Casey on the plane to Nashville, tired from SXSW but raring to go!
We just finished our first day working in a rehearsal studio in Nashville with producer Tom Jackson. We won a contest by the New Music Seminar & OurStage, and part of the prize package was the opportunity to work with this famous live show producer extraordinaire, who has worked with such acts as Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake. What a crazy and completely random day for us!
Tom gave us tips on how to make our songs “look as different as they sound,” and coached us on how to get the audience involved, creating as many “memorable moments” for people as possible. No small task for Tom considering our bad habit of shoe gazing next to the mic stand.
Tom Jackson: "Casey stop having sex with your guitar!"
Speaking of bands who don’t move while playing: the Kings of Leon just happened to be at the same rehearsal space working on their next album. (Our road manager Jimmy got a picture with Caleb…no fair!)
We got into the studio around 10:30 this morning to set up and be ready for Tom by 11. We had exactly eight hours, and we wanted to make the most of it — after all, this guy works with everyone! Tom wasted no time getting down to work. He asked us to run through our live set, and to play him all the songs we play at shows. Once we were done, he immediately said “That last song ‘ADD’. That’s the one you’ll end your show with.”
We captured a few moments in the video below.
Our three favorite Tom Jackson quotes:
Will: "Am I doing the pee pee dance?"
1. “Casey, you look like you are trying to have sex with your guitar!”
2. “ Will and Casey, stop walking around on the stage like you are doing the pee pee dance. pick a spot on stage, and play there!”
3. “Noah, the bassist is like a Tight End in football. Every once in a while we’ll throw the ball your way. This is not that time.”
After a quick lunch break and a sneak peak at the Kings of Leon in the rehearsal studio next door, we go to work on “A.D.D.” — which you’ll get to hear on our new EP! Tom blew our minds. We’re not going to spoil the surprise and share all the details but our three minute long recorded song is now about six minutes long when we play it live. We’re so excited to get back out and play our new stuff for all of you, especially now!
Seven o’clock came way too quickly. We had worked all day on one song. We wouldn’t have ever thought that would make any sense but this guy had so many good ideas, it was well worth it to make sure we used them all! At the end of the day, we ran through the song three times in a row, from beginning to end. Finally, at the end of the final run through, Tom gave us a standing ovation. What a feeling that was!
Anthony got it right that time!
Obviously you want to know how you top off an amazing day like that right?! I mean… what could possibly make this day any more perfect than meeting Kings of Leon and getting to work with Tom Jackson!
I’ll tell you.
We sat in our hotel room (on the coolest street name in the country: DemonBreun aka “demon brewin”) and watched Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
Tomorrow, we will tell you about our exciting night out on the town in Nashville.
– Loomis and the Lust
Jackson teaches Casey & Will how to move on stage
Tom Jackson and the engineer with Loomis & The Lust
Casey: "Am I doing the pee pee dance now?"