Linda McLean - Official Website

NOTES - 2004

December 1, 2004

Snowed in. Thick flakes on everything. Preparing for potential power outage, usual occurance in the backwoods when the snow hangs heavily on power lines and hydro guys cannot get out here to repair them for many hours, or days. Have everything I need, guitar, paper, pens,, oh and some food and water.
John called and is sending new mixes of all 12 songs. It's feeling like the completion of the mixing stage is close. Good time to start thinking about what to do with this CD. Might have to listen to them in the car, if the hydro is out.

November 1, 2004

The beginning of the longest month of the year, where I can no longer fool myself, the end of summer is definite, perhaps even autumn, the ice is starting to form on the pond, specks of snow aren't melting in the morning. But by midday I can hike through the woods, go into the quiet part of the trail where all I can hear are the crunchy leaves under foot. I also love this month because my birthday happens at the end of it.
This long distance mixing is working out. We can hear new tweaks and pushes immediately by downloading from John's specially built website. The MP3 versions aren't ideal but they get the ideas across.
I think I may need to stop listening for a while though, I have a couple of new songs wanting to be attended.
Rehearsing with studio beds for a show mid month, doing a few songs from new CD with me playing acoustic and Andy on electric. I'm feeling more confident about playing rhythm section, not easy without a drummer. AND!!! I LOVE singing. I was born to sing.

October 4, 2004

Video shoot Vancouver

Last week of October: Flew out to Vancouver suddenly to shoot a video with Dutch film crew, none of us knowing a good shoot location, guessed that Wreck Beach might be suitable, not knowing it was a clothing optional beach and there might be a suspicion we were shooting a porno video. Turned out to be ideal atmosphere and sunset lighting. My first music video.

October 2, 2004

Betty Munsie died of cancer today. Finding out she was so ill just a few months ago lit a fire under me to get on with doing my next record. It's all so sudden though, it's too soon to lose her...Her death is going to leave a huge sad space up here, this is heartbreak. Public service in town on Friday. I'll sing Betty' Room. Singing that song will never be the same.

August 30, 2004

Recorded bed tracks for 12 new songs at Reaction. Gary Craig, drums, and Maury Lafoy, bass, Andy McLean on guitars, me on vocals, John Whynot at the knobs, in 2.5 days. John came home with Andy and me and the three of us worked on the overdubs in our home studio. We were guessing it might work, but hadn't tested it out so we were taking a bit of a risk that the sounds would be good....worked out better than imagined. There may be some chain saws or bird chirps in the backgrounds. That's ok. John's sense of the ridiculous kept us laughing, and guided us through all the songs, and we got them all 12 of them, can't believe it. After 2 weeks, John has packed up the porche and flown back to LA. Now we wait to begin that long journey into mixing.