The Essential Need for Momentum

I think part of the frustration that the guys were all feeling...especially Charles...was that we weren't playing out yet. By design, there were no gigs happening yet, in fact we were still almost seven months away from our first public appearance. There was no emotional reinforcement from audiences or fans, and all musicians need validation of what they do. And Charles was so used to playing in front of audiences regularly, and touring...that not doing that was creating an emotional void in his life. Everyone in the band could see the progress, and feel the momentum, but everyone was getting a little bit squirrely...we all wanted to perform. Keeping that "momentum" happening in the band was essential to keeping everyone committed to the project, and the truth was, the next part of the plan was about to happen. The band was about to go into the recording studio to record our first single. There was a guy who worked at the music store in Hartford that I was buying all the gear from, that had taken a real interest in this project, and he was a recording engineer at a recording studio in East Hartford. Because of his willingness to help the band, and get us better rates at the studio, I made the decision to record there. It wasn't the best studio, by any means, but it was very nice to have somebody else help me to make the process easier, because my hands were already very full. Peter Solak was a very capable engineer, and when we actually did the recording session, he was able to lock the studio doors...with only him and the band there, and we could not only spend hours undisturbed getting a feel for the studio, but also getting in the right "mood" to play...in complete safety and privacy. We selected one of my songs..."Little Miss Sad Eyes"...which was about Patti, as the "A" side, and a song that Mark had written, and I had arranged..."(I'm gonna) Give My Love"...as the "B" side. They were both very strong songs, and seemed like logical choices for our debut. The studio had severe limitations, but we were learning as we went. I had a mixing degree from the Recording Institute of America, but this was the first chance I had to utilize it. My inexperience, and the obvious limitations of the studio I had selected became apparent when the first single was finished. I wasn't satisfied with the finished product at all, but what I learned from that was...if it isn't right...don't cut corners...and don't settle...until it is.