how do you make an ep? Considering releasing an EP of your own? Interested in how someone moves from being ‘guy (in a band) with some tunes’ to ‘bona fide EP-wielding musician’? Lynne Xie spoke to four musicians who’ve made the transition. James Blackwood (of Valar), Daniel Lee Kendall, Credo Jones (of Rockets) and Jonny Robinson share the highs, lows and practicalities of their EP-making experiences.
James Blackwood (Valar) – We Have a Home Among the Trees, released, June 2010.
Daniel Lee Kendall – Time to Spend with Ones you Love, released 2009.
Credo Jones (Rockets) – Countdown to Impressions, released 2008 & Diamond Thieves, released 2009.
Jonny Robinson – Run, released 2009.
What made you guys decide to release an EP? The way we became a band was really a recording session that Murray and I had in early 2009. We decided to make a few ideas into songs and the only way we knew how to do that was to record them. This year it seemed to happen fairly naturally again. We had a few new ideas and wanted to turn them into proper songs, so we decided to do the recording thing again and actually release it this time!
What made you decide to release an EP? I had a bunch of songs that I’d written and I’d played them live for a while and was enjoying it so I thought it would be cool to have a CD of my own.
What led you to the decision to release an EP? We had done one EP before and it was, to be completely honest, pretty shitty. Thus, we felt the need to do it again, especially because this time we felt the songs warranted a place on a disc as opposed to simply resonating through the live venues. We look at EPs as a way of developing - last year we released this EP Diamond Thieves and since then we’ve developed further and changed even slightly again. We will keep doing it until we’ve refined our sound enough that people genuinely want to listen to it.
What led you to the decision to release an EP? I think recording songs is the most accurate way to hear how it should be at its best. If you can record a piece of music the way you want to, then the live band has something to work towards there. Releasing those songs publicly in an EP format was probably so that more people could hear them.
What were the steps you took between deciding to make an EP and its eventual release? The recording was probably the longest stage. For some people this happens real quick and they move straight to mixing and mastering, but we had to first construct the songs and then record them. The recording happened in two major phases and two locations. One thing that we took from Grizzly Bear - and I guess David Bazan too - was finding a nice space to record in. We did all the guitars, keys and vox at a place I had access to called “St Andrews House of Prayer”. It was an old church turned residential performance space that sounds amazing! We set up all the gear in the middle of the living room and basically jammed for 2 weeks straight. After we were happy with the songs. we pushed record! Trying our best to be Grizzly Bear we put a room mic on pretty much everything and recorded the vocals in the big old hall. It was definitely a learning experience. The second phase was recording the drums. Because of the House of Prayer’s location we couldn’t record drums there so we had to find a new spot. All three of us thought the main chapel of St James Church, Turramurra would be pretty sweet, so we set up the kit in there and away we went. Which part of the process were you most apprehensive about? How has it turned out? I think it is different for me and Murray – but I am concerned the songs aren’t songy enough. I think we are good at creating spaces and feelings but that doesn’t necessarily translate into “man I love this song, I could sing it all day” and a million record sales. We aim to bring the vibeyness of say post rock and put it with songy folk. Finding the balance is the struggle. Have there been any unexpected joys/ challenges along the way? Getting the record mixed was a big challenge. We are poor musicians and at first couldn’t afford to get it mixed properly. So we tried mixing ourselves and getting friends to mix it, but in the end we just decided to man up and pay for it to be done. Now we have TW Walsh mixing. He’s the engineer for David Bazan who is one of our favourite artists. I guess you could call that a challenge Have you found the internet to be a help or hindrance to the process? Yes. We are releasing the record online through Bandcamp - the saving grace of online distribution. All you have to do is upload the mastered high quality audio and the album artwork and Bandcamp does the rest. It takes payment through paypal, you can sell merchandise, you can get download codes, the list goes on and on. Best of all though, it’s completely free.
What were the steps you took between the decision and its eventual release? Well I did all the recording, mixing etc etc myself. So I’d had the rough versions on my computer for some time. Once I decided to do a proper print off, I wanted to redo lots of the guitar and vocal parts and spend time getting those sounding good. And also getting some backing vocals and string parts played… Then I had to organise artwork. I had some ideas myself for artwork, but I also got my sisters and a friend to help with design and the photography. I had a friend who had just printed off some CDs which I liked the look of, so I just used the same guys that pressed his CDs. The mixing/mastering process was the difficult decision. I was still pretty uncertain of my mixing skills, but I didn’t really have the cash to pay for mastering. (I had saved up money for the pressing in 1 and 2 dollar coins, in a VW piggy bank. Haha) I ended up deciding to just give the mastering a bash myself, and I think it was a good choice. I listen back to it now and there are some things I would do differently, but overall I like the way it sounds. So from there I just had to send the master away with the artwork and wait til the CDs came back to me. How did you choose which songs to include? The CD had 7 songs on it. I only had about 10 songs. I showed the demos to a few friends and family, and usually I don’t even need their feedback. If I’m in the room with someone else listening to my songs it kind of confirms for me if I like the song or not. They don’t even have to say anything I just realise myself… Although the track that seems to be the most popular All That Night was the one I was most embarrassed about at the start. But lots of people liked it the best. So it was good to get some feedback. Which part of the process where you most apprehensive about? How has it turned out? I think the mastering part/final mix. I was a bit unsure how that would all turn out. But I think it has turned out well. I listen to it now and still think for what I knew back then it sounds pretty good. Have there been any unexpected joys/challenges along the way? I think when I picked the CDs up from the manufacturer it was quite exciting to see the final thing. All the work and thought finally came to a finished product. That was pretty satisfying. Where can we hear and buy your stuff? www.myspace.com/danielleekendall. At any show I do I sell them. Or itunes. Or cdbaby. com.
What would you do differently next time? I would track the whole thing live in one space that sounded amazing. Where can we hear and buy your stuff? www.myspace.com/valarofficial, valar.fm. You can download the record from valar.bandcamp. com from 1st June, or buy the 10-inch vinyl from 1st July. THE SPIT PRESS | SYDNEY’S CREATIVE NEWSPAPER | VOL 1, ISSUE 2 | 12
What were the steps you took between the decision and its eventual release? From memory we posted a couple of songs on our myspace and spread it round prior to having it out. We also did a video for the song Diamond Thieves...And I suppose we plugged it at shows too....We’re certainly not equipped as promoters because we enjoy doing it regardless and who gives a shit if you sell EPs or not, people are ultimately going to hear your music at some stage - that’s not to say that we’re not extremely satisfied when someone does take the time to listen to the EP though - makes me sleep well at night. Like a baby or even a sloth. How did you choose which songs to include? I think it was to do with the fun we had playing the songs....if we liked a song we put it on, if we didn’t, we put it in the time out corner with hews our bassist when he gets a little too excited and can’t stop singing Beyonce songs. I suppose you also take notice of which songs people like live the most too - though it’s not always that the live shows can transcend into the recorded version of a song - you just have to pray like a bitch that it does. Have finances been an issue? Is Hannah Montana amazing? Not really...In saying this though, I could do with a new guitar amp. Spare change? Which part of the process were you most apprehensive about? How has it turned out? I guess you’re going to be apprehensive about anything creative because it’s so personal and it’s daunting to hear what people might think. But I guess it’s important to forget about that shit and do what you want to do. Be confident in your craft and you will reap the most happiness from it. Where can we hear and buy your stuff? www.myspace.com/rocketsexplode, iTunes, and Amazon.com - or out the trunk of my car at shows.
What were the steps you took between the decision and its eventual release? I spoke to some friends about playing the songs first. I think getting the right musicians is a good first step. Then we played through them a few times so that we were familiar enough with what we were doing. I called a friend at his studio and booked some time to record. In the studio we didn’t play the songs live. We did them part by part and then talked about those parts and what was working and what wasn’t. That’s the good thing about the studio. It forces you to think and to analyse the song. You have to listen to each one enough times to begin to hate them though. After that was done a designer began work on the cover which took a very long time and we went back and forth with changes and ideas until we arrived on something we were both happy with. The tracks were mastered the first time but I wasn’t completely happy with the sound. The same place did them again for free but I still wasn’t satisfied with it. It didn’t sit right in my head. So, I took it to another place and got it done a third time and then a second time by them. In the end, four mastering takes later, it sounds alright in some places. After that I had them printed and sold them at shows and the like. Have you found the internet to be a help or hindrance to the process? The internet is a great resource. I put some songs on iTunes which have sold well. I put some new songs on iTunes too. The good thing about the internet is that you can make changes quickly. Changing the line-up on an EP is like getting a big train to stop. Changing things on the internet and adding new songs is very easy. Have there been any unexpected joys/ challenges along the way? It’s a privilege to spend time doing something that you like doing. Going to the studio each morning is like waking up at Christmas. What would you do differently next time? I would take it slower. I would record more songs. I would think for a longer period of time before the recording session for each song. Sometimes you just get lucky with a good recording though. The recording I like most is on iTunes and I did it with a friend and a guitar and neither of us knew how to use any of the equipment. But the sound is perfect. Where can we hear and buy your stuff? www.myspace.com/jonnymichaelrobinson You can search on iTunes too.