we're playing in a few days~

Squash Head

Saturday Oct 2, 8pm

1856 Park Rd NW (Vanessa's House)

Frau Eva

Birdlips

Deutschmarks

Maura & Billy

Cam and Rayan

If you give a mouse a piano

He's probably going to ask you to move it... If you move the piano for him, he's probably going to want you to tune it. This is true both of mice and men. And so when we got a piano, it wasn't long before we were in need of a tuner. Our piano tuner was a small and awkward fellow. My mother had warned me that all piano tuners are a strange breed. Ours seemed to be friendly enough, and engaged me in conversation: "Living in the city must be nice" he said.

"Yea, it's pretty sweet."

"Great place to stay in shape"

"I guess if you bike around"

"You do that much?"

"Not too much since my bike lock broke in dupont circle, and has been holding my bike prisoner ever since."

"Well, you able to stay in shape anyway? How much do you weigh?"

"Not too much."

"Here, lets see if I can pick you up over my shoulder."

"Hello what?"

This is where the conversation took a turn for the worse. Also the piano tuner started to stutter.

"c-c-c-come on let's see if I can pick you up over my shoulder."

At this point the tuner was giving me a classic puppy dog with outstretched arms.

"w-w-we could just try it..."

You know what they say... you let a mouse pick you up over his shoulder and he's going to want you to give him a scalp massage, and if you give him a scalp massage, he's going to want to dress you up in his mother's lingerie...

Anyway to cut to the chase ... our piano is now tuned - hoorah!!

Piano

I am sitting in the new(est) Frau Eva recording headquarters (Ben's basement bedroom). Right now Billy is recording bass. We're all here.

As usual, we've spent a good deal this weekend recording (though never enough). David finally has his piano all ready to record. It has involved no less than finding a decent one on craigslist, having it moved- a Kimball baby grand- letting it settle, getting it tuned, and fixing some clacking keys. And then an onslaught of tasty mics & a preamp. Now the fun part; re-recording this beautiful piano over top & in place of his keyboard. It's coming slowly.

In the meantime we've been gently progressing on the seven songs we've got. Still have it in the works to record at least 3 more.

In other news, it's been awesome having Billy as our bassist. It feels like we're a different band, and also we're arranging new songs, sprucing up old ones. We have a newfound energy and definition. After spending a better part of this year struggling with the live show and recording, we are ready to play out (put out?).

Anyway, enough rambling. We are playing a show at my house next saturday, october 2, along with Birdlips, Deutschmarks, Maura & Billy, and Cam & Rayan. The event is called Squash Head. If I get around to drawing up a flyer, I'll post it.

In the meanwhile, here are some pix of piano recording: