In the days since May 14, we’ve been on the runaround.  In the studio most days mixing the album with Vance Powell, a quick trip to Atlanta, a memorable show in Nashville at Musician’s Corner, a radio thing, a TV thang.  And it’s been great to begin incorporating the new songs into the normal set lists.

One of these days I’ll try and verbalize (or type-alize) why it is scary and exciting to play brand new songs for the first time(s).  It can be a pretty wild mind ride, but difficult to explain.  We might need some sort of Therapeutic Video Series With The Kicks to really hash through that one.  

You can see a few of the titles of the new songs in the picture above.  ”Right From The Start” is a song that has been around for quite some time and has had its share of nips and tucks to get it to its final state.  I remember being at Jordan’s apartment re-writing the song for the fifty-seventh time, and by the end of the night, knowing we had finally uncovered something that really connected with each of us.  Adam has some great lead guitar lines on the song, and I am really a fan of the in-and-out harmony parts on this one.  The fifty-seventh time was worth it.

The days since May 14th have been exciting ones in our lives.  I hope they’ve been exciting in yours too.  If they haven’t been, they’re coming back.- Gabe

The one and only Vance Powell, fresh off his number one album with Jack White, began mixing our album this morning.  Jordan, Adam and I began our day at Nashville’s own Sam & Zoe’s…drinking coffee and indulging in a very insightful and riveting conversation of UFOs.  Jordan was at the helm.  Adam was supplementing.  I was nodding in delight.  And then we all freaked out over THIS.

Coffee completed, we went over to Sputnik Sound where Vance had already started with a song called 1984.  And had already started doing his amazing rock n roll thing.  Mixing is a mysterious process.  After a song is mixed it always sounds better, but asking how or why it sounds better is best left to people like Vance.  He is a monster and a wizard.

Favorite lyric of 1984: “Heavy metal music and the mark of the beast. The popular opinion and the media feast…”

Stay tuned.

We have completed the tracking of our new album.  There’s still a few phases to go before it can grace your headphones, but the part where we sing and play our instruments is over.  Into the silver hours of the night we went last night with our producer, Mitch Dane, and sprinkled on the finishing touches.  Mixing of the album starts Monday, but more on that….on Monday.

For now we get to exhale the breath that we took in back on March 7th when we first hit the record button.  Feels pretty good.  We’re still running.

For instance: What if I asked you what you think happens next in the picture above, with our heels in the air (highlighting our exceptional vertical leap).  You could fill in the story with whatever you think.  You have the freedom to, and it would be different depending on what you’re feeling at this moment.   

But what if I told you once our heels landed Jordan spun around two times, whipping his guitar like a tornado while Adam got up on top of the speakers and made lightning look slow compared to his guitar solo speed.  Or, what if I told you once our heels landed, we hit the final chord of the night, walked back stage, cried together and called our mothers.

See, there’s a different satisfaction level with someone else delivering “what’s next”, rather than exercising the freedom to choose it ourselves.  Especially if the “what’s next” happens to connect with what you’re feeling at that particular moment.  

All this to say, I don’t think radio, or at least some version of it, will ever die.  There’s just a difference of when I scroll through my iTunes to turn on a song like “Tiny Dancer” or “With Or Without You” verses when I get in my car, flip on the radio and SOMEONE ELSE decided to spin that track.  Maybe its affirmation, or just the randomness…but there is a certain sweetness to it.  Like somewhere, someone knew what song I needed (even if I didn’t), and delivered it at the perfect moment.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t use Spotify (I do) or you should delete your iTunes library (you shouldn’t) or anything like that.  I’m just saying, we all know THAT feeling when our favorite song(s) finds us, rather than the other way around.  Keep that possibility alive.

Photo By: Kevin Voth

Lenny Kravitz is one of the most ultimate cool guys around.  Follow him on twitter…he posts amazing pictures. Yes, of himself, but he’s usually playing an amazing guitar and somehow the stage lights are hitting him just right and he’s in the perfect stance, wearing the perfect jacket, using the perfect….

Recently, the fine folks at Gibson started doing some how-to videos for various rock songs.  Adam, being an excellent guitar player, great teacher, striking jaw line and all around fantastic guy, was asked to shoot some of the videos.  

Click HERE or the above picture to have Adam teach you Lenny K’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way”.

And believe me, he teaches it, note for note.  He figured out said notes while in the back of the van.  We all had to hear him figure out all those notes, so don’t take it for granted.

If you find yourself clicking around the Gibson site, you’ll also see Jordan’s face pop up on some of the instructional videos too.  Jack Black and the school of rock have nothing on The Kicks.

Ditch guitar hero. Start learning for real.

We had a little time off from the studio.  We’re back in now.  With our time off we wrote some more and played some shows. 

Now, we’ve mentioned the band Vintage Trouble in a couple posts recently, but after having played with them this past weekend, one more blog mention feels appropriate.  Go see them play.  It’s worth the drive. It’s worth the cash.

Back at Sputnik Studios, its all coming together.  For those of you who get our updates, you’re about to be showered with gifts.

Tomorrow we’re making the age old journey back down to Atlanta.  It’s a journey that has been poured into the foundation of the band.  Jordan is all too aware of which exits have a Chic Fil A, I’ve developed a 6th sense for which exits have a Dairy Queen, and Adam doesn’t really have to worry since every exit’s gas stations carry Shock Tarts.  And Lucas, he sleeps through it all.

But unlike the saying, it really is more about the destination than the journey.  We really love playing in Atlanta, and tomorrow night is certainly no exception.  The set list is equal parts old songs and brand new songs…so if you’re not in ATL, call your friend who is and have them video the new tunes and send em’ to you.

Monday pulls back the lid on the studio once again.  Here we go.  Keep checkin back for videos and updates each day next week.

Any Questions: thekicksrock at gmail dot com

Get on board by entering your email below! Next week we will be revealing exclusive content pertaining to our new album to those who have entered your email address to receive our updates (and mean while received the Sputnik Sessions for FREE).  And the sneak preview isn’t just some desktop background pic, a photo of Adam’s latest guitar strap or a sketch of The Kicks as Disney characters.  This will be far better.  Get with us.

The sound guy tonite looks very much like Wolverine from X-Men, Hugh Jackman. On top of that, the “art” on the walls in the back is top notch. And to finish things off, there are two fantastic motorcycles just off to the left of the stage. I think we’ve got a lot of things going for us at the moment.

For those who go to shows often or play shows often, you know that venues can be hit and miss, and a whole lot of other things too. I’d like to call to action someone out there to make a documentary film about all the clubs and bars and dives that bands roll through. The history, the characters, the sound guys, the whole bit. It would be riveting. And we’d all watch it on Netflix.

Just consider it.

In other music news, the band Jet broke up yesterday.  Man, they had a couple great records.  But interestingly enough, Aerosmith did not break up yesterday. In fact, they just announced a summer tour today.  I (Gabe) have seen them twice, and am planning on dragging the others with me.  I’m actually going to tell them right now.  This video has been posted a couple times before, but the refresher is just as fantastic….