The great American road trip is alive and kicking in Mike Brown’s songs. All the mysterious, enchanting back roads that all us romantics sit around daydreaming about come alive on American Hotel. Listening to the album, you can tell Mike’s logged lots of windshield time, that he’s stopped in plenty of small town cafes to break bread with the type of familiar all-American characters we road warriors know so well. They’re what have given Mike’s project legs and taught it to run like no other. Mike and I are kindred spirits, brothers of the open road. We may set out looking for entirely different things — I cruise back roads looking for rusty gold and other junkyard treasures, while Mike hunts down priceless performances — but our missions share a very similar passion. We are both driven by love. There’s no way I could put a price on the new friendships and incredible experiences I’ve had on my journeys, and I’m sure Mike feels the same about the musicians he befriended on his quest, the voices he found sprinkled across the country who together fill this great album. I hope you guys enjoy the result of my fellow picker’s lifelong dream as much as I do. God bless the great American road trip dream!
Mike Wolfe
Antique Archaeology
American Pickers
produced by Mike Brown
mixed by John Morand
additional mixes by Mike Terry, Mike Vizcarra, Mike Brown, and Pete Droge
all songs written by Mike Brown
The Drunkards Progress Publishing (BMI)
road photographs taken by Mike over the course of making the record.
studio photographs made by Nicholas Perry at Temperamental Recordings, November 2010.
photograph of Mike with Mike Wolfe made by Ryan White.
art direction and design by Mike Brown, Annie Stoll, and Brian Grunert for White Bicycle
web design by the Morrissey brothers of Geneseo NY
American Hotel was recorded in all 50 states over the course of six years.
Quite a bit of it was recorded by me (Mike) out of the back of my vans in various parking lots,
truck stops, driveways, bars, and anywhere else I could set up without getting arrested.
I also had the privilege of working in some great studios with some incredibly talented engineers.
Being that the record took so many years and miles to make, I'm sure a few people
deserving credit have been accidentally left off this list. So, this page will be updated over time.
Please get in touch if you helped make American Hotel but don't see your name here,
and I'll make sure you're add you to the list.
engineers.
John Morand
Jay Bennett
Mike Terry
Mike Vizcarra
Dave Draves
Alan Weatherhead
Jerry Marotta
Eddie Kramer
Jimmy Goodman
Russell Cook
Steven Rhodes
Freedy Johnston
Rami Jaffee
Rafi Sofer
Larry Goad
Jim Scott
Brian Rosenworcel
Rafi Sofer
Roman Klun
Chris Vrenna
David Matheson
Richard Llyod
Stuart Sullivan
Jason Gossman
Pete Droge
Jim Brunberg
Dana Colley
Don Coffey
Marc Dauer
Zac Decamp
Brian Kunitz
Andy Rose
studios.
Temperamental Recordings, Geneseo NY and Los Angeles CA
Sound Of Music, Richmond VA
Little Bullhorn, Ottawa ON
Freedy Johnston's Cabin, Woodstock NY
Abbey Goad Studio, Nashville TN
Jersville, Woodstock NY
New Monkey Studio, Van Nuys CA
Clubhouse, Rhinebeck NY
Bomb Shelter Studios, Los Angeles CA
The Wave Station, Geneseo NY
Cello Studios, Hollywood CA
Rami Jaffee's Trailer, Malibu CA
Brian Rosenworcel's Apartment, Brooklyn NY
Flying Tiger Studio, Eaglerock CA
Q Divison Studios, Somerville MA
Cash Cabin, Hendersonville TN
Chris Vrenna's House, Eaglerock CA
David Matheson's Apartment, Toronto ON
Truck Farm, New Orleans LA
Richard Llyod's Studio, New York, NY
Wire Recording, Austin TX
Puzzle Tree, Vashon Island, WA
Mississippi Studios, Portland OR
The Cave, Laurel Canyon CA
Hi-N-Dry, Somerville MA
Back of the GWAR Tour Bus, Boston MA
Shilah Morrow's House, Los Angeles CA
Independent Recorders, Knoxville TN
Leopard Studio, Stone Ridge NY
Pieholden Studios, Chicago IL
Chameleon West, Buffalo NY
Sound Emporium, Nasville TN
Avast!, Seattle WA
Swamptone Studios, Orlando FL
Marc Dauer's Garage, Los Angeles CA
PJ Mansion Studio, Montreal QC
Mirror Studios, Anchorage AK
Asylum Studios, Los Angeles CA
Tone Row, Los Angeles CA
