I just read thru 13 & 14... OMG...I laughed outloud a bunch of times...you are gonna love these.
Here is a snippet from #13
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Ready, Set, Look at Nude Magazines!
This smaller overdub studio is in a residential neighborhood.
Preferred Sound Studios was West of Topanga Canyon Blvd. just South of Ventura Blvd and
North of Mulholland Highway.
This place will be our home for the next month doing guitars, lead vocals and a bunch of other
overdubs.
This includes Howard playing keys on a few tunes, Michael doing some percussion and our
guest back-up singers.
This whole process was super exciting as each day something new was happening.
And along the way, now we could really start to hear the songs come to life.
We had done this before, but recording a 3 or 4 song demo over a few days’ time is much
different than recording a full length album for a major record label.
Previous demo sessions were done for a couple thousand dollars over a few days.
This time, we’re going to have 50 times the budget and 4-5 weeks times to do it in.
I recall one day Howard gave our studio runner $100.00 and sent him to the store.
He was ordered to get some essentials for the studio.
An hour later he returned with a few bags full of candy, gum and dirty magazines.
Correct, nude magazines for us to look at - likely to keep us out of Howard’s hair.
Howard was a lot of fun but was all business when he needed to be.
I remember all of us being there the first few days, and loving it.
FYI: the runner is a person who is there to basically do what their name suggests, run and get
this or that when needed.
My guess is he was paid $100 a day, to basically wait for Howard to say “It’s lunch time, go get
us 3 pizzas” and then hand the guy a crisp fifty.
Michael had a video camera and recorded much of the shenanigans. Maybe one day we can
unearth these epic clips.
The studio was awesome but after a few incidents of everyone interjecting their opinions “Hey
do this on that part” Howard yelled at us.
He wasn’t mean, but he had to take control and let us know who the boss was.
Something like our parents would tell us when we were kids, “Be seen and not heard.”
He didn’t need everyone’s 2-cents on which vocal or guitar riff sounded better.
So after a week or so of goofing around the law was laid down.
If you weren’t recording, you didn’t need to be there.
Michael was the exception to that rule as he was usually my ride, and he was also the sanest
and most mature of the group.
Todd was done with bass tracks but at some point he was there to sing backgrounds too.
I do recall Todd getting mad that he wasn’t going to sing backgrounds on every song.
Todd is not really a singer, but he definitely helped define our vocal sound, especially as the
main backup voice in the band.
But fact is, he’s just not a great singer and that is where Howard hired some pros.
Chase as we called him, was less than happy and voiced his opinion more than a few times.
But he was overruled by the band and ultimately the Producer.
Jorge was there for all guitar parts.
The days he was not, he was likely sleeping until 2:00pm or later.
Jorge awake before noon was laughable.
Our recording schedule was similar to our pre-production (rehearsal) schedule.
Start time was 12:00 noon, and we’d go until 6:00pm.
Some days we would go later, but we were usually done by 8:00 or at the latest 9:00pm.
As we approached week #3 Howard informed me I was on deck.
He started to alternate days, for me (singing) and Jorge (playing solos).
Obviously there are a lot of vocal and guitar parts, more than basic drums or bass.
Usually Scott would arrive first (11:00am) and prep for Howard based on that day’s schedule.
On days I was to sing, I would be instructed to arrive around 1:00pm.
This way Scott and Howard could do some edits, other studio work and prepare the track I was
going to sing that day.
For me, this meant me warming up earlier, getting my tea, honey, lyrics and anything else I was
going to need in advance.
Same applied for Jorge, and his guitar tracks.
I was always prepared, on time and I’d like to think easy to work with.
Not that the others were not, but there were some incidents that stand out.
One especially involving Jorge.
Jorge was always a late sleeper as noted above.
Which when having a strict recording schedule, with paid studio time, the Producer, Engineer all
getting a salary as well - you’d think most would understand their responsibility.
Of course we all did.
Except for Jorge.
If we had a time-clock from these sessions, I’d bet he was tardy more than the other 3 of us
combined.
And even if he was on time, Jorge was this guy; “Shit, I forgot to get batteries”
Of course he didn’t realize this until he was at the studio, literally opening up his guitar case.
Howard would then instruct the runner to do his job.
Now the 1:00pm start time will be more like 1:30 or 1:45.
So one day Jorge is there, and they are starting to record guitars.
He’s a few takes in and suddenly the phone is ringing and Jorge has to take an important call.
Note: this is before cell phones or at least, before any of us had them.
Jorge is now in the studio lounge arguing with his then girlfriend on the phone.
There was always drama with these two.
Now after a few heated phone calls Jorge informs Howard and Scott, he must go home.
Why?
Because his girlfriend is going to commit suicide.
Typical shit with this guy.
Who knows what they were really fighting about, but needless to say - everyone was pissed.
I was there, and Michael too.
I’ve always been a bit cut-throat and a joker for sure, so I voiced the following: “Let her, we’ve
got a record to make for Atlantic.”
Then I would just return to eating my licorice looking at a new copy of Big Boobs Bizarre.
Michael was likely thinking the same but was more controlled with his emotions.
Of course Jorge is now all worked up, flustered and yelling into the phone.
I’d bet she never even said anything about suicide.
My guess is whatever their argument was over probably had her saying something along the
lines of: “And if you don’t come home right now, I’ll be flushing your pot down the toilet.”
This of course would have had him lose his mind.
So in typical Jorge fashion, he left the Woodland Hills studio and drove back to their apartment
in North Hollywood.
Noting, that’s easily 30-40 minutes in traffic 1-way.
Howard and Scott found other work to keep them busy while Michael and I fumed at his
decision.
Like many group arguments, we all vented while he was gone.
A few hours later he returned but in typical Jorge fashion, careless and carefree.
I guess she lived and Jorge didn’t understand why everyone was annoyed with him.
Jorge never took responsibility for any of his bad decisions. Ever.
Oh well, we’re a team and he is part of the group, so we just dealt with it.
Truth is, we all had our faults, I included.
I’ll drop a few bombs on myself, in time.
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$tEvil
