The songs on this record had been floating around for several years and during the summer of 2005 I began presenting the ideas to my friends in thE diRTy ruGs. What we were doing in that group was mostly improvised music. We enjoyed making it up as we went along which helped build a strong camaraderie between us. This allowed ideas to flow easily without much deliberation and whenever I showed them a song it just seemed to shape itself.
In the past when a song came to me I would make a rushed demo on a four track tape recorder and I would perform all of the parts myself. Mostly because it was the easiest way to capture the inspiration. However, I was becoming dissatisfied with the sonic results and I wanted to produce an album with a more hi-fi sound. Because the songs were coming together quickly with thE diRTy ruGs it seemed like the perfect time to make a more embellished recording.
Disillusioned with the sterile surroundings of most recording studios (not to mention the cost) I set out to record and produce the album myself. I pieced together a modest home studio and we began recording the songs live in my basement. We finished all the basic tracks in one month and some of the takes are literally the first or second time playing the song. I had to move right after these sessions and most of the gear went into storage. I was able to set up a few pieces of recording equipment in my new apartment which happened to be have wonderfully resonant hardwood floors. Overdubs were added in the living room and I was lucky enough to convince a few very talented Chicago musicians to make "guest appearances." I mixed the tracks myself and my friend Peter Andreadis at All City Mastering helped me with the final product.
1. banished in the night
john aselin - lead vocals, electric guitar
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
john saunders - organ
2. hidden love
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitars, harmonica
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
3. fool's brigade
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar
geoff buesing - twelve string electric guitar
tom millard - drums and cymbals
john saunders - electric piano, synthesizer
4. good side of god
john aselin - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
geoff buesing - bass guitar, twelve string electric guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
5. wasted
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums and cymbals
dan phillips - backing vocals
scott phillips - accordion
6. when the kingdom is blind
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer
tom millard - drums and cymbals
toni quillico - backing vocals
7. you never thought
john aselin - lead vocals, electric guitar, twelve string electric guitar
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
john saunders - saxophone
8. awake
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - drums and cymbals
john saunders - organ
9. travelin' alone
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, percussion
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
joel paterson - slide guitar
10. sweet release
john aselin - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, harmonica, percussion
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
joel paterson - pedal steel
11. opalescence
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, synthesizer
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - drums and cymbals
john saunders - electric piano
12. somewhat real
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, hand claps
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals, hand claps
john saunders - backing vocals, hand claps
13. stupid jerk
john aselin - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar
geoff buesing - backing vocals, bass guitar
tom millard - backing vocals, drums and cymbals
john saunders - backing vocals, saxophone
14. send in the action
john aselin - electric guitar
geoff buesing - bass guitar
tom millard - drums and cymbals, percussion
all songs received, recorded and produced by john aselin
for gamut dynamic music
copyright 2006