With the birth of my son and three years later my daughter, time to fritter away hours in my studio became less and less available. As such, the quality of the demos declines measurably. This is evident in the tracks More, which suffers from a sub-par drum track and Heaven, which could have used a re-arrangement. Incidentally Heaven was recorded after we moved to Florida and was the last song completed on my four-track.

But before that move I had one last New York band. Mending Wall was David Longo, vocals and Mark (last name forgotten) on guitar. Darlene (the once and future Mrs. Chatham) had known David. After an eventual introduction we began working together. The songs featured here were recorded in our bedroom on 9th street and 2nd avenue in New York City while newborn Ben slept in the other room. We did eventually get a drummer, John, but no worthwhile tapes exist with him. I¹ve always loved the Mending Wall songs, and felt that I composed some of my best basslines in that period. But then I took a job offer in Florida and that was that.

Although my recording time suffered, the move to Florida allowed my to finally do something I¹d wanted to do for a long time: front my own band. With a call to Pete Moss I was able to make this an (almost) instant reality. I had sent copies of my demos to Pete ever since I¹d first moved to New York so he knew how to play (and liked) the songs. As Cigar we found a drummer and rehearsed for about six months and played several shows. Eventually Pete and I entered into the studio to record a full length CD. Pete¹s sudden death left me with only four finished tracks and a huge hole in my heart. Our live performance of Frank Zappa¹s Muffin Man is presented as the final track on this disc in tribute to my best friend.

The songs Half Made Bed and Sweet Dreams were recorded in 2000, and Load is a track I discovered at the tail-end of my last four track master tape. These unfinished tracks give a good behind the scenes look at the two writing processes I¹ve used. Half Made Bed and Sweet Dreams are written on guitar and, time permitting, would have been given complete arrangements and productions. Load shows a four track composition-in-progress with lyrics consisting of stream-of-consciousness rhymes and undifferentiated vowels and consonant sounds.