Mexican food always seems like a good idea, but when you have to keep on working AFTER eating it, you can get yourself into trouble. We’re working with Linda tonight and have made a lot of progress today. We should be finishing a complete song in one day, which would be a first during these sessions, because we’ve been experimenting with sounds on this album and exploring lots of different sonics.

Today’s song (which is a surprise so I can’t divulge the title just yet) has come together quickly, though there are some very unorthodox sounds on this one…..and we’re currently playing around with a very large kick drum…not exactly typical string quartet stuff!

This weekend we resume work with Jon Brion and then back with Linda on Monday. No rest for the wicked!

Eric from TSQ

At 3pm on January 24th, we resume work on our album by congregating at Linda Perry’s studio. Can’t wait to dive back in and make some music. Since we last saw Linda we’ve collaborated with Ryan Adams and recorded for Rilo Kiley’s new album. And we’re collaborating with the lads and lass from Garbage next week in a benefit show for Wally Ingram, a friend of Richard’s (and many other people!) who unfortunately has been stricken with throat cancer.

Busy times. Good times.

Eric from TSQ

A storied studio in the heart of Hollywood. Ryan Adams is playing a piano in the other room as we listen and prepare to add strings to his music. Creativity flowing from the control room to the studio and back again. Making music today.

TSQ

So we’re sitting in the legendary A&M Studios (now called Henson Studios) listening to Jon Brion work on rough mixes of the first of three songs he’s producing for us. Believe me when I tell you that you won’t believe your ears when you hear this stuff. Our goal is to maintain the integrity of the string quartet while creating sonics that help reimagine what a string quartet can do.

We spent two weeks with Linda Perry at her studio and came away with six or seven tracks that are in various degrees of finished-ness. It’s almost time to rest for the holidays before we fire back up in January to finish this bad boy off.

Should have some new photos from the studio and maybe even a little video action for y’all to enjoy. That’s if we find some time in between rockin’ our socks off!

TSQ

TSQ officially began work on the new album yesterday with Linda Perry! There are many days of long hours and hard work ahead, but the end result will be well worth it. Richard’s been snapping pictures constantly and we even have some video rolling so there will be behind-the-scenes stuff out here soon.

Can someone explain to Eric why there was a cement mixer truck growling outside his house at 7:45 am this morning? Didn’t they know that he didn’t get home from the studio until 2:30am? IMBECILES!!!

More bloggy-type stuff later….

The TSQ Gremlin

A little bit of whiskey goes a long way. The quartet enjoyed an inspiring session with Ryan Adams & the Cardinals that stretched into the wee hours of the morn. What a whirlwind of creativity! Ryan, John, Catherine, Brad and producer Tom were all cool people and made us feel welcome in Ryan’s world. We go back to make more music tonight. Hopefully there will be a photo or two to share by morning…..

Rehearsal day for our Largo show tomorrow night. Peter Case swung by to try out our versions of his songs. And we’re about to rehearse with Sam Phillips. But we took time out to take photos with each of our guests, which are proudly offered to you here.

Do not miss the show at Largo tomorrow night! Andrew Lynch opens the show with ballads to warm your heart.

Big day yesterday filled with recording new tunes with the quartet, attending the LA Weekly Music Awards for which we were nominated, finding our album on iTunes for the first time, and um, let’s see, what else……..oh yes, it was Tuesday as well!

More recording today and probably more next week. For what release? I don’t know!

Listening to: old Joe Jackson records, new Foo Fighters album, James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful”

Watching: not a whole lot because I’m busy working!