Personal dispatch #4

This is a dispatch from Alex Doucette, who recorded a rather neat cover of "Slim Slow Slider." Doucette told us a tad about himself, as well as why he covered this particular track from Astral Weeks.

I'm from Pickering, Ontario. I'm 18, but I was 17 when I recorded the song. I've been a musician for about two years though I started playing guitar about six or seven years ago. I used to perform quite often, but I haven't had a show in a while. I record almost every day in my basement studio.

I heard Astral Weeks and it completely changed how I thought a song should be recorded. The whole album just sounds so real and raw. Van Morrison sings with so much soul, and sounds incredibly young and passionate from start to finish.

I felt that I had to cover "Slim Slow Slider" because it seemed to be the most interesting song on the album. I didn't quite understand why I loved it so much, so I covered it. I'm still not sure why I find it so interesting. Maybe because of how simple it is.

I recorded in my basement studio in Pickering. After hearing the song, I took a day or two to let it sink in and then recorded it all in one take. I wanted it to be as real as it could be.