When we set up the recording equipment in the new Ring Factory Studios, the possibilities were endless. We often joked about hitting the big time and quitting our day jobs, but the truth was we were having so much fun exploring songs, playing music was just fine. It was fun to dream and as dreams go, this was a good one.
Mainly, we just needed a place to practice our songs. We would work for hours taking a song apart and putting it back together. Covers were fine as long as we respected the originals. Time was precious and we were determined.
We were also serious on the vocal harmonies, always listening to each other intently, trying to pick out where the voice was going. Sometimes, one of us would sing the melody line only to switch to high harmony on the chorus. If it helped the song, we were willing. It was always about the songs.
Ring Factory Studios began as an unfinished basement with neatly arranged boxes and a hard concrete floor. At some point, the basement was finished and we had a bonafide studio. The Wallis Bros. made some good music in that basement. Two brothers on different roads, spending time in the same town.
When we first started playing music together, we would get lost in the music and nothing else mattered. Yet, there was indeed life beyond the Wallis Bros., work and family lives, and it was all stewing in the pot and needed stirring. Try as we might, some of the fire we had was ebbing the flame. Some years into this whole venture, we both had less and less interest in the tunes as before when the flame was high. These things happen.
In the back of my mind, I felt like we ought to record our songs proper before anything drastic happened. We had been a good duo and the unique sound we carried was a breath of fresh air wherever you went.
So, what happened is I was at Guitar Center, wandering aimlessly, looking for nothing. Ended up in the area of the store where they have all sorts of microphones, recording equipment, the works. They even had some of that foam material to deaden the sound. It’s nice to dream.
Well, must’ve been standing in one place too long when a vested sales associate came over to help. With a few minutes of question and answer, he said hold on a minute. Turns out, the store was advertising a lot of new merchandise and, if I was so inclined, they had a bargain price on a complete bundle of equipment for a studio setup. I did indeed have an inclination and the rest is history.
When we set up the equipment at Ring Factory, the Wallis Bros. collectively breathed new life. This way, we felt we would play less shows and spend comfortable time in the studio. The idea was to record live, go with a feeling, grab the best version, push the button.
This collection of songs was recorded between Aug 09 and Apr 10. During the latter part of recording, an old friend from my Freedom Alley days offered to sit in with us and play along. We were ecstatic. Mark Carroll was talented, versatile and knew our playing style. The songs you’ll hear Mark on were magical numbers. There’s no telling where we would’ve landed had we taken off as a trio.
No matter, enjoy these songs, warts and all. We never did get around to finalizing them, although these come close. Four months later, the heart attacks I had, repaired with a triple bypass, put a hard stop on everything. After taking time to heal, I went to hear Dave and his new gal, Darlene, playing at a local winery. They asked me to sit in on a couple numbers and all I wanted was more.
So, Wallis Bros. became Wallis & Co. and a whole fresh, new adventure began. But that’s a story for a different time. For now, here’s the Wallis Bros. in the basement at Ring Factory!
Enjoying the music? Read the Wallis Bros. story and listen to more music.
