Transparent recording process reveals all.

Eric Heywood came in yesterday and set pedal steel down on two new recordings. If you’ve seen Over The Rhine, Tift Merritt, Ray Lamontagne, Andrew Bird or The Pretenders over the past few years, you’ve definitely had Eric blow your mind.

First, we tracked Jackie Lomax’ “Fall Inside Your Eyes” – plainly, a song I wish that I’d written.

Jackie died last year. I met him in ~2004 when he played the Knitting Factory in LA at an unusual one-off gig, he was living in Ojai at the time. He was a crazy old cat, not entirely present. Still, an honor to get his signature.

Having been in bands since he was a teen in the 60’s, first gaining notice in The Undertakers and then eventually getting signed and produced by George Harrison to The Beatles’ Apple Records in the late 60’s. I think Clapton and Voorman and Ringo and all those heavies played on the sides.

To no avail. I’ve met next to no one who knows his music, but to me he was a big influence, and wrote some breath-takers. “Fall Inside Your Eyes” is my singing-in-the-shower song. Hopefully you can hear as much here. In fact, I soaked the microphones in soapy water before recording this just to get that feeling.

This take was Eric’s [not Clapton] final. And he hits it wonderfully, even with my camera poking around his pant legs. I may “steel” a few melodic stunts he pulled on take three, but otherwise editing will be at minimum. The mix is rough, done quickly for you, but that’s how it goes in the continuing saga of the “Singles Series”, bringing transparency to the recording process. More to come, including Heywood’s contribution to the psychedelic track “Illumination”.

By the way, how great is that rhythm section? That’s John Fields on drums and bass. My songwriting pal Sie Sie will add her harmony vocals next week – and then we’ll have John give it a final mix.

CREDITS ::
Willie Wisely: vocals, guitar
John Fields: bass, drums
Eric Heywood: pedal steel

Here’s a list of all my “Singles Series” blog posts.