Mysterious Mammal Studios (7-3-11)

Well, we were all pretty fucking tired after yesterday’s workload but everyone showed up on time. Kent picked up some pastries and one little piece of cherry filled confectionary caught our eye. (More on this in a later blog)

The Mr. Submarine sandwiches went down well but I was surprised how little free beer the band drank. They’ll never get anywhere in the music business, if they’re going to take their duties that seriously. Did I mention it was free?

Dan’s forearms, luckily, held up.

Dong didn’t have anymore toilet mishaps. Well, ones that he will admit to.

Carissa had even had a little time to skip out and buy some shoes for a July 4th party. I’m trying to remember the last time I had to run out for a pair of shoes so I could attend a party. Has any guy ever run out to buy party shoes?

After the long day, I grabbed everyone and shot some video for Dong’s promo.

My car even started.

And now ladies and gentlemen…the songs.

They Have Laid Me Down – This was a toughie. Over four hours to get the bedtrack. Tempers flared. Finally, cooler heads prevailed and we managed to get it done. It has quite a ways to go before it’s finished but I think the core of the song is there.



Carissa’s Song – My little tribute to the most diminutive member of our band. Or almost any band. The lead at the end is not there but Carissa’s little “Yeahas” etc. more than make up for it.



The Road To Hannah – This seems to be Dong’s favorite song. I think it would be the single if there was such a thing as singles today. I’m really looking forward to when the is finished. I’m extremely lucky that I’m such a bonehead when it comes to American geography. (another song that Matt said he liked…swoon)

“C’mon Carissa. We’re bandmates. Let me see just one of them.”

Too much fun was being had and Kent was forced to declare Martial Law. The whereabouts of some of the band members is still unknown.

Dong hits a note so bad, he temporarily goes blind in one eye.

“Gosh everyone, how about we try and play a good old fashioned Polka!?”

Carissa practices here “Don’t Fucking Mess With Me” look for the Paparazzi, when she leaves the studio.

“Whoa!  I just remembered where I put that Fudgesickle down!”

Jason gets his legendary drum sound by personally chewing his cymbals to the consistency of moccasins.

Jason gets really excited as Dan gets ready to show introduce him to Artie, his 17 foot pet tape worm.

“Wow! How’s Harry Potter ever going to get out of that sticky pickle?”

The classic rock penis pose as performed by Dong.

Whether in Puerto Rico or the United States, Juan doesn’t travel anywhere without his friend and lover, Waldo, the Imaginary Bunny.

“I wonder if sound can’t travel through a vacuum, how come vacuum cleaners are so darned noisy?”

Jason was named official guardian of the sandwich platter and took his job very, very seriously.

All three of these men are staring at Carissa’s ass through their highly developed peripheral vision.

There’s nothing Dong likes better, after laying down a successful track, than to bark like a dolphin.

Jason dreams of a world where all butternut squash tastes like ice cream.

At one point during the weekend, Dong accidentally dropped his brain onto the floor.

“Man, only 38 cents to Garrote someone. The cheese-wire costs more than that!”

We would like to take this opportunity to categorically state that there is no way that Dong eats the first born children of couples who accidentally get too close to the stage. There was that one time that he tripped and fell mouth first onto a baby’s head, but it was an isolated incident.

“Jesus Christ! Turn around Dong. I’m being sucked into an alternative universe! “

“Do not sucker punch the engineer. Do not sucker punch the engineer! Damn this is hard!”

Mid-solo nap time.

“Just a quick one of these and that fucking nun was D-E-A- dead”

This might not be the official Discount Romance band photo...unless Kent makes us.

Our First Promo!

This was put together by Dong during our stay at Mysterious Mammal Studios in July. The album is coming along nicely. Enjoy this in the interum.

Well, it was an eventful day at Mysterious Mammal Studios. Four, count
‘em, four songs were recorded. (though it was a little touch and go near the end) The guys were troopers and brought home the musical bacon, even though they were getting a little fatigued by nail-biting dénouement.

The day was not without its mishaps. I got a phone call from my wife in the late afternoon. When I answered my cell, she informed me that Dong was locked in the studio bathroom and could not get out. Matt, was quick to the rescue. The rest of the band was too busy laughing to be any help in his retrieval.

After the long grueling day, I went out to my car at 9:30 at night and it was as dead as a doornail. There’s nothing like turning the key in your car in a strange land and having nothing happen. (especially when you’re in Atwater Village) Luckily, it was my vehicles little jape. I was informed by my wife that jiggling the gearshift would eventually revive it. After a few tense moments and some intense jiggling, my fossil fueled steed jumped to life.

No One’s Gonna Love Me – There’s some really great organ on this baby, thanks to Juan. He may have missed most of the rehearsals because he went swanning off to Puerto Rico, but when it counted, he got it done.

Trampoline Song – Matt turned to me at some point and said he liked this song. Knowing how many people must come through his studio, it made me feel like a little schoolgirl for a moment.

I Know It’s Only Love – This is going to be the opener for the album. I’m now sure of it. It just screams, “First Song” to me. Dong is using it for a little promo he was putting together in his spare time at Mysterious Mammal Studios.



Sweet Leaf – This really rocks. Probably going to use it to tentpole the album. (I really know the lingo)

“I’ll bet if I put Dan’s head in a vice, I could make his eyes pop out like champagne corks.”

Eventually, Dan realizes that the rest of the band left for lunch and hour ago and stops playing.

Kent has recordings of peasants screaming on his I-pod to get him in the mood for playing.

Dan is practicing for his road construction job interview right after our recording session.

Jason spends a lot of time in his own world. That’s because he can’t afford the rent in this one.

Dan tries desperately to remember what chords he played in rehearsal for the lunch order.

This picture shows exactly why Juan is the loneliest number.

“It’s very simple Dong. You get the chords right and you can have your chair back.”

“And looking at me like a wounded puppy, will not get you anything!”

“Pancakes, why does my snare remind me of pancakes?”

Sure Jason can drum, but it was the thought of having those legs in the studio that really got him the job.

“I wonder if I stare hard enough, if I’ll be able to see through Carissa’s oh-so-silky blouse.”

Kent trying to decide whether to play it or punch it.

“Has somebody been using this to pick their nose again?”

This is Matt trying his best to put up with us.

This is the pose that won Dan the Miss Atwater Village, year after year.

Juan suddenly thinks of a really fluffy bunny.

Dong finally remembers it’s a B minor after the D.

Dan spots a Milk Dud that has rolled under the couch. Now, how to retrieve it without anyone noticing.

“I thought I try this little orange pill I found. What could it hurt?”

“I don’t feel anything. Maybe it was a tic tac. WAAAAAAAAA! ”

Jason becomes a little teary when Dan suddenly dies during a playback of The Trampoline Song.

“Hello, HQ? This is El Presidente, I have infiltrated their recording session and I have booby trapped the toilet.”

Hey, Dong is Asian. It was only a matter of time before he pulled out a big honkin’ camera.

Carissa checks to see what the calories are in two and a half family-sized bags of chips.

“They call me Dong. Big Bad Dong.”

"How long after you kill a guy can you use his cell phone?"