Joshua Van Tassel

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One of the most fun (and nerve wracking) parts of making this new record was bringing in friends to my little world to add their respective talents. Christine Bougie, Brett Higgins, Dean Drouillard, Jaron Freeman-Fox, Robbie Grunwald, all of them are not only amazing musicians and humans, but artists with their own sounds and specific way of playing that I felt really complemented the songs they were on. Not to sound super hippy about it, but is was less about the instrument they played and more about having their “voices” as musicians on the tunes. Make any sense?

Point is, sometimes I make things and right away hear the voice or instrument of a specific person. I’ve been working on a couple ideas the past 2 days and immediately started heard my long time and good friend Valery Gore. She’s a bit of a double threat if you haven’t heard of her, deadly on the piano and sings with a voice that carries some serious depth that belies her age. We’ve tried to do things a couple times but timing has never worked until now, and I think we’re mentally and musically ready. Here’s a quick sample of what one of the instrumental tracks sound like so far.

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(on facebook? go to www.joshuavt.com for the full post)

(on facebook? go to www.joshuavt.com for the full post)

So I’m thhhiiissss close to having my new record done and finished and in my sweaty little paws. I picked up the masters on the weekend, all the appropriate series of numbers and codes are inputed into the systems they need to be put into, just waiting for the cd layout approval and we’re in business. I’ve sent it around to a few people and so far no one has hated it or been entirely offended, so that’s a sign to me to keep going.

To be honest, I’m really happy and proud of this one. I set a few goals back in the fall and even if my time line ended up being off (by about 3 months) I still managed to complete them. What’s turning out to be even harder then recording a record is getting the people on it together for a cd release show. They’re all such fantastic musicians, which is why they’re so busy. Members of Sarah Harmer’s band, the Great Lake Swimmers, and just super busy session people in general. This whole process has really given me a new appreciation for the “bandleader” role in the music business. I’ve worked with dozens of artists over the years, but never had to deal with trying to co-ordinate the schedules of 6 other people as busy as you are for not only a show but a rehearsal as well. And all without a huge budget to be able to pay them all exactly what they deserve. I’ve never envied the role, but now at least I appreciate the stress they go through a little more. I promise I’ll respond to rehearsal requests that much quicker from now on.

I think related to that, there’s the feeling we have that whatever project we as individuals are working on, we want it to be as important to everyone else as it is to us. Sadly that’s just not possible.The time I invest in my own recordings is obviously much more then anyone else involved, including the writing, tracking, hair pulling listening back, deliberation, etc. When someone makes a record with their name on it, they are the individual that stands to gain the most from it. If I’m playing on an artist’s record, and they sell 10 000 records at $20 per, they get $200 000 (if there’s no label involvement and they get %100 of what they sell). I’ve been paid my session fee to do my parts on the album long ago, and unless I’ve worked out some very special arrangement with the artist, my getting paid time is long over, and ended with the session fee. Generally when I play a show with an artist, I really don’t know what they’re getting paid for the performance, I charge a specific fee, and that’s paid regardless if they make $20 or $20 000. My point is, as much as I’d love it if all the people I worked with on the album could make it a priority to do my little indie cd release, I know that it’s just not really reasonable to ask it. This is the first time I’ve been on the other side of the gig doing the asking, and it’s a conflicting, pride melting, tough thing. Learning tons. Really excited to play some music for you.

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(go to www.joshuavt.com for the full post)

Here’s a great post from good friend Dean Drouillard’s site that I somehow missed and came across today. It explains the dichotomy of all musicians sometimes good friend and usually worst foe, the jug……….

…this isn’t a strategic pause in a game of poker. it’s actually a humbling tradition of the bar musician. appearing here is the hand of my good friend ron leary figuring out how to divide coins from the jug between the three musicians who just played a night of music at the local, a west toronto watering hole. the passing of the jug is an unpredictable and misunderstood ritual and its respect can vary between venues. but for some artists and jug wranglers there is art in it – they understand it’s a negotiation. i assure you – nobody WANTS to pass the jug around. but sometimes it’s the only option, if you care about being paid for your work.

my first experience as an audience member with the jug was sometime in the 90s and i was wandering around the lower east side of new york, looking for some music when i found myself in front of the popular singer/songwriter mecca the living room. I grabbed a drink, found a table and had a seat at the back. minding my own business, a customer from the table ahead of me handed the jug (or “pitcher” from where i come from) back to me. i must have looked at him with an expression of, “i’m sorry, i don’t work here.” so he explained quietly under the music that it was for the performers. the sign on the jug said, “$5 suggested donation.” the part of me that had been pleased about finding free live music in new york was quickly deflated. several years later i would find myself a regular recipient of the jug money.
the living room is an established and respected venue for its quality of music and sound quality and the locals know the drill when they enter the door. in toronto the unaccompanied jug floating from table to table would not be a very effective strategy. but i think if it was made clear to bar patrons why there is a person waving a jug in their face everyone would feel less bitter about the whole experience.
i spent 10 years (1999-2009) of sunday nights playing with kevin quain and the mad bastards at the cameron house on queen st. kevin has a lot of experience with collecting the unenforced cover charge. In the introduction of the last song of the set and with commanded audience attention he carefully (and entertainingly) illustrates what is about to happen and why they are about to be asked to throw some “real money” in the bucket, mentioning that if they are planning to throw 35 cents that they should perhaps invest that money and bring it back when it has grown up. you see, thirty-five cents between six musicians doesn’t…  well, i don’t need to explain that, do i? nate mills from run with the kittens is in charge of the task as well. with his band rocking like the end of the world on stage, he shakes himself out to the crowd that is undeniably won over and they all want to meet him. he smiles talks a bit with anyone interested and looks them in the eye instead of at the jug while they deposit whatever they feel is fair. what is fair differs from person to person. there are things to consider: how long you have been there, if you are enjoying the music, how many musicians are playing, and what (this) live music is truly worth to you. realistically, most patrons don’t have this inner dialog in the seconds the jug go by but if they did i think we could all come to a reasonable agreement. the sad truth is that people tend to dig for the small change that they’d be happier wasn’t in their pockets (which often doesn’t even amount to thirty five cents) or shake their heads for you to go away like you are a squeegee kid at an intersection.
the jug ritual is in place for a reason and like i said, it is a horribly humbling experience for an artist who just wants to play music to have to beg strangers to be paid for it.

I’m on the way to hear the master of my record, and I’m r e a l l y excited. I haven’t done this part of the process with any of my other ep’s/first album, and it’s a bit nerve wracking. Don’t me wrong, it’s not because I don’t trust the mastering engineer (cohort and audio scientist Steve Major, he’s a genius and his studio will blow your mind, website coming very soon) or am unhappy with the music, it’s just that to me, the fun part of making a record is over and the not fun work begins. Getting art work formatted exactly to the pixel, deciding if anyone even buys cds anymore and is it worth doing, uploading, form filling, mailing, all the business stuff which I’ve never done before. You know, the stuff that actually would allow people to hear my music. The beauty of doing it yourself is that you set all the timelines, and depending on the mastering, I’ll probably release this thing in the next 2 to 3 weeks. It’s so strange how this -

can turn into sounds that can make you feel happy or sad or angry or all of it. Either way, I’ve felt all those things in the past few months and have learned a ton in this process. Still learning.

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Sundays are the days that I usually end up making super chill music, even more so now that I have a dog who sleeps beside me when I work. How could you wake up a face like that?

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I’m happy to be home and working on a bunch of things right now, some cool stuff for Royal Wood, and finishing off the last tune for a new David Myles record that has been a ton of fun to do. More on that soon. I just got some sweet new audio toys from Avenson Audio, some hand built omnidirectional mics that I literally can’t wait any longer to try out ok bye…

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Finished the last show of the Joshua Cockerill spring tour last night, and we’re getting ready to drive home as fast as we’re legally allowed to. It’s been a fun trip, lot’s of scenery, saw lots of animals, and played lots of music.
When I get home, I’ll be putting finishing up the details of my new record -

It’s a self titled affair, mainly because although it isn’t my first release, it’s the first one that I’m actually printing a physical version of. I also feel like it’s a step up musically for me, I got a lot more friends involved, and really tried to write some songs rather then just experiment with sound. The art work was illustrated by a gentleman named Ryan Lake, whose card I actually found on the floor of a recording studio. The image on the card was striking enough that I kept it and his site bookmarked for the past 8 months or so, and I’m glad I did.
More details when I’m back at home, including when this thing is coming out, and a couple notes about the band I’m putting together to play the stuff. I’m super excited. Wish us luck with the moose….

but Bjork is up to something amazing. I think.

björk: road to crystalline from Björk on Vimeo.