TWO OF THE LUCKY ONES - The Basic Track

Volume One released 14 years ago this week!

Fourteen years ago this week, Elaine Summers and I released The Droge & Summers Blend Volume One. The 5-song EP contains our micro-hit, “Two of the Lucky Ones.” Here is a rough mix of the basic track.

This rough mix is a snapshot of how the song sounded as it came off the studio floor. I think the track holds together well in this stripped-down form. I am particularly fond of how the fingerpicked electric guitar—played by yours truly—basket weaves with Scott Weddle’s six-string banjo. Scott’s performance is filled with nuance. His playing is in the moment.

The rhythm section of Matt Chamberlain (drums) and Dave Hull (bass) shine in this minimal presentation. As some of you know, Dave plays bass for The Sinners. We call him “The History of Rock and Roll.” Once, I bought him a Jimi Hendrix coffee table book for his birthday, and Dave was pictured in the book! At just 17 years old, he played bass for Buddy Miles and opened for Hendrix! (If I ever get my podcast off the ground, we’ll hear about Dave’s journey.)

After Buddy Miles, Dave played with Arthur Lee of Love! He was a member of The Joe Perry Project! When Joe’s day job—a little band called Aerosmith—needed a bass player to fill in while Tom Hamilton underwent cancer treatment, they called Dave. I’ve been calling Dave since 1995.

Speaking of getting the call. Matt Chamberlain gets the call. He is a session drummer in demand. Calls come from folks like Bob Dylan and David Bowie. I love Matt’s performances on Dylan’s latest, Rough and Rowdy Ways. On “Two of the Lucky Ones” he dialed up a cool sound with loads of character using a very small marching kick drum and a snare with the snares turned off.

Matt Chamberlain’s kit for “Two of the Lucky Ones.” 09/15/08 Puzzle Tree Studio.

While Matt played in the live room, Scott played six-string banjo isolated in the walk-in closet, and Dave and I hunkered down in the control room.

With Dave Hull in the Puzzle Tree Studio control room during The Droge & Summers Blend Sessions. September 2008.

I used my old Fender Telecaster plugged in direct with a healthy dose of eq from my Trident/Oram Series 80 console. The eqs in the desk are exact replicas of those found in vintage consoles from back in the day. The eqs have very broad controls. They are not ‘surgical.’ Folks refer to them as ‘musical.’ Well, I cranked those suckers.

So, how does the basic track compare to the final record? Paul Brainard’s tasty lap steel is the first overdub you’ll notice, no doubt. Then there is Elaine’s excellent harmony vocal. More subtle additions come from Nova Karina Devonie’s beautiful accordion and Hans Teuber’s lovely clarinets.

At one point, I deemed the track complete and proceeded to the final mix. As I lived with my mix, I felt something was missing. So I returned to tracking mode in search of an element or two to complete the picture. Inspired by Bob Marley and the Wailers, I added a guiro and a little ‘chicka chicka chick’ guitar.

Check out the record here.

To find “Two of the Lucky Ones” on your streamer of choice, hit this button and look for “Blend: Volume One.”

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And now some fun facts.

Fun Fact #1:

We recorded the basic track for “Two of the Lucky Ones” on September 15, 2008, the very day the financial crisis began.

Fun Fact #2:

We got news about the song being placed in Zombieland on the very day the album was released. Not a bad start.

Fun Fact #3:

“Two of the Lucky Ones” is the most streamed song in my catalog. Thank you, Zombieland!

Fun Fact #4:

A more acoustic version of the song will be the lead track on the forthcoming The Droge & Summers Blend Sessions.

Fun Fact #5:

Paid subscribers can download—in hi-res if that’s your thing—the basic track rough mix above by visiting my “rarities” page HERE.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete