Slick's Record ::
The Long and Winding Road to 'Zig Zag'

I had a news item in here a couple of years back about the making Earl Slick's solo record, around March 2001. I explained a bit of how we met and eventually began work on his record, and how we stopped at a certain point in the process - just a little break to take care of a few things before continuing.

That 'little break' lasted nearly two years, and a lot happened within it. First, I went off to work with the Cure; then there was 9/11, which, in addition to causing a disruption in world society as a whole, hastened the demise of the music industry as we knew and, on some level, 'loved' it; Slick toured Japan for a few months; I refurbished my studio and worked with local artists; this website went under the radar for ages, then got a new domain name and a redesign; Slick got home from Japan and began writing new tunes in Portland. DB popped into the picture, and I began assembling ideas and material so we could perform two albums ('Heathen' and 'Low') live, on last years' 'Heathen' tour. Add to this the process of finding a label for Slick to call home, plus a few personal upheavals for each of us, and two years doesn't seem that long after all.

A few words to recap how I first met Slick. He flew into town in April of 2000 to play with a core section of Bowie's band - Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, and myself. Slick and I were an instant musical and personal fit - he was like the long lost, guitar playing older brother I never had (sorry, Dave!)

Then came the Glastonbury tour - where I occupied the dream-come-true position of playing rhythm guitar with the lead guitarist from my favorite Bowie period. Then came the tracking and mixing of the unreleased 'Toy' in the summer and fall of 2000.

Slick then decided it was finally time for him to make a solo album, and he asked me to produce it. We decided to make a record that would be a departure from the typically blues-rock based records Slick had made in the past - cut with a traditional guitar/bass/drums lineup along with a vocalist. We decided to accomplish this by using guest vocalists, who would bring their own melodies and lyrics to the party. Slick also wanted to incorporate some of my sensibilities as far as programming, to take it a bit further from the traditional. This meant going back to school for me, as I had subconsciously given up programming after 'Earthling' (which was such a peak for me in that area that it felt like I could never top it.)

Slick and I commenced early in 2001 - we programmed and mapped out the tracks at my studio, then we went into the Looking Glass to record them with Sterling Campbell on drums. We managed to crank out five songs on that first session, one of them co-written by David ... and we left it at that. That session set the template for how we would make the record, and how I'd begin to do a lot of the work I do: in my own studio. We took two days to record some basic tracks at the Looking Glass, but everything else was recorded at my place, Alice's Restaurant - even Mr. B's vocals for his track, 'Isn't It Evening.'

Slick checks his email.
Look who's the computer jockey now ...

David writing lyrics, East Village, March 2001.
No, he didn't use the crayons.

DB and Slick, East Village, March 2001.
Zebra couch hauled away long ago ...

After the initial tracking period, I ended up working with the Cure in that summer of 2001. They're long time Slick fans, so they were very curious about what we were up to. I played them a few of things we'd done, and Slicks' track with David really hooked them. Robert decided then and there he wanted to contribute, as well as have Slick guest on a remix of 'A Forest' I was about to undertake (and Slick did; this version has still not seen the light of day, as they're waiting for just the right moment to use it ... which will be soon, I hope!) We sent Robert demos over the course of the following year, and he finally settled on one called 'Newfs,' named in honor of Slick's two Newfoundlands, Magilla and Sadie.

Man, can those dogs drool.

Fast forward to late 2002. Slick and I are on the second leg of the 'Heathen' tour, and we're in London. I've finally gotten my Powerbook tricked out enough to do some hotel room programming and goofing around - Oxygen 8 keyboard, MBox, etc. - so I set to work on 'Newfs.' A bit of rearranging, some virtual synth atmosphere (courtesy of various cracked VST plug-ins), and an adaptation of the drums played by Slick's son, Lee, and 'Newfs' had a new face. It was slow going - I'm spoiled by the huge display in my home system, a full size keyboard, and the overall speed of the system - but it worked. (Plus, the little parts I came up with on the tiny Oxygen 8 keyboard probably wouldn't have occurred to me at home). Slick liked where it was going, so we biked it over to Robert on the other side of town for him to check out and sing over. That version, with added bass and guitars in New York, becomes 'Believe.'

 

>>> Road to 'Zig Zag' Part Two