On the Stoney and Meat Loaf (Prodical reissue) album, 6 of the tracks are written between Ray Monette and Mike Campbell, who recorded as "MIKE & RAY" and "ABSTRACT REALITY"
Would these tracks have been written for MIKE & RAY to record or did you in fact record any demos?
ON THE ORIGINAL STONEY AND MEATLOAF ALBUM WE ONLY HAD FOUR SONGS.
MIKE AND I RECORDED FOR PIED PIPER PRODUCTIONS(JACK ASHFORD) ON THE GIANT LABEL,AS "MIKE AND RAY". THEN ON RCA AS "MICHAEL AND RAYMOND". AND LASTLY,AS "ABSTRACT REALITY" ON THE SPORT LABEL.
WE THEN GOT TOGETHER WITH BOB BABBITT,AND ANDREW SMITH AND RECORDED AS "SCORPION".1967.
WE RECORDED THE SONGS IN QUESTION AS A SELF CONTAINED GROUP(SCORPION MEMBERS) THAT WAS SIGNED TO MOTOWN.
WHEN WE HELPED TO GET STONEY AND MEAT SIGNED TO MOTOWN,WE OFFERED THE SONGS TO THEM.THEY USED OUR TRACKS AND ADDED SOME STRINGS,AND OVERDUBBED THEIR VOICES.THE BACKROUNDS YOU HEAR ON "KISS ME AGAIN" ARE MIKE AND MYSELF WITH OUR VOICES DOUBLED.
On the subject of voices, did you ever get to sing lead vocal on any Rare Earth songs? I know that, on the first three albums at least, the lead vocal was shared between members, often the writer taking the role. Was the opportunity there, or is it something you didn't particularly care for?
I'VE NEVER REALLY THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS A LEAD SINGER,EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN SINGING SINCE I WAS THREE.THE ONLY RECORDED LEADS THAT I DID WERE WITH MIKE CAMPBELL.I COULD HANDLE A DUAL LEAD,AND SINGING BACKROUNDS ARE NO PROBLEM.
WITH RARE EARTH,IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO BE ABLE TO SING THE BACKROUNDS AND PLAY THE GUITAR AT THE SAME TIME AT THE SHOWS.I DIDN'T LIKE TAKING MY ATTENTION AWAY FROM MY GUITAR.AND.....PETER IS SO OUTSTANDING ON LEADS,THAT IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE DID THEM ALL.THE PRODUCERS ALL FAVORED HIM TOO,AND RIGHTLY SO.
