Playing with Phil Collins today...

[Squids]

More Squids journal for you. Things have been moving a million miles an hour. But definitely in a good way! Not much more than 24 hours from getting off the plane coming back from the Billy Cobham sampling session I've been working on a new song that has Phil Collins on drums doing some intense tom grooves (including some fills that I haven't heard from him since Gabriel's third record). I can't say more too much more about this right now though. I might even have to delete this post (we'll see). But, I like to chronicle this stuff in real time which I think makes it more fun to be hanging around our forum. Otherwise you might miss something! Haha.

I am really only supposed to be doing some minor keys and sound design on this but I am tempted to play some Ocean Way Drums over it... maybe if I can do a remix I will go tribal on this.. even if it is just for fun (ie. not released). Although I also have some really big drum samples that I did with Nick D'Virgilio over at Kevin Gilbert's old studio that sounds like the Townhouse in London. Those have Rotos and Timbales as well along with a Premier kit. I've always liked intense dramatic sounding drums that can jump out over the music in a track. So, now I have a bunch of kits between Ocean Way Drums and other stuff (also Jerry Marotta's kit). Also a Gretsch kit I sampled at Kevin's as well... and a Leedy Kit with the snare that was used on Nirvana's Nevermind album and Offspring's album. Anything recorded in that room sounds pretty huge.

Anyway... thought some of you prog guys would like this update. It AIN'T a pop song! That's all I can say...

[beergeek]

I say again...you live da life my man!

[Squids]

Thanks. We do love our jobs that's for sure. But we also had to invent it. Risk reward.

Anyway... this track is cool. I'd say it is maybe the most progressive thing Phil has played in a long time! I mean besides playing some classic Genesis tracks on their last tour (which was really great to see). In this thing which I can't talk about he does this one fill that is outrageous! I mean like No Self Control on acid. I'll be able to talk more about it in about 6 months when this is released. Maybe sooner.

I'm excited because I know a lot of Genesis and Gabriel fans would like this. But it's also very different too. Pretty intense! Ok... shhhhhhh. Back to work here... juggling my business and these excursions.

[Reverend Rhythm]

[jkleban]

So, that's where you've been hiding!!!!! Man, I would love to get my hands on the ROTO's and TIMBALES. PC stuff sounds kewl and I know you were dropping some hints in your description. Can't wait to hear it.

Good to hear the Billy Cobham is still active in the biz. I remember the first time I heard 'dem changes live from the Fillmore. Wow, I haven't thought about the Fillmore in years til just NOW.

I guess I am reliving some of my youth vicariously through your exploits. Keep going man, I ain't ready for the rocking chair yet.

[ionized]

I guess I am reliving some of my youth vicariously through your exploits. Keep going man, I ain't ready for the rocking chair yet.

Same here - probably for a lot of the old prog lovers here.

Squids - keep the reports coming!

[eDrummist]

Wow! I just caught this. Man, Squids, playing with Phil and working with Billy Cobham!? That had to be awesome, especially for someone who loves vintage Genesis and Phil's drumming. Back in the 1970s with Genesis, Gabriel, Brand X, John Martyn, etc., I thought Phil did some really great stuff -- I used to hunt down anything Phil played drums on back in the 70s and early 80s (okay, I'm showing my age). I am also a fan from way back of Billy Cobham. I went to a Cobham clinic around 1980 and he was just incredible, what a monster drummer -- I couldn't help but notice that his arms were massive. Okay, a couple of my other living favorite drummers are Vinnie Colaiuta (another fine Italian, to quote Mr Zappa) and Bill Bruford, I'm interested if you worked with them too?

Okay, here's a business question: Ocean Way drums sounds like it is incredible. However, for us budget restricted types who no longer do pro work (my son's college fund comes before my music/personal fun spending), will there be any lower priced version(s)?

[Squids]

Yes, Bruford we deal with on a business level since we carry his sample library on www.studioprofiles.com Nice guy! Haven't worked with him in the studio personally. But I will probably do an interview with him soon at least.

Vinnie I met AT Ocean Way. It was cool too because I was in Studio C where we had a Sonic Reality sign up on the wall. Vinnie walks in (was doing a session in another room) and he says "Sonic Reality? I love Sonic Reality! I use their refills." and then I introduced myself. It was bizarre to see him get all excited about our sounds when I should be the one excited to meet him! I was. But, the amount of times the respect we get for the sounds gets us out of looking like a fan boy... although we keep it together. We don't get nervous anymore meeting anyone. I'm meeting Neil Peart later today in fact. I'm excited! But not nervous whatsoever. I'm co-producing a recording session with him tomorrow. Kind of surreal! But awesome.

I didn't co-produce this track with PC I mentioned. But I did play a lot of different keyboard parts... including a Mellotron violin sound which probably hasn't been played over a Phil drum track in 20+ years!

[eDrummist]

Wow, impressive. Of course, Pert is a killer drummer. All of these drummers had an influence on me as a drummer while I was growing up (Phil, Vinnie, Billy, Bill, Neil) -- they are some super talented players.

I'm eager to hear that track you did with Phil. I think you and Simon did an excellent job on Keep It Dark, I really enjoyed it -- as any prog rock fan should appreciate that track.

Have you shared the soft synths/sounds/samples you used to produce Keep It Dark? The sounds, production and arrangement really worked and I would be interested in learning more.

- eDrummist

[qqq]

Cool stuff

I wonder if Phil would like this: http://www.zshare.net/audio/8207738d2a52ef/

[Squids]

Q, What is that?

e-Drummist,

On KiD I used a lot of SampleTank, Sonik Synth 2, Ampeg SVX on the bass, AmpliTube 2 and Jimi Hendrix for the guitars (Hendrix has the fuzzes for Hackett type sounds btw) and T-Racks on the vocals, CSR as the reverb... so the whole thing is practically an IK/SR demo! Haha. In fact, I would have put the whole multi-track up as a demo for everyone to check out or even the sequence but the problem is that... well, it isn't our song! We'd have to through a lot of red tape to do that and it's not likely to happen. But maybe at some point I will do a song with Simon that can be heard at multi-track session level for those that are interested in deconstructing a tune that has a lot of production "stuff" in it.

Today we're recording Neil Peart. By the way, for those that wanted to know, his last name is pronounced like "pierce" but a T instead of a "s" at the end. Last night at the studio we were hanging out with Terry Bozzio who happens to also be at the studio. What a nice guy. We're scheduled to sample him with Ken Scott some time soon. I asked him about a UK reunion and he said he didn't think it was likely. I got an idea of his philosophy about things and basically he's one of those guys that has a lot of artistic integrity and likes to evolve so he doesn't want to just be "the guy who played that" forever which I respect. He also likes to work with people who give you freedom to be yourself as a musician as opposed to being more picky about what you do (to put it nicely) so... as much as I too would love to see a UK reunion I can see why it might not happen... but then again it could. You never know. Stars have to align for that stuff.

Anyway, Bozzio... what a nice guy! So cool. His rig is INSANE. I took some pics. I'll see if I can post some of that and also pics of setting up Neil's rig with the mics. Nick Raskulinecz produced "Snares and Arrows", the latest Rush record which I think sounds amazing. He pulled out of them some real "Classic Rush" and that move has definitely helped their success with the album and on tour. They're doing great.

Well, this is kind of "hidden news" update being in the Phil Collins thread. Even this PC thread was just sitting around and I was wondering if the Genesis fans were going to take notice... we ARE talking about complex Phil drumming and MELLOTRON being played over it!!!!!! That does not happen much! Actually, I played SampleTron really... even though I do still have a Mellotron. More convenient and reliable to do it with the plug-in and sounds just as good really.

[jjkinva]

Squids: Sorry to be obtuse, and not too familiar with Ken Scott...but what is "UK"?

Yes, please post pics if/when you can! Peart and Bozzio...awesome stuff. I love Terry Bozzio's playing. I still think his work with Missing Persons is underappreciated (if you can get past the vocals...).

I also caught him live playing with Jeff Beck back in 1989/1990 (Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop tour). Two things I remember...Bozzio did a drum solo that was just awesome...and the live drums sounded MUCH better than what is on the Jeff Beck CD.

The other thing notable about that tour: It was a co-headline with Stevie Ray Vaughan! There aren't many tours like that anymore!!

[Antonis]

U f@%$in' @&%*#@

U r hunging out with Neil Peart?!!!

And recording him?!

For what exactly?

Spit it out...(dont swallow the poison...)

[Squids]

Squids: Sorry to be obtuse, and not too familiar with Ken Scott...but what is "UK"?

Yes, please post pics if/when you can! Peart and Bozzio...awesome stuff. I love Terry Bozzio's playing. I still think his work with Missing Persons is underappreciated (if you can get past the vocals...).

I also caught him live playing with Jeff Beck back in 1989/1990 (Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop tour). Two things I remember...Bozzio did a drum solo that was just awesome...and the live drums sounded MUCH better than what is on the Jeff Beck CD.

The other thing notable about that tour: It was a co-headline with Stevie Ray Vaughan! There aren't many tours like that anymore!!

Google Ken Scott. There's also info on www.studioprofiles.com in the news section. Short version is that he recorded The Beatles White Album, Magical Mystery Tour, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Elton John, America, Procol Harum, Duran Duran, Missing Persons, Supertramp, George Harrison, Dixie Dregs, Mahavishnu Orchestra... and more. A pretty amazing career which I am proud to document via this incredible sample series as well as a BOOK that I am putting together with Ken about his whole career which has never been done before. This is going to be a fascinating read and I am interviewing tons of people he's worked with... Roger Hodgson and other Supertramp guys, maybe David Bowie... it's a fun project fueled by the love of all that stuff... I want to know what it was like to work on those albums myself! Classics like Ziggy Stardust, Crime of the Century (which I might get to assist on the 5.1 mix with Ken - hopefully) and everything else... utterly fascinating! I'm very honored he wants to do the book with me. Mutual friend Brian Kehew who co-wrote Recording The Beatles www.recordingthebeatles.com is also helping us out.

A lot of this will be video documented as well... I think it is nice to hear the inside scoop on production of albums, engineers, individual players and other things that may not be the most COMMERCIAL but that IS what it is nice about it IMO.

[duncanparsons]

Squids: Sorry to be obtuse, and not too familiar with Ken Scott...but what is "UK"?

UK were a fantastic group with more talent than was ever giong to stay in one place at one time. Contained Bill Bruford, John Wetton, Allan Holdsworth and Eddie Jobson (or Jobbo as Ian Anderson liked to call him). Bruford and Holdsworth were effectively fired for not playing the same thing each night, and Terry Bozzio was brought on board and the band worked as a trio, doing a number of support spots for Jethro Tull.

Read more about them here. The first album 'UK' (1978) is astonishing, highlights being 'In The Dead Of Night' and 'Mental Medication' which in some ways take up where 'Red', 'Starless' and 'Close to the Edge' left off, in other ways they broke new ground. The overall sound was far more fresh and clean than any prog that had gone before, but they appeared during the ashes of punk and the transition to New Wave, and so commercially were never going to match the artistic appeal.

The second album 'Danger Money' is a concept album about a hitman, tho' features some tracks that Holdsworth and Bruford played live (Caesar's Palace Blues, and some other passages). Bozzio plays some tremendous passages, but the overall feel of the disc isn't quite up to the standard of the first outing.

A third 'Night After Night' live album was released which featured a couple of new songs which were OK. An interesting document.

There have since been other live and compilation releases... Go look for them

Ken Scott has worked all over the place - google will tell you who. I know him best for producing Supertramp's third and fourth albums, 'Crime of the Century' and 'Crisis? What Crisis?'.



ATB
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