Los Lobos - Colossal Head

[jomo1234]

Tchad:

Many thanks for all of your postings here. It's been very educational.

I'd love to know about the making of Colossal Head. The sound of this record never fails to amaze me. When I play this record for people who have never heard it before, they are always astounded by it.


Many thanks....


Joel

[tchadb]

Originally Posted by jomo1234

Tchad:

Many thanks for all of your postings here. It's been very educational.

I'd love to know about the making of Colossal Head. The sound of this record never fails to amaze me. When I play this record for people who have never heard it before, they are always astounded by it.


Many thanks....


Joel

Business as usual I'm afraid. So much I can't remember. Great band with great abandon. How could we go wrong?
One of my favs.

[Drumsound]

One of my top 5 favorite records ever made!

[paterno]

[QUOTE=jomo1234;1251910I'd love to know about the making of Colossal Head. The sound of this record never fails to amaze me. When I play this record for people who have never heard it before, they are always astounded by it.
[/QUOTE]

If you have some specific questions, I may be able to help. It was done quickly, probably 4 weeks total -- including the writing of most of the material, from what I remember...

Cheers,
John

[tchadb]

Originally Posted by paterno

If you have some specific questions, I may be able to help. It was done quickly, probably 4 weeks total -- including the writing of most of the material, from what I remember...

Cheers,
John

Good on ya John.Thx.

[rolo]

I've got a question.... on Mas Y Mas... these is a huge slap echo on the vox and lead guitar... the tracks sound so friggin huge... what processing did you use for the vox and guitars? also... what mic and pre's... while I'm at it... what did you have for lunch that session? seriously... i LOVE your sound and your vision. cheers.

[Silver Sonya]

My question about this record is simple: was the quick-composition / quick-recording ethic of "Colossal Head" a response to "Kiko's" more meticulous, careful deliberate process?

Often artists do this: they react to their previous work. Nirvana follows up the polished "Nevermind" with the rude, transgressive "In Utero." R.E.M. follows up the gentle, dreaminess of "Murmur" with the rougher, scrappier "Reckoning." Or, the other way around: P.J. Harvey follows up the raw, serrated "Rid Of Me" with the lush, considered "To Bring You My Love."

I always consider "Colossal Head" to be a companion to "Kiko." Both brilliant in totally different ways.

- Chad

[paterno]

Originally Posted by rolo

I've got a question.... on Mas Y Mas... these is a huge slap echo on the vox and lead guitar... the tracks sound so friggin huge... what processing did you use for the vox and guitars? also... what mic and pre's... while I'm at it... what did you have for lunch that session? seriously... i LOVE your sound and your vision. cheers.

I'm pretty sure it is just a guitar pedal delay, put on during mixing -- that DOD powder blue box with the 4 knobs on it. I would not be surprised if the whole band track was cut live, including the solo stuff -- yes, David Hidalgo is that good all the time!!! Pre's would have mostly been the API console in Studio B at Sound Factory, the vocal was probably a Neve 1084 through an ADL 1000 compressor, with a 251 as the mic. I remember David cracking up after he did those screams at the end of the 2nd and 3rd verses. You can almost hear him laughing at the end of one of them. Guitar info is a little more sketchy -- David was really into this Les Paul with P-90's and I remember him using that one a lot. The amp was probably some kind of one speaker combo, although I don't remember what exactly -- maybe a White. Mics would have been a KM 84 and/or a 57.

Lunch would have been from Angeli Cafe, Lucy's El Adobe, or Victor's deli. I'm serious.

Cheers,
John

[paterno]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

My question about this record is simple: was the quick-composition / quick-recording ethic of "Colossal Head" a response to "Kiko's" more meticulous, careful deliberate process?

Hey Chad --

With all due repsect to the parties involved, I think it was just time to do a record. Plain and simple. Also, the Latin Playboys first record was done in between Kiko and Colossal Head, so I think the spirit of the colaboration between David, Louie, Tchad and Mitchell was quite present and had an influence on where CH went sonically.

Cheers,
John

[tchadb]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

My question about this record is simple: was the quick-composition / quick-recording ethic of "Colossal Head" a response to "Kiko's" more meticulous, careful deliberate process?

Often artists do this: they react to their previous work. Nirvana follows up the polished "Nevermind" with the rude, transgressive "In Utero." R.E.M. follows up the gentle, dreaminess of "Murmur" with the rougher, scrappier "Reckoning." Or, the other way around: P.J. Harvey follows up the raw, serrated "Rid Of Me" with the lush, considered "To Bring You My Love."

I always consider "Colossal Head" to be a companion to "Kiko." Both brilliant in totally different ways.

- Chad

I agree, with Colossal Head having a slight edge for me as a fav.
They wrote party songs for CH and that's what we recorded.
Kiko has a lot of Mitchell in it. His arrangments and KB atmos looms large on that record. This was very deliberate and inspiring for everyone.
Plus the band were ready to make some big changes, as Mitchell and I were. The business had got us all depressed at that time and it was a way of cheering ourselves up.

[tchadb]

Originally Posted by paterno

I'm pretty sure it is just a guitar pedal delay, put on during mixing -- that DOD powder blue box with the 4 knobs on it. I would not be surprised if the whole band track was cut live, including the solo stuff -- yes, David Hidalgo is that good all the time!!! Pre's would have mostly been the API console in Studio B at Sound Factory, the vocal was probably a Neve 1084 through an ADL 1000 compressor, with a 251 as the mic. I remember David cracking up after he did those screams at the end of the 2nd and 3rd verses. You can almost hear him laughing at the end of one of them. Guitar info is a little more sketchy -- David was really into this Les Paul with P-90's and I remember him using that one a lot. The amp was probably some kind of one speaker combo, although I don't remember what exactly -- maybe a White. Mics would have been a KM 84 and/or a 57.

Lunch would have been from Angeli Cafe, Lucy's El Adobe, or Victor's deli. I'm serious.

Cheers,
John

THX jp
The Fender White>KM84>LA3A+DOD is what I remember.

[tchadb]

Originally Posted by paterno

Hey Chad --

With all due repsect to the parties involved, I think it was just time to do a record. Plain and simple. Also, the Latin Playboys first record was done in between Kiko and Colossal Head, so I think the spirit of the colaboration between David, Louie, Tchad and Mitchell was quite present and had an influence on where CH went sonically.

Cheers,
John

THX again...