Well, dear readers, our second session was as much fun as our first and a lot easier, since there were many less musicians to be concerned with. We only had six songs to do – two of them I didn’t think were quite working and I thought each was probably not what Lanny was hearing in his head, so I gave suggestions on how to fix them and Lanny agreed wholeheartedly, made the adjustments, and then those tracks took on a whole new and better life. In addition to the six songs, we then had to overdub the piano parts on everything we recorded the day before – that actually went very quickly. We had back-up vocals on three songs, and some large group of folks, most of whom comprise a group called The Accidentals, came in and knocked them out pretty quickly. I normally hate doing back-up vocals and don’t even like to be at those sessions, as I find it tedious at best and excruciating at worst, but this group was really terrific. Then a tap dancer came in to do the taps on Be A Santa (the same exact arrangement from our album A Broadway Christmas, and yes, Guy Haines will be reprising his vocal performance). That, too, went very quickly and we wrapped an hour early. Speaking of wraps, I had one for lunch – I was actually going to wait until dinner to eat, but I really needed food so I had one half of a chicken and avocado wrap and one half of some veggie with rice wrap, although I basically just ate the insides and only about half a tortilla. The East Coast Singer did her scratch vocals and had a good time.
After the session, my pal Holly (who’d been helping at the sessions), the East Coast Singer, her publicist Mona, and Lanny all went to Joe Allen for a little celebration dinner. Since I’d had the wrap for lunch, I just did appetizer things – a shrimp cocktail, small Caesar (which was really small with almost no dressing), and some guacamole and chips, which I shared with the table. We all had a grand time and then I moseyed on back to the hotel, packed, and then answered a humungous number of e-mails and caught up with other stuff on the Internet. One thing I found out was that the Kritzerland anniversary show is sold out – two-and-a-half weeks before the show – that’s a first for us and it feels great not to have to worry. On the other hand, I’ve already heard from a few people who were intending to make their reservations today and unfortunately it’s now too late and unless there are cancelations I won’t be able to do anything about it. I have a table for eight and two of the eight are open, but I’m holding them until the last minute in case some needy friend who’s been loyal to our shows needs a seat.
The previous night, I’d had another problematic night’s sleep – I fell asleep right away, but then woke up an hour later and could not fall back asleep until four. So, for three days now I’ve only gotten five hours of sleep per day. I really need to catch up on my sleep, although, as you’ll see in the next section, when I’m supposed to do that is anyone’s guess.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must try and get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall be up around nine, then I have to finish packing, go to the nearby Fed Ex to send home lots o’ bags of chocolate Twizzlers, then I’ll come back to the hotel and await the car that will whisk me to the airport – I’m leaving at eleven-fifteen. So, please do send your most excellent vibes and xylophones for a safe, secure, and on time flight, and that the beautiful weather of the last two days continues until I’m back in LA. Once I’m home, I’ll have to eat something, and then I have a lot to catch up on and I have to prep the release information for the second edition of Follies.
Tomorrow, I have a lunch meeting in West LA, and then I may have one other meeting after that. I know I may have a couple of other things, but they’re not in my iCalendar so hopefully they’re written down at home. Friday night we do our first vocal session and Saturday morning we finish the vocal session. I know there was something happening on Saturday night, but I can’t remember what it was – ooh (hoo, spelled backwards), I just remembered – I’ve been asked to come to the Nuart Theater for the midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Show – I’ve never done that and never had any intention of doing it, but apparently the pre-show has something to do with Nudie Musical, so I may go down there, which means another late night – I doubt I’d stay for much of Rocky Horror. Sunday I have to see a show, then I have liner notes to finish, we announce the second edition of Follies, I have to write the contextual commentary and then it’s a busy week, although I will definitely take one day as a ME day.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, finish packing, go to the airport and then be on my way home to Los Angeles, namely the City of Studio. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like, so let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I will be on my way home to Los Angeles, namely the City of Studio. Don’t forget to send your strongest most excellent vibes and xylophones for a safe, secure, and on time flight and for the lovely weather to remain until I am back home.