Chelsea here. I recently fell off the face of the earth (no, I don’t believe it’s flat) due to ridiculous amounts of recording, working, playing and life stuff. We finished the recording part of the album some time ago, and Clint has been hard at work mixing and bouncing. Mixing and bouncing. Mixing…. and….bouncing. The end of the road is still out of sight, but the wait will be so incredibly worth it. That is a promise from yours truly.

We’ve been really enjoying practicing these new songs and getting them stage ready. We’ve had a little live practice, too. This past weekend we hosted, organized and played a Beto for Senate Fundraiser. Here in Texas, we’re getting ready for a senatorial election and Beto is the guy we back. It hasn’t necessarily been the easiest road for me, this being my first experience being so politically open as an artist. I wasn’t always active in Nowherebound, for those who may not know. I went down my own rabbit trail for a few years…. but that’s another story for another time. Needless to say the nay sayers are outspoken and not modest by any means, but I’m no martyr. I’m proud of my boys for standing up tall and with a smile. I felt like it was handled with the utmost respect and dignity, and I was truly humbled by the whole damn thing. All in all, it was a two day event that left me swimming in warm and fuzzies. All the bands that participated kicked major ass. I got to meet SO MANY people who feel the same way we do about wanting to not only believe in change, but DO something about it.  We had several companies that donated items to the raffle we held as well. Check down below for a full list of everyone that participated! We’d love to continue to support these bands and companies for being a part of something that is very near and dear to our hearts.

Apart from that, we’re gearing up for our next go around which happens to be my 30th birthday! That’ll be at Kick Butt here in Austin in support of one of our favorites, Sniper 66. They’re releasing a kick ass album and I can’t wait to be a part of such a special night. We’re going to continue working hard to get this new music to you as soon as we can, and we hope this post reaches you well.

It’s so crazy how even just writing about my love of these people makes me a little teary eyed. I wouldn’t be the empowered, strong, bold, and fearless woman I am without each and every one of these amazing punk rockers in my life. Whether or not you believe in being outspoken politically or otherwise, there’s one thing I’d like to define. As far as I’m concerned, punk is not just a genre of music. It’s a way of life. It’s about equality, compassion, empathy, human rights, belief in our ability to be the change, and above all… LOVE. I was so proud when my best friend got up on stage to do his solo set on Saturday afternoon, and his political rant consisted of something along the lines of: It doesn’t matter which side of the political spectrum you fall on, or which side you think is right or wrong. It’s about waking up every morning and being the best version of yourself. Well said, Jacob. I think that hits the nail right on the head.

Sorry, but not sorry for getting a little mushy and opinionated. I guess that’s the beauty of being in charge of writing the blog. I get to do what I want! Comment below and tell us how you’ve been. Because we aren’t Nowherebound without our family, friends and fans. We need you as much as you want us around. And we love you.

From hearts the size of Texas,

Participants of our Beto for Senate Fundraiser include:

Bands:

The Last Callers
All Opposed
The Awful Lot
Sorted Scoundrels
Knocked Out Stiffs
Black Irish Texas
Natchet Taylor and Erik Larson
Chelsea Barbo
Jacob Pruitt
Blake Van Buren
Mary Beth
Hazard of the Industry
Erik Larson and Peacemaker
Shitty Advice
The Clastic
Hellfury
Zero Percent
Despero
Disko Wolves

Companies:

Kick Butt
Sundaze
Via 313
Suite 2E Recording Studio
Hard Luck Lounge
White Horse
Hole In The Wall
BK Artistry
Rosewood Barbershop

I just realized that I instinctually sit in the same chair every time I write a blog post. It’s my blog chair. With a blog ottoman to match. I also tend to snack, but then again… I’m a snacker..

These last few weeks, I’ve been patiently waiting to take my turn in the “booth” (or so we’ll call it), and my time has arrived. From my blog chair, I have a pretty damn good view of the house. I get to hear all the stories, and all the jokes. But it got me thinking. How would this experience be different if we chose to record somewhere else? So I started a conversation with the guys about it, and it really opened my eyes to appreciate that every band’s journey is different. Out of all of our experiences,  we kinda pulled together a list of pros and cons of recording at home. Check it out!

We’ll start with the cons first. When you decide to record at home, the number one disadvantage you might face, is yourself. Some of us were born motivated and others (like myself) have to be compelled to do anything. When you’re the one in charge of your timeline, recording at home requires organization and personal deadlines to ensure the album can be finished in an appropriate amount of time. Space can be another challenge. I’ll be honest with you, I’m moody. I have days (lots of ’em) where socializing or sharing a tight space with someone is not one of the top ten things I want to do. So if you’re planning on recording an album, be sure the person(s) hosting the studio is okay with sharing their personal space, as well as time. There’s not really a “day off” when you’re recording like we are. Everyone’s communicating and weaving sessions in and out as they’re available.

**Side note- I was just about to type “So it really isn’t your typical recording session”, but the truth is, it may be. These days with the technology and availability of the equipment necessary, I can imagine a lot of people record at home. Comment and tell me your experiences! The music scene is constantly progressing and growing. It’s a lot like getting older. I’m sad to see the early days go, but there’s still so much to look forward to! Side note over.

Last but not least and you knew it was coming…budget. Your equipment is based on your budget, so this idea doesn’t necessarily have to be a con. But I know full well what it’s like to work full (part) time and be in a busy band. It can make finding and affording the proper equipment a little more difficult. A good record can be made without all the fancy stuff, there’s no doubt about that. However, it tends to be a little disappointing when your creative flow gets stumped by a lack of the right stuff. No one wants to be “put in the corner” because of stuff.

Now my favorite part! Let’s talk about alllll the reasons why we love recording at home. First up- time. There’s no opening time or closing time at a home studio. You may have neighbors that need a decent cut off time, other than that you’re welcome to be a 24/7 recording machine. In my past experiences at a professional studio, you book the time and when that day arrives, you’re up. No matter what. I can’t count how many times I’ve entered a vocal booth with no voice. It’s just how it goes. Here, we get the option to take a step back, walk away and come back when we don’t feel well or get frustrated. Sometimes the parts you write don’t get played on the record. Sometimes your parts don’t pan out as easily as you thought they would. Recording at home gives you the benefit of working through it in your own time. HUGE plus for me.

A lot of pro studios are really stepping it up these days. Video games, full kitchens, coffee, arcade, etc. I think that’s awesome because you want to feel comfortable. You want all those cozy comforts from home. I love that any time I’m here, I know I have access to everything I could possibly need. I don’t have to leave for anything on breaks, and it keeps me in the zone. Another repeat idea on the other side- space. It’s your space. It’s your equipment. You can move, shift, rearrange and you never have to worry about stepping on anyone’s toes.

Speaking of stepping on toes…producing the album can be touchy. Everyone has different preferences on levels and sounds. When you keep the producing side “in the family”, you get to keep the creative control. Your album, your mix. The integrity and sound of the album is kept alive when the songwriters produce it from the ground up. It’s a beautiful thing.

Then we get to the heartwarming part. The DIY attitude of punk rock is kept alive and true. Doing it yourself gives you credibility and authenticity, as well. The pride that you get to beam when it’s all said and done is pretty unique. All the hard work and the time and effort gets displayed and you can say you did it. You earned the money to pay for the stuff you needed. You spent the time learning the recording programs. Then you sat through countless hours of recording, producing and mixing. And at the end, you get to share the love and express your heart. What could be better than that?

So at the end of the day, we find a lot of positives to doing it ourselves. That being said, I still try to picture what it must have been like to be in a band like The Eagles. Back when recording was sitting in a live room all together and playing it until you got it right. When there wasn’t the hustle and bustle of normal life in the background. To be completely enveloped in the music for days on end. There’s no right or wrong way in my opinion. Whatever your way is, is gonna work for you. Thanks for reading! Part Two coming soon!

Much love,

Another week! Another wonderful week.
We have a lot of exciting things happening.
In case you missed it, we debuted the cover of “Mourning Glory”:

On the recording side, I feel we’re pretty lucky with how flexible everyone has been. We’re all kind of recording our parts as we’re available between shifts at work. Dylan is laying down some rhythm guitar as I type. Speaking of Dylan, keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page for an interview later this week. And as you watch the interviews with each member, feel free to leave more questions. You can make them specifically for a member or for the band as a whole.

For those who may have never experienced time in a recording studio, it’s a whole lot of sit around and wait. I consider myself lucky to get to spend time with the guys, but I think my favorite part of being here (besides the music, of course) is story time. These guys have spent a lot of time on the road, and they’ve experienced some awesome, strange, hilarious things. I can only imagine my stories will be just as memorable from this year’s upcoming adventures.

There isn’t much more to tell, so far. We’re rowing along. Sailing smooth. Cruising steady. Whatever floats your boat or sinks your ship.

One last little treasure nugget, is the adorable, playful pup named Khloe that graces us with her presence every day. She loves bananas and her squeaky toy. She’s laying against my leg sleeping as I type. Sweet girl. She’s been the perfect cuddle buddy and is constantly making us laugh. We love you, Khloe!

Thanks for tuning in for another week of our shenanigans. We’re counting the days to see all your beautiful faces.

Yours truly,