| ""JOLLY ROGER'S RETREAT"" | |
| BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON JOLLY ROGERS RETREAT This song (also subtitled Backpedaling Fearlessly) is one of two instrumental tunes on COMPLETE AVALANCHE! It was recorded during the Studio Sessions in 1981. As on virtually every song from those sessions, I did the best I could to try to recreate what the original band had done live on stage...and on this song...I think we actually may have improved on the original version...due to the appearance of a guest, slide guitarist, Ed Bradley, who at the time had a very well-respected band in New England called POISON... their original name was DURBAN POISON...but they shortened it (this was way before the band that most people know as POISON even existed). Ed is a fabulous musician, he is still playing today, and his contribution to this song is clearly evident. When Ed was playing his solos, it was after the initial tracks had been laid down, and I was in the control room with Peter. Even though I could have easily accepted his first take, I told Ed to do it again...and unknown to him, I saved the first track he had done...and opened up another, thinking I would compare them later on, and pick the best one. During that comparison process, the two very different tracks sounded awesome when played TOGETHER...and so that is why you can hear two slide guitar parts that begin about half way through his solo. I guess some of the best music can happen accidentally! It takes awareness, and luck...to recognize when it happens. The original band wrote and rehearsed three sets of music for six to eight hours a day, five days a week, for over eighteen months before ever playing a live gig, and then there was nearly a year of live gigs...most of them concert dates...before the band broke up. Because of that, the tightness and energy of the Studio Sessions, which consisted of hiring musicians to learn and practice each song for about eight to ten hours before laying down the basic tracks... just doesn't do justice to what this band was really like in its original form. But on this song...I think we outdid ourselves. CREDITS Michael Foster: Acoustic and Electric guitars. Gene Melendraras: Drums Warner Doc Schwepke: Bass Ed Bradley: Slide guitars Written and Arranged by: Michael Foster Coyright1980 by Crystal magic Music (ASCAP) | |