Cherry Beat - Recording Sessions (Part Eleven - The Band's Tenth Album)

Mid July 1979
The band's ninth album "Drink Up" had just reached the top of the charts, unlike it's precedecessor "Rocky Road" which only managed to reach #5. The band members were not surprised that their ninth album had been more successful than their eighth album had been. They also weren't very pleased with the finished product of "Rocky Road".

The four band members of Cherry Beat stated that their ninth album "Drink Up" was a better album to make than their last album "Rocky Road". We recorded various sound effects to suit the nature and the subject of the individual songs in question.

This was one of the main reasons why critics praised this album. They found the added sound effects to be funny, inventive and an excellent solution to stop their music from deteriorating during the tension filled times that the band members were still experiencing.

26th July 1979
This was the first official recording session for the band's tenth album. The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Shaved Fish" which was a Peter McDonald composition.

27th July 1979
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell respectively record grand piano, vibraphone, alto saxophone, and timbales overdubs for "Shaved Fish" on this day.

28th July 1979
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Chudley Maron record sound effects for "Shaved Fish" on this day.

29th July 1979
Peter McDonald, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell respectively record handclaps, maracas, and bongo drum overdubs for "Shaved Fish" on this day.

30th July 1979
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Sunny Jim" which was a Sam Whitby composition.

12th August 1979
Sam Whitby and Devon O'Connell respectively record backing vocal, and tambourine overdubs for "Sunny Jim" on this day.

13th September 1979
The band started work on a new composition on this day. "Pineapple Disease" which was a Peter McDonald composition.

The song was started, during the band's visit to India, where they were introduced to some Indian instruments, the band previously hadn't played in their music.

The only instrument the Cherry Beat band members were already truly familiar with that was played on "Pineapple Disease", aside from the tabla, was the harmonium.

15th September 1979
Torquil Dohrn and Devon O'Connell respectively recorded bansuri and tabla tarang overdubs for "Pineapple Disease" on this day. The band members were still visiting India at the time.

24th September 1979
Peter McDonald, and Sam Whitby and Torquil Dohrn respectively record lead, and harmony vocals for "Pineapple Disease" on this day. The band were already back in Oxford by the time this day's session took place.

9th October 1979
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Jelly-phone" which was a Sam Whitby composition. As Devon O'Connell would later comment "Had Jelly-phone been recorded in the 90's, it probably would have ended up sounding similar to Sheryl Crow. I'm not sure whether that's the case, but that's how I imagine it would sound, had it been written and recorded a decade and a half later".

10th October 1979
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Torquil Dohrn respectively record electric piano, lowrey organ, and pedal steel guitar overdubs for "Jelly-phone" on this day.

26th October 1979
The band recorded a cover of a Jeff Lynne song "Don't Bring Me Down", originally recorded by Electric Light Orchestra, on this day.

However Cherry Beat's cover of the song was not intended for release on their tenth 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.

14th November 1979
The band recorded a cover of a Rick Nielsen song "Dream Police", originally recorded by Cheap Trick, on this day.

However Cherry Beat's cover of the song was not intended for release on their tenth 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.

17th November 1979
Sam Whitby and Devon O'Connell respectively record keyboard and percussion overdubs for their cover of "Dream Police" on this day, even though the band did not plan to release it on any of their singles, or studio albums.

That afternoon Torquil Dohrn recorded the sound of a door slamming, and added it to the end of their cover of "Don't Bring Me Down" on this day, despite the fact that the song wasn't going to be released on any of their singles, or studio albums.

25th November 1979
The band members subsequently decided to keep the two versions of "Tropical Beach Hearts" and "Pineapple Heart" separate. It was originally intended to have the 1972 and 1979 versions mixed together to create the best possible final version for both tracks. This idea was rejected on this day, and only the 1979 versions of the two tracks were scheduled for release on the band's tenth album.

1st December 1979
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Ghost Town" which was a Peter McDonald composition. The song shared a few similarities with the Paul McCartney and Wings song Goodnight Tonight, and several other Wings songs of the Disco genre.

The song featured backing vocals and keyboard from Peter McDonald's wife Elodia McDonald (née Torian) who was a long-term session vocalist of certain Cherry Beat recordings prior to becoming romantically involved with Peter. Riley Ganz volunteered to perform percussion on "Ghost Town" but Peter put his foot down, since his relationship with Riley had remained to be quite tense.

8th December 1979
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Moment of Glory" which was a Sam Whitby composition.

Sam had found inspiration for the song, while listening to a "Nedra Talley" song "Full Circle" written by "Phil Keaggy" which Sam found he rather liked.

The song "Moment of Glory" featured backing vocals and electric piano from Sam Whitby's wife Amber Whitby (née Stark) who had adopted her husband's interest in music.

9th December 1979
Sam Whitby records Moog synthesizer overdubs for "Moment of Glory" on this day. The song was now officially complete.

11th December 1979
The band recorded a cover of the Peter Gabriel song "Solsbury Hill" on this day. Like all Cherry Beat covers that were recorded after the release of the band's second album, this one was not immediately released.

12th December 1979
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Torquil Dohrn respectively record Moog synthesizer, keyboard, and flute overdubs for "Solsbury Hill" on this day.

13th December 1979
Peter McDonald recorded a cover of The Beatles' short song "Wild Honey Pie" on this day. Like all Cherry Beat covers that were recorded after the release of the band's second album, this one was not immediately released.

Peter recorded the track in three takes, the first yielding a lead vocal and acoustic guitar, the second yielding a second lead vocal and acoustic guitar, and the third yielding a bass drum.

Peter found the song to be very short, so he doubled the length when recording his version. Even with the entire song repeated, the Cherry Beat cover only clocked in at 1 minute and 46 seconds.

17th December 1979
The band recorded a cover of the traditional Scottish poem "Auld Lang Syne" at their music supervisor Chudley Maron's request. Like all Cherry Beat covers that were recorded after the release of the band's second album, this one was not immediately released.

19th December 1979
Sam Whitby records a backing vocal overdub for "Auld Lang Syne" on this day.

Devon O'Connell records a tambourine overdub for the band's cover of "Honey Don't", despite the cover having been in the can since before Devon joined the band.

Devon had in-fact previously recorded his drum kit overdubs for the track back in March 1971.

A mix without the tambourine overdubs recorded on this day was released on the Cherry Beat compilation album "Rock and Roll Covers, 1971" in 1988.

2nd January 1980
This was the band's first new composition to start the new decade. The 80's! Sadly, the band would split up in 1982. Sam Whitby very much liked Peter Gabriel's composition "Solsbury Hill" and wrote his own song under that same genre and style. The result was "Wind Farm".

3rd January 1980
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Torquil Dohrn respectively record Moog synthesizer, keyboard, and flute overdubs for "Wind Farm" on this day.

12th January 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "The Deed is Done" which was a Torquil Dohrn composition.

26th January 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Fire!, Fire!, Fire!" which was primarily a Sam Whitby composition, with input from his wife, Amber Whitby (née Stark). This was the first time a band member would seek input from their wife to complete a song, and another sign of the band's growing fragmentation.

31st January 1980
Session musicians Percy Duncan, Obdulia Dery, Philip Murdoch, Ellyn Compton, Kayleigh Buckmaster, and Diego Ellefson recording snare drum overdubs for "Fire! Fire! Fire!" on this day. Catarina Harvard and Aron Hayburn recorded bass drum overdubs, Michaele Palafox, Mikel Santucci, Ivory Scanlon, and Arletha Molnar recorded sousaphone overdubs, and Corinne Roca and Randolph Canchola recorded euphonium overdubs for the song.

Unlike their earlier marching band style composition "Waltz of Scotland", "Fire! Fire! Fire!" featured professional musicians that were already experts at playing the respective instruments each of them were asked to play. Despite this, "Fire! Fire! Fire!" was proven not to be a good fit for a single, the way "Waltz of Scotland" had been. It was considered to be the failed attempt at a single track, that ultimately became a potential album track for the band's next album.

None of the instrument overdubs that were recorded for "Fire! Fire! Fire!" on this day were done so at Moonlight Bay Studios, because the band felt that the inside air was not suitable to record a "marching brass band". They found a suitable place at the Faringdon Golf Course to record the marching brass band overdubs instead.

8th February 1980
Peter McDonald records a Moog synthesizer overdub for "Ghost Town" on this day.

19th February 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Sweet Sorrow" which was primarily a Peter McDonald composition, with input from his wife Elodia McDonald (née Torian). This would be the last Cherry Beat composition to feature Chudley Maron as a producer.

1st March 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Cat Burglar" which was primarily a Torquil Dohrn composition, with input from his wife Charlotte Dohrn (née Henderson).

23rd March 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Cut Loose" which was primarily a Devon O'Connell composition, with input from his wife Esther O'Connell (née Lynmore).

2nd April 1980
The band recorded a cover of The Ramones' song "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" on this day. Like all Cherry Beat covers that were recorded after the release of the band's second album, this one was not immediately released. The band's cover of the song was spelled "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?"

The band also recorded a new composition on this day. "Get on Top" which was primarily a Sam Whitby composition, with input from his wife Amber Whitby. However the song would be banned from certain radio stations because of the song's sexually suggestive lyrics.

3rd April 1980
Sam Whitby records Moog synthesizer overdubs for "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?" and "Get on Top" on this day.

18th April 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Old Mother Hubbard" which was primarily a Peter McDonald composition, with input from his wife Elodia McDonald.

The song was obviously inspired by the Sarah Catherine Martin nursery rhyme of the same name.

5th May 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Harvest Night" which was Torquil Dohrn composition. The song was notable for focussing primarily on the bass guitar, to the point where multiple bass guitars were played at the same time. Peter McDonald's bass guitar was also featured as the lead instrument.

27th May 1980
The band recorded a cover of the Chuck Berry song "You Never Can Tell" on this day. Like all Cherry Beat covers that were recorded after the release of the band's second album, this one was not immediately released.

While the original Chuck Berry version featured two tenor saxophones, the Cherry Beat version featured two alto saxophones for the majority of the saxophone instrumentation. The band typically favoured alto saxophones over tenor saxophones. However tenor saxophones were still featured in the Cherry Beat recording to do the notes the alto saxophones couldn't reach.

28th May 1980
Sam Whitby, and session musicians Ernesto Selby and Rafael Branum respectively record lead vocal, tenor saxophone, and alto saxophone overdubs for "You Never Can Tell" on this day.

29th May 1980
The band recorded a cover of the Marc Bolan song "20th Century Boy" on this day. Like all Cherry Beat covers that were recorded after the release of the band's second album, this one was not immediately released.

30th May 1980
Sam Whitby, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell respectively record lead vocal, backing vocal, and handclap overdubs for "20th Century Boy" on this day.

9th June 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Instant Carbonara" which was a Peter McDonald composition. The track was one of the few Peter McDonald written songs to be produced by Riley Ganz, and the only one to have been produced solely by him.

Peter McDonald was originally going to produce the track, with or without Chudley Maron. But Sam Whitby secretly encouraged Riley Ganz, whose production efforts were not usually praised by Peter, to produce a copy of the recording and send it to Peter.

Half furious, but half delighted, Peter agreed to settle with the Ganz mix of the recording as the band's next single. The song title was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma!" (We All Shine On).

10th June 1980
Riley Ganz, without Peter McDonald and Chudley Maron's knowledge, remixes and adds overdubs to "Instant Carbonara" on this day. Riley recorded backing vocal and tambourine overdubs.

Amber Whitby, Esther O'Connell, and session musicians Junichi Ishimoto and Coleman Lovell respectively record backing vocal and electric piano, backing vocal and grand piano, backing vocal and handclaps, and backing vocal and chimes overdubs.

18th June 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "My Girlfriend" which was a Sam Whitby composition. The psychedelic feel of the song was loosely inspired by The Monkees' song "Daily Nightly". This explains why the Moog synthesizer is prominently used in this recording.

A few other Cherry Beat songs recorded at this time would also feature the Moog. It should be noted that the Moog synthesizer was not a new instrument to Cherry Beat recordings. It had been featured in several Cherry Beat songs since 1973.

25th June 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Heartbreaker" which was a Sam Whitby composition.

5th July 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Verdanna Springs" which was a Sam Whitby composition.

12th July 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Falafel, Falafel" which was a Peter McDonald composition.

15th July 1980
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, and Riley Ganz respectively record rain-stick, sound effects, and tape loops for "Verdanna Springs" on this day.

17th July 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Self-Centred Heart" which was a Torquil Dohrn composition.

9th August 1980
Sam Whitby records Moog synthesizer overdubs for "My Girlfriend" on this day.

Sam Whitby records tape loops for "Heartbreaker" on this day. The tape loops featured the sounds of a heartbeat. Of course it wasn't the sound of a real heartbeat that was featured in the recording.

10th August 1980
Torquil Dohrn records tape loops for "Self-Centred Heart" on this day. The tape loops featured the sounds of a heartbeat. Of course it wasn't the sound of a real heartbeat that was featured in the recording.

13th August 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "I Was Born to Do This" which was a Torquil Dohrn composition.

21st August 1980
Torquil Dohrn and Riley Ganz respectively record sound effects and tape loops for "I Was Born to Do This" on this day.

1st September 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Blast Off" which was a Devon O'Connell composition. This song would become the title track for the band's tenth album.

This would be the last Cherry Beat composition to feature the participation of the band's music supervisor Chudley Maron, who was losing interest in contributing and producing material issued under the band's name.

The official reason was that Chudley Maron had grown tired of the band's constant disagreements as to how their music should be produced, who should produce it, and how it should sound.

8th September 1980
Devon O'Connell and Riley Ganz respectively add mellotron and music sequencer overdubs to "Blast Off" on this day.

20th September 1980
The band recorded a new composition on this day. "Key Lime Pie" which was a Devon O'Connell composition. Devon described the song as a modern and experimental form of The Monkees' song "99 Pounds" written by Jeff Barry, which Cherry Beat had covered in early 1971.

21st September 1980
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell respectively record Moog synthesizer, knife and fork, acoustic guitar, and knife and fork overdubs for "Key Lime Pie" on this day.

22nd September 1980
Peter McDonald, Sam Whitby, Torquil Dohrn, and Devon O'Connell record handclaps for "Key Lime Pie" on this day.

9th October 1980
Single Release — Instant Carbonara / Key Lime Pie

15th November 1980
Album Release — Blast Off!