"Lucy" demo

Next on the list of cassettes to digitize: the jam session that resulted in "Lucy" which occurred in December 2001 or January 2002. The tape contains several other jams, including "Ready Steady Go" which almost became a song.

Linda Linda

Yesterday, Andy and SK recorded a demo of a new song, "Linda Linda." Today, SK transferred the best copy of the 2002 Cambridge Court concert cassette onto digital.

Diana!!

Lately we've been working on a song called "Diana," previously known as the "Country Song" and first recorded in 2005. We've traded in the shuffle rhythm for 4/4 punk beat, a move that has transformed the song from an embarrassment to a potential chart-topper. A few weeks ago, Andy California recorded a couple of rhythm guitar tracks and a guitar solo, and this week SK Chow added vocals and bass. The following is an exclusive interview with Andy California:

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR

AC: neon! long time no see

NP: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEW MIX?

AC: best one yet. the stereo separation is just right, the guitars sound pretty punky and punchy bass is holding the center together

NP: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL THE PUBLIC ABOUT DIANA!!!!!!

AC: it's a celebration of style over substance. it's a celebration of aesthetics and beauty, and form. i think that's an unpopular position to some extent in pop music, which celebrates the lyric, even though honestly, it's never been like that. the beatles' best lyrics were things like "yeah yeah yeah," not "fish and finger pie" so Diana is great because the lyrics actually undermine themselves. they undermine content, and celebrate form. they celebrate melody and rhyme. and in 2015, that's kinda punk, don't you think? also i think it's about time we played overdriven guitars again and 4/4 rhythms and stuff you can maybe move around a bit too

NP: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR NEW GUITAR

AC: it's my dream guitar. it's a 2012 Fender Jaguar, Johnny Marr Signature Series. i've always wanted a jaguar, in fact I wanted one the last time i got a guitar, but i settled on the similar jazzmaster partially because the jaguar had a few design features that were wonky and i never felt comfortable with. but the jazzmaster and i never got fully comfortable either, because i don't really love the 25.5in fender scale, so when i found out Johnny Marr had redesigned a modern Jaguar which has a 24in. scale neck and fixed all those wonky problems, i knew i had to have one eventually, so i finally took the plunge. it's beautiful, can really snarl with overdrive, but has a beautiful surf clean tone with that percussive attack and eminently playable with the short scale neck

NP: IS THERE A SMITHS COVER IN THE PIPELINE?

AC: i think we have to do Still Ill soon. i know all the parts, so it won't take long to record, and mark and i used to play/sing it

NP: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, ANDY CALIFORNIA

AC: always a pleasure, Neon. rock the damn box

Finishing "Lisa"

Today, the Tonics completed a productive two-day session at Studio Uno during which they recorded cover versions of "Stand By Me," "1979," "All About That Bass," "Blank Space" and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)." Mark also recorded a bass line for "Lisa," thus completing the process that began in October 2005.