b'between July 1997 (when I left the Scud Mountain Boys)a couple hours, and the speed at which we worked isScuds gig on the doomed Vic Chesnutt tour. And while and the May 1998 release of Overcome by Happiness.audible in the mix. Had a blast, though. the specifics are blurry, I definitely remember writing I recorded In Plain Sight alone, I think. (I still haventthe middle eight and trying to keep up with the chords listened to it as I write this. It was tracked to a 4-trackSick Of Youand melody as they were happening. When I hit on the cassette in the basement of my rental in Northampton,(earliest sketch demo)last chorus coming back in a half step down from the Massachusetts. I wrote the tune on tour with the Scudend of the middle eight, I knew I had written a real song. Mountain Boys in 1997.)I wrote Sick Of You in late 1996 in a house on South Street in Northampton, Massachusetts. The versionDuring the orchestral recording sessions for the album As for Square World, I wrote that in February 1997, alsohere is the earliest recording of it. I did it on a Tacsamversion, I simply couldnt believe what I was hearingin the house in Northampton. We recorded it there as4-track cassette recorder. The song (and recording) hadespecially on the middle eight. Definitely a lifetime high-well. Thom had his Tascam 1/2-inch eight-track recorder.some verses, but I chopped off the top of the recordinglight for me. This doesnt happen too often, but it was (Same one hed used to make countless recordings,because the lyrics were too mean-spirited. I liked theexactly how Id imagined it. Not too many things more including most of the songs on Dance the Night Awaymelody and changes, though. fun than that for me. by the Scud Mountain Boys.) I always liked how the recording turned out. The personnel on the recordingAnother slightly newer 4-track version of this existsClear Spot comprised the Pernice Brothers touring band for thesomewhere with Stephen from the Scuds playing bass,(earliest sketch demo)next five years. I play the rhythm guitar and the leadand me singing, playing guitar and Vox Jaguar organ. on the track. For good reason, it was only the secondClear Spot is one of the rare tunes of mine that I came recording of me playing lead guitar. The first was on theCut You Freeupon in my head first. No instrument involved. (Almost Scuds song Television. (demo) all of my songs were written with a guitar in hand and a blank slate before me.) I was walking down Main Street Love My WayCut You Free was on my big list of songs for Overcome.in Northampton, Massachusetts. I had just left a store (Rykodisc Clear Spot UK CD single bonus track,I wrote it while I was still in the Scud Mountain Boys.called the Mountain Goat where Id impulse-bought a issued in 1999) Tom Shea from the Scuds plays the lead guitar. He alsocrazy pair of hiking sneakers. I didnt hike. I sometimes worked the knobs on the ADAT machine. Yes, this wasdo now, but definitely not in 1997. The lyric, hit a clear The label Rykodisc licensed Overcome by Happinesstracked to ADAT after hours in a music store (Downtownspot, just kind of fell on me. The rest of the melody for a UK and Europe release. I was definitely intoSounds) that he now co-owns. I truly dont know what Icame together pretty fast. The recording you hear on this because Rykodisc was re-releasing Nick Drakeswas thinking with this song. But the falsetto is well-inten- this LP was probably made the same day or a day or so records. Had Joe Schmoe Records been releasingtioned, if not in tune. The vibraslap was a bold call.after. I wanted to get it down. Nick Drakes records, I would have lobbied to be a Joe Schmoe recording artist. (The only copy of OvercomeI wont forget the moonlight in your eyes. The color ofWhen we went to record the album, the song had on CD I personally own is the Ryko version in the tintedthe sky. Im never gonna sleep. Not even gonna try.evolved some, but this recording was the one I gave to green jewel box.)Very 1990s of me. the other players. To their credit, they were able to get it from this stick figure drawing.Ryko needed a B-side, and we didnt have a lot of timeOvercome by Happiness between tours. We were all big Psychedelic Furs fans,(earliest sketch demo) Dimmest Starand we jumped at the chance to do a Furs tune. We(earliest sketch demo) took a lot of liberties with the arrangement. Im sureI cant recall for sure, but I know I wrote Overcome by that Thom, Peyton, Anne Pinkerton, and I made theHappiness in either late 1996 or early 1997. I was still inI wrote Dimmest Star a day or two before we went into recording at Peytons apartment. Anne played the mainthe Scud Mountain Boys. I remember playing the skele- Studio .45 to make Overcome by Happiness. On just guitar part on a Danelectro electric. Thom looped theton of it and Shoes And Clothes on an Art & Lutherieabout every record Ive made, theres a last-minute tune drums on a Roland machine. We did the whole thing inacoustic for Frank Padellaro in a green room before aadded to the list. Dimmest Star is that song. Not only'