Mix progress: recordings at Greene Vinyl Studio 2014-16

...latest update 7/29/20

These demo mixes of a variety of traditional and original songs are the leftovers of  still being a passle of experimental tracks which has become The Old Sailor, on Lollipoppe Shoppe Records. They are unmastered and suffer from track latency/delay problems, and lacking added listener chemicals are best played turned up a little louder (and a bass boost) to make them the same as most of what you hear on YouTube or elsewhere online...

They are an evolution from a loosely (and overly)-overdubbed early set of original tracks to an approach where the basic track is done with guitar and real-time (not programmed) foot drums (kick and snare) to give a more solid underpinning. Since these recordings, that has become the basis for live performance as well. Below,  without foot drums are marked "O", later slightly brighter and tighter ones with that original combination (see below) to start with marked "FD"...plus new, developing set of mixes by John Kilgore at John Kilgore Studios in NYC are marked "JK mix"...possible remix suggestions/corrections are in end brackets [ ]...

With a little added attention, they may yet end up in release on a subsequent album, but for the moment are artifacts: good tunes still maturing, like whiskey in barrels...

Engineer: Marc Greene, plus John Kilgore (on selected mixes)

Vocals, instrumentals, arrangements: John Townley

Always Companion (w/m ©John Townley) -- Would be lost (sniff) without you..."FD", JK mix [slightly more guitar?] Earlier mix here...

Dance With Me (w/m ©John Townley, tune adapted trad. Turkish) --  ...cause in Saudi Arabia you can't drive my car..."FD"

Dirty Dealin' Blues (w/m ©John Townley, new major key rewrite of Piedmont Blind Blake's (Arthur Phelps)  "Dirty Feeling Blues") – Happy ragtime, love you mama..."FD" JK mix [10% faster, cut lead-in?] Earlier mix here...

Home Is Where The Heart Is (w/m ©John Townley) – Just look into your heart, you'll find a home..."FD"

The Little Things (w/m ©John Townley, pub. by MCA) – They remind me of you (and maybe Buddy Holly)..."FD", JK mix Earlier mix here...

Let The Mermaid Flirt With Me (Mississippi John Hurt) – Beats an expensive burial..."FD"

Morning (w/m ©John Townley) – Radiant rays, diurnal blessings..."FD"

Underground Lovesick Blues (w/m ©John Townley) – Sideline view from the back porch..."FD", JK mix. Earlier mix here 

You Pass Me By (w/m ©John Townley) – If only you were listening, it might happen..."O" 

The instruments:

Acoustic guitar: refinished 1987 Gibson Everly Brothers J-185

Electric guitar: 1968 Gibson ES330

Archtop acoustic/electric guitar: 2013 Ibanez AF71F

5-string Banjo: 1988 custom travel model, Isle of Wight Instruments, Virginia

Mandolin: 1918 Gibson A-4

Fiddle: 1920s German factory fiddle, Gdansk

Organ, piano, bells, some percussion – 1995 Yamaha PSR-15, Yamaha grand (at Kilgore Studios)

Harmonicas: Hohner and Seydel diatonics, Hohner Chromatic

Pennywhistles: 1980s Shaw C and D

Bones: homemade, from whole steer ribs

Dumbek: 2013 Pakistani metal 10"

Clarinets: G: 2013 Turkish Razaman Kor. Bb: 1945/68 Boosey and Hawkes Edgware hybrid, 1929 The Dictator Line (Cundy-Bettoney Boston Wonder stencil), 1928 silver-bell E. H. White Silver King, 1927 sterling-key Holton professional model, 1953 Boosey and Hawkes nickel silver Oxford.

Drums:  Foot-operated kick and snare combo, 16” Pulse

Bass: Fender Squier Precision

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