TOOLING AROUND : The rooms at Bays – our long-time studio / office / rehearsal space in Kilbirnie, Wellington – are in a constant state of flux. We’ve been there for about 12 years now and it really is ‘home’ for the band after moving from our first spot, The Beach, where BOATS and The Big BW were recorded. Every time I walk up the stairs something has changed – sometimes for the worse (one of the bathrooms was recently retired from service as the plumbing in this 100yo building is pretty shonky), but mostly for the better; DJ Fitchie is constantly refining the isolation booth and adding to his already amazing range of microphones.
Lately Fitchie has joined the rest of us and dived head first into the DIY pool, with one of the smaller equipment rooms cleared out and the hodgepodge of drums, cases and keyboards replaced with an ever-expanding selection of power tools and timber. He’s making cases for his record collection, which - luckily for the rest of us – keeps growing at about the same pace as the tool box and sound diffusing panels for the studio. We’re getting close to completion on some of the new album material and he reckons it’s going to help him in the final mix. Can’t wait to hear the results.
In the meantime, a few tunes that DJ Fitchie hipped me to:
War Is Not The Answer by Johnny Osbourne & Legsman
Keeping My Mind by Black Rascals
Friendly Pressure by Jhelisa
Loose Lips by Seiji
Let Love Find A Way by Private Joy
And too many dub and reggae joints to comprehend…