The Continental summer process largely involved Tyler and Conner recording rhythm tracks on the fly, Tyler doing most of the overdubs himself, and then Tyler and me, usually late at night doing backing vocals and additional keyboards. I just wasn't there for most of it. I was busy obsessing over Sideshow and transcribing string parts.

This past weekend involved more horns and melodica and whatever, and even more layers upon layers of vocals, adding to existing album tracks, finishing unfinished B-sides (newly graduated to album status). Where the original Continental showed a restraint uncharacteristic of James Rabbit, Continental the double album has slightly more of the trademark mess. Tyler forced Conner to "unmaster" the album, taking the sheen off. Conner wasn't too happy. The final mixing process was Tyler and Conner redoing some levels, asking me what I thought while I watched Sin City on mute. I stayed till three in the morning and drove to Berkeley six hours later.

I feel good about the end product, and even about my contributions to it.

-Max

Steeltown's a Real Town

The Cradle Will Rock is actually a much better show than I had gathered from the movie and the soundtrack, and if the performances at UC Berkeley's production were better it would have been transcendent. It was staged brilliantly, and maybe I'll write about that later. Continental, newly reimagined as a double album is almost set for release. See Tyler for more. Maybe I'll write about that too, after about sixteen hours of sleep.

-Max

Went to Steve Gadd's clinic at Roosevelt, and even though I'm not a percussionist, it was very enlightening. I'd forgotten that words like "double stroke" and "paradiddle" are part of the drum vernacular. He spent most of the time taking questions (mostly, of course, about Asia, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, and Mozambique), and he seemed like a thoroughly nice guy.

He demonstrated what seemed to be very useful techniques, never allowing the groove to get away from him. He played a solo with the audience clapping a 3-2 clave, and we clapped the whole time. For Steve. Quetzal, a senior from Roosevelt impressed him with his stick-twirling, and even played the shit out of a solo, the little SOB.

I've been listening to My Spanish Heart over the past couple of days, and it's tough to reconcile the monster on all those records with the amiable guy in the cargo shorts answering questions like "how are the drums like the piano?" from eight-year-olds.

-Max

The Rhumba Echoed Down F Street

We filled up what felt like the whole Central Valley with our noise. Patrick, Nye Morton, Quetzal, the inimitable Eva Scow, and I jammed a couple of hours at Full Circle for an inebriated crowd of photography aficianados. It all felt just so right, the standardest of standards alongside, you bet your sweet bippy, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban tunes, the (wildly proficient) dual violins, the almost too solid rhythm section, the delicious Full Circle brewed porter, the fey bartender named Butch... It was a good evening.

Tomorrow, I predict a totally enthusiastic and productive Beach Party rehearsal. We've got new tunes and new T-shirts. How could we go wrong?

-Max

In Santa Maria, you can find the very spiciest Thai food. Drew ate his entire plate like a champ (was there any doubt?), and I ate half of mine or so, flushed, sweating, and thoroughly enjoying my experience. Mary tried to stop me eating it after my initial serving, but I had to eat more. It was good, it was HOT.

Later in the evening, we went to a beach side bonfire brought to us by the technical department at PCPA. Drew and Rhoda and I wandered further down the shore and found an attentive bunch of Cal Poly students, and we played all the hits. When we got to "y'all don't wanna hear me, y'all just wanna dance," some girls from a neighboring bonfire interrupted with "We don't want to hear you at all. Do you have any extra firewood?"

This afternoon we watched Camp, which I've been meaning to watch for a while, went to lunch, and trekked home.

Beach Party got shut down by the cops on Friday. Well, we had technically finished playing and had packed up most of our stuff, but the officer still seemed pretty annoyed. I'm focused on organizing the next EP, and I think it will be stellar.

-Max