Slammin toms, acoustic guitars? Mellotron, Hammond through the Wammy pedal, what more could you want? But wait...there's more!

Welcome to the world of Spock's Beard in the studio – It's slow, but it's loud! It's a long, painstaking process, and I do mean painstaking, but it sounds killer. Wish you were here. : )

I think I'm going to play Scrabble for awhile, see you in a bit...

Nick's playing acoustic on "Shining Star" -- no, not the Earth Wind & Fire tune, or that other one by that one other guy. A wailing ballad he brought in. First take, dude! Sounds great to me. You'll like this one, sort of like that one song we do that starts with a "J". I can't quite pull up the name right now...; )

I think it sounds great. Rich says, "Let's do another one". Nick's hand is killing him. The acoustic sounds excellent. I think it's Rich's Taylor. A couple of mic's, a U87 and some little AKG I think. We're here at The Mouse House, Rich Mouser's place. Rich is a fiend for tuning & tweaking.

Listening to the playback - what a great snare sound! Unbelievable! Nick has this funky old one I think he used on this tune. It looks like junk, but sounds awesome. My favorite. He played it some on V and Snow I think, see if you can guess where!

Hammond - or is it Wurlitzer through a Leslie? Yeah, that's it! Beautiful sound.

This is turning into 'Als gear column! I hope you gearheads are having fun. Nick just clammed. He's doing great, everybody say "Go Nick"! I think he heard you...

More Scrabble...

Are there any two letter words that start with C? I can't think of any...

The computer beat me again. Hope this isn't too boring. Being in the studio is the most simultaneously boring and exciting thing I know of. It's torture and it's one of my favorite things to do. What does that say about me? Don't answer that...

Ryo just played something that made me just go "That's killer!" This record is going to be great, hope y'all like it. I do.

They're still tweaking the acoustic track on "Shining Star". I thought it sounded great the first time, but what do I know...Nick's the timing guy. My time's all over the map.

Pro Tools rules! (An unsolicited endorsement – but if anybody from Digidesign sees this and wants to give me some free stuff, bring it on!)

When we make SB records, we get picked up every day by white stretch limos. We use only the finest napkins from the finest department stores in all of France. There will be corn.

Nick's talking about putting tambourine on this tune. Guess they're done with the acoustic. Tambourine reminds me of Davy Jones. You know, from the Monkees. Maybe he'll do the Davy Jones/Axl Rose dance while he's playing it (Sorry Nick!).

Am I sounding like a total dork here, or what? Oh well, I'm having fun. Guess this is why people like chatting on the internet...

I also like Cool Whip brand Dessert Topping Food Product. Mmmmm, Pistol Whip!

Whoa, I'm really going off here, anybody still with me? Raise your hand if you can hear me.

I was the Walrus! Paul was never the Walrus! I was just saying that to be nice!

Nick singing "This is all that I am, all I want is to understand." Guy rules. Chopping it up superfine, getting extra perfect. The guy's an alien. Wait 'til you hear this. Insane vocal stacks on the last tune. Giant.

Dennis Miller Bonus points for whoever gets the most obscure references!

Gotta go, more later, bye.

Alan