This recording was a: "press record and write something original as it's pouring out of your melon for the first time" kind of song. It was in '97 and "1st time thru / only time ever" with Scott Howard on his killer set of Pearls and me on my Jackson Soloist 'robbie the robot' guitar. Sometime after I added bass to it from the original Tascam 8trk cassette into a early version m-audio pci buss w/XLR's. I just found this recording on a CD, hadn't seen or heard in years. Thank you Chris Aderhold for inspiration behind the concept of WPTG.

Chuck G - Vacation in Arizona -  Whistling Past the Graveyard

The idea behind this song relates to the reported alien abduction of Travis Walton near Heber AZ in November 1976. I grew up in Snowflake where he and most of logging crew were from when it happened remembering how freaky it was to go outside at night since it was a very rural area and open. The radio went on and on about it, as did most of the news stations around the area until he was 'returned' a few days later.

O.R.E.O.

This was a commissioned song for the Phoenix Zoo in May 1996. I used to work at the zoo as their Technical Director for ZooLights, ZooFari and a bunch of other cool events and was actually paid money to write this song! I still can't believe it! (grins).

I recorded all the parts using an Ensoniq SD1 and my trusty Charvel AE, with gratitude towards the kids of the Scottsdale School of the Performing Arts who sang on it. I mastered everything wisely using my connections from Brock at the CRAS and Porcupine Studios in Chandler. The school had learned my song by singing along with a soundtrack w/out vocals and variations with vocal parts sticking out in the mix and the spoken part in the middle. The lyrics content revolved around one of the zoo's newest exhibits at the time; 'Feel The Difference" area on 'Children's Trail'. The song was triggered by body sensors and would play as you walked up to a giant elephant sculpture coming out ot the wall. Dan Knolls was the master sculptor who created all the bronze animals called out during the song; "moon jellyfish, wallabies, chimpanzee, scorpion, chambered nautilus" etc.. A highlight for me was being honored before the entire zoo staff by the director Jeff Williams, who played the song for all while my son and his mother observed the smiles and nods from my friends and colleagues. 

Charles Gillespie

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