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Cap'n Tightpants · Nov 27, 2015, 03:09 PM

http://smile.amazon.com/Smart-Mouse-.../dp/B000YFA7HW

Those live traps work well. Put some PB on a cracker, place it inside, and you're set.

subego · Nov 27, 2015, 08:21 PM

In retrospect, probably not the best idea, but in irritation with the landlord for allowing this setup, we're forcing him to take care of it.

Cap'n Tightpants · Nov 28, 2015, 01:54 AM

Honestly, if my daughter wasn't so obsessed with critters, I'd probably go the more direct route myself.

subego · Nov 28, 2015, 12:46 PM

In the same vein, I've only been currently averaging about one day in the studio a week. If I was there every day, I'm sure I'd feel less accommodating.

subego · Dec 21, 2015, 03:51 PM

+1 guitarist

-1 drummer
-1 singer (in August)
-1 mouse

subego · Jan 27, 2016, 08:23 AM

We're still in a holding pattern. Can't find any backup singers.

Building drama is at an all time high...

The landlord thinks the place needs an exorcism.
The upstairs neighbors are apparently grifters. Still haven't paid a dime of rent, and yet are getting the landlord to do all kinds of work to stave off the threat of them getting the building condemned.
The landlord has hired security guards to do rounds, and intimidate the neighbors.
Their lease is up at the end of March. The landlord thinks they're going to start squatting.

Our lease ends in March, but we are ****ing getting the **** out of there ASAP.

So, the studio is getting broken down for real. What's needed for mixing will move to the rehearsal space we assume we'll be able to find, and the rest goes into storage.

subego · Jan 28, 2016, 09:57 AM

It's almost the 6 month anniversary of our last show. Time to punt, and test our theory Candy Town can exist as more than a band.

We're going to gather some actors and shoot some tiny shorts. At least this will let people know we still exist while we wait for a singer opportunity to happen.

If we can make that happen in time for late summer, we get to open for Abney Park.

subego · Feb 3, 2016, 05:56 PM

The front door...

Laminar · Feb 3, 2016, 06:53 PM

But it's unlocked?

reader50 · Feb 3, 2016, 07:27 PM

Heh, extra security from a deadbolt. Right beside a glass pane.

subego · Feb 3, 2016, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

But it's unlocked?

Huh?

subego · Feb 3, 2016, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

Heh, extra security from a deadbolt. Right beside a glass pane.

It's a door from a more innocent time.

andi*pandi · Feb 3, 2016, 08:55 PM

Could be worse. Could be like Jessica Jones' front door.

Cap'n Tightpants · Feb 4, 2016, 08:04 AM

Quite a metaphor (Jessica Jones). I wish the series had been better.

subego · Feb 4, 2016, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by reader50

Heh, extra security from a deadbolt. Right beside a glass pane.

You know, I didn't really think this through. I had a niggling suspicion this detail was relevant, but dismissed it for whatever reason.

The deadbolt is both the only lock, and the only way the door stays shut. The doorknob is broken to the point it can no longer perform either function.

BadKosh · Feb 4, 2016, 12:23 PM

Looks really inviting.............

subego · Feb 17, 2016, 11:53 AM

Tried my hand at recording some improv comedy.

The band leader has done it before, but was performing and being recordist/effects person at the same time. I was happy to take that job off his hands and smooth out the process.

Other than taking over the basic recording functions, I was able to set both of them up (the band leader, and an old friend from school, who's brilliantly funny) with little USB MIDI keyboards they could use to toggle vocal effects on and off in real time. In previous sessions, all the vocal processing was in post, so no one got to hear what they were going to sound like while recording.

As an added wrinkle, I had 100 or so sound effects loaded into an iPad, and would throw those in as needed.

Unfortunately, things still needed extensive post-production, which we don't have time for, so we were only able to squeeze out one finished routine. I like how it turned out though, so I'm about to do a quick and dirty master, and will put a link up for it!

The one "problem" is its vulgar. I mean really, really vulgar.

reader50 · Feb 17, 2016, 02:36 PM

Does this mean you've filled in the backup singers?

subego · Feb 17, 2016, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

Does this mean you've filled in the backup singers?

Sadly, no.

We have so much on our plate already, finding singers, moving out of the studio, finishing the album... it was kinda silly to take on a new project.

There was a plan to make it work, but it was miscommunicated. As a result everything crashed and burned quite spectacularly, and everybody left really pissed off.

My shit worked, though.

Cap'n Tightpants · Feb 17, 2016, 04:25 PM

Vulgar is fine, just make sure it's PC or the college kids will get upset.

subego · Feb 17, 2016, 04:33 PM

There may be triggers.

Cap'n Tightpants · Feb 17, 2016, 04:48 PM

A comedian did a show at a local university and got booed for simply joking about trigger warnings. (There was a story about it in their campus paper but it's since been deleted.)

ghporter · Feb 17, 2016, 06:52 PM

Some of the best "college humor" presentations I've ever seen or heard were basically one trigger after another, with vulgarity in between for pacing. The Barnacle Bill song comes to mind...

subego · Feb 18, 2016, 03:12 AM

Sorry for the delay... turns out I have the wrong file.

subego · Feb 18, 2016, 04:33 AM

Also, is there a way to embed an audio file in a post?

reader50 · Feb 18, 2016, 04:36 AM

If it's on Youtube or Vimeo, or the file is hosted somewhere you can URL to. Direct URL to the file will make it play in the browser, usually in a new tab. Youtube or Vimeo will embed like usual.

subego · Feb 18, 2016, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by reader50

If it's on Youtube or Vimeo, or the file is hosted somewhere you can URL to. Direct URL to the file will make it play in the browser, usually in a new tab. Youtube or Vimeo will embed like usual.

Thank you!

For whatever reason I thought a direct URL would put it in your downloads folder, which would be a little intrusive.

subego · Feb 22, 2016, 02:52 AM

Turns out I'm going to play the long tease with this recording. It's really only half done, and the band leader has intimated he can be bribed to finish it with antique Josephine Baker sheet music.

That may have to wait however, because the exodus has begun. The upstairs tenants, who still have access to our place, are getting the County Sheriff treatment on the first of the month. Before they get any bright ideas, we're ripping out all the computer gear, and barricading the studio door.

We're about to sign a lease on a new place, which we like a lot, and is relatively close. Unfortunately, it's too small for a whole band rehearsal.

Hilariously, I hate our new landlord's guts. He's a colorful neighborhood businessman... who has my phone number and has ****ing robocalled me at 8:30 in the morning.

subego · Feb 25, 2016, 08:28 PM

With moments left to spare, it looks like we found another place.

It's all too good to be honest. It's part of an old factory. It's plenty big. It's crazy cheap. We can drive into it. The bus to get there is right outside the band leader's door (he doesn't drive). The neighborhood doesn't seem particularly sketchy for a place you'd find an old factory, and besides, there's a big police station about 500 feet away. There's a Subway, Chinese food, a liquor store, and a hardware store all nearby.

It's probably too hot in summer. Apart from that, and the inevitable kick in the crotch fate likes to give you, this is an absolute go.

ghporter · Feb 25, 2016, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by subego

With moments left to spare, it looks like we found another place.

It's all too good to be honest. It's part of an old factory. It's plenty big. It's crazy cheap. We can drive into it. The bus to get there is right outside the band leader's door (he doesn't drive). The neighborhood doesn't seem particularly sketchy for a place you'd find an old factory, and besides, there's a big police station about 500 feet away. There's a Subway, Chinese food, a liquor store, and a hardware store all nearby.

It's probably too hot in summer. Apart from that, and the inevitable kick in the crotch fate likes to give you, this is an absolute go.

It sounds like you have everything a bunch of musicians needs. Does it have electricity? Working plumbing? Do you freeze your tail off in it right now? If you have all of that, figuring out how to keep from baking inside when it gets hot is something you can work on later. Which I recommend you start working on as soon as you set up where everything else is going to sit inside after you sign the lease.

reader50 · Feb 25, 2016, 10:35 PM

I've watched too many movies and TV shows. What could possibly be lurking in an abandoned factory?

Vampire hangout.
Dream intrusion dry runs.
Terrorist cell.
Illegal government ops group.
More vampires.
Rogue agents.
Illegally abandoned toxic waste cans.
Armed homeless people with attitude problems.
Alien foothold team.

I've probably missed a few. You'd think all the above groups would run into each other.

subego · Feb 25, 2016, 11:12 PM

There is that part I failed to mention. The people next door may be Satanists.

They were really nice Satanists, though.

subego · Feb 25, 2016, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

It sounds like you have everything a bunch of musicians needs. Does it have electricity? Working plumbing? Do you freeze your tail off in it right now? If you have all of that, figuring out how to keep from baking inside when it gets hot is something you can work on later. Which I recommend you start working on as soon as you set up where everything else is going to sit inside after you sign the lease.

Toilet. Sink. Shower. Electricity.

I never took off my coat, but there was a small, industrialpunk heater.

subego · Feb 26, 2016, 07:38 PM

The landlord told one of the upstairs "tenants" March 1st was when things were going to get ugly.

Her response?

"By the time I'm done with you, I'll own this building."

subego · Feb 26, 2016, 10:49 PM

Knew it was too good to be true.

We decided the goth sex orgies next door wouldn't really be good for business.

Probably a lot of fun, though.

subego · 03:55 PM

Don't know why it didn't occur to us earlier. We're going to try to rent a first floor plus apartment combo, or even better, a coach house.

Edit: first floor plus apartment combo? First floor plus basement apartment combo.

subego · Feb 29, 2016, 01:40 PM

Whoohoo! We have a singer. The band officially exists again!

andi*pandi · Feb 29, 2016, 01:43 PM

subego · Feb 29, 2016, 04:37 PM

Aaaaand... it looks like we're about to sign a lease on a coach house to be the new home of Candy Town studios!

It's been quite a week.

subego · Feb 29, 2016, 07:09 PM

Assuming there's nothing ugly on the credit report which disqualifies us, we're going ahead on the coach house.

It's nearby (much closer than Satan's Hollow). It's relatively cheap (about what we're paying now). Great neighborhood (you can see Wrigley Field from the main house). There was actually plenty of street parking, at least in the afternoon. Two floors, so we can theoretically have a mixing room upstairs. Spiral staircase.

It's pretty awesome. I'm hesitantly allowing myself to get really friggin excited. I loved building the last studio, so I'm looking forward to doing it again. The only wildcard is whether our drums cause neighbor friction. Nothing we can do but go forward and hope for the best.

subego · Mar 2, 2016, 05:00 PM

Lease deeeeeeee-clined!

Laminar · Mar 2, 2016, 05:08 PM

Shouldn't have loaded up your fourteen credit cards with $30,000 each?

andi*pandi · Mar 2, 2016, 05:18 PM

declined? reallllly? wonder if that was a preemptive strike from the landlord worried about said drums.

subego · Mar 2, 2016, 05:28 PM

We laid pretty low on that.

The claim was it was a combo of our credit history, and the fact we both want to continue to keep our current residences.

Neither of us has bad credit, but for various reasons neither of us have extensive credit. The band leader literally has no credit rating.

Cap'n Tightpants · Mar 2, 2016, 07:21 PM

Is it a property mgt company or an individual?

subego · Mar 2, 2016, 07:23 PM

Management company.

Cap'n Tightpants · Mar 2, 2016, 07:24 PM

Send me a PM with the name and I can get someone on it.

subego · Mar 3, 2016, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants

Send me a PM with the name and I can get someone on it.

Wow. I am overwhelmed by this. Thank you!

reader50 · Mar 3, 2016, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by subego

The claim was it was a combo of our credit history, and the fact we both want to continue to keep our current residences.

The current residences shouldn't matter. You were already keeping your residences, along with the old studio for 2+ years. You're giving up the old studio to lease the new one. So your financial commitment is unchanged, and has been stable for an extended time.

This argument will work well if the current landlord backs up the details. Aren't you glad you guys are angel tenants compared to the dudes upstairs?

ps - gloss over the band membership turmoils.

subego · Mar 3, 2016, 03:09 PM

You know, that's not a bad point. The only question with the current studio landlord is we did get a little tetchy with him at times about the upstairs tenants. There's a slight chance he would slag us.