The Tony Cornejo Blog

We're moving

Tony — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:26:00 GMT

We're moving to http://stlmusic.boozecritic.com/

Running out of room here and I'm running a Wordpress site at the new URL so I can keep dishing out the fine fine music and videos you've come to expect from blog.tonycornejo.com.

Come visit.

Queen of Sheeba

Tony — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:21:00 GMT

Doing the Logic Thang, inspired by the movie The Wackness, I lay down some fine Logic loops and added synths for chorus and sound effects.

RationalFunctions()

Tony — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:47:00 GMT

Need to get something new up here. So... I have a new software environment. Logic Studio 8. It's quite a learning curve at this point and I have a number of things in process but here's a quick ambient ditty that I hope you enjoy called, RationalFunctions()

Zodiac Lounge Trio

Tony — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:48:00 GMT

For your listening pleasure the Zodiac Lounge Trio.

Laura on bass

Jeff on drums

Tony on synths & guitars

We recorded the base tracks at Shine Studios. After the fact I have embellished with a number of overdubs.

The song selection

Zodiac Theme

Everybody's Crazy Laura on lead vocals

Friday Night Music Club

Afraid Of Tradition Tony on lead vocals

Hope you enjoy.

The Retros

Tony — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:16:00 GMT

From the South Side of St. Louis. High school chums of mine. The Retros, consisted of Chuck DeClue on vocals, Steve Fairchild drums, Don Green on guitar and Bob Chekoudjian on bass.

Again this session was recorded by Bob Krohn assisted by Don Hollenbeck.

America's New Ambassadors of Love

Tony — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:38:00 GMT

A very special podcast for this episode. America's New Ambassadors of Love. This band started out as the Gems in 2004 and was over by 2005. What we have from the very short existence is the recording that makes up this podcast and assorted video that could be posted sometime in the future.

Comprehensive Pictorial History of Gems & America's New Ambassadors of Love

An early picture of the original Gems

The Ambassadors Basement Party show

Camaros Podcast

Tony — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 05:52:00 GMT

The Camaros circa 1978-79. The tape for this podcast was recorded in my apartment on Indiana Ave. off of the Cherokee street commercial district. We had an unlimited supply of milk crates from the National Food store across the alley to use as furniture. Which was handy as I was of the age when one's stereo system was a higher priority than shelves or chairs.

The late Bob Krohn brought over his four track tape system to La Casa Del Camaro and we did the recording in the bedroom of the shotgun style flat. The Camaros were Mark Condellire, Jim Trimble, Kevin Brueske, Royce Limpart and myself at the time of the recording.

The quality of the recording is definitely lo-fi not only because of the archaic systems and location of the recording but also the podcast content is derived from several generations from the souce.

Still there is a fun energy contained in these recordings that I hope you will enjoy.

Anti-Mation Mono-Types 1981

Tony — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:20:00 GMT

Anti-Mation played the VFW circuit between 1980-1982. We mixed some of our favorite cover songs with wave influenced rock. The band started out with Bob Morrison and myself. We came across Mike Doskicil via a newspaper ad. Eventually Bob left and Mike Yaffe who had played previously with Max Load joined the band. About the same time Jeff LeBeau offered his services on keys to the group.

The record Mono-Types (a play on the word stereotypes) was recorded during two different occasions.

The first session it was Mike, Bob Leach who was filling in on the recently departed Morrison, and myself. It was recorded at Valley Recorders a studio in a work shed off of Adie Rd. in the Maryland Heights area. I believe his name was Fred? Played bass at the time in the Billy Peek band.

Anyway it was painfully hot that day and the AC was out in the shed. So there was much perspiring that day. To make matters worse after we had finished all the base tracks, drums, bass and first guitar a storm blew through and took out the tape head of the snare track. After a few attempts to redo the snare alone, we had to start from the beginning. I also played a Krumar Sting machine on these sessions.

I still remember the army khakis I was wearing and how stained they were from salt from the perspiration. The tracks recorded that day were Alone, Galaxy and True Adventure. On the record this was on side 2. This was also mastered at Valley Recorders.

The next time we were in the studio the personal was Mike D., Mike Y., Jeff and I. I recall this session went much smoother. The songs recorded were Day In, Day Out and Only I. Only I being the first of may songs that where I would explore shallow apathetic self absorption. I would return to the theme repeatedly over the years.

These were the tracks that ended up on side one and we were sure would catapult us to the top of the pops

I brought these two tracks to be mastered at Technisonic studios in Brentwood, where now is a parking lot for the Galleria.

Anyway that’s the story. Please feel free to comment, ask questions and by all means if you have any old photos, recordings etc of this or anything else I might have been involved in please let me know, because I’m shallow and self absorbed but not apathetic to getting my hands on more artifacts.

Yep,

No Mandolins!

Tony — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:22:00 GMT

The title of this episode comes from Jeff Hess, who years ago made this statement to Al Swacker after I had went over to the Drunkabilly practice space. I had brought my mandolin over for some impromptu jamming at the end of one of their practices.

After I had left, Jeff exclaimed to Al, no mandolins. To make it clear that no mandolins would be allowed in the band.

However, this episode is all about the mandolin as it is the unifying theme that ties these tunes together.

Like so much of the pre 21 century music on the tonycornejo.com podcasts this was recorded at Bob Krohn's basement. The songs Shape I'm In, It's Raining and Catfish Done Swallowed My Friend was recorded around the late 80's early 90's on different occasions. I had just started playing mandolin. This would be a period of time where I was listening to roots music, such as old time acoustic folk blues, bluegrass and old time country.

Shape I'm In was a song with roots in new wave. It was first played in the mid 80's in the band the Reverbs. The version on the podcast is a reworking of this song imbued with my fascination of my new appreciation of roots music.

It's Raining, is somewhat reminiscent of the mandolin style that Jimmy Page might have employed. That is using acoustic instrumentation with a pychodelic song.

Catfish Done Swallowed My Friend, was inspired by my father's frequent telling of the tales of the man sized catfish that lived below the dam at Alton Illiinois.

The quality of the productions Bob was able to accomplish with his 8 track reel to reel was continuing to improve. Again these podcast are derived from old cassettes and will have glitches.

The Big Wheels

Tony — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:44:00 GMT

The Big Wheels was a song that germinated possibly back in the early 80's. I believe that Anti-Mation at least practiced this song although I cannot recall if we ever played it live. This is a song recorded and mastered in Garageband over the last couple of months.

Drum loops where used but all the rest is actual.

The Big Wheels is a song about helplessness against powerful forces. I'm sure that no one can relate.

Tempting Faith

Tony — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:06:00 GMT

At long last a new entry. This is a recent recording done using Garageband. The drums are modified drum loops. All the other instrumentation and vocals are actual.

The Felons -- You Assassin

Tony — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:47:00 GMT

The Felons

You Assassin

Another video from the distant past of the early eighties.

I shot and edited this video. Bob Krohn, did the audio recording and sound for the video.

Look At The Way

Tony — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:31:00 GMT

Find more videos like this on THE CIRCUIT by LO-FI SAINT LOUIS

This is a video made by myself and a classmate in 1982. Don't laugh it was the 80s.

Coming up next... Some tunes from the last couple of years.

NAMBLA Ramblers

Tony — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:18:00 GMT

Not sure when this was recorded. If anyone has an idea, please clue me in. Anyway this is a basement recording of a Punk Bluegrass thing a few friends and I were screwing around with. We never adopted the name, a suggestion of Mark Sheridan of course, but it is how we refer to it in conversation now. We played one time for an audience at Chris Condellire's basement in South County.

This session was recorded in Alex Mutrux's basement. I have no pictures of this combo in action or otherwise. If you do email me so we can add to the artifacts.

As always let me know what you think.

Don't forget to tell your friends to visit the Podcast here.

Next program I hope to feature the beautiful Ruby Casino playing with her group America's New Ambassadors of Love.

Later Gators,