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Recording the first Herriot Row record at Tiny Telephone  Studios in San Francisco with John  Vanderslice, no less than one of my musical heroes, was one of the greatest experiences of my life!!

When I arrived, Marvin the cat was there to greet me.

John took me on a guided tour, and by the time we got back to the Studio B control room, Marvin was sleeping on the console, as cats do.

Where to begin with how damn cool it was for an old instruments and analogue nut like myself working here? Well, just look at all the cool shit I got to perform on and record straight to tape!

Like this old parlor guitar.

And this OLD Gibson amp from the forties!!

And who needs digital plugins when you have an ECHO CHAMBER!!!

I didn’t just have access to great old gear. I also had some wonderful musicians there to help adorn my songs.

Like Robert Shelton on all things keys.

And Andrew Maguire on all things percussion.

Oh and not to mention JV, who was always on hand to help me dial up the right sounds whilst working in the midst of this “functioning museum”, as it’s been called. Note that torch on JV’s head.

I loved these old school studio track sheets!

And oh man, a different combination of mics for every single sound.

After recording was done, we mixed in the A’ room, which has the sweetest vibe I’ve ever encountered in a studio- look at that wood!!

I really didn’t want to leave to be honest. I was just starting to feel at home.

And JV really brings the warm, focused, yet still slightly crazy vibes. No wonder he’s so well loved by the indie rock community.

But we had a job to finish, and a studio deadline for doing so, and we made it!
I would go back there in a heartbeat!!!!