Heath and I came in around 12:00 for a minute then left to pick up Rick at his hotel a couple other errands. We got back and Willie was at the studio having just finished a vocal for one of his projects. Heath and I got to talk with him for a minute and then got a quick photo opportunity as well. He's as cool as you've heard. Very nice.

Willie said see ya later and left in his pick up truck.

The band showed up about an hour later and listened and talked with Gordie in the control room. After a short time they came out and cut another track. It was around 6 when Heath and I went on the dinner run to Opie's BBQ. We got back and everyone made a plate and went back into the control room to listen and comp.

The truck is in place and the ramp is up and its time to move to the next one. I'm gonna try to keep up the videos on the road. If all goes right tomorrow is a day off...

See ya on the road!

-Lance

Video #14 - Bass w/ Jorgen/Warren on Drums

Really its the weather we're all in love with, that and these songs and this is gonna be a good one!

So today, Tues. 2/3 09 Farmer came in to meet the B3 repairman, Fred Ross of Austin around 11:30. Heath and I got in around noon and the band at 2:00. They're was a tape machine repairman/expert who had flown in from Dallas working on the 24 track. Farmer, Heath and I moved the B3 for Fred to start working on it.

The next few hours were spent with Heath going and picking up Rick Keiner and his wife Karon at the Airport. For those of you who don't know Rick is our truck driver. Our first and last on the scene. For the record. Rick is the man.

Dinner tonight was from Angels, another locally run resturant that is akin to all the different resturants that dot the landscape here. Its also nice to take a night off from the grill once and a while.

After dinner the band started cutting the songs they had been writing over the last two nights. Kind of like added songs...

You might say extras, if there's such a thing. Non the less they're hot!

Tomorrow is the last day in the studio here in hill country and we'll ridin back into town a whoopin and a woppin! With that in mind Farmer and I would like to thank, George Stumberg, John Neilson and John Grafton Clark for helping with load in and out here at the studio. Also special thanks to Gordie Johnson, Jacob Sciba, Jared Dodd for putting up with us.

Of course, thanks Willie

-Lance

Video #13 - Guitar Maintenance w/ Brian Farmer

Danny, Farmer and myself got up early and were in the studio by 11am to meet Fred the B3 repairman for and overhaul. Warren and the rest of the band continued to write, comp. and come up with new ideas once they got here at 2pm. After dinner the 24 track lost the last nine tracks on the machine, not any music. I repeat not any music. These mechanical and electrical things just happen from time to time.

By the way, the air conditioner has to remain on in Winter in the control room because the heat from all the equipment heats up the room enough to melt chocolate.

Jacob and Heath went into Austin to grab another machine from the sister studio. Meanwhile the band went hardcore into writing mode and from what I hear the last four out of four songs are rockin...

Later I went and tried to video the abundant mule deer here on the course at night. They're everywhere.

Jacob and Heath got back around 12:30 and the band played on...

-Lance

-Lance

There were still boats out on the lake when Jacob came to pick me up to head off to the studio. I got in followed shortly there after by Gordie, Warren and Farmer. Danny, Jorgen and Matt took the rest of the day off. We shot a little more video on stringing guitars and moving keys around. That will be in number 13.

Farmer and I changed the keys around once again and I cut video footage the rest of the night. Warren, Jacob, and Gordie comped the rest of the songs throughout the night.

-Lance

Everyone left the condo at 2pm and headed on down to the studio. Once there the band ordered breakfest then it was more comping for a few hours. Then around 5pm they learned and/or wrote a new song.

Dinner was Mexican pick up tonight. Farmer had an amp blow and he worked on that for a couple hours. I edited videos all day and then took some time to shoot a few photos.

Later after dinner...

They caught a 30lb raccoon in the trap. I continued editing some video and the band cut another track and we all left around 2am. Long full day.

Today we bring you a very special video. It is the world premiere of the new smash cooking show, "Cooking With Lance." Enjoy.

Haynes, Gordie and Jacob started comping all the way up until 10pm.

More info later, for now enjoy this clip below of Danny enjoying some time on the golf course.

After dark I went and got tons of groceries and then grilled again. They were listening to the song they had just cut when i got back - its smoking. Guitar!!! Around 1am they started to track another after watching a T-Model Ford video for real blues inspiration.

More To Come
-Lance

PS - We called the pest control people about getting rid of the raccoons in the roof of the building, nothing has happened yet, so our guests are still up above us.

In The Studio videos #5 & #6 are live today. In these videos we meet Heath & Jared, visit the control room with Lance and get a full studio tour from Brian Farmer. More to come! To see the full size videos head to the Gov't Mule Facebook Page.

Video #5 - Meet Heath! & A Studio Tour

Video #6 - Control Room Visit/Meet Jared

It's cold in Texas. How cold you ask? It's Freezing, ice on the roads and the windows. Topping that off, today was a foggy, cold, ugly and gloomy day outside, and it just got colder after the sun went down.

Inside, things were a little better. Heath went home for a few days (check out this page on Wednesday for a video about what he has been doing in the studio) and Danny had a broken mac screen that he had to deal with for a little while. I've been running around taking photos of guitars and helping out Farmer.

As far as the recording goes, that has been nothing but wonderful. Warren, Gordie and Jacob worked on three of the four songs that have already been cut for about eight hours. Afterwards the band picked up their instruments and worked out a new song from 11pm-2am. Things are progressing nicely on the recording, and we hope you are enjoying the updates.

-Lance

Two more video updates for you today, some more photos will be added shortly (have been added to the 1.26.09 entry) as well to the last few entries. We have some string talk with Brian Farmer, a visit to the percussion closet with Gordie Johnson and some sit downs with Jorgen and Danny. To see the full size videos head to the Gov't Mule Facebook Page.

Video #3 - String Talk w/ Brian Farmer

Video #4 - The Percussion Closet & More

Now that we are settled in the studio the video clips should be coming at you pretty quick. Two videos are up today covering load in and some insightful guitar talk with Brian Farmer. To see the videos in their full size glory head to the Gov't Mule Facebook Page.

Video #1 - Load In & Guitar Talk w/ Brian Farmer

Video #2 - Load In & Guitar Talk w/ Brian Farmer

Sunday in Spicewood, TX. (not New York) and Gov,t Mule are getting good and comfortable. Lance and I got into the studio today at 11am. Lance got back to video editing and I got caught up on some paperwork. Rock n' Roll!

Farmer reported for duty at 1:30pm and the rest of the band and crew followed. By 2:01pm The Mule was exploring new musical territory. Warren walked the rest of the band through another new song and then they played through it a few times.

For dinner Chef Lance once again treated us to a grilled feast of epic proportions.

After the dinner break, the boys completed recording the basic tracks of the second song of the session (the one they learned earlier today). And, after a short break, they began learning, and then recorded yet another song.

Things are moving along at a great pace (and more importantly) ahead of schedule.

More to come,
Heath

The day got rollin' with Farmer and Lance going to the studio for some preparation and me driving into Austin (about 35 miles one way!). A couple of pieces of gear needed to see the doctor, Bill Web at Austin Vintage, is one of the best gear doctors you could ask for. We're sure he'll have them healthy soon.

The band hit the (tracking room) floor running! More songs are coming together very quickly. I mean every pass is tighter, and the tunes are finding themselves closer and closer to being cut, tweaked, balanced, printed to 1/2 inch tape, mastered, pressed and presented for the blowing of your minds. It's hard not to get carried away...

It got cold! I mean it's was like 50¼ outside today. The perfect opportunity for Lance to show off his culinary expertise again. We're talkin' about grilled chicken, scallops, salmon, tuna, burgers, steaks, garlic, baked potato, asparagus and something we found on the side of the road (seemed fresh enough). Mmm-mmm good! Daisy, Gordie's cute little Australian Ridgeback (for all intents and purposes the studios mascot & guard dog) ate like a princess tonight.

Back to the hard stuff! Well fed and caffeinated the boys went right back to tearin' it up after dinner. I think there is just something in the air here at Willie Nelsons studio (call it a vibe) that bring the best out of some bands and The Mule is one of them. Things are going well.

More to come,
Heath

PS: Lance is happy to say we are closer to having video clips for all of you to enjoy very soon. So keep checking back.

After yesterdays session ended at about 2am, the band stayed up late working out an arrangement for a new tune. They jammed with a couple of acoustics back at the condo (with an occasional Squidbilies break) 'til the early morning.

Around 11am this morning Farmer, Lance & I got started running errands. Including, but not exclusive to, talking to Fed Ex, tracking down gear, acquiring necessities and we even managed to squeeze in a little lunch before heading to the Pedernales to prep for todays events.

The Boys arrived at 2pm ready, fed, and rockin'. Once Jared got everyone their usual daily amount of high-octain espresso we were rollin'. Gordie and the guys talked a little post-production then they got down to the dirty stuff.

Today Lance proved himself to be the man you want to cook you're steak! We had ourselves a cookout at the studio tonight. A rare treat that will hopefully become a bit more common around here. There is not much more than deer, dirt roads and Opie's BBQ out here, so a little home cooked meal can go a long way.

A lot of new ground was covered today. More new songs, flat out JAMS!, and above all... the guys always seem to be havin' fun. This session has provided me my first Jorgen Carlsson experience. Actually, from my workstation, he's about the loudest thing I can hear and I gotta say the guy's blowin' me the (expletive deleted) away.

More to come,
Heath

Today Lance got off to a good start with drums around noon. Heavy lifting, lots of fluids and a lil' bit of blood later.... and the Pedernales Recording Studio, once again, has Gov't Mule workin' hard and playin' harder.

Brian Farmer, after having a once in a lifetime experience witnessing Barak Obama be sworn in as our 44th president became the man who could not escape Washington D.C. After two days of the hell that was post-inauguration travel madness, Farmer made it to Austin,TX. I got him to the studio around four and he went right to workin' the voodoo that only he do.

All the amps are turned on (one has even blown up), tubes are warmed up and mics are in place. Gordie and Jacob have miles of two-inch tape spinnin' while the band jams on some new ideas. All the gear is being dialed in. The boys are literally writing some new songs has I type this.

Everyone's feelin' good and excited to hammer out another Gov't Mule record.

More to come!,
- Heath

10am - The Beginning
Back to Austin in early 2009 to start work on some new Gov't Mule tracks. We will once again be bringing updates to you direct from the studio in the form of blogs, photos & videos. Today is the start of load in, so keep on eye on this section of mule.net over the next few weeks.