KLAATU TRACK FACTS

by John Woloschuk


Title of Work: A Million Miles Away
Words By:
John Woloschuk
Music By:
John Woloschuk
Lead Vocal:
John Woloschuk
Backup Vocals:
John Woloschuk
Instrumentation:
John:
Keyboards, bass guitar, vibraphone
Dee:
Electric Guitar
Terry:
Drums

Recorded At:
ESP Studios, Buttonville, Canada
Recording Period:
May through July 1981 (mixed in August 1981)
Initial Release Date:
October 1981 ("Magentalane" album) Canada only
Remarks:
This was one of the earliest songs written specifically for Klaatu's fifth and final album ("Magentalane") which went into production in early March 1981.

The basic rhythm section for this track consisted of a Polymoog synthesizer keyboard accompanied by an electronic drum simulator. Real drums, bass and electric guitars were overdubbed during subsequent recording sessions.

The orchestral strings featured on this track were perfomed by the sibling trio of Adele, Paul and Dick Armin under the direction of arranger-conductor, Jack Lenz.

To facilitate the recording of the numerous vocal parts, a stereo reference mix of the band tracks was recorded onto 1/4" tape and then dubbed back onto virgin 2" tape on the multi-track deck. Next, the various vocal parts were recorded onto this second multi-track tape and then mixed down to 2 tracks on 1/4" tape. The final step in the process was to "fly in" these two composite vocal tracks onto the original multi-track master tape in sync with the existing band tracks.

KLAATU MULTI-TRACK INFO


Tape Format:
16-track recorded at 30 ips
Comments:


Track #
                           
Track #
                           
1
Bass guitar (Spectre) 2
Lead Vocal
3
Bass drum
4
Snare drum
5
Tom Toms; hand claps; vibraphone
6
Electric guitar (Gibson) - left
7
Electric guitar (Gibson) - right
8
Electronic drum simulator (Hi-Hat)
9
Electric guitar (Fender Stratocaster) 10
Polymoog synthesizer (funk)
11
Rickenbacker electric 12-string
12
Polymoog synthesizer (harpsichord)
13 String section (left) 14
String section (right)
15 Korg synthesizer (bass) 16
Backup vocals
17
18

19

20

21

22

23

24