my music life.

The main thing I wanted to “share” was that I’ve realized that indeed to get that sheen I needed the polish, the grind. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but it’s true.

The albums are a perfect metaphor. Those were big chunky pieces of rock that required a chipping away, and then a sawing, and then a laborious smoothing.

That’s my life lately. Probably yours too?

OK and so now I’m mixing metaphors and oh well to that because, if you haven’t noticed, this blog is not a literary journal.

The leap: I’m taking it.

“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” – Kierkegaard

A month ago I went skydiving with my girlfriend. We did it randomly, literally deciding the afternoon before that it would be a random interesting thing to do.

As it approached I felt so much anxiety, and even felt distraught that I would put myself in such a position, especially since it wasn’t ‘necessary’. I could have had a normal Saturday, in other words.

And of course we flew up in the plane, which is when you really wonder “Why, exactly, am I in this plane?”

(BTW I know this metaphor is super cliche-y, but again, whatevs)

And of course preparing to jump out was insanely strange, but here’s the thing: the doing, the necessity of being present in that moment took away all anxiety. I went from being completely freaked out to being oddly calm. I didn’t want to miss a step, or make a mistake, and my brain knew to calm my body down.

The leap itself was the most incredible “zap!” single moment of my life. The first 0.5 seconds of my first jump was beyond reality, basically (but real!). An explosion of sensation. The flight itself almost too much for the brain to comprehend. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve done.

And so I think that applies to other leaps in life. You’re going to wonder why. You’re going to feel anxious. But you’ll find your feet beneath you, you will take the appropriate actions. You have to believe that and trust yourself.

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Go check out my myspace or facebook page to hear the second track off the upcoming ‘Redwod Summer’…

Features the amazing Chuck Ragan, of Hot Water Music. He has an incredible voice and totally ripped it singing the chorus on this track.

myspace.com/lukejanela

facebook.com/lukejanela

While you’re at it, be my friend on myspace…

or fan me on facebook:

Luke Janela on Facebook

Thanks! You’re the best!

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To celebrate the final mix and master of Redwood Summer, I’m sending you this album version of track one: Strobe Light.

You heard it before, perhaps, but that was before the choir got added!

Enjoy!

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You hear: rock cello, acoustic guitar, 2 drum sets, many backup vocals, a choir.

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So this thing happens when I finish an album, it’s kind of weird. My excitement turns to a vague fear.

I mean, not like, deep-seeded fear or rational fear, just a general fear. I think it comes from: bracing for reaction (critics, friends, family, etc., will they love it? hate it?), letting go something that was yours, and what next?

Some musicians have the what’s next generally worked out, I don’t, yet. You promote, you tour. OK, got that.

Letting go something that was yours… that’s different, and I think is really at the heart of this vague fear. I was talking with my girlfriend last night who is a painter and has better words for these things, and she said that she experiences the same thing, and that what it is is that she really enjoys the process. Making the art is not really about the finished product, it’s about the process, and I always, always, always forget that.

And then, yeah, the basic fear of rejection. Of course I have that. I’m certain all musicians have that. But, I think you maybe develop a “confidence” like Kanye West because it doesn’t really matter whether people like it or not and besides, they will! Also, that confidence definitely makes people more intrigued to hear it. Plus, in my case, I am waaaayyy beyond the question of “would I make music if people didn’t like it?”…

Of course I will. I will always make music, I love the process.

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The first best thought when finishing an album (or two) is that revelation that a big project was indeed taken on and finished.

It takes a while. A lot of hours. I mean, you can do an album project in 2 weeks or 2 years. It could be the same music. It could be the same end product more or less. There is no end to the tinkering that can be done. The layering, the “perfecting”.

It’s like any big project. Starts as an idea, takes its mutations, many different hangups, lots of different things to learn, and then, finally, after that final push it becomes a reality. It’s important to remember the process.

When you record and mix your own stuff, it’s a bit different than handing it over to an engineer to finish off.

That’s where a good amount of critical feedback is good, from yourself mainly. I am stubborn, but that’s not why I don’t like to hear about the flaws until after I’m done. I do get feedback though, and lots of good ideas from friends. But as far as the “artistic” influence, I try to stay true to my instincts. On the other hand, sometimes your ears can’t hear it anymore. I’ve had a huge amount of feedback from my girlfriend and good friends and family on these albums. Volumes too loud or not loud enough, ideas on how to introduce a new part of the song, inspiration for the concept… sometimes I just needed someone to listen to it so I could watch their face during certain parts of songs.

Redwood Summer and Juneaurevoir came about as a concept. They both were about getting down to my more straight forward roots musically. Do what comes naturally, don’t over think it. Why haven’t I recorded an all cello instrumental album yet? I mean, it’s fun, it’s rewarding, and it can be enjoyed by a huge spectrum of people. And with the rootsy sound of Redwood Summer, it harkens back to my earliest albums: no self-censorship, no attempts at adhering to a certain sound per se, just songs straight up.

In retrospect Redwood Summer is very pop oriented, in the sense that most of the songs have a traditional verse chorus verse chorus bridge chorus format. I always thought that would sound formulaic, and it is formulaic, but you can’t tell, that’s not what I listen for anyways. All my favorite popular music has that going on, and, yes, it’s trite, it’s been done before, but it sounds good.

In retrospect Juneaurevoir could be more ‘perfect’. I have been nice and open to the different tones and sounds. I didn’t use much in terms of effects, but I had thought I would use no effects whatsoever, like a recording of chamber music. I don’t have written versions of the songs even. Someday I’ll do that. This is the first in what I hope is a long string of cello albums.

Anyways, after mixing for 80+ hours the past couple weeks after work, I am struck by how big every ‘little’ project is.

But getting it done feels amazing. It makes it all worth it. I’m just waiting for a call and then they get mastered, and then I don’t get (have) to work on them any more…!

You can pre-order them now. They’ll be at itunes in September, and CDs will be available 9/9/9.

Thanks for stopping by!

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If you don’t care about recording in the slightest, this post is not for you. However, if you have fretted over getting the right tone on stringed instruments to the point of nervous breakdown, here is my point of view if it helps…

I don’t believe I really got to the gist of what I was trying to get at the other day about mixing cello… I got into how I record. Which is cool, but diverted.

Point is: when mixing cello, one thing I always need to hear more and more of are the big bass tones, the ones I hear when playing, from my angle to the instrument. What happens in mixing the cello, at least for me, is you turn up everything in that 150-300 range so that you get that “big” sound.

If you are an engineer you are laughing at me, but honestly that took a long time to figure out. Basically, for this new album Juneaurevoir, I have realized that bringing down the whooompy range of 150-300 allows it to come out clean and clear on car stereos, cheap headphones etc… what everyone who hears your music will listen to it on.

I wouldn’t cut it down to low though to tell the truth, and I tend to keep that un-hearable range in 60hz or so up at zero, just in case it creates a nice resonance. May be wrong, but I do it.

Also, with the highs, I have always had such cheap mics that by default I roll off the top end of the spectrum. I don’t turn it up now, per se, but I am stoked to hear that sound of the resin flaking off the bow as it moves across. I like the airy bow sound, as mentioned before!

Anyways, by bringing down those whompy mid-tones a fair amount I’m able to “successfully” (in the ear of the beholder) layer 6, 8, 16 tracks of cello.

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OK so I’ve been talking about this for a while but now the album is getting mastered this Friday!

I’d really like to have any and all of your voices on the backup vocals for the chorus (just the chorus… easy!) of my song ‘True North’

The lyrics are simple and maybe cheesy, but whatevs. They are:

“Start a great fire
start a great fire
start a great fire

in your hearth

turn a blind eye
turn a blind eye
turn a blind eye

to the lie”

The way I envision you being able to do this is to simply open up any audio recording program on your computer (garageband on mac, audacity on PC), put headphones on in another program (say, itunes) press play on “true north”, press record on your audio program and sing along during the chorus into the computer’s mic. Yup, that mic is fine. It’s ok if it sounds treble-y, it will create a roomy ambience, it is the easiest option, and I will fit it in the mix however it goes. I don’t care if you sing it amazingly or not. I want the sound of many voices. If you have a better mic that is fine too.

Then you press stop on the audio program. Save the file as pretty much any audio format, and email it to me. No, I won’t hear the rest of the song because you had your headphones on, but don’t clip it down to just the chorus or anything like that so that it is easier to line up with the recording.

If you have time that is more than great. If you don’t, I understand. But please just take 5 minutes to do it if you want/can! You will be immortalized forever and most likely a radio signal will send your voice into space. Most likely. You will get credit on the album. You will be irrevocably awesome.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me know if you think you will. I need it by thurs at the absolute latest (Sorry for the late notice… )

The mp3 is noted here. If it doesn’t show up in this facebook post, go to http://midnightdoor.com/word/?p=467

Thanks Guys!

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Spent the weekend sorting out dramas in my world and also putting the final touches on the new Cello album JUNEAUREVOIR.

Mixing cello can be pretty rough. It’s so full of bass, obviously, but the more you pull back on that bass, the more tinny the high ends seem.

Also, it’s one of those instruments you just want to cover with the frosting of reverb. But I’ve found that it is very very easy to go overboard on cello reverb. It has its own resonance which gets lost the more stacks of reverb you throw down.

As far as dramas of my life go? Well, let’s just say that plans, even when huge and pivotal, the big boulders of plans, can slip out of place and wreak havoc. More to come on that later.

If your are interested in how I record the cello (ie you are a recording nerd like me), read on!

I’m sure some people have figured this out, and that nicer microphones can make it sound great. I have figured my own “method” out on this last album. It is simple, not profound, and is as follows:

I take my nicer mic, an Audio Technica that is powered, a fairly small condenser mic, it looks sort of like this. It’s not that one. Anyways, it has a full bodied sound and also picks up the “icy” part of the cello, those highs where the bow moves across the string. I put that in front, facing the bridge, about six inches from it, straight on, or as much as possible.

I don’t believe in mic’ing the f-hole. Too many fluctuations in tone and none of that bow sound action. I happen to like the bow sounds, even on “perfect” classical recordings. Or, I should say, especially on “perfect” classical recordings. My favorite recording of the Bach Suites is Pablo Casals’ very early recordings of them. One take, wax cylinder, lots of imperfections, no retakes, lots of real natural beauty. Perfect and authentic sounding to me. You can really hear the bow moving across the string. I like it.

And then, and this is odd, but it works, I decided that it is ok to record with a pickup if the pickup picks up some tones that a mic just can’t. So I used my Shadow Nanoflex Cello Pickup and recorded the two, mic and pickup, together. The blend of the tones allows for a more full tone. I tend to roll off the low end on the Audio Technica, and also to roll off the high end of the pickup. Low end of the mic is full of hum, high end of the pickup is full of hiss. But they compliment each other nicely.

So what you end up with is like, if you had your ear right up against the cello PLUS you have a prime spot seated in front of the cello. I like the blend of the two.

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So I have gone ahead and done my 1500th revision of my website. Someday I will leave it be. Someday. It seems like since the beginning I have needed to “improve” the site, make it easier to frequently update. Like this. And this.

But now I’ve found it maybe!

I want it to be such that new visitors will be able to quickly hear the music and get the feel for what I do. And I want it to be such that returning visitors like yourself get to this page, and that perhaps I’m a little bit more free with my commentary and posts on the blog. Bookmark this page!

Let me know what you think of the new design… MidnightDoor.com/LukeJanela

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First and foremost, the show on the 10th with Chuck Ragan was incredible. Thank you to all my friends and family who made it out, some of whom drove 3 hours one way to be there! I know they came for Chuck and not me, but that’s cool. Just kidding… thank you!!!

Seriously that show was a big highlight for me personally and musically and it re-invigorated my sense of… possibility.

Along those lines, a few changes are coming to this site:

Two New Albums
Redwood Summer and Juneaurevoir are coming. Really. I swear. September.

Re-design
Working on a redesign, to be launched very soon. Ideally it will make everyone’s lives just that much better. And it will be cool. Still will be a blog.

Blog Re-tuning
Part of the redesign for me is that I kind of resent that I can’t let it all flow, I constantly censor some of my content in the sense that currently the blog is the first thing many people who don’t yet know my music see. I’d like for the music to be there in their faces first.
Also, I’m into this idea of useful content. You’ll see what I mean when I get it up here 😉
I am insanely inspired to do more with videos, bootlegs, demos and general media. More on the blog.

Touring Australia & New Zealand
September. More details to come. But it’s set.

Yes. So. Stay tuned. I apologize for a lack of content flow, my lives (I meant that) have been very very busy. But I’ll make it up to ya’.

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Chuck Ragan's new album

I’m super excited to report that I’m gonna get to play a show with someone I’ve admired musically for a long time!

Chuck Ragan is a member of the hugely influential band Hot Water Music. He has released two solo albums recently, which are excellent. A couple months ago we recorded; I played cello on a few tracks on his upcoming album, he sang on a track on my upcoming album.

The show is this Friday, July 10, 2009 at 9pm at the Blue Lamp in Sacramento, CA. Tickets are $12 at the door.

Click here for more details!

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Download this action while you can!

Part of me knows I shouldn’t be too impulsive and leak out my own stuff, but my feeling is that, hey, if you are here at the site, you deserve to have it.

So here is your summer jam. I’m just so excited about this track. It’s a new kind of anthem for me to write, and it’s not even finished. Picture some sort of church choir in the middle instrumental. It’s on the upcoming “Redwood Summer” album. Lots of deep rock cello and crazy layered vocals.

Download it now, I’m gonna take it down as soon as I regain rational thought… enjoy!

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So here is one of the tracks I was workin’ on this weekend.

This one doesn’t pull any punches lyrically, and I find I’m enjoying adding strange little sounds to the percussion.

Sorry it’s just a sample, it’s just that some weird sites out there are dumping my tunes all over the interwebs, which is not a bad thing. On principle though, I’m not ready for the world to hear the finished versions of songs off the upcoming Redwood Summer. But here, indeed, and without further ado, without many more words, without mincing, and as promised, is a sample of what I’ve been up to…

Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!

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“Redwood Summer” was as close to being done as an album could be and then I gave it a good listening recently… I had not heard it for a few weeks, which is rare, since, when working on an album I tend to listen to it again and again and again. So I had fresh ears.

I decided it needed just a bit less on the mellow and a bit more on the uppity and so I spent all weekend recording new tracks. I was hesitant to even begin working on this again, as recording is such a different state of mind than finishing…

But I’m really happy with the progress. I’ll post a clip of yesterday’s rough work, and keep you up to date on the progress.

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Just got back from the most epic and amazing trip I’ve ever taken. The Azores are incredible, and my month spent there was truly inspiring and beyond words and pictures. 

I had the great privilege of seeing some traditional Azorian music, and am happy to say I think I’ve found some influential roots… more to come on that front. 

For now, some pictures:


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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Well, this is it, I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and tomorrow morning I begin my epic trip to the Azores.

I will be gone a whole month, and I doubt I’ll be updating the site a whole lot during that time… sorry!

But upon my return there is lots of new music to listen to.

Thanks for stopping in, I’m hoping the island of Sao Jorge will provide plenty of inspiration.

See you at the beginning of June!

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I played at St. Joseph’s in Grass Valley this past weekend and it was seriously one of the most fun shows I’ve played in a while.

I always love playing there, even just being in that room, but this was super cool and fun and good. Got to play with Molly Allis of Huff This! on a couple of songs, and later in the evening she returned the favor and played with me.

And it was all about the crowd: they/you ruled. As soon as Molly started pounding out awesome drum action, everybody was on their feet and dancing and we ripped through new material off the upcoming album “Redwood Summer”… people danced to ‘The Unattended Ball’, ‘True North’ and then it all got crazy and everyone got loose for ‘Fever Saved Me‘. I mean, I’m telling you it was great.

Thank You!!! to all who made it, I had a ton of fun.

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So I don’t know about you but spring 2009 has been crazy!

So much going on and I will indeed spare you the details, despite the fact that this is a blog.

What I want to tell you:

2 big shows this week
April 18 & St. Joseph’s Hall, a 20 minute set of my new stuff, a benefit for a libraries in Africa, Moore Brothers, Molly from Huff This!, food, dancing, a great event.

Facebook Event Page for Books Across The Water

PS – Why not become my fan on facebook if you’re reading this? Click here.

Then, on the 24th, the eagerly awaited record release for Aaron Ross & The Heirs Of Mystery, of which I’m an heir. Also at St. Joseph’s. Facebook event page here.

Albums: yes they are not done. They will be done for my friends by mid April like I had hoped, but for the public, I am simply going to have to let it ride until I get back from the Azore Islands, where I’ll be for the month of May.

Which means I may not be posting much in May!

Just thought I’d let you know… thanks for stopping by!

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Pressing away at the new album. I’ve been finishing up Aaron’s album and busy all around, but a lot of cool stuff is being added to Redwood Summer and this track will be on it. It will evolve, that I guarantee, I’ve got a couple more people I want to track for this! But here you go, oh wonderful faithful blog readers, True North. Enjoy!

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True North is going to be on the album “Redwood Summer”, my return to my roots album… no beats or synths, more roots. More Summer. Check out the other track off the album: Fever Saved Me

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Aaron Ross & The Heirs Of Mystery

I’ve been working with Aaron Ross & Cody Feiler for the past 9 months, first recording an album, then playing lots of shows from Portland to the Bay Area.

Last night Dana from Station To Station put the final touches mastering the album we began recording last labor day weekend.

I’m happy to say it sounds great, and we’re looking forward to getting it out into the world. We’ll have some copies available at our CD Release/Benefit for St. Joe’s on April 24th.

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Spring is opening up around here and this strange hanging winter will be passed. That’s good! It’s been productive though, I will admit.

I’ve been mixing the tracks on “Redwood Summer” that have drums. Make the kick drum big, make the cellos up front. Make the guitars ring out. Make the voice sound alright.

I like the initial results I’ve been getting from some very rudimentary but helpful tips (rolling off the low end of instruments that don’t carry low end, for example). It’s never been my forte, mixing. Unfortunately it is possibly the most important part of the process. Good albums just FEEL right. That’s mixing. And mastering. I hope I can afford to master these!

The good news is is that the instrument set I’m using for all these is similar. So, in most cases, once I find a cello “sound” that feels right, I can apply it to all these albums.

Also I’m shying away from effects. Maybe here and there, I’ve always loved some weird aspect in the sound, but, I’m finally beginning to appreciate the sound of the room it was recorded in, as opposed to “gothic cathedral” reverb setting.

I’ll post a remix here soon, so that you can hear what is happening…

Thanks for stopping by!

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Note to iTunes podcast subscribers… try magic spell Apple + R to show you where the file is… move it to your desktop, and then drag it into iTunes… Thanks!

I happened to make it out of one of the cello songs I’m working on today (need some good wake up music)… I don’t know how other phones work, but it works on my iphone…

For those of you not subscribed to the podcast (click here for that), click the text version “download” below, the icon doesn’t work.

Enjoy!

Also, I’m just testing this out, may make it a feature. Buy this ringtone and support what you get out of this site and podcast. I can only tell you that this ringtone works for iPhones, not for other phones. Feel free to skip down to the free version. I’m planning on putting tracks up for free for a week, and then charging for them (bandwidth you know)… what do you think?

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Sometimes I listen back to early drafts of the songs I’ve worked on and since revised. I often post them here, because they say a lot about the process.

I realize today as I am listening to some of those that despite our progression as people towards more and more “well-rounded” and oh so effective professionals, we often get it right the first time. The tendency to rub things down and polish them until blemish free is so tempting, so addictive. And oh so boring.

(more…)

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Signals

The albums are coming along. I had the pleasure of recording some drums with Molly from Huff This!. She adds such a rock sound to the tracks. It’s perfect for the feel of the album.

So here is a more rounded out version of the song I posted a few weeks ago. This is the sample of the more rock, acoustic guitars and cello based album I’m calling ‘Redwood Summer’. Enjoy!

Remember the earlier version of this song?

Here is my sample from the electro-cello album tentatively called ‘Half Moon’. It’s the stuff I’ve been playing live lately.

Here is a sample of my all cello instrumental album, as yet un-named.

Here is where the electronic-instrumental album will be coming from.

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Fever Saved Me... Let It Save You
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Alela Diane - To Be Still 

I’m heading up to Portland this weekend to play a show with Aaron Ross as a member of the Heirs Of Mystery. 

We’re opening for Alela Diane at Holocene on Sunday, February 15.

I’m looking forward to a return to Portland, hoping to see some friends there. Not looking forward to the drive, as the weather is looking questionable, and it will be 12 hours. Sometimes a long drive is what you need though.

Yes, so I would love to see some friends there, at the show, which will be great, or at the Paradox for breakfast the next morning…

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The Heirs Of Mystery, our band with Aaron Ross, will be heading down the mountain to play in Davis tonight. 

This coming Sunday we are trekking up to Portland to play at Alela Diane’s CD Release, at Holocene.

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And why should I?

It’s pretty much an inner circle clique gathering once a year to pat themselves on the back. The radio stations are owned by the same people putting out the albums, so where is the competition. We all know there is no innovation there.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Coldplay and a couple of other past Grammy nominees, and they are the nicest, coolest, warmest people you’ll ever meet. It’s nothing personal against the inner circle. But I’m just so sick of it.

What I’m sick of is, in a nutshell: you won’t watch the grammies and discover any music you haven’t already heard force fed to you millions of times before. The industry is collapsing under its own weight, and they go on toasting the same tired formulas.

Now that I write this though, I am not afraid to admit that I am terribly out of the loop. I’m also too old for the grammies, and have no expendable income to spend on money anymore. So I guess it’s not up to me! Which is fine.

My point is: let’s have a yearly awards ceremony that actually salutes the innovative music that has come about this year. Let’s take the airwaves back. Let’s push the real music that we care about out beyond the shadows of indie-land. The music industry is seriously in need of a breath of fresh air (which I think we will be seeing in the next couple of years… I can kind of sense it…).

That’s all. Not that it matters what I think. I wish I cared. I love music… I should care about the Grammies… right?

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Luke Janela - Live @ Sac State 

I’m probably not going to code a photo gallery in here anytime soon, especially when I have Flickr!

I’ve finally put together a small and ever growing gallery of music related pics here.

Post your photos from my shows here.

Thanks!

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Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Just wanted to thank everyone who came by my show earlier today (the earliest show I’ve played in years by the way). It was great fun to play in that room with its sound, and I really appreciated people taking a moment out of their days to listen. I also enjoyed talking with many of you after the show. Thanks for the kind words and for checking in…

Keep checking back or sign up for the RSS feed to be notified of what’s new.

Be my friend on MySpace, check out my Facebook Page, and find my music on iTunes.

See you soon…

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So I have been hell of out of the loop, removed from reality in so many ways, both living out in the woods and absolutely inundated with work. I’ve been thinking of the big posting I would put here, announcing the fantastic things going on, but just haven’t had the seconds.

The house I was staying in was outside Nevada City in Northern California, totally beautiful views of stars and wooded hillsides… it was a perfect place to get to work on the album that I’ve been wanting to do for a long long time. I call it my “old Luke” album. It’s basically like, no electronics, no avant attempts. Just simple songs, like the ones I used to rock over the hills and dales of Ukiah and Santa Cruz. And the open mics of Portland.

No concept per se, but I intend to have at most on each track the same instrumentation: cello, acoustic guitar, and vocals. I have an inkling to put drums on a couple of tracks, like the one I’m posting here, but if I do, they will be straightforward rock drums, etc.

It for me is a return to my roots: a certain Northern California sound. Not hippie, not punk, not folk, not really in between. Just who we were and are in that wooded corner of the world.

The album is tentatively titled “Redwood Summer” and is set for release April 14, 2009.

This track is called ‘Fever Saved Me’

Thanks for stopping by!

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Alela’s beautiful new album ‘To Be Still’ is due to be released February 17, 2009. I’m planning on playing with Aaron Ross at her cd release party in Portland, Feb 15th…

She’s been getting a lot of well deserved attention lately. Here’s a pitchfork post of her new video… I play a little cello on this track…

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Hello, are you looking for the moon?

December and November were such a crazy wash for me I was feeling burnt out. Right now we’re house sitting a really beautiful house outside Nevada City and I feel life returning to something better than it was.

I’ve strangely writ a good part of 4 new songs since being here three days ago, and feel like I might have more. Starting to flesh out the lyrics etc.

Other music life has been busy too… recently:

Traveled to record with Huff This! at a former 60’s rock star’s LA estate. Obviously fun to the max.

Added bass tracks to Aaron Ross’ new record and therefore we are sending it off to be mixed and mastered.

Scheduled a few gigs, with Aaron and solo action… I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks for stopping by, I’ll put a new track up here pretty soon…