For The Record: Becky Buller #3

Once again, Stephen Mougin at Dark Shadow Recording has prevailed on one of his artists to retail their recording experience for us in blog form. This time, it’s Becky Buller who is working on her first solo project with the label. Here is the third installment of her studio diary. A talented songwriter, Becky also tours and records with Darin & Brooke Aldridge on fiddle and clawhammer banjo.

January 31, 2014

Dale Ann Bradley and Becky Buller communicate in the studio by webcamMojo asked me to make these new album blogs a little more edgy, gritty…talk about the difficulties as well as the puppies and butterflies and pink ribbons and Care Bears. A little more Duck Dynasty, a little less Little House On the Prairie.

“But, Stephen,” says I. “We haven’t had any difficulties.”

Then the flu hit Chez Haley last Tuesday. I didn’t get it, but had to nurse my daughter and husband, Romy and Jeff. That knocked me out of joining Mojo and Dale Ann Bradley (vox, Dale Ann Bradley Band/Sister Sadie) in studio in person Friday or heading on to SPBGMA immediately following. However, I was able to join them through the miracle of technology via FaceTime. (The picture doesn’t show the sick baby sleeping on my lap.)

Then the recording computer started to heave and sweat and complain of the chills. Said she couldn’t get warm. Coughed a few times and requested chicken noodle soup and saltines. And did we have a bucket handy?

“It worked great all day yesterday,” Mojo groaned, pulling wires, shutting things down and starting them back up again. Dale Ann and I kept chatting about babies and gigs and moonshine whiskey stills and murder ballads…

After about 15 minutes and no improvement, we sent Dale Ann on to SPBGMA where her baby was playing bass with Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road. Dale Ann will track her vocals for Queen Of The Mountain Bootleggers up at Steve Gulley’s studio and send them our way, which is much more convenient for her, but a bummer for Mojo and me who were looking forward to working with her in studio in person. She sings like a chorus of little birdies!

Mojo was able to get in touch with tech support and have the computer back running within the hour. All systems go for the next round.

Luckily, Jeff and Romy’s fevers finally broke that afternoon.

She and I went back up into the living room to join Jeff for a JAG marathon. Nothing makes him feel better when he’s sick than watching a good war movie or military-themed TV show. He cries every time he watches the opening of Full Metal Jacket.

As for me, I’ll take a musical or a Jane Austen flick. Pride and Prejudice is always such a therapeutic watch. (Uh huh! You know what I’m talking about Beth!)

End of day three. Glory be!