3 months later he phones me back and says that Double Trouble agree to do an album and it would involve drummer Chris Layton, bassist Tommy Shannon and keyboardist Reese Wynans. Shocked by the news, I gather up my thoughts and prepare a business proposal for investors.
Kenny Hill, a partner in Grand River Enterprises on [...]
3 months later he phones me back and says that Double Trouble agree to do an album and it would involve drummer Chris Layton, bassist Tommy Shannon and keyboardist Reese Wynans. Shocked by the news, I gather up my thoughts and prepare a business proposal for investors.
Kenny Hill, a partner in Grand River Enterprises on Six Nations Of The Grand River, agrees to help me out and provides a budget to allow me to see this project through. While we are discussing where I will record the album, he suggests that he build a studio right on the reservation to accommodate the talent pool in the area and provide a world class facility for the people to work on their respective projects.
In February 2008, I loaded up a film crew and headed to Austin, Texas to start tracking the album. After 12 days we had recorded 15 bed tracks and ideas. I had some studio time booked in Pedernales, Willie Nelson’s studio, so I took all the songs there and recorded some guitars and vocals to flesh out the songs. While I was there, Les got a track to Willie Nelson through one of the grounds keepers, Ed Russell. That led to Willie singing on ‘Damned If You Do’.
I had to wait for about a year for the studio to be completed so I would occasionally look at the tracks at home on my Protools system and would try different things. When Jukasa Studios was complete, I threw myself into the new space and experimented with every pre amp, compressor and microphone combo I could.
Along the way, I met a musician/amp builder Wayne Macpherson, who let me use some of his guitar amps. He calls his company Dartmouth Amplifiers. I proceeded to build some speaker cabinets with him and he helped me shape some of the guitar sounds on the album.
I was working with Sean Gugula at Jukasa for most of the overdubs and then we brought in Nick Blagona to mix who later took over as Chief Engineer at the studio.
I learned a ton and would recommend any artist to try and see all aspects of shaping your sonic universe!
One Response to "Derek Miller With Double Trouble"
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comment by Savy Delia
Derek, I just want to take a moment to say your music is what is missing in the Industry to-day, it is honest and full of life, Double Trouble sounds great and so do you. Ocean was the first track or time I heard of you, I do not understand why you do not get air play on more stations but what ever you do do not stop keep on rockin’ dude.