P RODUCER’ S N OTE J ULIA E CKLARON D IVINE I NTERVENTION was a young composer mired in was by no means the norm for regional hen I first walked into the studio ing any misplayed notes or mis-sung words; jingles and local TV production recordings back in 1986, but Air Craft had re- at Air Craft Records that summer backing slowly and quietly away from the music in Pittsburgh when cently adopted the Sony 1/4” two-track open- of 1986, it was like walking into a mic during the climactic crescendo on one Justin Brown approached me reel digital format when Julia’s project arose. whole new world. I’d recorded song because if I increased the volume about arranging and producing Julia’s al- We mixed directly to digital, and made a before, but only in the cobbled-together without increasing my distance from the bum. I jumped at the chance to take on the safety master (in the Sony PCM Beta format) home studios that were all filk had to offer microphone I would blow out the mic or vast range of styles, colors, moods and po- for cassette duplication purposes. But in those days. My experience with otherwise “burn” the recording and tentials of Julia’s evocative songs, and the despite all of Eli’s efforts, neither of these “studio” recording consisted of we’d have to start over again.I had project was an opportunity to experiment masters could be located. So, ironically, the things like only being able to a vague sense that “real” studio with a whole spectrum of textures and CD you hold now was remastered by myself record after dark because musicians didn’t have these approaches. Countless hours were spent and Dave Bjornson from a 15 ips analog the next door neighbor same limitations, but it had creating this album, nearly all of them with two-track dub I had taken home with me was using power tools all never occurred to me that, wonderful engineer and good friend Henry from the studio back in 1986. It had been in day (and we had no real as a filker, I’d ever be able Yoder, without whose patience and good- my basement since then, and when I found soundproofing); only to record in a more will we’d have never survived the process. the tape, it was covered in mold and was un- being able to record be- professional venue. All The opportunity to bring in so many talent- fortunately on a brand and grade of analog fore dark because night- the same, I loved the ed musicians was another thrill (and when, tape notorious for deterioration and oxide- time brought the ghostly recording process. I loved fifteen years later, Julia and I reunited to shedding over time. It’s only through Eli’s voice of an Arab-language being able to do more with record “Roxanne,” it gave us both a warm determination to “rescue” this music that my radio station over our head- a song than just to back it up feeling to bring in guitarist John Maione old analog dub was playable at all, thanks to phones, reading what sounded with my own guitar playing, and from the original album). After hundreds of the work of VidiPax, a media restoration like erotic love poetry; having to I loved what some of the talented hours scattered over nearly two months, company in New York. record a thirteen minute song perfectly musicians I’d worked with could do with Divine Intervention emerged, and we were So no vestige of the original digital mas- the very first time, because everything was harmonies and back-up. And I loved the all very proud of the result. tering remains in this release, and the limita- laid straight to track, with no chance of feeling of connectedness that came with When, more than a decade later, Eli ap- tions of 15 ips tape are clearly discernable. “punching in” or otherwise fixing a perfor- working well with a bunch of other musi- proached me about a CD release, he had al- Yet the music and the enthusiasm we all felt mance except by re-recording it again from cians. I loved it when the song clicked, ready put in a Herculean effort to locate not when recording the album still remain, and the beginning; recording lead vocals, back- and everybody knew what everybody else one but two digital masters which had origi- perhaps that’s what is most important. up vocals, and accompaniment all at the was adding in a way that couldn’t be easily nally existed for this album. Digital mastering — Michael Moricz, September 30, 2002 same time with the same limitations on fix- explained in words. (In fact, legendary guitarist Leslie Fish and I were once accused ple rooms of different sizes, different shapes, dumped or redone or “salvaged as much as but it made me realize with heart-soaring of pulling our producer’s leg when we both different floor types. Moveable walls stood at possible” through the addition of several clarity that recording could be something swore we understood where to come in on a random angles next to walls covered floor- other voices because it was decided my vo- much more than I’d so far experienced. song just by feel.) to-ceiling with what looked like brown foam cals weren’t very good after all, and the evi- Talk turned to studio time, arrangements, Then, early in that fateful summer, Ann egg crates. Headphones hung from mic dence had convinced me that whatever love suggestions for people to work with me as Cecil mentioned that the father of a friend of stands and chairs, and Oriental rugs dotted people felt for my performances was based producer and engineer (since I certainly had Ann’s friend’s daughter owned a recording the hardwood floors. I’d learn later that the on the chemistry generated in live appear- no idea how to use the equipment myself). It studio. “You don’t go out to California to rugs were to soften the effect of sound waves ances, and not on the albums I’d recorded. quickly became apparent that the cost of record anymore,” she said, “but maybe you bouncing off the hard, bright surface of the The tape began, and there it was — my recording on such a wonderful level was not can record something here.” floor, but at the time I had no idea that the voice sounding slightly muzzy and flat, not only more than filk studios had so far been So I walked into Air Craft excited by the microphones used to record music were so matching the guitar in the background, dirg- able to manage, it was much more than I (a possibility of recording again but also ner- sensitive (as opposed to simply fragile and ing along in a key that sounded like I should woefully underemployed college student) vous. I had played around at recording in easy to overload). have been singing a good two steps higher. could possibly afford. spare bedrooms and basements, but I wasn’t Justin and I finally took seats in the room And all at a room-filling volume, from But Ann Cecil came to the rescue again, a “real” musician. I wrote songs inspired by with the huge 24-track mixing board and me- speakers more than half my height. I wanted suggesting that I solicit “investors” to put up science fiction movies and books (among ter-tall speakers, and he plugged my cassette to sink under my chair. Justin listened for a the money to rent the studio time and hire other things); I had classical training, but I into a stereo bank. I tried not to apologize while, his face thoughtful, then began twid- the people necessary to record the album. couldn’t “jam,” and the producer at the last before the music started playing. I’d always dling with controls on the big panel. Things I And she offered herself as the first investor. recording label for which I’d worked had been secretly embarrassed by how I sounded didn’t understand started to change in the Thus the adventure began. We recorded complained frequently about my voice being on tape. I would record in the studio, come sound pouring out of the speakers. The gui- and mixed in the middle of the night because too loud, too big, too “rangey” — in general away from the performance happy and glow- tar became less tinny, my voice brightened, the studio would give us that time at a drasti- just too difficult to record. What if the “real” ing and thrilled with how things went, only came forward somehow in the mix, and — cally reduced rate (since no one else wanted musicians at Air Craft laughed at the to receive my copy of the finished product miraculously — I suddenly sounded full, to use it). We used music students, studio prospect of renting me studio time to make months later and wince at the sound of my rich and on key. regulars, and even the occasional spouse of one of these goofy sci-fi albums? own voice. Songs recorded in the higher end “Wow!” I exclaimed, too pleased with the an employee (we needed a lot of different I walked in with a couple of my tapes, and of my register sounded screechy and wob- result to make any attempt to seem profes- voices for the choir on “Hand of God”). I re- spoke with one of the owners, Justin Brown, bling; songs in my mid register often sound- sional and cool.