Just over the Williamsburg bridge, about a 1/2 hour commute from where I’m staying in Tribeca is a multi-studio music building that Grammercy Arms rehearse in (it’s Dave’s friend, Dambuiders drummer Kevin’s place). 9.30 AM is no time to be doing anything music related but MS and I are already there at this time, on the first day, trying to figure out where to put all of our stuff – the room was already pretty full! After much cursing we figure a plan and we would have been banging away had Fred Maher’s blackberry not lost his directions email… so we started at 11. The room has a pretty controlled sound and we don’t need to be particularly loud, just loud enough to play with the drums (tread this Will’s band!).
All we’ve done, really for the first two days is learn songs and figure out what sort of thing the drums and bass will do. We’re through 7 of the 12 at this point. No worries with any and particularly pleased with Why In The World and Inverse Midas Touch, both of which have accepted beats I wouldn’t have expected – Why in the world more r’n’b almost Policey, and IMT like a funky T.Rexish take on the simple 12 bar that it is.
I’m still shivering and sneezing but early mornings and late nights are the worst. Playing and singing not a problem yet. Bought almonds and manuca honey. Touch wood.
And, yes, Williamsburg is just like the old Manhattan we used to live in. The only difference is I’m an old guy these days and the clientele in the bars look at us like we’re devaluing their neighbourhood. Which we are, I guess.