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Televators with Mars Volta

jacobsmithbass_

jacobsmithbass_

Jan 10, 2008
508
283
Ft. Worth
www.jacobsmithbass.com
#1
Hey Mr. Meldal-Johnsen,
Hope all is well. Ive loved your bass playing since i was 13 when my best friend/drummer at the time showed me your work with Beck. So first off id like to say thanks for all the incredible music/playing.

My question is about the recording process of "Televators" from De-Loused in The Comatorium. Just curious what was asked of you, how you ran your bass, just the whole process you went through with those guys really. I understand if thats info you may not want to tell or they may not want you to tell (how they recorded the track and such) but any info at all would be extremely helpful to me.

Anyway, thanks again and all the best!

-Jacob Smith (Dallas, TX
 
#2
Hi,

You're welcome for the music/playing!!! I'm so grateful for that complement, thank you!!

As far as Televators, we just threw a mic on it and went for it. We were up at Rick Rubin's house recording on his beautiful Neve. Essentially, we were going for something very instinctual and reactive. There wasn't a lot of construction or thought behind it, and as a result I believe we captured a nice mood. I played it down a couple of times then we had it. Omar and Cedric were bursting with what I like to call a "positive creative tension" in the studio which I found very inspiring and challenging, in a great way.

While on the subject, I'll reveal something which I have not spoken of until now: When the album was about to come out, Rick Rubin called me and told me that they wanted me to be in the band, and that he thought I would be great for it. At that point, I was in the middle of tracking the first Ima Robot record, which I was also co-producing, so I was consequently unable to oblige or give it a very fair consideration. My friend Juan Alderete was subsequently recruited to take that position, for which he was probably far more musically skilled and aligned than I was. The rest is history.

Another factoid: Juan also took over for me in the band Pet, which I left to join up with Beck in '95-96. I love and respect him so much!!

There you have it!

All the best,
JMJ
 
#5
jmjbassplayer said:
While on the subject, I'll reveal something which I have not spoken of until now: When the album was about to come out, Rick Rubin called me and told me that they wanted me to be in the band, and that he thought I would be great for it. At that point, I was in the middle of tracking the first Ima Robot record, which I was also co-producing, so I was consequently unable to oblige or give it a very fair consideration. My friend Juan Alderete was subsequently recruited to take that position, for which he was probably far more musically skilled and aligned than I was. The rest is history.
Click to expand...
ya, juan's playing in that band is pretty sweet. don't know about more skilled but he does seem very in tune with what omar does and wants. and he does have chops out the wazoo. that has to be a really demanding gig, not only for the complexity of the music, but because omar also plays bass and will bust balls. made flea play a precision when he cut tracks for them. that's a balls move for an upstart band.
 

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