Dec 29th at the Tin Angel in Philly.

so excited to be heading home for the holidays and to play this very special show at the Tin Angel on Sunday Dec. 29th. Can't wait to see you there, Philly!!!

Oct. 19 @ Hotel Cafe

Very much looking forward to this show.

New Album: Update 2 - EGO VS. THE TRUTH

It's been a slower process than I'd hoped for when I finished the live basic tracking sessions at the end of April, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!  I passed the first of the new tracks off to be mixed the other day.... I have about 13 more I'm ready to pull the trigger on...
As usual, making this record has been a lot more work than I thought it would be.  When will I learn? It's so challenging to be producing my own records...listening back to some of my songs I've produced over the years, I think they're complete garbage.  But after all these years of doing it, I feel like I'm getting closer to cracking the code, creating something great, and being able to seperate my ego from the truth.

Speaking of Ego and the Truth...

After feeling like I had a great list of songs for the new album, I sat down with Koley the other day (she is always an impartial, honest, and much needed opinion on whatever I'm working on), we listened to all of my work so far, including a handful of the songs that I hadn't touched since those first tracking sessions because I made the judgement then that they weren't as good as some of the others.

Nikole would ask me "Why isn't this one finished and on your list?  This needs to be on your album"  Or, shoot down what I thought was great:  "Ehhhh....it's just not doing it for me....it's just kind of boring."

OUCH.  But True.  Although that always stings like a MOFO after days of working on something that I thought was great, I've learned to accept her comments over the years as very valuable.  I don't need someone to lie to me and tell me that I'm an undisputed genius.  (Although that would be sweet.)   I NEED THE TRUTH!  She is usually right too...Occasionally, I know that she can't quite see that what I'm creating will be great when it's fully realized, and I'll push through the pain of a bruised ego and make it so.  Once I get over the momentarily deep depression of feeling like my work is worthless, what I create usually is better than what it wouldve been without that dark moment.  I always end up feeling grateful that I have Koley in my life and that she won't pull any punches, even when she knows it'll hurt.

In any case, our listening session the other day left me with the reality that while I'd love to be done RIGHT NOW, there's a few more tunes on there that deserve the chance to be finished before I can definitively exclude or include them on the album.  I'll be digging through the rest of it over the next week, overdubbing and editing.  So...I'm approaching the finish line!

Here's a pic of her with another person in my life that has made me put my ego in check and look only for what really matters.

-G

First Father's Day

The sweet California sun is shining, Rivie is taking a nap and Kole is hooking up what smells like it will be an amazing breakfast. So far, I can understand why Father's day is awesome!

Thanks to my dad and all the other great dads out there. I'm about 3/4 of the way done with my new record and I'm very excited with how it's sounding...It's hard for me to get in my 12-14 hr days in the studio with my new little one, but I'm sneaking off to work whenever I can, and having very productive sessions when I do, as time's preciousness is more apparent than ever.

 I digress... Today is all about fathers. (I'm about to make my move on my next studio sneak attack so I should get going) Happy Father's Day! G

Free Download: 'It's So Easy'

Here's a brand new song...'It's So Easy.'

Sometimes it's fun to go a little over the top, production wise.  Which is exactly what I did here.  It started sounding like a an R&B song, so why not take it all the way there?  That's my boy Matty Alger playing the drums.  Matty is like that comfortable sweater you put on on a cool day...it just fits perfectly.  He shares my rhythmic sensibilities and just knows how to play my music.  Mark Rudin added his trumpet to my trombones all the way from Mexico...and the rest of the track is just me having fun!

I found that this particular track sounds great turned up loud with the windows down on a beautiful SoCal Day driving through the canyons!

Download it for free below and please pass it on
-
G

I Won't Back Down...Stanfordizing a Petty classic

You know when you hear a great song and its power hits all at once?

I'm a big Tom Petty fan, and  I've always loved his song 'I Won't Back Down'.... I heard it on the radio while I was driving right before Rivie was born, and the simple message of the song really resonated with me deeply at that moment as I faced so many unknowns.

I started working out this arrangement on my acoustic guitar plugged into my little fender amp and would play it over and over on the guitar for River as he sat in his little chair watching my fingers go and making funny faces as the delay effect bounced around.  I fell further in love with the song each time I played it and tried to make it my own.   Download it if you like, and please pass it on!

G

New Album: Update 1

After an incredibly productive week and half in the studio with the awesome Shane Smith, I'm back in my home studio, ironing out some vocal tracks with my 2 month old boy River taking a snooze here with me.  He's already feeling pretty comfortable in the studio, is way cuter, and smells much better than many folks I've co-inhabited studio space with.   Here he is, napping the session away as i work:

After the last few weeks, I have basic tracks (meaning my guitar, bass and drums) and my vocals done on over twenty songs!  I've spent a lot of time and money in studios over the years and this was by far the easiest and most productive studio week I've ever had.  I attribute much of that to my incredible band, Matty Alger and Spencer Wright.  These guys really poured their heart and soul into my songs, and after having playing most of them for several years live with me, we didn't need more than  a few takes on each tune.  It's funny how in this age of pro tools and digital recording, a great live band playing together often takes a backseat to creating an illusion of musicians playing together....well not on my new record!  Over the past 4 years or so playing with these guys, I feel like I've really rediscovered the heart of good music and making a great record:  get some great musicians in a room together with solid songs and LET THEM PLAY!  It's seems so simple...and it is...but making records like this takes a lot of experience from everyone involved....It's like doing all the work on the front end rather than editing and trying to create something after the fact.

I'm keeping this new record simple...trying to let the songs and musicians speak for themselves without a lot of bells and whistles.  I'll be heading to the amazing JT's studio in Reseda, CA on fri to get his piano and organ on a handful of these songs, and after a few background vocal and horn section overdubs, this puppy will be cooked up ready for a great mix!

I can honestly say, that this will be my best yet!

More to come

g

New Music: You'll Never Know

This is a new song that I wrote for someone close to me, about the heartache of a lost relationship.  

I recorded this at eStudio International in East Los Angeles in February, and it's a small glimpse of some sounds to come on my upcoming full length record  Download it for free and pass it on!

Video: Downriver - Live in Studio

You'll Never Know - Tracking

I had such a great time in the studio last week, cutting a new song of mine called ‘you’ll never know.’ We went to my friend Shane’s spot called eStudio, and the results are really amazing.  It’s kind of a classic sounding tune, and the three of us playing together in the studio created a lot of energy that really jumps out of the speakers. I’m planning on finishing this sad song this week with an old school horn section that i’ve been doing a lot of sessions with lately.  That last touch, and this track will be all laced up and ready for a great mix. I can’t wait to share it!  Stay tuned.  Meantime, here’s a few pics.  Thanks to John Vanover for stopping by with his camera. -g