Good morning...well...afternoon...

Yesterday was kinda a day off. Matthias stopped by my houe to listen to some more songs...if his reaction is any indication of what is to come...all of this work is going to pay off!

Johnny Lee is in town playing some bass on the TSO CD. He seemed to like the stuff a lot too! Citing the variety and the voice right away...

Last night I went out for a bit...the bit lasted all night...

Tim Cain, Igor, friends...it was fun...I think I needed it! You know it was a good night out when you leave the house at 6PM and wind up eating ka-bobs in the rain at 3AM!!!

Today is the continuation of Saddamize...another different kind of a mix.

This stuff is funny...some stuff can take 6 to 8 hours to mix...other stuff 2 days. It depends on the song really. I spent 130 hours editing and getting ready for the mix...the time is purely relating to making sure the song is exactly the way I want it sonically.

Saddamize has an 8 piece live string section....2 live middle eastern "Lute" tracks...different keyboards...2 completely different rhythm sections, guitars, bass and vocals...I want the different instruments to interact...this takes a lot of time to get the right mix...riding each instrument...getting each blend...the right effects...

The same goes for all of the songs on each CD. I have one opportunity to come out with my first solo CD...I am not going to compromise any part of this recording process...

I think either "Fright Knights" or "Erase" is next...I may wait on "Erase" just because of the 60 tracks of vocals!

Yikes!

Tim Cain just dropped in...I will be back!

Chris

Hello again...

Tim just left the studio...

I played him my instrumental song...he had a huge smile on his face!

He got to hear "Saddamize"...the bar scene...the religious prayer...the whole deal...he was just smiling!

We will get this done...break for Indain food and get "Fright Knights" up...

I may play some Sitar here in a few minutes!

I am psyched because Peavey is sending me a guitar to check out...

I will let you know when I get it!

I am starting a lot of sentences with I.

I am going back to work,

Chris

Yup...I get paid to do this!

I was surprised, "Saddamize" took about a day to get together, but it was not that much of a pain in the ass!

This tune is very unique...I think it will be one of the songs that will be on all of your "Which are your favorite songs?" list...

Any track that starts off with the first verse saying...
"Fucked in the assets, the fruits of the land!"
It is so funny! But all too serious at the same time...

The cafe' came out perfect!

The song has everything...

I added in classical guitar and sitar at the last minute...

So...there is a 20 piece band...made up of...lead guitar, electric guitars, bass, drums, percussion, strings, sitar, synthesizer, guitar synth, classical guitar and lute. All of this mixed with a friend singing as Jesus from the cross in Greek...a Greek cafe'...lots of strange noises...then the lead and background vocals on top!

I am very pleased with the song. I think it is my favorite mix yet!

"Fright Knights" is up and running...

Oh...I think "Evil is as Evil Does" is going to make the WAR CD. This leaves room for my instrumental...tentatively titled "A Merry Chris-Mess" to go on "Faces".

I am re-writing the war story now to fit the song. It is about evil teaching evil...I am going with a father-son angle...we all have had our lives affected by this very recently...I will leave it at that!

We just found a classical bass solo that Skippy did...it is insane, we forgot he recorded it! I think I am going to put it before "Evil Is" on the GDWAR CD.

Only 3 more full days left here...I should be wrapped up with everything but 2 bonus tracks by Thursday night!!!!!!

"Fright Knights", "Erase", "WARPED", "Forever We'll Be" and "Pisses Me Off"....that is all that is left! I hope to have Fright finished by dinner tomorrow...then get "Erase" really close....Wed. I will finish Erase and get Warped and possibly "Forever" done...Thur. will be Pisses me Off and any little things we need to fix.....I think this is totally possible!

I am so happy with this CD/s!!!!

Back to work!

Chris

Hello,

Back to work here...finishing up "Fright Knights". It sounds good...but I don't love the blend yet...a bit too soft....

Getting my business together for the States...a lot of interesting reactions to the WAR CD.

inda stinks, but I think it may have a different title here in the US than the rest of the world...Oh, some people are just too stupid to figure out that the controversy sells more CD's...by censoring my CD title, I will sell more!!!!

Freedom of speech eh?

Let the games begin!!!

WAR is HELL!!!!

Chris

OK...

I am getting closer...

"Fright Knights" is done! We are putting "WARPED" up next. I think we can finish it and get a fresh start on "Erase" tomorrow. I would like to finish "Erase" and get the re-mix of "The Mold" done. I re-sang the chorus.

Thursday is going to be "Forever We'll Be" and "Pisses Me Off". The most emotional and friendliest song I have along with the funniest and most obnoxious!!!!!

After that, I am leaving the city! I am going to hunt, work at Mom's on the house, fish, hang in the studio with John West after we sit in the woods...Just get the fuck out of here!!!!

I will listen to all of my mixes and pick the right ones...there are not tons, usually just 2 or 3 choices in the end...it becomes obvious!

Then I will eventually return to the city to drop the mixes to 1/2 inch and get ready for my mastering journey in Greece. I do have 2 bonus tracks to finish...a softer rock song and a Christmas ballad with vocals...I am in no particular hurry to finish those...I will probably mix them at Nik's.

This was a tremendous amount of work. I hope you will enjoy it...I have a good feeling about things here...now the real work starts...I figure I will know 18 months after the record exactly what it's success will be. So...when we talk in early 2006 hopefully things will be a lot different for all of us!

Back to work...I think Kemp is on her way to hang out...she said she was a bit sick...I already knew that!!!

Talk to you later!

Chris

I am not going to give any secrets away....

BUT...

There is an extremely funny moment in this song...

I think it is done...

If so...We are going to finish the MOLD...

Kemp just left...we took some interesting photos...some you may see...some...you definately will not!!!

It is COLD OUZO TIME AGAIN!!!! Ya know it will always win!!!!

Hello...

Why did they have to put McCann's in between my engineer's place and my house? I stopped in at 2:30 for some tea and cookies...wound up leaving at 4:30...actually ran into an A+R guy from a major label here in the US. He was there with a friend of mine...played him some stuff...he basically said that there is noone doing anything quite like what I am...I was happy to hear that!

We worked a bit on "The Mold"...there are a few ways we can go so we bailed on it to think...

"Erase" is up and running! I hope to have this done by 10PM...then I will do the last remaining harmony part that is missing in "Forever". That will go up late and finish tomorrow first thing. It is only me, keys and an acoustic...so it should not take too long!

I listened to the whole WAR CD this morning...all of the mixes so far. If you were ever a fan of heavy music at all in your life, this CD is 4 you! I was just enjoying it!!!!

I need a nap...food too eventually!!!

Talk to you after dinner!

Chris

Hello,

We finished "Erase" at about midnight...it is really eerie. I used the actual sound of the planes crashing into the Trade Centers for an intro. God Damn War is almost finished. We began "Forever We'll Be". This CD has 6 songs of 6 minutes or over!!! So much work. Almost at the finish line.

I want to take time to thank everyone at the studio here...Nick...who I have tortured for 13 weeks! Pete...Rob...Lefty for the WAR sounds and various other important items!

Jeff, Skippy and Morris...You guys rocked!!!!

Greek John, Dave Eggar and George on Lute!!!!

I want to thank all of you too...I have been very inspired by your support to make sure that you are not disappointed at all in this CD. It is weird sometimes when I think of just how much of my life I write about here. But, I began my relationship with you all on the internet in 1997...I have promised not to change it. It gets tiring, but I consider you my friends...I know we have encountered a few assholes here and there on the boards...but for the most part...things have been a blast! Besides...the assholes will be silenced permanently on September 24th...I assure you of that...

The song we are doing now I feel is the one that will strike a nerve in every single one of you. It is hard for me to listen to it right now. So much emotion has went into this CD...the emotion in this song holds all of it inside.

"All you need is a friend, by your side 'til the end
As the thick becomes thin, then the roulette will spin...
As it falls into place, look my friend at my face.
In the eyes you will see that Forever We'll Be"

I am going to get back to work...I just wanted to thank Kemp one more time...I could never have made it through the past 16 months with out her...It is amazing just how powerful a friend can be in your life...appreciate the ones you have...don't take them for granted...Remember, I will always be here for you all...Let's get ready to kick the World's ass!!!!! It is time!

I began this thing alone...I really had no support in the beginning...as time went on, I still remained alone...I will leave the city on Friday with my cat...but still alone...but not really...over 90,000 visits on the site while I was in the studio recording this CD...I am not alone!!! Thank you all...

Chris

For "Pisses Me Off"!!!!

This will be a lot of people's theme song very soon!!!!!

"Forever We'll Be" is done...very haunting...especially where it falls on the WAR CD.

I just got a call from Ripper Owens...Iced Earth is playing in NYCity tonite...I think Steve Broderick and I may escape to catch a few songs...

Instead of a dinner break...a break for RIPPER!

Last day here...kinda weird...I won't know what to do with myself!

I will talk to you in a bit....

C

We can't even get through 5 seconds of the lyrics of this song without rolling on the floor...

As things wind down, it is only fitting to end it with the silliest song I have!

I think I am going to sing another lead vocal to put on top...

There are 2 low voices and a high raspy one...I think I want a high clean one on the main verses to round it out...make it even sillier!!!

I am going to leave here at 10 to watch a few Iced Earth tunes...then return later to finish up...

It's cold Ouzo time again...you know it will always win!!!!

Cheers!

C

Hello...

I just returned from NYCity...

Ripper and Iced Earth kicked ass....sold out in New York City!

I saw a lot of friends and fans...it was really cool to hear the excitement in their voices in anticipation of this CD.

Stevie Broderick went with me...I was also with Evan...a friend of Nik's...we had to leave right away to get back here...Nik is kicking my ass with this mix of PMO!!! It rules!

I will wrap things up tomorrow!!!

I have to actually get my stuff out of here tonite....once again, thanks for all of your support throughout this recording...I promise, you will not be disappointed!!!!

I will talk to you tomorrow!

I FUCKING MADE IT!!!!

Chris