Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 06:30:46 -1000 From: Jim Smart Subject: a whole lotta aloha I haven't heard the new KPS tribute CDs, but I'm looking forward to it. I did "State of Confusion" years ago for one of the previous tribute tapes. I'm sure I could do a lot better nowadays, but there it is. If you want to hear my own music it's of course at www.mp3.com/3tripper. I also wanted to tell the story of how Gini's version of Sunny Afternoon came to be. She and I were at the Ray Davies songwriting course a few years ago, and she performed on the piano a version pretty much like what you hear on the CD. We all loved it, and certainly Ray was very tickled and pleased. After the course was both bought Akai DPS 12 recording units. This means that we can collaborate on projects. I can add bass to her song, or she can sing on mine, or whatever. I asked her to record that version of Sunny Afternoon. She sent a tape with 3 tracks: her piano, vocal, and that "horn" lead sound. I became something I've never been: a producer. I asked my band's drummer to play on the song, and recorded his rather Ringo-like performance. I added some bass guitar and oohs and ahhs for backing vocals. I added some percussion too, I think, though it was a while ago, so I don't quite remember. But it wasn't quite "there", somehow. I also met our famous wondrous Olga at the songwriting course. And she has been to so many Kinks/Ray shows that she has invented harmonies for many of the songs which she belts out from the audience. I decided I wanted that on the track as well. So I asked Geoff L. (yet another fri end from the songwriting course...how ya doin, Geoff?) to help record her voice to the track so far, which I sent to him. She added lots of harmonies. I compiled the best of that lot, after they sorted out about a thousand technical difficulties and sent it to me. I added that to the song. By now 6 or 9 months had passed since I first suggested that Gini record the song..... Then it was time to do the final mix. But I felt a little mischevious that day, and decided to add crowd noises from the many live Kinks CDs that I own. So now it's like Gini has Ray introducing the performance, which I thought was pretty funny. I tried to not let any of my additions interfere with what Gini had originally performed, since that is clearly the core of the track. So, it was a long and tortuous road to the finished track. Hope you all enjoy it! Good to be back, Jim