Modern Lovers
Unreleased Studio Demos 1971-1973
lineage:
Intermedia / Cale Demos / Fowley LP sessions:
reel (unknown but low gen) > DAT > cassette > Xitel -> hd -> Nero (tracking) -> flac 8
Dawson and rehearsal tape
cassette (unknown gen) > lineage: cassette (unknown lineage) > Xitel -> hd -> Nero (tracking) -> flac 8
1. Ride Down on the Highway -- Intermedia Demos
2. Such Loneliness -- John Cale demos
3. Girlfriend -- John Cale demos
4. Hospital -- Dinky Dawson demos
5. Astral Plane (false start) -- Dinky Dawson demos
6. Modern World -- Kim Fowley LP sessions
7. Fly into the Mystery -- Kim Fowley LP sessions
8. Hospital -- Kim Fowley LP sessions
9. A Plea for Tenderness -- Kim Fowley LP sessions
10. Dignified and Old -- Probably Kim Fowley LP sessions
11. New England Summer Song (instrumental) -- unknown source
Jonathan Richman formed the Modern Lovers in August, 1970 and when they broke up
in April 1974 they had not released a single record. But, they did manage
to make it into the studio 6 different times: 4 demo sessions, and two that were
supposed to produce an LP.
In 1976 Beserkeley records released the first self-titled Modern Lovers LP which was based on
two demo sessions from April, 1972 and subsequent reissues have added another batch of
tracks to the original.
Then in the early 80's Greg Shaw released an LP called the Original Modern Lovers which was
based on two Kim Fowley sessions: (1) summer 1972; and, (2) the putative LP sessions from
October, 1973.
But, there are still quite a few unrelesed tracks and I've gathered all the ones I have
and put them in this torrent. The source of this is tapes which I have received over the
years. So, while some of the songs have circulated fairly widely just about everything
in this torrent is from an "alternate", and sometimes superior, source.
I have a whole box of tapes, and I went back and listened to everything to make sure that
I had the best possible sources for this. It was a LOT of work. A LOT. just so you'll
know.
Here's the background on the demos:
Intermedia Studios, Boston September 1971.
The band's first time in the studio. Intermedia was a relatively new (opened in December, 1970)
state of the art studio, with 16 track capability. These demos were
funded by Warner Brothers, who were already quite interested in the band. This is well
before the Cale demos, and well before Lilian Roxon wrote her review which supposedly got the
music world in such a frenzy over the band. Hospital made it to the Beserkely LP courtesy
of Jerry Harrison's copy of the tape (Warner Brothers has never had this in their tape library).
Two other tracks were added to the 2007 reissue. This is the best quality version of
'Ride Down on the Highway' that I've heard. It was actually the featured song in their set
in the early days. Nobody in the band remembers the exact date (or even the month) that
these demos were recorded. Fall 1971 is the best guess. But, the tape box for the source
reel says September, 1971, and that sounds about right.
1. Roadrunner
2. Hospital
3. Someone I Care About
4. Ride Down on the Highway
John Cale demos
Whitney Studios, Glendale Califoria April 26, 1972
Warner Brothers and A&M brought the Modern Lovers out to LA in April, 1972 to record some
demos. The first session was produced by John Cale at Whitney Recording Studios on an
8-track machine.
Here's an ad for the studio from Billboard:
http://books.google.com/books?id=sQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=Whitney+Studios+8+track&source=bl&ots=OcA1E5wj8c&sig=AGMUukjmj9bRLiO4gCKpZxZzCQI&hl=en&ei=hkgNTubYHIibtwe4_uXSDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
The band spent about a half day in the studio and produced the core material which appeared
on the Beserkely LP. The mixed down material was circulated in the industry both on acetate
and on reel to reel tapes. Both media had the following tracklist:
1. Such Loneliness
2. Astral Plane
3. Modern WOrld
4. Girlfriend
5. She Cracked
6. Roadrunner
7. Someone I Care About
8. Roadrunner
9. Old World
10. Pablo Picasso
Yes, there are two versions of Roadrunner, but after listening to them back to back about
20 times, I've decided that the unreleased version (track 8) is simply an alternate mix.
A version of Dance With Me was also recorded but was never mixed down. I'm also pretty sure
that a second version of Roadrunner was recorded, also apparently never mixed down. John Cale
plays the mellotron on Girlfriend, and he also plays the piano on Pablo Picasso. Ernie Brooks
plays guitar on that track and Jerry Harrison is playing the bass.
Warners sold this material to Beserkeley, along with all the other material which they recorded.
But, the original 8 track tapes still are in the Warners tape vault. The sound on the original tapes
is quite different than on the LP. Matthew Kaufman did his best to eq Ernie Brooks out of
existence on the LP. Too bad alternate mixes aren't allowed here, because the original "mixes"
are superior.
Clover Studios, Los Angeles late April 1972
Alan Mason demos:
These demos were originally going to be funded by A&M, but they pulled out after the Longbranch show
which took place a couple of days after the Cale demos. The band flew up to Berkelely, did the
show, spent a day in San Francisco, and then returned to LA to record this demo. Alan Mason
worked for A&M records doing college radio promotion and he brought the Modern Lovers to the
label. He also worked with Matthew Kaufman, who had a production company which released records
through A&M. So, when A&M bailed, the two of them stepped into the breach and funded a short session
at Clover Studios which apparently was owned by Robert Appere, who is listed as the engineer here.
Kaufman, who is from Baltimore, had been courting the Modern Lovers prior to this so it's
not surprising that he got involved.
1. Girlfriend
2. Modern World
3. Dignified and Old
This material has always been owned by Matthew Kaufman and naturally it had a prominent role in
the first Modern Lovers LP.
Dinky Dawson demos Summer 1972
These demos came about because Kim Fowley was doing a promotional tour in early 1972 for his
LP "I'm Bad". He made a stop at WBCN radio in Boston for an interview and his host was Maxanne Sartori.
Maxanne was a huge Modern Lovers supporter and had been playing Roadrunner on the radio for
quite some time. Oh, and she also happened to be one of their roommates in the house they were
sharing in Cohasset. She gave Fowley the big pitch, and played him some tunes. Fowley headed
off to the UK, but he was intrigued by the band, and on his return to the States, he headed
for Boston, looked them up, and spent a few days with them. He knew Stuart "Dinky" Dawson
the Byrds soundman. Dinky lived in Massachusettes and Fowley surely knew him because of he
Skip Battin/Byrds connection and Dawon had a state of the art PA system / soundboard which
he had created for the Byrds. So, they headed over to Dinky's place and spent a couple of
days recording in his garage. Fowley then took the best material and headed out to LA to
try and pitch it to record company execs.
Some people have given the date of June for these demos, but once again, nobody is quite certain.
1. Roadrunner
2. I'm Straight
3. Hospital
4. Walk Up the Street
5. A Song of Remembrance for Old Girl Friends
6. Don't Let Our Youth Go to Waste
7. Dance With Me
8. Astral Plane
9. A Plea for Tenderness
Most of this was released in the early 1980's on Mohawk/Bomp records -- Greg Shaw's label.
It's not clear who exactly owns it, but the release was completely unauthorized, and it's
really nothing more than a bootleg. It feaures tracks at the wrong speed and what sounds
like tape bleed through. My source has the same problems. Dinky Dawson has the original
reels and there definitely was additional material recorded.
John Cale LP Sessions EleKtra Studios, LA September, 1972
After signing with Warners, in March, 1973, the Modern Lovers headed out to LA and arrived in
early July to record an LP. Sessions didn't get going until September, by which time the band's
relationship with Cale had deteriorated to such an extent that these sessions were abandoned
after just a couple of days. According to the band, no tracks were completed. Backing tracks
were in progress, possibly with guide vocals. If this material has survived it is now owned
by Matthew Kaufman.
Kim Fowley LP sessions Gold Star Studios, LA October 1973.
When Cale bailed, Warners pulled Kim Fowley in to rescue the situation, although some who
were involved still maintain that this was yet another demo session.
the following tracks circulate from acetates:
1. Modern World
2. Astral Plane
3. Fly Into the Mystery
4. Hospital
5. I'm Stright
6. A Plea for Tenderness
7. I Wanna Sleep in Your Arms
8. Girlfriend
9. Government Center
10. Roadrunner
My source is labeled "Kim Fowley worktape', and Roadrunner is followed by an additional track,
Dignified and Old, which did NOT make it to the acetate. However, confusingly, Dignified and Old
is labelled as being from the Cambridge Boathouse on my tape, although it's clearly NOT a live recording.
So, I'm including it as a Fowley LP track. A version of Dignified and old was defintely recorded
with Fowley and this sounds like it's from the Fowley sessions.
The band spent a couple of weeks on the this, and then at the end recorded literally every song
in their repertoire, just to get them down on tape. They KNEW it was all over.
two tracks originally appeared on a Warners compilation called Troublemakers. They were then
added to a reissue of the Modern Lovers LP. Others showed up on the Original Modern Lovers LP.
Completely illegal as the material is owned by Matthew Kaufman.
New England Summer Song was almost definitely recorded with Fowley. Not sure of the source of the
instrumental version which appears here. It has been suggested that it is from a band rehearsal
which was recorded while they were living in Cohasset, Mass. Anybody have that rehearsal
tape?