Recording of WindBag Documentary
Watch the documentary that captures the band recording their EP WindBag at Soundmine Recording Studio in Stroudsburg, Pa December 2023
Transcript
[Opening Scene: The camera pans over the snowy Poconos, zooming in on a rustic, cabin-like building hidden among the trees. The scene cuts to a small recording studio filled with gear, dim red lights glowing softly. Each band member sits for their individual interviews interspersed with footage of the recording sessions.]
Hillary (Interview):
(laughs) “Yeah, so we recorded WindBag in December 2023, right after the holidays. I think it was the 28th, 29th? It was at Sound Mind Studio, up in the Poconos. Real cozy, cabin vibes on the outside, but you walk in, and it’s like this maze of rooms filled with instruments, guitars on every wall, baby grand piano, just… music gear heaven. The perfect place to unleash creativity, really.”
(Cut to footage of the band setting up in the studio. Hillary tunes her Sandberg 48 bass.)
Brenton (Interview):
(laughing) “Yeah, I did everything! I play drums and produced the whole thing. So while the rest of the band stuffed their faces with pizza, I was behind the console making sure it sounded good. Honestly though, the space was awesome to work in—really conducive to the vibe we wanted for the record. We tracked four songs in two days, which… I don’t know how we pulled that off, but it worked. The pressure was on, but it was kind of perfect.”
(Cut to footage of Brenton behind the mixing console, adjusting levels while giving the band direction.)
Mike (Interview):
(leaning forward, smirking) “I think the best part was not having to do any of the recording setup myself. That was all Brenton, thank God. I just had to focus on my guitar and vocals. I remember the first song we tracked… or wait, maybe it was Shane’s guitar? Eh, doesn’t matter. Anyway, the setup was crazy. We used my JCM800 through this wall of amps for that big, heavy tone. The fuzz, man, it was massive.”
(Cut to footage of Mike playing guitar, his face intense as he leans into the mic for a vocal take.)
Shane (Interview):
(a bit nostalgic) “Yeah, it’s bittersweet for me. I played guitar on WindBag, but I’ve since left the band. We had a good run though. I brought in a bunch of riffs, especially for tracks like Brick by Brick. That one was tricky—we recorded it in drop C, and I used this killer setup: my Ultratone Max through a 100-watt JCM800. Real gnarly tone.”
(Cut to footage of Shane in the recording booth, focused, nailing a complex guitar solo.)
*“Leaving the band was a tough decision, but hey, they’ve got Steve now. He’s gonna kill it.”
(Quick cut to Steve jamming during rehearsal.)
Steve (Interview):
(smiling) “Yeah, so I’m the new guy on guitar. No pressure, right? These guys have already built something really cool, and I’m excited to be a part of it. Hillary’s been awesome to work with—she’s really raised the bar with her playing, and I think we’re just getting started with what we can do.”
(Cut to Steve and Hillary locking into a groove during a practice session.)
[Footage of the band recording, Mike singing into the mic, Hillary nailing bass fills, Brenton laying down drums, and Shane layering guitar parts.]
Hillary (Voiceover):
“I’m kind of a perfectionist when it comes to vocal arrangements. I remember during the recording, we tried so many different harmonies, messing around with ideas until we got it right. It was such a cool process to see everything come together.”
(Cut to footage of Hillary and Mike listening to playback, making notes.)
Brenton (Interview):
“Yeah, I basically had to wrangle everyone in, keep them from wandering off. We tracked drums first, got the foundation down, and then just layered everything else on top of it. The studio had this tight, compressed drum sound that I love. We used a Tama Bubinga Star Classic and a Ludwig Black Beauty snare. You can hear how punchy it is on the record.”
(Cut to footage of Brenton hitting the drums during a take, headphones on, totally locked in.)
Mike (Interview):
“When it comes to vocals, there’s this interplay between my parts and what Shane was doing on guitar. Now that Steve’s in, I think we’re gonna explore that even more. Hillary really brought her A-game on the bass, too—she picked up our songs so fast, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone learn that much material in such a short time.”
(Cut to footage of Hillary practicing, the camera focusing on her basslines.)
Hillary (Interview):
“It was funny, really. I joined the band, had two weeks to learn the songs, and then boom—we’re recording. But it felt right. Everyone welcomed me in, and I just clicked with Brenton’s drumming style. That Sandberg 48 bass I use? It’s perfect for the heavy tones we’re after. Dual humbucker pickups give it this huge sound.”
(Cut to footage of Hillary in the booth, playing with a fierce focus on her face.)
Brenton (Voiceover):
“WindBag was just a working title at first, something Shane came up with as a nod to Windhand. We never really expected it to stick, but it just… did.”
(Cut to footage of the band laughing as they discuss the EP name during a break.)
Mike (Interview):
“We didn’t know what to call it, and then Shane’s riff came in, and we just said, ‘Screw it, let’s keep it WindBag.’ We figured it was a funny name, and we could roll with it. Now the challenge is making the art match the title. Doom metal hot air balloon? Who knows!”
(Cut to the band brainstorming artwork ideas.)
[Final Scene: Footage of the band playing a small, packed venue. The crowd cheers as the heavy, fuzz-laden riffs of WindBag fill the room.]
Hillary (Voiceover):
“We’ve got a lot more in us. The EP was just the start. Now, it’s all about taking this energy on the road, seeing where we can push it next.”
[Fade to black. Credits roll.]
