"The Barking Eye"

Yes kids, we have yet another installment of the "Attack of the Garage Bands" series. The purpose of this topic is to touch base with local bands that do their own home recording and the tools of the trade they use. It also gives people a chance to hear music from local musicians and support their efforts.

"Riverin" is a two piece band featuring Matt Hicks and Matthew
Clement. Matt and Matthew record their music in their own basement recording studio known as "QuarterTone Studios". The music of Riverin is what I call experimental but you can definitely hear influences of Nine Inch Nails in their songs. The production on their music is quite good and we will discuss what they used to obtain this quality along with their writing process for their material.

After a few messages back and foth between the band, here is what the band uses for gear but also the procedure they use to create their unique brand of music.

Matthew: "Well Matt and I both write the music. We start with an idea (either big or small and on any instrument we use) and just keep bouncing other ideas back and forth until we have a song.
     As for gear in the studio, we use M-Audio BX5a Deluxe monitors, M-Audio Keyrig 49 MIDI Controller, M-Audio Fast Track MKII Audio Interface, Apex usb mic (soon to be replaced with the M-Audio Lunna II), Sony MDR-V150 Studio Monitor Series Headphones, Epiphone SG Special, Fender Squire P-Bass, Fender Squire Strat, Rotosound strings, and Ernie Ball Super Slinkies. Westbury 5 piece (Matt's drums), with Sabian B8s (14" hats, 14 & 16" crashes, 10" splash, 20" ride, 18" china, and an Ice Bell). With the hardware in my studio (QuarterTone Studios), I use a 2.6GHz processor, 160 gig 17" iMac with 3 gig memory, and a 13" MacBook Pro with 160 gig hard drive, 2.53 GHz processor,an 4 gigs of memory as a mobile studio. For software I use Apple's Logic Pro 8 Studio on both Macs. I also use FXpansion BFD2. First thing we do when recording, are the drums, then guitars in that order. I have been using BFD2 a lot recently because of the different plug-ins available instead of Logic. After that Matt and I go through our other tracks, consisting of bass, piano, synths, and strings. We spend the majority of our time working on synths, and keys coming up with as many different textures as we can. Then the very last thing we record, is vocals. I do my mixing, adding of plug ins and other effects. Then I go to WaveBurner (a part of Logic Studio) and do the mastering."

The guys tell me they are looking to expand to a full basement recording studio in the near future.  This is always a good thing since it gives you full control over bigger and better projects.  Many bands are investing in their own studios and registering their own personal "Indie" record labels.  I know in my own case, my label is "Barking Eye Productions" but their are other local ones like "Murderous Butterfly Music" and Wishtunes.  The new breed of garage bands want full control and that goes from the writing and recording right down to doing their own graphics and promotions.  That's what makes the garage band scene so great in my opinion.  These musicians achieve full creative control and their music actually gets noticed.

Here is a short bio of the band Riverin:

Formed in 2009, in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Riverin consists of two former members of Dirty Virgin. Matt Clement and Matt Hicks met in 2006 when Hicks joined Dirty Virgin. After
a few years off and on with Dirty Virgin, Clement left while Hicks stayed in the band for a
while later. Hicks and Clement remained in contact and decided to start a project together.
They wanted to make an original sound, with an original feel. Putting together elements
from their heroes, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Motley Crue, Guns and Roses, among
others they formed Riverin. The music contains elements of the standard instruments such as
drums, bass, and guitars and others like piano, synthesizers, orchestral pieces, and other
various instruments that the guys wanted to put together to create an original sound. The
bands EP RIVERIN, which was recorded at Hicks’ QuarterTone Recording Studio in Sault Ste.
Marie, is almost finished, and will be released soon. The band is looking for members to
fill out the roster and get the band on stage.

Please support this local band by visiting their official Myspace Website below.
http://www.myspace.com/riverinonline

Now, for a chance to listen to the "Riverin" brand of music, check it out below.