Shot down in an airplane...

Arrived at the studio at around 1 PM today, right in the middle of the band experiencing some technical difficulties in the studio. The delay was short, and once things got started it didn't take long for things to pick up where they left off. The band hit the studio to work on Drop D, a heavy, plodding semi-metal song with a bassline that shook the entire control room. This one is going to take everything you thought you knew about Pagoda and kick it in the nuts. Extremely fucking hard, might I add. He was shot down in an airplane! Mike wails over the chaos, punctuated by tormented cello work on behalf of Mr. Hoffman and Bonham-like drumming by Reece, ending in a flurry of guitar feedback and distortion. The band recorded several takes of this opus, though I believe they've already decided on one.


Laughing in the Middle of it...

The piano you see above was decimated by Hugh's boat motor, anchor and several guitars. I didn't hang around long enough to see the outcome of the anarchy, but I believe the piano is used on one of the songs I wasn't privvy to. Anyway, catering arrived after Drop D and Mike took Tara's camera, proceeding to take pictures of all present who had their mouths full (yours truly included - and that's one that isn't going in the fancam). The atmosphere in the studio over the past few days has been light, with everyone joking in the middle of the chaos, mostly at each others' expense.  We ain't doing this next one in more than five takes Reece proclaimed before recording Native American. I'm gonna knock this one out of the fucking gate! And he did...


I'm a Crazy White Man but I Don't Want War...

As stated, Native American was next, picking up right where Drop D left off in terms of heaviness. Do we have health insurance? one camera man asked before climbing a ladder that reached the top of Excello's ceiling. The cameramen deserve an extra round of applause as they busted their ass the entire two days trying to document as much of the insanity as they could. Native American is another fast-paced song with frenetic drumming and politically conscious lyrics. Hugh broke out the lapsteel for one of the takes, though it remains to be seen if that's the one they plan on using.