Exploring new grounds

So I've been working with some material that I see as the songs that doesn't fit in anywhere (in any of my bands or projects that is), the odd songs - though most common people would probably consider them the most normal songs I've ever done - but to be me they stick out and are odd, close to the border to strange. The first one out now is a little thing called "360 degrees" it's written by me and it has me on vocals and on two tracks, left and right, of a very clean guitar, actually a Gibson Les Paul even though it has a Strat or a Telecaster feeling to it - I'd spontaneously describe the guitars on this one, without really knowing why, with the three words: Knopfler, Country, Strat. It also features my drummer Vesa Kallio playing a Ludwig Bronze snare with his hands and, well, that's it. I've arranged, recorded, produced and mixed it.

It has always been important to me that a song is a good song, to me the foundation of any music. That you can just sing it with only an acoustic guitar or a piano, and it still sounds as good no matter which type of music it is or how it's arranged. But I believe that when it comes to "singer-songwriter" music (I just had to use that description even though I really, really don't like that naming - I mean aren't all singers that writes their own music singer-songwriters, regardless the type of music?) it's even more evident and even a bigger and more vital part, the song comes to carry an even heavier weight because it stays in it's more primal, clean and simple form - It kind of becomes about the songs itself, giving the song life.

I've always written most of my music, regardless of the style, on an acoustic guitar. Most of my riffs, even the hardest and the heaviest ones, are written on an acoustic. But I've also touched the singer-songwriter vein with some acoustic tunes like "Let the Piper Lead The Way" (13 Chaos St) and "Unclose" (Inagone) and when I did "Aspects on/in life" in 2005 (you'll find some of the songs at my Reverbnation site http://www.reverbnation.com/pmsaari). But this time, with this handful odd songs that doesn't fit in, I've kind of written material from that point of view from start, focusing and basing it all on the song itself, the chords, the melodies and the lyrics. Aiming to keep the music as simple as I possibly can (even though the main riff, the verse, on this first song happen to have an irregular time signature, it's in 7/4, but it sounds natural and simple).

You'll find "360 Degrees" on my Reverbnation site at: http://www.reverbnation.com/pmsaari and on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pmsaari. Hope you'll enjoy it and find it as exiting as I do.

Later
/ PM

The battle of getting things done rages on

With all the things I've got going on one might think that time is my worst enemy when it comes to trying to get some studio work done, but it's really not. I'm pretty effective and dedicated so it's not really the lack of time that is the main thing holding it all back, it's something else - The anguish of recording.

I mean when music is recorded and put out it's really there and it's that very version and it'll be there like forever. With that in mind its a huge load to perform it, but even a bigger load when you're the one the pulling the strings and making the decisions - It's all on you. I believe it's even worse the more you improvise, and I improvise A LOT, and obviously when improvising it can turn out in any way depending on so many factors. It's like I love recording but I hate it, it's the best thing I know and the worst at the same time. It's a struggle, a battle every time. However I'm getting better at handling this, decreasing the pressure and I've found a way to snatch hold of myself by seeing it just as it is: A snapshot of ones feelings and thoughts delivered out in that moment in time, a documentation of there and then, just like when I'm playing live. 

Anyway, the studio work goes on in it's pace and I'm actually getting stuff done now. I've nailed some 20 hours studio time weekly with the Inagone album and the drums are practically recorded and the upcoming week or so we'll record the remaining bass and put on some more guitars. What takes time here is the production and the mixing which all eventually turned out to be handled by me and are done along the way with the recording, and since I haven't quite decided exactly what I will be going for with the album there's a lot of time-consuming testing and trying. One thing I know however - there will be a lot of guitars on there. Straight Eight Diablo are about to start recording the drums on the upcoming full length album, and I won't be involved with that until the drums are all done and it's time for me to start working on the guitars and vocals, not probably for the next two months or so.

I've also been writing some new 13 Chaos St material and will soon be involving Mr Norkko, who has written some really cool 13 stuff as well, and Mr Kallio in the pre-production work. Also Mr Gudmundsson and I are trying to schedule some studio time to start working on some new Lizard Eye stuff ...then there's off course some other odd things laying around or turning up every now and then which will be revealed if and when they crosses the border to this world.

Been rehearsing with both my solo band and Straight Eight Diablo pretty frequently now the last weeks and it feels real good that it's all coming together. When it comes to these two bands/projects for me it's mainly getting my vocals to work smoothly and naturally with what I'm doing on the guitar and I've realized that it takes it's time and can't be forced. As you might know rehearsing and practice really ain't my (or our) thing and it really feels like we're rehearsing a lot now when we rehearse about three times a month with each of the two trios (at least it'll most certainly not be over rehearsed). I'm trying to put as much time as I can on my vocals now so I'll be fit and ready when the time comes for me to put on the vocals on my solo album (and also some other things I have plans for...). Anyway, we're on a roll and hopefully we're taking these two trios live in winter, but we'll see.

Here's a video of me and the boys rehearsing my instrumental tune "Soul Slip":

I've also done a little facelift of my official web site so check it out at  http://www.saari.net/pm/

Peace
/ PM

Solo band rehearsals

Been rehearsing a couple of times with my solo band; me, Vesa Kallio (drums) and Andy "Drake" Mallander (fretless bass) that is; the last weeks. It's actually the first times we really rehearsed, before it has been jamming, more trying to catch, or rather create, the feeling and vibes of the live versions of the material. Anyway we've now narrowed the huge amount of material down to a live set amount of songs which is pretty cool, and it's all starting to naturally fall into place and sound ok - getting closer to the perfect blend of all the elements I'm aiming for: improvisation-jam-frenzy, kick-ass-punk-attitude, tight-progressive-virtuosity and above that: strong melodies with lyrics meaning and saying something. We're not quite there yet, but we're definitely getting there - and what will happen when we get there the future will tell...

Anyway, I put up a camera at the last rehearsal and recorded one of the most possible covers we'll do with the solo band, the Iron Maiden song "Wrathchild". It's out exclusively on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pmsaari




We'll probably put out some more tasty little exiting rehearsal and jam videos this summer so keep you eyes open.

Now we're taking a break for some weeks, but after that we'll try our very best to throw in some rehearsals, and also studio session during the rest of the summer (though starting to realize that discipline, especially in summertime, might not be our, or my, strongest side).


Here's a video of us doing our version of the instrumental Iron Maiden tune "Losfer words" live at Harry B James in Stockholm (Sweden) at a gig with Inagone a while ago:




Now I'm off for a fking vacation.

See ya!
/ PM

Status S

We rounded up the Lizard Eye 2012 spring "tour" around about a week ago with a gig at Harry B James home in Stockholm. It was a total blast and success, a great night and show indeed. I'd like to send out a special thanks to Andreas Vaple for making my guitars sound so fkin killer live - as he always does! Really appreciate it!
...anyway, every show on this round was really a success and real great, both the band and the time. Lizard Eye really crushed and is undoubtedly a better and tighter live band than ever. Thanks everyone for the support!

I also did a one off special cover gig with Vesa Kallio (drummer in most of my bands and projects), Mats "Moey" Öström (bass player in Burnitude), Lasse Gudmundsson (vocalist in Lizard Eye, Angel King) and Fredrik Svensson (guitars) at a venue at Kista Mässan (Sweden). Thanks to Fredrik for pulling it all in. It was great fun and got me a bit into wanting to give some sort of a cover thing another go in the next future or so...

I'm taking a break from playing live now over summer but will be back performing live when Inagone hit the stage at the outdoor festival Rock The Rålis 2012 in Rålambshovsparken in Stockholm on friday 3 august. It'll be a blast and Inagone will kick some serious ass!


I've now finished the pre production and arranging of the Straight 8 Diablo material. It ended being eight super heavy tracks (I mean, off course "eight" Straigt Eight Diablo tunes, what else?!) I wrote two brand new killer songs while recording the pre-tracks which I just had to throw in ...still don't know how many tracks the finished release will feature though, but it seems lots of interesting people are interested in becoming involved in the thing, recording, production, mixing and management wise, so we'll just have to wait and see...

Now I'm in the studio working with the arrangements of the last tunes of the Inagone and solo albums, and also some new 13 Chaos St material. I'm also working on a hand-full of a bit different kind of songs which I'm not quite sure where they'll fit in, but I'm sure I'll make them fit in somewhere somehow, it's pretty strong material and I'd really like to put it out.


Now I'll just have to push myself to keep my ass in studio and work - which isn't gonna be easy at all since all of a sudden summer is all over us here in Stockholm - and all the temptations that comes with it... but I'm quite sure I'll manage to blend enjoying them temptations and getting some sht done.


Peace
/ PM

Up n' down, in n' out

Yea, sure has been a while, quite a while indeed, and it for sure feels it's about time to give you all an insight of what's going on in the Saari camp...

Well...
The last months I've, along taking care of my company, built myself a new studio/rehearsal/office space, I've moved and got a new home and I've also had some real nice time off during this winter. Apart from some gigs, there hasn't actually been that much music going on at all the last half-year, or almost even at all in 2011.

However now it feels safe to say that I'm back (working with music that is) - I've had rehearsals and jam sessions booked for almost ever night, some days two times a day to fit it all in into the schedule, and nailed loads of studio time the last two weeks - and the next future looks most certainly to be going in that same direction - So, yea, I'd say I'm on it.

Inagone got some gig-requests from some arrangers and we couldn't say but "hell yeah!" - so we did a couple of great and fun shows for the hell of it some weeks (months?) ago - great shows, great time. I've finally started recording guitars on the last tracks of the upcoming full-length album "Your brand new root". In matter of weeks I'll start to schedule studio time with the boys to nail the rest - and hopefully finally finish the album.

I've started the pre production work on the Straight 8 Diablo material which is planned to be recorded in spring/summer 2012. It hasn't quite been decided exactly what it'll be, a whole album or an EP or what - we're in the mid of working out a plan with management and producers there. We do however have material for a full-length album by now, and I'm writing new stuff constantly, so, but we'll se...

Aside the Inagone and S8D recordings I'll try to throw in sessions to finish the recording of my first solo album as well.


Lizard Eye will do some live shows in 2012 so check out the booked dates out at the Lizard Eye website. Check out the new Lizard Eye album "Flames of the sun" which is now out at iTunes and Spotify.


Talk to ya again, soon.

/ PM