Vocals & guitars - Ian Rushton
Bass - Shayne Williams
Drums - Michael Barker
Lap Steel - Jet Crawford
Keyboards, production and mix - Eddie Rayner
Recorded at Roundhead Studios
Auckland, New Zealand
Thanks for inviting me in on this one Ian. 
It was great fun.
It’s a really strong song and this production is so good for it.
I’m happy with Eddie’s editing of my parts, it’s all good. 
I’m even louder here than in my own mix of it! 
Yeah, awesome job Jet - there’s no-one else I’d rather have - particularly when it comes to lap steel. You da man!
As I’d mentioned this song underwent some major surgery at the very last minute, and what used to be the chorus has been deleted entirely in this version! BUT, I really do get the rational behind Ed’s suggestion and it really does make sense now when I hear this structure. 
guys I’m lovin this, it reminds me of some old al stewart stuff, “year of the cat” to be specific, loved that album. this has great orchestration and sound. the bits with jets slide work seemlessly and the percussion pots add nicely to the groove. I like acoustic strumming in songs like this, just seems to add warmth and home to the overall sound. I’d say the vocal is pretty well spot on. piano, keys and bass round out the sound without stepping over, just adds.
yup! great toonage guys, enjoyed.
oh and just a morning chuckle…I always have a vegetable garden in my yard, the top soil of choice is called “pro mix” 
Yep, this one sounds great too Hang on, they all do
Great work by all concerned. Best of luck Ian
Cheers
Phil
Yeah, but does it sound any good?
Thanks for the comments lads. Glad you enjoyed this one 
yes! my tomatoes sing a sweet and savory melody because of it
Ian,
What a pleasure to listen to your music and yes I have listened to them all Congratulations on a job very well done. It has really been great to watch your development in all phases of the artistry of music over the years. Although you have reached a new level of enviable heights, I believe it is merely a platform from which to launch to even greater heights. This is not conjecture, but an obvious observation based on your drive, talent and yes, obsession with music. I can hardly wait to hear and see where you will go next. Rest assured this current effort at the ‘pro level’ is a smash “hit”.
All the Best to you and your crew,
John
That’s very generous of you John!
It was a great experience, and perhaps more of a personal ‘treat’ as much as anything else. Aside from the actual experience of working in a world-class studio with a team of professionals with noteworthy reputations I also really wanted to have a body of work produced and recorded to the highest possible standards - certainly well-beyond what I can achieve on my own. I may well repeat the exercise again next year with another bunch of songs - it’d be nice to have an albums-worth of material …even if the idea of an album and CD is soon to be obsolete! And of course, affordability is an issue I have to consider…
Hello Ian,
I am just the mailman here Letter from Glyn-“Zenda” 
[Glyn-Zenda wrote]
Hi Ian
JSW told me that you’d published the results of your work with your friend, and gave me the Bandcamp link. I had a good listen to all of them.
Heck … that guy sure does have access to a lot of sounds. I also watched the video … that’s got to be an old Fender Rhodes? or one of those good old tine-bar based electric pianos. It was very interesting hearing your work going though some of his thought processes. And in the active presence of a drummer who sure DID know what he was doing. That drummer is gold dust - he was doing enough and no more … but crucially, he was doing no LESS either - he glued it together with a kind of fullnes … like a well built cage, in which the bars are wide apart enough for us all to look in, but not so wide that the beasts escape and scatter willy nilly, into the crowd.
I think the work you’ve done on this project gets you another medal pinned to your chest next to Kiwi in China.
Very best wishes
Glyn
I’m also emailing this to JSW, who’s going to publish it on your thread in ‘Made with Cubase’. I want to stand next to those who applaud and salute you.
Nice work Ian (as always ), and kudos to the messenger (JSW) . I’ve been keeping in touch with Glyn via Skype fairly regularly, but nice to read a Zenda review once again!
The mail must get through!
I keep missing Glyn on Skype. I suspect its a time-zone issue 
Hi Ian,
All of your latest pro-mix offerings sound great, but im picking this song as my favourite!
Congrats to you on your studio venture, I hope you get the chance to do it again next year!
My hat goes off to you and all musicians involved, fantastic job, well done
Cheers
Sav
Ta !
I hope to do another batch next year, but meanwhile I have some ‘contra’ work to do for Ed. His lady runs a Bed & Breakfast from their home, I’m putting together a website for them at the moment (using weebly.com):
http://www.aucklandbedbreakfast.com/index.html
…if ya wanna see where they live. Just spent the afternoon there taking the shots for the ‘gallery’ page.
Wow. I mean, I am just stunned here
Ian, as you may (or may not) know, I’ve been a major supporter from the beginning… and it’s been fascinating to see your growth as a songwriter, recordist/producer, and yes, singer. This was always one of my favorites of yours, especially because of the video, but this… I don’t really know what to say
The first thing is the change in feel, from straight folk-rock to folk-swing – whoever made that call is a genius. Then… I know this was done in a “real” studio, but whatever that meant or cost, it was so well worth it… it’s taken your tune to another level. Really, I can’t imagine it being any better. Like I’ve said before on some of these other tunes, there’s just a warmth or smoothness now. Some might be indifferent to such nuances, but for me it’s everything.
AND THE FVCKING SNARE IS PERFECT!!!
Oh, I almost forgot… Jet sounds okay on this
One thing I might have done on this… much like some have suggested on my tune “Angola,” I’m looking for some rhythmic context during the verses that the acoustic isn’t fully giving me. When the bongos come in, it’s great – they really help propel the tune forward rhythmically. But if this were my tune, after the first verse I’d have a tamb or something churning some 16ths, and mixed in pretty low but just enough to help the feel
Ian, as you may (or may not) know, I’ve been a major supporter from the beginning… and it’s been fascinating to see your growth as a songwriter, recordist/producer, and yes, singer. This was always one of my favorites of yours, especially because of the video, but this… I don’t really know what to say
Cheers Doug. This song actually underwent a MAJOR editing session the night immediately taking it into studio. Interestingly my original chorus was cut completely. 
But I think Ed’s proposal evdient in this new structure was spot on.
The first thing is the change in feel, from straight folk-rock to folk-swing – whoever made that call is a genius. Then… I know this was done in a “real” studio, but whatever that meant or cost, it was so well worth it… it’s taken your tune to another level. Really, I can’t imagine it being any better.
I guess Michael (drummer) was the greater influence on the feel on this one, the rest of us just followed.
Like I’ve said before on some of these other tunes, there’s just a warmth or smoothness now. Some might be indifferent to such nuances, but for me it’s everything.
Yes, its quite noticable and yet I can’t really put it down to any one thing… I rather suspect a number of factors come into play, but I think the man doing the mixing had a lot to do with it!
AND THE lemon SNARE IS PERFECT!!!
Not too sour then?
Oh, I almost forgot… Jet sounds okay on this >
indeed!
Hard to say without hearing it, I thought there was enough going on. But all a bit moot at this stage really as I’ve signed-off on these mixes now!
Hi Ian
This is one of the classiest sounding tracks of yours I’ve heard. Nice playing by Jet too. The percussion fits nicely and all the elements of the arrangement fit together nicely in the production/mix. Your vocal is very good too.
Cheers
Thanks Dave. It seems of the six professionally produced songs this one may well be the favourite for many. Certainly my ‘audience’ over here seem to particularly like this one.