Rock Lives: UK Band 21 AGAINST

[Curve Dominant]

As some of you know, the South Wales UK-based hard rock band 21 Against produced their new new song "Inside Out" with the Curve Dominant team while they were on tour here in the US.

After a bit of wrangling, just today I managed to get permission to post an excerpt of the track on the Curve Dominant website.

This gig was something of a benchmark for our little fledgling production company, because:
1) It was our first over-seas client
2) It was a "real band" as opposed to our usual singer-songwriter clients
3) We tracked it in a "real studio" as opposed to tracking it in my little ghetto setup
4) There was no drum sampling added to the tracks at all, no Auto-tune, no Beat Detective, or any subsequent "synthetic" overdubbing done in any fashion or form. The recording and mix represents the band as they play live, nothing more or less
5) It is the first of what will hopefully be an on-going collaboration between Studio Curve Dominant, and a "real" studio, Turtle Studios, which I believe is currently the best operated and maintained commercial studio in Philly today.

Furthermore, 21 Against is a band that many of us here in The States feel is an important band, which deserves notice.

So, go to the Curve Dominant website, listen to 21 Against, and give us feedback.

Thanks in advance!

[goldphinga]

shameless plug.

[goldphinga]

p.s. i just listened to the link, and ill say the following-

1.there's nothing original about their sound.
2.their performance and playing (especially the drumming)is average.
3.the whole feel of the track is dragging.
4.no-one i know has heard of them over here in the uk
5.theres no hook in the song.

Sorry to **** on the fire, but thats my honest opinion. others may of course love it. not feelin it myself. p.s if you dont like my opinion then dont ask for feedback.

[reid]

gotta say I'm with goldphinga on this one - they're OK, but no more.

I'm trying to work out what it is about them that tingled your spine, CurveDominant. The fact that they were paying clients?

And why on Earth, on your own site, are you setting yourself up for ridicule?
Quote " Wilf (the drummer of 21 Against) is easily my favourite drummer since John Bonham" Bonham pegged it back in 1980 - do you honestly believe that no one's being cutting the drumming mustard in the last 26 years, until Wilf turns up? Have you been living under a stone all this time?

[Messiah]

Why isn't this crud in the mp3 section?

I had the misfortune of having my time diverted to hear that shit...

[Jose Mrochek]

Originally Posted by Messiah

Why isn't this crud in the mp3 section?

I had the misfortune of having my time diverted to hear that shit...

dude.. come on, no need to be so rude.

everyone on this board I think is trying to succeed at whatever they do. Some know their stuff others are still learning, give the guy a break.

[RoundBadge]

"Wilf is easily my favorite drummer since John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)"

Thats great that you feel that way,
..Except John Bonham swung like a m*therfokkerstike

It sounds like he's playing to a click, which is just fine.nice and solid
the guy's groove however, is as stiff as a board.tutt
Zero swing.

[djui5]

Congrats curve

[5down1up]

@ curve & good luck with your collaboration !

i like the track yall did . the studio looks very nice and it sounds very promising !

[Curve Dominant]

Originally Posted by Messiah

Why isn't this crud in the mp3 section?

Because it's not about an MP3. It's about two different recording production businesses, working together in synergy as one service provider. It illustrates how we went about doing this, and poses the sorts of precedents it could set.

The band's manager, a VERY well-connected entertainment lawyer (not to mention one of the best in the business), was very happy with the mix, as was the band. So that's not too much of a concern here, although I do welcome the feedback.

[Meriphew]

The production on the song sounds fine, but the song, and band itself does nothing for me. It's a bit too generic sounding for me. I do wish you the best of luck with them though.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Curve Dominant

although I do welcome the feedback.

I think it sounds aggressive and there's something going on with the snare that's driving me crazy, like a gate that's emphasizing the HH a lot. The guitars sound phasey and are being tone compensated with volume. It's distorting too..in places, like when the first vocal thing comes in.

I like the overall vibe of the mix though..


Just some thoughs.

[JP11]

Oh boy, a chance to be a judge like on Idol....should I Cowell it up and rip a new one...or do an Abdul, and do a useless and meaningless ass kissing...

...gots to do a Randy...dude, it was just aight for me, man...I don't know dog...it just didn't do it for me man...it was just aight dog....(stares at Coke cup...drinks...)

seriously though, it sounds pretty demoish and unfinished mix-wise, kind of dead, muffled, can't understand the vocal hardly at all...the compression seems a bit overdone and uneven...the band and the song seem okay but it doesn't do much for me...

but what do I know, I llisten to Beatles and live in the past...

[Curve Dominant]

Originally Posted by djui5

I think it sounds aggressive and there's something going on with the snare that's driving me crazy, like a gate that's emphasizing the HH a lot..

It's not a gate.

But you're correct that it's emphasizing the HH.

[picksail]

Nice tune Eric. I think you've done a great job with these guys.

I'd like to mention that although the snare is cool, I feel it's a bit inappropriate for this song. Perhaps, with a little manipulation or sample replacement you can make it work for you.

Also, it's OK to use Auto Tune or Melodyne in this situation.

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by djui5

Just some thoughs.

i like your thoughs.

maybe you could give us a few more uh those thoughs

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by JP11

but what do I know, I llisten to Beatles and live in the past...

yeah, don't listen to him - he listens to the beatles and lives in the past (like jethro tull commanded us to do in 5/8 merriment centuries ago - ya'll m7therf8ckerzzz prohly don't even know whut i'm tawkin' 'bout)

tzall good innuh hood, yo.

peece innuh middo eeece

[Curve Dominant]

Originally Posted by picksail

Nice tune Eric. I think you've done a great job with these guys.

I'd like to mention that although the snare is cool, I feel it's a bit inappropriate for this song. Perhaps, with a little manipulation or sample replacement you can make it work for you.

I had a conversation with Jeff Hiatt, the engineer on this session, about that one point. Jeff is a fantastic engineer, and unlike me tends to work from the Steve Albini-esque old school mindset. So at one point I said to Jeff, "Don't be offended, but I've never mixed a live drum kit that I didn't want to add samples to. No matter how well you record this, I'm gonna do it, so don't take it personally." But Jeff was totally cool about it.

So I ended up surprising both Jeff and myself when I delivered the mix with no drum samples added.

I've got mad respect for Jeff's skills, and sincerely hope he and I do a lot of work together in the future.

[Curve Dominant]

Originally Posted by Labs

Gustav

You know, it would be great if the moderators here on Gearslutz actually had careers in our industry.

Checking your profile, Gustav, there's no webpage where I can listen to something you've done that would teach me how I could've done better with this session.

Maybe I'm wrong about that.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Curve Dominant

You know, it would be great if the moderators here on Gearslutz actually had careers in our industry..

Whoa betsy....easy with your thoughs



(that was for you Sqye)

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by djui5

Whoa betsy....easy with your thoughs



(that was for you Sqye)

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by Curve Dominant

You know, it would be great if the moderators here on Gearslutz actually had careers in our industry.

Checking your profile, Gustav, there's no webpage where I can listen to something you've done that would teach me how I could've done better with this session.

Maybe I'm wrong about that.

you might just want to chill, curve -

i think gustav was merely responding to how funny

jp11s VERY FUNNY american idol post was -

more like a commentary.

i don't think he was dissing your stuff.

you wanna see stuff getting dissed -

check out metric halo getting dissed by this

guy in scotland yesterday - THAT was harsh.

i don't think i was incorrectly reading gustav's post?

gustav?

it's all good, lads - carry on

[Curve Dominant]

Originally Posted by djui5

Whoa betsy....easy with your thoughs

Randy,

Don't you agree, though? I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a higher standard from someone who posts with the title "Moderator" under their screen name, especially when those posts are inarticulate and unhelpful.

[Curve Dominant]

Originally Posted by Sqye

you might just want to chill, curve -

i think gustav was merely responding to how funny

jp11s VERY FUNNY american idol post was

Well, I definitely wasn't expecting a Paula Abdul.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Curve Dominant

Randy,

Don't you agree, though? I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a higher standard from someone who posts with the title "Moderator" under their screen name, especially when those posts are inarticulate and unhelpful.

Well you don't know labs...he is a professional. Jules wouldn't have a moderator that dosen't work in this business...that would be stupid.

If you wanna hear his work, ask him in private. I think outing him on the thread like that is a bit over the top personally, especially when he didn't say anything to you at all. What does that smiley really mean anyway?

just some thoughs.......

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by Curve Dominant

Well, I definitely wasn't expecting a Paula Abdul.

lol

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by djui5

Well you don't know labs...he is a professional. Jules wouldn't have a moderator that dosen't work in this business...that would be stupid.

If you wanna hear his work, ask him in private. I think outing him on the thread like that is a bit over the top personally, especially when he didn't say anything to you at all. What does that smiley really mean anyway?

just some thoughs.......

lol

personally - i think the world needs a LOT more thoughs, although

i would'n be suprised if we ended up with a few too many uh those thoughs, though,

when all's said and done.

sorry for the ot, though, curve

[treymonfauntre]

the genericness of the band didn't hold a flame to all those hip flash words on the website. every sentence is like reading a cheesy infomercial.

[Produce_dept]

I think it's just hard to fully appreciate the recording and song after all that hype

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by Labs

The Labs team has nothing but love for you.... (all of it)

Gustav

How 'bout for me?

Any for me?