Downward Spiral was recorded 20 years ago now, to analog tape.

What an impractical undertaking that must have been. Okay, yeah, it's sort of a huge deal and a mindblowingly cool production and mix that holds up almost two decades after its release.

I take it as a direct challenge. Think of what we have now. Don't be a lazy bitch and let anything stop you.

Amazing to think how many great recordings were done well on tape. This one would definitely be on top of the list.

That is about how i feel about California.



They made this well after it made very much sense (or any at all) to do this sort of edit/sample/loop/layer stuff in tape. I think it was Trey Spruance who was talking about how making it, they knew that they would never be able to do anything this crazy with tape ever again, and that probably no one else would either, being that it was very expensive and kind of stupid to do.

I think SOS did an article recently where they go back to the recording process of that one.

Apparently they recorded some things 'the funny way', like heavy guitars direct instead of micing a cabinet. Or vocals done off the cuff into an SM58.