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Peach did strings last night.

I was jealous he got to go back and work some more. I was going to meet him up there and get in on the session but the last week has taken its toll on me. I was too tired to go anywhere. I probably would have fallen asleep on the couch in the control room. But after talking to Peach after the session was over, I didn't really need to be there.

I haven't heard it yet. But I already like it. In fact, I don't need to hear it.

I need to start giving up control on certain things. Peach made the strings happen whether its good or not. The string section could completely suck and it wouldn't bother me. I have trouble making decisions on things because I want to do EVERYTHING that can be done OR limit everything t the smallest degree. One extreme or the other. Complex or bare bones. I find no middle ground. I used to say I either want 10 kids or 1. If that gives you a reference.

I find it flattering that the band thinks so highly of Eli Whitney. I wrote it in 2 hours and it has not changed since. Sure there have been band changes and what not but the song remains the same. I take pride in delivering a good product the first time around. What next? A dance remix?

But in the end the "big" treatment was something we wanted. For about a month I was trying to do it the way we have always done the song because I still feel the recording on the first record is very medicore. The only thing I really enjoy about listening to the Whimsical version is the fuzzy guitar solo. Deep down I know the band can perform the song better and certainly have performed it better.

Then for about two weeks, it was looking as if it would only be acoustic with some bells and whistles. Adding all the orchestrated stuff has led me to think there can be more done to every other song. But this album is supposed to represent us as a live act or as a unit. We can save the Brian Wilson stuff for the next record. But not for this song. Is it our hit? Maybe. It's the closest to the conept becuase it was my response to hearing the Giants song "James K Polk." Even for a short time Peach didn't want to be a "history band." I couldn't help it. I just kept writing songs like that. I remember sometime in October/November we were all sitting around thinking "we could totally do this!" And look at it now! We have strings!!!

I say bring the violin player back for Dear Abbey. Guitar, piano, violin. Boom! There you have it. Next song.....

Kudos to Peach for making the strings happen. We can now safely say we are not just a rock band. I just wish I could been there to see it happpen. I always wondered about mic placements, eq, and stuff for strings.

Now it's back to making demos....