Dave Britto is a song-writer and prolific music journalist based in Mumbai. A staff writer at Rolling Stone India, he has also written for GQ India and The Humming Heart among other publications. Dave tells me about Arrows, his innovative and collaborative music project. He also explains his personal philosophy for music journalism, while giving a history lesson on the Indian music scene from his vantage point as a fan journalist, and contributor,
Was a pleasure to chat with Relic the Oddity back in December 2021. Rel takes me through his journey in hip-hop, his recent move to Spain during the pandemic, the conundrum of “growing as an artist”, and his Christian faith. We talk about the creative process (beat making vs lyric writing), the demands on an artist in an age of streaming, and why he’s got “one foot in and one foot out” of the gospel rap game. It took me way to long to get this episode up after a long hiatus (8 months!), but it’s a great conversation with lots of insight from Rel, and a lot of rambling from me (a huge chunk of which I had to edit out). Enjoy my conversation with Rel McCoy aka Relic the Oddity.
Brad Kilpatrick is a drummer, percussionist, producer, engineer, and generally outstanding musician based in Toronto. We cover a lot of topics in this expansive conversation. Brad gives some insight into the difference between the world of classical music and the rock/pop scene. He speaks extensively about his process when composing and recording drum parts for his clients. I also get to hear a variety of stories and insights from his journey from studying classical music, to gigging and recording with one of his favourite acts. http://www.bradkilpatrick.com
https://www.instagram.com/freshkils/
freshkils.com/music-licensing
Kathleen Williamson is an Attorney Emeritus, Doctor of Philosophy in anthropology, and singer/songwriter based in Tucson, Arizona. Kathleen shares some gems from her vast archive of lived experiences and accumulated insight. Born in the 1950’s, Kathleen has a unique perspective on the many paradigm shifts that have occurred over her lifetime. She gives us a few clues to her expansive work in anthropology and law. We also chat about her experience with Vispassana meditation ad how it’s impacted her spiritual journey. Finally, she gives us a run down of the songs from her two studio albums. https://kathleenwilliamson.com/
Amita is the owner of Surya Health and Wellness, where she practices Ayurvedic medicine and nutrition consulting. She is the author of two books, Peaks and Valleys; and My Mother’s Ayurvedic Kitchen, and teaches at the faculty of integrated medicine at the University Of Arizona. I bombard her with all my questions related to health and wellness. She handles it like a pro. Because she is. She breaks down the basics of Doshas. We chat about oil pulling, bowl movements, diets, and more!
Alan Rego is a bass music lover, media connoisseur, and applied creativity specialist based in Mumbai. Alan and I sit and chat at his most chill and epic window, overlooking the ebbs and flows of daily life in Andheri West. We cover a variety of topics in this free flowing conversation. In particular, we deconstruct some of the assumptions at the heart of freelance culture, identity, and the “self as brand”.
Sriram T. T. is a guitar player and condom magnate based in Chennai. He is a founding member of the most excellent rock band Skrat. This is the first in-person episode of Mispronunciation Nation and we chat about all kinds of stuff in this expansive and often silly three hour conversation (the unedited was much longer). Sriram tells me about the story and lore behind Skrat. He illuminates some of the cultural differences between South Indians and North Indians. I get some info on cars and motor sports. And we generally talk all kinds of shit…
Ben Wallick is a musician, producer, composer, and podcaster based in Jerusalam. He is the host of the Secret Sonics podcast. Ben shares his journey from Brooklyn, NY to Israel and the serendipitous events that lead to his focus in audio. He illuminates me on some aspects of Judaic practice and culture. We also chat about our experiences in the podcasting medium.
Jamar Nolan (aka J Nolan) is an artist, songwriter, and author based in Atlanta. He works as an emcee within a variety of domains. We chat about what it’s like to write in different settings from the personal to the corporate. He fills me in on what it’s like to exist as an emcee in a city with such an illustrious hip-hop history. Jamar also tells me about his new ebook titled ‘The Pen Game Portfolio’, where he instructs artists on how to use their writing skills to acquire income streams outside of their own solo work.
Listen On: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Bandcamp
Extra Content
Album Credits
Mali – Vocals, Piano
Jehangir Jehangir – Drums
Stuart DaCosta – Bass
Tejas Menon – Guitar
Jishnu Guha – Guitar on ‘Horoscope’
Apurv Isaac – Guitar on ‘Really Not Really’
Daniel ‘Stan’ Erl – Pedal Steel on ‘Horoscope’
Luke Moller – Strings on ‘Absolute’ and ‘Age Of Limbo’ Rohan Rajadhyaksha – Synths on ‘Age Of Limbo’
Group Vocals in ‘Absolute’ performed by Ronit Sarkar, Jishnu Guha, Joel Padikkal, Kamakshi Khanna, Malika Barot, Maalavika Manoj, Arnob Bal, Aria Nanji
All songs composed by Maalavika Manoj Produced by Arnob Bal & Maalavika Manoj
Mixed by Arnob Bal for Floss Daily Productions Master by Kristian Montano for Montano Mastering
Recorded at Island City Studios Mumbai
Engineered by Samarth Chawla and Adhithya Sivakumar Artwork Jan Juhaniak
Special thanks to Jason D’Souza, Apurv Issac, Ronit Sarkar, Aditya Ashok, Rohan Rajadhyaksha, and Salvage Audio Collective.
I am profoundly grateful to Maalavika Manoj for trusting me with her songs and giving me the chance to produce such an eclectic album
I think I’ve learned more making this album than I have on any other project that I’ve produced.
‘Caution To The Wind’ explores the medium of the pop-song in its many incarnations through the ages. There are classic sounds, like those from the song ‘Absolute’. There are heavy 80’s influences, as in songs like ‘Cabaret’, ‘Mundane’, and ‘Sitting On The Fence’. Songs like ‘Live Again’ and ‘Age Of Limbo’ have a sound strongly centred around the 90’s. ‘Horoscope’ is reminiscent of an approach from late-2000’s indie-rock.
It has been an incredible journey exploring these sounds together and getting them to cohere on the same record. Many songs pull together a diverse collection of influences on their own.
It’s been a pleasure to work with and learn from an artist like Mali. She definitely pushed my standards higher in the process of making this record.
Super happy to finally share this with the world.
Hope you enjoy it : )
Tracking Piano for ‘Horoscope’ at Island City Studios, Mumbai.
Tracking the “choir” for ‘Absolute at Island City Studios, Mumbai.
(Left to Right: Mali, Short Round, Ronit Sarkar, Joel Padikkal, Arnob Bal, Malika Barot, Kamakshi Khanna)
Press
The Twenty Best Albums Of 2021 So Far… from A Humming Heart
Mali – ‘Caution To The Wind’ Album Review by Madhusudan Raman
Mali breaks out as a formidable force of pop on ‘Caution to the Wind’ by Nishta Jaiswal
Mali – ‘Caution To The Wind’ Is A Strong Debut by Akarsh Shekhar
How A TV Show Inspired Mali’s New Cinematic Single ‘Age of Limbo’ by Dave Britto
Mali Pays Homage to Synth-Pop with Debut LP ‘Caution to the Wind’ by Dave Britto
Caution to the Wind – Platform Magazine interview with Hansika Lohani Mehtani
Kristian Montano is a singer/songwriter, composer, outstanding father, and best mastering engineer on planet earth.
Kristian talks about his shifting perspective with regards to his band and his music. We discuss new ways of conceptualizing what it means to be an artist during these times of flux. I bombard him with all kinds of dumb mastering questions from the point of view of a clueless mix engineer.
Kristian is a great friend and we just generally shoot the shit. Check out his two releases with his band Sun K. He also plays guitar for Jeremie Albino and keys for Andee.
Saurabh Roy is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, and pop culture connoisseur based in Mumbai. He is the front-person for the most outstanding band, The Lightyears Explode.
Saurabh and I chat about the process behind his band’s latest release, his time studying music production at Point Blank Academy, how he incorporates pop culture into his work, and much much more.
Super interesting convo with the man behind one of my favourite bands.
Instagram: @thelightyearsexplode & @roysaurabh153
Rohan Rajadhyaksha is a keyboardist, vocalist, composer, and producer based in Mumbai. He works on productions for films and musicians with his colleagues at Salvage Audio Collective. He has also toured with some of the most acclaimed acts in the Indian music scene.
This was a great chat. Rohan offers tremendous depth and insight on everything from creative process, compensation/crediting of producers, to the challenges/sacrifices of the creative lifestyle, and the very nature of creativity itself.
Maalavika Manoj (aka Mali) is a songer/singwriter from Chennai. Mali and I reflect on our time working together on her upcoming LP Caution To The Wind. Mali fills us in on how she put together her last two music videos. She recounts her musical journey and we clear up how to pronounce both her first name and also “Chennai”.
Mali is a great friend and it’s always fun to catch up with her. Check out her latest two singles (produced by yours truly) “Age Of Limbo” and “Absolute”, along with all the rest of her music on all major platforms.
Follow her on instagram at @maalavikamanoj.
Sahir is a singer, songwriter, emcee, producer, and a founding member of Mumbai’s finest. We chat about music journalism, ancient history, and the creative process. Towards the end of our chat, we talk about Sahir’s musical journey.
Taarika John is an artist, illustrator, and writer based in Brooklyn, New York. Before moving to New York to pursue her masters, Taarika cut her teeth as a freelance illustrator in Mumbai. Taarika is a close friend and I have always looked to her as a freelancing sensei of sorts. Follow her work on instagram at @taarikajohnart.
Karun Kannampilly is a drummer and music educator based in Mumbai.
Aside from being a formidable session player in the Mumbai scene, Karun handles drumming duties for acts like The Koniac Net and Raghav Meattle. He has a knack for music education and founder of Drum House; an organization that facilitates workshops and camps for aspiring drummers all over India.
We chat about his approach to tuning and treating the snare drum, Indian Matchmaker, and how the absence venues like Blue Frog and I Bar have affected the music scene here in Mumbai.
Instagram: @karunk
The Koniac Net
Instagram: @thekoniacnet
Twitter: @thekoniacnet
SoundCloud: thekoniacnet
Laurie Dempster is a long-time friend of mine.
This is a 2 hours + conversation of him and I complaining about finance and economics. We share some our personal experiences and half-baked theories.
Enjoy!
James Robinson is a keyboardist based in Toronto. He is a founding member of the 9 piece soul/funk power house, The Soul Motivators.
James gives us a crash course history of the Soul Motivators and explains the ethos behind the bands aesthetic. We reminisce about the many shows that James and I have experienced together and tie it into a few of my live performance pet peeves.
James and I have been friends for over ten years, so many tangents are entertained.
The Soul Motivators
https://www.facebook.com/soulmotivators/
https://soulmotivators.bandcamp.com/
Jason D’Souza is a producer, composer, and mix-engineer based in Mumbai. He’s also one of my best buds and collaborators. This conversation is two hours of us just shooting the shit… mostly talking about music and music production. We talk about the low end struggle, producing music remotely, the end of the loudness wars, and I try to get Jason to make the best case in favour of Nu-Metal.
Shailpik Biswas is a multi-mode artist. We talk about living through the recent hurricane Amphaan, his art, and his journey on a more mindful and embodied path.
A Comprehensive List Of Organizations To Donate To For Super-cyclone Amphan Relief. https://docs.google.com/document/d/14…https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fdocument%2Fd%2F14lAGoYGToveHeEEIjGdQzmmfDiSUMHtXyQwbynD2U9s%2Fedit%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR13WgpkgjB7-ALTi_abqA073PvQ5A_vgPI3-DF1nQwkeotDiaNQaut4re8&v=v98Wz0QR0wo&redir_token=LSrk1_ECmEDE29AT47j5cAPKirx8MTU5MDg2MjgzMEAxNTkwNzc2NDMw&event=video_description
Suyasha Sengupta (aka Plastic Parvati) is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, and headstand enthusiast based in Kolkata. I first saw Suyasha perform as the front-woman for The Ganesh Talkies in 2015. I was blown away by the sheer energy of the band and I’ve been a fan of her music ever since. Suyasha takes us through her early influences, the formation of The Ganesh Talkies, and her solo work as Plastic Parvati. We jam about music production, synthesis, yoga, and mental health (among other topics).
You can find Plastic Parvati here:
Soundcloud: Suyasha
Instagram: plasticparvati
Facebook: plasticparvatimusic
You can find The Ganesh Talkies here:
Soundcloud: ganeshtalkies
Instagram: theganeshtalkies
Facebook: GaneshTalkies
![[BANNER] Sleepless](https://flossdailyproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/banner-sleepless.jpg)
Sleepless In Andheri West began by accident – as an exercise in sampling. The goal, very much in the spirit of the series Against The Clock, was simply to make beats as quickly as possible.
At first, the choice to exclusively use samples from old Hindi film songs was not intentional. Rather, classic and retro Bollywood music just happens to be a goldmine for any sampling enthusiast.
After a few beats with a similar aesthetic began to emerge, the idea of blending it all together into a beat tape seemed like an excruciatingly obvious, but also thoroughly gratifying idea.
Upon reaching what seemed like an appropriate number of tracks, the challenge shifted to connecting it all together using clips of speech lifted from various lectures, podcasts, instagram posts, and also a clip from a TV series.
Sleepless In Andheri West features intentionally minimalist production – just samples, drum programming, and one synth for bass. It is the companion piece to the upcoming, Nobody Ever Comes To VP, which features samples taken exclusively from Toronto-centric music circa 1995 – 2005.
Much gratitude to Kristian Montano for mastering this beat tape.
Massive shouts to Taarika John for creating the artwork.
Listen below
Jehangir Jehangir (aka JJ) is a musician, composer, engineer, and the proprietor of Island City Studios in Mumbai. JJ’s journey is inextricably linked with that of ICS and its predecessor, Cotton Press Studio. JJ tells us about his beginnings – learning the ropes as an engineer and business owner, along with the crew of talented folks that would eventually come to form the acclaimed Salvage Audio Collective. You’ll hear me repeatedly mention how great Island City Studios is – for good reason: It’s more than just a high end recording facility. It’s the hub, the home, for the thriving indie-music scene in Mumbai and beyond.
You can find Island City Studios on instagram via @studioislandcity
Jishnu ‘Short Round’ Guha is a film maker, singer, songwriter, guitarist, podcaster, and colourful-sock aficionado. Jishnu manages to get me to divulge my daknam and schools me on the Marvel cinematic universe. We discuss various accents, pronunciations, dialects, and colloquialisms in English and Indian English. And Jishnu’s got a helluva story about filming Buddy Guy at the Mahindra Blues Festival.
You can hear Short Round’s latest album ‘Favourite Strangers’ (produced by yours truly) along with his other releases on all major streaming platforms.
Instagram: @short__round
Geek Fruit: http://www.geekfruit.in Instagram: @geekfruithq
Mosambi Juice Productions: http://www.mosambijuiceproductions.com/ Instagram: @mojuproductions Vimeo: mosambijuiceproductions
Zain Calcuttawala is a musician, producer, engineer, educator, and all-round audio professional based in Mumbai. He also advocates for greater awareness and understanding around mental health and related issues. This is a great conversation with a pretty straight-forward description. We spend the first hour talking about esoteric music production techniques. We spend the remaining time speaking about mental health from a few different angles.
If you’re not into super technical music production jargon but want to get to the mental health stuff, you can skip ahead past the 60 minute mark.
This was a very illuminating conversation for me.
Zain has worked with artists like Short Round, Raghav Meattle, and Flying Shoe, among others. You can find Zain on instagram via @bullibainbridge and bullibainbridge on SoundCloud.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music
Support via bandcamp
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music
Support via bandcamp
Listen on Spotify and Apple Music
Support via bandcamp
AndrewLIVE · Walk Blind EP
David Abraham is a singer, songwriter, composer, and frontman of the Mumbai based indie-rock outfit, The Koniac Net. We start off a little slow, but then the conversation gets pretty lively. David and I rally back and forth regarding various bands and artists – how, when, and where we got into them. We discuss the perils of when genre-labels like “indie-rock” and “alternative” become mere verbalisms and what it all even means. Finally, Dave gives us a run down of The Koniac Net releases thus far, what’s next for the band, his burgeoning solo identity, and the bands exciting but scary (maybe) trip to play a rock festival in Finland.
You can find David Abraham on instagram via @diggidydamndave
You can check out The Koniac Net’s latest album called ‘They Finally Herd Us’ (produced by yours truly) on all major streaming platforms along with the rest of their releases.
Here are some of their social media links:
Instagram: @thekoniacnet
Twitter: @thekoniacnet
SoundCloud: thekoniacnet
Tejas Menon is a singer/songwriter, podcaster, guitarist, founding member of GeekFruit, and all around superstar. Tejas schools me on the impact of Star Wars on our modern reality. We compare/contrast our experiences growing up in Indian diaspora communities abroad, weigh the merits of the “follow your dreams” narrative, and share our perspectives on being freelance creatives in a time where the means of productions are more accessible than ever while the world around us appears more volatile. Tejas is a great friend and conversationalist. His latest full length album ‘Make It Happen’ is available on all major streaming platforms along with his other releases.
Here are Tejas’ socials:
Instagram: @tejasmenon1989
Twitter: @tejasmenon
SoundCloud: musicbytejas
Listen on Soundcloud and Apple Music
Here’s a story for you…
These days, it’s hard for me to choose a favourite artist or band. But when I was a teenager, hands down it was The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I basically learned how to play guitar, bass and drums by listening to BloodSugarSexMagik again and again.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded BloodSugarSexMagik in 1991. The label had arranged for them to live in a much fabled mansion in the Hollywood Hills to record the album with acclaimed producer Rick Rubin. A documentary called Funky Monks was made about these recording sessions.
When I was in the 11th grade, a friend of mine had acquired a copy of this documentary. Prior to viewing it, I had no idea what I record producer was or did. I simply wanted to be in a band.
I watched Funky Monks constantly. When I saw the footage of Rick Rubin guiding the Chili Peppers through the sessions, something clicked. I realized “That’s it! That should be my career!”.
And that was when I decided I wanted spend my life making records.
Fast forward 13 years later: I was months away from completing my first full length production for singer/emcee, AndrewLIVE. I had spent the majority of the last decade producing electronic music, hip-hop beats, or the odd R&B tune. In this realm, the definition of “producer” is quite a bit different than the one I had seen in Funky Monks so many years ago.
Given my background in electronic music, it had been quite hard to get a rock band to take me seriously. Getting the chance to produce a rock album was something that I had nearly given up on.
And then I met The Lipstick Junkies – a funk/rock power trio from Toronto. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to these three guys by their manager and my close friend, Nova Courchene. They had been planning to make a few live-off-the-floor demos and were looking for someone to record them. I made the case to let me produce and mix their songs – to make an album. Thankfully they agreed.
The first time I saw The Lipstick Junkies play at Toronto’s Silver Dollar Room, I was immediately impressed with their musicianship. What struck me more, however, was their onstage chemistry and the sincere joy with which they delivered their material. They possessed the strong sense of communion and brotherhood that many of the longest lasting and best music groups have. It was my goal to preserve those rare qualities on the record.
The Lipstick Junkies rehearsed in a large home located in the suburbs of Toronto.
So in the summer of 2013 – thirteen years after first seeing Funky Monks – there I found myself: commuting to a mansion with a backpack full of gear, on my way to produce the debut album of a funk/rock band.
The universe has an amazing way of helping us realize our dreams if we are willing to put in the effort.
I’d like to thank the wonderful Bloch family for welcoming me into and allowing us to record in their lovely home.
I’d like to thank all the great folks that kept us company while we were getting it done – Ryan, Polina, Suraya, Tevin, and some others that I am surely forgetting.
Thank you to the lovely Monica Moraru for your outstanding album artwork.
A massive big thank you to Florian Bey. Without your immaculate tracking knowledge, the project would not have benefited from the brilliant drum sounds that I had to work with. I learned a lot from working with you.
I’d like to thank all the musicians that contributed to this project.
AndrewLIVE – Thanks for lending us your voice brah.
James Robinson – After many years of friendship, it was a pleasure to finally collaborate with you on a proper project. Thanks for coming through.
Leah Tomlinson – Thank you for your lovely voice. It’s great to keep it all in the fam.
Logan Wall – So glad you could be involved in this. Thanks for your excellent djembe work and for your enthusiasm.
I cannot verbalize how grateful I am to Nova Courchene for believing in me. Without you, this project would never have come my way. All your hard work will pay off – I am sure of it.
Last but certainly not least: THANK YOU JUNKIES!
Greg Babinski – It was so much fun working with you. Especially on the vocal sessions. Thanks for your patience during the gruelling guitar sessions.
Brian Davis – I see a great deal of my younger self in you. I hope to live vicariously through in the near future. I already do whenever I see you on the stage.
JR Tomlinson – Without your driving snare-snap, it would be a completely different band.
Thank you Junkies for your enthusiasm in getting this project going. Thanks for being open to my ideas and suggestions. Thanks for trusting me with your first record. Thanks for the countless smokes, rides, beers, hang outs, and all around good times.
This project has been a blessing. Working with your upbeat music and youthful exuberance has helped through a very dark time in my life. I’m quite sure that I would have never had the opportunity to produce a rock album if you guys hadn’t believed in me. I’m infinitely grateful. If I have to stop here, at least I can say we did it.
I’m extremely proud of you guys. It’s hard to believe that we started this project less than a year ago. It began as ideas and notes. Together we made it into a tangible piece of work. I hope this record is ultimately helpful to you in your journey forward.
It is with a great deal of pride and satisfaction that I present the debut self-titled album from The Lipstick Junkies…
https://soundcloud.com/thelipstickjunkies/sets/the-lipstick-junkies
My favourite song on the album is Like Gold.
My favourite moment on the album occurs form 2:50 – 2:59 on the song Strut It.
…and that’s the story of how I produced my first rock album.
Listen on Soundcloud
Ever since I decided (back in junior high school) that I wanted to live to make records, my singular goal has been to create an album that I can be completely proud of – front to back – no amendments.
Today I can say that I have accomplished this goal.
The soul is smiling.
With a great deal of pride, I present to you the debut LP from AndrewLIVE, LIVE from the 32nd Floor.
You can stream the whole album here…
https://soundcloud.com/andrewlive/sets/live-from-the-32nd-floor
We wrote and recorded the whole thing from our 32nd floor apartment in east Toronto.
Firstly, I would like to thank YOU THE LISTENER. For anyone that bothered to listen to ANY material that I have posted from this project or any other in the past. In an age where music is considered disposable (often literally) and everyone has a friend in a band that wants you to “check out my stuff man” – Every listen, hit, play, like, comment, has been GREATLY appreciated.
I understand that everyone has hectic and busy lives and if you have taken even a small portion of your time to lend your ears to my work, I am forever grateful. I mean that fully and completely. My greatest hope is that you like what you hear.
I would like to thank God (or the Universe, Cosmic Consciousness, Laws Of Random Circumstance, or whatever doesn’t offend you) for blessing me with the skills, ability and experience to finally accomplish my dreams.
I would like to thank my parents for supporting me (despite the dramatic influence of cultural/social norms) in pursuing something that must fit the definition of “pipe dream” more accurately than any other line of work (or any other type of dream, for that matter).
I would like to thank my mother for teaching me the qualities (among countless others) of perseverance and discipline – without which I surely would have given up long ago.
I would like to thank my father for passing along his artistic and creative spirit. I wish he could hear this and understand what it is that I have accomplished. I’m sure he’d love it.
I would like to thank all the teachers (musical and otherwise) that had a positive influence on me and chose to encourage me rather than not. To my music teachers (of which there are too many to mention), I am reminded of your guidance and instruction on a daily basis. Included in those who have taught me my craft are my closest musical friends. All of your influences are evident in my playing. I see and hear you all on these tracks. I am sure that you are all sitting behind me when I pick up an instrument.
I would like to thank all of my very great friends around the world who have showed their support for me even through the most difficult times. The ones who heard some of my most horrendous material and still saw something in there to encourage me. The ones who shared my ‘not-so-horrendous’ and ‘even-sometimes-good’ material over the years. The friends who took the effort to reach out during my most hermit like phases to make sure I was still ticking.
As an only child, my best friends are like my closest family… and my best family are like my closest friends. You all know who you are and I know you can all work that one out yourselves. Together, you have all helped to shut the gates just before the last minions of my sanity would flee the complex.
I would like to thank all of the artists (of which there are FAR too many to name) who have inspired me along my path and lead me to this point. I am humbled to be aware that all I know was simply passed down to me through the vast continuum of expanding human knowledge.
I would like to thank St. John’s, Newfoundland, CANADA for being the MOST AMAZING place that I get to say that I’m from. I proudly proclaim this to everyone I meet around the world. And… although Andrew is from Pouch Cove, I’m quite sure that he’s spent a lot of time in St. John’s : P
We may both live in Toronto, but Newfoundland is what produced us.
Many people will refuse to believe that such a record can come from a place like Newfoundland.
–> Fuck those people.
I would like to thank Ross Connolly, Adrian Gagnon and James Hooper for their most valuable insight regarding the mastering process for this record. Thank you for your ears and advise. I think it sounds dece right?
Lastly, and most importantly….
THANK YOU ANDREW PATRICK LAHEY
Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to produce and perform with you on this – YOUR debut solo album.
Thank you for putting just as much effort into composing each lyric and considering every melodic nuance as I did into crafting and mixing each instrumental for this album (plus the many others songs that we are still working on).
Thank you for actually giving a fuck about the work that I put into this record (few other vocalists ever did).
Thank you for presenting me with a project that has forced me to push myself as a musician/composer/producer/engineer.
Thank you for presenting me with a project that would ultimately have me reach some arbitrary and abstract standard that I set for myself as a teenager.
You have done a phenomenal job on each and every one of these songs. It has been a pleasure (despite the excessive housework) to watch you evolve into the songwriter that you have become.
You may write from your own perspective and life experience, but given our shared lot (literally) as starving musicians – you have done an incredible job of speaking for me as well. I am sure that your words will strike the strongest of chords with so many of us (from so many walks of life), who are struggling in manifold ways.
—> LISTEN TO THE LYRICS!!!
Dear listener,
Pay attention to every word that AndrewLIVE is spitting at you. If you do, I swear you will see vividly what it is like to throw away so much in the blind hope of some higher fulfilment. You will understand longing and loss. You will catch a glimpse into the mindset that stands up to myriad projectile life obstacles. You will understand that unshakable confidence can only come from the direct confrontation of your own insecurities. (And that’s just MY interpretation… listen for yourself and draw your own conclusions).
I have NO IDEA how we made this record.
(and I was there)
There is absolutely NO REASON why two random fuckups should be able to make a record that sounds THIS GOOD from their 32 storey apartment in some shitty corner of Toronto that nobody in Toronto ever wants to visit.
WE DID IT ANYWAY.
(East York stand up)
Congratulations AndrewLIVE on your debut LP. Producing it has been the most important task of my life.
So congrats to me also I guess.
Bring the next one.
Thank you for listening
& please enjoy : D
Sincerely,
Arnob Bal
Floss Daily Productions
AndrewLIVE · LIVE from the 32nd Floor
Floss Daily Productions 