Bridge The Gap's new new album “Gainsayer” is out on April Today, we're taking a behind the scenes look at the recording process. Check it out below!
This was Bridge The Gap's second time at The Blasting Room, and this time, we were much more prepared and a well-oiled machine. However, recording and performing for Bill Stevenson and the fellas at The Blasting Room, regardless of one's preparation, is always going to be an exacting, demanding process. But along the way, there are tons of laughs, stories, and unforgettable moments baked in.
Recording at The Blasting Room is like punk rock summer camp. As the band, you get to hang together for several weeks and bunk (literally) together in the lounge. We're lucky because our bass player, Shon, is an award-winning chef. So one of the first things Shon did when we arrived was head to the grocery store and buy a few weeks' worth of supplies. Each day, he'd cook something absolutely amazing, whether for lunch or dinner. If it was lunch, then we'd all go out with Bill for dinner. If it was dinner, we'd all stay in and invite Bill, Jason, Andrew, Colton, Miles, and Jonathan to partake. We have so many fun memories from those meals, and Chef Shon is an absolute culinary talent. The fellas at the studio were kept well-fed!
As the singer and rhythm guitar player, the most challenging part of recording at The Blasting Room is singing for Bill. Bill has 'sung' so many iconic vocalists dating back decades. He has an amazing ear for pitch and the learned patience of an engineer. That dude can withstand literal torture. I learned so much about singing from Bill on our first album, which better prepared me for 'Gainsayer,' but it was still a monumental challenge and, at times, a painful experience because singing for a hero can be a vulnerable, humiliating experience. But Bill is the best, and while you're wandering the singer's desert, suffering a little along the way, you know that when you climb out of it, the end result is going to be one hell of an oasis to behold. Plus, this time, Shon sang 99% of the backups and harmonies, which gave me daily breaks, and gave 'Gainsayer' a much wider and deeper sonic pallet. This album is THICK. Bill's ideas for harmonies and whoas are on an out-of-this-world level. He's literally got a direct line to the divine source of wherever music comes from. Can't wait to go back!