Cherry Beat - Recording Sessions (Part Thirteen - The Band's Twelfth Album)

December 1981
The recording sessions for the band's eleventh album saw the departure of the band's drummer Devon O'Connell. Their music supervisor Chudley Maron had refused to lend a hand in the eleventh album's production, due to the ongoing conflicts and tension within the band.

Longtime session percussionist Riley Ganz who'd produced several of the band's songs from 1977 to 1981 was fired by Peter McDonald, when his partner Sam Whitby suggested that Riley should become the sole producer for the band's twelfth album, a suggestion which infuriated Peter, as he wasn't satisfied with most of Riley's production efforts.

Near the end of the recording sessions for the band's eleventh album, Chudley Maron, at Peter's request, found Gregory Dogan, a young producer who's production efforts were on pair with Chudley's own. Gregory produced the last recorded song for the band's eleventh album, and was to continue serving as the band's producer for the entire recording session for the band's twelfth album.

When the band's eleventh album was released, it had become clear that the band was passing their popularity peak outside the United Kingdom. The band's eleventh album "X-Rayed" only managed to reach #29 in the United States, while the band's latest single "Moolah Mogul" only reached #43 in the United States.

For the band's twelfth album, it was decided that the new material would be recorded in the stadium, at the back of Moonlight Bay Studios. It was perfect for a live performance. The band would record the new material live in-front of a private party consisting of their friends, relatives, and associates.

The recordings would not feature any live cheering nor anything beyond that from the audience, so it was much like recording their music in the studio, only they were recording outside in the stadium.

The parties at Moonlight Bay made sure that no one in the neighbourhood would be disturbed by the private performance. They didn't want to accidentally replicate something similar to what The Beatles had intentionally done back in 1969.

There were a few concerns raised prior to the band's upcoming private performance, as Devon O'Connell had left and the band was in need of a drummer. Peter McDonald had programmed a drum machine for a few of the band's tracks on their eleventh album, but as he would be playing his höfner bass guitar for the performance, he would be unable to program the drum machine as effectively as if he weren't preoccupied with the bass.

Sam Whitby suggested that they could get Percy Duncan, a session drummer to play for the band's private performance, but the other two band members disagreed, as they didn't want anyone outside of the band to contribute to the band's performance. In the end they decided to allow their producer Gregory Dogan to program a drum machine, after agreeing that having their producer contribute was different from having a session musician contribute.

31st December 1981
This was the night that the band had decided to host their private performance. The band recorded and played a total of fifteen new songs, thirteen of which would be released on the band's twelfth album, while the other two would be released as a non-album single.

The songs the band played at the performance were "Moonlight Bay", "Carnival", "Electronic Blues", "Hailstones", "Kokako", "Funky Rhythm", "Pigeon Post", "Sub-Station", "Vintage Days", "Bishops and Knights", "Knee Length Skirt", "Cherry Tree", "Woodland Drive", "Viking Helmet", and "Execuputter".

As with the number of songs recorded for the band's 1975 album "Heavy Rock", the songs recorded for the band's album "Sunset Stadium" featured an equal amount of compositions from Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Torquil Dohrn. The three of them had contributed five songs for "Sunset Stadium" each.

However since two of Sam's songs were released as a non-album single, only three of his songs made the album. Curiously most Cherry Beat albums were dominated either by Peter or to a slightly greater extent Sam. For "Sunset Stadium", Peter and Torquil dominated the album as all five of their respective compositions were included on the album.

Both of Sam's songs that were released as a non-album single would however be reunited with their siblings on the 1997 reissue of Sunset Stadium, so thus he had an even number of tracks to the amount Peter and Torquil had on the album in 1997 onward.

1st January 1982
Sam Whitby and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Moonlight Bay" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Peter McDonald and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Carnival" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Peter McDonald and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Electronic Blues" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Peter McDonald and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Hailstones" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

2nd January 1982
Sam Whitby and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Kokako" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Sam Whitby and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Funky Rhythm" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Sam Whitby and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Pigeon Post" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Peter McDonald and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Sub-Station" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

3rd January 1982
Peter McDonald and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Vintage Days" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Torquil Dohrn and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Bishops and Knights" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Torquil Dohrn and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Knee Length Skirt" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Sam Whitby and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Cherry Tree" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

4th January 1982
Torquil Dohrn and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Woodland Drive" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Torquil Dohrn and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Viking Helmet" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

Torquil Dohrn and Gregory Dogan respectively record Moog synthesizer and music sequencer overdubs for "Execuputter" at Moonlight Bay Studios on this day.

15th February 1982
Single Release — Moonlight Bay / Carnival

6th March 1982
Single Release — Pigeon Post / Cherry Tree

3rd April 1982
Torquil Dohrn publicly announces that he is no longer a Cherry Beat.

9th April 1982
Album Release — Sunset Stadium

26th April 1982
Cherry Beat is now officially disbanded. Without Torquil Dohrn and Devon O'Connell around to help keep Peter McDonald and Sam Whitby together, the co-leaders of the band basically splintered, dissolving the band entirely. All four band members privately sensed that there would eventually be a band reunion or two. But none of them had any idea when.