This Ain't Love (Destination Insanity with Zoltan as producer)

[StephenM]

So this has been in progress for over a month... which it was fun to play with this.

I sent the track to Mike to add some killer lead and also perhaps some backing vocals.  Then we got Zoltan to help out on the mixing and producing.  I like to see how others might interpret things and it helps me grow in my outlooks....

I am also including some other mixes as options or if someone likes to hear the differences.

I really do get to some crazy lyrical ideas and this one is no exception with the idea of two older lovers in the heat of the moment who face various difficulties including having to "can I buy a diabetic dime or two?"... also "oooh baby you're drivin me crazy, I need a prozac or two."

I can relate a bit to this song... in so many ways... I suppose that it is good to get it out of my system in this fashion so I can remain happily married and inside our nice cozy home...lol...

left to my own devices I can easily destroy my life in a matter of a few weeks... I know this so I surround myself with alot of really good people to help me remember and they give me strength.. and I give them rolling eyes and laughter... and someone to pray for... maybe this is TMI

Mike kicks ass again on this.... and I really like the style of productions.... it is great.

thank you to Mike.... for your rocking additions... I really like the chorus
and Z for producing! 

rock on and merry Christmas... I will be surprised if I record anything between now and the first of the year... I have gotten back into the running madness and also with the holidays coming up I seem to be going towards other things... but might record something with the kids when Melissa comes home from college.This Ain't Love (DK MIX).mp3 This Ain't Love (mike on guitar).mp3

[Geir]

Barking mad:). And full of energy

Really cool, with some really nice guitar riffs.

Cool to get both versions, but I think the first MIX is the best.  The second feels a bit overcompressed

But hey .... great work everyone

[thetworegs]

Frenetic energetic madness = freedom of expression

[DarrenG / The Devil's Toupee]

Brilliant I love it.
I love the energy of the track
Has a bit of a pinkish feel to it.
Great lyrics and vocals Stephen.

You could read out a shopping list and it would sound interesting lol.

Some smoking guitar from Mike. Great producing by zoltan too.

Merry Christmas,  have a good one.

[TPB]

Welcome to the mad mind of Steve and his Henchman LOL I think you all need to drink some coffee to get your energy levels up. Smoking track guys if this does not get you going nothing will wild guitar, wild vocals and a outstanding production Great collab guys
Tim

[Zoltan]

I think this is cool weirdness with rocking bassline and great lyrics.

When i first heard this i wanted to get my mitts into it. Turns out even the first preliminary listening "party" (all by myself...!) ended up in tears! There was SO MUCH stuff going on at the sametime.

On the surface it sounds like Stephen is showing how the garage rock / Iggy -type of stuff is done, but there's a lot more cooking behind the scenes.

I don't think i managed to "produce" this too well. I listened to it for several times and approached it from all kinds of angles. At worst i tried to turn it into an 80's styled New Wave song with triggered drum samples and synths (i kid you not!). Then i went heavily into 60's garage style and that was only partially succesful.

Then there was the first mix that was just tracks thrown together that seems to laugh at my attempts. It sounded the most musically coherent. Then i started the "mix" from the ground up for several times trying to put focus into different elements of the mix.

Overall i felt the bassline is that should drive the song and the vocals are the king. Then came the guitar tracks from Mike and i was having second thought. Does it fit? No it doesn't. Yes it does! And in the end there's both Mike and Stephen sharing guitar duties with the Mikes playing the most prominent one. Stephen is mostly echoing and filling the space from the bass.

As an aside. Here's a free song title for someone: Filling the Space with Bass. Gotta be a good one as the title shows promise.

Getting back on a high horse *climbs back up* So... The last mix was a culmination of this process that felt like pushing a diamond. The end results were most often the same although the EQ and everything was drastically different (?) which goes to show that the song really is in the A ) parts being played, B ) in the arrangement , last but not least C) in the manic energy the performer(s) but forth.

There is still SOME Tomfoolery happening behind the curtains. For example there's not one, but THREE synth tracks playing on the song. They're not meant to stick out, but offer a bit of push in certain parts etc.

So yeah. Stephen showed us how to rock and Mike showed how to tame the untamable beast. A song that's so filled with lead playing that you couldn't fit anything into it. No rhythm, no lead (Sing it with Bob Marleys voice! It works. Trust me ) and Mike did just that.

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Nearly jumped out of my skin when this madness started, very original and an excellent collaboration.

Willie

[Bluesberry]

I dont know what is more epic...the song itself or Zoltans brilliant blow by blow commentary on the production of this monster..........when the lightening strikes it will come alive.....the beast rising off the pyre to slouch towards sentient conversation at the local pub.....sweat dripping off its nose from the dank and noise filled terrain ....I love the garage rock feeling here, but strangely I think I heard that new wave song that you allude to underneath all the clatter...made me think of what Men Without Hats would have done with this sweet confection of a confession wrapped up in a riddle......I love this immensely lads.

[Ray Brookes]

Full of energy and madness along with excellent production. Great work by all involved.

[StephenM]

I am pretty sure I wrote these lyrics after watching Robert Fripp and Toya on one of their escapades....man Toya, she is something to behold... and I just dig watching Robert standing there like a proper englishman in his suit driving the madness... it is crazy...