Monday, March 02, 2015

Monday's Moment of Shameless Self-Promotion

Well, ahem.

As you may have heard, I have decided that since the masses are clamoring for The Floor Models, I am going to compile an EP of previously unreleased vault material (stuff which didn't make the cut for Floor Your Love, our fabulous CD on ZERO HOUR RECORDS) for release on our own P.O.J. label.

The disc will be titled Letter From Liverpool, after the gorgeous tune principal Flo Mos songwriters Gerry Devine and Andy Pasternack started working on back in the day, and which Gerry finished shortly before Andy passed away in 2013; it's about us, obviously, and it never fails to get me all misty.

The original plan was to include Gerry's demo version -- just acoustic guitar and vocal -- which he recorded at home (with surprisingly pro results). But then we thought -- hey, if The Beatles could take an old phone message John Lennon left on Jeff Lynne's answering machine and overdub it as a way to hype Beatles Anthology, then we owed OUR fans at least as much.

So, at great personal expense to me, some bass player whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels and ace Flo Mos drummer Glen "Bob" Allen, went into an actual studio last week to add bass and drums to Gerry's demo.

Here's the newly dubbed backing track, 99 percent finished (we may tweak a second or two of the rhythm section in the first verse).




I think it sounds fantastic; our pal Doug Goldberg, who took over on guitar after Andy's departure from the band (late 80s), is scheduled to add Andy-style Rickenbacker 12-string stuff to the track some time in the next couple of weeks, and then voila! -- the first "new" Flo Mos recording in three decades.

And yes, this will be our equivalent of "Free as a Bird." Only less low-fi and without production by the aforementioned Jeff Lynne.

I'll keep you posted on the progress of both the song and EP, which I hope to have out before summer.

P.S.: You can hear the original solo demo over HERE; just scroll down once you get to the link.

10 comments:

buzzbabyjesus said...

Sounds good. You guys made the right decision on proceeding with the demo.

steve simels said...

Going in, I frankly didn't think it was going to work.

A very pleasant surprise....

pete said...

Good, tough rhythm section.

Anonymous said...

I take back everything I never said about you guys. This is very nice. Wanna know what bass you used and what you were playing through. It's very rich sounding. Quite lovely. I can hear why it moves you.

Vickie Rock

Dave said...

It's terrific, Steve. Will be glad to add the EP to my burgeoning Floor Models collection.

Mark said...

Long shot here, Steve. LETTER is very nice, and (is it) Gerry's singing reminded me of someone... SOME one ... I couldn't place until today. I lstened to STUPID BOY by the Gear Daddies, and then it hit me. The voice is not dissimilar to that of Martin Zellar, whose first solo album I think -- but I'm not sure -- you may have written about and I consequently purchased.

steve simels said...

That hadn't occurred to me, but you're right -- Gerry does sound a bit like Martin Zellar. And yes, I raved about his first solo album at the Magazine Formerly Known as Stereo Review.

Anonymous said...

"Wanna know what bass you used and what you were playing through. It's very rich sounding." Any specifics on recording technique worth noting?

Jim H. said...

Lovely tune! I can almost hear the Rick-12 laying in. Good luck!

janglefever said...

"...angel of Mersey..."?

Ohhhh, well-played!