A decade ago, I was playing a couple solo shows in California and found myself with a few days off in Los Angeles. I called my friend Arlie Carstens (formerly of the band JUNO and the City of Seattle) to see if he was around. 

As I recall, Arlie said "Drew, you're coming over to my apartment and recording an acoustic guitar arrangement of HÜSKER DÜ's "Divide And Conquer" with me. Where are you? I'll come pick you up."

Over at Arlie's place, I picked up a guitar, tuned it to the open C variation I learned from Nick Drake's "Pink Moon", and came up with this fingerpicked/thumb-strummed version of "Divide And Conquer". We recorded two takes on his 4-track, one in C and one in C#. The latter was the keeper. 

Later, Arlie sang and his friend David Scott Stone laid down some atmospheric analog synth wildness. Together we turned HÜSKER DÜ's propulsive punk rock anthem into a deconstructed and haunted folk song intended for Arlie's band/project currently known as ATOMS AND VOID.

This recording spent most of the past ten years bouncing around the digital abyss. We're happy to share it with you now. 

All the best, 

Drew O'DOHERTY

From Arlie:

Atoms and Void cover of Hüsker Dü's "Divide & Conquer." 

Recorded on a wonky magical Tascam 424 Portastudio by Arlie Carstens (vox) and Drew O'Doherty (guitar) some ten years ago in a tiny studio apartment in Angelino Heights, Los Angeles, CA. 

One Shure KSM32 microphone. 
One truly crappy cassette tape. 
One Morris acoustic guitar (capo'd at the, uh, 2nd fret, maybe?). 
Modular synthesizer tracked in Room 205 by the legendary David Scott Stone. 

All praise to Bob Mould for writing one of the greatest punk songs of all time. 

Folks, thanks again for your patience. 

Enjoy, 

Atoms & Void, (winter 2015). 

Divide And Conquer (HÜSKER DÜ Cover) - ATOMS AND VOID

DOWNLOADS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THIS LINK. SEE BELOW FOR ACTIVE LINKS. 

UPDATE: My friend Scott Craggs of Old Colony Mastering took it upon himself to master "I Spent It All". You can now hear/download his mastered version in .wav and 320kbps MP3 form at the following links.

https://soundcloud.com/drewodoherty/i-spent-it-all-wav 

https://soundcloud.com/drewodoherty/i-spent-it-all-mp3

You can also grab Scott's half-speed version of "I Spent It All" here:

https://soundcloud.com/drewodoherty/i-spent-it-all-half-speed

Sometimes I have weird ideas. This is one of them.

A few weeks ago, I got the idea to make an ambient/drone track from the final note that FUGAZI has played onstage. Tonight, 13 years after their final show (to date), I finished the track. 

Although clearly manipulated in a number of different ways, all the sounds on this track are from the last chord and ensuing feedback of FUGAZI's performance of "Glue Man" at the Forum in London, England on November 4, 2002. 

The full performance from that evening, recorded by Nick Pellicciotto, is available for purchase from the FUGAZI LIVE SERIES at the following link. 

http://www.dischord.com/fugazi_live_series/london-england-110402

Thank you. 



I Spent It All

Scott Craggs of Old Colony Mastering took it upon himself to master my original "I Spent It All" track. You can hear/download his mastered version in .wav form here. 

You can contact Scott and learn more about his work here:

www.oldcolonymastering.com/

I Spent It All (Mastered WAV)

Scott Craggs of Old Colony Mastering took it upon himself to master my original "I Spent It All" track. You can hear/download his mastered version in 320kbps form here.

You can contact Scott and learn more about his work here:

www.oldcolonymastering.com/

I Spent It All (Mastered MP3)

Scott Craggs of Old Colony Mastering took it upon himself not only to master my original "I Spent It All" track, but, also to create a half-speed version.

You can contact Scott and learn more about his work here:

http://www.oldcolonymastering.com/

I Spent It All (Half - Speed)

Happy 70th Birthday, Neil Young!

This is a bootleg recording (creaky chairs!) of my cover of "Albuquerque" at Le Botanique in Brussels, Belgium on February 12, 2002. 

I was joined by David Michael Curry on viola. 

Albuquerque (Neil Young Cover)

Five years ago tonight, I played a show opening for longtime favorites IDA at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge. IDA were kind enough to let me join them (and Tara Jane O'Neil) for their song "Late Blues". I managed to get the chords right and played the world's quietest guitar solo before the final verse.

Thanks to Brad Searles for making this recording and taking this photo.

"Late Blues"

Jean Cook - violin
Daniel Littleton - voice, guitar, Echoplex
Elizabeth Mitchell - voice, harmonium
Drew O'Doherty - guitar
Tara Jane O'Neil - snare drum
Karla Schickele - voice, bass guitar

Recorded on April 16, 2011 by Brad Searles at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Late Blues (Live at Brattle Theatre April 16, 2011) - IDA [with Drew O'Doherty & Tara Jane O'Neil

Two years ago tonight, CENTRO-MATIC came through Boston on their final tour and were kind enough to let me crash the stage and play second guitar on "Flashes & Cables". 

CENTRO-MATIC were such a great band and some of the nicest people I've met through playing music. Thanks for all the wonderful songs and for not kicking me out of the club when I got onstage and grabbed a guitar.   

Thanks to Brad Searles for making this recording and taking this photo.

Live at Great Scott, Allston, MA 12/13/14

Flashes & Cables (Live in Allston MA 12/13/14)- CENTRO-MATIC [with Drew O'Doherty]

Words & music by Johnny MARKS

From the RANKIN/BASS television special "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" originally broadcast December 6, 1964 on the "General Electric Fantasy Hour"

Scott CRAGGS played some toy piano and a bit of tambourine. He also recorded, mixed, and mastered the song at his Old Colony studio in South Boston, Massachusetts. David Michael CURRY played his viola and plucked a cello that he picked up in a pawn shop somewhere in Ohio. Drew O'DOHERTY sang, played the guitars, hit the xylophone, played the real piano and a little bit of toy piano, and conducted the wine glass choir. 



There's Always Tomorrow (from "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer")

I recorded this cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Changes" for a compilation of metal covers that my friend Andy HONG was trying to assemble. Most of the other intended participants never finished their tracks and the comp was never released. I ended up including this recording on a 2005 tour EP titled "Good Fortune". Now it's here on the internet.

"Changes"

Written by BLACK SABBATH

Recorded & mixed by Andy HONG during the winter of 2003/2004

singing saw, viola - David Michael CURRY
trumpet - Jeffrey GODDARD
piano - Nicklaus HUBBEN
drum kit, sleigh bells - David Miller NORTON
acoustic guitar, voice - Drew O'DOHERTY

(In retrospect, I think I might've messed up some of the lyrics. Sorry, Ozzy.)  

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