Sunnydaymassacre Reissues: Possible Pinch Points

Okay, so I’m not sure if this could be categorized as a “reissue” persay, as I just released it a little less than two years ago.  But, since I’m the master of my own domain and can call it whatever the hell I want, then I’m calling it a “reissue”, as a opposed to a “re-release”, which is sorta what it is.  Anyways, come on in.  It’s cold out there.

Back in late 2010 I had the idea to record a lo fi rock album.  Something grainy, noisy, in-your-face, and just fun.  I’d been recording records as Goodbyewave with drummer Jack Long non stop since 2006.  From 2006 to 2010 we’d put out 4 full-length albums(the first album, Goodbye, So Long, Farewell, Goodnight, was just me…but whatever).  By the end of 2010 I was pretty much burnt out with the whole process of tedious tweaking and getting that perfect snare sound.  I’d had my fill of narrative songwriting and great lyrical meaning.  I started thinking back to the early days when I bought my first 4-track cassette recorder and was just feeling my way through the process.  It was new and exciting.  There weren’t standards to live up to.  It was just me, my guitar, a mic, and the 4-track.  Well, there was a drum machine, a bass, a tiny keyboard, and lots of crappy lyrics as well, but you get my point.  So by the end of 2010 I’d told my drummer pal that I was taking a much needed break and wanted to do some recording on my own.  He begrudgingly left me alone for a few months and I got to work on some songs.

My first step was to locate an old 4-track.  I found one for $50 on Ebay.  It was a Tascam 414 Portastudio 4-track cassette recorder.  It was perfect.  The archaic technological Frankenstein that I needed for this lo fi project.  After some initial fumblings in the studio -and the eventual shutting off of the dolby noise reduction- I was ready.  My main purpose of this project was to get back to spontaneity in songwriting.  It had gotten so meticulous, my songwriting, that it seemed like I’d forgotten how to just sit down and strum out a song ‘in the moment’, if you will.  With Sunnydaymassacre, I’d go down into the studio, set up a mic or two, and hit record.  I’d come up with music, lyrics, melody…essentially the whole song, in that moment.  I wouldn’t leave the studio until the song was done.  That was my mission.  No fussing over things.  Capture art in the moment.  No over thinking.  No going back and fixing parts.  With cassette editing was much more difficult anyways, so I had no desire to do that.

From February of 2011 to July of 2011 I worked like that.  I’d come home from work, go downstairs and work out a song.  Saturday mornings?  Sunday mornings?  I’d work out songs.  In August of 2011 I’d completed the very first SDM album, which I affectionately called Possible Pinch Points(I had seen a sticker at work that was adherered to a crate that said “Possible Pinch Points”.  Well, it stuck in my head).

So that’s it.  Sunnydaymassacre is my project where I get to be as loud, weird, freaked-out as possible and not care what anyone thinks(I do sorta care….sorta).  These are improvised nuggets of grainy rock and rust-covered pop.  ‘Fire Brigade’, ‘New Sedation’, ‘Strange Interrogations’, and ‘i’m not as old(as I used to be)’ are some of the best songs I’ve written.  They were recorded through guitar amps and pedals, twisted cables, and mics dangling from the ceiling like Little Miss Muffet’s spider.  Beers, cough syrup, and Hunter S. Thompson fueled the process.  The desire to get back to basics ignited it.

Hope you enjoy the songs as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Artwork, design, and general coolness in regards to Possible Pinch Points album artwork can be credited fully to Shane Darin Page.  I’ve known him for over 30 years and even in the third grade he was doing great work(and some of the most amazing Crayola concert posters).  Check out his amazing work here:  http://shanedarinpage.wordpress.com/