My plan for the album was to do 5 cover songs that I played live at the Whisky A Go-Go and 5 songs that I wrote myself. Normally I won't cover bands that I hold sacred and too complex like Spirit. My original song line-up did not include Nature's Way, instead I was going to do Battle of Evermore by Led Zeppelin as I always had favorable audiences for it. I took it out to California to have Johnny Echols play on it as I thought a cool lead guitar would be amazing over it. When I cover a song for an album I listen to the original over and over and was having a hell of a time getting a proper backing track for Johnny. Apparently the dozen or so times I played it at the Whisky was not even close to the original with my "Laurie" chords added in. So I thought maybe Johnny could just play along to that actual record then I could recreate all the other parts. Upon further investigation - the Mandolin part, the main and only real instrumental part on the original recording goes in and out of tune. Johnny came up with some cool licks like he always does over anything no matter how challenging. This one however when I brought it back home to mix and recreate parts just didn't work for me, so I bagged the track all together. So now I need another song that I played live at the Whisky and thought of Nature's Way, but really didn't want to do it because I was scared. Scared I would really suck, also so many people have covered it - including Firefall with Mark Andes! How could I ever try to do it? The song ended up being way more complex and nuanced than any version I ever tried to play when going back to Spirit's original recording - a real testiment to the progressive songwriting of Randy California. The harmonies alone ended up being the hardest ones I've ever done in my life, trying to capture both the vibe and complexity. I worked harder on this song than anything else in my life, I spent close to a month everyday reworking parts. Even after all that time I still wasn't sure - as who could ever compare to the original. I added violin and harp because there's no way I could capture the cool lead of Randy's - I don't have the chops for that. Anyway, I cover songs because I love them not that I think I'm great or anything. And I LOVE THIS SONG - and of course the legendary album it comes from! That album is one of the few albums where every single song is fantastic! Nature's Way remains timeless, like it was written for today. Thank you Randy California! I am playing all the instruments on this version. I also share a birthday with drummer Ed Cassidy. Thanks also to the radio stations playing this cover, WCNI FM in New London, CT; Woody Radio; Deep Nuggets Radio & KSSU in Sacramento, CA.
No static at all... FM! Thank you to all of the College FM, Independent and Internet Radio stations for all the spins on my new album, Fade to Dream! I really enjoy all the interviews too, especially this extended one on Woody Radio with DJ Mike Lidskin!
This week we saw first spins reported at WCNI New London, CT (“Heaven Knows”) and WHFR Dearborn, MI (“First Magnitude.”) The record was added into the rotations and libraries at CJUM in Winnipeg, WIUP in PA, WMUL in WV, WSOE in NC, KRUX in New Mexico, and WWUH in CT. Increased play was reported this week at WSPN in NY and WAHS in MI. Thanks also to Bob Zorich at Deep Nuggets Radio, KSSU in Sacramento & KSYM in San Antonio for spins on my back catalog!
In high school I used to pretend I was a DJ and I would make cassette tapes of my dream shows and I would thought I would send them to radio stations, not knowing that is indeed what you are supposed to do and it's an "aircheck"... My boyfriend at the time laughed hysterically and said no way a radio station would hire you. I got a phone call from 94 Rock in Albuquerque while still in high school and jumped at the chance for the job. I remember one night late at the station I was tired but so happy I landed my dream job... as I slid the fader up on the board I said time to Fade to Dream and I thought oh what a cool name for a song and then kinda forgot about it.
Throughout my radio career I have had several recurring radio "nightmares"... my song is running out - seconds left and there's nothing cued up and nothing left in the studio to play, the horrors! I'm locked out of the station, the jock before me pulled my music - but it was a stack of the same song over and over, the radio nightmares covered the gamut. After I completed my Pegasus and Equuleus album instead of the usual radio nightmare that would wake me up in the middle of the night I was having pleasant radio dreams. I woke up with the memory of the "Fade to Dream" moment at 94 Rock complete with a melody to go along with it! This is the second song I've "written in my sleep" the other was All Year Long off Story Road. I'm playing everything on this except lead guitar - those genius tracks are by Johnny Echols. I like this song so much I named the whole album after it! Recording, mixing and mastering this was so much fun!
FADE TO DREAM
Words and Music by: Laurie Larson
Lead Guitar: Johnny Echols
All other instruments and vocals: Laurie Larson
Am I going through a new phase
Or just trying to see through the haze
What can you do, what can you do
Except fade to dream, fade to dream
Solos
What can you do, what can you do
When all hope seems to be lost
When the answers are too high a cost
What can you do
Except fade to dream, fade to dream
When your plans take you higher
It’s all coming down to the wire
What can you do, what can you do
Except fade to dream, fade to dream
Help me through this age
Or can we just turn the page
What can you do
Except fade to dream, fade to dream