Percussion Rhymes with ?

Today was full-on yard work, so I've not had a chance yet to post about yesterday's proceedings, which were good.

After spending two early morning hours at the Apple Store trying to get my iBook G4 (yes, it's old) back up and running (but not before first believing with such hope that I had managed to spare all my iCal (booking), address book and *possibly* iTunes library in the hard drive cleanout of '09). It was not the case, and all is gone. I went from euphoria to a sick stomach in the time it takes to click a button. Still ill from losing the information all-too pertinent to my business, I managed to meet Ben at The Beehive by 10:30am where Steve Hindalong - of The Choir fame - was to hold court with his oodles of percussive instruments and the great faces he makes while playing them. I was honored Steve was willing to do it since he had no idea who or what I was. A very nice man who is very skilled at what he does. Steve *listens* to the songs. Not many players actually tune in to lyrics while they're recording, but he does and proceeds to pick out the percussive instruments according to the lyrical image being painted at the time, in an effort to further color the scene. Brilliant. Steve is also a wearer of bright green socks; that, I appreciate immensely. I originally thought we'd get Steve for a couple of hours, on two, maybe three songs, but he was quite generous, working for several hours and playing on nearly the entire record. He played on 9 of the 11 songs. How great of him.

After Steve departed, I added a few background vocal parts we had forgotten to record on "In the Movies", and then called it a day. The Shives and Peters later ate fried chicken tenders together that night. 4 adults, 6 kids -- you get the idea. It was a good day, not an especially productive week on the album front.

I hear rumors that we will begin mixing next week. This is a good thing. That means all/most of the actual recording is finished. But then again, I think I've said that before, so you probably shouldn't pay me much attention. *Insert chuckle*