"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.

"I can't find your Facebook page anymore!"

----Correct. We have shut down our Facebook page because it's not cool to be on there anymore.

"But where can I stay updated on the latest news about the Tonics?"----Right here. Your original source for all things Tonics. Why did we ever try to leave?

"Are you going to be on Ello? All the cool people are going there."----I'm not a person. I'm a lyric and stock photo. I aspire to be in the great American songbook and Getty Images.

"Do you have a Soundcloud?"----No. Please go to our bandcamp and spend some money there.

Concert footage

Okay, I didn't actually post this in 2013. But a lot of things happened that year. Such as this concert featuring our Pedal Tone stars.

Sound Check and Sunny Ash re-released!

The Tonics have re-released Sound Check and Sunny Ash, making it the first time either of these albums have been available for high-quality streaming and downloading. For all practical purposes, it's the first time these albums have been made available to the public, since our sales and marketing strategy was so pathetic the first time around.

Go get them here: http://pedaltonerecords.bandcamp.com/

Our Facebook page now has a gallery of many previously unseen pictures of the band. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Tonics/152160147519

Sculpted Static goes digital

You didn't think it was ever going to happen, but it will. Sculpted Static is set to re-release their two albums, original mix and mastering, as digital downloads. We have located CD-quality masters which will finally enable us to provide lossless downloads on Bandcamp.

"Why didn't you keep the .wav files on your computer after you mixed them down?"----listen kid, have you ever had to worry about disk space? Especially when you really needed to make room for Diablo II? These are the tough decisions we had to face during the early 2000s.

Select quotes from the band:

"Finally, we're going to make the $300 back that we spent at Kinko's."----a band member

"Now we'll hit the big time... in the USA!"----another band member, set to the tune of "Honey Pie"

Now, enjoy this video of us looking young:

In business

After a long vacation it looks like Neon Phosphor is back in business. Or should I say that we're in business for the first time? Because Steven, who now calls himself SK Chow, has released a new song called "Titanic." And get this---he's doing it on our brand new record label Pedal Tone Records. Mark's on the track playing guitar and Arta's on the B-side for the re-issuing of "Anne Bancroft." Go download the songs for $0.75 each (cheaper than iTunes).

Amber

Annie recording her new song "Amber's Getting Married" with the 60s Pop, Rock & Soul PBS special on TV.

IKEA bass line

Mark and Steven are working on a new song called "IKEA."

Caffe Frascati

The Tonics discuss their plans to conquer the San Jose music scene.

Air

Is what the new song is going to sound like. Mark and Steven continued to work on the chords and melody. They also practiced some vocal harmonies on several Beatles songs and played through "Amaj7," "I Wish My Name Were Snoopy," and another song Mark wrote recently.

More intriguingly, the band rehearsed some of their old songs, including "Neanderthal," "Mean Song," "Telegraph Avenue," "Mad Men," "Distance," "Apart," and "Love Makes People Stupid." I was particularly pleased when they ran through "Neon Phosphor."

"This is beginning to look like Tonics circa 2005. Are we going to see a new album soon?"----Wrong, the Tonics weren't going to make it circa 2005.

"I heard a rumor that the Tonics are going to turn into an a cappella group."----That's not a rumor. You've confused us with the Harvard Din and Tonics.

Songwriting

Steven and Mark worked on a new song, "South Pasadena." It's going to have tempo changes.

"Are the Tonics going prog?"----No, that's a job for Sculpted Static, who are no longer with us.

"Wait... is there going to be a new Tonics album???"----Actually, it's going to be an old album, from 1989.

"Are you referring to Steven's '1989' album project?"----No, I was referring to Doolittle.

Ten years

"I heard you're playing at your high school reunion!!!!!! Are we finally going to hear a live performance of 'Heart of Darkness'?"----No. You'll probably hear songs like "Music" by Madonna and "Bye Bye Bye" by *NSYNC. It'll trip you down memory lane. And true to the spirit of 2001, we won't be playing.

"If they actually finished Chinese Democracy and released Duke Nukem Forever, that means the mythical second Tonics album shouldn't be far behind, right??"----Wrong. That means we're going to be playing Duke Nukem Forever.

"How about the rumors that you'll be releasing a 10th anniversary edition of 'The Lorax'?"----Actually, it's been 40 years since it was released. And we're not releasing it. It'll probably come from Random House.

Drummer wanted

"Wait, what happened to Ian and Alek?"----Nothing, we just needed a 3rd drummer. Wall of sound.

"I heard you guys are recording again. When can we expect your next album?"----Expect it whenever you want. Doesn't mean we're going to release it.

"Ah-ha! So you admit you're working on an album."----Yes, but I am also a pathological liar.

"I saw you guys at Garfield Park the other day. Are you playing music together again?"

----No, we were just stargazing with the help of a Droid.

"But I saw this video on Facebook with you guys playing music."----Obviously CGI.

"Will the Tonics press record this summer?"

----No. We're going to press charges against whoever spread that baseless rumor.

"I heard you lined up a horn player for the re-recording of 'Lucy.'"----No, we're actually lining up our ducks. In a row. And then we will shoot them with the Nintendo Zapper Light Gun.

"Seriously, when are we going to hear the new version of Get Things Done?"----2019. Our goal is to spend more time working on it than Chinese Democracy. Because Guns N' Roses are our sworn arch rivals and we will beat them in every way possible.

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?"----