This song is from Can You Fly. I’m proud of the drum tracks on this record and consider them some of the best I’ve done. (Ironically, Freedy and I never worked together again after the completion of this album). We recorded this album in two groups of sessions separated by 13 months. The first round of sessions were produced by Graham Maby, with me and Jared Nickerson as the rhythm section. I remember playing drums on Responsible first. Over a few days I played drums on the other songs. About a year later came songs like In The New Sunshine and this tune, The Lucky One. These last sessions were produced by Knut Bohn, with me and bassist Graham Maby as the rhythm section. For this tune, Knut asked me to play straight through with no fills. We went back to overdub cymbal crashes which he then ran through some effects.
This is still my favorite Freedy album. It was an exciting time to be playing music in Hoboken, NJ. These sessions were some of the last to be recorded at the old Water Music studio when it was a dump that smelled like diesel fumes. No wonder I sometimes have trouble with my memory.
I’m working on a detailed, comprehensive account about the Can You Fly sessions which I’ll post here soon.
RCA era Silos. This was the tour to promote the record. By this time, Graham Maby was our 3rd bass player in a year. JD Foster played bass on the record but wasn’t available for our tour. This song showcases Bob’s writing and his vocal style. He was a commanding presence. Please read my previous blog posted January 5th, “The Silos/Part 1″ for more info.
The Jon Stewart Show–back in the day. This was on the John Henry tour. We were in Europe for many weeks before doing this show. I remember feeling relieved, being back home in New York. This song was a Linnell composition and there was a lot of hope in the Giants’ camp that it would match the success of Birdhouse In Your Soul. I always felt it was an interesting tune but that it lacked something (like a bridge?). Far be it from me to critique a Linnell song, the guy is pure genius. Watching this really makes me miss this drum kit. I foolishly sold it to a recording studio when I became a GMS endorser–big mistake. These Yamaha toms were unbelievable! Watching this also makes me miss working with Tony Maimone. He’s a great guy and always a ton of fun.
Good Morning America ‘94. At the time of this appearance, I did not own a television, so I had no idea what Good Morning America was all about. I was also used to waking up in the morning whenever I felt like it. What I really remember the most about this show, was that I had to get up obscenely early. These days I’m a school teacher, so early morning hours fit nicely into my routine. About the song, Dirt Bike; I was never really crazy about playing this tune. I always felt it was a too short and incomplete. Flansburgh insisted I play this groove in a mechanical manner and it was always a challenge to make it sound musical at the same time.
Conan ‘94. John Henry tour. The Giants put a lot into this tour, promoting their first “band” record. The record company pulled their support almost as soon as we set out. It was the fans that made this tour a success anyway. By the time we did this show, we had already done 8 weeks in Europe, and were looking at an 11 month tour of US and Canada. I had a nice chat with Max Weinberg after the taping of this show. Good guy and a great drummer.
We shot this video in New York in the early 90s. At the time, Edwyn was a Bar None Records artist. The director knew I played a little (a very little) vibraphone, so he asked me to appear in the video. Ahhhh the days of the pony tail. Anyway, the song still stands up after all these years. I hope you like it as much as I do.
