GUEST BLOG - The True Vaults recording in LA

Across the Line has been playing music written and performed by Tanya Mellotte (originally from Scotland since her time with Belfast Peel faves Tunic and more recently Skibunny. Recently Tanya packed her belongings in a little knotted hankie on a stick and jetted off to Los Angeles. Within weeks she was Djing and plotting a new record and ATL has been playing the fruits of her labour on the show. We're a curious bunch though and demanded more info....

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I'm not really sure why it's taken me so long to get around to making my first solo record. Maybe I just wasn't ready until now, maybe I was just having too much fun making records with other people, but finally it felt like it was time and so I found myself in the City of Angels in the far more pleasant climes of California.

Los Angeles is a great place for a musician, you are surrounded by amazing, hard-working, creative people and most of them are getting by just fine.

Everyone is following his or her own particular dream and that in itself is very inspiring. Great opportunities are there for the taking, and as a music fan, bizarre meetings happen on a regular basis (did I tell you about the time I walked in to my friend's house to find Wayne Kramer from MC5 sitting there? Super nice guy by-the way!).

I stayed in various places, from the hills of Echo Park to the historic Laurel Canyon (just a short walk from the legendary country store where everyone from Jim Morrison to Joni Mitchell used to hang out) and I was curious to see what influence my surroundings, and the beautiful weather, would have on my writing. I would later discover it had definitely crept in there, both sonically and lyrically.

Anyway, after several months and a few pep talks, I eventually emerged from my Garageband cocoon with more than an album's worth of demos. Soon I had a producer on board, studio dates booked and a band in place. On arrival at the studio I learned from owner/engineer Pete Min that De La Soul had just been in for a session. Sweet.

My band was led by producer Chris Bruce on guitars. Chris plays with everyone from David Holmes to Meshell Ndegeocello and My Brightest Diamond. Jebin Bruni, formerly of Public Image Ltd, was on keyboard duty, on all manner of synths including the awesome Prophet 5 and Deantoni Parks from Mars Volta played drums. These guys are all such amazing players, every song was recorded quickly and the vibe was very relaxed. A few special guests dropped in, including Gabe Noel on cello and upright bass and Stuart Cole (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) on trumpets as well as some beautiful guest vocalists. Everyday was a complete joy, I genuinely felt so lucky to be doing this and to see my dream realised, it was a super emotional experience!

The mixing is now complete and I'm about to move on to the mastering stage. I'm currently back in the UK, hanging out with family and friends, and trying to get used to the cold again. I'm really excited to start letting people hear the new music and to start getting some feedback, so please feel free to get in touch and let me know what you think!

Tanya Mellotte, March 2012

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(photos courtesy of Claudia Bruce)