It was a great summer here at The Fort! We had Jemina Pearl in again to track some 60's girl group covers for Ecstatic Peace! Her awesomely talented bandmate John Eatherly has been in working on a bunch of songs too. The Press have finished mastering their amazing record and are looking for a home for it...SIGN THEM!!! THEY ARE ONE OF THE BEST BANDS YOU'LL EVER SEE LIVE!!! Doug Keith finished his new record and will be reissuing the previous one (Heres To Outliving Me) on his newly formed label. Its called The Village Label and is co-owned by Chandra Johnson. Distro will be done through EMI. Both were tracked here at The Fort. Tight Chocolate got a great review in Vice magazine and won cover of the month. The Barrens just wrapped up a single. Keep your ears peeled for stuff, in the works right now, from: Hunters, Diehard, Jay Mankind, The Barrens, The Press, Shwa, Mutant Supremecy, and The Living Kills. NEW GEAR: We just picked up a couple SSL compressors! We've got a bunch of new drums and percussion too. Late 60's Gretschs' 24/22/14/16, congas, cymbals, and lots of new percussion. In June I went to London with Mascott...here's Joe Seely doin' the you know what (in celebration of the new masters): 

At Home Anywhere is back for Round 3 with ultra prolific singer-songwriter, Paleo (David Strackany). The tracks were recorded back in October 2008 (I know, I know, we’re very behind) while Paleo was in town for a short stint during his ever constant tour schedule. The four tracks are each beautifully captured bare moments in time. The performances showcase a complete openness that allows the music (and the artist) to be exposed in a most unsettling way. Extremely moving and wonderful tracks.


check it out here: The Cougar Label

ok so a little about my background. Back in the mid 90's I went to a college in Chicago called Columbia College...yes I am a certified audio engineer. Not from a school that teaches kids how to stare at a screen flashing waveforms from BloTools and how to use virtual guitar amps and other fake fucking instruments, but a school with real studios (that had been around since the 50's) with REAL tape machines and REAL instruments. Pro Gear/Pro Tude'...i kill me. We learned electronics, acoustics, and the fact that if you wanna work in this business yr gonna have to work your ass off. Malcolm Chisolm was the head engineer for Chess Records in Chicago up until the 70's and one of my professors in school. I cannot tell you how much this man shaped my life. He recorded Johhny B. Goode, among others, and in one session made what history calls the first "rock n' roll" record and kicked off the volume wars. He taught me how to read schematics...how to solder...how to listen...how to rationalize mic choices and placement. "if you dont like how it sounds...move the mic or use a different one...duh", he'd say. We would listen to his 1/2" tapes at blistering levels and every time he'd put a new tape on he'd wipe off the heads with his thumb...so cool. Anyway, I am really really really excited about two new films coming out about Chess (both come out Friday):

Cadillac Records-the A list hollywood version.
Who Do You Love-prolly the better one.

one last thing on Malcolm...he passed away a couple years ago and I was looking around and found a funny quote on Electrical Audios' forum from Doug Jones head of Chicago AES: "Malcolm will never die, he will eventually be dragged back down into the earth by the weight of his own balls"

he was a great man...i will post more after I see the movies.

Spin.com picked Mascott to be Artist of the Day!
CLICK HERE
Oh and it was all done here...

POW!!!!

HOW ABOUT YOU features "Dear Santa, Don't Come To My House" by Moth Wranglers

the Moth Wranglers' "Dear Santa" - sung by the hottest lady in indie rock Kendall Jane
Meade of Mascott - is in this somewhat bizarre Irish xmas
downer/redemptive movie, starring Vanessa Redgrave and Joss Akland. Out now in select theatres. Oh yeah....we recorded and mixed it. Here is the clip:

hey folks a movie I mixed for my friend Sonny is up on pitchfork.tv for a week:
Watch it here!

At Home Anywhere is back for Round 2 with Chicago Soul Rock power trio Catfish Haven. This session was extra special for Jim. He's known the band since doing their first demos and first EP in Chicago. Its been 7 years, but they're finally back in the studio together. The tracks were recorded on Oct 6, 2008 on the band's tour in support of their new album Devastator (Out Now on Secretly Canadian). We caught pretty spectacular, stripped down, versions of two tracks from the new album, "Every Day," and "Blue Sun," plus, a particularly killer version of "Crazy For Leaving" from their previous album Tell Me (2006).

At Home Anywhere is a new podcast series brought to you by the guys at The Cougar Label and us here at The Fort. We will be bringing bands traveling through NYC in to record a few tracks that they will then give to you for FREE.