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I am here to tell you that is total bull. I am going to develop a mathematical formula that will generate the perfect band name. I believe that there is an undiscovered algorithm that when used correctly creates the ideal name for any group.

Naming a group is by far the most important thing its members can achieve. Even if they accomplish nothing else, and some never do, just establishing a good name will advance some groups to the heights of fame and fortune. Now I am going to prove that modern science can help any group achieve its goal of immortality via their name.

And how am I going to devise the greatest mathematical achievement since pie (yes, I meant the food. I love pie.)? "Hard work," you say? No. That is soooo naïve. Such genius can only be attained through some sort of miracle or a gift from an alien race. So I plan on drinking beer and staring at the heavens until it crystalizes into view.

Stay tuned.
]]> The Naming Machine http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=15 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:50:32 -0800 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=14
All along we wanted to lay down the piano part first but we failed miserably at the last recording date because that hack of a piano player couldn't keep time and was all over the place! That hack was me. So we fired that guy and got a better one. The new piano player is me too. To save you any confusion when reading this story I will rename the old me, Dick. To save any further confusion the new piano player will be called Harry.

So at the last recording session we ended up telling Dick to take a break and get some coffee. With him out of the room we decided to lay down the drum and bass part first. The drummer did a marginally better job keeping time. The drummer was me. But to save you any confusion when reading this story I will rename the drummer, Tom.So Tom, Aric, and John laid down the drums, bass and organ parts in a couple of takes. Then Aric and Dick were able to lay in the guitar and piano. Finally Kelly put down the vocals.

Because the piano is the foundation of the song it should be laid down first. So Harry is practicing his little fingers off refining the arrangement before the next recording session and promises he will keep better time than Dick. If things go well we will let him lay down the organ part as well. This will make it easier for Tom to lay down the drums at the session. Frankly between you and me, Tom better start pulling his weight. When the next recording session rolls around he better have practiced and show up sober this time!
]]> Before I Die - The Evolution of a Song http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=14 Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:49:16 -0800 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=13
I cleared the dust off the metronome and, low and behold, it still works. The thing came highly recommended to me when I started taking piano lessons from a trombone player in college. Sy, that was his name, sold me on it when he said he left his in a snow bank all winter and when he found it the following spring it still worked. It has never let me down.

Though I have to say there were times when I wish it didn't work because you have to be a serious sadomasochist to practice with one these things. In fact if I were to ever pop its cover and check for a battery I think I would find an inscription that read “Powered by Satan”.

But I digress…

I put the old version of the b4Idie to the metronome and came up with a tempo of 90. When I ran it against the new version it hit 105. I ran through it on the piano a couple more times and the tune really felt right at about 100. At that speed it still had some kick but didn’t feel too rushed. So there it is.

Next, finish off the keyboard parts.
]]> Before I Die - The Evolution of a Song http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=13 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:25:14 -0800 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=12 General http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=12 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 21:04:58 -0800 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=11
So John, Aric, Kelly and I will get back together sometime closer to the holidays to record Before I Die one last time. Wow, that last sentence sounded eerily prophetic. Anyway here is what I plan on doing between now and then.

1. Establish a tempo for the song. The first recording was a little too slow. Thanks to the beers and coffee chasers the recent recording is too fast. Somewhere in between the two is the right tempo and me and my SEIKO DM-20 metronome are going to find it! Now all I need to do is find my metronome.

2. Flesh out the chorus by revamping the piano and organ parts.

3. Practice the drums. Practice, practice, practice.

4. Pen an arrangement for the song that includes a polished intro and exit.

Wow, I am reading through what I just wrote and it looks like too much work. I need a nap.
]]> Before I Die - The Evolution of a Song http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=11 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:58:23 -0800 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=10
1. Don't practice before hand.
2. The level of enthusiasm should be directly proportionate to the level of disorganization.
3. As the natural energy in the room fades, supplement it with alternate shots of coffee and beer.
4. Never stop reminding ourselves that we are musical Gods.

This day had some real benefits. It was fun. I have to admit the new version didn’t come out like I expected it. But considering I put no thought into it prior to the recording session I am not sure what I actually expected.

I am pleased to hear the extra instrumentation in the song. I had some vague ideas of how the song should be arranged but it wasn’t until I listened to this newest version that those ideas really came together in my mind. It is easier to put the puzzle together when you can see (or in our case hear) all of the pieces first.

I am pretty sure I can sit down now and put pen to paper to arrange the tune in its entirety (of course always allowing for some spontaneity during the next recording). So it looks like we are going to take one more run at perfecting this thing. Aric is hard a work on fine tuning some guitar licks. I think sometime in Christmas break may be our magical day.

In the meantime I am going to be posting you, our awesome fans, on my progress.
]]> Before I Die - The Evolution of a Song http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=10 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:39:35 -0800 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=9
"And what's in it for me," you ask.

Well for starters we are going to take another run at "Before I Die," in hopes of producing a fuller more polished sound. New tunes will be laid down in our standard, one-take-and-you're-out-of-here formula for success. So stay tuned, we can't wait to share the results.]]> General http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=9 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:42:23 -0700 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=8
1. She eats thunder and craps lightning.

2. She knows that ingrown toenails are hereditary and lives in constant fear that she is carrying "the gene”.

3. She claims to have a kidney disorder that prevents her from singing a natural third in any key.

I think she is going to be pretty happy with this post. I know somebody who is going to be wearing clean underwear tonight!
]]> Band Member Bio's http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=8 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:26:15 -0700 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=7
1. He once spent three days in a Navajo sweat lodge where he discovered his spirit animal was a ficus; an angry one.

2. He used to be the VP for Quality Assurance at Wal-Mart until he publicly released the serial numbers of all 1,437 carts nation-wide with wobbly front wheels. Wal-Mart denies his existence.

3 . When complimented on his musical prowess he invariably credits his abilities to his shockingly thick head of hair.

I could go on about John, he is the subject of my Master's Thesis, but I think that would be overkill. Instead I will leave it to him to reveal some of the more fascinating aspects of his storied life.

Peace out.]]> Band Member Bio's http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=7 Sun, 21 Oct 2007 08:17:36 -0700 http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=6
1. When he laughs, milk comes out his nose though he insists he doesn’t drink milk.

2. He never leaves a building through the same door he came in by. If your house only has one door, don’t invite him inside. It is awkward.

3. When he drinks he becomes obsessed with whose dad can beat up whose.

Well that is all I know about Aric. All in all I’d say he is a good guy and one Hell of an American. I think I will describe John next so stay tuned.
]]> Band Member Bio's http://msheppard.net/blogs/index.php?itemid=6 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 07:55:44 -0700