SnowGhost Music

Modest Mouse has a new album out. I know this, or at least I was reminded of it, when I saw it advertised along with a few other new releases in the New York Times. After finishing the Sunday crossword puzzle in 22 minutes (I was using my left hand), I perused the rest of the entertainment section and found said advert, from one of those places that sells everything that you can plug in or plug something into. This is certainly not how I would have found out about a new Modest Mouse album back in the college days. For that sort of info, I would've had to consult Ted, because Modest Mouse was only popular among people like Ted, people who could tell you more about a band than the people in the band. Ted and friends would continue... read more >

Greg McGrath and I had a bit of history prior to his first SnowGhost Session. I met him through his father Peter McGrath, a well-known classical recording engineer. We immediately found that we both had a passion for indie rock and hi-fi, and it broke our hearts that they weren't sleeping in the same bed. We couldn't understand why there were so many shitty recordings out there of our favorite artists. I invited him up to help out with the building of the studio and he accepted, moving to Whitefish for all of two months, lifting, wiring, lifting again, and wiring some more. During that time, we took breaks to record his first record with Kris King (of Lansing Dreiden fame) on drums. It was both of our first tries, with the studio bei... read more >

Ah, the old days. Sun Studios, Motown, golden takes, session players, and all-night jams. Groupies, cocaine-fueled time signatures, breaking equipment, tantrums, tracking, and overdubs. The recording studio used to be a hallowed and magical place to me. The mysterious sonically separated rooms, the endless supply of instruments and gadgets where songs were hatched. I would read stories about how Keith Richards would spend days trying to get one little riff, or how much booze and coke Derek and the Dominoes went through while creating their masterpiece. If I dreamed of being a rockstar, the part where I got to swig whiskey and smoke various substances with a pair of headphones on while a guy in the booth told me we were rolling ... read more >

Velvet ropes, wrapping paper, 10-digit price tags, burglar alarms, media coverage, and flashing signs. Sometimes we have to be told that something is special. A child will stare blankly at the work of an impressionist and ask his mother why a painting that looks like something his pre-school buddies collaborated on during recess is special. The child's mother, also staring blankly at the masterpiece, might reply, 'Because it is.'

Sometimes the experience is very personal. Maybe you've just seen a movie that will forever change the way you think about life. You leave the theater and immediately find out that everyone else thought the movie sucked and they can't wait to get the taste out of their mouths. Your companions' ... read more >

Luke’s flight got in about noon on a Friday, after a big night of snow. He was somewhat disheveled after a long early morning flight and I knew just the cure; breakfast at Lula's, my favorite breakfast joint in town. We met up with Greg McGrath, who was also in town finishing up a session and opening for Luke’s show the following night. We had lots of coffee and the famous “Ski Bum Special”, which is the most over-the-top biscuits and gravy you have ever seen. I had worked with Luke before and we had become friends, so the time usually spent meeting and greeting was bypassed for talk of the songs and instruments we wanted to use. This was to be our SnowGhost Sessions’ maiden voyage, so we played it by ear. And Luke did not disappoin... read more >