Empty Pockets
November 11th, 2008
In 2008, Jeremy Wilson (Dharma Bums, MastanMusic) recorded and produced a collection of songs from my summer concert series. The project was put on hold several times for various reasons. The title track, Empty Pockets, was cut because the final mix that I was provided was somehow missing my vocal track.
Nearing completion of the original EP, Jeremy told me that I inspired him to get back to songwriting, back to the stage, and asked if I would be his second guitarist for his new project, The Jeremy Wilson Band. That was the beginning of what would lead to his first full studio solo record, Empty Through Empty Space.
I was provided my own JW songbook for rehearsals but remained focused on my first EP launch and what was next. After four months of waiting for the pre-mastered mixes, Jeremy told me he wanted to turn my 6-song EP into a full length album, have me sign onto his record label and get my record in stores. I declined because I wanted to maintain full ownership of the recordings I had already paid for and I wanted that completed project in my hands for mastering and distribution. I was playing two or three shows a week and these songs of mine were tied up in post-production. My understanding was that Jeremy, with several ongoing studio projects, had to invest personal time in the post-process mixing of my EP due to the complicated setup with recording everything through the Soundworkshop Series 80 console and then into the ProTools recording software.
Still, Jeremy felt that my music was going places and the decision was made to add four simple live acoustic recordings that could be mixed much faster than the previous approach bringing the total track count to 10.
I kept the album title as it was because it perfectly described where I was at that time in my life and the nature of making a record with no budget. As with everything there is much more to the story.
The Making of the Empty Pockets EP
Tony Smiley asked me to play a private party with him in early 2008 after opening for a couple of his shows. In the audience was musician and producer, Jeremy Wilson, who tracked me down to ask me to record on his label and appear on his podcast series.
2008 June: Been spending a lot of my days at the MastanMusic Studio tracking furiously with Jeremy Wilson. A few of my life-long friends are on this EP. Making records, as Jeremy puts it, is fun but not easy and has been very demanding. We began initial tracking June 6th. Though I am grateful for the experience, I’m anticipating final mixes now as the recording sessions are wrapping up and my first EP will be available as soon as it’s ready. Those tunes are: everything is gonna be just fine, the one leaving you, fort mojave friend, what you done to me, her angel tonight, empty pockets
- July 15th: Finished recording the Empty Pockets EP, waiting another week until we can mix and master.
- August 10th: Three songs mixed..
- August 22nd: Two songs mixed..
- September 4th: entire EP should be mixed by September 16th.
- September 14th: ALL Six Songs Mixed! Should be mastered soon and ready for release..
- October 10th: Jeremy scheduled to record an additional 4 acoustic tracks October 15th making this a full length album or LP. Those tunes are: a chance to tell you why, keepin on, the early morning, whatchoo got
- October 16th: There are a few final steps in making this album but it’s almost here..
Empty Pockets was originally released November 11, 2008.
Having played solo all over Portland and Vancouver, sometimes three shows a week, sometimes twice or more in a day, I needed new frontier. It was 2008 and the living room in the house I was renting at was dedicated rehearsal space for the various music projects’ of my roommate, Beth Rhodes (Soundspell, UpRiverStudios). We all knew it as the Witch House and it’s where Beth would rehearse with Brandy Lynn and Sara Williamson in their band, Soundspell.
On top of the blood, sweat and tears of non-stop shows while learning to build and promote showcases there had been a string of heartfelt collaborations with artists like Tony Smiley, Brandy Lynn, Nicole Plumlee and Beth Rhodes plus various side projects as well as building relations with a half dozen venue owners. Music became family and in the culmination of brilliant colors I felt my own works had become too absorbed into the peripheral to craft new material my own way. To do that, I needed to blaze my own trail away from the various music and art scenes. I had scrapped together the Empty Pockets EP at summer’s end. I was still playing shows through fall. That winter, I was spent.