Hi Rich Fans,
Had lunch today with Mark Robertson (Ragamuffin/This Train bass player/producer) and Jordan Richter (This Train guitar player/engineer) (see the Wichita review pics). They're in town practicing with Mitch McVicker for his part of the show on this tour coming up (sorry, still no confirmed dates to pass along).
Aside from getting a little more info "credits-wise" on the "Canticle" CD (see the Canticle Mini-FAQ for additions/updates since it's last posting), we visited a little about their band, This Train.
Seems these guys have been pretty busy in the "recording" biz, as well as the "playing" biz. For starters, Becki Hemingway, former This Train vocalist who has left (on good terms) and started her own group with her husband, recorded their first project in Mark and Jordan's studio in Chicago, Roswell East Recording Studio. As a matter of fact, that is where "Canticle" was recorded also (You may remember seeing Mark's name as "co-producer").
This Train has also just finished recording their own new album. Mimes Of The Old West will go into mastering next week, and we can look for a June release. Mark told me the scariest part of the album title is that there is a title track. I love it! It will be reminiscent of This Train's first project, You're Soaking In It, in that it still has that "50's rock" feel with a touch of "rock-a-billy" (Jordan says this one has a little more "rock-a-billy" feel). It also still has the same humor-based lyrics. There are some differences, however. One of the biggest differences is the absence of Becki's vocals, but check this out! Ashley Cleveland is singing backup on five of the songs with one of them being a co-lead with Mark. Even Rich gets in the act, and is singing backup on one. One other Ragamuffin, Rick Elias, is also playing some guitar. Mark says he's playing mostly upright bass now, and there are also some instrumentals on this album. One big departure for Mark was an introspective song he wrote called "I Don't Want To Know" that addresses his struggle with apathy (as many of us sometimes often just ignore). Compassion is going to use this song in some of their promotions.
Other news ... Rich and the Ragamuffins will be going back into the studio (Mark and Jordan's, of course) this fall for a new album. No details to share except that this will be a "very scriptural" recording.
Still waiting for those illusive dates on this summer tour. This will be a Rich Mullins and Friends tour, not a Ragamuffin tour. Of course the Ragamuffins are still intact (I guess they'd have to be to be recording next fall, huh?). It will be Rich (of course), Mitch doing more of his stuff, This Train, some Canticle stuff, and at least one new face (on cello, no details to share there yet). Michael Aukofer (see the Wichita review pics) will be covering drums and "massive new percussion".
Did I forget to tell you that Mitch will also be going into the studio this fall to start recording his first solo album? Well, he will.
Be sure to catch the newly updated credits on the Canticle Mini-FAQ. Apparently when Leigh Bingham-Nash was recording "Buenos Noches from Nacogdoches", fairly-new-hubby Mark Nash (former PFR drummer) dropped by, and he ended up playing the drums on that track. Most of the acoustic guitar work was done by Ragamuffin alumnus Billy Crockett. The drums were done by a much sought after Chicago area drummer that Mark and Jordan know named Kyle Woodring. In addition to being a former drummer for the rock group Survivor ("Eye Of The Tiger"), in the middle of the Canticle recording sessions, Kyle got a call to audition for the musical "Stomp", and also got a call from John Mellencamp. Not too shabby. True to his humble fashion, Rich only sang on one song, backup vocals, and Mark says, "he didn't even want to do that."
One last item ... I had received a couple notes from people that had mail-ordered the Canticle CD and were concerned because their checks had not cleared yet. The person that handles Rich's finances told me that the CD is still in production. The checks that had been received were deposited earlier this week in anticipation of the CD being finished and ready for distribution. The checks had been held intentionally but are now being deposited to allow them time to clear so upon final production they will mail them as soon as practical. I asked about the national distribution versus the independent distribution, and he said they were going to try to do this one nationally on there own. Especially since all the profits go to Compassion, the more middle men they could eliminate - the more dollars go to them. Good Idea, huh?