Heart Full of Dirt

THE STORY THUS FAR:

"If anybody wonders why it took us six years between records, the answers are many. Age, decrepitude and the fact that us band members all live in different cities across the U.S. Makes it difficult to get anything done. For instance, these available demos are just that; rough tracks with drums and guitars, and a placeholder lead vocal that will be replaced when Iron Lungs Regan hits town in a couple months. Jim Jones' bass is not on these tracks yet, and some guitar parts will probably be replaced by the time we get around to mixing it all down. We're on a roll, though, and are heading steady toward our release date of September 1."

- McKeon, Seattle, 3/10/04

THE LATEST UPDATE:

"So the final song lineup has been determined and we've listed the songs below, though the order has yet to be determined. Coyle has come and gone from Seattle, tracking some great guitar parts and contributing two songs; one of his own (It's All About You) and resurrecting one from the vaults that he and Regan wrote almost 25 years ago (Innocent Bystander). Fred, our drummer, who is an all-around killer musician in his own right, also has contributed a song that he wrote when he was 19, the fittingly-titled "Ride the Highway." Regan arrives June 22 and stays in town a couple weeks so he can track the lead vocals, and Jim Jones is currently in and out of a studio in his home state of Virginia tracking his bass parts. Yessir, that's how we do things here in Heart Full of Dirt. The proof will be when we put it all together and see if it properly rocks. Mixdown will happen in August here at Fred's studio near Seattle."

- McKeon, 6/10/04

LATEST, LATEST NOTES FROM THE FRONT LINES:

Regan came and stayed a couple weeks in June and July, and we got all his vocals recorded over three nights. The guy was in top form. He was down in Texas chewing on cactus for five years to get his voice ready, and, as Fred and I are now mixing the finished versions, it's evident his new cactus diet really paid off. Of course we had to do the Seattle tourist thing while he was here, but we couldn't go hiking because he kept scaring the salmon away (rimshot). Jim Jones came and stayed over a long weekend in August and we tracked for two sessions at Fred's. Jim had already recorded the bass for four songs back at Paul Childress' studio in Virginia. Jim is a tremendously creative bass player, and takes great pride in writing all his parts very thoroughly ahead of time. It shows in the work. Anyway, all in all, we think we got some pretty decent stuff here, and are looking forward to ya'll hearing it. I think we're closer to a "sound" than we ever were. Now, maybe we can retire. Lord knows we look like we're ready.

- McKeon, 8/30/04

FINAL UPDATE BEFORE THE CD COMES OUT:

Fred and I mixed the cd over about six separate evenings. Mixing is a very subjective process; one little nudge on the fader and you can throw the whole dynamic of the song off. I guess you just do the best you can to try and honor the feel of the song, and make the instruments as clear as possible. I think it's something you could never be 100% satisfied with. But I think I can live with (and I hope the rest of the band can) what we've laid down. I've listened to all the songs in every possible sequence I can think of and I like this one best (??). We decided not to include Iron Horse on this record because 12 songs seems like about the maximum listening duration - adding another 5 minute song would have pushed it over the edge into the "who cares" category. We'll offer Iron Horse as a free download from this site - but to unlock it you have to buy the record to get a code or something. I donno. We'll let the web guys figure it out. The graphics are done. Check out Erik Stuhaug's great cover photo.

- McKeon, 10/05/04

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	THE STORY THUS FAR: "If anybody wonders why it took us six years between records, the answers are many. Age, decrepitude and the fact that us band members all live in different cities across the U.S. Makes it difficult to get anything done. For instance, these available demos are just that; rough tracks with drums and guitars, and a placeholder lead vocal that will be replaced when Iron Lungs Regan hits town in a couple months. Jim Jones' bass is not on these tracks yet, and some guitar parts will probably be replaced by the time we get around to mixing it all down. We're on a roll, though, and are heading steady toward our release date of September 1." - McKeon, Seattle, 3/10/04
	THE LATEST UPDATE: "So the final song lineup has been determined and we've listed the songs below, though the order has yet to be determined. Coyle has come and gone from Seattle, tracking some great guitar parts and contributing two songs; one of his own (It's All About You) and resurrecting one from the vaults that he and Regan wrote almost 25 years ago (Innocent Bystander). Fred, our drummer, who is an all-around killer musician in his own right, also has contributed a song that he wrote when he was 19, the fittingly-titled "Ride the Highway." Regan arrives June 22 and stays in town a couple weeks so he can track the lead vocals, and Jim Jones is currently in and out of a studio in his home state of Virginia tracking his bass parts. Yessir, that's how we do things here in Heart Full of Dirt. The proof will be when we put it all together and see if it properly rocks. Mixdown will happen in August here at Fred's studio near Seattle." - McKeon, 6/10/04
	LATEST, LATEST NOTES FROM THE FRONT LINES: Regan came and stayed a couple weeks in June and July, and we got all his vocals recorded over three nights. The guy was in top form. He was down in Texas chewing on cactus for five years to get his voice ready, and, as Fred and I are now mixing the finished versions, it's evident his new cactus diet really paid off. Of course we had to do the Seattle tourist thing while he was here, but we couldn't go hiking because he kept scaring the salmon away (rimshot). Jim Jones came and stayed over a long weekend in August and we tracked for two sessions at Fred's. Jim had already recorded the bass for four songs back at Paul Childress' studio in Virginia. Jim is a tremendously creative bass player, and takes great pride in writing all his parts very thoroughly ahead of time. It shows in the work. Anyway, all in all, we think we got some pretty decent stuff here, and are looking forward to ya'll hearing it. I think we're closer to a "sound" than we ever were. Now, maybe we can retire. Lord knows we look like we're ready. - McKeon, 8/30/04
	FINAL UPDATE BEFORE THE CD COMES OUT: Fred and I mixed the cd over about six separate evenings. Mixing is a very subjective process; one little nudge on the fader and you can throw the whole dynamic of the song off. I guess you just do the best you can to try and honor the feel of the song, and make the instruments as clear as possible. I think it's something you could never be 100% satisfied with. But I think I can live with (and I hope the rest of the band can) what we've laid down. I've listened to all the songs in every possible sequence I can think of and I like this one best (??). We decided not to include Iron Horse on this record because 12 songs seems like about the maximum listening duration - adding another 5 minute song would have pushed it over the edge into the "who cares" category. We'll offer Iron Horse as a free download from this site - but to unlock it you have to buy the record to get a code or something. I donno. We'll let the web guys figure it out. The graphics are done. Check out Erik Stuhaug's great cover photo. - McKeon, 10/05/04
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