When we last caught up with Well Hung Heart, they had just put the finishing touches on their debut LP Young Enough to Know it All. Since then, they've won multiple OC Music Awards, continued building their production company, and of course, writing music. Initially, they thought they'd have some loose ideas that would be enough for an EP that would be recorded at Secret Ninja Studios. What they didn't realize was that the acclaimed studio was shutting it's doors at its current location after the building was sold. The duo knew they had a responsibility, as the last band to record at the same place as bands far ranging from Kyuss to the Righteous Brothers.
“It was a very emotional time for Ryan, the studio's engineer, since he's been at the studio for 12 years” Davey says as he and Valenti hustle around preparing to shoot a video for the band Bush on Monday. “We didn't have any songs ready to record, but we had a band, and we went in to see what we could do.”
The band went in for the maximum amount of time they could afford–10 days–and ended up recording their second full-length, Go Forth and Multiply, which was released two weeks ago. Some days, they'd start with bits and pieces of songs, other days the well was dry. But the constant was the tireless days and long nights they spent putting together compositions they'd record live. On one day particular day, Well Hung Heart recorded three new songs from scratch.
]
Davey's favorite moment – which is captured in the in-studio documentary counterpart to the album Go Forth and Multiply – was an impromptu 40 minute jam session. The freewheeling moment helped spawn the riffs for “Big Plans” and “I Don't Get Enough.”
“The way the band is set up, the music comes from me and the drummer,” the side-burned guitarist explains. “We just followed each other and sometimes, you get these little gems after you hit a groove. If you think about something too much, it likely won't happen as much as if it's two people cranking it up and being wide open.”
As much as they would have enjoyed more time in the studio, Well Hung Heart learned and gained confidence that they could go in and knock out songs quickly. After these sessions, the band cashed in on their victory in the OC Music Awards and used their time at Red Bull Studios wisely. On top of the songs that became Go Forth & Multiply, the band has enough material for another EP. That set of songs, though, isn't mixed, however, Davey says plans are in place to work on it early next year, and there's only place where that could happen.
“We're going to go to Ryan's new studio to mix those songs,” he says, before a quick pause. “It wouldn't feel right, and we're excited to be part of the next era of Secret Ninja.”
Catch Well Hung Heart perform at the Observatory tomorrow night with Tapioca and the Flea. 6 p.m. $5. all ages. For full info click here.
See also
10 Punk Albums to Listen to Before You Die
10 Goriest Album Covers
10 Most Satanic Metal Bands
Follow us on Twitter @ocweeklymusic and @danielkohn. Like us on Facebook at Heard Mentality
Daniel Kohn is a writer based in Southern California. With bylines in an assortment of outlets, Kohn primarily specializes in music with other interests ranging from sports to food. As a transplant, Kohn loves the beautiful weather and is glad he no longer has to deal with brutal winters. If you see him, say hi and of course, he’s always willing to down a beer or two…if you’re paying.