Sad News to lose Terry Draper!
Boy, we used to laugh really hard together! Like brother Pirates!
We met at Toronto Sound when Klaatu were in a big media bubble.
When I ran into them in the kitchen, Terry was the friendly one, who had time to talk, teach, and encourage me.
John was super private, and Dee was busy.
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 anyway, in a studio up on Major Mackenzie, near Kennedy road, north of Toronto.
I think we had three hours to learn the song, record, mix, and pack up!
Terry directed the session.
I don’t remember doing more than one vocal take. I know I had no lyrics written down.
Producer Terry Draper on drums. Engineer mixer Dee Long on Bass. Songwriter arranger jjfrazz on CP-70 (the studio didn’t have a piano) and vocals!
Terry and JJ on handclaps, and backing 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.
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
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 drum fills on the Fairlight!
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.
xox, John