Recording is Done!!

We've finished recording our record!!! Thanks Jeff and all others who made this possible!!

Up Next: Mixing, Mastering, Printing, Publicizing, Promoting, Touring...........and a few more photo and video shoots on the way, make for a massively engaging/entertaining couple of months for the a.m.!!!

Enjoying every moment of this.......see you at big show Friday Night!

Jed

Video Shoot in L.A.....filming NYC this week.

Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that we just wrapped our L.A. video shoot Sunday 10/21, with New York filming to begin this weekend...

If you were there, like Jason, Jed and Dustin were, you would have seen, at the very least:

An entire city street blocked off in downtown L.A. near Staples Center

A little movie being filmed with a crew of 100, not to mention extras and an all star cast!
No Joke.

Jed and Jason jumped in with the NYC extras to walk the streets of NY with the artificial rain pouring down. There were stunt doubles, portable heating lamps, cranes, food service trucks (coconut shrimp ruled!) and wardrobe hotties (thx much stevie and danielle!) and stylist Meagan!!

Like I said, too many things to mention, we were filming at Hotel Hayward (spring and 6th streets) and did an incredible rooftop shoot for most of the evening/early morn. They even brought us blended iced carmel macciados to the rooftop set!!!

On the scene was Emil, our fearless leader, Scott, running point for the whole shoot (great job Scott!) and our best videographer/best friend Dustin, shooting tirelessly all day, so we hope to have some great vids up here soon. The pics we have at the moment are ok, so just be patient as we put this up.

Back to making a great record.............things are really heating up!!! Thanks to Emil, most of all, and to an amazing team for making this dream a reality!!

There is much more to tell about what this video is all about and who is involved, so that will come through soon.

L.A. Video Shoot....more pics.

Studio

So the band has spent the past week in a studio in Forestville called "In The Pocket" We have recorded the drum tracks for 6 new songs. We are now in San Franscico at a studio called "Faultline". We will be there until the first week in November. Here are some pics from last week. We'll keep you updated!

Let us begin

TODAY WE FINALLY GOT STARTED!!!!!!!!! It was a long day of setting up but the songs have begun. Today we worked on a song called Fall Apart and got the drum tracking done. jed kicked ass. We then worked on a song called Distance. We basicly tore it apart, put it back together, tore it apart and then left it and went home. So tomorrow our hope is to get Distance back together and get Jed to nail the drum tracks again and then move on to two more songs. We will try and get some pics up once someone remembers how to use the camera.

Lawyers, guns and Money

"Where's the new posts on recordings guys??????" "What’s going on guys?" We will tell you what’s going on....a big fat fucking nothing. The lawyers descended like a rain of constipated locusts and now nothing is being done. We have had to postpone our recording at the last minute because one lawyer didn't get a us a contract until 4:00 on Friday. Now we wait and wait for lawyers, guns, and money to sort it out. It sucks because once you start talking with lawyers all you can think about is all of the ways people are going to screw you over. You end up paranoid and hostile and we have been talking to lawyers since Friday.

The band is hoping by tomorrow all will be well and we can get back to recording and writing music.....it looks like Tuesday will hopefully be the start of a brand new day.


With the blog we will try and give you guys a sense of what we are doing by posting clips of some of the songs. We will try and post clips of it as it gets moving along.

Mixing UPDATE

sorry it has taken me awhile but I have no computer up here. Anyways, things are going great. Lillian and Be Still are mixed and sounding solid. I am in the middle of working on Still In Love With You right now and Mike Fraser has done an amazing job once again. Right now we are trying out some differnt intros and endings to see what sounds great.....we are close but not there yet. Last night Mike, Scott, Jeff and i went to Barnone and drank until 2:00 a.m. when Jeff was assaulted by a serbian guy saying "you are rude boy!" and then dancing off until he returned to say, "you are rude boy.' He finally left with some chick he picked up at the bar.

I tried to get Scott to pick up on a woman I called "slow grind" because she was slowly grinding her hips at the front of the stage for the band until I finally got a look at her........the only nice way I can think of to say this is "I was horrified" she looked like a horse who was beaten by a spatula.....I know not cool to say but.....It was shocking. I apologized to Scott. Two shots and four beers later Scott went home with horse-grind. they are very happy and are looking into stables on the outskirts of Vancouver.

On the way home i saw the Serbian guy and started yelling "the Adriatic sea SUCKs!" Jeff told me to shut up but after 9 jack and cokes i was ready for Serb guy. Serb guy entered an ally with the girl he met and I yelled "Hey you Euro pop crapsickle" He ignored me and peed on the wall while making out with his new friend. Jeff ran like a little girl. Euro-Trash approached me so I tore his arms off and beat him senseless. Jeff peed himself a little bit but I told him I wouldn't tell anybody so please ignore what I just wrote.

Loving Cou town. look forward to bringing this music to you all. I will have some pics later.

Mixing

We are not finished yet. I will be heading up in a little over a week to spend three days mixing our new songs with mix master Mike Fraser. Mike has mixed Aerosmith, AC/DC, Hinder, Rush and other bigs. Although we are not quit the BIG Stadium Rock band as those other guys, Mike should be able to fatten us up a bit. Pretty soon I will be screaming "Are you ready to ROCK N ROLL TOOONIGHT-TAAAAA!" Of course then I will jump into an acoustic ballad called My Sweet Mary Katherine's Mounds.

We are all in town for the time being so come out to our show on May 25th...check the website for details or better yet take the bus and I will provide the Jack and Cokes. I fly back to Vancouver on May 28th so I will let you all know what is happening once I am up there.
~Trent

Our LAST NIGHT in Vancouver

back to the Hotel...

More PHOTOS

Home

Wow. What a ride it has been. The guys are going to post some pictures of our last night and as you will see we tore it up. The drinking started at 5:00 p.m. and didn't let up until 2:21 a.m. when Jed and Hammer where drunk on the floor of the elevator and Jason was still some what conscious to snap a quick picutre. We left a mark on Vancouver....unfortunately it was the mark of our own blood as we kept running into things and getting our heads stuck in elevators. Fantastic fucking blow out night though.

The image above lists the three songs we ended up doing. Two of them were the fans top two choices. Still IN love with you was the dark horse. All of them sound great and we look forward to getting them out to you in some form as soon as we can. Right now I (trent) will be flying back at the end of the month to mix them.

Jeff Dawson is the man. He is not only a producer and cool guy but a true musician and artist. He pushed our music in ways we had never thought of and we owe him a big debt of gratitude.

I will type more later but right now I am exhausted from last night and the plane flight back but I wanted to say the guys Jason, Jed, Zach, and Benjie really out did themselves. They took these songs to levels I didn't think capable and they truly played there collective hearts out. there were some tense moments but they always did what was best for the song and often stepped up to write bigger and better parts.

We look forward to playing for you all soon. Right now we have to figure out how we are going to play these songs as fat as Jeff recorded them. Thanks to all of you who have been commenting and sending emails the whole time ~ Trent

Wilder shows us how it is done

so my son Wilder came to the studio yesterday to hang out and after 30 minutes he had done more damage than we had done in a week. He demanded Adam, our runner, get him some rice which he proceeded to eat upside down. Then he ate chicken strips and a hamburger half of which he threw at the TV screen during the crappy parts of Max & Ruby. Finally he grabbed a beer, hit Jeff (our producer) with a can of Molson and called us all bunch of "Cory Hart Canadian Pussies" and passed out. After we all came out from hidding....this is how we found him. My son is far more rock n roll than i will ever be.

May 3rd

It is Thursday, I think. We all heard a rough mix of Lillian and Still In Love With You yesterday(we are finishing up Be Still today). The songs sound great! Jeff has really done a number on us.

Highlights from Benjie's Birthday yesterday:

- Woke up at 11:30.

- Listened to the 2 most amazing, inspiring Five AM songs ever.

- Ordered a 60 piece platter of Sushi. The final count; Benjie 6 pieces, Trent 5 pieces, Hammer 7 pieces, Jason 1 piece (then he split it out), Jed 41 pieces, 2 rice bowls, 3 plates of yakitori chicken and 1 strongbow (alcoholic cider).

- Ate one beautiful, rich, creamy chocolate cake from the Yaconellis

- Ate one Ice Cream cake that said "Happy Scrotal Cloak Day" from Jeff

- Drank a "Grizzly Bear" drink consisting of Rum, Brandy and Hot Chocolate while the waitress hit on my wife by bending over the table, exposing her breast, and asking in a deep low voice, "Would you like me to sugar your rim?" I mean seriously, what the f%^k does that even mean?

Celebrating my birthday in Vancouver, living the dream, recording my favorite music...priceless.

Oh, and I saw the world's first prototype of a real, life size, working, Scrotal Cloak. There is something so mysterious about it. I honestly believe it will revolutionize the industry.

Check back soon, Hammer's manlove for the Japadog has taken on a life of it's own...it is both beautiful and frightening, all at the same time.

Benjie

more

NEW PHOTOS!!! check em out

Hammer's List

Hey y'all. Hammer here. Thought it was time I chimed in on the blog. Aside from being in the middle of recording our best tracks ever (holy crap), here's a list of what's been going on:


1. We are renaming the band Peter Diaframton. Email Jed with complaints.

2. We rode the choo-choo train at the park.

3. We've come to the sad realization that we're the dorkiest rock band in the northern hemisphere (see #2). There's an Argentinian band called The Cacky Slack Gangsters who hold the southern title.

4. Last Wednesday we achieved a level of drunkenness normally reserved for Irish weddings.

4a. Trent and I trashed our hotel room and scared the crap out of Benjie at the same time.

4b. So far we've managed to avoid legal repercussions for the fire extinguisher incident (see 4a).

5. We learned that Ben E. King apparently wrote the classic "Stand By Me" for the Nazi Party. Believe me, we were just as surprised as you are.

6. My balls have been named Cagney and Lacey. Believe me, we were just as surprised as you are.

7. We've made some real progress in making Jed fat. It's my sincere belief that a fat drummer is a funky drummer, so I've been trying to fatten him up for years, with little success. It's much easier up here with all the fried cheese.

8. We've learned that most crack addicts in Vancouver want the same exact thing--37 cents. Weird, huh.

9. I'm still not sure if I trust Canadians. They're reserved and quiet. A little too quiet...


So you can see we're having a blast up here in the great city of Vancouver. Last night, Jed, Jason and I went to a lecture featuring Sir George Martin (producer known as the 5th Beatle). It was inspiring just to be in his presence. Later, back at the hotel, we passed Dennis Hopper in the lobby. Not as inspiring, but pretty cool.

Best wishes, see you back in the states.

-Zach

What?? Throwing bolts?

So, Jason finally explains to me that "throwing bolts" means putting up your fingers (1st and 4th) while making a fist with the rest of your hand- like you're at a rock show!! So, coolio...now I get it.

We went out to Stanley Park yesterday and rocked the shizznit on the kiddie choo choo train....fun shite! We also ate some killer asians at Azia restaurant near our new digs at Sutton Place. We are rock stars and are ripe for the picking.

We had a piano player by the name of Dave Pickell come in to lay down the tasty jams on one of our songs, Lillian. He's a great player and brought exactly what we needed on the cut, and it only took maybe an hour.

I'm leaving in a few minutes with Zach and Jason (waiting for our runner Adam, good kid) to ride out of the city 20 minutes to Grouse Mtn. to ride the gondola and look out upon the city from the mountain side, instead of the beautiful city side.

Super spoiled, but never rotten,

- Jed and the rest of the a.m.

Hammer nails the guitar

Sat afternoon now, just heard my new favorite guitar part. Hammer strapped on the trusty Fender telecaster and ran through a Vox amp. The sound is amazing. The bridge and instrumental break of "Be Still" is now graced with the most sweet yet ripping guitar part of this entire session. Not only is it the way the instrument sounds but the finesse and authority Zach commands from the thing.
Throwing bolts here at the studio.
Cant wait for the finished product.
Jason

Saturday Morning...

Before Jed and I gathered our belongings for the hotel change over, we headed down Davie Street in search of a killer breakfast. Eureka, we found it! Unfortunately it being our last morning at the Sandman, we will have to journey from our new hotel back to Davie Street to get our fill of "The Dish". This small, healthy alternative breakfast joint was were I drank possibly the best smoothie I have ever had. Not possibly... actually! It was a simple Banana, Pineapple, & Orange, very frothy, very refreshing. Jed got some strange juice which contained carrots, celery, ginger and some other veggies which made the drink purple (I believe it could have been beets). Jed said it made him feel healthy. I'm glad I did not try it. We both ordered the Eggs Sophia Wrap with sun dried tomato basil spread, jack cheese, and sauteed mushrooms. By far the best breakfast we have had during our stay. We will be back. Rocking and staying fed with Jed...

Jason

Housekeeping!!!

Trent here. yesterday we dug into Lillian and i must say it is some of the best work this band has ever done. You fans will not recognize the song when you hear it. It is big, fat, washy and beautiful. hammer and jeff worked their asses off last night. Afterwards we hit a bar downtown and drank....and drank.....and drank....peed..drunk dialed our lawyer.......drunk dialed Donny.....and then drank. Hammer and I came back to our room with BK and trashed the place in all of our drunken glory. I sprayed benjie with the fire exteguisher as he came out of the bathroom. Funny...until we all couldn't breathe. The other guys wanted some more drinks so they went to the peep show across the street. After 45 minutes of looking at weiners they realized we are in the gay area of town (not that there is anything wrong with that). Hammer turned on the TV and kept making lewed comments about what he wanted to do to Jodi Foster's nose in the movie Contact. I spent the evening trying to push Hammer's and Benjie's twin beds together while they were sleeping so they could wake up in a Trains, Planes and Automobiles moment but instead I kept tipping Benjie over and onto the floor. this morning while sleeping on the fold out I awoke to Housekeeping peeking around our door, horrified at smashed bananas, crackers, broken sugar packets and tiped over tables. I apologized and then said, "Need sleepy........get out....must get sleepy..."

The music is going amazing. I am shocked with how huge it sounds. See you all soon.

~Trent

Shot down....in a blaze of glory!

I think that's how the Bon Jovi song goes. Except that we actually saw "blades of glory" last night, and it was not the best movie I've ever seen. In fact, it wasn't even in my top 200, by a long shot. But it was consistently amusing and I did lol, so coolio.

We are at day 27, trying on daisy dukes and drum parts with our esteemed producer, jeff dawson, who is really tranforming our barge of a band into a finely tuned battleship cruiser. Everything sounds amazing, and I won't write too much for two reasons:

* BK is going under the knife as I write this because he's got many cool percussion toys that he wants to lay down, and I want to listen in the control room, without judgement.

* Here's our first (and possibly only) video we'll put up on this blog....check it out here!

Eating and sleeping well,

Jed and the experience

Bass tracks

I played bass tracks today and I'm very pleased with the takes. Jeff, our producer, had great input and vision to help out with the parts. My favorite track performance is "Still In Love With You", which is also my favorite song of the three. I used the Rickenbacker on it and "Be Still". The sound is deep and smooth. On "Lillian" I had the opportunity and pleasure of using Bryan Adams' 1962 Fender Precision Bass. Since he owns the studio it was here to use at our disposal. What a treat! The thing sounds great and is super playable. There is only a small amount of paint remaining on the bass. It looks like it has been on the road for most of its life. The tone is perfect for the openness of this song. Can't wait to hear the guitars next. Jed and I laid down a tight, solid, rhythmic foundation to build the songs upon. Having fun and living the dream....

Jason

All these great things...happening now!

We've got several super cool things goin' on today, and I'm not sure where to begin, and I'm pretty much hyped for it all so I've got to run off and get started:

We've got jason, our fearless, metal head bass player tracking in studio today...not really a metal head, just a metallica/pantera-afficionado.

I've managed to work in some great breakfasts, some better than others (bad bacon at hamburger mary's), and some killer snacks and early evening scarf fests consisting of panini sandwiches with cucumbers and cranberry compote, duck sausage tortellini and some price waterhouse bakery near the fantasy factory across the street form our sandman suites abode. No slight to the land of canadia, but we are enjoying our rooms and are feeling alive and reckless on the streets of B.C.!

Some big ass movie is being filmed literally right across the street from the studio, with catering, lights, wardrobe and fanny trucks parked round the block. We have been told by Mimi, our grand liason, that films/tv/mini series are constantly being created in and around vancouver, and if you go to bcfilmcommision.com or something, then you can see all films, etc. being produced. Elegy stars Penelope Cruz, Dennis Hopper and Sir Ben...Kingsley, so we've asked them over for a 'we are the world' esque danity kane sing-a-long later tonight. We'll see how that all turns out...

Some have asked if we can put music on the site as we progress....we'll see as I try to setup an audio blog or a live phone call chat blog or some shit....(I'm busy up here, so we'll see).

And finally, we've got Dustin Gould coming up today. He'll film us for a few days and then go home. We can't wait. For many days (at least two) I've dreamed of documenting five a.m. in their glory, reminiscing on past, present and future endeavors, so here's our big chance!

OK....gotta go back to work/fun/more fun than work

Love and Nagy,

five a.m. and sons

Studio Shots

Check out the band in the studio...


Trent, Jason, Jeff, Jed, Zach, Bree, Mike, Mimi & Benjie


Benjie in his fort



Hammer and Trent working on "Liliann"

Jason on bass

Jed....Umm.......