This too shall pass.
I took this old song, recorded on 4-Track cassette in 1997 or so, and gave it some modern treatment. I think it came out pretty good.
The Modlins were a prog-rock force born at Warren Wilson College in the 1990’s. Richard Wallace sang and played guitar, Justin Hallman played bass, and I, Will Chatham, played the drums.
This was one of my favorite songs we ever did.
I have a new album out. It’s an album of old songs, refreshed, renewed, and reinvigorated.
I was never happy with the way these originally sounded, but after having spent many hours learning to make things sound better, I am releasing them under the Shadow Person moniker.
Available on all the usual streaming platforms.
Check it out while you are here:
My musical alter-ego, Shadow Person, has a new album coming out October 1, 2024.
You may or may not recall that Shadow Person’s first album came out in January of 2024. Yes, I’ve been super busy writing songs and producing what I think is my best piece of work yet. I hope you agree.
I wrote all the songs on the drums, meaning that I recorded the drum parts for each song before I had any music, melody, or lyrics in mind. This fresh approach brought out something different in these tunes, and it made it much more fulfilling for me since I still consider the drums my “main” instrument. Still, everything you hear was played or sung by me.
You can hear it now on SoundCloud, but it will hit all the major streaming services in a few weeks.
The new release from Shadow Person, person of interest, is available now. You can pick one up for cheap on Bandcamp. You can also listen to it for free on your favorite streaming service. Check one below:
Shadow Person, the musical alter ego of Will Chatham, delves into the realms of the shadow self, drawing inspiration from Jungian psychology to the occult. Through thought-provoking songs, Shadow Person explores the depths of hidden emotions, from confronting inner demons to finding peace.
Formerly known for three solo albums, Will Chatham has transitioned into the persona of Shadow Person. With a musical career spanning four decades and contributions to influential acts in Louisville, KY, and Asheville, NC, Chatham has embraced a golden era of home-based production, fueled by creativity unleashed during the depths of the COVID quarantine.
Find Shadow Person on Instagram @shadowpersonmusic, like, and follow!
Stay tuned to more news at https://shadowpersonmusic.com
Check out this promo we had made. The footage is from our show at Highland Brewing a few weeks ago. Thanks to Bob Peck at Mountainwater Films for putting this together!
Check out the Ska City website for all the latest news and upcoming gigs. I hope to see you soon!
We received a nice write-up about our show on Friday. We played the “Concerts on the Creek” series in Sylva, NC and had a grand old time (similar to last season). This D. Trull feller showed up -clearly a ska fan already- and really seemed to enjoy himself. Then he wrote a review on his blog. Check it out!
I have been cranking away at some new songs. I just released two over the last week. I hope you enjoy them. Please comment, subscribe, yada yada.
And, of course, you can hear the full album I released back in June:
If you’d like a copy of that album on CD, just shoot me your name and address. It is free, and I will cover the shipping cost!
My new solo album is out (unofficially)! It has been “soft launched” at willchathammusic.com and you can stream the whole thing from there, or buy it to download and listen to as you wish.
The album features some musical mastery from friend and former bandmate Morgan Geer (bass on Donald Trump Eats Babies), as well as the vocal talents of current bandmate David Earl Tomlinson (vocals on Hello My Friend).
Additionally, my two teens, Gray Chatham and Dax Chatham, contributed trumpet and sax parts on several songs. Needless to say, I am stoked at how all this came together.
The CDs and officially release to all the usual streaming services will be happening soon, but for now, here is the album. I hope you find something on it you like – it is a, well, variety of genres!
Are you a musician who has made that all-important step forward and booked yourself time in a recording studio for your first ever session? It’s a huge step, and one to feel proud and excited about, but at the same time, you want to be sure you make the most of the opportunity and show up prepared and ready to work, and be creative.
To help you better understand what your experience will be like in a recording studio, allowing you to plan appropriately, let’s break down exactly how things work.
Before making any sort of booking at a recording studio, it’s important to determine what exactly a booking includes. Will you have self-service access to equipment? What is the quality of the equipment? Do you have to pay a premium to use the equipment? What is the length of time of your booking? What about a space for production, writing, and editing? Is there a vocal booth? These are just some of the things you’ll want to investigate before you make any sort of booking. It ensures that you’re getting what you need, and that you’re getting your money’s worth. It also helps you to narrow down the options and pick the ideal recording studio for you.
For many artists, the best recording studio is the one you can write and produce music in, and take advantage of day rates. These are all the features that Pirate Studio in Brooklyn offers musicians, giving them the tools and the flexibility that they need to make music happen and feed their art. These Brooklyn recording studios are well-known in the industry and have a very strong and respected reputation.
Because time is of the essence, you’ll want to head into the experience expecting to get to work the moment you step foot in the studio. Artists are recommended to speak with their producer/engineer in advance and have a plan on what to accomplish in the session.
For musicians, the idea of having a schedule or a plan can seem a bit stifling and doesn’t allow for that natural organic flow, but here’s the thing – you’re on the clock, so forming those creative thoughts and visions in advance can definitely help the session to be more successful.
Because you want to get started right away, it’s also wise to tune up your gear ahead of time and make sure everything is working properly. You could even do a little practice run before you head out to the recording studio, thereby eliminating the need to do so when you arrive.
If you require a lot of gear, make sure you take the time to go over everything you have packed, making sure nothing has been forgotten. Making a list of items you want to take with you can help to alleviate some of the stress. It ensures nothing gets forgotten in the rush of the moment.
While it may be tempting to bring along all kinds of friends to help you out, the fact is that you don’t want the studio to be too crowded and to get too hectic. Try to keep the bodies to a minimum and just bring the people you need to help you make your music. If a person doesn’t add to the process and have a job to do, then they probably aren’t needed in the studio.
The last thing you want is to be distracted while you’re in the recording studio trying to accomplish your music goals.
Once you are in the studio and you see all the equipment before you, don’t be afraid to experiment. You can step outside your box, try a different set-up, make small adjustments, and just allow yourself to be creative in the moment. So, while it’s good to have a plan, that plan doesn’t have to be written in stone and there still needs to be room for creative freedom.
The final tip is a really simple one, but it’s also important. Be sure to also pack some snacks and beverages. You could be in that studio all day so your vocal health and energy level needs to be something you are mindful of.
As a musician, there is nothing quite like the first time you step foot into a recording studio. It’s an impressive milestone, and one that you don’t want to take lightly. Go ahead and celebrate, pat yourself on the back, and then get down to business and make the absolute most of your time in the studio.
Here’s one I learned by starting with Jason Skinner videos on YouTube, but also by listening to the original from Don Reno over and over. I’ll never play it as well as he did, but at least I got to play on his banjo once.
Let me know what you think!