“9 out of 10 stars. “Heart of it All” is one of the best tracks on a CD that, unbelievably, is void of filler....the emotions feel real, carry true weight...”
-- Adam Harrington, Whisperin’ & Hollerin’, Aug 2008
“There is a toughness to Thomson’s Pretending album that feels old school, looking back to the days when meat-and-potatoes rock & roll was a vibrant, electrifying entity.”
-- Alison Murphy, Hellhound On My Trail, Aug 2008
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Pretending is a collection of songs from Greg Thomson – singer, songwriter, bassist from Marin County, California.
Marin County is probably most famous for George Lucas and his special effects company, Industrial Light and Magic – and, as George W. Bush once said, for “those hot-tubbers. ”
“I’m not really a hot-tubber, so I don’t know what he’s talking about,” says Greg. “We don’t fit into a mold, so people like George Bush aren’t sure what to think of us. We like to think for ourselves, and we’re actually quite diverse. Whatever our political views are, we tend to push for progress rather than pander to the idealogy of one side or another.”
Adds Greg, “But that’s really off the subject – Pretending isn’t politically or socially motivated at all, except for Buggy, my rant about oil and the war. The rest of the songs are really more about people - about the connections and disconnections we have with others, and with ourselves, and the pretending that can take over along the way.”
Providing more insight into the songs, Greg continues: “There are a range of connections covered in the songs, including the standard male-female relationships and the ups and downs in those. The first song on the CD, Flame, is about a guy who, like many of us, sometimes struggles in his relationship but knows he’s better off if he can make it work. Then there’s Postman - let’s just call it a funny Valentine, but on the creepy side. What I Find is about someone - a friend - who ends up letting you down, then finding a bit of that in yourself. And the song Pretending is more about myself then anyone else, although a lot of people can probably relate to it.”
Pretending was recorded and mixed at KBT Studios in San Anselmo, CA. The songs feature performances from some of Marin’s top musicians, including Paul Ezekial on drums, Jon “The Guitarist” Axtell on guitars, and Lindsay Erin on background vocals, along with Greg on lead vocals and electric bass.
Says Greg, “Singing on top of this band, and with these arrangements and performances, made this one of the most enjoyable recording experiences I’ve had. For the bass, I used a Kydd fretless electric, an upright piece of thin wood with great electronics and a monster feel and tone. It gives the bass a gliding, more earthy sound that I love.”
About the recording Greg says “You hear a lot of very expensive, highly produced music these days. We wanted to go back to the basics and feature a more live sound, without too much rehearsing and with minimal time spent on production in the studio. We approached these songs fairly organically – I’d write the basic songs at home with my acoustic guitar, working out the mood and melodies until the basics felt right. I’d bring the demos to Paul, he’d listen and send them off to Jon, then we’d set up in the studio and track the drums, bass and rhythm guitar together, after playing through a song maybe two or three times. Jon would then add more guitar leads and colors, and later Lindsay graced the vocals with her great backgrounds. We decided to add piano and organ on a couple of songs, so Paul brought in Colin whose style fit perfectly. We’re very pleased with the result – an immediate, pulsing, sound that gives each song it’s own life. I hope people enjoy it.”
The players:
Songs, lead vocals, Kydd fretless electric bass -- Greg Thomson
Drums, percussion, production, engineering -- Paul Ezekial
Guitars -- Jon “The Guitarist” Axtell
Angelic vocal sounds -- Lindsay Erin
Piano, organ, keys -- Colin
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