News from the studio

It looks like the Tonics are updating themselves pretty regularly on their Facebook page. They've been recording a bunch of covers to brush up on their recording skills, but I hear that a reworking of Get Things Done is underway.

The Tonics to release a new album!

That's right!!!!!!1 The band that had seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth, the band that had gone the way of the Pixies, Oasis, and many others. THE TONICS (and we're not talking about the Harvard Din & Tonics or the Tonics that own thetonics.com domain name, but the real, rock-and-roll Tonics from South Pasadena) are releasing a brand new album!!! No, not a remix/remaster of songs like this one:



...but a bona-fide album with NEWLY RECORDED MATERIAL, the much-anticipated second LP that will blow away Get Things Done like a gasoline-powered leaf blower. Recording has already begun in studios COAST-TO-COAST. Yes, this is an extraordinarily production and thank your lucky stars it's finally happened! It's literally going to have the GREATEST HITS ON EARTH. Any questions?

"This is great! When will it be released?"----Late December back in '63.

"Excuse me?"----Ain't that a shame, you're the one to blame.

"Are we finally going to hear 'The Whistling Song' and 'Cube'?"----His mother told him "Someday you will be a man, and you will be the leader of a big old band."

"Can you talk more about the sessions? Is it hard to get back in the groove after all this time?"----We ain't fakin' it. Whole lot of shakin' goin' on.

"What are the new recordings going to sound like?"----

"I heard the Tonics are going electronic!"

----That's right. The Tonics are currently producing an album using the PC speaker.

"So, are we finally going to hear the full potential of Steven's MicroKORG?"----No, you already heard that at the end of "Save The Day." What you will be hearing, however, is the latest in monophonic square wave music.

"Will the new songs sound like Kid A-era Radiohead?"----No. It'll sound like QBASIC-era Tonics.

The Tonics press 'record'

Mark and Arta recorded "blue piano," a cover of a very famous hit from the 1990s. I'll take your questions.

"Wow! I want to hear it."----You'll have to wait until we release the Tonics Anthology near the end of our careers.

"Why isn't Steven on this recording? Is he still in the band?"----I'm afraid the traitor's still counting money and playing with that flower power psych folk band in Berkeley.

"I heard there are plans to finally record the 'Whistling Song.'"----Actually, you didn't hear it. You read it on this blog entry.

"Hey, are you guys on Twitter?"----No, we're on acid.

The Whistling Song

On Friday, Arta, Mark and Steven reconvened in South Pasadena and worked on harmonies and instrumental arrangements for "The Whistling Song." This was the band's first time in the studio since the ill-fated sessions for "Our House" and "Radio" in 2006.

"No way! Are you going to release this song? I thought the Tonics were done."----No, we're just recording the song for fun and not-for-profit. Just like all the others.

"Is it true that the Tonics are planning to release an authorized, remixed, remastered version of Get Things Done?"----Yes, and we're going to call it Got Things Done.

"Happy New Year, Neon!"----What's with all the joy? Go listen to "Hamlet."