MAKING OF AN ALBUM . . . Pt4

Having had a busy schedule with Smokie running up to Christmas, It really meant that I needed some down time to recharge the batteries, but on the 26th of December I wandered into my studio with an idea for a chorus to a new song. I quickly put the idea down really rough, and thought i'd come back to it in the New Year. Problem was that started my mind to think about cutting more new tracks, getting a release date and well, just getting the bloody thing finished.

With six tracks complete It was really taking shape and the album definitly started to make sense and sound like a record, but I was left with a dillema. I'd now recorded three tracks in the UK and three in America, with two very different producers and two sets of Musicians. I'd also thouroughly enjoyed working in both countries and all the guys working with me were friends. I felt a loyalty to everyone involved and I didn't want to have either Blue or Stuart thinking I was picking one over the other, they had both given me immense time, dedication and direction, but it was a call I had to make.

Financing an album ain't cheap, so I thought well, if I'm going to back to America, I might as well go in January when the flights and hotels are a little cheaper and of course I don't work with Smokie in January anyways. I'll then do another couple of tracks with Stuart at some point in February. So that was the plan I put into action.
So here we go again two songs that I wrote at home and the plan to write another song with the Blueman.

The Idea I had on the 26th of December turned into a song called "She's Got A Spell On Me" . . . .  It starts with a really melodic guitar solo, similar to "Rain On Flinders Street" then goes into a heavy twelve bar riff, with a chorus that uses major 7th chord, so it really is kind of Blues, that get's kicked off the rails, when it hits that chord progression. I also decided that I'd go out on that intro solo . . . . Blue loved it . . . of course he said he would kick it into shape and make my average work into something a bit more special . . . . Redneck fucker !!! (I keep calling Blue this . . . . He hates it !!! )

With flights booked to the States and hotels an all . . . I thought it would be a great idea to go skiing in Italy, leaving me with no time to get aother song done before leaving for America. I clearly wasn't going to write another song whilst doing my Franz Klammer impressions now was I? I got back from skiing and thought fuck !!! . . . pressure is on here, that afternoon I wrote a song called "Holding On" basically a tune about someone who wants to have a go, but is scared to let go, I suppose this is the same for all of us, we want to do something but don't always have the nerve to have a go? . . . anyways I had a chorus, one verse, and the music was good; funky, just like like a Little Feat tune . . . .
. . . . . . . Check in, Passport control, take your seat, inflight meal, I wrote the rest of the verses by the time I got to New York . . . take that you Redneck fucker!!!

So . . . . Masser Blue as I was now begining to call him, changed some of my lyrics again and a couple of chord progressions (for the better may I add) . . . . His stock line is . . . " Hey man you wanna make a record" ? . . . . . . . "Yes I do" . . . ."let's get the fuck on with it then" . . . . We have great banter together!!!

Myself and Blue wrote a song called "Moods On A Rainy Day" a very jazz/bluesy tune about New York city, and how the folks there, or anywhere for that matter, have bad moods on a rainy day.

So here I am, back in session in Nashville. Same drummer, same Bass player and John, a Ritchie Sambora "lookalike" but with a CV that would crush Harley; now, I was impressed with Billy Justinau, but the keyboards on the next three tracks played by John really were something, I was knocked out.

The banter in the studio was great. Doug had begun to recite the "Angry Preacher" sketch so we all went round saying . . .  "Congrigation, I just don't give a fuck" and at the begining of each take of a song, we'de hear Doug whispering . . . . "Well I . . . Just don't give a fuck" to a multitude of laughs and more time wasting, he then stopped mid-song, to recite "I Do Declare" . . . I may be or not be your preacher by the end of this gathering . . . . so I said "I do declare" . . . "you may not be getting fuckin paid if you don't . . .get the fuck on with that, theyyyyyyrrrrre sowwwwwng" all in a southern drawl of course.
We basically took most of the day to cut those three tracks.
I'd already said to Blue that I want to put a resonator intro on the begining of "Holdin On" . . .  Anyway,  Blue had an old Silvertone guitar that cost sixteen bucks way back in the sixties that his Dad bought at Macy's . . . It played like shit but sounded great, so I just played the idea, quickly but, kind of in time, just one take, with the knowledge that I'd use my expensive National resonator on the track when I get back to the UK . . . . That old peice of shit Silverton is staying !!! . . . . it sounded so good, honest.
Whilst on this session I'd also got to hear what a great job Eleisha had done on background vocals, sh'e a 4'6" Italian girl who sings like a Black Gospel Lady

I recently played "Holding On" and "Spell On Me" to Terry Uttley whilst waiting for a flight in Moscow airport, he said "I'm really, really, impressed Mick"
That pleased me . . . .immensley.

Part 5. . .coming soon.