Somehow, miraculously, Terry took the time to produce and record, with Dee, the song demo that got me signed to ATV Music, which started my career in music!
The song was “Everyday, Everynight,” an unfinished one, but it had a lot of good energy. So, we recorded it as a trio, in a studio up on Major Mackenzie, north of Toronto. I think we had three hours to learn the song, record, mix, and pack up and go! Terry directed the session. I don’t remember doing more than one lead vocal take. I know I didn’t have lyrics written down.
Producer Terry Draper on drums. Engineer mixer Dee Long on Bass. Songwriter arranger jjfrazz on Yamaha CP-70 (the studio didn’t have a piano), and vocals! Terry and JJ on handclaps, with Terry on “All Right” vocals! This is the best version I can find. From a very old cassette.
FUNN
Terry Draper put the band “Funn” together, with Dee, myself, Jon Bojicic, and Freddie Coutts.
Bojicic, Jones, Draper, Long, Coutts – Funn
One afternoon while Funn were rehearsing at Swamp Manor, the floor collapsed into the swamp! And we laughed our asses off! How did we not get electrocuted? Mystery.
ESP Studios, Buttonville
ESP Studios, Buttonville. Klaatu Wall of Fame with John Clarke.
Our 1980 studio, ESP, was created by Dee, myself, Frank Watt, and Klaatu’s EMI Records budget for their Magentalane album! Say no more.
AIR Studios
Years later, when we had our studio on Oxford Street at AIR Studios, London, we were approached by the German television series “Tatort,” to record a song for the show. They sent us the song they wanted: “Woman,” by Paul Vincent Gunia. They offered us a good “pound” to produce it, but they wanted the “Klaatu” name. Dee had to be pushed to call Terry and John to ask them to let us do the track. And they said no!
So, I suggested they come to London, and we would pay for it, and they agreed. The result was “Woman,” a song where I finally got to work with Klaatu!
Personally, I love John’s vocal, Dee’s solo, and Terry’s live drum fills!
When Dee called and told me that Terry had passed, I told him that I had just been listening to the “Everyday Everynight” demo! I reached out to Terry a few weeks ago to talk about our past, but did not get a response. I should have called.
Bless him. Sweet, lovely man. Teacher. Seeker. Always remembered in my heart.
August 26th, 2019 § Comments Off on An Especial Pint With jj frazz II § permalink
A few weeks back I decided to put together a 15 minute “podcast” of various demo recordings that I have produced over the years. I have had the luxury of recording everyday since my parents bought me a Sony Sound-On-Sound real-to-reel tape recorder in the 1970’s, so I have recorded hundreds of songs in my life. Quantity over quality!
This week’s A Pint With jjfrazz II is a flock of covers, special to me, but not ready for prime time. Here are they in all their one take demo goodness.
June 7th, 2019 § Comments Off on You’re Too Bloody Much § permalink
A song about dissatisfaction, circa 1982-83.
This is the original demo of my song Too Bloody Much that I recorded with our Fairlight CMI (Computer Music instrument) at ESP Studios, Buttonville, Ontario, Canada in the 1980’s. The vocals and guitars were recorded though an MCI console onto an MCI 24-track two-inch. The other instruments were programmed in Page R and the Fairlight CMI was running live, in sync, when mixed down to 2-track. This one and only mix was discovered and recovered by Frank Watt, who is owed a wee dram (or two)!
Because I did not have the original tape for Too Bloody Muchwhen I was putting together my One Moment in Time album, I recorded a new version of it in Hollywood. By then I was California-ized, and I recorded it in a soft-rock sort of way. Here it is from 1998 – Too Bloody Much
Produced, arranged and recorded, by John Jones
Instruments by J. Jones.
Backing vocals Meninos do Morumbi
Electric Guitars by Dee Long!
Recorded in Los Angeles and British Columbia, 2013.
January 7th, 2017 § Comments Off on Wrapped Around Your Finger – Dan Hill § permalink
This was Mick Fleetwood’s favourite song, of mine!
While we were producing Dan Hill’s, Seduces Me, for Celine Dion, at the end of 1995, we recorded my song, Wrapped Around Your Finger, for Dan’s solo album; I’m Doing Fine.
We recorded the basics for the song, at my Treehouse studio, in the Dell, Hollywood. I played the keys, acoustic guitar, and bass, then we overdubbed Steve Ferrone’s drums at Record Plant with Steve Churchyard, and Michael Thompson’s guitars, at his Cocoa Butt Studio, in the Baldwin Hills.
Wrapped was top 10 on radio, before it, and the album, were pulled from distribution, after 8 weeks! Oh well…
