Cherry Beat - Recording Sessions (Part Eight - The Band's Seventh Album)

December 1976
The band's 1976 album "Neapolitan" had reached #1 in the United Kingdom, as of November 1976. Despite the slightly less successful "Heavy Rock" album, which had been released in September 1975 last year and only reaching #3 in the United Kingdom. The band proved that they still had a golden touch.

December 1976, the start of the recording sessions for the band's eighth album would see several changes. One difference was that the band had recently relocated to the newly finished Moonlight Bay Studios to record their next songs, instead of Dohrn Studios. Another difference was that the band's music would no longer be issued under the Sky Dive Records. It would now be released under the band's new Moonlight Bay Records label.

The third and final difference was that Chudley Maron who had produced five of the band's first six studio albums, would no longer be making a solo stand as an album producer. Sam Whitby had been growing tired of Chudley's production work, so he brought in long time session percussionist Riley Ganz to serve as a producer for some tracks.

Peter McDonald in particular was not satisfied with Sam's decision to bring in Riley as a producer, not because he felt that Riley's "Wall of Sound" production style didn't fit in with Cherry Beat's image - he didn't have a problem with that. It was more that Riley seemed to have his own ideas of how songs should be produced, as opposed to Chudley who had the band's best interests at heart.

29th December 1976
This was the band's first official recording session for their seventh album. Chudley Maron would serve as a co-producer for these recording sessions, as Riley Ganz would lend some production experience of his own. However only Chudley would receive production credit as the producer for today's session. On this day the band recorded a new composition "Vibraphone Tombs" which was written by Peter McDonald.

30th December 1976
Peter McDonald double tracks his lead vocal for "Vibraphone Tombs". He also records a harmony vocal overdub. The lead guitar, bass guitar, drum kit, rhythm guitar, electric piano, and vibraphone are also double tracked.

The volume level of the other instruments were reduced slightly, allowing listeners to focus primarily on the double tracked vocals, guitars, drums, piano, and vibraphone.

It took a lot of effort to get the mixture of the elements on "Vibraphone Tombs", but Chudley Maron managed to get it right.

31st December 1976
Peter McDonald records backing vocal and cello overdubs for "Vibraphone Tombs". Sam Whitby records a second vibraphone which was also double tracked. Torquil Dohrn records a moog synthesizer overdub, and Chudley Maron records a second celesta.

1st January 1977
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell respectively record cello, electric piano, alto saxophone and percussion overdubs for "Salt 'n' Pepper Suite". Unlike the tracks that had been selected for release, during the recording sessions for the band's 1976 album "Neapolitan", all the songs that were worked on and released during the sessions for the band's seventh album, except for "Salt 'n' Pepper Suite", were brand new.

"Salt 'n' Pepper Suite" had been started in early 1972, but it wasn't completed, or considered for "Show Business" because it's music hall style didn't really fit in with most of the other songs recorded at that time which were mostly rock and roll numbers. Session musicians German Sprinkle, Lacy Gram, and Noel Kontos recorded alto saxophone overdubs, alongside Torquil.

Jared Underhill, Darin Askins, Jackie Barb, and Erich Phong recorded the trumpet overdubs for "Salt 'n' Pepper Suite". And Bob Brannon, Horace Voris, Tomas Newkirk, and Dominick Stowell recorded the oboe overdubs. "Salt 'n' Pepper Suite" was now completed, and ready for release in 1977.

19th January 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Summer Dream" which was primarily a Sam Whitby composition, although he admitted that Peter McDonald helped him to write some of the verses. The two of them described "Summer Dream" as a dreamy psychedelic pop song.

This was Riley's first real crack as a producer for a Cherry Beat recording session, being the sole producer for this session and for several more sessions after that.

20th January 1977
Sam Whitby double tracks his lead vocal for "Summer Dream".

24th January 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Your Love is Life" which was written by Peter McDonald. Both Chudley Maron and Riley Ganz served this session recording as co-producers, the latter of which under the watchful eyes of a resentful Peter McDonald.

Peter McDonald had always had his doubts about Riley Ganz's production work, ever since he was brought in by Sam Whitby to serve as a co-producer. And Peter made sure that Riley co-produced his song to his satisfaction.

1st February 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Ultra-Passion" which was written by Sam Whitby. It is notable for being the very first Cherry Beat composition to reflect the influence of Japanese rock, and use japanese instruments.

Sam Whitby's nationality was British, but he had developed an interest in the style of Japanese music, and Japan in general. He also had Japanese ancestry, unlike his fellow band-mates who had European ancestry.

5th February 1977
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Torquil Dohrn respectively record kokyū, tonkori, and horagai overdubs for "Ultra-Passion". The band members found it rather tough finding suitable japanese instruments to play on a Cherry Beat recording, but they managed to find some.

9th February 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "A Ride in the Country" which was primarily a Peter McDonald composition, with Sam Whitby helping with some of the verses.

Like "Your Love is Life", Peter McDonald kept an annoyingly close watch on Riley Ganz who co-produced the song, so as to make sure that he didn't over produce Peter's simple acoustic ballad.

16th February 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Honey and Barley" which was a Torquil Dohrn composition.

20th March 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Celtic Dash" which was primarily a Sam Whitby composition, with input from Peter McDonald.

21st March 1977
Torquil Dohrn records bagpipe overdubs for "Celtic Dash".

3rd April 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Do the Salsa" which was primarily a Sam Whitby composition, with input from Peter McDonald.

4th April 1977
Torquil Dohrn records güiro overdubs for "Do the Salsa".

29th April 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Gold Digger" which was a joint effort between Peter McDonald and Sam Whitby.

30th April 1977
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby and Devon O'Connell respectively record cello, cash register and percussion overdubs for "Gold Digger".

16th May 1977
Single Release — Gold Digger / Do the Salsa

12th July 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "A Girl's Mind" which was written by Devon O'Connell. He was very surprised and rather delighted when his composition was chosen as the title track for the band's next album.

However the song was banned from certain places, because of the song's title. Some fans reacted strangely to the title, but Devon did his best to deny rumours that it was meant to be in any way negative towards the opposite sex.

Devon explained that it was about the way a lot of boys felt in their early teens, and their lack of experience with teenage girls. That's all the song was supposed to be about. It wasn't intended to be in any way offensive.

26th July 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Shot through the Heart" which was written by Torquil Dohrn.

It should not be confused with the Bon Jovi song of the same name from Bon Jovi's self-titled album, or from the Bon Jovi song "You Give Love a Bad Name".

Bon Jovi would later declare truthfully that neither of his two songs recorded in 1982-83 and 1986 respectively were inspired by the Cherry Beat composition composed by Torquil.

19th August 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "In the Middle of the Night" which was written by Sam Whitby.

It should not be confused with the Billy Joel song "The River of Dreams".

20th August 1977
Sam Whitby double tracks his lead vocal on "In the Middle of the Night". Peter McDonald and Devon O'Connell respectively record Baldwin spinet and tambourine overdubs for the song. Session musicians Chester McGlade and Dallas Guertin record cello overdubs. Grady Ashman and Neal Nobriga record viola overdubs. And Elisha Bedsole, Patricia Cockrill, Tracey Lessman, Ned Morphis, Ellsworth Hutchins, Williams Torian, Gonzalo Northup, Marcellus Folger, and Terrance Bustamante record violin overdubs.

25th September 1977
The band began to work on a new composition on this day. "Waltz of Scotland" which was primarily a Peter McDonald composition, with input from Sam Whitby.

As Peter later explained "I got the idea of Waltz of Scotland, before the Paul McCartney and Wings single "Mull of Kintyre" was released.

"Mull of Kintyre" is what helped us to complete "Waltz of Scotland", and that's a reality. "Waltz of Scotland" was never on the same level as "Mull of Kintyre", but both tracks did reach #1 at some point after they were released.

26th September 1977
Peter McDonald and Torquil Dohrn record acoustic guitar overdubs for "Waltz of Scotland" on this day. Sam Whitby records an electric guitar overdub for the song.

30th September 1977
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "The Girl in the Heather" which was a Torquil Dohrn composition.

1st October 1977
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell respectively record cello, acoustic guitar, Moog synthesizer, and percussion overdubs for "The Girl in the Heather".

2nd October 1977
Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "Summer Dream".

Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "Your Love is Life".

Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "A Ride in the Country". Riley Ganz also records percussion overdubs for the song.

Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "Celtic Dash". Riley Ganz also records percussion overdubs for the song.

3rd October 1977
Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "A Girl's Mind". Riley Ganz also records percussion overdubs for the song.

Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "Shot through the Heart". Riley Ganz also records percussion overdubs for the song.

Session musicians Donald Key, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record percussion, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "In the Middle of the Night".

4th October 1977
Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Bennie Mourer, and Taylor Stgermain respectively record tambourine, cymbals and wood block overdubs for "The Girl in the Heather". Riley Ganz also records percussion overdubs for the song.

The band members, and Chudley Maron arrive at the Moonlight Bay Studios that afternoon to discover that Riley Ganz had scattered percussion overdubs over several Cherry Beat songs that had been recorded for the band's seventh album.

The Peter McDonald tracks "Your Love is Life", and "A Ride in the Country". The Sam Whitby tracks "Summer Dream", "Celtic Dash", and "In the Middle of the Night". The Torquil Dohrn tracks "Shot through the Heart", and "The Girl in the Heather". And the Devon O'Connell track "A Girl's Mind".

Sam Whitby said that he felt that Riley Ganz had done a damn good job at reworking the Cherry Beat recordings, and that he was sure that Chudley Maron couldn't have done a better job himself. Devon O'Connell merely shrugged and said that as long as it didn't bother any of their fans, he was good with it.

Peter McDonald now fully understood why he wasn't satisfied with Sam's decision to have brought in Riley Ganz as a producer. He was angered by the percussion decorations that Riley had added to eight of the fifteen compositions that had been recorded and/or completed between December 1976 - October 1977, now.

Torquil Dohrn and Chudley Maron agreed that they weren't fond of Riley Ganz's work on the Cherry Beat songs over the last few days. But they weren't prepared to get into an argument over how the current songs for their next album should be done. What was done was done, and both sensing growing unease and tension within the band decided to wait the remainder of the recording sessions for the band's seventh album out.

5th October 1977
Peter McDonald furiously demanded that Riley Ganz tone down the percussion overdubs on his songs "Your Love is Life" and "A Ride in the Country", or to say goodbye to his occupation as a producer of the band. To ease the growing tension within the band, Riley reluctantly reduced the volume level of the percussion overdubs he'd added to the two Peter McDonald tracks.

22nd October 1977
The band recorded a cover of a John Fogerty song "Rockin' All Over the World" on this day.

However Cherry Beat's cover of the song was not intended for release on their seventh album. The band simply recorded a version of the song, because it was a song they enjoyed, even though they only releasing their own material by this time.

1st November 1977
Album release — A Girl's Mind

17th November 1977
Session musicians Wiley Stancill, Riley Stanbery, Shaun Galloway, Ernesto Selby, German Sprinkle, Alphonse Labounty, and Jared Underhill, Delmer Matousek, Ron Hayhurst, and Kendrick Vantassel were asked to record great highland bagpipes for "Waltz of Scotland" on this day. The ten of them declared that they weren't professional bagpipe players, but since they were already familiar with other brass and woodwind instruments, they would give the bagpipes a go.

Similarly because Cherry Beat was unable to find very many available session musicians who already played snare drums and bass drums, they called in numerous session musicians from previous recording sessions that played percussion or otherwise instruments that didn't involve playing through mouthpieces.

Session musicians Raymond Gunn, Anthony Newcomb, Marvin Comer, Parker Bibb, Kent Felps, Calvin Arndt, Brock Bostic, and Milan Moniz played the snare drums on "Waltz of Scotland". Tod Lowy (who already played the bass drums), and Blaine Christ played the bass drums on the track.

All the bagpipes, and snare and bass drum overdubs were not recorded at Moonlight Bay Studios, because the band felt that the inside air was not suitable to record a "marching pipe band". They found a suitable place at Rose Hills to record the marching pipe band overdubs instead.

11th December 1977
Single Release — Waltz of Scotland / The Girl in the Heather