Day 11
This was a great day. We started with a cup of tea from Bob's favorite green tea pot. Then it was into the studio to begin mixing Left For Dead. Since there is no one else using the studio we are able to work on a mix a little at a time and leave it overnight so Bobby does a bit of mixing each day as the track progresses and that makes it easier to do the final mix.
Before we could begin we had to learn a little more about the new automation computer that John and Bobby had installed recently. After sorting it out we started the first mix. About 2 hours later we had the first song in the can.
After a short break we started on I Wouldn't Sleep With You. This song was mixed in about the same amount of time. One reason it was so easy to mix these 2 songs is that we knew what we wanted sound wise before we started.
As we were mixing Bobby was squirming and dancing like a madman. He was also doing his impression of the mixing monkey which has to be seen to be appreciated. During all this jiving and twisting Alan asked him "What's the deal with this rug?" Bobby had a small oriental rug under his chair that was getting bunched under the casters. Alan suggested that he nail it down to keep it from moving. At this point John looked down to see what he was talking about and realized that this was one of his expensive Chinese silk rugs from Harrods. John screamed "The hell you will! That rug cost me 135 quid and that was at a half-price sale." This rug was soon replaced by a runner from the bar.
Many of you asked to hear a live sound with lots of bass & drums, John's vocals, raw guitars and real keyboards. Well, YOU GOT IT!
Next on the agenda was John's vocal on Endless Vacation. We all gave him some space. We left the control room to him and Bobby. If you remember I told you John hates headphones so he has to record his vocals in the control room. The first song he sang was done exactly that way. For the next one he actually wore the headphones and by the time he sang the 3rd song he was out in the studio with the headphones cranked. While John was cutting his vocals I went to the office to write the next installment of the journal. I realized it was still my birthday and I had a lot to celebrate. Here we were in the perfect place doing the thing we love to do the most. Playing rock & roll. I finished and went downstairs to hear the results. They were beyond a doubt the best vocals he has laid down during these sessions.
John went out to the kitchen and I stayed for another listen. That's when Alan walked in and asked me for my video camera. I should have known something was up. Lisa, John, Alan and Godfrey walked in singing Happy Birthday and carrying a cake. It doesn't get much better than that. Here I am listening to the playback of our new music and my band mates walk in to wish me a happy birthday. The only thing that was missing was my wife and dog.
With 2 songs in the can and one more ready for backing vocals and mixing we adjourned to the bar once again to party with some friends from the hotel down the street. We spent the rest of the night winding down and laughing our asses off as usual. We had a lot to be happy about. We were even joined by Ralph the parrot who does a mean version of Pridden mixing.
4am (Quite a birthday!)