For any one that might be interested, I am starting work on a “Ronan Chris Murphy” album and checking out life on the other side of the glass. Rather than setting up a blog somewhere else I though I would do it here (unless Dot want to relocate it)
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So, its about damn time! I have been involved in hundreds of records as a producer, mixer and or engineer and I have played on probably more than 50, but aside from a few albums on cassette only labels and a few compilation tracks, I have never actually made my own album with a proper vinyl or CD release as an “artist”. That is all about to change and in two weeks I head into the studio to finally start work on my own album.

I think due to the caliber of the artist I have had the privileged of working with and because my day job is trying to encourage other artists to step up to the plate and make great records, I have put a lot of pressure on myself to try and really do something special. So Step one: Put together a great band. My band pretty much kicks ass. I have Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, John Lennon,) playing bass, my two drummers are Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, XTC, Rembrants, Mr. Mister) and Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Fantomas, Zappa) and Mike Keneally (Steve Vai, Zappa) on keys. I will be playing guitars and some keys and doing some singing. Two parts King Crimson, Two Parts, Zappa, and me I wanted guys that were equally comfortable doing advanced technical stuff but also has a deep love of pop melodies etc.

One of the tough things for me has been keeping people off the record. I have so many great musician friends that I would to have on my album, and that have offered but I want to try and make a cohesive album that really lets the personality of a few players shine through, so I put together my dream band and went with that. Its also been tough trying to focus the album. I have worked on so much different material through out my life, and I have a band that can play any style I throw at them, that its temping to do a bit of everything. While that might be fun, I do not think it would make for a good album. I give the same lecture to my production clients and now I need to give it to my self.

In Two weeks I start recording at an amazing new studio in Kentucky called Saint Claire Recording. The studio is out of this world and should be an awesome place to track. I will be recording there with Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto and Mike Keneally. Mike will be playing the studio’s Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3 and baby grand since will be no synths allowed on the album. My pal Ron Bennet who is the studio manager there will be engineering with me. Ron and I have worked with the same clients and shared the same producer management but this is the first time we will be working together on the same project.

After a week of work in Kentucky I come back to LA to attend NAMM, do one of my Home Recording Boot Camps for 5 days, then Terry Bozzio and I will start recording together at my Studio in LA. Good thing I have a nice size live room for the giant Bozzio kit. The cool thing about the scheduling is that we are going to have Bozzio show up a day early and be a guest at Boot Camp. The last day of instruction will be a full day workshop in the studio recording Terry Bozzio. One cool thing about that is if get some great drum sounds in the boot camp sessions, we will just keep the mics up and all my boot camp students will get a recording credit for recording Terry Bozzio.

Another great thing about the LA sessions is that out very own Dot is coming out to LA to engineer the LA session with me. He and I have also got several great audio companies on board to lend us recording toys to use on the recordings and for the Boot Camp students to play with the week before.

That’s it for now. I gotta get some music written.

cool!

This is too cool Ronan. Just the fact that so many people share information on this forum is really cool, but the caliber of people sharing the info is what is really cool.

I learn from everyone. This place is school for me.

Ronan,

That is really exciting! I'm primarily a Bassist and a huge Levin fan, great choice...
I look forward to hearing, and hearing all about it.

(hint: Dot, let him keep the Blog here, Please)

All the best-!!

You are in good company and good hands.

Please give us a link so we can listen in.

quote:

I have Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, John Lennon,) playing bass, my two drummers are Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, XTC, Rembrants, Mr. Mister) and Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Fantomas, Zappa) and Mike Keneally (Steve Vai, Zappa) on keys.

Good God!

Man, what a lineup! Best of luck with the project, Ronan.

Steve

I too am excited for you! I will look forward to reading about the sessions as well.

Good luck, and I know you will at least sell a 100 or so copies here on the forum!

Crikey!

Best of luck Ronan, I hope it all goes smoothly.

T

Most Awesome line up!

Have you narrowed the scope of styles?

No synths sounds like you are going for a more organic feel but then Tony Levin can come up with such a wide range of tones with his basses and Chapman Sticks not to forget the nappy diaper bass technique and the stick finger thing.

Are these going to be all original tunes from you (with some collaberation of course from that group)?

What instruments besides guitar will you be contributing?

I can't wait to order this one.

Ronan, right here is perfect. I also made a shortcut link so this blog topic will also show up in the Super Swanky Studio Lounge: Off Topic Discussions. Post away, peoples.

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Looking forward to being part of the team on Ronan's solo album and coming to the Boot Camp. I'll be making a Session 11 section at The Listening Sessions [ where there's already some preliminary info on the front page ] for this project - and will link to this topic.

Nice way to kick off 2006!

Looking forward to reading about the progress, Ronan.

Hope all goes as planned!

Joel

I wet myself at Tony Levin and it only got worse from there...

good luck and may all your mistakes turn out to be happy ones! (you know the kind...the ones that you never actually seem to make but wish you had...)

Ronan, kick some ass. Dig into your heart and pour it on!

Thanks for sharing your creative journey.

I really look forward to hearing about this! Those are some AWESOME players...

rock
bford

Wow!! This is cool. Good luck on your album Ronan. You have amazing musicians and engineers involved. I would like to pre-order my copy of the final product now.

Rocky

Way to start a solo album project with some of my favorite musicians, Ronan. Best of luck with the sessions - I'm anxious to hear the record when it's done. These are the kind of projects I always look forward to.

(As an aside, as much as Keneally is a stupendously talented keyboardist, he might be able to lay down some guitar for you as well if you ask him nice! Just a suggestion...)


Stoked,

sl

Amazing!!! I'm saving my pennies for the CD ...

mud

(pokes head in after a much too long absence)

Man it is really great to hear you are finally going to do one of your own!

I can't wait to hear it. I'd give my left nut to have a lineup of musical talent like that playing on something I did.

Nice Ronan, very nice!! Can't wait to hear this.


BTW you mention you haven't done a RCM CD or vinyl release--you thinking about pressing some LPs? I'd buy a whole stack of em (Ronan has seen me unleashed in a record store firsthand--and I was behaving myself that time lol)