I'm just guessing, but maybe it doesn't sound like a band playing together because you weren't playing together! Building the basic rhythm tracks - drums, bass, rhythm guitar - from overdubs is the quickest way to kill the feel/vibe of any rock recording. I think this is redundant, but musicians in a band play best when they're playing as a band, right?

This is exactly why those Peel sessions sounded so great. The BBC generally records Peel sessions "live," with minimal overdubs - sometimes even the vocals go down live. If you take a young, accomplished, and hungry band, like the Smiths circa 1983, recording this way cannot be beat. Anything else will sound artificial, because it is artificial.

Again we're assuming that your band is well rehearsed and doesn't have any obviously weak players. You need to be able to get through a take of a song without anyone dropping a note - not too tall an order for a band that has some experience gigging.

Because the amps will probably be moved out of the same room as the drums for separation on the recording, there are also technical requirements for this approach to work. The band members need to be able to hear each other as if they were playing in a single room - just like a gig or rehearsal. Individual band members need individual mixes, so everyone has the raw materials to play his or her best. If your guitar player stands right next to his amp at rehearsal, what "sounds like rehearsal" involves a louder guitar for him, but not necessarily for the other members. At Tip Top Sound, we have a headphone system that allows each player to control his or her own mix, independent of communication with the engineer. Problem solved...

There are definitely places for overdubs - comping that perfect vocal, building that guitar army - but the basic rhythm tracks aren't the place. If we can get those tracks down live, we will. Your recording will have much more life because of it.

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