I toured with Mike Keneally in 1997 on the “Thanks Toss” tour. I was basically subbing for Toss Panos who took over the chair when I got back. It was an interesting experience. I was going through a lot of personal stuff at the time and thought getting away for awhile was the answer, it wasn’t.
I am proud I was picked for this tour, and was able to pull it off, despite the gig not being in my wheelhouse, and having to read charts because I didn’t have time to memorize most of the show.
Potato was recorded in one take. “Briggs’ charts flew away in a tornado” lyric is about a concert at the University of Maine where the charts I was reading blew off my music stand just before a tune that had a different meter every bar. There was no way to fake it so I sat it out. Ah, showbiz. I don’t miss it.
“Looking for Nina” was recorded at my studio. I got a writing credit for coming up with the ‘verse’ changes and soundscape. The drums are played by me, and sampled. I then mapped the various samples of grooves and fills across a keyboard and Mike played them.
It was also nice to get singled out in Modern Drummer Magazine’s 5 star review of the album.
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