LPN: Behind the Music

Jul 25, 2004 17:45

beatnick138 writes in and asks, "Dear Lee: I was just wondering, where would be a good place to get a copy of your Swing is Dead album? I have El Bando En Fuego, and I've seen your live albums in the record stores, but I've never been able to find that particular album. Any suggestions?"

Dear Beatnick: I'd be very happy if every single copy of Swing is Dead were destroyed in the most violent way possible. But since you and others have asked me why I have such animosity toward S.I.D, let me tell you a little story.

We were all set to begin production. Amusing Larry was set to "executive" produce, which was another way of saying he was the only one who had the money to pay for it. I would be doing the actual production. But there were all sorts of rules I had to follow in order for Larry to be happy. One of which was, he wanted lots of original material (my opinion was, and still is, that LPN's strength lies not in its originals but rather how it treats its covers). But I wanted the CD made so I had to do what he said. Keeping that in mind he brought me a song he wrote called Shadowman. I didn't really like it. It was too derivative of two other songs we already did: the verse was from Satan takes a Holiday and the chorus was Pickin' Up the Cabbage. But we needed originals (apparently), and so I tried to see how it could be improved. I gave it to Leslie to sing and she re-worked the lyrics into something less hokey. We recorded the new lyrics, the song was finalized & everything was jake.

The next day Larry shows up to the studio with his girlfriend (if you've ever witnessed their fights at shows then you know what a wonderful person she is) and with her crying in the corner he explains that "he" wants the original lyrics back in the song. Leslie and I say no, we believe the song is better the way it is. Dave, the engineer, agrees. Girlfriend grabs Larry and screams at him, "We have to go now!"

I get the full story the next day. Larry didn't write that song. Girlfriend did. Larry intended to put his girlfriend's song on a CD and lie to me, Leslie, the Nails and everyone else involved saying that it was his. By the time all was said and done it was too late to pull the song.

That's just ONE of the reasons why I am ashamed to have my name on Swing is Dead. I never went public before now because it's such a long and stupid story.

lpn

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