I Have 11 Songs To Sing You

Hey Soul Mates,
the session wrapped around 3 a.m. Rub and Reveal, Steve! Haven't been to bed. One track is a redo already, but c'est la vie. The LP is right!
TGIF!

Love, Power, Peace

One To Go

Hey Soul Mates,

we are one song away ("Down By Love") from finishing our debut album. This is quite exciting. The mixing process has been a long, but rewarding journey. Last night, the midnight lamp nearly ran outta oil as the session wrapped around 3 a.m. again. Four songs were completed and in a few short days, I'll post the CD's track listing in its running order.

Hard to fathom, but one year ago today, RHS was at the Bedford in London shooting our first video for "A Talent For Loving." I'm celebrating the anniversary by watching the clip again. As we have another session for mixing and the Cavaliers are playing their first ever NBA Finals game, I won't have time to post any new pics or our superboot today. But I will have plenty of new photos next week.

It's also Prince's birthday and as he is one of my MAJOR influences: Happy Birthday, Prince!!

Love, Power, Peace

#401

Hey Soul Mates,
I didn't realize yesterday's early a.m. blog was number 400 for me. Wow, that's not shabby.

Dear Lord, it's late/early. I'm just in from the studio. The long drive along with the long hours is making me dizzy. BUT! Sucka and I Can't Cry For You are in the can. Sucka thumps like nobody's beezwax and I Can't Cry For You has really grown. The first time Bryan played me the riff was last year in Wales and I learnt it up while we were shooting our video in London. The guitar on Cry is spectacular. Lots going on. I listened to it against the live versions on the iPod and the difference is light years apart. The studio version is going to rock your world. We're halfway to an album.

All right. I'm done. Done! (That's for Portner)
Love, Power, Peace, Sleep

Educating Rush Hour Soul

Hey Soul Mates,
Just downing a bit of Twining's Everyday and a few Lotus biscuits as I type.

We got a bit of an edjumacation tonight at the studio. First off, the LP tracks are slamming! Mixing was completed on Everything My Heart Desires, Done Lost My Mind and U Had The $. You won't be disappointed. Those three are worth the price of admission alone. But wait there's more! Ha ha. We'll be back at the Lounge for more mixing action later tonight, as it is 2 a.m. Monday.

As for the schooling? Seems we get more learning with every session. We made the executive decision to mix on the analog console rather strictly on the computer. I wasn't sure what I had gotten the band into as it turns out, the aforementioned songs are D.O.N.E. Finished. Over. The analog mixes are ours to keep, i.e. that's it! Which at first caught me off guard, but after conversation, debate and rebuttal, backed up our original (although guessed at) choice, which our co-producer Adam and engineer deluxe, Steve recommended. And as I said, trust me, these tracks are slamming. There's no way the drums and vox would sound this hott otherwise.

I put down a new romantic-inspired synth part on EHMD (think ABC meets Curtis Mayfield) to go along with Adam's tasteful glockenspiel. And Adam approved of the performance. I think he said "Martin Fry called, he wants his sound back." Which means a lot, since Adam is one bad dude on the keys. Ad's glock playing will also to be heard on Done Lost My Mind. To which Steve said, "Thom Bell called, he wants his arrangement back!" Blue-Eyed Soul. Philly soul. Rush Hour Soul. It's all good for the soul. Anyway, I think we'd be great on a double bill with ABC. Hint, hint.

Alright, I'm minutes from sleep. Gotta be back in the swing in a few hours.
Love, Power, Peace

p.s. Check out "Rocky Balboa" if you haven't already. Inspiring.

Studio Day Two Years In A Row

Hey Soul Mates,

it's a studio day for Rush Hour Soul. And it was a year ago as well. In 2006, we arrived at Monmouth with the rising sun, about 4 a.m. Our recording session for A Talent For Loving began later in the afternoon. Much later. It was hot, as I recall, so we waited to record till after the real heat of the day. But Wales, was so loverly that I simply sat outdoors by the River Monnow, sipping coffee and listening to the water. I did post my first official "blogger" blog that day, as well. I'll have to take a look at it and see what I was thinking on the spot.

OK, here are a slew of photos from an unforgettable stop at Huddersfield. Home to some of our most rabid fans to this day. Hudds was our June 2 date at Bar 120.







Time permitting, I'll get some rare photos from Wales up here shortly. And I still have to post that "Superboot." Our day at the Lincoln Lounge will last about 10 hours, so those may have to wait a few more days.

As for the Cavaliers, I'm beyond excited. Something I'm not sure I'd see in my lifetime, the Cavs in the NBA finals. Of course I wept last night when the game ended. I thought back on the horrendous '80-'83 campaigns when the team seemed to go winless for entire consecutive seasons. Staying up late to hear Joe Tait call yet another loss on 3WE. Or hearing callers commiserate on the Pete Franklin show about how owner Ted Stepien was Satan. Birthdays spent at the cold, remote Richfield Coliseum watching Cleveland lose to another bottom feeder of the day like the Bulls or the Nets. So, I will be proudly wearing my Cavs jersey all week, so look for me. I'm #7. Like Bingo Smith!

Love, Power, Peace