Harry the Nightgown on debut album, cringy influences and analog purists
Photo: Courtney Melahn LA/San Francisco-based Harry the Nightgown is the creative union between Spencer Harting and Cherry Glazerr bassist Sami Perez. Both producer-musicians worked at San Francisco’s Tiny Telephone— it’s no surprise that their technical skill as producers are immediately obvious. Even across the three singles, there’s a ton of variation in the sonic palette and plenty of interesting production choices for the listener to pick through. In a feat that speaks to their talent as both producers and musicians, Perez and Harting are able to draw from all kinds of sounds and styles and still end up [...]
Zelma Stone releases music video for “Fly” off ‘Dreamland’ EP
Photo by Nikki Pratchios Last Friday, February 28, Zelma Stone released their music video for “Fly.” The track is punishingly tender, interrogating darkness by throwing open the curtains and forcing the light to pour in. Chloe Zelma Studebaker, lead singer and songwriter of Zelma Stone, recorded her track at Tiny Telephone, a local studio who you may remember from previous coverage of Abe Hollow and Ryan Von Gonten, and the whole affair is bathed in the signature analog warmth that defies specifics. The track and video are all self released, but their softness betrays none of the rough [...]
A new favorite: Glass Mountain Rodeo’s “Favorite Dudes”
After 2017’s mellow folk rock album Kerguelen, we’re pleased to see that Glass Mountain Rodeo just released “Favorite Dudes,” the first single off forthcoming Pond King. The album is twinged with Neil Young and Roy Orbison influences but with a gentler touch and the occasional pleasing sound effect. Song “Favorite Dudes” — and its accompanying, hilarious video — is a stand-out tune that has more of a Talking Heads meets Elvis Costello feel than the rest of the collection. Stay tuned for the second single, “Autocorrect,” with touches of country and dreamy sad clarinet touches (thanks, Carly Bond). Pond King [...]
Celebrate 20 years of Tiny Telephone tomorrow
This Saturday, come celebrate 20 years of Tiny Telephone at the place many great hits have and will be recorded. The Tiny Telephone 20 Year Bash is at Tiny Telephone, and with this comes free food, booze, music, and conversation. The music includes live sets from Mayya & the Revolutionary Hell Yeah and Pardoner and DJ sets by Toro y Moi and Astronauts, etc. Free food from El Metate and free beer from Lagunitas Brewing Co. Loving the local community is really easy when some of the best things are really free. Tiny Telephone was started by John Vanderslice in 1997 — 20 years ago, as you may have guessed. Tiny Telephone [...]
Q&A: John Vanderslice talks Tiny Telephone's 15th Anniversary Party
It’s been 15 years since John Vanderslice opened Tiny Telephone, his indie recording studio where an impressive roster of musicians like Geographer, Magnetic Fields, Mike Watt, Deerhoof, and scores more have recorded albums. What began as a comfortable space to record his own songs has turned into a world-class musical workshop with acclaimed session musicians (Magik*Magik Orchestra) and accomplished engineers. To celebrate another quinquennial and his clients, John has invited everyone over to the studio -- a veritable museum of vintage mixers, tube amps, and reels of 2” tape -- for a party this Thursday. We touched base with John [...]
Photos: Scenes from the Phono del Sol Music and Food Festival
First off, thank you. Thank you to everyone who came to Phono del Sol on Saturday, and thank you again to everyone who generously donated to help us fund the event. Thank you to Tiny Telephone and John Vanderslice. Thank you to Aesop Rock, Mirah, Man/Miracle, Magik*Magik Orchestra, Religious Girls, Appetite, Beth Lisick, and the Mutiny Radio DJs. Thank you to all of our volunteers, Jacob and the sound team, the BAMM.tv video team, security, and everyone else who helped the event come out great. Thank you to all of the food trucks. Thank you to our sponsors and partners. [...]
Contest update: deadline extended for youth bands to apply for free recording time at Tiny Telephone’s Minitel
Just wanted to drop a brief note about our ongoing contest to give away a free week of analog recording in the last week of April at Tiny Telephone's new B studio, Minitel, with free house engineer Jamie Riotto and a string arrangement from the Magik*Magik Orchestra. While we've received a number of great entries, we've decided to extend the deadline to apply for the contest! The previous deadline to apply was Friday, April 1, with a round of open voting scheduled to take place the next week. The new deadline to apply is April 8 at noon. Instead of [...]
Bay Area bands in high school (and younger): Enter our contest to win a free week of recording time at Tiny Telephone’s new Minitel studio!
Hey, Bay Area high school students: John Vanderslice wants to help you make a record! To celebrate the grand opening of Tiny Telephone's new B studio, Minitel, we're teaming with John and Tiny Telephone to give away a free week of analog recording at Minitel at the end of April, including free analog tape and the services of house engineer Jamie Riotto. Additionally, Minna Choi of the Magik*Magik Orchestra will do a string arrangement and provide Magik*Magik orchestral players for a song. That's a whole lot of free recording time in a great new facility, so enter our contest now! [...]
Interview: Ian & Jay Pellicci, Engineer Brothers (Part 2)
Ian and Jay Pellicci, San Francisco recording engineers and brothers, have worked on tons of great local projects including Deerhoof’s latest album Offend Maggie. We were interested in what they do as engineers, how they got started, and their upcoming projects. We got a chance to ask them about all of these things in an interview a couple weeks ago at The Bay Bridged Studio. This is the second of two parts to this interview; click here to read part one. This interview has been edited for length. TBB: How difficult is time management? Is time management and the idea [...]
Interview: Ian & Jay Pellicci, Engineer Brothers (Part 1)
Interview conducted by Holden Way-Williams, Christan Cunningham and Ben Van Houten. Ian and Jay Pellicci, San Francisco recording engineers and brothers, have worked on tons of great local projects including Deerhoof’s latest album Offend Maggie. We were interested in what they do as engineers, how they got started, and their upcoming projects. We got a chance to ask them about all of these things in an interview a couple weeks ago at The Bay Bridged Studio. This is the first of two parts to this interview. The second half will be posted next week. This interview has been edited for [...]