Sound Elixir

[Anonymous]

Warm hallo Billy!

My questions are about Sound Elixir demos and sessions.

1. There are 7 tracks in The Vaults marked as “1982 Sound Elixir Home Demos”.
These tracks you recorded alone at home or with Darrell?
(clapping is heard on only one song – Whippin’ Boy acoustic)

2. On site said that home demos were recorded in Jan/Feb 1982…
1982 (year before Sound Elixir sessions) or 1983?

3. There are 2 tracks (“Blue Skies” and “Let Me See The Light”) in “Nazareth 5 Sound Elixir” chapter.
There are 3 more tracks (“Read The Book”, “Baby’s Got A Gun”, “Crime & Punishment”) on Nazareth’s Rare & Unreleased compilation, these tracks marked as “Sound Elixir Demo”.
These songs were recorded by the whole group, but where and when? (during album sesions or before this when band worked on demos)

4. Also this is well-known fact about SOS demo (Abba cover) as outtake from Sound Elixir sessions.
What you remember abiut this SOS? Where was recorded this track? Whose idea was it to cover the Abba song?

5. On site you tells that Sound Elixir album was recorded and mixed from 22 February to 6 April 1983 in Vancouver, Canada (Little Mountain Studios), but on cover of album said that album mixed in Pencaitland, Scotland (Castlesound Studios), why?

6. And also, are you planned to continued to put some more tasty stuff to The Vault?

All the Best,
Aleksey

[billyboy1]

Hi Aleksey, and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
Okay, here goes-
1. Yes, all 7 tracks were recorded at my home with Darrell usually just after we’d written the songs. (I think we did some clapping on Backroom Boys too?)
2. You make an interesting point here and I think you’re right in thinking we meant Jan/Feb 1983. We were touring a lot during 1982 so had to get some writing done during our limited time at home but as I say on this site, Whipping Boy was Darrell and I trying to replicate a Billy Squier song so would’ve been done just after the Squier/Nazareth tour of late 1982.
Thanks for pointing out our error. (Probably my fault but more work for Barry methinks!)
3 & 4. Blue Skies and Let me see the Light were both recorded at Manny’s home studio by Manny, Dan and myself but I’m not sure when.
Read the Book and Crime & Punishment were both recorded in Canada during the album recording so should probably be called “Sound Elixir outtakes” but Baby’s Got a Gun was recorded in Pencaitland beforehand along with SOS.
All I remember was not liking either versions of those songs and we all agreed. My solo demo of Baby’s Got a Gun ended up being re-recorded for my album and SOS was Manny’s idea (Nazareth doing Abba was a bit cheeky!).
5. Sound Elixir was recorded AND mixed at Little Mountain. Mixing an album usually takes about 2 weeks so if we’d done the mixing at Pencaitland I wouldn’t have missed the birth of my daughter (15th March 1983) and the constant ridicule I’ve suffered from her ever since!
6. I leave Barry in charge of The Vault content but I agree it may be time to add some more. Watch This Space!

Thanks for the questions Aleksey, you’ve really jogged my memory.
Take care and stay safe.

Billy

[Anonymous]

THANKS for the answers Billy!

I remembered about two more songs from this time…

1. One is titled On The Run (released as b-side on Where Are You Now in Germany).
This song was recorded during Vancouver sessions or before this?

2. Other is titled Laid To Wasted (released in 2011 on Naz Box)
Same question: this is from Canada sessions or from some prior-album recordings?

In fact I very amazed by number of song for SOUND ELIXIR album… so many demos and outtakes… Band can to recorded studio double LP!

All the Best,
Aleksey

[billyboy1]

Hi again Aleksey and kudos for your continued enthusiasm for Sound Elixir, I think you may be part of a very small crowd!
Both songs you mention were indeed recorded in Vancouver but not deemed suitable for inclusion on the album.
(Incidentally, both were written by Pete.)
As for a Sound Elixir double album, no, no, no, etc!

Till next time, stay safe mate and thanks again.

Cheers, Billy

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