Mr. Christopher on the evolution of The OBViOUS'
"I Want To Hold Your Hand."

"You say you want an evolution?" 

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song that for me epitomized the beginning of the British invasion. It was the first song the "Meet the Beatles" Capital album. The opening chords were empowering, hopeful and rocking. The song was an experience. 

I always thought that this would be a great cover song. In fact, I had this arrangement, that you'll hear The OBVIOUS perform, almost 10 years before. 

I even I demoed a four track version in 1991 in a basement with a live drummer in Nashville. although it was just a glimmer of what it has become, I used to start of my audition tapes with this track and landed several guitarist jobs. People always seemed to remember, and comment on the "revision." That's when i knew I was on to something... 8^) 

But I think this version by The OBVIOUS brings the "revision" to it's fullest realization. 

Even crazier guitars, crazier harmonies, a "pulse rising" rhythm, all performed on a great melodic tune, written by song writing "masters" Lennon/McCartney. 

What more could you ask for? 

The basic tracks of this recording were actually one of the first things to be recorded at the newly built "Digital Banana Recording Studio" back in 1996. 

It was also one of the first songs that I asked Tim to play drums on just after we met and just before he officially joined The OBVIOUS. 

The version you'll hear however, is built on top of those original tracks. In fact the only thing left from the original tracks are the guitars. 

Bradley's crazy poppin' bass track (with the cool low D drop at the end); Tim's newly recorded drums with the melodic(!) double kick pattern; Bradley's harmonies and Christopher's vocals riding the crest of the waves of guitars. All combined, contribute to this being prime example of what The OBVIOUS' sound is all about. 

It is with great pride and joy that Bradley, Tim and I send out three minutes and ten seconds of the craziest audio we could come up with for our listeners all over the world to enjoy,  especially those on RecMusicBeatles. 

Enjoy the song, and please let us know what you think by email.

Lots of luv, 

-mrchristopher/The OBViOUS 

For those who asked, here's the  detailed studio  techie details notes: :

Tim Meins plays Roland V-Drums originally recorded as MIDI into Protools III on a Mac Quarda 950. The drum midi was edited and played back through the VDrum sound module and recorded in stereo as 2 audio tracks.

Fender Strat (with EMG pickups and a Floyd Rose wang bar) Guitar through a Kork A3 preamp.

The guitar solo was recorded on a Zion 30 fret guitar also going through the Korg A3 and an old Digitech IPS 33-B pitch shifter.

The piano intro was played on Fender Squire with a midi pickup attached to a Roland GR-1 guitar synth triggering a Proteus 1 sound moduel using the default piano patch.

Bradley's playing a Fender Jazz w/a Mexican neck and strung with DR LowRiders through a Trace Elliot rig.

Mr Christopher's lead vocal and Bradley's harmony vocals were recorded using an Audio Techica 4050 condensor microphone.

Listen carefully to the fade-out comments recorded at the very end of the song. (You'll hear it after the smoke clears from your speakers.) Tim's end vocal comments were recorded using the same mic pointed at a Sharp speaker phone that had just reached Tim who was on his cell phone driving beautiful downtown Palm Bay during the mixing session.

One final note: the mix heard on the RMB CD was a rushed early mix (to meet the inital (un-enforced   8^) deadline which seemed to get pushed farther and farther as the year went on.

Please download the final mix of The OBVIOUS' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" here:

("I Want to Hold Your Hand" was an Internet Single originally released by The OBVIOUS on June 4, 1999. This remix was done Spring 2000.)

This studio recording and a slightly rawer LIVE recording can be heard on our "OBViOUS-ly Live" CD!

                       Tim Meins on drums & backing vocals 

                    Bradley Beckmann on bass & backing vocals 

                        mrChristopher on guitar & vocals.