8.11.1999
The first studio date for the "difficult" 3rd album begins in somewhat mellow state of mind. The band has arrived at Petrax studio late last night, so we get to work first thing in the morning. "Get to work" this time means that Jussi (producer Jaakonaho) puts up the microphones, Kelly and I play Gran Turismo and Antti is playing piano. A good start.
The actual playing begins with the three of us goofin' around "California". We do the basic guitar/bass/drum tracks live and it takes about 5 takes for us to have the song down. It sounds like it's been well rehearsed, and it certainly has. We've spent plenty of time at the rehearsals with and without the producer.
Without wasting any time we jump in to "The Unbreakable Two" which is much easier to play in studio situation than California. It's just so that the MellowTunes (MT) are much easier to play than the RockingRocks (RR). I think it's the 4th take that everyone agrees is great.
We continue the day with some overdubs for California, singing, video games and sauna.
9.11.
More overdubs after which we begin mixing the song. California it is.
It's weird science, but once you laugh at the beginning of the chorus, you know you've succeeded. Now everyone is laughing like hell, this must be good. This was an easy mix, Jussi is quite a guy. So, what else can we do besides go to sauna and play Gran Turismo til early six?!?! California is the song that the DJ in my head keeps playing over and over again. There's a cure for this though…"Kuusamo, nyt kutsuu mua Kuusamo…"
22.1.2000
After a brief break we drop into Harju's studio to record a version of the Depeche Mode song "A Question Of Lust". It's a possibility that we'll put it as a b-side on some of the singles, we'll see. Antti once suggested that we play this song, and by straightening up some curves and by speeding up the tempo it turned into quite good rocke'n'roll song.
The recording sounds good, but we're all so tired that we decide to finish it later.
24.1.
The album sessions are being continued at Petrax, Hollola. The plan is to record basic tracks for five songs, which we've rehearsed quite a lot, actually more than ever if I remember correctly. Jussi just came back from Cuba and has this thing in his stomach, so we got our very own hero Jukka Puurula to record these sessions. Jussi is ill, laying low in the control room and produces. Jukka turns the knobs. Simple.
The first song we record is "In Your World". It doesn't go well at all, naturally. First day, first song - the odds for this being easy are minimal. But after intense trying we get a great take of this on tape. To make this whole thing easier we decide to play a song we've played a lot at our gigs, "You're Left, I'm Right". It sounds promising and after couple of takes it's there. It's good to finish the day in peaceful moods, so we decide to play this song we're calling "Def Leppard" for the simple reason that it reminds us of Def Leppard. Scary stuff. After some takes we find that what we need to do is to sit on the floor, on a carpet, in lotus position (sort of) right next to drums. That's how we'll get in to the right mood for this song. Risto is playing his weird sounds from the control room. Wrong note here and another there lightens up the mood nicely.
It's no good to work too long. It's time for sauna, couple of red wines and tutilullaa, that's "sleep" in children's own laguage which us musicians understand quite well. Never really got past that age, you know.
25.1.
New day, new songs. We begin the day with "That One Touch". This song was composed in this very same building a while ago. There's something magical about it, don't know what, but it's really a song that just popped into this world and became everyone's favourite. The mood while playing it was amazing, never have I felt that good while playing a song in the studio. Greatness.
Finally we play our spectacle "One Last Day", which is a bit scary cause it's so long and has all these moods in it. There's disco, country and rock in it. But what the hell, we'll get it down after pushing it for quite a few takes. And it sounds great. Of course, am I repeating myself?
Then it's overdub time for all of the songs, mainly guitars.
29-30.1.
We begin the day by recording In Your World. There's piano, 80's chorus guitars, funk guitars, distortion… This song sounds like a weird bastard son of U2, Slade and Bowie. Basically it's tasteless, but it sounds SOOO good, so what the hell.
Risto records some feedback guitars, delay guitars, guitars and more guitars for Def Leppard - sounds great.
The weekend is filled with weird sounds. The songs are basically finished, but the demo vocals need to be replaced with proper singing. That's to be done later on.
15.2.
This time around we're at the legendary 303 studio in Helsinki recording mostly vocals. We begin the session with That One Touch and it seems to go well. There's enough time to sing the leads for One Last Day, do some piano and the day is done.
16.2.
Kelly sings backing vocals for both of the songs after which we play around with some synthetisizers for some SOUNDS. We spend couple of hours just waiting for pizza because the delivery guy had delivered the pizzas to a wrong house, and he never bothered to call back! What a wanker.
Antti comes in and sings couple of so tasty backing vox that all we need to do is pack our bags and go home. We've started to do these 8 hour days. It's efficient and it's nice to sleep sometimes, too.
23.2.
We come back to Petrax to mix "That One Touch". We need to have it finished for this promo cd that's made for our American trip. And as always, the deadline is near. Tomorrow. Luckily this is as easy as it can be and it's almost there by just opening the channels. It's all about arranging a song properly! This song reminds me of young REM in love, listening to The Pretenders whom are pissed because somebody scratched Chrissy's Chevy pick up… or something.
24.2.
We master That One Touch with Pauli Saastamoinen at Finnvox. Jussi is busy to go and play with Jonna at "7 Päivää" magazine's part'ay. For some reason I end up at this party as well, but with no duties. Usually these don't end well…
During the evening we see how grown ups can be sad, sad bastards. What's wrong with these wannabe celebrities who obviously have lost something - themselves. Luckily we get to know Kemopetrol, we share this table right next to the bar, on the corner where no one else want's to be cause there you are invisible. We're the only ones in this party that want to be invisible. We run into Henri Saari, Raija Pelli and whatever… happy rest of your lives, singers are always needed!!!
But we also run in to Janina Frostell, who's now a member of our new band Rullakko. This is something you can only understand after about 10 bottles of red wine, so let's just forget it.
25.2.
The hardest wake up call ever! After basically sleepless night we're on our way to Hollola. Hurts everywhere…a lot.
I think most of you have an idea what it's like to work in major hang-over, pure madness. My brains say nothing and hands go where ever they want to. I have no control of my body and mind. I'm playing acoustic guitar to You're Left, I'm Right and I'm wondering why my fingers are going there although I wanted them here?!?!?! I'm off to sleep.
I wake up around 10 p.m. and hear these great sounds that the boys have recorded. I record one more electric guitar for the song, then to sauna and sleep again.
26.2
Risto plays his guitars all morning. Mostly we work on The Unbreakable Two. Afternoon comes and Antti plays a little harpsichord, Kelly castanets and Risto harmonica for One Last Day. This sounds so weird, but good at the same time. Later on I get to sing You're Left, I'm Right and it goes so and so. Well, it goes quite well, but my heart is about to stop. I have to lead an easier life from now on. I'm too easily tempted to this wild life.
Jonna drops by at the studio, so we of course take an advantage of this and make her sing backing vocs for You're Left, I'm Right. It sounds great, so what more needs to be said.
27.2.
And comes the day when everything seems to go wrong. Today we mix One Last Day. So it goes, but no it does not… All is basically well, but the song just doesn't sound good. Magic is missing. Why is it so - no one knows. We're all so tired that it makes no sense to start all over this song. 10 hours of work, shut the engines down and go to sauna.
In the middle of all this we did have time to record Antti's Topi cousin playing flutes to In Your World. What did I tell you about the mess of styles and, should I call it "tastelessness"?!?!? Besides, we had a great Lemotronix rehearsal also. So, a lot of work was done and according to universal ideals, it was a good day. No worries, it can't be great all the time. We're grown ups and have learned to understand this small fact of life.
1.3.
Lemotronix gig at the Semifinal. It's great.
Lemotronix is our "therapy" group where we play electro versions of our own songs. Sort of Kraftwerk meets Devo kind of thing. We're planning to record these versions for the b-sides. I'd like to make clear that these are not remixes, but arrangements that we've done at our rehearsal place as if we'd do with our band and regular instruments. Only this time we're using keyboards and a drum machine. I'm the "drummer", Kelly is the bassist, Ripa plays the "lead" keyboard and Antti does all the chords and difficult stuff, 'cause his the only one that can actually play his instrument. Good to have one of those in a band…
Well, this has nothing to do with recording the album, but I'm sure Lemotronix will affect the process somehow.
5.3.
Today we're mixing You're Left, I'm Right. Sounds good immediately, nice change compared to the other weekend where everything pretty much went up shit creek. This sounds like a classic Lemonator song. If I'd have to pick one song that represents our band the most, I'd probably pick this one.
7-9.3.
Back in three-ou-three and it's time for some singing. We'll sing DefLeppard and Unbreakable Two. It seems that it's a good day to sing, so I boldly sing both of the songs.
And because there are reasons beyond our understanding for things to go wrong, I decided to take a look in the mirror, and wrote the first couple of verses for One Last Day over again. I also sing both of the verses again, and it's much better now. When things go wrong, I think it's important to go into yourself and take a serious look of what you might have done wrong or not so good, instead of blaming others. That's too cheap. Of course you can always go to bar…
This time it was a combination of both, bar and looking in the mirror. Creativity is a wonderful thing.
In the studio there is this "vintage" 80's Technics synth, that we find interesting. We play 3rd octave solo for In Your World with this silly Mexican trumpet sound. This means that the solo is played in three octaves with a different instrument in each octave. Creative arranging - sort of. We find this instrument so appealing that Jussi and I begin to work on new messages for our answering machines for our cellular phones. What else is there to do in studio?!?! We also find this great, kind of Enyaish, sound for Def Leppard. So kool. We feel like putting this machine everywhere, but I guess we better leave it like it is - for now.
It's Tuesday and we need to go rehearse as our American trip is nearing.
12.3.
Back in Hollola. We're mixing In Your World. There's really nothing to report. It sounds good, so be it. Jussi is the King.
Texas here we come!!!!
24.3.
We saw America; went, experienced and came back. It's a wonderful feeling when somebody really likes you in the unknown world. Now, let's see if there are more people that'll dig us. Looking good. Near future…
During the next 4 days our intention is to record basic tracks for two songs and mix two that we've recorded earlier. We only had time to rehearse these new songs once! But they found their way easily, so why kill them by rehearsing too much. That can happen! We begin with this rock song we're calling "Placebo" for some reason. After about 4 takes, we have recorded a GREAT version of this song that no one really knew nothing about before this moment.
Jukka looks like Tolonen and Jussi looks like Jussi. Everything is as they've always been. I feel safe.
After a short coffee break we decide to have a go at this song we're calling "Bond". This is a slow one, so, we'll just place our selves on the floor, right next to the drums and hope for the best. This song is in the can sooner than we imagined, so the only reasonable thing we can think of doing is putting the fire in to the sauna and wait for it to heat up.
At this time we've decided to postpone the release date of the album until August. Why rush it for couple of summer festivals, cause we want this thing to be perfect.
25.3.
We play some guitars, Korg synth and percussions. Actually I could spend many days doing this, but this is plenty for now. Tomorrow is Kelly's birthday, but as we're sitting in the sauna, we find The Rappula Family (owners of this great studio) arrive in to the house exactly at midnight with some bubbling drinks. Let the bacchanals begin! We need to run and get our creative present for Kelly, a bottle of "Jallu" (cognac). We all know where this leads to, and the bottle of Grant's whisky in Mr. Rappula's pocket doesn't help us to "behave"…
At a very late hour we decide to motor sledging (?) the next day. Scary.
26.3.
Jussi is a brave, brave guy and decides to grab the elf from his horns (old finnish saying). This means he is going to mix One Last Day - today. Hope this will not become the last day. This time we, at least, know how NOT to do things, so it's no surprise that the song sounds good from the very beginning. I guess we have some hope in this life cause we learn from our mistakes. At least from some of them. Selectively.
Motor sledge euphoria takes over Kelly and me. In no time there is 140 km/h on the speedometer and adrenaline is streaming like wine at Manala. How can we live through the summer without this great, great machine?!?! One of the life's big & difficult questions.
27.3.
Today we're mixing DefLeppard, which we've decided to call "Stars & Satellites". Pretty "I'm kissing the whole world" kinda thing, but what the hell. I hate arty stuff anyway. We'll not really, but right now I do.
The truth is that this sounds nothing like Def Leppard, but it's ok, I can live with it. This sounds great, I don't think Def Leppard's particularly great, more like entertaining. This is music for women. What's the point in making music for sweaty, ugly guys, when you can sing for the God's most beautiful creation. Besides, if women like our band, it means that the guys are gonna come to our shows cause all the women are there. And if they come for the women, at least some of them are going to behave, some are not, but it's about them hormones that need to be unleashed and there's nothing we can do about that. Let's hope they fall asleep during the ballads. And even though rock 'n' roll is fun, nothing beats a good ballad, daz a fact.
Enough philosophying (my own word) and let's move on…
…but before that I really want to tell you that Monster Magnet is a great band!
4.4.
Back to Helsinki and 303. This time our plan is to sing the last two songs we recorded and put some finishing touches on them. Well…it's good to have a plan. This time it falls through. I sing like shit, I've no voice left after celebrating Kelly for the second time on Sunday and Monday…I think we had something Saturday, too…oh yeah, we celebrated Jo Hope's new album…and if I remember correctly we had something going on at Manala Thursday. What did I tell about trying to behave. I'm a sad, sad bastard.
Anyway, my singing is shit. Shit, shit, shit. We decide to call it a day at about 4 p.m., go eat something and go to the record stores. Jussi's got some free tickets to Scream 3 and we're going to see it even though we haven't seen the parts 1 & 2.
5.4.
Well, well. 1 & 2 will remain unseen for the rest of my life. That movie was rubbish, I laughed when it ended… At the theatre there were a lot of celebrities and free supply of food & alcohol but we decided to take the back door out. Peace is such a wonderful thing, oh, and I still need to finish lyrics for this one song.
My writing til the early hours of the morning reward me with good lyrics I feel comfortable singing. Placebo is now called "I Don't Want To Live Forever". Sometimes I leave lyrics just tooooo late. I though I'd call this "The Perfect Pattern", but what the hell. Ar'tey is not the name of the game.
My singing is going much better than yesterday, and I sing both Bond and Don't Want To Live Fo'evah. Actually I sing quite well, strange world. Antti sings some backing vocs for Forever and it's beginning to look like a single, this song. A nice surprise. It's just so that the best songs come from the ones you least expect it from. BTW "Bond" is now called "You Stole My Heart".
Hösh! We have 9 songs recorded. How did this happen?!?!?! Where is the pain? Where are the fights? Where are these creative blocks? Whose fooling who? This is supposed to be the 3rd and most difficult album. I hope some of the rock myths are correct now that sex, drugs and money are still waiting for the collector. What is this?!?! Years of work - and for what?
16.4.
Back to Hollola to mix I Don’t Want To Live Forever. We have this odd feeling, that this is going to be the next single. We’ll see what the mix is going to sound like. Risto has some home made guitar samples with him that we’re going to add in the mix. They sound fookin’ great! We’ll just throw them in there and the song just keeps getting better and better.
Jussy is great, as usual. The song turns out great and it’s definitely going to be the next single, even though there is the word "fuck" in it. In Finland it’s really no big deal. We think it’s natural for people to swear once in a while.
We can pretty much decide what song becomes a single and what does not. It’s cool, our record label has kind people in there. Our music is what we call "Non-reduced pop music". Believe it or not, but nowadays it’s becoming a rare thing. Everyone in the record company want’s to say a thing or two about the music in the making.
It’s been a long day. We decide to stay here in the country, go to sauna and sleep in the peaceful silence of this beautiful place. 7 songs in the can, BAHOO!
We’re off to a month long break, during which I’m supposed to write a couple of songs.
23.5.
Here we go. I’ve written one whole song, finished one half written chorus and found a beautiful old song that I’ve written at least two years ago, maybe three - who knows. Now we’ve got 12 songs for the album and I don’t think they’re all going to be in the album because we have this principle that an album shouldn’t be longer than one half of C-90 cassette. One has to be able to record the album on one side of a tape, otherwise it’s too long. Forget the mp-3:s for a while and dig those old tapes out from the drawers so some money will come our way. We need to eat, too!
Anyway, our purpose is to record only one of the songs totally live as we usually do. The basic tracks I mean. Other two we’re going to do in sort of reversed order. It’s good to have some change. Today we’re working on a song that’s called "If I Can’t Get You". It’s the heaviest song that we’re working on. We felt that it might be a good idea to have more headbanging, I know American kids love that stuff. Once again we practised this song as little as possible. That way we’ll get the most intense take on tape.
First 4 takes we’re rehearsing, and I think it’s either fifth or sixth that becomes the final take. Kelly plays a majestic drum take which is accompanied by Antti’s equal bass track. What more do you need?!?!?! The drum and bass tracks are the most important tracks in a song. I play some guitars, Antti does some Rhodes piano and Risto plays these Kerry King inspired solos here and there. There’s plenty for one day, I think. Tomi Palsa from Rumba comes over to shoot some photos for Rumba’s studio report.
As usual, it’s sauna time and we’ll watch Matrix. A great film.
24-25.5.
We continue working on If I Can’t Get You. The solos in this song are the closest to heavy metal that we’ve ever gotten to. I like it a lot. There’s something Slayerish and a bit of Black Sabbath in here. When push comes to shove, electric guitar is the most beautiful instrument in the world. The louder and weirder, the better.
We continue the day by me playing a demo guitar to the song that’s going to be the final track on the album. It’s working title is "Everybody". Our purpose is to make a song that sounds like 70’s Bowie, Hunky Dory era mostly. I record the guitar and demo vox. Antti plays some piano over that and Kelly does these little drum bits. We record the drums in this acoustically dead room and, just in case, we put a towel on the snare. This way we get this really damp 70’s sound. It’s outrageous. Risto plays this Mick Ronson guitar and the whole package sounds like it needs no mixing.
We also begin to work on the third song, of which no one really has any idea what we’re about to make of it. Our purpose is to make a mixture between Kraftwerk, 1979 Smashing Pumpkins and CCR. How does that sound? First we record the drummachine beat. We screw around Risto’s Syncussion drumsynth thing and get this really mad drumbeat. We do several different sounds, so we can change them around during the song. After that we record a great guitar track that sounds like the first ever (sort of) riff in the history of Lemonator. We now call this song "Kraftwerk".
Jarmo Juhala from Rumba comes over for a quick visit to do an interview for the same Rumba studio report that Tomi took pictures for. He comes in while we’re working on our Kraftwerk spectacle and shakes his head, "whadda fuck?!?!?". We leave it there for a moment, cause I have no lyrics for the song and the other two are almost finished. We need to get them ready for the mixing before Sunday and Monday.
And again, as it seems to be a custom nowadays, my lyrics aren’t quite finished. At 3.30 am I have the lyrics basically ready. Only couple of things need to be checked. I need to sing them tomorrow anyway. Besides, man needs to sleep.
26.5.
Singing day. This time, again, we begin the day with other stuff. It’s just so, that singing in the morning is no good. And as usual, when there is nothing to do, we go and find the nearest Korg or Moog synth to do some weird soundz. I get to play some bossanova acoustic guitar for If I Can’t… The only nylon string guitar we can find is a little children’s one that’s missing some strings and is very out of tune. I tune it around the two chords I’m playing and go for the first take. Jussy asks me if I can play another one, but as soon as I begin the second take, a string breaks. That’s it then, we’ll use the first one. It’s great, though. I don’t think in Oulunkylä Pop/Jazz academy this would be acceptable, but it’s perfect for us. Very authentic.
Kelly and Antti sing beautiful backing vocals for Everybody. The perfect angel choir. It’s seems to be a good day for me to sing and we get both, If I Can’t Get You and Everybody, down easily.
We’re off to Helsinki today because Jussi has a gig with Jonna tomorrow and I’m going to studio with Janne from Mummypowder. Janne’s going to play and sing everything himself, it should be fun. The songs are excellent! This guy is so talented. Nick Triani and I are the reducers.
28.5.
Back in the country. Janne is going to be great, it’s not quite finished yet, but all in time.
Back to Lemonator. First we’re mixing If I Can’t Get You. And what else is there to say, it rocks like hell. We spend the day mostly by watching TV and playing video games. Today Kelly shot her rapist in Beverly 90129-whatever. Scary stuff.
29.5.
We’re mixing Everybody. It’s interesting when a song is recorded in the spirit of the good ol’ times, it sounds like it needs no mixing either. The mix is finished at 15.30. which is unheard of from us. Really beautiful and airy ending for the album. Retro freaks will surely appreciate this one.
It’s time for daytime sauna, some food and trip to Helsinki. We have 9 songs ready. Rest are going to be mixed in July. We’re mastering the single in 6.6. just to have some new music out for the summer. Now, I want to quote the great genius Mauri Sariola: "Hösh vaan".
11.7.
One more time, we’re back in 303 to finish Kraftwerk. It’s true, that I’ve been really busy and I have some of the lyrics missing even though it is the day I need to sing this song. Surprised? I’m not. An error in the Matrix - deja vú.
Luckily I have the chorus ready, I need to work on those verses. The song is titled now "Once I Killed A Boy With A Girl". This isn’t hard because I know what the song is all about. If you have an idea, then things go well. If you don’t have one, then…
Anyway, the singing is really hard, I have strong errors in my concentration system. I guess it’s because I kind of feel that the album is ready and I’m really not sure about this song, even though it sounds good. It seems so weird…
Well, after some effort this comes out good. Risto plays some great Ronson guitars to the middle part and Antti & Kelly sing great harmonies. This all sounds fucking great. It’s fun to hear the song from tape cause we’ve never really played this song before. It sounds disturbingly good. We should work like this more often.
The though of naming the album as "The Waltz" realises today, here and now.
18.7.
The final sessions for this album have begun! We’re mixing he last three of the songs.
First we do Once I Killed… This is a great song to work on ‘cause it’s so different from the others. There’s the drum machine and exceptionally no live playing - I mean all of us in the same room. Lively playing, though. This is going to be great, so that’s it folks.
19.7.
Wednesday. We begin the work on You Stole My Heart. Boy, this a tough one. There is so much dynamics in this one…and stuff. Risto Asikainen (Mr. Nylon Beat) and Eerola comes to the studio to visit and see what it’s all about. We play them our songs, of course. Antti Lehtinen also comes over to play some keyboards to coincide with the strings. Antti is a funny guy ‘cause he’s always busy to go to the next place. He comes in, does what he has to and takes off. See you later.
Anyway, the song is great - I think I’m repeating myself. I’m not gonna tell you about the sauna next.
20.7.
So, it’s the last day. We’re working on "The Unbreakable Two". We begin the red wine early in the day. If we have time we’re going to remix "Everybody" after TUT if finished. Luckily we have time and Jussi mixes the song in 30 minutes!!!! This time it’s even more beautiful than the first time, less drums, mo’ space. It’s beautiful. Yes, beautiful.
It’s party time! The album is ready, the best feeling in the world, The Rappula Family serves us great dinner after which is all sauna, booze and listening to our new album over and over again until we all drift away just around the sunrise.
21.7.
Two guys wake up from the cellar, naked, only dressed in towels, hung over but happy. Heavy as a profession.
I love this job.
THE END
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