Published: May 15, 2008 10:32 pm            

Sullivan-based band Precore excited about July recording session with famous producer

Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant have recorded in same studio

SULLIVAN — Whiffs of rarefied rock ’n’ roll air will surround a Sullivan County band this summer.

Their breathing is already quickening in anticipation.

“We’re going to record with the guy who did Nirvana’s last album,” said Jeremy Kuykendall, lead singer, guitarist and songwriting for the rock trio Precore.

Steve Albini, the man who engineered Nirvana’s “In Utero,” will do the same for Precore this July. The site of those sessions will be Chicago’s Electrical Audio Studio, where Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant have also recorded.

“We’re kind of nervous, actually,” said Jon Kuykendall, Precore’s 28-year-old bassist and younger brother of Jeremy, 30.

The group isn’t shy about bold steps, though. Two years ago, the Kuykendalls and their youngest brother and drummer, Joe, moved — one by one — from the rock hotbed of Seattle to Sullivan. Jeremy rented a house in Sullivan, and relocated from Washington to work in Cedar Rock Studio in Shelburn.

They soon recorded an album, “Analog Dreams,” featuring a dozen 21st-century songs with a classic rock edge. Their father, Paul, played in popular bands in Utah years earlier.

Afterward, Joe returned to military, and Rich Savill — a 26-year-old Brit living in Greenwood, Ind. — took over on drums.

Meanwhile, Precore kept on writing, performing and saving money for a chance-of-a-lifetime studio moment. With “a few phone calls,” they booked three days with Albini at Electrical Audio. His extensive track record includes both unheralded acts and a who’s-who of alternative rock — the Pixies, Bush and The Stooges, Nirvana on the youthful end and Iggy Pop, Page, Plant and Cheap Trick among the veterans. Albini is renowned for capturing a live sound with limited use of overdubbing. His “guerrilla” style appeals to Precore, Jeremy said.

Albini helps deliver the sound bands desire, said Stephen Sowley of Electrical Audio.

“If they’re open and expressing what they want, he’s going to give them that,” Sowley said by telephone from the Chicago studio.

The Kuykendalls have written nine songs for the album. Precore will record them over two days, and then mix the sound the third day.

“It’s going to be a quick, down and dirty recording experience,” Jon said. “It’s going to be intense, but exciting for us.”

They’ve planned to record the old-school way, on analog equipment — tape, rather than digital. Though the newer format allows easy revisions, tape forces bands to nail their performances.

“It definitely changes the way that you play,” Jeremy explained. “It eliminates the editing. You have to play it right.”

Two iconic rock albums — “Led Zeppelin I” and “Black Sabbath” — were recorded in similar rapid fashion, Jeremy said. “You can literally tell they just set up their instruments and played, and some guy hit ‘Record,’ and it came out great.”

While Precore’s “Analog Dreams” included some acoustic guitar, the new album — yet untitled — will be all electric “hard rock.” Ballads will be scarce.

“It’ll definitely have some of our Seattle background in there,” Jeremy said, “and Steve, with his background, will really color it a lot.”

The band hopes the result is a sound with radio appeal. The lyrics will be “pretty upbeat,” Jeremy said, “but I know there’s going to be a lot of ex-girlfriends in there. There’s a song about my mom. Pretty personal.”

Not long after Precore finishes at Electrical Audio, Albini is expected to begin work with Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver fame.

The guys in Precore understand the significance of this upcoming experience. “It’s going to be a huge challenge,” Jeremy said, “but I’m excited.”

The studio understands that too.

“They’ve been saving up money, and this is their dream,” Sowley said, “and we don’t take that lightly.”

Mark Bennett can be reached at mark.bennett@tribstar.com or (812) 231-4377.

        

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