It is really nice when you work hard on a project and artist leaves the studio with a smile on their face and a heart felt thank you.. It is twice as rewarding when an artist writes a positive thankful blog about their time at Fastback. I would like to share with you Polly O’Keary blog about her time recording with us.

We’re recording at Fastback Studio right outside Lake City in Seattle. I chose this studio because the people here are very, very into blues. I went to a studio that cost twice as much and has a huge reputation and asked them about their experience with and knowledge of blues and they showed me some discs of locals that they said were blues. Let me tell everyone so that we are all on the same page: There is a universe of difference between “bluesy” and blues. Putting salsa on a hot dog does not make Mexican food. Putting a slide guitar in a rock song does not make a blues album.

Okay. I feel better now. We’ve laid down rhythm tracks for six songs. I really didn’t think we were ready. I was really nervous. I was wrong. I guess I always focus on all the stuff we didn’t do that we could have done, and forget all the stuff we did do. We laid some amazing tracks, and the engineers here, Jason and Mark, really do know blues. I don’t have to explain anything to them. I don’t have that sinking feeling, listening to my album get away from me.

Let me say this about my band. I love them. I love them without qualification or reservation. We’re all uptight and perfectionist in our own way, but everyone is being so cool with each other. And when things got a bit tense this morning, Tommy (drummer) turned out to be the most amazing team-building kind of guy, and we pulled it out and got holding hands again. Everyone is laying down genius parts. Tommy’s drum parts are the best I’ve ever worked with, and he came up with this one part for a swing tune I wrote that just makes the whole tune. And my bass parts! So funky! So smooth! I’m so in love with that new bass I may never need another man! My God, they get a great tone here! And Frank’s Hammond B3 playing is more amazing than ever today, and CD is right now putting down killer slide guitar tracks.

I waited 20 years for this. 20 years of false starts and wrong turns and now I finally have the best team you could ever want. I do believe folks, at the end of the day, this is going to be a VERY good album.