Behind the Music | The Making of Break to the Grey
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“When I woke up this mornin’ all I had was gone”.
Muddy Waters, I Feel Like Goin Home. Circa 1949
In the summer of 2019 I was feeling better than I had felt in years. By July, I had just completed a week-long music production seminar in St Remy, France with Rock production legend Eddie Kramer, had recorded basic tracks for the album. It was a magical time and I felt like anything was possible. To me, I had reached some sort of precipice that was not only going to introduce my music to the world in a big way but seemed to be a pivotal moment in the story of my 20 year journey to perfect and realize what would become “Long Drop From the Top”.
After I returned to the states, Eddie, impressed by what he had heard in France, agreed to come to Seattle to help complete the final tracks and performances for the record. “You asked me if I would be privy to helping you complete these tracks young squire?”, Eddie said quizzically. “Of course, I said, that would be amazing!” But where would you stay? He paused for a minute and said, well would you mind an old geezer like me staying with you? Of course I agreed, enthusiastically.
Eddie Kramer, originally from South Africa, cut his teeth and forged his career as a sound engineer in the the early days of British Rock ‘n’ roll bands, such as The Kinks and The Small Faces. Eddie went onto engineer all four records for Jimi Hendrix, five studio albums for Led Zeppelin, recorded Peter Frampton Comes Alive and even worked on several albums for Kiss. Kramer also recorded the rhythm tracks for “All you need is Love” by The Beatles and even went on to record the live performance of Woodstock in 1969.
For me, this was an incredible opportunity to not only have somebody of his pedigree help to guide my final product but also I viewed it as a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend time with someone who worked with so many of my musical heroes.
It was an old-school approach. I had a professional studio in my house, in Bellevue, WA, that we could craft ideas and shape existing ones. We spent time divided between my home studio and Robert Lang Studios in Shoreline, Washington, a local studio built out of a house on the side of a mountain famous for the last recordings of Nirvana, the first Foo Fighters record and the maniacal ghost that haunts the grounds.
For two weeks, we crafted the final arrangements of the album as well as recording, electric guitars, piano, vocals and B3 organ. I remember fondly, The great talks and late night cognac infused stories of the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll and the amazing artists he had the opportunity to work with. Everyday, with the hour drive to Robert Lang, Eddie would take the time to tell me great stories, from his illustrious career; some funny, some tragic. It was like I was getting a rare glimpse into “how it really was and how it really worked” during those amazing years when Rock & Roll ruled and moved the world.
The recording process was no cakewalk. Eddie was demanding and uncompromising. Ornery and impatient at times, whimsical and supportive at other times. In my experience, being a great producer is not just about the sounds you create but it’s also about how you get them out of an artist. I came to understand the process to a much greater degree working with him, then I would’ve discovered on my own, and for that I am eternally grateful for the experience.
I think that most people would agree that working with people who are more experienced than you does more to demystify the process, regardless of what station you’re in or what career path you’re on. I consider that notion one of the pillars of advancement. Without great mentors, one cannot grow at a pace that is needed to stay ahead of the fray. Time is a finite element, one we all battle against every day.
In October of 2019, the Audio Engineers Society, (AES), was gearing up for its annual convention at the Javits Center in New York City. Eddie, along with many other engineers was asked to be one of the presenters for “Mix With the Masters”, the company that hosts the production seminars that I was part of during that summer. Eddie asked me if I would be interested in presenting a song that we had worked on from the record. Of course, I considered this a great honor and enthusiastically looked forward to the convention. It was also his best friend John Storyk’s 50th anniversary since him and Eddie designed Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village in 1970. Actually, Electric Lady was designed for Jimi Hendrix as a home base where he could focus more on recording than touring, by that point of his career. It is still an in demand recording studio to this day.
A friend of mine lent us her Condo in Jersey City and along with Eddie’s wife AJ, we used that as our domicile for the next three days of the convention. That was a very memorable time and it was the last time the world seemed normal to me. Looking back, i’m glad I got to see New York then.
2020
“And it appears to be a long time, such a long, long, long, long time before the dawn”.
Crosby stills and Nash, Circa 1970
It’s hard to say to say what hurts more? The loss of momentum? The loss of so many friends? The loss of trust in life? Maybe it’s the derailment? But loss for certain, it was and to an extent still is-and I suspect will linger for many years for myself and probably as well as for you too, yes? Everyone has their own personal story about the Covid pandemic and the fallout of that era. For such a complex and delicate subject takes a delicate touch. So I will do my best to examine, recollect and share my story in the best way I can.
On New Years of 2020 I felt an unparalleled sense of optimism. Coming off of such a great year that was so formable I felt so certain about the road ahead, how I would drive it and to a even greater extent, had fashioned such grandiose plans for 2020 and beyond, its hard to believe what was lying just ahead in the shadows.
Living in Seattle Washington, I was not only at the center of the epicenter of the US outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Personally, I felt like a formula-one race car that was going 200 miles an hour in one direction and forced to slam on the brakes with all of my might being left inches from the wall. It was a sobering and frustrating feeling. But like everyone else I thought I could stomach it for at least two weeks.
The thing is: The worst part about two weeks to flatten the curve was the three years that it took to unflatten. And in that time I still had a record to complete, a temporarily closed business, and a 10-year-old son (Jack) who was stuck at home taking his classes online. So, after 10 years in the pacific northwest, I decided to move on to greener pastures.
2021
“Well I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time…and I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home.”
Blind Faith, Can’t find my way home. Circa 1969
The trek across America was daunting one. Me, my future wife Juliet and our puggle Pooka made the necessary preparations for the journey and loaded my Audi coupe to the hilt for the trip. Of course I did my best to not only plan the trip but to make sure the studio would get there safe & sound in 3 rented pods that would hopefully secure safe trans-national passage. Florida, while not my first choice and a temporary one at best, promised to at least give my young son Jack the opportunity to continue to go to school in person. Aside from the interruptions with the album, a big part of the move was for Jack. I just couldn’t bare the fact that he was suffering; away from interacting with other kids and getting a proper schooling experience along with the development that I honestly took for granted as a kid when I was his age.
I remember well leaving Seattle with a bittersweet feeling in my gut; excited in anticipation for me, Juliet, Jack and Pooka to start our new life together in a strange and totally different place. However, I felt at the same time that somehow I was being a coward and running from my problems and making excuses for renewal or a fresh start. It seemed that Seattle crescendoed so flatly that it didn’t make sense on a human level to stay and certainly not on a creative level as well.
The trip across the US was actually perfect! One of the best experiences of my life actually! Our trip took us through, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee and Georgia. Amazingly the weather was perfect coast to coast in November! It was like one continuous movie where everything stayed the same except for scenery. We arrived safely in Florida on November 11th, 2021.
The immediate challenge was to find a place to house the studio equipment and to an even greater degree, find a suitable room where the shape and size could accommodate the right acoustics and well as not drive the neighbors crazy. As fortune would have it we got lucky! We found a large apartment with 9 foot ceilings on the corner of the building. I set the studio up and got to work.
Tampa is known for a few things but honestly noting prepared me for the lightning and I’m not talking about the hockey club. To say it was difficult to record and mix an album in the summer of 2022 is an understatement at best. It became a routine on a daily basis, to shut the entire studio off in order to avoid potential power surges. It was otherworldly! Every day around 3 PM a violent storm would suddenly show up out of the clear blue sky. It was as though the heavens had staged a challenge to me. But unfortunately for them- the gods of thunder didn’t know Mike Simon very did they? You see, there is absolutely no-quit in me. No fear. When it comes to something that I believe deeply in, I will fight for it - all the way to the end. And frankly with everything that we had been through, up to that point, there was no turning back and I was absolutely committed.
Mixing My Way 2022 - 2023
There’s an old saying: “ if you want it done right then do it yourself.” Ever since I was a little boy I’ve been captivated by the sound of records. My earliest memory was Led Zeppelin II. Honestly it became a full circle moment to work with Eddie but aside from that, I just was never going to be happy with the album if I didn’t mix it myself because I could never transplant my thoughts into another engineer’s mind. And certainly nobody was going to care about it as much as I was going to.
As an independent artist you have to carry a lot more water than is required of signed artists. But with that independence comes freedom and these days, that’s a huge advantage for many reasons. For one, aside from owning your sound, you on your rights. And with the advent of technology comes communication and connection. That’s the essence of SIFI Radio. Music is a product and the way that product is marketed should be just as innovative as the art itself. It’s like Eddie always told me when he recorded Jimi Hendrix “ The rule is there is no rules.” I consider that sage advice and try to live by that tenant, within reason.
Being tasked with finishing the album by myself, I had the tremendous challenge of bringing tracks together that were recorded in several places with several different musicians. My dear friend Matt Walker played drums on the entirety of the album. His attention to detail and pedigree speaks for itself. Having completed tenure with acts such as Filter, The Smashing Pumpkins and Morrissey, he is most certainly one of the greatest and most deserving drummers in the world. Without his input, dedication and honest craftsmanship this album would not be what it is and I am forever thankful to him for his contributions. Other major players whose contributions are innumerable include, Alan Berliant on Bass, Andrew Joslyn as the arranger and violinist. Andrew is best known for his work with Macklemore, Kesha and many others. A special thank you to pat Sansone of Wilco on the guitar, organ and Bass-particularly on For the Few & Far Between. Jim Dinou filled out the spacey keyboards on In the Middle and Shadow and Keely Whitney on backgrounds throughout the tracks.
Brands and Equipment Used in the Making of this Album