klickitat band camp

After waiting for months, the new producer racks finally arrived, and I spent a grueling 35 hours rewiring all of the outboard gear. They're beautiful, low profile birch, and they really open up the control room. The room feels twice as big now that the 6 foot machine racks are gone. Along with the new clouds, diffusers, wedges, gobos and bass traps, the control room is sonically tuned and dialed in. New custom Mogami snakes are also being built, and Tim Hochstedler of Synapse Systems will soon rewire everything clean and tight. Brad Brooks just finished a five day recording trip from San Francisco along with Todd Roper and Paul Hoaglin. We also finished the first album for Keep Your Fork, There's Pie, and you can hear Paris, TX. Paper Brain just finished several tunes for its second record, and here is Up and Down [mp3]. Pockeknife also finished an EP, and you can check out Cotton Candy [mp3]. And here is a new one by The Red Octopuses called Save Yourself [mp3]. Yellow Bells, another tune by The Red Octopuses, is featured as the program music for Nike's "Help for Haiti" campaign, and you can peek at that here.

Posted by shay scott on March 2, 2010 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The past two days have brought a wee bit of it, and I miss the sun sooooooo much. I can feel that more of it is just around the corner. In KBC Records news, the '74 Fender Musicmaster bass is getting a rebuild. Thank you Mr. Bill Limbocker for that. What a cool 3/4 scale bass. And I keep saying this, but the Control Room is just about done. I went to see the producer racks being built at the carpenter, and they are really cool. They're being stained right now, and the install is just around the corner. The new bass traps were just installed, and the mix balance is now totally dialed in and balanced. If you can't mix your record properly here, you suck! Okay, new tunes. Here is a mix of Good Love Grows - Part 1 [mp3] by The Red Octopuses. You can also listen to Arms Length [mp3] by Paper Brain, and check out Understory [mp3] by the ever-entertaining Keep Your Fork, There's Pie. Lately I've been ridiculously into Prokofiev's ballet, Cinderella, Op. 87, so much so that I've been listening to it non-stop and bought the orchestral score and piano transcription so I can read along. What an amazing piece, finished in 1944. Check it out if you can.

Posted by shay scott on January 27, 2010 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Happy New Year and all that! I've had to scribble out the '09 I've written by mistake on several checks I tried to write, but I'll get used to it. There has been a bit of a delay, but the carpenter is just about finished with all the new producer racks for the control room. Just as soon everything is installed, I'll post a slew of new studio pics, because the ones that are up just don't capture the vibe with all the new clouds and soundproofing. I'm making a resolution, too, to update this main page more often with more mixes and tid bits. So check back more often. Here are a couple of new mixes. Mister Fisk just put its record out, and this is one of my favorites, Weathered Dream [mp3]. And studio wiz Tanner Cundy just finished mixing and mastering his own EP of extremely tight and groovy songs that make you feel good! You can take a listen to Radio [mp3]. More soon! Oh yeah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my awesome sister Stacy Goodman who turns 50 tomorrow! She's a marathon runner, a lawyer, super ass funny and smart as a whip, an amazing cook with an even more amazing family, and I love her very much! Woo hoo!

Posted by shay scott on January 10, 2010 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to everyone for such a great year! Band Camp really upped its game this year with the Neve console install last year, so many cool new gear purchases, and the addition of more great house engineers to round us out. The place has been a bunnyhop. I'm thrilled that so many great records are being made here. Over the New Year, the custom producer racks should be finished, and then the custom wiring and "new look" for the control room will be in full swing. I'm dying to post new pics of the control room, but she's not finished yet! Here are some new unmastered mixes for you to hear. Check out unfinished Hot Girls [mp3] by the Devil Dollmen. Also take a listen to Don't Hold Your Breath [mp3] by New Century Schoolbook, and Paris TX [mp3] by Keep Your Fork There's Pie. As usual, the studio is booking farther and farther out in advance, now with sessions into May 2010. We've got open spots for sure, but if you're thinking about booking, do it sooner than later. I hope to have some killer new mixes by The Red Octopuses up by New Years or shortly after. Keep checking back! Now go kiss someone under the mistletoe!

Posted by shay scott on December 22, 2009 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Silliman Dodge gave a nod to the studio in Margie Boule's Sunday column in The Oregonian. You can read it here. He's been bringing in top notch players, including principal chairs of The Oregon Symphony, and guitarist Eddie Martinez - yes, that Eddie Martinez (Meat Loaf, Robert Palmer, Blondie, Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood, Lou Reed, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Yoko Ono, Mick Jagger - get it?!). Thanks, John! The new Barefoot mm 27 monitors have so much low end information it's unbelievable. L.A. producer Beau Raymond has left (permanent loan, Beau?!) his Antelope external clock. The stereo imaging when recording digital to this external clock is very noticeable. Who woulda thunk? The studio has a new early '70s Fender Musicmaster bass. It's 3/4 scale and really cool. The Baldwin Electric Harpsichord is back from service and plunks as it should. And the calendar is now fairly busy even into March 2010. Oh yeah, for the first time ever in my life, I dropped a Neumann condensor mic from 6 feet. It bounced, broke, and I'll never do that again. Congrats to Fisk and The Winebirds. Their records are finally mastered and will be out soon. I about forgot, the house is featured in the December 2009 issue of Old House Interiors magazine, now out nationally in book and grocery stores. Check it out!

Posted by shay scott on December 1, 2009 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay all you lyricists out there, I need to know the answer to an all-important question. Is it ever appropriate to use the phrase "sweet mama" in a song? -- I mean today, almost 2010, not in 1978. I have a song where "sweet mama" would indeed just be perfect - it's a hippy dippy sing-along, sort of The Partridge Family meets The Five Man Electrical Band tune. Oh yeah, "sweet mama" in passing would be the campy perfect lyric to pull the chorus together, maybe in counterpoint through some lo fi mic. But I need the approval from a peer, any peer -- that's you! I need the go ahead before I can track "sweet mama!" Boston used "pretty mama" and "sweet delight" in the same verse, and Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers got away with it. So how about it? I've asked two gurus, Paul Hoaglin and Brad Brooks, but neither one has answered. So I'm asking you - and I know you're reading 'cause I see the stats - Can I use "sweet mama" in some campy ass lyrical way, or should I avoid it like the plague? I'll post the best answer, and a snippet of the chorus once it's tracked. Thanks! I really need to know! Please send your answers to ShayScott7@comcast.net

Posted by shay scott on November 10, 2009 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Jayhawk's vocalist, Mark Olson, has spent the last three weeks tracking his solo record. He's pulled out all the stops, flying his producer and manager in from So Cal, and session players from around the world - guitarist from L.A., vocalist from Finland, and string player and arranger from Italy. I even busted out some Hammond, Farfisa, and piano and tracked to some songs. Goodie for me! It's been quite the marathon. The AKG c12 also cleared U.S. customs, and Scott Hampton tweaked it with a new regulated power supply and pattern box. The mic is truly amazing - sounding smooth as the froth off a strawberry milkshake. Today we received the famous Barefoot mm27 studio monitors - speakers audiophiles drool over and weigh 80 pounds each. And they sound spectacular. They will replace the other four sets of nearfield studio monitors above the Neve. Now that new clouds, diffusers, and track lights are installed, with the addition of the new Barefoots, the Control Room is definitely a sight and sound to behold. You can literally get lost and pounded in front of the console. The Hugs! record is now out, and they're promoting it in London. Next week brings more Paper Brain and Fisk. The Red Octopuses also has a slew of new songs in progress. Come get your Band Camp on!

Posted by shay scott on October 22, 2009 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After two years of searching (and multiple rejects), mic guru, Klaus Heyne, finally approved of an early '50s AKG c12 mic system for sale in Liverpool as "historically accurate." So we bought it. The mic is clearing U.S. Customs and will be here next week. Big woo hoo! The c12 will round out having the trifecta of the world's most sought after, holy grail, vintage large-diaphram microphones ever manufactured - the Neumann u47, Telefunken 251 Elam, and now the AKG c12. I hate braggarts, but yeah, okay, I'm bragging for once. The control room is continuing to improve with new tuning, most recently with the installation of clouds. There are so many new mixes to post, but so little time. Here are two new songs by The Red Octopuses: Now I See How You Are [mp3], and an unfinished version of Lowlife [mp3]. Next week begins a three-week session with The Jayhawk's lead singer, Mark Olson, and his producer from L.A., Beau Raymond. I keep hearing amazing stories about these two. More soon!

Posted by shay scott on September 26, 2009 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuning the control room has turned into a bit bigger project than I imagined, but in a good way. The bass wedges and diffusers have definitely tamed the low standing waves, but Justin and Jeremy recently shot the room with pink noise and analyzed what frequencies still need a whipping. And they're going to get it. We're also getting all new low profile producer racks, which will open things up. So many cool new projects have been here, including Jake Portrait, Foreign Orange, Curious Material, Beaten By Them, and Pedro Buford. We just finished records for The Winebirds and The Hugs, and we're about done mixing EPs for Mitch Gonzales and Fisk. John Stillmon Dodge brought along the principal chairs for The Oregon Symphony and tracked a string quartet arrangement of Jupiter from Gustav Holst's The Planets, arranged by KBPS's Robert McBride. Hockey is now on the radio and supporting a JC Penny advert. Good job! And the studio is booked solid into November. Literally, another band, and the calendar would explode into wee bits of pink noise. Oh yeah, The Hugs are in this issue of Interview magazine. Sweet.

Posted by shay scott on September 8, 2009 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're in the middle of several cool projects - custom wiring the equipment racks, and tuning the control room with corner wedges, clouds, and diffusers to tame the swirly bass waves. We're only partially done, and it already sounds great. Yesterday we finished a new record for The Winebirds, putting the final touches on their mixes. I'll post a few of those soon. This past month we also recorded several songs for Keep Your Fork, There's Pie. You can hear Tap Water [mp3] and Rocks in My Pocket [mp3]. The Hugs second record is now mixed and off for mastering, with singles about to be released abroad. Take a listen to Dreams [mp3], Never Gonna Live [mp3], and She Was High [mp3]. The whole record is solid, upbeat, and exciting. The Mellotron is getting a tune up, and the 1965 Baldwin 2-12 solid state amp is finally out of the shop. It chimes like a bell with the quirkiest reverb. Willie Nelson used it on his acoustic back in the day. I got it for the Baldwin electric harpsichord, but it sounds great on just about everything.

Posted by shay scott on August 23, 2009 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This month has been non-stop as usual. We just finished two more songs for Mitchell Sumner, who writes everything with Garageband, his old acoustic guitar, and a Casio SK1 sampling keyboard from 1986. Although these songs were re-recorded to 2-inch, 16-track tape. Check out The Second Section [mp3] and Always Expect the Train [mp3]. The Daveys just dropped off their EP, and it's great. Last week we recorded Jessica Stiles and her six-piece honky tonk, country band live. Her session players were top notch, and the songs tracked beautifully. Right now El Salvador is tracking their record and the studio is thumping. Next week brings sessions with The Winebirds, Pedro Bufurd, Fisk, more Mitchell Sumner and The Hugs. The control room is about to get tuned by Justin Phelps and Jeremy Sherrer to tame those pesky standing waves and reflections. Stay cool in this hot weather!

Posted by shay scott on July 26, 2009 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This year we went to see the fireworks from a high rise on the Portland Waterfront, and they kept falling from the sky. Spectacular! Here is a new song from The Red Octopuses second record, Flaming Arrows, due out later this year. The song is called Now I See How You Are [mp3], and I wore 3D glasses incorporating all of the crazy loops and effects. Hope you dig it. I do. We just finished Steve Rodin's second blues record, and we're getting near the end of new records for The Hugs!! and The Winebirds. I just received the 1968 Gibson es150d hollow body electric from a pal in San Francisco. He's had it for two years, and I'm so glad it's back. It plays like a dream. Soon we'll be posting killer engineer reels of mixes by Tanner Cundy and Justin Phelps, so check back! Please note the new "deposit" policy for bookings under the FAQ link.

Posted by shay scott on July 6, 2009 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The studio is thrilled to introduce two new house engineers. Justin Phelps is a Portland native who spent the better part of the 90s and 2000s making records in San Francisco. After attending and then teaching at the California Recording Institute, Justin interned with legends John Cuniberti and Dan Alexander. He worked at the Bay Area's famous Coast Recorders, Sausalito’s The Plant studios, Hyde Street Studios, and then Tiny Telephone. Justin's list of artists is ridiculous, including Cake, Mr. Bungle, Dead Kennedys, and The Neville Brothers. And on top of everything, he's one of the nicest, most down to earth people ever! Tanner Cundy is no less impressive. Tanner has been the studio's intern for the past year, and he has surpassed me in knowledge and technical know how. He's been recording bands, setting up mixes, busting through To Do lists for overdub sessions, and mastering on his own for some time. Tanner has great ears and studio savvy, and he's a super talented multi-instrumentalist who has served as a session player for numerous bands. You can read more about Justin and Tanner under the "about" link.

Posted by shay scott on June 19, 2009 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week I was interviewed by Willamette Week music editor, Arya Imig, at Portland State's radio station, KPSU. This was for Arya's local cut music Podcast. The interview is the last 20 minutes or so of an hour long program, but you get to hear some cool new local music waiting. Here is the link: These Are The Days with Arya Imig: A Whole Lot of New. Scroll to the bottom of the paragraph and click on the triangle "Play" icon. I was able to mention some of my favorite bands - The Hugs, Paper Brain, Southern Belle, The Winebirds, Mitch Sumner Gonzales, The Daveys, and more, and - most important to me - I don't sound like a complete dolt! So give it a listen and give me a shout! The studio is just about to announce two new house engineers to add to our roster. And after two years of mourning, my friend in San Francisco agreed to sell me back my old 1968 Gibson es150d hollow body electric. It plays like a dream, and I've regretted selling it ever since. It will be home soon. More later!

Posted by shay scott on May 27, 2009 04:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This past month was a marathon, whew. Beaten By Them pounded the place for eight days before heading back to San Francisco and Australia, and it was quite the event. I then zipped down to the Bay Area and recorded strings at Mission Bell studio for Brad Brooks' new material, and then flew back here for a four-day tracking and mix session with Paul Hoaglin. You can hear Brad Brooks' new songs: Farewell To Folderol [mp3], My Hope Is That I've Got You [mp3], Knowing What The Moment Is [mp3], and Will It Be Enough [mp3]. That's me on all the keys. Southern Belle is here now recording their second record, and the songs are to the moon and back amazing. Also, the two new Mellotron tape frames arrived from the UK. They sound very retro and ELO - 8 voice choir, Mark II strings, vibes, and more! So glad I got that m400. What a whacky instrument. The studio also just picked up an Ampeg b15 flip top tube bass amp - the sound of Motown.

Posted by shay scott on May 2, 2009 04:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, well now the Mellotron is here, and it's the cutest looking thing and coolest sounding keyboard I have ever heard. For anyone out there who thinks that Mellotron samples "pretty much" capture the nuances of the instrument, I gotta say, nope. Forget it. The actual instrument is so dynamic and peculiar, you just can't sample it. Every time you record a pass, the instrument reacts to the tapes differently, so the sound is always changing. Wow wow wow. You can hear the strings and flute on Mitch Sumner's Tattoo of Souls II: Return of the Tattoos [mp3], which we recorded last night in 4 hours. And here is a final unmastered mix of Brad Brook's The Race Between the Spinner and the Spun [mp3]. That's Debra Luck, Lauren Carter, and Tahoe Jackson singing the word "spun" ala T. Rex or Sweet, plus a bit more at the end. This weekend brings Fisk, and then an eight-day session with San Francisco's Beaten By Them.

Posted by shay scott on April 9, 2009 01:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, almost. They tried to deliver it, but the Freightliner drove off before we could grab the door! It should be here soon. Tron Bros in the UK also shipped two custom laced frames with 400 and MKII sounds selected by Paul Hoaglin. I can't wait to fire that thing up! Calendar-wise, it's official, the studio is now booked solid through early August. Any more bands squeezed in before then and we'd explode. Also, not one, but two discrete security systems were just installed, so if you've been planning on breaking in, you're too late! Take a listen to two new mixes by The Daveys, So Hospitable [mp3] and Strange Game [mp3]. This week brings Brad Brooks up from the Bay Area for a three-day session. And next week is more fun with Mitch Sumner, The Hugs, and others!

Posted by shay scott on April 2, 2009 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love it when spring arrives. Of course, I'll never know the sun because the studio is booked solid until mid-June! Just when you think the studio couldn't get busier . . . . Anyway, here are some cool unfinished mixes. The first two are songs by Brad Brooks, which Paul Hoaglin and I produced with him: Farewell to Folderol [mp3], and The Race Between the Spinner and the Spun [mp3]. That's Todd Roper of Cake fame on drums. And here is a rough mix of Mitch Sumner's Making Me Pale [mp3] (not faded out yet, obviously!). I recently watched the sci-fi classic, A Clockwork Orange, and if you can get through the initial 30 minutes of brutality, it's really good. Also, I didn't "get" the BBC's Monty Python as a kid, but I've been watching old 1969 episodes of Flying Circus, and it's hilarious. The Baldwin Electric Harpsichord is here, and it is a wonder to behold. The Mellotron shipped yesterday and will be here next week. New frames of sounds from The Tron Bros in the UK are also on their way.

Posted by shay scott on March 26, 2009 09:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the super cool things about having a recording studio and working with so many talented artists is all the calls, e-mails, and CDs that get dropped off. Once in a while - like yesterday - there is a pleasant surprise in the mailbox - a shining star just waiting to be polished up a bit. Although in this case it doesn't need to be polished so much as tracked to 2 inch tape! Twenty-year-old Mitchell Sumner Gonzales e-mailed to book some time and then dropped off his CD. All I can say is wow! It reminds me of hearing Os Mutantes, XTC, or Pet Sounds for the very first time. His songs were all recorded in Garage Band, but they are fresh, completely experimental, and have an amazing pop sensibiity and sense of whatever the heck that is that just draws you in and hangs on tight. I've never even met him, but I can't wait to track these songs. Check him out on MySpace. I love his song, Making Me Pale. Go Mitch!

Posted by shay scott on March 13, 2009 02:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wish I could blink and all the new mixes and studio photos would magically appear on this site, but life just doesn't work that way. I've got tons of cool new images and songs to post. The past three weeks has been even more non-stop than usual. Following Clay Bell's sessions, Brad Brooks and his crew were here for a week from Fan Francisco, followed by The Daveys, Jim Brunberg, Tom Provost, and more Red Octopuses sessions. The next three months will be even busier. Egads! The studio just picked up a beautiful vintage Mellotron M400 from a Georgia studo, used by none other than the Stones. Also, a '60s Baldwin Electric Harpsichord is in route from Phoenix. Think "Because" by The Beatles. I've had my eye on a '50s AGK c12 mic system, but we'll see. I've really been into watching all these mobster moves lately (on "mute" of course during recording), The Godfather, Goodfellas, etc. "I'm Moe Green! You're not buying me out, I'm buying you out!"

Posted by shay scott on March 2, 2009 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week Clay Bell flew up for a four-day session that was pretty much one of the most satisfying experiences I have ever had recording. He is an amazing talent, has a gorgeous voice, and an uncanny knack for writing just perfectly beautiful songs. And to top it off, he's just an all around relaxed, optimistic, and funny guy. He had me in stitches going back and forth impersonating all of The Beatles in a conversation through the talk back mic. We tracked something like 32 songs one after another, and we even took time off to catch a showing of Tron at The Bagdad Theater! Meander through these at your leisure: Tomorrow's Junk [mp3], FInd Something Beautiful [mp3], Love is a Road (live) [mp3], Grey December Sun [mp3], Suddenly [mp3], Lines [mp3], and Wall to Wall Dream [mp3]. The 16 track 2-inch heads are now installed on Deck A, and it sounds incredible. This week brings David Lovato, Steve Rodin, and Brad Brooks up from the Bay Area. The sun is finally starting to come back out!

Posted by shay scott on February 8, 2009 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Red Octopuses record is now out. Woo hoo! E-mail me, and for a limited time I'll send you a copy - for free! How's that for a bargain!? Or, if you just can't wait, pick it up through Amazon or iTunes. I hear that Paper Brain's record is now mastered and being pressed. I can't wait to hear that! We''ve been having a great time mixing new songs by The Winebirds, who have really come into their own in the studio. That's my pal Ed Andrews on bass, who always writes cool bass lines. Take a listen to Superdelegate [mp3], Monkey Victim Unit [mp3], Hit Machine [mp3], and Tideman [mp3]. The 16-track heads for the 2-inch decks just arrived, and I cannot wait to start tracking to tape. Next week brings artist Clay Bell up from San Francisco for an extended recording session. I've heard his new material, and it's great. Lastly, I've been on this extreme Bob Dylan kick lately. What a songwriter. Also, early Foreigner. What tone! More soon.

Posted by shay scott on January 25, 2009 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This month the studio got ready to freak in the New Year with none other than the Excellent Gentlemen, Portland's phenomenal funk, soul, and R&B group. New York transplants known lovingly as Jefferson Sechs, Steveland Swatkins, David Valentine, PJ Snacks, and Dominic Phenom, the studio had the rare luxury of just kickin' it and "feeling" the mix. Warning, these unmastered mixes are bass heavy and could well blow your bottom out. I'm not joking. Like the band, they are just too sexy for your system. Check out Vote 4 Love [mp3], Remember Your Love [mp3], Chances [mp3], and All In Time [mp3]. New studio gear includes a Digidesign Midi I/O, and a museum quality gem - a 1963 Vox AC 4 in pristine condition to round out our selection of small-watt guitar amps. Amazing. Hey everyone, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Posted by shay scott on December 27, 2008 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently I had the pleasure of working with a new band from Eugene called The Daveys. Apart from being all around great fun and good musicians, I was really struck by what a great voice their singer has. He just pulls it all together. Check out Principle [mp3]. And in between the cracks of everyone else, I finally finished two of my own songs under the band name, The Red Octopuses. Take a listen to It's Goin' Down [mp3], which I co-wrote with Hans Wagner, Bill Limbocker, and Greg Naylor while watching Clint Eastwood in The Enforcer, and Mud Pie [mp3]. And here is a new one by Southern Belle lead vocalist, Ross McLeron, who tracked it in an evening with Aaron Prellwitz engineering. It's called About a Train [mp3]. Pretty soon I'll post a half-dozen or so killer mixes by my hero, Dave Friedlander. I've been busy as all get out, but it will happen soon. This month we're busting at the seams with sessions, so call to book time in late December or after the New Year. More soon!

Posted by shay scott on November 17, 2008 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)