Two questions

[Rudolf Wagner]

1. That Hotel California Solo was a real challenge at the time. I wasn’t that far into my guitar journey yet but adored this solo with all its layered harmony parts. I wanted to get it spot on for the recording. We spent quite a long time on it in the studio, recording it phrase by phrase until Dad and I were happy with the tone and expression. So I didn’t really learn the whole thing back then but rather practised section for section until I was comfortable enough to hit the record button. Only years later did I actually learn the whole thing by heart. Now that I think of it, I wonder how much I still remember … 🙂

2. Not quite sure what video clip you are referring to specifically but yes, it was probably just a mirrored image. Except she has a talent she hasn’t told me about haha. It would actually make singing into the same microphone (à la John and Paul) or performing on less spacious stages a lot easier (And I’d be left with a lot less bruises on my right arm from Mona bumping into me with her guitar’s headstock ;-))

[Steve]

Lisa, thank you for your response.  It was interesting to hear how you did the HC solo.  But don’t sell yourself short. It’s like riding a bike, you never forget and I’m sure if you’d a mind to you could play that solo start to finish to perfection.  The whole left handed thing, I’m not so sure it’s a mirrored image because Mona is strumming with her left hand.  I went back and found it.  It’s in the Liverpool Calling video between the 1:25 and 1:30 mark.

[Howard]

`Yes Steve, you are correct. Mona is sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, doesn’t seem to be a mirrored image. They’re singing “Help”. Looks like the Cavern Club.

Maybe she was just showing off! Haha!

You have my sympathy when playing on stage Lisa, Mona does tend to move around a lot sometimes. Maybe you need a right arm guard! Must be awkward at places like the Cavern Club.

 

[Steve]

Lisa, I watched Hotel California again which seems like the 100th time and have another question.  Now I’m nowhere versed on shooting music videos but I noticed during the ending solo while sitting on the side of the truck bed that what your fingering seems to be totally in sync with the music.  Now I know what we’re hearing is the studio recording and not what you’re actually playing in the truck.  But my question is how do you go about making a video like this?  Is this segment shot with the song playing off camera where you’re able to match what we’re hearing?  I know they are done in sections or scenes as it were at least I’m pretty sure they are.  But I’m really interested in the process for making music videos like this.  If this is explained elsewhere in the club could you kindly point me in that direction and I’ll go there and check it out.  Thank you.

[Rudolf Wagner]

For this video we had to approach it a little differently as we filmed the video before we even started recording our version of the song. In the video we were miming to the original tracks and only had a few hours in the car to memorize the chords, that’s why it’s not perfectly in synch at some points 🙂 Not our preferred way to shoot a music video but we didn’t have the time to get our version ready before we left for the States. So for the California Dreaming Project we decided to shoot all the footage and later work on the music for it. But it worked and gave us enough time to concentrate on the music in peace after our trip (plus we were really inspired by the US adventures which I think helped us in the studio too).

[Howard]

Well you certainly had me fooled. Your family is truly amazing when it comes to your versatility and ingenuity! So you recorded the music for the three songs back in your studio at home in Austria?