Blake Babies History Part 5
Making Nicely Nicely, meeting Billy Ruane, making friends with The Lemonheads.
During my two years at Berklee, I worked towards becoming a music production and engineering major. That didn’t mean I spent much actual time in the studio. The first year is core curriculum and ordinary college classes like composition and ear training. Second year introduces some major-focused introductory classes. It wasn’t until the third and fourth years that a student would specialize in their major. I didn’t stick around long enough for the fun stuff—and likely the truly challenging stuff.
We went into the BF/VF studio, just a block from The Radiator on Boylston Street. I didn’t have any real studio experience at all. I’d made four-track demos and learned some basic microphone placement skills out of a textbook, but I hadn’t had a chance to record a note in a professional studio.
T.W. took the producer job seriously, giving direction on everything from guitar sound to vocal phrasing. Despite occasional tension over creative choices, T.W. maintained a calm disposition and a good sense of humor.
As expected, I loved everything about the recording experience. I’ve always felt comfortable in creative spaces—especially when I’m in the creative process.
We recorded a few songs that came out sounding reasonably good through the control room speakers, though they sounded strange and thin when we dubbed a cassette and listened on our boombox at the Condo Pad. Tracy wasn’t satisfied with the equipment at the BF/VF and wanted to upgrade to a better studio to complete the sessions.
He got us a deal at a high-end professional studio decorated like a fern bar—called Newbury Sound—which drastically reduced their rate if we were willing to record between midnight and 6:00 a.m. I remember seeing a pre-fame cover of the New Kids on the Block album and thinking we were in the wrong place.
