Another great thing about playing in multiple projects as a side-player is that in addition to tricking people into joining your band, you can convince some amazing artists to make guest appearances on your tracks as well!
I can fake my way through an organ part on stage, but when it came time to record on Q Division’s Hammond for Dirty Little Secret and Miss the Life, we decided to bring in the big guns. Josh Kantor is well-known in our community as Fenway Park’s beloved organist–and as and all-around talented player and great guy.
Watching Josh work on these tunes was a masterclass in inspiration and execution on the instrument (which I barely know how to turn on), and I love what he did on both songs. Fun fact: the organ part for “Dirty Little Secret” was first played on the Fenway Park organ during batting practice, because that was the only time he had during the day to run the tune! We threw a third song at him in the studio (“Is It Enough”), and I can’t wait for you to hear him on all three tunes–it’s revelatory.
It was Ed V.’s idea to bring in Juliana Hatfield for backing vocals on “Move a Crowd” (which I’ve already written a bit about, and Vanyaland did a great piece on as well). He’s worked with her for years, and they pulled me in the year prior to play keyboards with her on a run of shows that included her Olivia Newton-John covers album release and her Bed 20th anniversary show. “Move a Crowd” had no harmonies on it initially, so we just gave it to her and let her do her thing–which is completely unique, moving, and takes the song to a very special place.
She ended up joining Stud on “This Goodbye” as well, adding and ethereal high harmony to what Stud was already doing; and adding a third part to the vocal bed Stud and Mike were laying down on “Is It Enough” on the day she came in. I’m hugely grateful to both these amazing artists for giving their time and creativity to our project, and for making music with us!
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