Screaming Bald Ego
(Ranch Recordings 2004 – available to order download or CD @ www.TheBurritoBrothers.net)
Sssh. Hush. Proceed with great care. For this is the Screaming Bald Ego in its natural habitat: the recording studio surrounded and enveloped by talent, inspiration, peace, love and joy. What we have here is “a success to communicate”. It is the beautiful result of Bob Hatter and Tony Paoletta deciding in 2004 to make an album together.
Here’s the verifiably ersatz story:
Having recorded countless sessions with more artists than it’s possible to name, Bob and Tony felt an urgent need to make their own personal statement. It was a manifesto, sir, from a screaming bald ego.
They began by climbing to the top of the Empire State Building. There, after swatting down an airplane or two, they felt the inspiration hit them.
After consulting with the Pope, the President, the Dalai Lama and Ella Guru, they finally returned to Nashville and began in Earnest T Bass to record their masterpiece.
The notion of having it produced by Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Roger McGuinn and Cowboy Jack Clement all together, in tandem, was scuppered by the fact that this was a patently absurd idea that would cost insane amounts of money and be impossible to schedule anyway. So they produced the record themselves.
And, my oh my, what a fine job they did.
The album is a delight for the ears from start to finish. It features cameo vocal and instrumental appearances from many of Nashville’s finest.
Of course it mostly features the mind-blowingly superb playing of Hatter and Paoletta. These two are consummate musicians if there ever were any.
It’s been rumored that Bob played some of his killer guitar parts while levitating a few inches above the floor. And that Tony played many of his parts while hanging upside down from a trapeze. Do we have any absolute proof that they didn’t? No.
Space travel is also somehow involved because the level of musicianship these guys display is out of this world.
Do yourself a favor. Obtain a copy of this album and let the screaming commence.
