I didn't plan for Cold Rain... and it shows. I had already put out a recording on Thrift Store Wardrobe and even though no one ever heard that album, I still thought I was done with it. It is a sad and melancholic piece and I am trying so hard to be more cheerful.... or at least humorous.... with my music.

Still, in those early rehearsals with Sean, the song was sounding so epic... so grandiose.... I had to track it. It was all Sean's fault. His piano arrangement got me excited.

So I rehearsed it with Jason (the drummer...). Sean wasn't there so Jason was playing just to my guitar. He came up with a really cool rhythm using mallets instead of stick.

But then when he tracked it, it sounded muddy. I have been butting my head over it ever since. We tried putting in a shaker but it still sounded messy. I really didn't know what to do about it...

I was ready to give up on it and just put it out as it was. I wasn't too thrilled about. It was a track I skipped when I listened to it.... which is not a good thing. Still, I was eager to be done with this.

Then I had Sean listen to the album. I knew I could count on Sean to give it a critical ear. He did. He pointed out a few flaws here and there and, of course, brought up how Cold Rain was muddy. Then he gave me a lecture about how I needed to get this album right and that I shouldn't take any short cuts especially since this is ALL I am doing now.

So.... I went back to Cold Rain at Sean's behest. The only thing you can do when things get muddy is take stuff out. That is what I did and this is the rub.... The part that needed to go was the piano.... Sean's track. The only reason I recorded the song in the first place. It isn't that Sean's track wasn't any good... It just wasn't going to work with all the percussion.

Perhaps I will get that good Spanish translation and redo the song with just Sean and tight kit that would go better with the piano....

As it is, I will give Sean credit for "ghost piano". After we were playing to his track in the first place.

Whipple - guitar and vocals
Sean McCarthy - piano
Jason Giron - drums
Byron Owens - doumbek
Filthy McWhiskey- guitar, Irish bazouki
Bennett Hall - bass fiddle