Cats Takin' a Bath

A quick and stupid song (which is also a quick and stupid video) about cats taking a bath.

I was sitting on the couch reading yesterday, and the cats were just going at it for ages, which, with these two, isn't something they generally let the humanfolk see. So I shot some video and wrote a stupid song.

This is also the first track I've recorded with my new 1/4-watt tube amp. I think it sounds pretty great (it's quite lively and touch-sensitive, too, which I don't exploit at all in this track).

• play
• pause
• stop
• min volume
• max volume

posted by uncleozzy (17 comments total)

Funny
Tell me more about this amp.
posted by chococat at 10:27 AM on November 28, 2009

Ok, oddly, I really like it.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:01 PM on November 28, 2009

This is perfect. I've been needing an extra-strength, all-purpose, palate-cleansing earworm to help me make it through the holiday season. Now whenever I hear carol of the bells I can sing this to myself.
posted by umbú at 8:04 PM on November 28, 2009

The amp. I've got it running through the matching 1x12 closed-back cab. No clean headroom to speak of (except with very low-output pickups), but the overdrive is warm, natural, and very sensitive to how you play. Great classic Marshall-like tone. Dimed, it's loud, but no louder than, say, a loud TV or someone singing (it hasn't gotten me dirty looks from the Mrs. yet). It's the best way I've found to get usable classic rock-type overdrive tones at acceptable home-studio volume.

I'm miking it here with an SM57 (okay, a 58 with the windscreen unscrewed) right on the grille cloth, just off-axis. There's a little EQ for sparkle and extra honk, but it wasn't particularly necessary; it actually sounds great as-is. I don't know where the volume knob was; somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock, probably not cranked. I had to use a boost pedal to get the feedback (actually a distortion pedal with the drive turned down and the output gain turned up). It also doesn't sound too bad actually driven by the pedal.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:01 AM on November 29, 2009

That's pretty cool. And it sounds great.
I have a Smokey Amp, which is awesome fun...you'd probably like 'em. The demos are hilarious.
Sadly, I don't think my fantasy of finding an old Fender Champ for a ridiculously low price at some little thrift shop or something, where the guy doesn't know what he has, is ever going to come true.
posted by chococat at 3:26 PM on November 29, 2009

Oh man, I almost bought a Smokey once. I had completely forgotten about it. Neat little toy. I wonder how it would sound driving the Killer Ant.

My issue with amps like the Champ and other combos of its size is the tiny speaker. I just don't dig the sound of an 8" (or even a single 10") speaker. Give me that tone through a 12" and I'd be happy, though.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:37 AM on November 30, 2009

Fun track Ozzy - great guitar sound!

I have a Fender SuperChamp XD that I've used on just about everything I've posted on here to date. Valve (tube) amp. 10" speaker. Various "voices" that can be dialled in and played around with - some good, some shite. I'm pretty happy with it for demos - you can get a decent sound pretty quickly and it records ok (with an SM57 or AKG C3000B). I think overall I'd describe it as "cheap and cheerful". I have a Marshall 50w 2x12 combo for gigs (+ a 2x12 extension cab if needed) - it's just too loud for home recording. If I was doing "proper" records I'd buy or hire a Boogie - best amps I've ever used by a country mile. Horses for courses.
posted by MajorDundee at 12:16 PM on November 30, 2009

You know, the "little" Mesa/Boogies have pretty great tone for not a whole lot of cash. A guy I knew used to play through a Studio .22 that made some real nice sounds without all the knob-fiddling on the newer amps. Pretty cheap, to boot.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:40 AM on December 1, 2009

Tell me more Ozzy, tell me more........ Boogies seems to cost megabucks in the UK.
posted by MajorDundee at 1:08 PM on December 1, 2009

Well, I don't know what the market is like for them in the UK, but I've seen used Studio .22s for $400-500 here. For a 22-watt tone machine, that's not so bad. I think it was replaced by the DC-3, which might go for a bit more on the secondary market, but still nothing like the high-wattage dual recto line.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:04 AM on December 2, 2009

but still nothing like the high-wattage dual recto line

My doctor used the high-wattage dual recto line in me during a very embarrassing procedure several years ago.
I don't really want to talk about it.
posted by chococat at 8:05 AM on December 2, 2009

The triple recto is even worse. Trust me.
posted by uncleozzy at 10:33 AM on December 2, 2009

I'm advised that the best way to stop the medics as they don the rubber gloves is to say "I'd rather you didn't if it's all the same to you - my boyfriend wouldn't like it and he has a violent streak".
posted by MajorDundee at 12:06 PM on December 2, 2009

Wait, it's Uncle-Ozzy, not Un-Cleozzy. Man, just reading comments on Mefi Music, and your whole world, turned upside down!

Also this song is totally great. My only complaint is that it is not long enough.
posted by that girl at 7:12 PM on December 4, 2009

Holy shit! This is awesome. It is kinda short, but I only say that because I've had to play it 4 or 5 times in the last 3 minutes! (Playing it again right now!)
posted by snsranch at 7:37 PM on December 4, 2009

This is a great song! Could you post the lyrics?
posted by ErWenn at 8:08 PM on December 6, 2009 [2 favorites]

Holy shit, why do my cats have to hate each other?
posted by Corduroy at 8:42 PM on December 8, 2009