Barometer Soup

Jimmy and the guys were relying on Key West to provide the inspiration for the next album. Hardly an original idea, a variety of artists possessing a variety of talents have treated Key West in a similar fashion. I don't mean "leave the money on the table" fashion, but rather a more positive "feel the vibes" fashion. Jimmy Buffett's not the first successful author to frequent the backrooms and bar stools of southernmost saloons. Authors and attitudes ranging from Ernest Hemingway to Tennessee Williams; writers so polarized they seem at times to meet on the other side, have borrowed from Key West's bank of creativity habits. Not hard to imagine Big Daddy and Brick having and having not in Freddy's Bar, "tin roof's must get awful hot, huh?" John James Audubon painted, Mario Sanchez carved and Count Carl Von Cosel waxed necrophilic, but that's another story.

Jimmy and the resident Coral Reefers came to Key West ready to work, set to scare up the ghosts of Key West past and explore the southernmost city's streets; an urban Ouija board-finding the answers wherever they were led. "Between the studio at the Fish Camp and the old Monroe County Library, we searched the works of our collective favorite authors for source material. When the songs were done we peddled our bikes and mopeds across town to Shrimp Boat Sound."

I peddled my bike across town to Shrimp Boat Sound one afternoon too. A typical Key West afternoon, which translates to another day in paradise for those less fortunate than I. Except for a few potentially breezy late summer - early fall months, latitude 24.6 is a great place to make an honest living. The streets were lined with out off town visitors vainly trying not to look like tourist, T-shirt vendors apathetically propped, ankles crossed, against rented walls abusing tobacco products and host a Buffett wanna-be's heading for Mallory Square to strum strangely familiar tunes on warped six strings wondering why the hell they haven't made it yet. I was about to find out.

Recording an album is a long, arduous painstaking process. At least it was for me, I couldn't find a bottle opener. I've been backstage at Jimmy Buffett concerts more than once, and I'm always impressed with the professionalism of the band and the crew. The mechanics of putting together a tour are mind boggling; transportation, food and lodging, setting-up - all carried out flawlessly. Except for bottle openers, it's always tough to find a bottle opener back there. Contrast this with my arrival at Shrimp Boat Sound studios. Back door wide open, dogs coming and going, musicians, engineers and producers fishing, sleeping and, shall we say, contemplating the universe. All this just a couple blocks off Duval Street, Key West's main drag.

On this particular day Nicolette Larson and Mary Harris were providing the background vocals to Remittance Man. I thought they sounded terrific the first time, but producer Russell Kunkel had them repeat the verse several times, "remittance ma-an, so far away from home" and I swear each rendition sounded better. Kunkel knew what he was after.

Russell Kunkel became a Margaritaville merry prankster somewhere near Montserrat in the Caribbean, receiving credit on drums and percussion on Jimmy's Volcano album. A noted session drummer, Russ Kunkel is every baby boomer's post adolescent vinyl vision; performing with Dan Fogelberg, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Carley Simon and many more flashback favorites. Why, he's spent more time in my album collection than I have.

Shrimp Boat Sound studio is much different than when first constructed. In November, 1987, I spoke with Ross Ritto, Jimmy's audio engineer for the last 20 years, and "spent the greater part of the afternoon bumming cigarettes and information on Jimmy's newly constructed Shrimp Boat Sound studio."

Eight years later almost everything is new. The most attractive addition, according to guitarist Peter Mayer, is the vintage NEVE sound board. This board, I'm sure, makes complete sense to the musicians, engineers and producers standing around me. I on the other hand fell like an unenlightened motorist, peering under the hood scrutinizing...well I don't know what the hell I'm looking at. Peter finds the board very appealing, claiming the old electronics have yet to be reproduced, that the "warmth" supplied by the board has not been duplicated by more modern technology. I'll take his word for it, it sounded great.

It would take more than an afternoon to understand all that goes on here. Suffice it to say it was an education. Russell Kunkel, Spock to Jimmy's Captain Kirk, rested, reclined and focused, signaled with a thumbs up when all went well, Nicolette Larson and Mary Harris' rapturous blending literally brought a tear to my eye, but I'm a sucker for pretty harmony, and Rob Eaton deftly tweaking buttons and knobs to give Remittance Man a 'New Age" feel.

Break time. Sandwiches were ordered, beverages were served and melanin levels were raised. I had to get back to work. Well maybe just one more Corona, if I could just find a bottle opener.