Here it goes....
A bit of the back story....JP and I met when I was 14 (1982)...he was visiting a music store in Lagrange, Illinois (The Pick Stop) and I was in there buying my first set of guitar strings for this absolute mess of a guitar that a friend and myself built...I approached him as I was a huge fan and Tiger was just taking the world by storm....he could not have been nicer....The next time I met him was at The theater that I was an usher at (a dream High School gig) JP walked in with Karen and he pointed to a button I had on my Suit coat, it was a Survivor Eye of The Tiger button....I looked up and there he was....he then said “nice tie”....it was a thin red leather tie, remember those? He gave me his address after the movie as I was talking to him and said drop by anytime....A year later I dropped by, I rode my bike...he let me in and played me some new demos they were working on.....can you say Jackie Go, and Caught in the Game??? I was floored....and hooked....I came by maybe every six months or so after that....I was even there the day he and FS were programming the drums for Burning Heart....FS was not very talkative as he didn't know me, but JP and Karen were always beyond hospitable...I even saw the WSC cover in raw form, just the objects....cool shit....I ALWAYS remember that when someone takes the time to ask me about tunes or whatever....I am a fan too!! I will always take the time...Dennis DeYoung told me “I never mind when people talk to me or stop me, the time to worry is when they stop!!”....I digress...fast forward to my freshman year in college...I sent JP a letter s I didn't get home much to say Hi....2 weeks later he sent me a bunch of tshirts, pics and a few CD's for the guys on my floor!!!! When I got out of school I got into printing and design....JP had me working on a bunch of stuff which was really cool....I won't get into all the projects, but I was on my way...then I started writing....I was 24 and I felt a need to write tunes, do not know why....JP and I became fast friends and we would talk every day or so, always something going on....then when I was about 30 JP was working with Fergie Frederiksen as I reconnected those two, for Fergie's Equilibrium album....as they were working on pre-production I took one of the tunes that JP and FF wrote at my house studio and secretly sang the lead vocal to see if I could...I gave it to JP....a week later, yes, a week later he had me singing backgrounds on “That's why God Made the Radio”....for the BEACH BOYS....WTF....after that I sang on many, many, many demo tunes for JP....all really cool shit...then Survivor blew up....blew up....JP called me in the a.m. and told me to make sure I was at the show, they were playing in Lisle right behind my house....it was his last show....I do not care what the reason why he left was, I DO know the WHOLE story, but that is SURVIVOR business...but, I was crushed...my idol was leaving my favorite band....Survivor and I would never be the same....
JP started World Stage...his own “Vehicle” for him to FRONT his own thing and do his tunes the way he wanted....complete control....I worked on the logo and he used it for a while....the original World Stage Logo....I introduced him to my close friend and guitar teacher....writing partner actually....I never had lessons, Mike Aquino ( A freaking man beast on guitar) and I would just woodshed tunes that I was working on.....he had Mike come in to try him out for a session, JP was hooked on AquinoFonics....they were forever connected....COOOOOL....little did I know Mecca was just formed as well....
World Stage 1...yikes....rehearsals were a bit nerve racking as I was NEVER in a band, NEVER sang in front of ANYONE but Jimmy and Larry Millas (A gem of a guy)....Everybody kept moving away from me as I sang.....I guess I sing REALLY FREAKING loud hahahahaha....as the day of the show came DDY had to pull out....so JP tells me the morning of a sold out show, my first time singing live, that I was filling in for DDY on “Too Miss Somebody” a tune that DDY sang on the World Stage album and I sang the Original demo and sat with DDY and showed him parts (mostly JP did that, me a bit
) and my whole family was coming...to see the show...they did not know I was singing!!! As the curtain drew to start the show I could see my family in the audience, the jig was up!! It was a fun time and the WS band rocks!! Plus Kevin Cronin was amazing supportive when he saw me freaking before I had to sing lead with JP....I did backgrounds for the whole show, but came off to get ready for the lead....surreal.....JP had began a chapter of my life that I could NEVER repay him for...I was a singer...a real singer....and I had been trained for years by the best vocal coach and vocal producer in the world....a million dollar education....EVERYTHING you heard from me on Mecca “I” I learned from him...I was merely the clay he molded....I did WS 1 – 4, all awesome fun, and rewarding to gain great friendships with Chalfant, Cronin, Barnes, Kelly Keagy (Will Ferrell), Dennis DeYoung, Henry Paul and others....and play with a GREAT band!!! There were many experiences, I will keep them private...but when I got divorced it was JP and Karen who council ed me..and they even kept me busy with board games at his house sometimes....does a Rock Star do that??? NO...a friend does...I careless what JP wears, or what car he drives...I see through it all, to the core....he is a regular guy with UNBELIEVEABLE talent....he does not even know how talented he is...I have been fortunate to work with the best, I have shared the stage with many....even Toto (Gods)....but those times with JP were always and will always be highlight of my life, and career....it was genuine, real, untethered...
On to Mecca....
JP and I tossed around the idea of putting together a 5 song EP with stuff we had worked on together....he was very gracious to even agree, who the fuck was I???? fast forward a few months and my buddy Fergie was on board and we had a band set up to record in Nashville at the best Studio on the planet....JP over saw it ALL...producer, writer, co-writer, my babysitter etc....he kept all in check....the album turned out great of course and I was there for EVERY session, EVERY mix etc....I again learned a lot....we argued a lot, JP and I, BUT I will say it is the BEST sounding thing he has done since Survivor...and MANY MANY MANY have said so, publically and private....IMHO JP needs that guy to aggravate him, and that was me....to push and prod...to never let good enough past....I had a vision mix wise and productionwise because I listened to TOTO and Mr. Mister 12 hours a day....and that is what I was shooting for....I looked at it as my only album I would ever do....
I am NOT saying POL and Lifeforce are not great....but, Mecca was his true follow up to Survivor....deep melodies and lyrics, not Broadway....he had monsters at every turn player wise....I will say this....and do not shoot me...Survivor will have a REAL hard time EVER beating Mecca I....it was masterpiece that JP was able to form from his SOUL....I was a part for sure, but I was the antagonist.....and that is why he and FS worked....but JP and I never had those kind of issues....
After the album finished I got the ear....meaning I started listening to worldwide press, and people around me telling me I was the man...HA!!! A few business things, crap, came up....and my “group” around me advised me BADLY....so, I will PUBLICALLY apologize to JP for that and all of it...he got caught in the crossfire....and I alienated him....because remember, I am Mecca....well, I wasn't....not then.....I am now, and am very comfortable standing toe to toe with anyone in a studio or behind the mic...but Mecca I was JP teaching me, and sometimes me being a brat or better yet a young guy who had never had accliam like that, and I handled it wrong....I was a successful athlete all my life, but that kind of attention took some getting used to....If I knew then what I know now!! Anyway, many have asked why JP is not part of Mecca II....I cannot answer actually...He didn't return a few calls calls years ago....he was in his world and I was in mine...
I am VERY happy with Mecca II...it is the culmination of 15 years of learning from JP, and adding some things I learned from others....it is my grad paper, my thesis...I hope he gives me my degree.....
Tonefully....
JV
But anyways, I would put that album up against any AOR album that has came out in the last couple of decades. Heck, it kills any of the crap they play on radio currently.
I know there are programs out there that you can substitute those midi instruments with truer sounding soundfonts, but that stuff costs money....LOL!!! But anyways, I guess step one is to set my butt in front of my piano and just start playing...LOL!
