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ON THE JOB TRAINING
So, into the studio we went. We were a crowd. There was Bob Seal, lead guitar and lead vocal, Robbie Robison, rhythm guitar and vocal, Doug Lubahn, bass guitar and vocal, Dallas Taylor, drums, Michael Ney, Drums, (that's right, two drummers).
Plus Mark, my son, and John Marascalco, a friend. I had invited him as a guest. He was a songwriter, publisher, and producer and he had lots of experience in studios. He was way ahead of me in the ways of the record racket.
He had written a couple of songs that had made him a bunch of bucks. Good Golly Miss Molly and Rip It Up, recorded by Little Richard. Elvis also did a couple of his songs, years before I came to Hollywood. I felt good that John had agreed to come baby-sit me in my first ever recording session with me producing a group.
Mark was my co-producer, having put up some money to help finance the session. I remember wondering if he would become infected with the same "bug" that I had, and want to get into the record racket, as a producer, too. He didn't. Lucky him. He was probably saved from a lot of aggravation.
The recording session was a great experience for me. I already knew, from all the demos I had done of my songs how easy it was to waste a lot of time and money, if the group wasn't rehearsed and ready. Fortunately, this group had come prepared.
They were great.
Bob Seal was right on the money with his passionate rendition of both songs. He tore the walls down on the guitar solo. He was sealing the deal with his signature vocals. Nobody could have done it better. I remember thinking a record deal was in the bag.
Dallas Taylor was the touch of perfection in keeping the beat and powerful drum accents and fills. Michael Ney, the other drummer was right along side him, adding to the power.
Everybody else was fired to their peak performance by these three and they all did great. Both songs came out with the sound and feel of the times. I was real pleased.
THE DEAL
Now that I had my record, (I never considered it a demo) I had to find a label to release it into the marketplace.
Although I had spent years trying to get songs recorded by solo artists and had been successful to a very limited extent, I had never shopped a production of a group.
I really didn't know what to expect. But I was determined to find out if there was a deal out there. I loved what I walked out of the studio with. I was convinced the band had done a great job and I was right. They had. Subsequent events proved it. They had what it took to be successful. I was sure of it.
So, I got on the phone and made a few calls and ran into defensive receptionists who "took messages" for A&R guys, who never called back. I'd been through this many times before.
So I decided to try my luck at cold calling, in person. It had worked a short time earlier with Double Shot Records, why not with another?. I'll tell you about Double Shot Records downstream a bit.
So, I went over to Sunset & Vine and went into the tall skinny building on the southeast corner. I didn't know if there was a record company in there or not, but I figured there might be. I was right. There on the directory was Elektra Records. Bullseye. Into the elevator, and up I went.
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DEJA VU
It was really strange, the way it turned out. I walked into an empty reception area and called out, "Hello, anyone here?" Same scenario as out on the Strip at Double Shot earlier. Would it have as good a result?
What happened at Double Shot was , I got one of my songs, Runnin' Wild, recorded by Brenton Wood, and put on his first album, Oogum Boogum. He was a hit artist at the time, with a song in the top ten. I made some money. Would history repeat itself? I intended to find out.
As fate would have it, out walked the A&R guy, Billy James. His receptionist was out to lunch, and had left the door unlocked. Exactly as it happened out at Double Shot. This was a little weird, but I loved it.
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Bud looking on from side stage as The Brain Train do their thing at The Sea Witch on Sunset Strip.
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Billy was friendly. Not at all upset with me walking in on his lunch hour. Once again, a carbon-copy of the experience with Hal Winn, the head-honcho at Double Shot.
Well, not to stretch it out too long, I was totally involved in a classic case of deja-vu. Billy agreed to listen to my acetate dub right then and there.
He listened and he liked what he heard. Same as at Double Shot. He said he'd send it to New York to Jac Holzman, the president of Elektra, and he'd get back to me. The difference here was at Double Shot Hal Winn WAS the president. All he had to do was show it to the artist, for his approval.
I was elated, Couldn't wait to tell Wolfie, and the group. The record racket is a minefield of denials, rejections, turn-downs, deception and disappointments. I'd already had plenty of that mix. So it was really great to be able to report this success at the first stop. To me, it was a very good sign.
NEXT
The best way to tell the rest of this episode is the briefest way. The group got signed, I made a deal that suited me and everyone else, which included keeping half publishing rights to Black Roses, for my publishing company.
Plus, all new equipment for the band, a van to transport it, a years rent paid in advance on a house, soundproofing one room for rehearsals, front money for survival and a two album deal. Not too shabby, for a brand new, green manager.
But, as I said earlier, I had a lot of input from the band. They were always there, prompting me with demands, when I was on the phone with the company lawyer, negotiating terms of the deal. It worked. They got everything they wanted.
Shortly thereafter, I stepped out as advisor, manager, mentor, or whatever I was. The reason? Elektra brass convinced the band I was not the guy for the job. Too inexperienced. Besides, they wanted Paul Rothchild to take over. He was "in house". At least that's what I was told.
As it turned out, all the experience they had didn't save the Elektra crew from taking it in the ass from the boys in the band. Jack Holtzman and his pirates outsmarted themselves. More on that a little later.
SNAFU
( Situation Normal, All F----- Up)
If I'd gotten a contract signed by the group, I would have been in position to negotiate something. But, I did get some front money on future royalties for Black Roses. It wasn't much, but it gave me a good feeling to cash that check from a label, for my very first effort as a producer, and my deal as a publisher. I was getting better results from my efforts , finally.
And a bit more seasoning, as to the ways of record companies, their lawyers, rock and roll musicians, negotiating deals, plus the importance of signed agreements.
So, I was better prepared for my next venture into rock and roll razz-ma-tazz, with the next group I was destined to get involved with. Sooner than I expected.
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