It's the journey. That's what matters most. The journey. It's been over two years since the 4 of us, all survivors of the 60's, embarked on this musical magical mystery tour and it just keeps getting better with every twist and turn of the road. Today was an especially important stop along the way. We found ourselves in a recording studio beginning the process of recording what we expect to be a CD's worth of original material (and maybe a cover or two re-worked in our own way). Where all of this will take us is anyone's guess at this point, but after this afternoon's recording session, we are collectively inspired and can't wait to find out what's next for us around the corner.
We arrived at Alan Beavers' studio this morning for a 4-hour session, with plans to record two standout songs by Mike Casey: "Bad, Bad Man" and "Listen To Your Heartbeat". We have played both songs many times, but we had not yet come up with the definitive versions, so we were hoping that it would all come together in the studio - which it did. Mike completed the final (and best) lyrics for "Bad, Bad Man", which the rest of us heard for the first time this morning.
As it turned out, we spent the entire 4-hour session (minus a little equipment set-up time) completing about 95% of "Bad, Bad Man". We completed the first pass of the song, then did another bass track, a final vocal, a second rhythm guitar and a number of lead guitar track takes before calling it a day. All in all, a good result for our first time in the studio - one that we were all pleased with. The plan is to return in a few days to put the finishing touches on this first song and then get started on "Listen To Your Heartbeat".
After the session, I couldn't help thinking about the line at the end of the Tom Hanks movie, "That Thing You Do", where, after the band has finally bottomed out and disintegrated after completing an incredible ride with their one and only hit, one of the two remaining members turns to the other and says in bewildered amazement at the band's whirlwind journey, "How did we get here?"
How did we get here, indeed. Windrush came together seemingly out of nowhere. As teenagers during the 60's, John Green played in an Iowa garage band (The Trojans); Mike Casey played in Columbus, Ohio, with the Penetrations; Bob McCarthy played (also in Columbus) with the Deadlys (among others); and Doug Tracy kept practicing on his guitar and always dreamed about playing in a band someday.
Now, decades later and after our 4 lives have meandered in every which way, we find ourselves connected in this band, following our common passion for music that has never waned over the years. We are fortunate to be in this special place and we know it. This time around we are paying attention to the opportunity to do it once again and we are taking none of it for granted. We're not doing it for money, girls (well, maybe) or fame. We are simply following our passion and savoring every minute of the journey. Does it get any better than this?
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