Wild and Free

gee friends. it has been a while. wild and free never got finished as an album, but I am very proud of "Shadows of the Summertime." i wanted you to know that I finally finished the song called "Wild and Free." Thanks for your support. The download is free. www.johnralston.bandcamp.com
Best,
JR

So...

yeah, it's been a while huh? I have been working day and night (construction) and recording another band (Sweet Bronco - such a great, great band) at E-Land. Not much sleep, and not much time to record Wild and Free. But the majorly good news is that I have also had the time to finish my main record. Confused? Me too. I have about 18 records almost done. BUT, the exception is that "Shadows of the Summertime" is now finished and being mastered by Alex Lowe (as I type). I'm not on Vagrant anymore (another blog or maybe just not at all) so the next step I guess is to send it out to labels I like and see what is out there for me. The record is the best I have been a part of. The majority of it was recorded in New Orleans at Listen Up! Studios by Michael Seaman with Ben Roberts assisting and David Vandervelde playing nearly every instrument in sight. Dan Bonebrake contributed of course, as did Chris Wood. Marc Ward at Elegbaland in Lake Worth recorded most all of my vocals and some B3 and guitars as well. I feel like I am forgetting someone.

Anyways, very exciting. I know it's been a while between releases for me. I have recorded a ton of stuff, but it really just came down to this group of people getting it done. And it sounds amazing. So, I guess all that to say, Hi again. Maybe I'll see ya around soon.

I Will Become

So, Andrew Schaap came by E-Land the other day and picked up the raw tracks for "I Will Become" and "Pearl Gray." He is going to do some production work on it and I can't wait to hear what they come back sounding like I have been very ill lately and unable to get in the studio, but I like the pace of "Wild and Free" so far. Everything has come very naturally. Hope to be better next week and resume Tuesday nights with Danny B. Every new bass line is really my new favorite.

Going to get my head back into space and write some more tunes. Hope your times are good. Happy Thanksgiving!

JR

Bethlehem

Well, well....I have been working in the studio again. Back from New Orleans, where we have 90% of my next full length record done!

Here at home I picked back up with Dan & Co. to work on my new record with Invisible Music (also 90% done) and of course, Wild and Free. Nathan Jezek tracked the most amazing guitar part at Elegbaland yesterday. All it needs is organ and tamborine. Maybe Andrew Schaap (piano on "No One Said It Was Easy") can do the organ? He's my brother-in-law and also the best organ player you know. Stay tuned. Still trying to figure out how to release all this stuff. Thinking about doing digital singles or something as they get finished and then press the vinyl??? I dunno.

I Will Become

Cool last two days.

Got acoustics and piano and vocals done on "I Will Become." Elegbaland's new gear sounds soooo good. Retro 176. Amazing. Anyways, we are getting ever closer to finishing tracking "Wild and Free." This week I have a pretty cool show. I am playing at the Norton Art Museum in West Palm Beach. Solo acoustic. I am going to try to play every song on all three records. Some of these songs I have never played before. So, learning, translating, re-shaping....it's been pretty cool.  So, if you are local, come out Thursday. I start at 7. Hope all is well

JR

Back

Hey,
Just got back from New Orleans. A lot of sleep later, here we are. The recording went very well. Recorded at the new Listen Up! Studios with Michael Seaman and Ben Roberts. David Vandervelde also came, and superlatives aren't enough. We had so much fun. Record took an immediate direction, and it sounds like an album. Of course, we did nothing to address the unfinished Ghetto Tested sessions, Sea Garden Blues sessions, or Wild and Free. But that's okay. Charles Dye and I talked yesterday and we'll be starting final mixes on Sea Garden Blues in early June. So either, there'll be a lot of music at the end of the year, or.....
The titles of the songs that David, Michael, Ben and I have started are:
Bedroom Walls
Black on Black Night
Gas & Matches
Wildflower Winds
This Summer
Robert's Bar

Sounds like half an album right?

The first 2 songs that Charles and I are going to mix in early June for Sea Garden Blues are:
Sea Garden Blue
Jesus Christ

So, a lot of stuff going on at once, which is the way I like it. I also have 2 tours in the works. One in late july or mid august with Mike Dunn & TKONE. One in mid Sept with Gasoline Heart. Both will be east coast only runs. Hope all is well.
JR

New Orleans

So I am off to finish up the record. Gonna take my act to New Orleans and see what happens. Don't know all the details yet but I am excited to get out of town and finish something. Had a great meeting with Charles Dye on Saturday and he is starting some mixes for Wild and Free. VERY exciting. I get by with a little help from my friends. A lotta work to do and then a tour. Plan.