Chad Austin appears courtesy of LadyDancing Records ©2008
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NEWS
& THOUGHTS
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11-13-05
Has it been that long since I wrote on here?
I suppose it has.
But when you start weighing the responsibilities of everyday life, and the issues of very busy folks, sometimes keeping a journal online (blogs to the newbies) can be damn taunting. Almost impossible.
The never-ending task of the Logic's new CD has become exciting as well as tedious. We decided, once again, to push the date back. We want to add some new material, stemmed from a few jams we've created here and there.
I think we're not going to give a date any longer until we know with absolute certainty when the public can expect it.
However, we had a road trip this weekend to South Carolina for a gig, during which I played the guys a few versions of several of the songs that had been semi-mixed.
They were perplexed. I'm not saying they loved it. I not saying they hated it. I'm saying they were deep in thought after listening.
I think it was for the better.
6-23-05
It's not the Money.
Or at least that's what I was told growing up. My parents would exclaim, "Son, money doesn't make you happy unless you're doing something you really, really enjoy."
So what happens if you're not making a damn thing but you're still really, really enjoying it?
You find out you're a musician.
And being a mind-expanding musician forces you to re-evaluate your abilities and your focus.
Recently, the Logic parted ways with beginning member drummer Jon Zimmerman. It was tougher than I ever thought. This wasn't just a member but a friend- and one that I was quite fond of. But Jon has a large family (new member on its way, too) and a job that just kept the Logic from going further. We had an opportunity to bring in another drummer- one who was dedicated to his percussive passion.
We brought in Chad Gibson… a quiet, reserved guy who, as he said it when I told him we play Pop music, "that's fine with me… I'm a professional drummer who loves everything." Enough said.
In some ways, I have accomplished a dream with Chad & Strut. The members of the Logic are better musicians than I. They make me look good and sound good. They allow my visions to become a reality. When they play, the whole Logic concept becomes an idea presented with conviction. And the people who are witnessing the shows comprehend, too. Thank you, God.
We have postponed the CD (yet again). But I wanted to give each member a stake in the songs. I want their contributions for the same reason I love playing with them. We're hoping to have the CD out by October. I love the current material.
We also are going to be recording a DVD. Current plans include a documentary of the making of the new CD, recording several performances… including a video of our concert at the Hickory Oktoberfest in NC, and maybe a few music videos of a few selections from the new CD.
I'll let you know as I know.
4-19-05
What causes change?
It can be something as small as a pen. Or as large as a plane.
This week the Logic will offically have a complete touring rig, complete with trailer and lights and other amenities.
So what does this mean? The Logic would like to start playing in 3-4 hours stretches in each of the 4 directions from home-base (Charlotte, NC).
This means playing locations such as Raleigh (NC), Knoxville (TN), Atlanta (GA) & Richmond (VA).
Doing this will make the Logic become an official "national" act.
That's right. Make your own dream.
3-15-05
So many things happen when you play music for a living.
First off, you spend your weekends and nights playing in a bar, sometimes so smoky you spend the hour driving home rubbing your eyes.
You meet people who swear they know someone who’d love your music and could take it to the next level. You can’t diss them because you never know who they are and you understand Networking is the key. The sad part is that only about 8% ever pan out to be anything. So you’re hoping to meet an individual who might actually have some vision and can make a difference.
The last several weeks the Logic has been working on the new CD. We’ve been writing and recording since cold December. I’ve really enjoyed this writing experience. It’s been very organic. There aren’t as many songs as I would have liked where the full band participated in the creation because we under such a time crunch. But, overall, the Logic has written some tunes I’m just ecstatic over. The group is also very happy with the results. Every day we look at each other and just start laughing. It doesn’t matter that it might not sell 100,000 units.
It matters that we dig the hell out of it.
1-26-05
Sometimes life hits you like a ton of bricks.
Sometimes it knocks the breath out of you.
Other times it hits you gradually so you don't know you're being hit by 'said bricks' until it's already passed.
Today was one of those days.
I received a message from Mark Burnett Productions (Survivor, The Apprentice) a few weeks back, asking me if I'd be interested in auditioning for a spot in a new Reality TV show that showcases searching for the next lead singer for INXS. I was flattered, of course, but I took a few days to ponder.
I thought about it. I hate reality TV. I thought the whole point of TV was to escape. But what do I know? But I thought it would be a good experience and maybe a great Networking opportunity.
The auditions were at the Milestone Club in Charlotte. Little more than a place to park your chewing gum, the Milestone is a Punk bar on the shady West side of Charlotte. It is basically 2 old houses, fused together by some semblance of a doorway/hallway. The bar is on one side- the "club" on the other. Both sides have all walls graffiti-filled to the max… every spray-painted slang-slogan you can think of… and every variation of dissolved band logos you can think of. I'm sure there is History here. I just don't know what kind. As much as the Logic plays Charlotte we'd never been there. It was, in band-talk, a shit hole.
The Producers and talent scouts from Mark Burnett Productions who littered the place were in need of Southern Hospitality to some degree. They were nice but you had the strangest feeling it was forced. Maybe, as a musician, I'm just not cut out for this TV business. Everything seemed too planned.
I was put into a group of 6 "contestants" who all had to perform their chosen selections in front of the camera. I didn't see the last guy as I was next to last, and they ushered each performer out after he or she completed their audition. But I saw the four before me, and although they were good singers, they were B-O-R-I-N-G... playing only scaled-down acoustic performances. It was like going to a coffeehouse. I was thinking the whole time "Man, you guys are good, but will you move like you have a little life in you?"
I knew something was up when one of the Producers asked the Performer (Number 4) before me, "Hey, aren't you So & So's friend?". Number 4 replied, "Yeah- I though you looked familiar… I brought you a few CDs if you want one." So the Producer follows him out and then asks him back the next day for the 2nd round.
Great… they had Common Denominator friends. How lovely.
I had fun anyway. I was asked to play several songs, and they genuinely seemed to like the performance.
But I genuinely don't like that style of situation. I would prefer to be on the Logic's turf: my turf. I'm so tired today that I can hardly move. I feel like I've been running a marathon in my head. I'm that exhausted.
12-7-04
My throat is so very sore it hurts to swallow.
I've also got a chill… my teeth are chattering.
It's kind of hard to be creative when you're sick. Yet, tonight the Logic convened in the Rehearsal Room and hooked up a couple of microphones and hit the record button. We have decided to use the next couple of weeks to write new songs for our new album… a CD that was begun exactly 9 months and 4 days ago.
Face it, the whole year of 2004 has been fast-moving. Although our Past Shows schedule may not impress some working bands you have to keep in mind that we all have day jobs. I wanted to release the Chad Austin solo CD but it has just never materialized. A few tracks were recorded, a lot of songs written, a lot of musicians that were hired to come in play, but time just kept getting out from underneath me.
As some Logic fans already know, we had a stroke of good fortune recently of being able to work with Lorne Bregitzer- an incredible engineer with a roster of clients that would impress even the most cynical of musicians… not to mention a Platinum award to his credit. We recorded a few songs with him, got pumped up, and then decided it was time to complete another Logic CD.
Because I had written so much music this year I wanted to make sure at least of few got onto the new Logic CD. So, with a little luck- and a lot of hard work- you just may hear a few selections.
11-4-04
The world keeps spinning and I am high on the gravity of its orbit...
The last time I wrote here (early August) it was raining outside. Now, at 4:45am, it is raining again.
My cat sits here in my lap as I write this next Blog entry. I hate that I can't find the opportunity to write in a more chronological style but my life is filled up, brimming over with activity.
The last few months scrutinized, I wanted to make sure that I had every thing in order as far as the Logic is concerned.
First, our bassist left on a 2 week cruise, leaving me to make sure the bass parts are set-up within the keyboard so we can continue to gig. Secondly, my guitar rig makes a loud disgraceful exit while playing a show in downtown Charlotte. I have to order a new rig and spend about 30 hours setting everything up (the rig is tied into the keyboard so every volume and FX change is now automated- technology is a beautiful thing). In essence, I 'lost' about 160 hours of time.
Change is inevitable.
It happens at the worst times; it happens at the best times.
With the Logic's bassist being gone we are relying entirely on a keyboard (albeit State-of-the-Art keyboard) to play the bass lines. It winds up being wildly successful. The people attending our shows couldn't give a damn about it. All they know is that the bottom-end of our music is moving them. After all, that is what matters, no?
Technology is fueling my imagination. I'm alive with ideas and inspiration.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
8-1-04
It's raining like crazy outside. I was in the headphones and could still hear it. I love the rain. I feel it reflects the excitement of inevitable change. It seems to wash away whatever was there before it. Sometimes that is a good thing; sometimes it is a bad thing. Change is not easy for a lot of people- including myself. But I love not knowing what the ride of life is going to bring next.
I have finished a good portion on one of the songs for the new CD. The only thing left I really need to record is the drums and that should be completed in a few weeks- as well as about 4-5 other tunes.
I have been working on the Logic CD as well. This CD has turned out to be a nice surprise. Songs I didn't think would come out well have turned out fantastic. This may a great year after all.
7-22-04
For the first time in months I'm making some progress on the solo CD. I'm hoping to record the drums for at least several of the tracks within the next 4 weeks. I'm anxious to get this done.
A monkey wrench thrown into the equation is that the Logic is going to start playing acoustic gigs as well... so I have to spend time getting ready for that. There is just not enough time to go around. Is there ever?
7-5-04
I'm sunburned, I'm listening to a light Jazz CD, it's 2am, and my house temperature reads 66F yet I feel like I'm standing in a furnace.
Just recovering from a full weekend. The fourth is actually one of my favorite holidays because neither side of my family is very sentimental about it. I can freely choose to do whatever I wish. I played in Lake Norman with the Logic Friday & in Hickory on Saturday. Sunday, I became ill from exhaustion, drink and food: none of it settled well. Today was more of the Holiday… no rain… just nice, calm weather. My mother's neighborhood is surrounded by hills that have trees that reach up at least 150 feet. The trees swim with wind most afternoons. I find it very serene. With deep blue sky, green trees & white clouds, one has the free drug of peacefulness.
So what of this solo CD? I just cannot find very much time to do anything. I have totally over-extended myself. I'm in the final stages of the CD I'm producing for Ballistic Karma. The Logic CD is still in the queue as well. Where-o-where will I find the time to do it all? The Logic just hired on a new guitarist (Strut Benfield) so I spent a lot of time with him in late May and early June. The Logic just moved into a new practice room where we have a lot more room and flexibility. This is also an extension of the Salamander Studio and will probably be the location for the recording of major parts for the new Chad CD.
This solo CD has taken surprise turns for many reasons. There is a scene in the 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" where Richard Dreyfuss (Roy) is in his suburban home building a huge scale-model of a mountain in his living room. He's driven himself crazy by a vision of this mountain… so he keeps building models of this mountain, each one more grandiose than the one before. But he doesn't know why. He just feels compelled to do so. I can relate to this character.
This new CD I wanted to be very organic. I caught the Songwriters' buzz. I listened to Sting (duh), Dave Mathews, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos and John Mayer a lot. But there was still something else… another element I needed to hear. Then I picked up the "Us" CD from Peter Gabriel. I heard something within this CD that caught my ear to the Nth degree. I immediately called my friend Charlie Smith and asked him if he could duplicate any of the ethnic sounds I was hearing. Charlie, with a Masters in percussion, was like "Oh, yeah, no problem" and sent me samples to prove it. I found my Secret World.
5-11-04
What is it about music that draws a person into its whirlpool of sound?
It's so odd the way we musicians are into the music to which the depths are almost immeasurable. As a musician, I hear every nuance, every cymbal crash, every chord struck. But the listener, he or she only hears the melody- and sometimes the mechanics and hypnotism of the beat of drums.
So the task of a musician is to translate this motif- from lyrics to music- to the listener… and hope they partake of a fraction of the journey. There's a delicate balance that needs to be met for the musician in the musical pleasure and listener pleasure. It's a tough mix and one that is fought again and again. The mind of a musician seems to race with song ideas and lyrics. The average listener is more concerned with their everyday life: their lives, their jobs, and their home.
So the real job of a musician is two-fold: to satisfy his/her musical cravings and exploration… but at the same time, connect with the folks who have no musical ability. Musicians really supply a form of escape from their everyday life.
Incidentally, music also allows the musician to escape as well.
Until next time-
Chad
5-2-04
"I can feel big changes starting to emerge. I can feel it in the air. New song ideas are rising from the Id. I'm looking at playing again with an old friend of mine, who goes by the name of Strut. For those who don't know the history, he was the other guitarist in an old rock group with which we both belonged: TZN (pronounced: tee-zuhn). We discussed how technologically advanced we were at the time but the downfall of having no direction; no guidance. This time, things will be different. The project will be because of the pursuit of music itself: the labor of love of making music.
New musicians may come and go. The whole purpose is the creation and exploration of new and exciting sounds and motifs. I'm looking forward to see what will happen. I'm sure more than a few people will look and exclaim 'What the Hell was that?' "
The Answer: 'That, my friend, is the sound of us taking over.'"
4-12-04
"I sometimes fantasize about the Muse of Inspiration actually being a true spirit following me around. I don't really get into writing slumps or production slumps- at least none that I might actually recognize. However, one time that might actually qualify when I was working for this guy several years ago who was so cruel to his employees that it's amazing he's not been sued for being an Ass. Working there was very stifling and it did- I believe- keep me from writing very much music. I wrote a few things, but nothing compared to the week after I left (April 18, 2003 was my last day)… that week I started writing like crazy… so much that I still look back and laugh. The Muse didn't just visit; she moved into the studio itself. I wrote about 16-18 complete songs (including envisioning full production) and put their basic structure down in the studio. So this coming weekend is a celebration of the pursuit of happiness.
There's a downside, however. I can't quit writing. I don't think I'm suffering from Dementia or Schizophrenia because I don't actually hear voices. But I do hear music during my entire waking day. I don't mean to imply I hit hear hit tunes all day… just little snippets of melody or little clever catch phrases. It does drive me nuts, though, because I can't always be here in the studio to put everything down.
Poor musician. Welcome to the world of Music."
3-8-04
"I started reading the new Sting book "Broken Music". It's really well written and I can't seem to put it down. I recommend it to anyone who's a fan.
One thing about the music business that sucks (I can think of a lot more than this) is the people who can't seem to return your call, even if only for a courtesy. I wonder if the big wheels like Sting ever have to wait for a phone call. As a fan recently put it to me "Would success change you?" My answer: "Hell, yes. I could make choices that I can't now make. This extends to personal choices as well as professional." Now THAT was a good question.
The Logic has begin work on a new CD. It has caused me to almost completely halt any work on my solo CD. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place...
2-18-04
"It just seems like there's never enough time in the day. From
phone calls to rehearsals & gigs, there's just never enough.
There's the day job, too. Whew. I'm watching Jay Leno tonight…
Michael McDonald (from Doobie Brothers) is playing "Ain't no
Mountain High Enough". He sounds great. I wonder how he feels
about his ties with John Mayer since it was Michael's Management
Company that seems to be responsible for a lot of John's musical
journey. Of course, I'm just really guessing- I don't really
know. What I really wonder is what it would be like to have
your choice of incredible musicians to work with… like Sting
and his Jazz band… or to have the whole day in isolation overlooking
incredible abode that only the very privileged get to enjoy.
Would I write better songs if I could have that kind of peace
of mind and time? Could I create better sonic landscapes?
"The weather here has been keeping me at home. The van doesn't move very well in the ice. So I work from home. After about 5:30 I turn off the laptop and fix a glass of Merlot. Then I sit down to see where my mind is going to wonder. I've some newer material again. I'm wondering if I'll ever get the chance to fix at least the mixes I had recorded in late fall. I really have a strong desire to complete this new CD. The Logic is due for another new CD as well… "
1-7-04
"Hope eveyone has had a good New Year! The Logic and a band I'm producing, called "Ballistic Karma" (aka "BK"), is taking more time than I had anticipated for this year. BK is actually recording a few songs I wrote co-wrote 10 years ago. It's extremely cool hearing these songs reshape themselves a decade later.
"I haven't forgotten the new solo CD. As a matter of fact, I've been thinking about it more and more. I may even change the name. Due to life events over the last 3-4 months my perception has changed as to the way I want to present this next CD. I feel extremely philosophical. "
11-24-03
"Still working on the CD- most of the songs has been written but I keep threatening to write more. Committing to other projects (such as the Logic and producing Ballistic Karma's new CD with new singer David Hedrick) has kept the CD from being completed as fast as would be liked.
"I have wrapped up work with saxophonist Erick Payne (from 'da
funk of Brotha'hood) on one song, Wes Powers (drummer) & Charles
Smith (percussionist) on a few songs. With the advent of a new
keyboard workstation (Yamaha Motif ES) some of the songs are
taking on a stranger shape than anticipated. A lot of Worldbeat
styles are coming into play. "
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