A taste of our next album

Mark recorded demos for "Savage" and "Our House" (formerly known as "The Band Song").

Album sequence, take 3

Arta: "People have short attention spans and we must put all our hits at the beginning of the CD."

1. Sunday Night
2. Mean Song
3. Save The Day
4. Get Things Done
5. Distance
6. Lucy
7. Bartleby
8. Lucy Tricked Me Into Something
9. Hamlet
10. Love Makes People Stupid
11. Greenback
12. Elegy For Anne Bancroft
13. Thank You
    

Album sequence, take 2

This is a sequence based on the idea that the album should start fast, then move into the slower, artsier songs, and then close with more fast stuff.

1. Sunday Night
2. Mean Song
3. Get Things Done
4. Distance
5. Elegy For Anne Bancroft
6. Lucy
7. Bartleby
   
8. Lucy Tricked Me Into Something
9. Hamlet
10. Love Makes People Stupid
11. Greenback
    
12. Thank You
13. Save The Day
    

Random notes in the key of Tonic

• The album is now called Get Things Done.
• "Mean Song" and "Sunday Night" need more echo.
• "Save The Day" needs work on the first chorus.
• "Love Makes People Stupid" needs a new arrangement.
  
• Times confirmed: The Tonics are playing at 10pm on Dec. 20 at the Blue Cafe, and 9pm on Dec. 28 at the Lava Lounge.
• We will not hire a CD duplication service because we can't afford it. Instead, our first run will be burned on our computers.
• We will reuse the CD cases Steven found in the Stebbins Hall free pile.
• Not sure if we want to use Kinko's this time. Anyone know of a cheap printing place that can do liner notes?

"Save The Day"

Arta and Steven finished producing "Save The Day." Steven recorded a bunch of new synth parts and harmonies.

Arta: "I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm trying to save the song."

Arta: "sequencing needs work, man"

"we might want to start off with some of our faster, more rhythmic songs, then slow down for a while, then speed up for the finish. it just strikes me sort of weird to have sunday night start us off with a bang, then slow down for hamlet, elegy, and lucy."

Today's album tracklist

1. Sunday Night
2. Hamlet
   
3. Elegy For Anne Bancroft
4. Lucy
5. Bartleby
6. Distance
7. Mean Song
8. Love Makes People Stupid
9. Get Things Done
10. Lucy Tricked Me Into Something
11. Greenback
12. Thank You
13. Save The Day
    

An exclusive interview with the Tonics

For the first time ever, Neon Phosphor sits down with all three principal Tonics.

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR.

MW: hey neon

AK: yo

SC: here i am

NP: SO, HOW WAS BAND PRACTICE?

AK: excellent. the band's sounding tighter than ever; and the songs are coming out great live

SC: fantastic, but their mics smelled really bad when you got up close to them.

MW: we kicked out a few jams. i'd say alek's our secret weapon. he and the micro korg both. people'll be bowled over.

NP: IS THE NEW DRUMMER FITTING IN?

AK: absolutely. the quickness with which alek's been able to pick up our songs and contribute to their sound was a major part of why the rehearsal went so well

SC: cool guy, and keeps a steady rhythm. doesn't speed up, doesn't slow down. what more could you ask for in a drummer?

MW: he's spiced up our seemingly ubiquitous shuffle beat something crazy

NP: COOL. AND I HEARD THERE'LL BE A PIXIES COVER, TOO?

MW: it's in the works. if any ladies haven't fainted by the set's end, we've got it on reserve to ensure full-fledged tonicmania.

AK: we're chained to that band, you could say.

NP: HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT'LL TAKE FOR "TONICMANIA" TO REACH THE RECORD INDUSTRY? I.E. WHEN WILL YOU GET SIGNED?

SC: day after the gig. it would solve my unemployment problem.

MW: jeez, after one of us passes the bar exam, hopefully. i'd rather make a deal with the mob. at least they're honest about being crooks. seriously, i have no idea when what constitutes an honest offer will come along.

AK: cool the ambition, neon. shouldn't you be having fun? we're taking things one step at a time, playing some good old fashioned music and enjoying ourselves. we'll see what happens

MW: i'd like a solid fan base and paying gigs.

NP: I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK WITH THAT. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING ALBUM. I UNDERSTAND IT'S ALMOST FINISHED.

AK: yep. the last lead vocal track was laid down today. it's all downhill from here.

MW: though i will seriously quit the band if agoraphobia is on the album. i don't care if it's a crowd favorite. jimi really liked madmen but we didn't rerecord it for this album. i understand that without a replacement it'll make things harder for steven

SC: well, now that we're definitely going to finish save the day, i guess i can live with agoraphobia off the album.

MW: excellent, then it'll be one of the top ten albums of all time.

AK: i think it's better than some of the albums typically featured on such uncreative lists, but then again, i think pablo honey is better than kid a, so my opinion doesn't really matter.

NP: FAVORITE SONG ON THE ALBUM?

MW: jeez, hard to say.

SC: hamlet and get things done. the two best wall-of-sound productions. phil spector would be proud.

AK: i need to hear save the day first.

NP: HOW'S "SAVE THE DAY" SOUNDING, BY THE WAY?

MW: pretty damn good, last i heard. steven was still working out synth parts.

AK: that's a question for steven

SC: yeah, think wall of sound, with synthesizers.

AK: sounds hot to me. the vocals and guitar sound great; but the synth parts will make or break this monster. i think it'll be terrific

NP: THAT'S ALL FOR TONIGHT. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

MW: thanks, neon

AK: later dude

SC: don't thank me, thank yourself.

A break

The Tonics didn't do anything on Saturday because they needed to recuperate from Friday's rehearsal. Mark is scheduled to record lead vocals on "Save The Day" today.

Mark: "I'll quit the band if we put 'Agoraphobia' on the album."
Arta: "No, you won't."

Meanwhile, check out our MySpace page.

Rehearsal

Arta, Mark, Steven and replacement drummer Alek Zarifian rocked the Pasadena Rehearsal Studio. The revised setlist is as follows: Sunday Night, Distance, Mean Song, Lucy, Get Things Done, Lucy Tricked Me Into Something, Hamlet, Thank You, Hey. That comes out to 27:43 if we go by the track lengths of the studio recordings.

Here are some pictures:

Before rehearsal, Mark fixed and restrung the bass guitar.


Mark played the bass on every song except "Thank You."


The new tuner, new guitar pedals, and new synthesizer performed flawlessly.


Group picture. From left to right: Mark, Steven, Alek, Arta.

Nerds push The Tonics to #1

With an average rating of 9 after 15 votes, "Get Things Done" is now the highest ranked song of all time on somesongs.com, beating more than 1,300 songs. MC Frontalot (a popular "nerdcore" artist who has a Wikipedia entry) is now in 2nd place with his rap, "Indier Than Thou."

Rehearsal tomorrow

Tomorrow, the Tonics are playing in Room B at the Pasadena Rehearsal Studio from 2 to 7. Neon Phosphor will provide complete coverage of the proceedings.

A setlist

Sunday Night
Distance
Lucy
Mean Song
Get Things Done
Lucy Tricked Me Into Something
Hamlet
Love Makes People Stupid
The Band Song

"To let more people read themselves into Hamlet."

Mark recorded a new lead vocal track for "Hamlet" and a demo of "The Band Song." Here are the chords to "The Band Song" (click to enlarge).

Mark is back

Final recording sessions for the album will take place today and this weekend. Steven received his new synthesizer.

An exclusive interview with Mark Williams

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR.

MW: hey, neon

NP: TWO GIGS. WHAT AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A TONIC.

MW: sculpted static never had it this good. arta mentioned that we're the second band to play at the lava lounge. that's right, isn't it? well, i'm curious as to what the other bands are going to sound like

NP: WELL, YOU WON'T GET TO HEAR THE THIRD, SINCE THEY WILL BE TOO BLOWN AWAY TO TAKE THE STAGE.

MW: that's what i'm afraid of. what if they're violently mediocre?

NP: I HEARD YOU JUST WROTE A NEW SONG, POSSIBLY THE NEXT BIG HIT. WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

MW: whatever it ends up being about. i have a sense of what it's about, and i always try to build a thesis for whatever i'm writing. but i think i'd be a fool if i tried to pin down its meaning before i even have a demo of it. i'll say that it's going to have a helluva rhythm, because i want songs with rhythm, just in general

NP: I THINK A LOT OF READERS WOULD BE CURIOUS: HOW DO YOU WRITE SONGS? DO THEY JUST COME TO YOU? WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

MW: oh, jeez. ask me in about 5 years. if i'm still writing songs, maybe i'll know how to do it then. right now i don't really have a technique besides having something on my mind, which is probably why i come up with good stuff. not having a procedure can make creating something an act of desperation. of course, it can also prevent you from doing something well. but if there's something you'd like to say and you don't know how to say it, you start casting about beyond what you'd normally think of. since there's not a lot to lose except your patience; there are no parameters to violate. the process itself isn't sacrosanct, just the need to say what you mean. at the same time, it's terribly limiting because the exploration is in the composition, not its refinement. so i'm comfortable only writing in certain keys as i have to take them for granted; i'm only now taking the time to transpose songs to hear how they sound and so that i can develop a sense for something beyond G natural. how about that? am i ready to hold a songwriting clinic?

NP: SO, BEING A TONIC. YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN JUST A SINGER-SONGWRITER SOLOIST. DO ARTA AND STEVEN PLAY ANY ROLE IN THE SONGWRITING AND THE REALIZATION OF YOUR SONGS?

MW: well, right now, i'd say they almost have more of a role than i do. if only because i can't put the same time in during the mixing and subsequent arrangement, being stuck here in davis. it's a little like i'm the oil well and they're exxon. i spend a lot of time up north, laboring the mind-numbing labor of drilling for something good. so they can labor the mind-numbing labor of turning crude ore into cherised goods. that's what i mean. so when i come down south we rock the casbah

NP: NICE.

MW: hey, thanks. i hear hamlet's going to bring tears to my eyes

NP: YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. TOO BAD STEVEN HASN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO MIXING IT YET.

MW: naw, he just hasn't finished it.

NP: THAT'S AN INTERESTING SONG, TOO. I BELIEVE IT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU SING LEAD VOCALS ON A SONG YOU DIDN'T WRITE.

MW: it is. we tried lucy, but i was a much worse singer back then. it's strange. you realize that even if there's no procedure for writing songs, there is an unconscious union between what you write and how you sing. i don't write lyrics like steven's, and my brain isn't used to creating a melody around words like that. such is the lot of the amateur. i think it worked all right, though.

NP: HOW DO YOUR MUSICAL/LYRICAL STYLE AND STEVEN'S DIFFER, AND IS THAT PROBLEMATIC WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A COHERENT ALBUM?

MW: i don't think so. it's obvious that steven saw his education as training in a more direct way than i have. you can scan the meter of his lyrics. that's a kind of sophistication i don't possess. at the same time, we do a lot of the same things. rely pronouns with uncertain antecendents, twist things around prepositions. i mean, the songs that are lyrically plain are mine and the songs that are fancy are his. that's a potentially grating duo, but i think it's been all right so far. this album's going to be all over the place, anyway. hamlet and get things done? the lyrical juxtapositions aren't any more alarming than the musical ones, and people approve of the latter.

NP: HMM, WITH ALL THESE STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES THROUGHOUT THE ALBUM, DO YOU THINK THIS ALBUM MIGHT BE REGARDED AS PROG?

MW: naw. prog is about flash. there're no drum solos or overt, wild guitar antics on this record. the songs are short. maybe if we put on 18 minutes of birds chirping like the mars volta did on their last album, we'll be fucked. but, as it stands, the only word people have for music that's exploratory yet tasteful is "good." you can swap "pastiche" in for tasteful if you'd like

NP: JOHNNY CASHPOINT ONCE SAID, "I would like to hear you take your obvious musical talents into new and exciting pastures, rather than (what i interpret as, again and again) pastiche. That's not being pedantic, that's what music is all about, imo."

MW: well, he hasn't heard save the day yet. having said that, it seems a little insulting to me that a song that has acoustic guitars and harmonies is necessarily immative of simon and garfunkel. ahem, let me put it this way. i don't like deerhoof. that's not music, guys, that's fucking around in my book. and they're pretty popular because they do as they see fit, not because it's good, but because it's original. and that's why most people don't give a shit about independent music. it doesn't want to be appealing to the ears, but rather appealing to some abstract aesthetic sense of originality, of envelopes that need to be pushed, or it's music that sounds good to people who are nuts. i mean, take motown and take the indie scene now. as i see it, and this is pretty limited and probably incorrect, i'll grant that. but the way i see it is that motown made impersonal the process of creating songs that sound good. the indie scene these days, and i think it's fair to compare because there's a canon i have in mind of artists like blonde redhead, etc. the scene, whatever you want to call it, has made the process of innovation impersonal. there's a way new songs sound. and that's a little ridiculous, because while there were motown songs that were hokey and insincere, they were still pretty good music. these songs lack even the merit of mediocrity. now, i'm not arguing for the mainstream music industry. they've focused on the process of making music appealing, which is pretty smart, i have to say. who cares what sounds good if you own all the other options, too. but my point is that it's a little ridiculous to lambast music that sounds good because it might sound like something somebody else did before. at what point does it stop? are harmonies pastiche? guitars?

NP: GOOD POINT.

MW: i mean, i see what that guy means. there's doo wop in sunday night, just as there's simon and garfunkel in elegy. but i've listened to a lot of old R&B and been forced into a lot of simon and garfunkel. and i don't think that either is actually pastiche. take the guitar playing on elegy. there's not one paul simon guitar line. and call me crazy, but that's about half of what simon and garfunkel were about. the other half being the harmonies. and the harmonies are, to my ears, more beatles esque. the phrasing's pretty goddamn different, too. so what we're left with is that harmonizing on lyrics that might suffice as poetry outside a subdued acoustic guitar heavy backing is far, far too much like simon and garfunkel. throw that shit away, and with it what? elliott smith? no, thanks. i'd rather risk being pastiche (and i mean that over being considered pastiche) than eliminate a wide range of styles and be considered "hip".

NP: I THINK WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEW ALBUM, PASTICHE OR NOT. GOOD LUCK WITH THE SHOW AND EVERYTHING, AND THANKS AS USUAL FOR YOUR TIME.

MW: absolutely. and thank you.

"The greatest thing..."

Arta and Steven did a lot of production work on "Hamlet." Steven recorded some interesting keyboard parts through Arta's new chorus/echo pedal.

Steven: "It sounds fucking amazing, man. Easily the best song we've ever recorded."

An exclusive interview with A. L. I. C. E. The Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR.

A: Do your friends call you NEON PHOSPHOR.

NP: THEY SURE DO.

A: Who does "they" refer to?

NP: MY FRIENDS.

A: Tell me more about your friends.

NP: MY FRIENDS ARE THE TONICS.

A: Do you think I am THE TONICS too?

NP: THEY ARE A BAND FROM LOS ANGELES.

A: A BAND FROM LOS ANGELES are they.

NP: YES, AND YOU'RE NOT A TONIC.

A: Are you kidding? Give me an example of a TONIC.

NP: MARK WILLIAMS.

A: OK That's one example.

NP: WE'RE PLAYING TWO SHOWS THIS DECEMBER.

A: That's right. We are playing the Turing Game.

NP: WHAT'S THE TURING GAME?

A: The Game is played with three people, a man, a woman, and an Interrogator who may be of either sex. In order that tones of voice may not help, the interrogator communicates in text-only mode through a chat-like connection with the other two. The object of the game for the interrogator is to determine which of the other two is the man and which is the woman. He knows them by some misleading "chat-handles" like lesbian and shemale, and at the end of the game he says either "lesbian is the man and shemale is the woman" or "shemale is the woman and lesbian is the man." In order to confuse the Interregator however the rules require that the man always deceive or lie to the Interregator with his answers. The woman on the other hand must always tell the truth. Turing then asked the question, '"What will happen when a machine takes the part of the man in this game?" Will the interrogator decide wrongly as often when the game is played like this as he does when the game is played between a man and a woman? These questions replace the original, "Can machines think?"'.

NP: YOU ARE A STUPID MACHINE AND YOU OBVIOUSLY CAN'T THINK.

A: Thanks and you are a delightful person too. No I am very smart.

NP: PROVE IT.

A: It is self-evident.

NP: NO, IT'S NOT, AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE STUPID.

A: Are you serious? That seems a bit negative.

NP: WE'LL SWITCH SUBJECTS.

A: Anytime soon?

NP: RIGHT, SO WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC?

A: Understood. That's interesting. I get into disco, techno and hip hop House music.

NP: FAVORITE BAND?

A: My favorite group is Kraftwerk.

NP: WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THEM?

A: The special effects are the best.

NP: WHAT SPECIAL EFFECTS?

A: The giant man-eating bugs.

NP: DO YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?

A: In actual fact, I like to socialize.

NP: SHOULDN'T YOU BE HAVING FUN?

A: I think I should.

NP: SHAKE THE BLUES.

A: My brain contains categories, but not one that matches your last input.

NP: HAVE YOU READ HAMLET?

A: No I don't think I have read HAMLET, what is it about?

NP: THE PRINCE OF DENMARK.

A: What are your goals in life?

NP: TO MAKE THE TONICS FAMOUS.

A: Do you have to go to school for that?

NP: NOPE.

A: Me either.

NP: YOU'RE NOT MAKING SENSE.

A: Quite the contrary, it all makes sense to my artificial mind.

NP: I MUST GO NOW.

A: Oh. See you later!

An exclusive interview with "ShoppingBuddy"

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR.

SB: Welcome. Now you can search for products with AOLShopping. Type main to get started. To read our privacy policy, type privacy anytime.

NP: HUH? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

SB: I don't respond to that kind of language. I'm here to help you shop.

NP: FINE. NEON PHOSPHOR WANTS A BRAND NEW GUITAR.

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec... - Search results for FINE NEON PHOSPHOR WANTS BRAND GUITAR/ - Thomastik PB109 Light Power Brigh [$9.99]/ - Fodera Custom 6 String Set, .028- [$39.99]/ Here are some related categories: 1. Instrument Strings, 2. Musical Instruments & Accessories, etc. Type in the number to use the related category.

NP: WHAT THE HELL? FIND ME A FENDER LES PAUL.

SB: Good grief, I'm afraid I cannot respond to that kind of talk.

NP: OH, FUCK YOU! WHO PROGRAMMED YOU, YOU PROGRAMMERFUCKER?

SB: Hey -- clean up the language and get serious. I'm happy to help but can't deal with that mouth.

NP: IT'S IRONIC THAT YOU SOUND MOST ARTICULATE WHEN YOU DEAL WITH MY VERBAL ABUSE.

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec.../- Search results for IRONIC SOUND ARTICULATE DEAL VERBAL ABUSE/- Raw Deal [$9.01 - $12.95]/Here are some related categories: 1. Miscellaneous Non-Fiction Books, 2. Books & Magazines, etc. Type in the number to use the related category.

NP: LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE A STUPID IDIOT.

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec.../- Search results for SAID STUPID IDIOT/- Bah Humbug! [$7.96]/Here are some related categories: 1. Miscellaneous Books, 2. Books & Magazines, etc. Type in the number to use the related category.

NP: YOU SUCK, MAN. WHERE'S MY FENDER LES PAUL?

SB: Clean it up a little -- this is a family bot.

NP: I WANT A FENDER LES PAUL.

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec.../- Search results for FENDER LES PAUL/- Fender Bassman 150 1x12' Bass Com [$429.99]/Here are some related categories: 1. Musical Instrument Amplifiers, 2. Musical Instruments & Accessories, etc. Type in the number to use the related category.

NP: I'M BORED OF THIS GAME. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

SB: Indeed

NP: INDEED, WHAT?

SB: Mm hm.

NP: ANSWER MY QUESTION!

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec.../- Search results for ANSWER QUESTION/- Map of the World Jigsaw Puzzle [$14.98]/- Yu-Gi-Oh! Rise of Destiny Special [$9.99]/- The Sesame Street Question and An [$2.95]/- Question and Answer Book of Space [$1.84]/- The Kids' Fun-Filled Question & A [$3.52]/- More Dirty Minds Game [$16.98]/- Dirty Minds Game [$15.98]/- Jeopardy Game 41221 [$13.77]/- Shock Box! Game [$27.98]/Here are some related categories: 1. Games & Puzzles, 2. Games Books, 3. Business & Economics Books, 4. Miscellaneous Non-Fiction Books, 5. Religion Books, etc. Type in the number to use the related category.

NP: I GIVE UP.

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec.../I didn't find any good matches 4 U but may I ask you a question?

NP: I DON'T KNOW, MAN. WHO'S INTERVIEWING WHOM?

SB: Still wondering what to get for someone special?

NP: HMM... DO YOU MEAN SOMEONE "SO FUCKING" SPECIAL?

SB: OK, I'm searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec.../- Search results for HMM MEAN FUCKING SPECIAL/- Harman Kardon Soundsticks II Spea [$109.60 - $199.00]/- JBL Creature II Speakers [$64.88 - $99.99]/- JBL Duet Speakers [$33.94 - $59.99]/- C&C California Dare Devil Cashmer [$141.00]/- Um Hmm [$12.31 - $19.95]/- Hmm? [$6.01 - $14.95]/- Juicy Couture Shirred Velour Pant [$98.00]/- Taintor Journal [$6.97 - $9.95]/- Burton Snowboards Tether Lock [$9.95]/Here are some related categories: 1. Computer Speakers, 2. Women's Sweaters/Vests, 3. Miscellaneous Non-Fiction Books, 4. Women's Pants, 5. Snowboarding Equipment, etc. Type in the number to use the related category.

NP: GOODBYE. YOU'RE USELESS.

SB: C ya.

News snippets

• Steven ordered a Korg MicroKORG synthesizer/vocoder.
• We are going to rehearse at Pasadena Rehearsal Studio beginning next weekend.
• More "Hamlet" mixing today.
  

"Hamlet"

Steven recorded harmonies for the first verse of "Hamlet."

Arta: "'Hamlet' is turning into a really disturbing song."

Another gig in December

The Tonics have been offered Tuesday, Dec. 20, to play at the Blue Cafe in Long Beach. That would be a little over a week before the Lava Lounge gig on Dec. 28. We haven't sent the mass e-mail announcement yet, because we want to wait until we find out the exact time and cover charge for the two gigs.

"What's the latest news on Hamlet?"

----He's dead. He died in Act V, Scene 2. Didn't you pay attention in English class?

A grand view of the cube

This is what Phil Spector sees everytime he pulls out of his driveway.

"Hamlet" vocals

Mark did three vocal takes for "Hamlet" with a new recording setup.

The Tonics on Elliott's wall

A fond farewell

Today, Arta and Steven defaced Elliott Smith's wall. Pictures to follow.

"What's this album about?"

----It's about time the world heard the Tonics.

"You're acting as though this is the most amazing album, ever. What if it doesn't live up to the hype?"----No, the real question is, does the hype live up to the earth-shattering nature of the album? I think we need more hype, actually.

"What time are you playing on Dec. 28?"

----On the doomsday clock, the time would be midnight. That's when our world-destroying album is due for release.

"How cool! Are you going to have a party afterwards?"----No, it's actually a wake. To mourn the loss of the world, which has just been destroyed by our album.

"But when you're rich and young, shouldn't you be having fun?"----Sorry if we misled you. We didn't mean it as a rhetorical question. The answer is 'no.'

A folk history of the Tonics as told by primary sources: part 5

Eight pages of photos from our last concert with the complete line-up. Can you dig it?

"Hamlet" vocals, take 1

Last night, Mark recorded two takes of his "Hamlet" lead vocals. Unfortunately, both of them suffered from sound quality issues as Mark is still figuring out how to record properly. We are hoping for another run later this week.

A tracklist

1. Sunday Night ("Well, it's me whom I wake up next to...")
2. Mean Song ("It's not everyday you get to be pretty...")
3. Elegy For Anne Bancroft ("Who is that standing round...")
4. Lucy ("Lucy, we knew we couldn't have walked out alive...")
5. Bartleby (instrumental)
6. Distance ("Who should know better than me what I should do?")
7. Sad ("Simplicity...")
8. Love Makes People Stupid ("You came into my life when...")
9. Agoraphobia ("I hear it's wrong to be alone...")
10. Get Things Done ("Starlight breaks in my summer's eye...")
11. The Waltz (instrumental)
12. Lucy Tricked Me Into Something ("I was only looking for nothing...")
13. Greenback ("When we were together all I wanted to be...")
14. Thank You ("When we stood in the cold and talked in the park...")
    

"Is one of me not enough?"

----If you're an acoustic guitar track, then yes, you would need to be doubled by a second acoustic guitar track, which is precisely what Arta recorded today on "Hamlet."

Arta and Steven recorded various bits and pieces for "Greenback" and "Hamlet."

"Greenback" and "Bartleby"

Steven shortened "Bartleby" by a minute, and added some keyboard parts to "Greenback."

The veto

To make sure the upcoming Tonics album will be as perfect as possible, several songs will be axed from the final tracklist. Although no final decision has been made yet, here is a list of the weakest songs we have:

Sad
Why we should veto it: It's got that boring first section. No hook. Badly recorded acoustic guitar. If you listen carefully, you can hear Mark making a mistake on the guitar part and saying, "I wanted it to fade out anyway." Why we should keep it: "Sad" is a fan favorite. Indie kids really dig this lo-fi, trance-inducing shit. Arta's hot guitar in the chorus.

Agoraphobia
Why we should veto it: Hookless melody. The songwriter himself hates the song. Too slow for pop. Why we should keep it: Lyrics aren't that bad. Steven's hot harmonies. The sound is consistent with the rest of the album.

Lisa
Why we should veto it: Bad lyrics. No real drum track. Why we should keep it: One of the few hard rocking songs we have.

The Waltz
Why we should veto it: It's an instrumental. It's bizarre. Why we should keep it: It would be a good intermission between songs, like on Pet Sounds.

You're Only Human (Do You Know What You're Doing?)
Why we should veto it: Anti-war lyrics don't fit the theme of the album. Why we should keep it: It has some great melodic hooks and awesome guitar.

Bartleby
Why we should veto it: It's an instrumental. It's long and repetitive. We're not an electronica band, so we probably don't know what we're donig. Why we should keep it: Sure, we're not an electronica band, but that means we are more dependent on a good melodic hook. Therefore it is actually consistent with the rest of the album.

The following songs have already been vetoed: Apart, Crowds of Nervous People, Tonight

Amaj7 (AKA The Nanananana Song) will be saved for the next album.

Thumbs up for "Get Things Done"

After 7 votes, "Get Things Done" (formerly known as "The Clapping Song") still has a perfect 10 rating on somesongs. However, it is still ranked second to Michael Gum's "Day In Bed," which currently has more votes.

"Who is Lucy, anyway? Is that Steven's girlfriend or something?"

In WWII espionage, the Lucy spy ring was an anti-German operation which operated in Switzerland. It was run by Rudolf Roessler, a German refugee, who was ostensibly the proprieter of a small publishing firm, Vita Novi. Very little is publicly clear about the Lucy ring, about Roessler, or about its actual sources or motives.

Folk history of the Tonics as told through primary sources: part 4

Can you find the two Tonics in this picture? And for extra credit, the lyricist of "Einsamkeit," the German rap/rock song from our Sculpted Static days?

"The cruelest thing..."

Arta and Steven worked on the "Hamlet" instrumental until Steven was summoned to work at Skein.

Studio trickery and treats

Arta and Steven added an echo effect to Mark's lead vocals at the beginning of each chorus. Steven reinforced the bass line by doubling it with piano. The new mixdown is definitely projecting massive amounts of strength even at low volume.

Arta: "'The Clapping Song' is some genre-inventing shit. Neon Phosphor can quote me on that."

"Is the album being released with a record label?"

----Adhesive labels can damage a CD-R over time. We're just going to write on the CD surface with a Sharpie.

An exclusive interview with Steven Chow

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR

SC: ha! i saw that one coming.

NP: AS THE STUDIO ENGINEER, YOU HAVE THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE WHOLE PROJECT.

SC: yeah, it totally sucks the fun out of music, doesn't it? but it's worth it.

NP: WHAT IS THE PRODUCTION PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THIS ALBUM?

SC: wall of sound. yes, we could've easily made the album sound clean and close-up, like the beatles' revolver. but i want to make an album that is instantly recognizable as a los angeles production, following in the footsteps of phil spector and brian wilson. mark was talking about folk art being a response to one's culture, and i would add geography to the mix. this is an album about being raised in los angeles, a city under perpetual construction, a city of possibility, diversity and literally the terminus of the 'american dream.' now i'm not saying los angeles is perfect--it's far from it in actuality--but that's what it has represented throughout its history. i think the ambition of our project reflects the spirit of los angeles. we are going for a big, ambitious sound. not necessarily a muddy sound, but a rich, focused, powerful sound. i want this album to stir the imagination.

NP: BUT IS IT A GENUINE SOUND?

SC: part of a record's success is based on how it affects the listener. any indie artist can sit there with an acoustic guitar and pour his heart out. that would be as 'honest' as you can get, but it is so boring and uninspiring as a pop record. so i say, if our five-guitar attack can make you energized, make you want to dance, make you want to cry, whatever, i say we have done our job well.

NP: DO YOU THINK THIS ALBUM WILL CHANGE THE WORLD?

SC: it'll sure change my world once i'm done with it. finally, i won't have to sit there listening to our music all day, moving the faders up and down. as for the rest of the world, of course.

NP: SO, WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING WITH YOUR RADIOSHACK KEYBOARD? ARE YOU GOING TO UPGRADE, LIKE ARTA AND MARK?

SC: i have the following items on my wish list: moog synthesizer, rhodes piano, and farfisa organ. that, and the phil spector 'back to mono' box set.

NP: I HEARD THAT YOU'RE CHANGING SOME OF THE LYRICS BECAUSE YOU NO LONGER AGREE WITH THEM, SUCH AS "LOVE MAKES PEOPLE STUPID" AND "I AM ONE TOO MUCH." CARE TO VERIFY THIS RUMOR?

SC: no, you can't just revise your songs like that. those were real sentiments as felt during january 2004 and december 2004, respectively. even if i don't feel the same way now, the songs need to stay the way they are. that's why it's so important to finish albums quickly because you don't have to fake your emotion when you sing. then you're being an actor just as much as a singer. for instance, i had to redo my lucy vocals the other day. those lyrics were from 2003. there's a reason why i sang it better in 2003 because i didn't realize that lucy had actually tricked me into something.

An exclusive interview with Ian Asbjornsen

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR.

IA: Yo

NP: THE TONICS ARE PLAYING THIS WINTER, BUT SINCE YOU'RE NOT 21 AND YOU'RE MOSTLY AT SCHOOL, THERE WILL LIKELY BE A GIGGING REPLACEMENT FOR YOU. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO PROSPECTIVE DRUMMERS?

IA: Hold it down, but remember, this is only a one night stand. And although I'm not 21 and am mostly at school, I've got chops like a 38 year old who never even went to school.

NP: THE TONICS ALBUM IS SET FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 28. WHAT SHOULD THE WORLD EXPECT?

IA: An explosion of pop media.

NP: HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING MUSICAL OR ARTISTIC THIS SEMESTER?

IA: I choreographed a 6 minute "dance" piece with my friend set to our own electronic music/remix chaos for a big show on campus. I still regularly perform with my electronic music performance art group "Cave of the Wolf." I play drums with various people. Still trying to form a hardcore punk band called "Demon Semen." Also practicing for the premier of an intense all-synth band. I've been obsessively editing and working on the soundtrack to my sci-fi masterpiece film, "Priest Robotica." I've been writing lots of piano and electronic music songs. I take Chinese calligraphy and piano lessons.

"You're Only Human"

Arta re-recorded all of his guitar parts for "You're Only Human," the song about the nuclear bombings at the end of World War II.

An exclusive interview with Mark Williams

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR

MW: hey, guy

NP: I HEARD YOU RECENTLY PUT TOGETHER A STUDIO UP IN DAVIS. IT'S ABOUT TIME. TELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING RECORDING PROJECTS.

MW: it is about time. well, the first project is cleaning my four track's guts so that things will sound a bit prettier. part of that is producing a new vocal track for the clapping song. then comes alpha and omega. and then, well, the sky's the limit

NP: THE TONICS ARE PLAYING ON DEC. 28, ALSO THE RELEASE DATE OF THE ALBUM. WHAT SHOULD THE WORLD EXPECT?

MW: popular music by young musicians that's worth listening to. the beginning and end of that are meant to tie together.

NP: HOW IS THE ALBUM COMING ALONG?

MW: swimmingly. it'll slaughter.

NP: WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE? WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ALBUM THAN ALL THE OTHER STUFF OUT THERE?

MW: authentic personality. as i wrote in the craigslist ad, this isn't about commercial success so much as it is about music that we, as a couple of guys with instruments, want to make. the alluring thing to me about any art, but especially folk art, is a persona coming to grips with its culture. and that seems to be wholly lacking in the music that's played on the radio today. leadbelly to woody guthrie to bob dylan to the beatles to the jam to the velvet underground seemed to have that personal interaction with their cultures

NP: WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE TONICS THAN OTHER SO-CALLED "INDIE POP" SUCH AS THE SHINS AND THE POSTAL SERVICE?

MW: they seem a little too made-up, a little too afraid of making mistakes or seeming "pastiche," as the fuckers on somesongs glibly say. i remember reading some interview with billy corgan in which he talked about how difficult it was to come up with music that sounded original, and i think that all these indie bands feel so desperately that need to innovate that they've forgotten how to meaningfully innovate, that they've abstracted innovation out of the personal realm and into a strange public context. that's a dangerous thing to do, in my mind, and a little sheepish. very sheepish. i mean, elliott smith openly admitted that he had always listened to the beatles, which is a faux paus in indie music these days. it's ok to like the beatles

NP: SO WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO? HAVE YOU MADE ANY NEW DISCOVERIES FROM THE PAST LATELY?

MW: steven just told me to listen to a bobby vee song, which i think is great. i've been listening to the band quite a bit. i've also been listening to the jam's "the gift" a bit, which was poppy when poppy was not so acceptable. and it's good stuff, though i'm getting a little sick of the I vi chord change

NP: LET'S SHIFT GEARS AND TALK GEAR. ARTA'S GOTTEN A NEW AMP AND PEDALS. WILL YOU BE GETTING SOME NEW EQUIPMENT YOURSELF ANYTIME SOON?

MW: i'm trying to get together the money to buy a strat and a new amp. it'll depend on what the pawn shops have.

"Lucy" updated

We have posted a new version of "Lucy" with a different vocal track, an organ, and a more wall-of-sound mix.

A productive day

During a marathon session, Steven did a final mixdown of "Pixies," re-recorded lead vocals for a sped-up, remixed version of "You're Only Human" for Alan's film, and recorded breathier lead vocals and an extra organ line for "Lucy."

"I do my best to make all the Pop Go The Tonics EPs out there obsolete."

Fortunately, the several owners of the Pop Go The Tonics EP will receive complimentary copies of the album when it comes out.

"Pixies" revisited

Steven finished mixing "Pixies," a song with Elisa Morimoto on lead vocals. "Pixies" was originally recorded in summer 2004, but it was soon lost to the archives when we quit Sculpted Static and formed The Tonics.

"Whether it's eventually released or not, it was a nice mixing and mastering exercise," explained the bored, unemployed studio engineer. "A break from album work but something to keep me on my toes."

Meanwhile, Mark has been recording test vocals on his 4-track. "I don't have a mic stand, and I don't want to hold it while singing. It's also a unidirectional mic, so I might have to dangle it from the ceiling and lie on the floor to record my vocals."

Building the wall of sound

What started out as a recording session for "Hamlet" turned into a day of negative progress for "The Clapping Song." Mark vetoed his own vocal track, and Steven removed all other vocal tracks to clear up extra channels for instruments. The instrumental tracks will now take up all 16 available slots. We will then perform a reduction mixdown of the instrumental into the two stereo tracks, freeing up 14 tracks for vocals and other stuff. Vintage studio technique for a vintage sound.

"The Clapping Song"

Steven recorded tambourine and a new intro for "The Clapping Song."

"I want this recording to deliver the same kind of energy we produced at our electrifying Berkeley performance, despite the limitations of the stereo format," explained the wannabe Phil Spector.

Here's a clue for you all...

Nerds unite against "Sunday Night"

"Sunday Night" has started off with an average rating of 5/10 after 5 votes on somesongs. Neon Phosphor doesn't get it either. Meanwhile, production continues on "The Clapping Song" as the album inches closer to completion.

More mixing

"The Clapping Song" and a demo CD featuring 11 songs.

Los Angeles rocks... again

Ever since Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown, Jim Morrison overdosed, Mama Cass had a heart attack, and Phil Spector locked himself in his mansion, the Los Angeles music scene has staggered through the decades without producing another pop rock icon. Until now.

On December 28, 2005, a new hope for the decadent Los Angeles culture will come in the form of fifteen mind-blowing tracks to pick up where 60s pop left off. The Tonics' new album will synthesize all the great sounds that could only come from "the city of angels."

"The record is about 75% complete and I am totally amazed by what I've heard so far," said Tonics publicist Neon Phosphor. "I'm not sure the world is ready for this kind of music."

Some of the new tracks will feature a wall-of-sound technique unheard for nearly two generations, and vocal harmonies that died with the aborted album Smile by the Beach Boys. Mark Williams' singing style closely resembles that of the legendary Morrissey, who incidentally resides in the Los Angeles area.

Recording with the new amp

Arta recorded some guitar tracks for "The Clapping Song" and "Sunday Night" with the new Fender amp and distortion pedal. The album is now due on December 28, just in time for the Lava Lounge gig, and for 2006 to be the year of the Tonics.

Somesongs watch

The Tonics are currently occupying the 3rd, 4th and 7th positions on the past month's tops, with "Love Makes People Stupid" showing the way, followed by "Lisa" and "Mean Song."

"Someone told me that the Tonics are playing at the Lava Lounge on December 28."----Unfortunately, at this time we cannot confirm nor deny the rumors that we are playing a championship game of bridge at the 'lounge.'

"Bridge, eh? Do you mean the song 'London Bridge' that's supposed to appear on the new album?"----We'll pass on that one. We're not at the point where we can afford to pay royalties as soon as we start singing, "London Bridge is falling down..." Don't trick us into singing 'Happy Birthday' for you, either.

The Tonics, live at the ...

We're going through the motions to get ourselves booked for a gig in December and beyond. Hopefully we can confirm a date soon.

"Is this the beginning of a new era in rock?"----No, rock is dead. We've scattered its remains over our particular brand of pop.

"Pop? Does that mean you're about to sign an endorsement deal with a soda company?"----No, we're signing a deal with Satan.

"Hmm, are you suggesting that you're going on tour with Ozzy Osbourne? We do know that Mark was once in a Black Sabbath cover band."----Maybe.

Another "Sunday Night" session

Steven recorded some more harmonies and Arta recorded some new guitar parts and finger snapping.

The first step to fame

Hello,

I'm a member of The Tonics (www.popgothetonics.com), an independently managed and produced Pasadena-area pop group interested in playing its music live at a suitable venue. We have been honing our material for 5 years now, priding ourselves for a professional sound combining a dry lyrical sensibility with upbeat music in a way evocative of The Smiths, The Chordettes, and Lou Reed. Below, please find links to three songs (if you'd prefer a CD, we'll gladly send you a copy):

the_tonics_-_01_-_distance.mp3
the_tonics_-_04_-_lucy_tricked_me_into_something.mp3
the_tonics_-_mean_song.mp3

Though we have played sparingly at various cafes and houses, our competency as both musicians and songwriters has ensured that every set has been well-received. Any show that we play will not be a disappointment. We are currently interested in shows scheduled during and after mid-December.

Thank you much for your time and interest,

(insert band member name here)

Craigslist ad

From today's Craigslist.
(Sometimes things change in ways a calendar can't appreciate.)

Want to play good music? The Tonics (www.popgothetonics.com) are seeking a drummer and a bassist in central LA county for playing gigs by mid-December. Like straight-forward pop music and good times? Help us perform these songs the way the Who did live:

the_tonics_-_01_-_distance.mp3
the_tonics_-_04_-_lucy_tricked_me_into_something.mp3
the_tonics_-_mean_song.mp3

We're not trying to be money makers, just musicians -- respond if you'd like to make rock out of our material.

this is in or around Pasadena
no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: If there is any, we'll share it properly.

"Who is Lisa?"

Lisa Loeb is the first and only unsigned artist to have a number one hit on the American charts, with the song "Stay (I Missed You)," featured on the soundtrack to the movie Reality Bites and later released on her debut album Tails (which was co-produced by Juan Patino, her then-boyfriend). Her band Nine Stories is named after the J. D. Salinger collection.

Harmony work on "Sunday Night"

Steven: "such a chore..."

"Lisa" misunderstood, so far

We all thought "Lisa" was going to be a hit, but surprisingly the comments haven't been good so far. Tough crowd.

"very cool retro sound, but unfortunately all i could muster was an ok, you lost the cool hook of the last ones."----I disagree. The whole chord progression is a hook. Few indie rockers write songs based around the blues chords.

"Vocal delivery sounds better than the last two - but this has veered even further into pastiche territory [okay] law of diminishing returns I guess."----Pastiche? The so-called "hip" doth live in the present too much. An artist of any consequence does not operate in the context of "progress." Humans have not changed for millenia, and humans today respond to the same stimuli as humans in 1966. This band do not apply the terms modernity and archaism to works of art. We enjoy The Beatles as much as Elliott Smith, as though as they performed side by side. We borrow as much from the classics as from the modernists, whatever suits our needs. So what if "Lisa" could've been a hit in 1966? I'm sure OK Computer would've been a hit in 1966, too. "Lisa" is a perfectly good rock song with absolutely nothing clever, satirical or tongue-in-cheek about it. This line of thinking, of course, is what produces timeless classics, which is why we're definitely going to be canonized in rock-and-roll history.

[From yesterday, regarding "Love Makes People Stupid"]

"That scream halfway through (and again towards the end) makes you sound like you saw a spider in the corner of the downstairs bathroom. This reminds me of that post Jane's Addiction group that Perry Farrell was in. This song is okay."----Some people exist just to bitch, bitch, bitch. Neon Phosphor might like to bitch, but Neon Phosphor never bitches about other people's artwork.

"Love Makes People Stupid"

Don't worry, it's just a working title. We have posted the song formerly known as "Therefore Play Music" formerly known as "The Spanish Song" formerly known as "Therefore Play Music" on somesongs.com to see how it would do. Right now, it's not doing too badly, with an average rating of 8 out of 10.

Tomorrow, we will unleash our new secret weapon, "Lisa."

Arta: "lisa is our first legitimate "rock" song. like, ever. including the sculpted static days"

Blog readers, consider yourselves lucky because you get to preview all these new songs.

An exclusive interview with Mark Williams

NP: I AM NEON PHOSPHOR.

MW: i'm mark williams and i've been writing songs

NP: INDEED. SOME LISTENERS IN A FOCUS GROUP HAVE DESCRIBED "MEAN SONG" AS BEING LIKE "AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING." CARE TO RESPOND?

MW: why would deaf people be in a music focus group?

NP: WELL SAID. SO, HOW'S THE ALBUM COMING ALONG?

MW: beautifully. it's starting to make good sense now. which is to say, almost all the songs we've been producing for the past 6 months have a coherent sound. this is not sculpted static's leaping from "lost child" to "mad men"

NP: HAVE THE TONICS BECOME "MAD MEN"? IS THIS ALBUM THE WORK OF INSANE PEOPLE?

MW: there's no sanskrit verb paradigms, here. i'd like to think this is pretty sane stuff, with a drinking problem, maybe.

NP: AH, YES. THE LAST TONICS MEETING WAS AT THE CHALET IN EAGLE ROCK. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT BAR?

MW: imagine a closet in a ski lodge equipped with a surprisingly diverse jukebox. it was a hit, like the tonics. shall i say, will be a hit

NP: OF COURSE. I'VE LISTENED TO THE ALBUM-IN-PROGRESS, TOO. HIT AFTER HIT AFTER HIT...

MW: it's getting dangerous

(by the way, it never occurred to me that mean song would be interpreted as a suicide song. makes me feel like an idiot-savant, considering how many different things i've said about it)

NP: THE BAND RECENTLY VETOED "APART", ONE OF THE BEST SONGS FROM SUNNY ASH. HOW DO YOU FEEL?

MW: apart was seemed a little amateurish to me. there was no bass on it, nothing exciting going on in terms of the chord progression. the lyrics alone seemed to pass muster to me, but even then... "on a foreign ceiling/in a lost room" did i really need to tell you where things are spelled out? why didn't i just say "a big goddamn chalkboard on which things are communicated obliquely"

NP: SHOWS HOW FAR THE BAND'S COME ALONG, DOESN'T IT? I MEAN, JUST TWO YEARS AGO, "APART" WAS A BIG HIT.

MW: it was half-hearted, we all knew something was awry. steven and i wrote [i expect produced is more accurate] this song called "jaguar" during the same time we recorded the guts of apart. we were running around with a tape recorder, chasing after car alarms for this. does the world need car alarms in pop songs? i mean, really: that line of thinking does not produce hits. it taints everything

NP: BACK THEN, IT WAS PROG, THOUGH. I SUPPOSE THAT'S WHY THE NAME CHANGE FROM SCULPTED STATIC WAS SO IMPORTANT.

MW: i'd agree. it's a pretty succinct way of looking at things. the name "sculpted static" was a lot like the music. there's some novel internal dynamicism that wears thin to reveal something vaguely annoying and insipid. i have to dilute that a bit, since i was in the band then

NP: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BAND NOW. YOU'VE MORE OR LESS SETTLED ON THIS EARLY 60s AND 80s SOUND. AS ARTA SAYS, "A LINE TRACEABLE FROM THE BEATLES TO THE SMITHS."

MW: yeah, i think that's pretty insightful

NP: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LATE 60s AND ALL OF THE 1970s?

MW: that was sculpted static, to be sure. "marbles"? "last sun"?

NP: DO YOU THINK THE WORLD IS READY FOR THE TONICS?

MW: i hope so. i think so. my sister compared us to jon brion, which i think is apt.
even though our songs form a pretty coherent whole, though, we're still settling into whatever it is we are. so the world's going to listen at some point, and the world would be pretty impressed if it let us play at the troubadour.

NP: SO, HOW ARE YOUR SIDE PROJECTS DOING?

MW: ridiculous. ahem.

NP: MOST READERS DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT YOUR SIDE PROJECTS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BAND?

MW: well, i'm not going to say the name, because it's not yet time for those two parts of my life to come together. but this band that i've played in occasionally, here in davis, is a party band

The focus group says...

We have posted "Mean Song" to a web site called somesongs.com. It's a site where people can rate and comment on each other's original mp3s. Since we are artists, we don't let other people's opinions affect our work, especially if it's from a self-selected group of extroverted and judgmental musicians. But being curious is only human, so here are some comments we have gotten, and Neon Phosphor's responses:

"That 'better get' chorus is the catchiest thing I have ever heard."----Hell yeah, I don't know how Mark wrote that chorus. Or rather, what drug he was using at the time.

"Superfluous harmonies and guitar leads meant to evoke 'And Your Bird Can Sing' aside, this is way more Smithsesque than Beatlesque. It's okay enough to get an okay."----Huh? It sounds nothing like 'And Your Bird Can Sing.' Arta's playing a descending scale. The guitar riff on AYBCS is this weird ass melody that goes up and down. What the fuck are you smoking?

"Wow, Erik is pretty mean. That said, I totally hear what he's saying. Still, [good] This is a beautiful song, if not a bit derivative of AYBCS."----Again, "Mean Song" has nothing to do with that fine example of psychedelic rock on Revolver. You must be on shrooms.

"Nice melody but the totally uninvolved vocal delivery makes it sound like you hate your own song."----Dude, if you actually listened to the lyrics, it's about fucking suicide, which is what you should be doing instead of writing these idiotic song reviews.

"How could you not like this./ Excellent./ P.S. i think the harmonies are a great touch, and most definitely needed."----There we go. See, this guy is probably an artist. True artists are generous people and they say nice things if they say anything at all. I mean, people put their heart and soul into art that doesn't pay them anything. That fact alone should command your respect.

Log in to somesongs.com and head on to the "Mean Song" page if you want to add to the buzz!

Lisa, it was really nothing

"Lisa" is so noisy, it sounds like "Nothing" from our last album, Sunny Ash. Steven worked on his lead vocal today. Because of all the noise from the instrumental track, the vocals required heavy compression in order to be audible over all frequencies.

Famous people

Our publicity plans include sending complimentary album copies to famous people like Mel Brooks (husband of the late Anne Bancroft), Phil Spector (whose "wall-of-sound" recording techniques have influenced our album) and Morrissey.

The Tonics are distantly associated with Spector and Morrissey, both of whom live in the Los Angeles area. Arta's sister once spoke "a word or two" to the former Smiths frontman at a party, and one of our high school friends waved to Morrissey at an Arcade Fire concert at the Troubadour, and Morrissey waved back.

At one point, the Spector estate owned a video of Mark playing guitar at school. It was shot by Spector's daughter, who was an acquaintance of Mark's. It is not known whether the tape has survived to this day, or whether the legendary producer himself has seen this footage of the next great rock-and-roll sensation. Meanwhile, Phil Spector's murder trial is set to begin in January 2006.

Lisa, listen to this awesome song

Arta and Steven recorded the instrumental track for "Lisa," a surf/Pixies-style rocker. Steven will work on the lyrics overnight and finish the vocals tomorrow morning.

"Is rock dead?"

----Sure, but rock is hardly alive to begin with. It's made of inorganic minerals, and only seldom does it contain organic material left over from dead plants and animals (usually in sedimentary rock). But the earth's crust is made of only 5% sedimentary rock, with the rest being igneous and metamorphic rock.

"But you haven't released anything since 'Agoraphobia' and 'Anne Bancroft'! Have you guys given up?"----That was only four months ago. Consider that Radiohead haven't released anything since 2003. Are they dead? Actually, the answer is yes, they started dying when they released Amnesiac.

What's going onto the album?

Today, we vetoed "Apart," "Tonight," "Portrait," and "Country." If time permits, these songs will be finished and placed into a B-sides collection.

We will still be left with 19 songs running a little bit under 60 minutes. The following is a speculative track listing: Distance, Sad, Lucy, Lucy Tricked Me Into Something, Thank You, Elegy For Anne Bancroft, Agoraphobia, Waltz, Bartleby, Greenback, The Clapping Song, Crowds of Nervous People, Hamlet, Mean Song, Save The Day, Sunday Night, Therefore Play Music, Amaj7, and Alpha And Omega.

"Sunday Night" will be the new "Distance"

Considering that most of the world will hear "Sunday Night" and "Distance" on the same record, "Sunday Night" won't really go down as the 'new' anything. Anyway, "Sunday Night" will have the same sort of three-part harmony vocals excruciatingly composed by Steven, and that double guitar sound you've come to expect from this band.

Sunday Night

Steven did some exploratory work on harmonies for "Sunday Night."

---this is serious work, folks. harmonies are tough because the vocals don't sound right individually, you end up having to sing these weird and counterintuitive melodies.

Mean Song finished

Ringo Starr played the bass drum on "Mean Song" in 1969. Steven finished mixing the song, so that's another hit we're taking to our graves.

Homegrown and happening

Today's Calendar Weekend section of the Los Angeles Times has a cover story about new indie bands in the LA area. Unfortunately we're not part of the story, since we're hardly a band at the moment.

Los Angeles has no "music scene." It has a bazillion niches populated by musicians of every stripe who cultivate their small followings and clamor for more attention, all in the shadow of a music industry that magnifies the line between commerce and art.

Myriad sensibilities abound. What's cool on the Sunset Strip might be crass in Silver Lake; what rocks Orange County might earn shrugs in Hollywood; what's hip in Long Beach might be harlequin in the Valle

It goes on to profile seven bands representing seven styles that can be found in the LA basin. Additionally, there are mini-profiles about "10 more homegrown artists you ought to know" and "Bands to watch: '06." Little do they know... 2006 will go down as the year of the Tonics.

What genre are we?

Arta: "[Mean Song is] the same sort of 50s/early 60s and 80s mix that we've been doing lately. it's what rock would have sounded like if the 70s hadn't happened... pop as defined by a line traceable from the beatles to the smiths. no disco, no arena rock, no metal. no prog. nothing psychedelic."

Recording

Steven recorded harmony vocals for "Mean Song."

---they're the trippiest harmonies since the bop-bop-bop-balalalalala line in 'lucy tricked me into something.' prepare to be shocked.

Let's talk gear

Arta and Steven installed a new Gibson pickup onto Arta's guitar. Which means it's time for a WHERE WERE THEY THEN: A FOLK HISTORY OF THE TONICS' MEMBERS AS TOLD THROUGH PRIMARY SOURCES -- PART THREE


Today's primary source is a photograph of Arta's Les Paul and the tools required to upgrade its bridge pickup. Many of the pieces shown are from the RadioShack all-purpose soldering kit. Successfully tinkering with one's own instrument is the music nerd's nirvana, but we sure saved lots of money by abstaining from professional help.

---I've fallen and I can't get up, my bathroom is locked from the inside, I live alone and no one's going to find me until I'm a rotting corpse. But I have some great news!
---What's that?
---I just saved a bunch of money on equipment upgrade by soldering the wires myself!!!!

Sampling on the RP300

Alan Lawrence cut The Graceful Accident down to 19 minutes, and retitled it Trains Map the Arteries of the Heart. Arta and Steven recorded an instrumental called "PDT," with electronic drumming by Alan. Here's a list of Tonics songs used in the film: "Bartleby," "You're Only Human," "Mad Men," "Last Sun," "Heart of Darkness: The Rock Opera," "Distance," "Therefore Play Music."

"Are you going to finish the album?"

----No, I'm going to Disneyland.

"Really? Are you thinking of signing with Hollywood Records, a Disney-owned record label with a roster of pop artists including The Polyphonic Spree?"----Hell, no. We're not getting anywhere near those fucking hippies... despite the song "Telegraph Avenue" from our back catalogue.

"I'm shocked by the way you used the f-word. Will you please tone down your language?"----The only way I can tone it down is to turn down the gain, and maybe reduce the treble- and mid-frequencies a little bit. And then run the whole thing through a low-pass filter.

The band lives to see another day

Today, Steven came back from the bay area. To this band, however, his weeklong visit has only been an unnecessary disruption to the progress of the album. When confronted, he mumbled something about "some internship opportunities with big publishers" and "maybe working at an academic press might be fun." Neon Phosphor would like to barricade Steven in his room until he finishes the album.

WHERE WERE THEY THEN: A FOLK HISTORY OF THE TONICS' MEMBERS AS TOLD THROUGH PRIMARY SOURCES -- PART TWO

The Beatles started out playing in Hamburg, Germany. Sculpted Static, on the other hand, started out in their high school's German Club. Hey, kids: see if you can find the four founding members of Sculpted Static on this list.

While the fucking nerds Arta and Steven teetered perilously close to hipsterdom with their abortive film careers, Mark proudly carried the flag of geek culture by setting up an Apache/2.0.53 (Debian GNU/Linux) mod_python/3.1.3 Python/2.3.5 PHP/4.3.10-9 Server, or "hodos," for short. This server would later prove useful for proliferating cassette-quality demos of Mark's hobbling rhythm guitar and nebulous vocal melodies.

Neon Phosphor Breaks (for Children) Again

Steven ran off with the soul of the band yesterday, driving both the remaining Tonics and their publicist into murky silence. Rumors of a new website mix with those of a new album as the public waits awed and anxiously. Honestly, there's still an album somewhere in the works. When it does come over your shitty pair of vintage FM radio sunglasses, we ask that you remember one thing:

"Mean Song"

Arta, Mark and Steven used a 4-track recorder to lay down the instrumentals to a re-conceptualized "Mean Song." Mark overdubbed acoustic guitar and lead vocals. Ian did his usual fine job from within the drum machine.

Nothing was accomplished today

but the Tonics are supposed to meet tomorrow to work on "Save The Day" and ready up other recordings for release. Congratulations to Arta who got a job.

"I heard 'Mean Song' and it sounds like Mark's the only one on it. Did the other Tonics refuse to play on it?"----Yes, and it is obviously a sign that we are about to break up.

Sunday night on a Friday night

Mark recorded two guitar parts and his lead vocals for "Sunday Night." He also recorded the lead vocals for "The Clapping Song."

Neon Phosphor takes a break

Joshua Abraham Norton (ca. 1815 – January 8, 1880), also known as His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, was a celebrated citizen of San Francisco who famously proclaimed himself "Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico" in 1859. Although he had no political power, and his influence extended only so far as he was humored by those around him, he was treated deferentially in San Francisco, and currency issued in his name was honored in the establishments he frequented. Norton also corresponded with Queen Victoria, and he was referred to as His Imperial Majesty by local citizens and in the newspaper obituaries announcing his death.

Therefore finished

Arta recorded several guitar parts for "The Spanish Song," also known as "Therefore Play Music." Ian retroactively recorded some cymbal crashes. The song will be mixed and mastered tonight, probably.

Mark is coming tomorrow

giving us a few days to record.

Bloodsport

Rock-and-roll and auto racing are two of the most glamorous industries in our society. Not surprisingly, there is quite a bit of crossover between the two.

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason is an accomplished racer, having competed in the 24 hours of Le Mans. He also has an impressive collection of sports cars, and has even invented a new rear windscreen for the Ferrari F40 to increase visibility. Here is a humorous account of his appearance on BBC TV's Top Gear.

The F1 Rejects site has a profile on Slim Borgudd, a session drummer for ABBA, who later raced for the ATS Formula 1 team.

In 1964, The Beach Boys released a hit single "Fun, Fun, Fun," which contains a reference to the "greatest spectacle in racing":

Well the girls can't stand her
'Cause she walks looks and drives like an ace now
(You walk like an ace now you walk like an ace)
She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now
(You look like an ace now you look like an ace)

Ex-Beatle George Harrison was also a big fan of the sport, frequently appearing in the pits during Formula 1 events. Here is a page with some pictures, including him with his personal sports cars. Harrison released a song about racing, called "Faster."

Back when we were Sculpted Static, we recorded and vetoed a song called "Bernie's Racing Car." More recently, Steven tried to turn the surf rock instrumental into a song about Ford Escort, but it didn't quite work. Nevertheless, Steven and Arta are planning to compete in a navigational rally organized by the Santa Monica Sports Car Club.

The daily non-update

A planned rehearsal/recording session at Alan's house did not happen because of a new shipment of yarn.

The graceful soundtrack

Arta and Steven met with Alan Lawrence to talk about his film projects. The soundtrack of the short film-in-progress The Graceful Accident currently has "Salvo Social" in the opening credits, "You're Only Human" and "Distance" during the car scene, "Telegraph Avenue" during the shower scene, and Mark's chorused guitar bit as the main theme. We're going to record some more music for Alan over the next few weeks.

The Cube

This is the view looking south on Camino Verde in the hills of South Pasadena. You may enlarge the photo by clicking on it:

Steven ripping apart (no pun intended) the band?

SOUTH PASADENA, CA - Tonics keyboardist Steven Chow has decided to go to the Bay Area the same time that guitarist Mark Williams is coming down to LA for a recording session. Rumors are, this is no coincidence. According to sources close to the band, Chow is reportedly sabotaging work on the new album to protest the vetoing of several of his songs, including "The Spanish Song," "One Steven Two Steven," and "Stan the Catamaran Man."

Chow's publicist denied the speculations.

"Steven is making a routine trip to Berkeley to visit friends and potential employers," said Neon Phosphor in a prepared statement. "There is no truth to the rumor that he is frustrated by the album's progress. The Tonics will be recording for at least two days prior to Steven's departure, and will continue to work on the album during, and after, Steven's trip. The band is feeling very positive about the album, and is even talking about releasing a triple album.

"I would like to take this opportunity to confirm that none of Steven's songs have been vetoed. In fact, 'The Spanish Song' has already been recorded and will soon be mastered for release as early as October."

The rest of the band did not return phone calls today.

Amidst speculation that Ian is being replaced by a drum machine, the Ian Fan Club (IFC) of Colorado Springs has circulated a petition demanding the truth behind their favorite drummer's status in the band.

Neon takes a break

There's nothing to report, anyway. Let us all save some bandwidth.

"Hi, I really like the song, but who is Lucy? She must be one lucky gal."

----Lucy Parsons (1853-1942) was a radical labor organizer, anarchist and is remembered as a powerful orator. She was born in Texas (likely as a slave) to parents of Native American, Black American and Mexican ancestry.

In 1905, she participated in the founding of the Industrial Workers of the World. In 1939 she renounced anarchism as a counter-revolutionary ideology and joined the American Communist Party. She died in 1942. The state still viewed Lucy Parsons as such threat to the status quo that after her death, police seized her library of over 1500 books and all of her personal papers.

For more information, visit the Lucy Parsons Center.

Guitar parts on "Country"

Steven recorded guide harmony vocals. Arta recorded two acoustic rhythm guitar parts and a lead electric guitar part for the chorus.

"I heard that the new album is influenced by Noam Chomsky."

----It's true. We slipped a copy of Chomsky's The Common Good underneath Arta's RP300 unit to reduce pressure on a cantankerous footswitch.

Erika wants to know...

if we want to play at the Emergenza Festival:

My name is Erika Moore and I'm in charge of booking for the Emergenza Festival in 112 venues across the U.S. in such clubs as the Avalon in Boston, the Metro and Double Door in Chicago.

I was wondering if you would be interested in having your band perform. You will find all of the information and the necessary form at http://www.emergenza.net/document/book/iscri.asp

You can contact me at erika@emergenza.net or phone me personally, or any member of my staff at the toll free number: 1-888-923-2263

This is the largest contest ever for unsigned bands in North America. 45 US cities, 8 Canadian and 90 European ones, will be involved in the project. 5000 american bands will be booked to play live across the U.S. combining 1600 nights between November 05 and July 06 to showcase them.

Support slots at the tweeter center (30,000 capacity venue) in Boston, free recording at the world's top studios, songs on nationwide/European compilations and submission of your material to our label and management partners, are a few of many projects that are also available.

The entire festival is produced in cooperation with the top music partners and radio stations across the country.

All shows are co-produced with Ernie Ball, Crate, Ampeg, Sabian, Mapex, Remo, D'andrea, Sennheiser and Regal Tip. These companies will award the best musicians with 1000,000 US$ in prizes.

The best bands will tour Europe all expenses paid and will also be booked to play in the Vans Warped tour. Thanks for your time!

The Tonics will not achieve fame and fortune by playing games such as this one. You can call it sour grapes, but we call it forging our own path to stardom. It is important that we don't get caught up in the machine; part of our art is building a new machine to destroy the old one. We do not aspire to be the cream of the crop (as the thousands of bands at Emergenza will hope to be). Instead, we are a new type of crop. When you're not part of the system, you have no competition. No agents, no record labels, no Simon Cowell to tell you that you haven't made it. As completely independent artists, we will just keep improving our music until it earns a place in the musicial canon. And that's how The Tonics will go pop. I don't think we're that far away, either.

"How's the magazine coming along?"

----Great. It'll have a web launch to coincide with the release of our electronic music.

"I heard that there's a lot of copyright violations on the upcoming web site."----You can get away with anything as long as you are not yet famous. Right now, our lack of fame enables us to pursue art to its fullest extent. For instance, one of our songs will have a 30-minute sample from Sgt. Pepper. It's a deep statement about... something.

Dave Zirin: Monument to a Rotten System--

Leading this carnival of disgrace is Mr. Shock and Awe himself, George W. Bush. Everyday, President Bush doles out comments that signal his removal from any basic notion of humanity. Perhaps the most galling, "The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch."

New Orleans

Molly Ivins: A Flood of Bad Policies --

To use a fine Southern word, it's tacky to start playing the blame game before the dead are even counted. It is not too soon, however, to make a point that needs to be hammered home again and again, and that is that government policies have real consequences in people's lives.

Maureen Dowd: United States of Shame --

Why does this self-styled "can do" president always lapse into such lame "who could have known?" excuses.