Lyrics on the iPad. Chords on scraps of paper, surrounded by nubs of pencils. Acoustic guitars in hand, capos at the ready. This is what the Durham County Band writer’s circle looks like. On any given day, the members of DCB can be found here, sitting at their round table, drinking coffee, playing instruments, pitching ideas, and otherwise, having the time of their lives. On this particular day, Pete and Kip are working through an arrangement on a moody ballad that's been ar

From a top-secret location in Southern Ontario, the players of Durham County Band are hard at work. “What do you say again – Oh Oh Oh Oh Yeah? Or is it Ew Ew Ew Oh Yeah? I keep messing that up!” James Downham, also of the James Downham Band, maps out the lyrics and melody on a whiteboard, set out in front of him in the recording booth. He strums an air guitar as he records various versions of his background vocals. “It helps me find the pocket,” he adds, hanging the imagina