Fueled by East Bay Coffee, and Lone Star Beer, we sipped, slurped, and gulped our way through ten songs this month. Robert flew in the last week of August and came to our practice room to hear the new songs we’d worked up in June and July.

He bought a skateboard while he was here, and paid religious visits to Peet’s coffee on the drag, where they serve the same muck he grew dependant on in San Francisco. This stuff is rocket fuel. I tried a cup one day. I paced for about two hours then nearly took a swing a Steve Garvey for no damn reason. After that, I stuck to Lone Star.

As we drove between the studios and restaurants, Robert plugged his iPod into the van stereo and gave me an extended tour of The Clash and Superdrag. He also turned me onto Pulp, and Neko Case.

He pushed us hard, and worked his ass off while he was here. He followed 12-hour days in the studio with all-night editing sessions. This is where the coffee came in.

Now that the songs are mixed, and he’s out on the road with The Kicks, I’m trying to recreate some of the new sounds my amplifier and guitar recently made under his guidance. I’ve also got a list of things to work on to make me better. I feel like I’ve just come out of some sort of boot camp. Just in time for our longest tour yet.

Rock and roll,
Chopper