So my new personal project is documenting the recordings in a studio called Greaseland. Greaseland is the product of a prodigy musician Chris Andersen from Norway. Chris is a member of a touring bluesband called Rick Estrin and the Nightcats. Chris aka Kid Andersen has turned his house into a recording studio with every room except the bedrooms having a musical purpose. Here are a couple snaps of the kitchen for example.
Here is the hallway filled with amps.
And here is one of the archive shots showing Wee Willie Walker of Muscle Shoals fame who's being recorded this week, having a bit of fun with musicians in the living room.
So you can see this house is really turned into a music studio. Just a few shorts years ago this was not possible, you had to go to one of the "established" locations to record. With digital technology, you can replicate studio sound with some modifications almost anywhere. Now, what makes this so special besides the technology, is the guy mixing, controlling the sound and that's where Kid Andersen comes in. I'm no music expert, but folks who are think Kid is really gifted in mixing and putting together music. So much so that many of the long time musicians call him "genius" at this. Personally, I have now way of knowing if this is true or not, but many folks who I know think he is. Add this up, you have a house filled with technology and DIY sound arrangements(on one session, the guitar amp was in the bathroom, which I discovered when using it and someone started playing the guitar), you have a guy at the helm whose gifted, and you have some really great musicians coming by to record their CD's. To add a bit of credentials to Kid, one of his productions was nominated for a Grammy this past year, but didn't win. Here's a look at the heart of the studio the "control room" aka the storage closet. Kid is on guitar playing on Willie Walker's CD while the band is in the other room playing, Willie is in the laundry room with the mike singing. Rick Estrin of blues fame is reading the words as Willie sings helping coach Willie on the voice part.
Here's Willie singing.
No I'm not crazy, I think this is something special on many levels. Photographically it really pushes me to capture intimate moments. For example Willie recording doesn't look like the picture above but the one below. Musicially I believe this represents the future, and Kid's skill and talent may well propel him to the forefront.
And the living room looks different when everybody is playing like this image.
Their are special still images all around with this gear like the painting of Lisa, Kid's wife who is also a great musician of American Idol fame.
So that's where my special project lies at this point. I have documented two recordings so far, will do the first Podcast this Friday interviewing Wee Willie Walker along with Kid as the cohost. This may turn into a regular thing with these interviews, we will see. The photography is challenging but great, the story is terrific, and the podcasting may be just as interesting and challenging. So do you have a personal project? Better find one! More later.
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