Profile - The RSK is a non-political organization devoted to protecting and promoting the interests of rock artists in Kenya while upholding high ethical standards and maintaining social responsibility. We believe in and encourage innovation and creativity and intend to assist Kenyan rock artists to access the local and international music industry so as to allow them an opportunity to showcase their talent as well as our country’s diversity.
This is the start of great things for rock music in Kenya. I will soon be giving y'all details a bout various local band that i like and that will most definitely have great impact in the coming year as well as progress on the Ueta project. Please join this group and support the industry!
“Life is made up of 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to everything that happens to you…”
For a while now everyone has been asking us when we would release our material for people to buy and listen to and it has been our intention for the longest time (about 2 years). However, now is the time it looks like we’re well on our way to getting our firs ‘final’ product out and things are slowly falling into place. I guess in a way in the start we were exactly not sure what our goal or message was with our music or how we want people to feel when they listen to Ueta. But as time has gone by and we’ve all gone through different things in our young lives its becoming clear that our music is mostly based around what is happening to us, our generation and the world around us…..and our reaction to it really is hope, love, believe in oneself, fun and rock n’ roll put quite simply. Drum tracks went quite well. Did about 7 hours in the studio with Zam (our lead vocalist/drummer) did about 15 songs/interludes. (would never ever advise you to pull that stunt!lol!) but we shall see in the coming days how much quality we got out of it. Already pre-mixed 5 songs/interludes and so far so good…Just a bit more treatment to refine the sound. And here are the pics I promised
What we basically did is convert the song sessions into stereo wave files in our studio (minus the pre-programmed drums) and then loaded them up onto Logic Pro in the other studio with the correct tempo for each song and then got Zam to play through the song with the live drum kit either all through each song or in parts, and also did variations of different parts for different songs. Basically then saved all the audio files from the drum sessions and brought them back into our studio for mixing. Now this is just one of many methods of doing live drum tracks depending on your situation. Feel free to e-mail me for more info on this or any other techniques or advice.
For just a bit more information on the equipment we used a Mapex 5 piece drum set (tuned up really well) with 4 overhead symbols as well as other accessories. It was micd it up with a simple Shure 5 piece drum mic set which includes two stereo condenser mics up top and an extra rode mic for the hi-hat and room. All together 8 mic channels gin into the Berhinger 16 track that’s a slave to the M-audio 8channel digital control surface and then straight into Logic Pro. This is a very simple set up by any sense of the imagination as far as professional recording is concerned but is good quality and does the job basically.
Well its recording week!..Live drum sessions to be specific and for all of y’all following you know it’s been a waiting process, so we’re glad to be getting this started. Over the past two weeks we’ve been able to review a few of the tracks that will be in the album as we try to figure out what our sound all round will be like….very interesting so far. Also been looking at some art and album cover design ideas and I will post some of my fav bans album covers so y’all can get an idea of what I’ve been thinking with this…though still a long way to go.
Been reading up on mixing articles as well as we try and come up with an authentic rock sound for the album and really its all the small details that make the difference for all of you interested in tech stuff. Everything from how many layers of guitars to the guitar FX and modules on Logic & Pro Tools (the Digital Audio Workstations that we use) so it is all a very interesting process which I will be telling y’all about soon. I’m going to post one of our more mainstream sounding tracks on http://myspace.com/uetamusic for y’all to listen to listen to “Time & Space” and hope you like it. Other than the whole recording process I think the whole journey with all that I am doing with life right now (Uni, music production and bumming etc) been learning interesting lessons about patience and giving your best when things seem not to be working at the same time as remaining true to yourself, and here is something small I found that y’all might like:
That Guy in the Glass When you get what you want in your struggle for self And the world makes you king for a day, Then go to the mirror and look at yourself
For it isn’t your mother, brother or friends Whose judgment you must pass The person whose verdict counts most in your life Is the one staring back in the glass
You can go down the pathway of years Receiving pats on the back as you pass But your final reward will be heartaches and tears If you cheat that guy in the glass
The Question: how does a young Kenyan rock band package itself for an international audience? I’ve been pondering on this for quite a while at the same time as thinking that I don’t want to compromise on our principles and our style just to be commercial and ‘mainstream’ sounding.
For Ueta the recording process has been quite interesting I must admit because ever since the band started in 2005 (with different members) we have always been meaning to release our music as soon as possible. Different factors have delayed the process evidently but thinking of it now as we get into the final stages of production maybe it’s been a good thing…?
The band has definitely changed over the years and in the beginning it was pretty tough convincing people in this part of the world that rock music would have such a wide appeal in a few years time. Its definitely not the most popular genre of music in Kenya (yet) where Hip-Hop and ‘Genge’ rule, but I guess being kids who grew up in the 90’s and being exposed to much more than the previous generations, that and definitely different aspects of growing up I think Rock music found a place in our hearts. This is probably the same reason that neo soul, jazz and classical music have such a wide following as well these days.
The rock and roll scene has been an underground thing really and after years of underground rock battles and random shows we feel that this is the time when we should get our stuff out and show everyone what’s happening with rock music in our country…and so I wait patiently for that time to come, taking every extra moment, every delay as an opportunity to perfect my art, to reason with my sound and discover what it is making me….
