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[Steve Luongo]

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!)