Meat In Space Releases “Outta My Head”
Is there a particular ethos behind the single/EP/album or any particular music styles or events that inspired it?
I had an inspirational spark of creativity after listening to a few garage rock staples and hearing the guitar riff and vocal melody in my head. It seemed simple and kind of dumb but still had a hookiness to it. I've learned to never judge an idea in the early stages and at least document it, even if it goes nowhere, so I made a phone recording of me humming the guitar part and the melody. I returned to the idea and the rest of the song came together very quickly. I guess the lesson here is to let go of logical judgment and let art flow if it has a feel. Let a song go where it needs to go and do not get in the way with rational judgment. The song turned out quite loose as a result, but could not have been any other way.
Were there any notable or amusing happenings surrounding the recording/production of the EP?
As above, list whatever might be of relevance.
After a couple of passes on the lyrics, I ended up keeping the very first pass of the "Outta My Head" shout-singing chorus. The first take just had the right energy and I feel like it captured the vibe I was trying to convey. Lyrically, the song kind of grew outward from that chorus as I added parts to complement the chorus.
Where was the single/EP/album recorded and who was involved in its production?
A true bedroom recording, this was actually recorded and largely written in my bedroom on a Tascam 488 8-track cassette multitrack. I sang into a stack of guitar pedals, straight into the 8-track. Drums were recorded live to two tracks, extra distorted and crispy with cassette saturation. Mixed down to 2-track analog tape through an Allen & Heath mixer with live knob twists and fader moves. “Outta My Head” was produced entirely analog up until mastering.
Who are the band members and what do they play?
Meat in Space is the solo rock project of Bay Area multi-instrumentalist Shawn Stedman who helms guitar, bass, drums, vocals, tape recording, Casio drum machines, synths, mixing, and production.
What are the band's main influences?
I'm heavily influenced by early 90s heavyweights like Dinosaur Jr., Nirvana, and Smashing Pumpkins, as well as garage rockers like Jay Reatard and Ty Segall. I like guitar-heavy music and genre-wise I draw from a blend of punk, stoner metal, shoegaze, slacker rock, experimental rock, DIY 4-trackers, Spanish guitar, and all musicians with a strong melodic sensibility.