note from MD

[silvergirl66]

this was posted on the official bb from Marc, just thought I'd share:

I just found out about the unfortunate passing of our friend and engineer Phil "board tone" Bonanno. Phil was a very big part of Survivor in the early years and he also worked with us more recently on the Reach cd.

I gave him the nickname "board tone" during the Premonition sessions. We were in a studio in Canoga Park CA. called Rumbo Recorders. It had one control room and one big room for instruments. I remember being very excited because large rooms are usually great for getting big drum sounds. However, this was not the case in this room. We set up the drums and worked on sounds for quite a while but I just wasn't getting what I heard in my head so I finally just said to Phil, "give it a little board tone and let's move on." What I was referring to was to have him add echo, and other effects to the drums through the mixing board to make them sound like they were being recorded in a big, ambient room.

Well, Phil and I talked about what I wanted and he started going around the studio clapping his hands and listening in different rooms and hallways all over the building. We ended up setting the drums up in a kitchen/lounge area that was all wood and glass. We moved all the tables and chairs and sofas out and put the drums and mics up and got an amazing sound. No special effects or added board tone on the Premonition record. Just my drums, Phils mics and the kitchen sink!

RIP my friend, you will be missed.

MD

[Abitaman]

This from Dennis DeYoung's website, as posted on the Styx board

IN MEMORIAM:
MY GOOD FRIEND AND ENGINEER PHIL BONANNO PAST AWAY SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY TUESDAY NIGHT. PHIL ENGINEERED THE EDGE OF THE CENTURY ALBUM AND WAS WORKING WITH ME ON MY NEW SOLO ALBUM AT THE TIME OF HIS PASSING.
PHIL WAS A RARE FIND IN A HUMAN BEING, UNIQUELY TALENTED AS WELL AS KIND AND GENEROUS, A NICER MAN WOULD BE HARD TO FIND. TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE OFFER OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES. SUZANNE AND I WILL MISS HIM.
DENNIS