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BOYS' ENTRANCE / BOWIE'S ENTRANCE
THE TRANSFORMATION
The evolution of Boys' Entrance is an abrupt one, given the band has been around for 30+ years. In September, 2019, BE entered Blacktoe Studios in Seminole, FL. to record a new album. Band founder, Tim Cain had an idea to collect the covers the band had been perfecting since 2015 under the title, "Boys' Entrance Presents, BOWIE'S ENTRANCE, Vol. 1 & 2." The band recorded 12 songs in 5 hours- as they performed them in concert.
No overdubs. Essentially, this was a LIVE album, without an audience. This was OLD SCHOOL- a throwback to the way the original songs were recorded. The band was in one room. They played each song in sequence like a concert.
This was to be a document of the band's live sound, which is astounding. Journeyman drummer/ inventor, John Spinelli grounds each song along with bassist/acoustic guitarist, Billy Ramsey. Guitarist, Keith Otten soars overhead alternating between crunching rhythm and sinuous lead. Tim Cain brings his uncanny interpretation of David Bowie to the party along with his original keyboard settings.
Cain was forced to re-record his vocals because the Boys overwhelmed his microphone. But Vol. 1 was released in time for Halloween, 2019. The 6 songs on Vol. 1 had no overdubs except the re-recorded vocals.
Vol. 2's 6 songs were a bit different. Cain felt too constrained as producer to not add some backing vocals. Keith Otten wanted to perfect his leads, as well, so he recorded them in his home studio. Vol. 2 was released on Valentine's Day, 2020. A concert to debut Bowie's Entrance was held at the VFW Post 39 in St. Petersburg, FL- where they were the house band. Then all HELL broke loose.
Covid cancelled all public life and certainly concerts for months. The Post (3rd oldest in the World) was on the verge of closing permanently until Boys' Entrance arranged an outdoor festival concert on the 5th of September where the Boys' performed on the roof of the venue. The Post was saved as a result and remains open still!
October 10th, the Boys returned to the Post; and again on November 14th. At the November show, Cain, Ramsey, and Otten all contracted Covid. Cain and Ramsey suffered with long-term Covid for two years. Even so, BE performed two more benefit festivals at the Post on May 8th, and June 26th. One final live show was performed at Groovehaven in St. Pete on July 10th. Cain placed the band on hiatus to concentrate on
recuperating from his continuing respiratory ailments.
Ramsey was hospitalized for a week with a life threatening condition. Both Cain and Ramsey recovered and felt well enough to begin recording Vol. 3 of Bowie's Entrance.
BOWIE'S ENTRANCE VOL. 3
In October, 2020, Tim Cain had a dark vision. Something was going to happen and he would never again be able to record a song again. He and Billy Ramsey had begun a recording at a new studio, and neither enjoyed the experience. So they looked for a another studio. One was recommended, so the full band arrived to record the next 4 songs for Bowie's Entrance, Vol. 3. Instead, nothing worked. The studio owner appeared to be having a bad acid trip. The studio was being renovated and the wiring was partially torn out. There were no headphones. He was adamant that the band could not record together in one room- something he had assured them he did frequently. Cain lost his shit! Ramsey, Otten, and Spinelli stood by as Cain unloaded his angst and rage on the studio owner- something no one in the band had seen before.
The band exited to the parking lot to try and calm Tim down. He proceeded to tell them of the premonition he had- that he would never record again. Now they could understand what was driving his rage.
A month later, at their November 14th, 2020 show, Otten, Cain and Ramsey all came down with Covid. It wasn't until March of 2022 that Cain began working with Ronnie Dee at All Access Recording Studio on producing finished BE concert videos- which lead to the band reconvening in June and recording 4 new covers for Vol. 3. The songs are BOWIE'S "MOONAGE DAYDREAM"; "SUFFRAGETTE CITY"; "ALL THE YOUNG DUDES"; & LOU REED'S, "ROCK 'N ROLL".
While the basic tracks were recorded as before with Ramsey, Spinelli, and Otten in the big room recorded LIVE; Cain laid down guide vocals in the control room. Over the course of several months Cain recorded his vocals, and backing vocals. Keith Otten recorded layers of guitars at his home studio- then sent them in for Cain and engineer, Ronnie Dee to incorporate. The final piece of the puzzle was bringing in Eddie Guion to play his saxes and organ on the tracks.
The result of these sessions lead Cain's decades-long mastering engineer, Tom Mohbat to declare the band had created a "masterpiece", and "a classic for our times." Sandy Miss Parker, Bowiephile and blogger wrote, "You really sound like you showed up to sing and did it gloriously. Bowie would be proud."
September 16th, 2022, Brett Morgan's acclaimed Bowie documentary will open in Imax theaters. We have our tickets, of course. It seems like kismet that we finally completed our own rendition of MOONAGE DAYDREAM just in time to coincide with the movie of the same name. We will be releasing Vol. 3 digitally on September 16th, with physical copies to follow. We know you will be blown away!
