Sandman's Journal

Last evening was spent finishing the Sandman and Jen Grady cd. There's still the mixing and mastering and sequencing, but the recording part's complete. Here's a sampling of what we did yesterday: "Testimonial," "Ol' Highway 90," "It's Good to Be Awake When She Arrives," "Miss Rodeo Montana (Says She Loves Me)," "Crazy Animals," "Storage Unit 209," "Callin' You" (an old-time traditional), "I Still Miss Someone" (by Johnny Cash), "Are They Gonna Make Us Outlaws Again" (by James Talley), and a gorgeous Latino migrant worker song that Jen does a capella of which I forgot the title. Jen accompanies me on all of these except "Testimonial" and "Storage Unit 209." A woman named Madeline is the only other featured musician. She plays fiddle on "Jack Potter's Courtin'" and "Jade's Song." I met Madeline a week ago, and she expressed interest in making music with me. Auspiciously, I ran into her at Evergreen during the first recording session and she agreed to return to yesterday's session. It was lucky for us, because Jen hurt her wrist and wasn't able to play cello on any tracks. I think this album will be surprisingly good. I'd imagined it to be a sort of "throw away" album; just something to document Jen's and my musical relationship. But something undeniably charming has arisen from the ashes of our romance. Like a fuzzy gremlin.

This might be the album that Calvin Johnson, of K Records, was hoping for after he heard Love's Hangover Sale. It might even be the album that Barefoot Scotty, at CrimethInc., had hoped for after Long Walk Home. Both times I let these fellows down with eccentric hip hop releases. However, I might be fooling myself as to the potential popularity of this new cd. Almost all of the songs have noticeble flaws--accidental wrong chords, stilted vocal phrasings, stutters, added or subtracted beats, rushed beats, unrealized musical components, and my voice which goes flat sometimes. The thing that makes it fresh, though, is that it has so many love songs and children's songs. And, most of all, it has Jen, who is totally pro. She's like a young Dolly Parton.

Speaking of Calvin, tonight he's coming over to record a verse of a cover to the Highwaymen song, "Highwayman," which Giles O'Dell produced. Andras Jones sings Willie Nelson's verse. Calvin will probably sing Johnny's part. I'll do Waylon's and Giles will do Kris Kristofferson's.