*2/1/10--the dojo, deadmen(indy) and fight amp (nj), 8 p.m. $5.
*2/5/10--the vollrath, junker (indy), stand and deliver (indy), the slow death (minneapolis), and off with their heads ( minneapolis), 9 p.m. $5.
*2/11/10--the bishop (123 S. Walnut St. Bloomington, IN 47404), coffinworm (indy), medusa (bloomington), and os (bloomington), 9 p.m., $3.
*2/12/10--the vollrath, mavarich (indy), rooms (indy), the perennials, and impure jazz, 9 p.m., $5.
*2/20/10--the melody inn, coffinworm (indy), bulletwolf (indy), and struck by lightning (ohio), 10 p.m., $6.
*2/21/10--the dojo, red shadows (indy), expire, and rattletooth, 7 p.m, $6.
*2/25/10--the melody inn, summon the destroyer (indy), heavy lies the crown (indy), magrudergrind (baltimore), misery index (baltimore), 10 p.m., $8.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
upcoming shows of interest in indy in january...
*1/7/2010--The Dojo, Kata Sarka (Indy), Sorely Trying Days (Kokomo), Damages (Michigan), Cut Short (Delaware), and Heartless (Pittsburgh), 7 p.m., $8.
*1/15/2010--The Dojo, Defeatist (NYC), and Psychic Limb, time and $ TBA...
*1/24/2010--The Melody Inn, Coffinworm (Indy), Racebannon (Bloomington, IN), and Raise the Red Lantern (Chicago), 8 p.m., $6.
*1/25/2010--The Melody Inn, Nidus (Indy), Velnias (IL), Seidr (Louisville), and Peregrine (PA), 8 p.m., $5.
*1/28/2010--The Dojo, Drogas (Indy), Aseethe (Iowa), and Shores of the Tundra (Iowa), 7 p.m., $5.
*1/15/2010--The Dojo, Defeatist (NYC), and Psychic Limb, time and $ TBA...
*1/24/2010--The Melody Inn, Coffinworm (Indy), Racebannon (Bloomington, IN), and Raise the Red Lantern (Chicago), 8 p.m., $6.
*1/25/2010--The Melody Inn, Nidus (Indy), Velnias (IL), Seidr (Louisville), and Peregrine (PA), 8 p.m., $5.
*1/28/2010--The Dojo, Drogas (Indy), Aseethe (Iowa), and Shores of the Tundra (Iowa), 7 p.m., $5.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Welcome to Racebannon's Terror...
During its ongoing thirteen years of existence, Racebannon perseveres as a quartet based on continual evolution and conceptualization. Always on the verge of a sheer maniacal descent into the void with each release, guitarist James Bauman (Medusa), bassist Chris ‘Sal’ Saligoe (Rapider Than Horespower, Magnolia Electric Company), drummer Brad Williams (Medusa), and vocalist Mike Anderson (Medusa, Rapider Than Horsepower) have crafted another concept album filled with venom and seething turmoil.
This new actualization, dubbed Six Sik Sisters, is an excursion into the minds of a 1700’s era family where the son is forced to deal with his plagued sisters. Their parents’ dabbling in witchcraft brings about the sisters’ illness, and their brother is charged with the sisters’ disposal. This is not a tale with a joyful familial reconciliation. This is a story based on dread and ill-fated human circumstance with an added touch of necromancy.
To execute such a lofty story, Racebannon stripped down their sound. With shorter, faster, and more concise songs the band presents Six Sik Sisters in a more streamlined fashion. Trying to capture the terror ingrained in the story as well as their live show, Racebannon left the prior studio experimentation at the door of the studio, opting instead for a direct injection of intensity via guitar to amp pummeling, thunderous drumming, pulsating bass, and throat ripping vocals. Six Sik Sisters finds the band focusing their efforts into a form of thrash that never lets up.
Racebannon is a band that has never let trends or status compromise their gnarled art or song craft. With Six Sik Sisters waiting for release, Racebannon is poised for a speed metal incursion into abrasion. James Bauman recently discussed with The Cracked Skull the making on of Six Sik Sisters, working with Kurt Ballou, and what is coming up for the band.
A new Racebannon record is on the horizon. How long has that been in the works? Is it going to be a concept album like ‘Satan’s Kickin’ Yr Dick In’, and if so what’s the story behind it?
We started writing Six Six Sisters a while ago. I think we even had it written before Acid or Blood was released. It’s a concept album in the vein of Satan’s with another story line created by Mike. It takes place in the 1700’s and involves a brother forced to get rid of his six sisters. The sisters are plagued with disease as a result of their parents’ interest in witchcraft. Making the record in Witch City, USA (Salem, Mass.) provided a nice setting and ambience for us. You can’t go anywhere in that town without thinking about the Salem witch trials. Surprisingly, they display it proudly.
What can the world expect from the new record? I would imagine it sounds more streamlined and straight to the point of melting faces.
It’s definitely more streamlined and stripped down. On this record we just kind of wanted to be a thrash band with speed metal parts that don’t let up. We tend to be long winded on our records, and we decided to go for a more short, sweet, fast approach this time around. A lot of the tracks have that classic speed metal riffage happening that we’re hoping listeners will be able to appreciate. Also, Mike’s vocals totally rip and sound scary as hell. While we were listening to the first round of mixes in the God City basement I said to Mike, “Whoa, this sounds really fuckin’ scary.” Everyone immediately agreed. For the first time on a Racebannon recording the element of terror, that we seem to have at our live shows, has finally been captured.
How was working with Kurt Ballou? How did the recording go at God City? I know things were financially a little tighter for the band going out there.
It went really well. Besides Sal having to deal with an injured hand he hurt loading his 8 x 10 cab a week earlier, it was probably the easiest recording we’ve ever done. Kurt is pretty easy to work with. He does things correctly from the start, so there is no need to fix anything later. In fact, he even made us go buy a new cymbal since he didn’t like the condition of Brad’s ride. While mixing we just let him do his thing and didn’t really have any concerns that he wasn’t already aware of. He knows what he is doing. It’s obvious. It’s not so easy to make him laugh though, and we’re pretty damned hilarious most of the time. He’s a very focused dude. As far as finances go, we made due with what we had. We had to do some camping, which was fun and sort of kept us in the zone for the next day in the studio. Really, we didn’t care how hungry or dirty we were. We just wanted to make the record.
I’ve heard he likes to track the songs as opposed to recording live. Did that make the recording process a bit less organic and emotive? It probably made the sound cleaner.
I was a bit surprised that he wanted to do it that way, but we quickly realized that tracking everything there makes sense for the room and the setup. In order for him to get the drum sounds that he wants, there’s no better way to do it. But, you’re right, it’s hard to feed off of each other the same way as recording live as a band.
Did you play around with any different instruments, amps, or toys in general while in the studio for this record? Or was it straight SG to amp?
No. It was a pretty stripped down setup. I used the same guitar and setup that I use live. Kurt has a nice collection of amps and cabs, but I used my Emperor 6 x 12 on top of one of his Emperor 6 x 12 cabs. It made for quite a mountain of Emperor worship. But most of our recordings I usually like to use a toy or some sort. I used a theremin in the studio on our second record, In the Grips of the Light, and I used an old rack mount delay during Satan’s Kickin’ Yr Dick In and Acid or Blood sessions. On this recording I used a cheap octave distortion pedal on some of the songs. I’m not usually a fan of pedals other than the channel pedal for my amp, so using a pedal like that one was a little different for me. But I like the gnarly and nasty sound I got from it, even if Kurt made fun of it. I think he was even encouraging me to throw it away. He probably went out and bought one as soon as we left.
Overall, are you happy with the recording and mixing of the new record?
For the most part, I am happy with it. I am never really a hundred percent satisfied with our recordings. Everyone is their own worst critic, right? There are always a few things I wish would have been played differently or just came together the way I thought they would originally. But, yes, I’m generally happy with how this records sounds. It’s blazing and abrasive. I definitely always wanted that from Racebannon.
When can the world expect this beast to be unleashed on the world, and what label(s) is releasing it?
I can’t answer that yet and can’t wait to know myself.
Hopefully, there is a tour or two in the works in support of the new record when it’s released. Is it too early to think about that? Maybe an U.S. tour or tour of Europe…?
Hopefully, yes. Probably an U.S. and European tour will ensue, and maybe a tour of Japan if we’re lucky. We need to make that happen finally. But we do have another record coming out before the new album called Wrap the Body on Joyful Noise Records. We’ll do some touring for that. It’s completely unlike the new album. It’s actually a DJ 12” complete with instrumental and acappella tracks that will probably take some fans by surprise. We had Jilly from We Are Hex do some guest vocals on it as well as a remix by Yea Big and Kid Static and Stak. It came out great. That will most likely drop at the beginning of next year. We’re pretty pumped for it.
www.myspace.com/racebannonrocks
www.racebannon.net
This new actualization, dubbed Six Sik Sisters, is an excursion into the minds of a 1700’s era family where the son is forced to deal with his plagued sisters. Their parents’ dabbling in witchcraft brings about the sisters’ illness, and their brother is charged with the sisters’ disposal. This is not a tale with a joyful familial reconciliation. This is a story based on dread and ill-fated human circumstance with an added touch of necromancy.
To execute such a lofty story, Racebannon stripped down their sound. With shorter, faster, and more concise songs the band presents Six Sik Sisters in a more streamlined fashion. Trying to capture the terror ingrained in the story as well as their live show, Racebannon left the prior studio experimentation at the door of the studio, opting instead for a direct injection of intensity via guitar to amp pummeling, thunderous drumming, pulsating bass, and throat ripping vocals. Six Sik Sisters finds the band focusing their efforts into a form of thrash that never lets up.
Racebannon is a band that has never let trends or status compromise their gnarled art or song craft. With Six Sik Sisters waiting for release, Racebannon is poised for a speed metal incursion into abrasion. James Bauman recently discussed with The Cracked Skull the making on of Six Sik Sisters, working with Kurt Ballou, and what is coming up for the band.
A new Racebannon record is on the horizon. How long has that been in the works? Is it going to be a concept album like ‘Satan’s Kickin’ Yr Dick In’, and if so what’s the story behind it?
We started writing Six Six Sisters a while ago. I think we even had it written before Acid or Blood was released. It’s a concept album in the vein of Satan’s with another story line created by Mike. It takes place in the 1700’s and involves a brother forced to get rid of his six sisters. The sisters are plagued with disease as a result of their parents’ interest in witchcraft. Making the record in Witch City, USA (Salem, Mass.) provided a nice setting and ambience for us. You can’t go anywhere in that town without thinking about the Salem witch trials. Surprisingly, they display it proudly.
What can the world expect from the new record? I would imagine it sounds more streamlined and straight to the point of melting faces.
It’s definitely more streamlined and stripped down. On this record we just kind of wanted to be a thrash band with speed metal parts that don’t let up. We tend to be long winded on our records, and we decided to go for a more short, sweet, fast approach this time around. A lot of the tracks have that classic speed metal riffage happening that we’re hoping listeners will be able to appreciate. Also, Mike’s vocals totally rip and sound scary as hell. While we were listening to the first round of mixes in the God City basement I said to Mike, “Whoa, this sounds really fuckin’ scary.” Everyone immediately agreed. For the first time on a Racebannon recording the element of terror, that we seem to have at our live shows, has finally been captured.
How was working with Kurt Ballou? How did the recording go at God City? I know things were financially a little tighter for the band going out there.
It went really well. Besides Sal having to deal with an injured hand he hurt loading his 8 x 10 cab a week earlier, it was probably the easiest recording we’ve ever done. Kurt is pretty easy to work with. He does things correctly from the start, so there is no need to fix anything later. In fact, he even made us go buy a new cymbal since he didn’t like the condition of Brad’s ride. While mixing we just let him do his thing and didn’t really have any concerns that he wasn’t already aware of. He knows what he is doing. It’s obvious. It’s not so easy to make him laugh though, and we’re pretty damned hilarious most of the time. He’s a very focused dude. As far as finances go, we made due with what we had. We had to do some camping, which was fun and sort of kept us in the zone for the next day in the studio. Really, we didn’t care how hungry or dirty we were. We just wanted to make the record.
I’ve heard he likes to track the songs as opposed to recording live. Did that make the recording process a bit less organic and emotive? It probably made the sound cleaner.
I was a bit surprised that he wanted to do it that way, but we quickly realized that tracking everything there makes sense for the room and the setup. In order for him to get the drum sounds that he wants, there’s no better way to do it. But, you’re right, it’s hard to feed off of each other the same way as recording live as a band.
Did you play around with any different instruments, amps, or toys in general while in the studio for this record? Or was it straight SG to amp?
No. It was a pretty stripped down setup. I used the same guitar and setup that I use live. Kurt has a nice collection of amps and cabs, but I used my Emperor 6 x 12 on top of one of his Emperor 6 x 12 cabs. It made for quite a mountain of Emperor worship. But most of our recordings I usually like to use a toy or some sort. I used a theremin in the studio on our second record, In the Grips of the Light, and I used an old rack mount delay during Satan’s Kickin’ Yr Dick In and Acid or Blood sessions. On this recording I used a cheap octave distortion pedal on some of the songs. I’m not usually a fan of pedals other than the channel pedal for my amp, so using a pedal like that one was a little different for me. But I like the gnarly and nasty sound I got from it, even if Kurt made fun of it. I think he was even encouraging me to throw it away. He probably went out and bought one as soon as we left.
Overall, are you happy with the recording and mixing of the new record?
For the most part, I am happy with it. I am never really a hundred percent satisfied with our recordings. Everyone is their own worst critic, right? There are always a few things I wish would have been played differently or just came together the way I thought they would originally. But, yes, I’m generally happy with how this records sounds. It’s blazing and abrasive. I definitely always wanted that from Racebannon.
When can the world expect this beast to be unleashed on the world, and what label(s) is releasing it?
I can’t answer that yet and can’t wait to know myself.
Hopefully, there is a tour or two in the works in support of the new record when it’s released. Is it too early to think about that? Maybe an U.S. tour or tour of Europe…?
Hopefully, yes. Probably an U.S. and European tour will ensue, and maybe a tour of Japan if we’re lucky. We need to make that happen finally. But we do have another record coming out before the new album called Wrap the Body on Joyful Noise Records. We’ll do some touring for that. It’s completely unlike the new album. It’s actually a DJ 12” complete with instrumental and acappella tracks that will probably take some fans by surprise. We had Jilly from We Are Hex do some guest vocals on it as well as a remix by Yea Big and Kid Static and Stak. It came out great. That will most likely drop at the beginning of next year. We’re pretty pumped for it.
www.myspace.com/racebannonrocks
www.racebannon.net
Saturday, October 17, 2009
upcoming shows of interest in indy in november...
*11/7/09, The Dojo (4640 E. 10th Street), The Dream is Dead (Indy), Garrote (Indy), Wetnurse, and Struck By Lightning, 7 p.m., $6.
*11/13/09 Casa del Kotex, Slow Motion Enslavement (Indy), Order of the Black Hand (Indy), Mad Minute (Chicago), and 9 Foot Worm (Butthole Surfers Tribute), 7 p.m., $5.
*11/14/09 Locals Only, The Heinz (Japan), The Dockers (Indy), Mad Minute (Chicago), and The Mediocres, 9 p.m. $5.
*11/20/09 the 1511, Deadmen (Indy), Medusa (Bloomington), The Sorely Trying Days (Kokomo), and Disconnected (Toledo, OH), 7 p.m., $6.
*11/20/09 Melody Inn, Yuki (Indy), We Are Hex (Indy), and Blackheat, 10 p.m., $5.
*11/24/09 the Vollrath (118 E. Palmer St), Dark Castle (Florida), The Atlas Moth (Chicago), Order of the Black Hand (Indy), 8 p.m., $5.
*11/28/09 the Dojo, Racebannon, Transgression, Stand & Deliver, 7 p.m., $6.
*11/13/09 Casa del Kotex, Slow Motion Enslavement (Indy), Order of the Black Hand (Indy), Mad Minute (Chicago), and 9 Foot Worm (Butthole Surfers Tribute), 7 p.m., $5.
*11/14/09 Locals Only, The Heinz (Japan), The Dockers (Indy), Mad Minute (Chicago), and The Mediocres, 9 p.m. $5.
*11/20/09 the 1511, Deadmen (Indy), Medusa (Bloomington), The Sorely Trying Days (Kokomo), and Disconnected (Toledo, OH), 7 p.m., $6.
*11/20/09 Melody Inn, Yuki (Indy), We Are Hex (Indy), and Blackheat, 10 p.m., $5.
*11/24/09 the Vollrath (118 E. Palmer St), Dark Castle (Florida), The Atlas Moth (Chicago), Order of the Black Hand (Indy), 8 p.m., $5.
*11/28/09 the Dojo, Racebannon, Transgression, Stand & Deliver, 7 p.m., $6.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
From Iron to Rage... part 2.
Do you track most of the bands that come through or do you recording in a living setting or both?
I do a bit of both. It really depends on the vibe. I like tracking as live as possible. But it is hard doing that with death metal or something when you have to use a click track and all that. I would say ninety five percent of the recordings usually start with the drummer and rhythm guitar scratch tracks, then it’s on to final guitars and bass. Of course the vocals are always the last thing to track. It just depends.
Do you have a particular mic or mics that you like to use when recording various instruments? Do you have any other favorite pieces of equipment or instruments you like use when recording?
I pretty much use the industry standard stuff, but I have to say I do love my Rode Nt1 mics. They’re super versatile, and I use them for everything from drum overheads, secondary guitar, and vocals. I have two of them. Also, the Sunn Beta Lead comes in handy on a lot of occasions. Thanks Karl!
What was the first official Basement Rage recording or rather what band was first to be recorded? How did it go?
Other than my own stuff I think it was the Bulletwolf demo. That was back in 07, and it was a huge learning experience and a ton of fun. I love those dudes! They have a song called “100 Beers.” We damn near drank that many doing that demo. I think the final count was 92 or so. Shit. I’m a bit more pro these days. I did that recording for free after all.
How has it been working with the various Indy bands and their differing projects?
Awesome! We have so many killer bands in this city, man. I have learned so much from just having them down and having them want to work with me. I started this for the sole purpose of working with new bands, and so far it’s really been cool. I have no real formal training, and aside from reading a few books, I’ve learned all of this on the fly. It’s because of the bands in this city and through word of mouth and personal recommendations that keeps me doing this. I have nothing but praise and mighty hails for the Nap!
Is there one recording that stands out to you more so than another in terms of really capturing what the band was/is trying to do?
I dig all the bands I’ve worked with so far. I think most of the stuff captures the vibe the best it could at the time. If I had to pick one, then I would say the Coffinworm demo. I was just immediately floored by their material. I really immersed myself in that project as did the band. The all around vibe of those sessions were amazing, and I have to say its my proudest moment so far. They got a deal with Profound Lore Records on the strength of that recording, and that got me really stoked. I also love the Bulletwolf full length. That was my first big project. It was very cool to get that cd from the dudes after it was pressed, and I’m holding a real, pro pressed and distributed cd in my hands that I had worked on. That is a big accomplishment for me.
I would imagine with each recording session allows you to tweak and continually develop and refine you recording process. Is there a recording session that sticks out as more challenging and why?
Totally. It is all a huge learning experience. I learn something new every time. It’s really like anything else. The more you do it the better you get at it, or at least I try to. I’m always picking up on new things, and most importantly on things not to do. Production and engineering is still really fascinating to me, and there is so much to learn and experience. It also allows space for artistic expression, freedom, and experimentation. It is not as strict as a lot of people might think in terms of following some type of rule book. I still have a ton to learn. It’s never ending. All my sessions have been challenging for numerous reasons. Whether those reasons are time constraints, recording bigger projects like the Bulletwolf record, or gear issues. They’re all very challenging.
Do most bands approach you for demo work and smaller projects, or is there starting to be more interest in recording full lengths? Do you have a preference in recording either? I would imagine time constraints and scheduling could both be problematic.
Yeah, there is interest for both. I’m pretty much up for anything these days. I still only choose to work with people that have mutual interests, and I pretty much stick to the hard rock, metal, punk thing simply because that is what I’m into. Call me close minded, but I want to work on stuff I dig with people I like being around. I really don’t think Indy has that “go to guy” for those styles. Hopefully, I can be that guy one of these days. As far as preference, I’m cool with all of it. I try to keep at least three to four songs, but it really comes down to what the bands want, can afford, and how long we have to spend on it. I’m also on tour quite a bit these days with either The Gates of Slumber or Nachtmystium, so sometimes I can be the biggest scheduling conflict.
Who is lined up for some time in Basement Rage?
This is all before the end of the year. I have Apostle of Solitude coming in to do some new demos, and after I get back from Europe in November then I will be working with Demiricous. Then there is a project with Jeff from Nachtmystium in the works that I will be playing drums on as well. Christ Beheaded will have some new jams to record soon. Also, I just finished recording a cool doom—experimental band called Nidus.
Contact Bob Fouts at www.myspace.com/basementrage or basementrage@yahoo.com. To listen to music recorded at Basement Rage Studio go to its Myspace page or visit these bands’ Myspace pages:
www.myspace.com/christbeheaded666
www.myspace.com/tunguska317
www.myspace.com/bulletwolf
www.myspace.com/coffinworm
www.myspace.com/rejicide
www.myspace.com/summonthedestroyer
www.myspace.com/niduskills
I do a bit of both. It really depends on the vibe. I like tracking as live as possible. But it is hard doing that with death metal or something when you have to use a click track and all that. I would say ninety five percent of the recordings usually start with the drummer and rhythm guitar scratch tracks, then it’s on to final guitars and bass. Of course the vocals are always the last thing to track. It just depends.
Do you have a particular mic or mics that you like to use when recording various instruments? Do you have any other favorite pieces of equipment or instruments you like use when recording?
I pretty much use the industry standard stuff, but I have to say I do love my Rode Nt1 mics. They’re super versatile, and I use them for everything from drum overheads, secondary guitar, and vocals. I have two of them. Also, the Sunn Beta Lead comes in handy on a lot of occasions. Thanks Karl!
What was the first official Basement Rage recording or rather what band was first to be recorded? How did it go?
Other than my own stuff I think it was the Bulletwolf demo. That was back in 07, and it was a huge learning experience and a ton of fun. I love those dudes! They have a song called “100 Beers.” We damn near drank that many doing that demo. I think the final count was 92 or so. Shit. I’m a bit more pro these days. I did that recording for free after all.
How has it been working with the various Indy bands and their differing projects?
Awesome! We have so many killer bands in this city, man. I have learned so much from just having them down and having them want to work with me. I started this for the sole purpose of working with new bands, and so far it’s really been cool. I have no real formal training, and aside from reading a few books, I’ve learned all of this on the fly. It’s because of the bands in this city and through word of mouth and personal recommendations that keeps me doing this. I have nothing but praise and mighty hails for the Nap!
Is there one recording that stands out to you more so than another in terms of really capturing what the band was/is trying to do?
I dig all the bands I’ve worked with so far. I think most of the stuff captures the vibe the best it could at the time. If I had to pick one, then I would say the Coffinworm demo. I was just immediately floored by their material. I really immersed myself in that project as did the band. The all around vibe of those sessions were amazing, and I have to say its my proudest moment so far. They got a deal with Profound Lore Records on the strength of that recording, and that got me really stoked. I also love the Bulletwolf full length. That was my first big project. It was very cool to get that cd from the dudes after it was pressed, and I’m holding a real, pro pressed and distributed cd in my hands that I had worked on. That is a big accomplishment for me.
I would imagine with each recording session allows you to tweak and continually develop and refine you recording process. Is there a recording session that sticks out as more challenging and why?
Totally. It is all a huge learning experience. I learn something new every time. It’s really like anything else. The more you do it the better you get at it, or at least I try to. I’m always picking up on new things, and most importantly on things not to do. Production and engineering is still really fascinating to me, and there is so much to learn and experience. It also allows space for artistic expression, freedom, and experimentation. It is not as strict as a lot of people might think in terms of following some type of rule book. I still have a ton to learn. It’s never ending. All my sessions have been challenging for numerous reasons. Whether those reasons are time constraints, recording bigger projects like the Bulletwolf record, or gear issues. They’re all very challenging.
Do most bands approach you for demo work and smaller projects, or is there starting to be more interest in recording full lengths? Do you have a preference in recording either? I would imagine time constraints and scheduling could both be problematic.
Yeah, there is interest for both. I’m pretty much up for anything these days. I still only choose to work with people that have mutual interests, and I pretty much stick to the hard rock, metal, punk thing simply because that is what I’m into. Call me close minded, but I want to work on stuff I dig with people I like being around. I really don’t think Indy has that “go to guy” for those styles. Hopefully, I can be that guy one of these days. As far as preference, I’m cool with all of it. I try to keep at least three to four songs, but it really comes down to what the bands want, can afford, and how long we have to spend on it. I’m also on tour quite a bit these days with either The Gates of Slumber or Nachtmystium, so sometimes I can be the biggest scheduling conflict.
Who is lined up for some time in Basement Rage?
This is all before the end of the year. I have Apostle of Solitude coming in to do some new demos, and after I get back from Europe in November then I will be working with Demiricous. Then there is a project with Jeff from Nachtmystium in the works that I will be playing drums on as well. Christ Beheaded will have some new jams to record soon. Also, I just finished recording a cool doom—experimental band called Nidus.
Contact Bob Fouts at www.myspace.com/basementrage or basementrage@yahoo.com. To listen to music recorded at Basement Rage Studio go to its Myspace page or visit these bands’ Myspace pages:
www.myspace.com/christbeheaded666
www.myspace.com/tunguska317
www.myspace.com/bulletwolf
www.myspace.com/coffinworm
www.myspace.com/rejicide
www.myspace.com/summonthedestroyer
www.myspace.com/niduskills
Friday, October 2, 2009
From Iron to Rage... part 1.
To many in Indianapolis’ music community Bob Fouts is known as a preeminent drummer. He is a man that many musicians and fans alike recognize locally, nationally, and internationally for his prior accomplishments and ongoing success in such bands as Burn it Down, Amongst the Swarm, About the Fire, Christ Beheaded (albeit on guitar), Nachtmystium (a Chicago based experimental black metal band), and the seminal The Gates of Slumber. The latter two are actively recording, touring, and releasing new material. Fouts has been around the block musically and never rests for too long before answering the siren cries of the road in search of further musical exploration.
With any veteran musician comes a solid resume of studio time. Fouts has logged countless hours in numerous studios and hammered his war like drums into submission in a variety of places, but in the cold clutches of February of 2007 his very own Basement Rage Studio commenced. The aptly named Basement Rage Studio was at first an outlet for his own bands to demo and record new ideas. It wasn’t long there after that Fouts started to record projects outside of his own bands.
Fouts maintains a free flowing approach to recording bands, interjecting where needed, and offering suggestions based on mutual respect. Choosing to work with bands cut from a similar ilk as his own bands or tastes, Fouts displays a deft touch behind the screen manning the digital realm which is the basis for his recordings. With a true DIY spirit, each recording is a learning experience that adds to his ever expanding bank of knowledge when it comes to recording and what works.
Several Indianapolis based bands have benefited from working with Fouts. Whether the end product is a thoroughly recorded demo or a full length release, each band offers Fouts the opportunity to hone his craft between tours, support his local music community and friends. With that in mind Fouts would genuinely like to make recording his other gig when not on the road. At the time of this interview Fouts had just finished recording a local Indy band and was preparing for an upcoming tour with The Gates of Slumber. What follows is The Cracked Skull’s exchange with Bob Fouts about his evolving Basement Rage Studio, previous and upcoming projects, and working with differing Indianapolis bands.
What made you decide to start a studio? Did it start with you recording your own band(s)?
Yeah. I work for a music retail store here in Indy, so I decided on a whim to pick up a few things to help my bands at the time. I was looking to demo our new stuff, and it just grew from there.
What’s your recording platform or set-up?
I work on a Mac with Cubase DAW software currently. I’m using Studio 4, but I just got the upgrade to 5 in the mail. I will install it before my next project. I also upgraded my interface to MAudio Profire 2626.
Since you are a drummer, how important is capturing a quality drum sound along with the other instruments? Quality sounding drums are always a big plus in any recording.
O yeah, very important… I spend quite a bit of time on drums. I mean, I have to be realistic about the room I’m using. Nothing is going to make a bad kit sound good no matter how much processing and shit you try to throw on it. In my opinion a good kit tuned properly with new heads is where I always try to start. Sometimes guys will bring kits that might sound ok live, but I usually talk them into using one of mine instead of spending half the session tuning and changing heads. Good mics are important as well. Guitar and bass tones seem to come quicker for me. I try not to color the players’ tone too much especially the in heavy, distorted type of tones. Most of the guitar and bass players I’ve worked with have good to great gear, and already have their sound dialed in the way they want it. My job is to try and capture that and make it as huge sounding as possible. I always have four or five amps lying around the studio to help guys that need them. We will drag something else out just to add a bit of depth if needed. I love doing guitars as well. It’s fun, and I like to experiment when we have the time.
What is your overall goal when recording bands? Do you like to let the bands take the reins or do you interject your own take on things?
I interject to a degree, but at the end of the day the band has the final call. It is their music after all. I guess it really depends on the band and the people within it. I have been lucky enough to work with a lot of friends, and I’m a fan of a lot of the bands I work with. We have this whole mutual respect thing. If I have a suggestion, then they will normally be open to it or at least give it a listen. I will definitely interject when I get an inspired idea. That happens quite a bit when you’re working with great bands.
With any veteran musician comes a solid resume of studio time. Fouts has logged countless hours in numerous studios and hammered his war like drums into submission in a variety of places, but in the cold clutches of February of 2007 his very own Basement Rage Studio commenced. The aptly named Basement Rage Studio was at first an outlet for his own bands to demo and record new ideas. It wasn’t long there after that Fouts started to record projects outside of his own bands.
Fouts maintains a free flowing approach to recording bands, interjecting where needed, and offering suggestions based on mutual respect. Choosing to work with bands cut from a similar ilk as his own bands or tastes, Fouts displays a deft touch behind the screen manning the digital realm which is the basis for his recordings. With a true DIY spirit, each recording is a learning experience that adds to his ever expanding bank of knowledge when it comes to recording and what works.
Several Indianapolis based bands have benefited from working with Fouts. Whether the end product is a thoroughly recorded demo or a full length release, each band offers Fouts the opportunity to hone his craft between tours, support his local music community and friends. With that in mind Fouts would genuinely like to make recording his other gig when not on the road. At the time of this interview Fouts had just finished recording a local Indy band and was preparing for an upcoming tour with The Gates of Slumber. What follows is The Cracked Skull’s exchange with Bob Fouts about his evolving Basement Rage Studio, previous and upcoming projects, and working with differing Indianapolis bands.
What made you decide to start a studio? Did it start with you recording your own band(s)?
Yeah. I work for a music retail store here in Indy, so I decided on a whim to pick up a few things to help my bands at the time. I was looking to demo our new stuff, and it just grew from there.
What’s your recording platform or set-up?
I work on a Mac with Cubase DAW software currently. I’m using Studio 4, but I just got the upgrade to 5 in the mail. I will install it before my next project. I also upgraded my interface to MAudio Profire 2626.
Since you are a drummer, how important is capturing a quality drum sound along with the other instruments? Quality sounding drums are always a big plus in any recording.
O yeah, very important… I spend quite a bit of time on drums. I mean, I have to be realistic about the room I’m using. Nothing is going to make a bad kit sound good no matter how much processing and shit you try to throw on it. In my opinion a good kit tuned properly with new heads is where I always try to start. Sometimes guys will bring kits that might sound ok live, but I usually talk them into using one of mine instead of spending half the session tuning and changing heads. Good mics are important as well. Guitar and bass tones seem to come quicker for me. I try not to color the players’ tone too much especially the in heavy, distorted type of tones. Most of the guitar and bass players I’ve worked with have good to great gear, and already have their sound dialed in the way they want it. My job is to try and capture that and make it as huge sounding as possible. I always have four or five amps lying around the studio to help guys that need them. We will drag something else out just to add a bit of depth if needed. I love doing guitars as well. It’s fun, and I like to experiment when we have the time.
What is your overall goal when recording bands? Do you like to let the bands take the reins or do you interject your own take on things?
I interject to a degree, but at the end of the day the band has the final call. It is their music after all. I guess it really depends on the band and the people within it. I have been lucky enough to work with a lot of friends, and I’m a fan of a lot of the bands I work with. We have this whole mutual respect thing. If I have a suggestion, then they will normally be open to it or at least give it a listen. I will definitely interject when I get an inspired idea. That happens quite a bit when you’re working with great bands.
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