First Days at the STUDIO !!!

01/06/2009

Hello Hello,

So, how was my first week in Los Angeles? Well GREAT.

Let me tell you what i did.

I met Noah almost everyday at the pool-studio at Stephane's, we made a nice clean plan about how we were going to proceed once we start the studio sessions, and of course we learned a bit more about each other, and we listened to the songs again.

We had some days off too, to visit the city. We went to visit some museums (the getty, the hammer) and to shop on Melrose avenue. We found some nice spots for Fiona's film-documentary, and then, the studio started on Saturday.

It's beyond what i was expecting.

I have to try to describe it to you so you can maybe picture it through my eyes...

The access of the studio from where i stay in Beverly Hills, is made through the hills all the way up until Mullholland Drive where we reach the other side of the Valley, where is situated Studio City. We follow Mullholland for 10 minutes, very Lyncheanne feeling, and it's 10 surreal minutes because this road is so strangely beautiful and scary, that it puts me in a creative mood right away, i enjoy it so so much!! Specially when we put good music in the car...

The view above the whole city is breath-taking, specially at night when the lights are sparkling like if it was plankton in the ocean of the Fiji's (Robert De Niro's line in « Heat » ), but it's totally true!!

Joke apart, when arriving above Studio City, once we can see the « NBC*UniversalStudios », here is where we make a left to Multiview Drive and we start going down til the middle of the hill where our studio is based.

In the day, this view is not that interesting, as Noah would say « we have a great view of something not so a great », but at night it all changes. No! As soon as the sun goes down basically! It's so exciting to watch the sunset from our studio, i always go outside at that time, on our big terrace where by the way, we have a jacuzzi, and i stare at the sunset behind the Palm trees of the hill and then the mountains behind the city, and i picture the desert ahead of me and the sea behind (or the contrary...lol) I close my eyes, i breath deep, and i feel more alive.

Then all the lights are on, and instead of dreaming i realise I'm living my actual dream.

Our schedule is simple,it should be 12pm til 12 am. But let see if we can keep up to that...

We have a great assistant called Matt, he's completely a part of the studio, literally, he understands when to be invisible when it's needed to be, but he is also so helpful, the nicest guy I've ever seen. We wouldn't do so good without him. He sets the microphones on but also orders our food... What would we do without him, tell me??!!

Noah is just so sweet to me, I couldn't ask for someone better to work with. He is always asking me if i like it or not, if I'm feeling good, he's so concerned by me and i love it! We're very honest with each other and i sense we'll always be. But anyway it's not that necessary considering that we both like each others work. So it's perfect.

I sit next to him sometimes when he works, i like to see all of the buttons and listen to this weird language that is sound-engineering. When he speaks to Matt it's like I'm in Stars Wars and he's a space-ship pilot or something, about to attack the Black-Star. Sorry about that reference, but staying at my managers and his kids who are fans of Stars Wars, I've already seen 3 since I'm here, and the youngest one has his birthday next week, so they're preparing a Stars Wars party with real guys coming disguised in Stars Wars heroes... But also fake ones, so we have Luke Skywalker in the living-room since 2 days, and also R2D2 and 6PO. We all had several heart-attacks coz he moved them around the house, so if you wander in the house, Luke Skywalker can be very scary! believe me...

Stephane is also very cool at the studio, i know he sits in his corner with his computer and sometimes closes one eye, but he always listens and pay attention to every little details. They can't stop joking around with Fiona, they already have their private jokes, silly kids...And we eat like crazy too. That's what happens a lot when you're in a studio apparently. We have no time to cook so we order all the time!! At least I'm surrounded by vegetarians and vegan non-smoker! Could i wish for more?! I'm actually getting thinner i think...

But let's go back to the music part.

Saturday we recorded 4 songs right away ready to put the drums the next day. So i played « some crazy things » and Noah played « deep inside the mind », « the fly & the ant », and « glass of wine ». He played some folk guitars that i really liked on them. Then i recorded some scratch vocals, not bad, but Noah thinks it's better we re-record them once the songs will be over, with all the over-dubbing on it, so i can sing with acknowledge of the song and true intention in my voice.

So my first day in the studio was pretty constructive I'd say, we worked well and enough, but when i left , Noah was still there... He always stays in until late.

Yesterday, Monday, we met the other 2 musicians of Devendra's band. The bass player is named Luckey Remington, and the drummer is Greg Rogove. They're both adorable, talented, funny and really really sweet! Ok they looked a little tired coz of the party they had made the night before, it was Devendra's birthday....But they worked very good for a first day. We first rehearsed « the fly & the ant » and « glass of wine » so they would find their marks before recording, but of course it happened in one take, they're professionals...

Greg has the car of my wildest dreams, an « El Camino » electric blue, open in the back, it's not « Thelma & Louise » here anymore, it's « Greg & Luckey » ...LOL...

We also talked about a duet or some backing vocals with some people here...we'll see about that, it's a surprise!!

Stephane wants to do a cover of Rod Stewart « Do ya think I'm sexy? », like a folk version of it, it could be a hit i guess....but I'm not so sure yet. We'll see i have other better songs in my head. But if you have an idea of a song you like, or you think is a bit old or cheesy, that maybe i could sing, let me now ok? I'll be glad to have your thoughts....

Here you go!! my first days of studio in L.A, exciting???

Are you waiting for the next chapter???? hahahah

See ya kids xxx

Tamara