Just want to journalize this here, and I guess put the word out.
The recording of our 3rd, tentatively self titled CD is well under way. We've laid down all the rhythm tracks, a good deal of vocals, and we've completed one song. I'm contemplating posting it, but my gut is telling me to wait till the CD is complete.
I am ectstatic about the way things are going. The guy producing it (Bumblefoot -
www.bumblefoot.com ) is an absolute genius, and an uncomonly nice guy. He worked out a great, affordable deal with us, and he's totally commited to the project. We're putting in 12 hour days, most of that time being his making sure things are the absolute best they can be - and it's great that we can tell he's not in this for the money, but to help create the best possible work of art that he can (given what we give him). There's something that really does my heart well when you know someone is doing something more for the love of doing it (and doing it well) than for the money.
Anyhow, I could write lots of details about this particular recording experience, but it may get boring. What I do want to write is what I feel I feel I learned this time around. I realized on the way home from his studio (which is an entire house, by the way) that I've spent hoards of money in the past trying to do the impossible. The Nerve! has always been known for our live shows. We've got lots of energy, and we tend to go over really well. Our CDs have never however quite captured our energy. They were tight, some had a live feel to them, but I really think they were lacking. What I learned. We were, in the past, trying desperately to catch the "live" feel. We played the songs as we would live, and refused to do anything we couldn't reproduce in a live situation. No fancy effects or production, no 2nd guitars we couldn't pull off, etc., etc. Guess what. Doh! It didn't work. I realized while listening to some Zeppelin CDs that those guys probably couldn't reproduce about 75% of what they had recorded, live. BUT, they were able to pull it off anyhow. We CAN pull off all our songs live, we do it all the time. We decided finally to look at the studio an entirely different way. It's a different medium and this time we're treating it as such. Cost a lot of time and money for us to learn that, but I'm glad I finally did. We're not shying away from 2nd guitar parts, studio tricks, effects - icing on the cake as one might say. We're approaching this CD with a totally open mind, and it seems to be working out rather well. We're being super careful not to go over board - and, well, you get the picture. I can't wait to see and hear how the rest of the CD evolves (17+ songs). It's hands down going to be the best thing we've ever recorded. I'm psyched. I'm done. Just felt like sharing all that. Hope it may help or inspire someone.
) Best of luck to you, if the CD makes its way up to Canada, I will pick up a copy. 
