"Fantasy"

I've finally done it! ... put together a video and am posting it with high-quality audio for your listening (and viewing) pleasure. This is from the "Ladies on the Stage" album that Jean and I did mostly in NYC, that the great producer-arranger Tom Sellers and I co-produced; recorded in '77 and '78, and this was the very last one we did, so that had to be '78, although I'd written it in LA in '77 ~ some of you may remember that I wrote it with the gaol of writing a song with as many jazzy chords I could put together that would be a cross between The Kingston Trio's "Scotch and Soda" and Gabby Pahinui's slack guitar style of Hawaii, of which he was one of the very best. I don't know, I just got obsessed with both styles (in those days, I could discover new styles
and explore going into them. A more facile , younger brain, I suppose). This is the only song I ever wrote that sounds just like this one, languid island-style.

Actually, I'd had it on the list and we ran out of money, as Tom reported (I think the budget was $70,000, not too bad). We'd done it mostly in NYC, but some in LA ~ and there were string and other great players hired, like Tom Scott on his lyricon (sort of like and electronic soprano sax). Tom said "we don't have the money," and I said "If I can raise it, can we do it?" So I did, and this cost me $5,000 ... well-worth it!

I don't remember the vibes overdub, but it had to be Sneaky Pete, who was a really good friend of mIne. Cris Williamson and Vicki Randle, also close friends, sang the backup vocals with me and Jean, and they understood what we were going for - you know, those close harmonies like the Andrews Sisters, the McGuires, and the Boswell Sisters did. Also, they were huge fans of Ella Fitzgerald and so many greats in jazz whom I'd never listened to in Manila ~ or style they did. So it was a learning experience.

Remember, in '77-78, disco was the thing! In fact, I remember Irene Cara dropping by the studio many times (and singing with us too, most notably on the title cut, "Ladies on the Stage"), in fact being at many rehearsals up in the Woodstock area (with her boyfriend, drummer Leo Adamian). Jean was married to Earl Slick, so it was a different time, a completely different vibe. We were young!!

It was a full-on project, and I've already written about in detail in my upcoming book, which is the follow-up to "Land of a Thousand Bridges."

So please, enjoy to the max. This album never made it, as the label dropped us. They needed to cut costs and so dropped practically everyone except Electric Light Orchestra. Go figure ... (I think they were probably snorting most of the profits:)) Then AIDS hit and everything changed ... yet again. The music business!! xx

Major P.S. I forgot ... the second shot (a painting) was done by Ann after we got together, I think this was California ... I was asleep, but when I saw it was absolutely amazed. She captured the island essence! And the last photo was by Linda Wolf, taken during the "Running" photo shoot. xx

June Millington
Artistic Dir., IMA
www.im.org