Recording
The Afghan Whigs began recording the album in July 1991. They held recording sessions for Congregation at Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, Washington and Buzz's Kitchen in Los Angeles, California. Dulli wrote most of its songs and produced the album with audio engineer Ross Ian Stein. Session musicians such as Miss Ruby Belle, Shecky Stein, and Lance Ellison also contributed; Belle sung lead vocals on "Her Against Me", Stein played piano on "Conjure Me", and Ellison played piano and sung lead vocals on "The Temple" with John Curley and Rick McCollum. Singer-songwriter Shawn Smith contributed backing vocals to "This Is My Confession" and "Dedicate It". After the rest of the band finished recording their parts, Dulli stayed in Los Angeles to record his vocals, overdub the recorded tracks, and mix the album. However, the album's production was delayed due to Sub Pop's financial difficulties, and Dulli got another job in Los Angeles to pay for the studio.
Although the label eventually settled the studio's bills and the album's sessions ended in August 1991, the band was unsure if Sub Pop had enough money to release any more albums, let alone Congregation. After the massive commercial success of Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind, Sub Pop recovered financially by receiving royalties from the album after the band left them for a major label. Dulli later said that while he was "stranded in L.A. ... Nirvana saved the whole fuckin' label". He recalled thanking the band's frontman Kurt Cobain upon the album's completion, saying that "I went to Nirvana's show at the Palace in L.A. and hugged Kurt and said, 'Good one, bro. Congratulations. And thank you—now I can go home.'"
After the album's sessions were done, Dulli was inspired to write and record an additional track on the day of Miles Davis' death, September 28, 1991. He received two messages on his answering machine from music executive David Katznelson, the first providing directions to a cookout and the second informing Dulli that Davis had passed, saying that "Miles is dead. Don't forget the alcohol." Working at Ultrasuede in Cincinnati, Dulli incorporated Katznelson's line as a lyric and, with a guitar riff from Rick McCollum, hastily recorded "Miles Iz Ded", which was included as a hidden track on the album. Congregation was mastered by Jack Skinner at K Disc Mastering in Hollywood. Dulli subsequently took a drive in his car and listened to the album while observing his scenery, a practice he continued with future albums.
Read more about this topic: Congregation (album)
Famous quotes containing the word recording:
“Too many photographers try too hard. They try to lift photography into the realm of Art, because they have an inferiority complex about their Craft. You and I would see more interesting photography if they would stop worrying, and instead, apply horse-sense to the problem of recording the look and feel of their own era.”
—Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870–1942)
“Self-expression is not enough; experiment is not enough; the recording of special moments or cases is not enough. All of the arts have broken faith or lost connection with their origin and function. They have ceased to be concerned with the legitimate and permanent material of art.”
—Jane Heap (c. 1880–1964)
“He shall not die, by G—, cried my uncle Toby.
MThe ACCUSING SPIRIT which flew up to heaven’s chancery with the oath, blush’d as he gave it in;—and the RECORDING ANGEL as he wrote it down, dropp’d a tear upon the word, and blotted it out for ever.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)