Assorted Singles

Catch The Reference? currently has 3 songs that are intended as “singles,” that is they are not meant to be attached to any albums. They are all Jester tracks (one, albeit, in a band pseudonym.)

“Pick & Gravel” William Gerrard– “Pick & Gravel” (working title “Polish Miner”) is a composition by William, and perhaps his most enduring one. He would constantly work on and develop it, tightening the notes, as well as his ability to perform it. He has done it live on several occasions, ranging from proper concerts to off the cuff performances in school (even performing it for a video for his High School’s closed circuit network.) What may be the best sign of how much people love the song is that, after his high school concert band finished a performance, in the halls, a student actually played Pick & Gravel to William (and thankfully, this moment was caught on film.) All that said, what is presented here is William’s first version of the song, from early 2006, with notes that would later be improved. It is sped up, along with the cowbell and metronome percussion (the “pick & gravel”). This is the final overdub, which includes a sloppy drum and vocals atop it. The piece that opens this track is “Asia Minor,” or “Asian Miner,” which was recorded prior to the Jester being formed. The snippet of “we play church music” is from the Ladykillers, and is said by Tom Hanks’ character. Catch The Reference? handled the cowbell and metronome, did some of the “ahh” vocals, and produced the track. William did everything else.

“Astronomy Domine”Syd Barrett – this track was made initially in late 2006. This first session was with Catch The Reference? and William, who made the song using their poor dubbing techniques with tapes and a boombox. The basic track was William on the African drum, singing with Catch The Reference? The next two tracks were acoustic guitar overdubs, and finally the last track was another layer of vocals. This piece was what Catch The Reference? worked on in November of 2007. Putting the track into audacity, Catch The Reference? made a blank section, to overdub keyboard into (along with a keyboard drone track). He kept returning to the track, trying to mix it, and add more vocals. The final mix, due to an ignorance of how to mix a track, led to the final product being compressed and clipped and even more distorted than it started. A friend of Catch The Reference? likened it to stoner doom. A second mix was made that deletes the keyboard solo, and replaces it with a brief sound collage. This version also was given some treatment in audacity in an attempt to repair the quality slightly.

“Cait, Oh Cait!”Krow/Pisser/Narro – on April 12th, 2008, the Jester was having a so-so session in Studio 8. And then, William came up with a line: “Cait, oh Cait/you make me wanna [pleasure myself.]” Quickly, Peter, William, and Catch The Reference? put together a set of verses, and came up with a song. They rehearsed it briefly, and then recorded and filmed the first proper version. William, sensitive to the subject, despite having first come up with it, decided to disguise himself. Furthermore, he didn’t want his name to be attached to it (too late for that, I guess – ed.), so he took on the name “The Pisser,” and asked that the name The Jester not be used, to which Catch The Reference? responded by crediting the song to “Peter & The Calypsos.” Catch The Reference? is credited as “Wyde N. Narro,” a pseudonym he thought cool at the time but disowned ever since. Cait, the girl whom the song is named after, was presented in person later that night the mix of the song, and she put it on her myspace (a quote from her is on the single cover.) Also, on the cover, she is the girl on the right. On the left is Peter’s girlfriend Kat.
lineup:
Guitar & Vocal – Peter Krow
Drums & backing vocals – The Pisser (William)
Backing vocals, the little cymbal on the drum kit, and coaxed feedback from the Maxi-Mouse amplifier – Wyde N. Narro (Catch The Reference?)