So as I wrote a few days ago, the studio is set up again. Been working on a few songs that are sounding solid. One i started back over the summer, but its almost completely redone now, and even has a clavinet on it. That song, called "Mr. Hyde", is actually a few years old but has had a music and melody change (the lyrics have basically stayed the same). Another song that has been worked on, "The Getaway", was written over the summer durring a vacation in Montauk (there are a few others from that time as well that might be done as well).
There are more to come, and they are so far sounding solid.....

So it has been quite a while since ive done one of these, over a year to be exact. Sort of working on a new album. I say sort of because there won't be any actual drum tracks, the drum sounds will be comming from my keyboard. Got a bunch of solid songs in the works though, so stay tuned...

Just had a solid 4 hour train ride back from Harrisburg into Penn Station; fairly uneventful. Then i got a call from my pops stating that he and my mom were stuck in traffic for ever, and would be able to pick me up for roughly an hour and a half. I decided to take some subways to where we were going for dinner. Thanks to my bro Zack, I was able to make it there...
Got home, and after a little bit of unpacking and resting, I set up the mini studio again....got a bunch of songs for the next album that i want to make some demos of......cant wait!

I think that creativity is highly influenced by the place and atmosphere that you are in. For instance, since freshman year of highschool most of the songs that I have written I have either written in my room and my basement (of the ones on the album, I think Ego was the only one that wasn't). Also, they have all been written in a yellow legal pad (spiral, of the ones on the album the only ones that weren't were writer's block and left front side). These aren't the most important things though, because since I've been at school, in my room here, with the same pads, I havent really been able to.
I think the most important thing, at least with me, is to be able to focus. For instance, back home I was alone when I was writting; nothing was around me that I really wanted to do, which led to inspiration. Here, I write (or try to) when I'm alone, however there are people outside in my dorm that I could chill with, and because my mind is wandering I can't seem to focus as much on those "Ereka!" moments. This is mostly for lyrics, but music as well seems to suffer from this lack of concentration.
I think also has to do with my writing ability for school, I seem to get distracted easily, even if there are no distractions present. For some reason I can't seem to concentrate all my attension to the task...

So its been months since the start of the recording process for the album. About an hour ago Nate and I put down the drums for the last song (not for the tracklist) called "Sunburn." It was actually a song I wanted to do back in February but it was never completed. It's down, hopefully today I can lay the guitars down for it, bass and vocals hopefully friday, then its time to select a tracklist!

It's been a long journey, but a good one, i can see the light.....

In a few moments I will be doing the guitar work for I'm a Star and Desire, then later today I'll do the vocal work for both the tracks....

A new song has been made, called Sleep Deprivation, which is most likely going to be the intro to Insomnia.....its incredibly weird.....

yea, so check us out!

all the songs up are different, so check em all out...

www.myspace.com/xerxesbandmusic

More recording went on today...Redid the drums for I'm a Star. Dave put down the bass for I'm a Star. We also did a "new" song, Desire (just the drums, and the song is actually from the beginning of 2005), did the drums for that song.....In a few moments I'm doing more work for Insomnia.....comming along..by the end of the summer there will be an album....

So the day that the other blog was written Nate and I did in fact record the drums for Fantasy Land, Insomnia, and I'm a Star (in that order though). Before camp, however, the only guitars I was able to get down were for Insomnia, and even those were only the rythme ones (also, the drums for I'm a Star are going to get redone). Today and yesterday, however, I put down all the guitars and vocals for Fantasy Land, and Dave came over to put down the bass parts for Fantasy Land and Insomnia. Fantasy is starting to sound reaaly cool, and Insomnia will most likely be finised tomarro.

There is a myspace for our band in the making (xerxes is the band name). It's not complete yet, (no pics, no background, its really borring, and only 2 songs on it). hopefully by the end of the week it shall be done, or at least close for veiwing.....

Well, after months of waiting, in a few moments Nate and I shall be recording more songs. We have finally found time to record 3 new songs (not really new, I havent been writing as much as I used to). Only drums today, hopefully by friday I'll have guitars, bass, and vocals down (at least so i can listen to them while im off working at camp). Drums are set up, mics will be shortly, levels will be set, and off we go!

probably in order of recording:
1) Fantasy Land
2) I'm a Star
3) Insomnia