You just keep taking your time on album #3 guys!

[Mr Toast]

I had the chance to drop by the Kat V studio last night, and listen to a couple of the songs that Curtis & Mark are currently laying down solo tracks to. Drums, Bass, and a good share of the guitar tracks are already in place, so I got a very good taste of how the songs currently sound (minus Lynn's vocals, which I've heard him do earlier this year so I didn't have much problem picturing the vocals on top of the recorded tracks).

One song in particular very much invoked Perfect Symmetry era Fates Warning in my mind, in a very good way. It still had hints of that 'Curtis guitar sound' of course.

And, overall, the recording done so far sounds awesome! After the problems with recording/mixing on the last album, I know Curtis is taking his sweet time on this one, and his attention to very minute details definitely shows!

And Curtis and Mark are very tight with each other. There were a couple of times that they were hearing extremely slight differences in their timing, but this ear didn't catch it - they are almost perfect mirror images of each other when playing in harmony...

The KatV guys have been working on these songs for about a year now, and I can certainly hear the difference in results from even four months ago. If all the songs on the album are like the ones I heard them working on tonight, well in my opinion, third time's the charm!

Keep taking your sweet time guys! We can wait!!!

 

[JazzMX5]

Sounds good, Toasty! I should drop by one of these days and see what the boys are up to.

I know I'm not around much, but KatV are certainly not forgotten by this limey!

 

[Dustin]

Yup, things are moving along, slowly but surely.

We have an agenda that were trying to meet, and one of them is to have this thing out by (or before) summer 2005, pretty much a year after "A New Breed..." was released. However, we (more so Curtis) want's to make sure this album is done right, without any "roadblocks" or "long delays", much like the last one had. This is why things are moving along at a near snail pace, even when were in t he studio up to 4 days a week! So yes, this album better top ourr last one with the work that's going into it, in such a short time!

Our goal is to stay on top of things a bit more, and attpemt to not let more than a year-and-a-half pass between each album. Not to mention play live more than a few times a year. One thing to consider; to juggle live shows and writtingrecording new material can be difficult with family's and day jobs. It takes a real love and dedication of this music to make things happen in a timely manner.

Gotta love this buisness!

\m/
Dustin

 

[JazzMX5]

Yeah, it's one of the sad things about this business that making one's living from it can be so impossible. I remember hearing a couple of years ago (when he was still in the band), Matt Barlow of Iced Earth was holding down a job as a restaurant manager to make ends meet while the band was off the road.

Then I go back and revisit Iron Maiden's early history (chronicled in the Run To The Hills biography, which is required reading for any metal fan, and the recently-released Early Days DVD) - where back at the tail-end of 1979, upon signing to EMI, these East End herberts could actually jack in their day jobs altogether. Sure, it took another couple of years before they actually made any significant money - after they got home from the Beast On The Road tour in '82 - but the simple fact was that the band could support itself. I don't think it's down to any difference in quality of bands, I think it's literally down to the industry itself having changed so much in the ensuing years... and not for the better.

 

[Dustin]

Yeah, it's one of the sad things about this business that making one's living from it can be so impossible. I remember hearing a couple of years ago (when he was still in the band), Matt Barlow of Iced Earth was holding down a job as a restaurant manager to make ends meet while the band was off the road.

Well... John could have paid him more I think, being that John isn't just the guitarsit/songwriter of Iced Earth, but also the CEO, employer, Treasurer, Human Resources, and so forth. Iced Earth Situation concerning "pay" is interesting one to say the least.... but not that uncommon.

That's right.... and you'd be suprised on how many artist out there work day jobs just to make ends-meet. I think it's about 85% of all signed acts these days, mostly those on minor/indie lables like CM, Nuclear Blast, Inside Out,..MetalAges.... :Spin: I think it's the publics mis-interpritation due to MTV, or other large media outlets that portray muysicians that are popular, as rich, star-studded iconoclasts. Some will say it's all about th econtract you sign, which is only half of it...

So rather than putting out an album or two and making millions like pop artists.... most metal artist put out 5-7 albums and make thousands. The equivelant of working part time at Taco Bell pretty much when it's split up amongs four or five guys. (assuming your getting paid, and you didn't go over your budget during recording and/or touring if you were fronted a budget for your current/previous albums) And those bands that keep pumping out album after album obviously are not doing it to make money if it's not paying off, right? LMAO! As long as the fans go back and buy the older albums as well as the latest releases... that's what matters most, and will keep any band alive.

\m/
Dustin

 

[JazzMX5]

Aye, 'residual income' is what they call it, and it can help keep a band afloat if there's a back catalogue for new fans to go and get. I have no doubt that a large majority of current metal bands aren't in it for the money - if it comes, that's nice, but it probably won't and they're still just doing it for the love of doing it. What we have are some great bands putting out records that are absolutely genuine - and not enough people buying them! Blame that on poor distribution, current trends, the Internet, whatever; it's all the same result.

 

[Dustin]

Aye, 'residual income' is what they call it, and it can help keep a band afloat if there's a back catalogue for new fans to go and get. I have no doubt that a large majority of current metal bands aren't in it for the money - if it comes, that's nice, but it probably won't and they're still just doing it for the love of doing it. What we have are some great bands putting out records that are absolutely genuine - and not enough people buying them! Blame that on poor distribution, current trends, the Internet, whatever; it's all the same result.

damn straight.

\m/
Dustin