Good Musicians + Good Food = Good Session. Or even crap food will do. Just some good old, crap, free food.
When hiring out a studio and hosting a recording session, it is good studio etiquette to provide snacks. Buying snacks is an investment into your band’s sense of wellbeing, resulting in enthusiastic takes and you, the host, not being talked about in session musician circles as being a stingy bugger. With our reputations on the line Hughie and I hit up the Helensvale IGA on the way to Hillvalley studios.
Top of the shopping list was a 30 pack of bottled water, for hydration, but also for Murray the drummer, who was on a post-tour, everything-free diet, trying to reverse the effects of the excessive touring lifestyle. We bought CC’s and salsa (medium heat, in case you were wondering), and fruit… apples, bananas and strawberries. I know that right now you’re thinking that this shopping list is not very rock and roll. The Rolling Stones would have been be appalled. Where’s the booze, you’re asking. The pot? The cocaine?
I have to remind you that this is the Helensvale IGA we are talking about. When I asked the kid at the checkout about coke he directed me to the soft drink aisle.
Anyway, we had some leftovers when recording wrapped up, with the result that we were eating all these things in various creative and gross-looking configurations over the next 3 days while we stayed at the studio and prepared the files for mixing. We ate like kings… ruling a republic.