Tag Archives: Band

MFT#007: THUNDERS

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(Michael Preuschl, Ryan Reidy, Duncan Kissinger)

Listen to MFT#007 w/ THUNDERS while you read!!!

This week I am bringing you the lo-fi psychedelic garage stoner rock explosion that goes by the name of  THUNDERS! They are currently on tour supporting the release of their new album “BEAUTIFUL BABY IN THE BUMMER OF LOVE.” Despite their hectic tour schedule, they managed to make time to stop into REBER RECORDING to record five songs to be consumed by the masses via Musical Family Tree. This performance was stellar and the recording process resulted in a sonically thick product that really captured the intensity of their live shows. A thick wall of distortion driven bass lines and shrill guitar tones combine to create an impervious wall of sound that will animate your entire being into tapping your feet and nodding your head. You will become intoxicated by these audio drugs. Did I mention that two of the songs they performed are NEW?!? It’s true. Two of the five songs are new and you can only get them here! The new tracks are titled “NORTH COAST TIDAL WAVE” and “DIAMONDS.”

THUNDERS revolves around guitarist/vocalist/front-man Ryan Reidy; whose primary musical influences are comprised of The Stooges, Nirvana, and Guided By Voices. When I say that the band revolves around Ryan, I mean that he is the songwriter. However, he’s not a one-man-band. He still requires other musicians to help bring his musical visions to the stage. For this particular tour he is playing with Duncan Kissinger on the bass and Michael Preuschl on drums. You may have heard these names before being that they are both members of HOTFOX (featured in MFT Session #004)!


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

The stunning images that you see above are provided by Lauren Bultman Photography! She helps document every MFT session that comes through the studio and without her we would have a whole lot less to look at. She does a killer job and deserves a round of applause for putting up with a bunch of rowdy and smelly musicians, not to mention myself. ha! But seriously… her pictures are awesome and her work is appreciated by everyone involved in these projects.

Last but not least, I was able to sit down with THUNDERS and ask them about the new record and talk a little bit about their current tour.

MFT#002: The Bears of Blue River

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[Gavin, Brian, Maggie, Justin]

Listen to MFT#002 w/ The Bears of Blue River while you read!

This week we were fortunate enough to hook up with The Bears of Blue River on the last leg of their Dastardly Tour. Our session took place on a Tuesday morning before they were scheduled to drive up to Michigan for their last two shows. We were scheduled to start at 10AM but The Bears had played a show the night before so I had expected them to be a little late. It was a good thing I did because they didn’t end up arriving until 10:30. The band loaded in around 10:45AM while I made up a big pot of coffee. Early morning sessions are usually pretty rough. It just isn’t natural to make music early in the morning unless you stayed up all night and haven’t gone to bed yet. Nonetheless, we marched on in the hopes that the morning bummers would pass (and they did). We hashed out a few early takes to get everyone warmed up and feeling good as the fatigue fled our bodies. I can hear the early morning hour retreating throughout the session.

The weather was exceptionally warm for February which made the outdoor photo shoot nice and comfortable. The Bears picked a few hats, glasses, and props from around the studio and trudged out into the forest to have their likenesses captured by Lauren of Lauren Bultman Photography. The photo session was pretty fun. The Bears made sure to include my dog Cleo in the shoot… oh, and a grill. Yeah, it was one of those mornings.


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

We didn’t have a whole lot of time to spend on the interview process because the band needed to hit the road if they were going to make it to Michigan in time for their load-in. Despite our limited amount of time, we were able to get a quick interview with The Bears of Blue River. Hopefully it will make you crack a smile.

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MFT#001: When, Not If

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[From left to right… Zach, Grady, Travis, and Stephen]

 

Listen to MFT#001 while you read! 

Alright, I am going to have to give you a bit of warning up front… I’m a musician and a recording engineer first and foremost. Not a writer. However, I’m going to try not to let this get in the way of things. This post marks the first of many exclusive recording sessions for Musical Family Tree to be booked and tracked at Reber Recording! This week I got to work with a goofy bunch of rockers from the good ol’ Muncie of Indiana known as “When, Not If.” These fine gentlemen were kind enough to be guinea pigs for MFT Session #001. We couldn’t have asked for a better group to work through the various issues that seem to materialize whenever try something new. Nonetheless, there was a good time to be had and many laughs by all.

The following photos were taken by Lauren Bultman Photography
 


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Now, in addition to the recording session and photo shoot, we are also conducting video interviews with our selected bands. Let it be known that I am a recording studio and that video is not my normal medium. I am hoping to improve my video making skills with each new session so I hope that you stay tuned and grow with us. This first interview was made with a canon FS100. It’s pretty decent, but we are already talking about upgrading to a new camera in addition to bringing in some lights so that we can deliver a much more professional product.

So there you have it… This concludes MFT#001 by Reber Recording. If any of you writers/contributors out there are interested in helping me improve the written aspect of this package I would very much enjoy hearing/reading your thoughts.

New Band + New Upgrades

Since I opened my recording studio I’ve been so busy recording everyone else that I hardly have time to make my own music. It’s been a while since I played in a band that did more than just make noise and record. That being said, I’ve put together a new band, an actual band, that I’m hoping will go beyond the recording phase and actually break out of the studio and into some venues. We’ve already started practicing and working together to hash out and develop the sound that am aiming to create.

It’s been a while since so much has been demanded of my fingers in terms of bass playing. I have had to implement a rigorous practice regiment in order to build up my endurance and stamina. I need to get back into rockin shape in order to pull off the energetic bass lines that I’m wanting to deliver.

One of the exciting things about forming this new band is that I’ve found myself revamping my bass rig and pedals and making sure that everything is in tip-top condition for tonality. For instance, I’m replacing my home-made wooden pedalboard that has served me for many years. I ended up finding a deal on SweetWater for a “Open Box” Pedaltrain board with a hardcase for 50% of the normal cost. I couldn’t pass it up. I mean, take a look at this beauty!

New Pedal Board

New Pedal Board

I can’t wait until this arrives! I’m also scouring Ebay for a few used effects pedals that I want. So far I’ve found one of the three that I’veI can’t wait until this arrives! I’m also scouring Ebay for a few used effects pedals that I want. So far I’ve found one of the three that I’ve been searching for. The Electro-Harmonix Blank Finger Compressor! This should be arriving sometime next week and I wish time would move just a little faster so I can start playing with it. I apologize for being so vague about the band situation for now. I am not wanting to give out too many details until the EP is done.