It’s the Fall of 1993, and I’m taking the viewer on a tour of Atlanta’s legendary Southern Tracks Recording (RIP), where we cut my debut album on American, Necktie Second.
As you see in the video, we enjoyed an embarrassment of riches thanks to the fine instrument collection of our big-time-hit producer Brendan O’Brien.
Fun fact: One of the cheap Silvertone guitars hanging on the wall in the opening shot was used on “If You Don’t Love Me.”
The first song we tracked was “So I am Over You.” I still remember the buzz I felt standing in the control room listening to our first playback. It sounded like a record.
Sounding like a record is elusive. You know it when you hear it.
Brendan was known for working fast, and one of his many great talents was whipping up what he light-hardheartedly referred to as a ‘Hot Mix.’ His hot mixes sounded amazing as he cranked and twiddled the knobs of Southern Tracks’ gigantic SSL recording console.
In addition to appearing on Necktie Second, “So I am Over You” was the lead track on The McCready Demos* that Mike McCready of Pearl Jam fame funded and then passed along to Brendan. Brendan had signing power at Rick Rubin’s American Recordings label. That tape helped land my first of three major label record deals. (Thanks again, Mike!)
And thanks to Brendan for giving me a shot and making that shot sound like a record.
Listen to “So I Am Over You” on Necktie Second HERE.
Peace & Love Songs,
Pete
* I’ll post that demo next week. Stay tuned.
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