From the Old Tapes - Where'd You Get That Thing - 1992

My bungalow was at the end of the drive on the right.

In 1992, I was living in a bungalow complex on Blix Street in North Hollywood CA. Located conveniently behind a Mexican restaurant with loud live bands on the weekends and a chop shop, it was an adorable little bohemian love pad, with a Tijuana-bought hammock strung between an olive and a magnolia tree and cheap beer in the fridge. 

Tascam 388 (not actual size)

In my tiny residence, I had a Tascam 388 set up, a bulky combination of 8-track reel-to-reel and mixer that took up considerable real estate in the tiny front room. But having it there, in proximity and at the ready for inspirational moments, I felt prompted to record all the time, any hour of the day or night (similar to those carefree days living in the practice space at the Music Building in mid-Manhattan in the decade before, but more on that in future posts). 

I had joined forces with the Continental Drifters who had a regular Tuesday night residency at Raji's on Hollywood Boulevard--they're a topic for posts to come, too. 

Susan and Peter

This brief tune is one I did with the gracious cooperation of my partner and Drifter bandmate at the time, Susan Cowsill. Susan is among the most versatile of vocalists ever to stalk the Earth, and she added her force-of-nature personality to the song. We laughed all the way through recording it. I think it was Susan who also came up with "why don't you give it to Ray" in the lyrics, referring to our fellow Drifter Ray Ganucheau, who may have never actually heard this heartfelt-if-vague miniature tribute.

It's the tip of a tiny iceberg, what with these ancient reels of tape transferred to digital awaiting reconsideration, and the first of several archival blasts to come. Hope you like it!

Where'd You Get That Thing - Peter Holsapple (with Susan Cowsill)