The weeks that followed were amazing. Each singer had songs that they wanted to record as lead vocalists, yet there were plenty of areas for harmony to be featured and musicianship to be explored. They were partially prepared with the song material, so the first thing for me to do was learn the songs. Offering any variations would come a little later in the process.

   Jimmy Greenspoon's playing was great. I had just came out of a group that had a killer Hammond organ player, Willie Stone (Bill Webber), who was way into the likes of Jimmy Smith, the "Father of Hammond." Jimmy Greenspoon was a great Hammond player, too. In fact, he became a wild man on the organ. Wonderfully creative. It was hard for me to believe all the different styles Jimmy could play. Here's this kid, raised in Hollywood, that could play fantastic "Floyd Cramer" country style piano. He has become known in our band as the "Intro King," due to his many great contributions over the years in coming up with intros for new songs.    

    Joe Schermie was incredible. I had no idea just how really good he was until we had played together for a while. Joe's background of playing with the Jordan Brothers, (a great Mexican group) had a very strong influence on him, and ultimately, me too. Joe, Cory and I were big "Sly and the Family Stone" lovers. They had gone to see them play at a little club in Hayward, California called "Frenchy's," before they became nationally famous. What a band! Larry Graham, Sly, Freddie, Greg, etc. All of them monsters.

   Floyd Sneed was a complete mystery to me. Some of the things he played were so unorthodox, they completely "foxed me" on the time signature. Floyd was, and is, the most unique drummer I've ever played with in my career. His warmth of heart sets him apart from the rest of the human race. His drumming is an inspiration to me and to an entire generation of young musicians. I love Floyd. He saved my life once (more on that later). In our future recording sessions, I had no idea just HOW hard I would have to work to keep pace with this level of talent. I was use to "being the kid" and "showin' off," not this "busting my butt just to cut it" scenario. Soon Floyd, Joe, and Jimmy pulled me in and I became theirs, as they became mine. I, too, began to set the pace now and then. Danny, Chuck and Cory liked what they were hearing. Before we were done with our first album, my grit and desire would be put to the test, the ultimate test.

   Looking back, my desire and willingness to "wretch" became one of my greatest assets. I became a vehicle of expression through sheer tenacity and a budding talent. These experiences offered me growth, like no other I had ever experienced. Difficult, gut wrenching, opinionated, reactive feelings to be overcome out of professional desire, drive and the opportunity at hand. An opportunity I had only dreamed of. This was WAY different for me. Doing obscure songs that I had never heard or even gotten close to liking, then being expected to be creative and make it "cook." Such were the circumstances.

   We started rehearsing some songs from the live set. "Nobody" was one song, in particular, that Floyd just smoked on. Actually, that song was more reflective of Floyd's unique style of playing than any other song we ever did. I do believe that; just give it a listen sometime. There WAS that ending drum solo fade, on a song called "Let me Go." Now THAT was really "The Sneed." A couple of the songs I didn't like at all, then or now. Randy Newman's "No One Ever Hurt So Bad" was not a song I particularly liked. But, Cory was big on it and did a nice job singing it. Chuck's, "Don't Make Promises," although a girl pleaser, did nothing at all for me musically. Chuck has a wonderful voice, a good interpretive singer. Very smooth texture, when doing his natural approach. A wonderful timbre to his singing and he had a confident stage presence and audience appeal.

   Danny Hutton walked to the beat of a different drummer. He had grown up in Los Angeles, where he had the good fortune of attaining experience in the recording industry. He understood the structure, he understood the business, plus he had an approach to recording. He drew upon his studio experience with other producers, like Kim Fowley (infamous Kim), Brian Wilson and rubbing shoulders with many more than I know about. Probably, Phil Spector, Jan and Dean and the list goes on. Ask Digger. His history included being a staff writer/producer for Hanna-Barbera records. He also had his own solo career and had a couple of pretty successful chart records. None of us could say that, only Danny. I'm proud of Danny's pre-dog career. Danny's experience in the recording industry, his great voice and interpretive mind are just a few of the things he brought to 3DN. Visionary working methods that, at first, brought some negative reactions from some of us. In time, much of Danny's approach to the music became infectious to the rest of us. In fact, we began to develop our OWN interpretative abilities in regards to musical approaches and how to color the lyrics with instrumentation. Danny had grown from interactions with piers that reveled in being "conceptual" and "avant guarde" in their approach to making records. They were, in fact, pioneers to a great degree. (There were a second type in the industry that were merely "groupies of the recording studio vernacular" that was so impressive to us "out of towners". There WERE and ARE many in that second group of experimenters with very little music in their hearts. Aspiring business types that tried to learn how to ramble long enough with musical production cliche's until the musicians and engineers give them something that works for them .... and then they'd take credit for "getting it out of the musicians." There may be a case to be made for that semi-madness, although it be a very tireing approach and is questionable whether it is an artistic effort at all. Just an opinion.)

   Danny, together with Gabriel Mekler and Richie Podolor, helped put us on the road to creative production techniques in our musical arrangements, inspiring the musicians to take a more lyrical approach to some of the licks we were inserting. Always in search of a new color or texture to embellish the song. Cory and Chuck were also strong influences in that department. i.e. "Try to make a kind of falling sound to the lyric where it says, "tumbling down." This would insinuate a descending musical passage of some kind, but this is a very simplified example of what I'm talking about. It was up to us to come up with the actual licks.

    I wasn't accustomed to musical direction in that format, but I found myself attracted to this approach. I loved the bearing down, trying to give them something that would get a "Yeah! I love that." This much scrutiny in the creative process can be tedious and tiring, but usually productive. To a great degree, the ability to "hang in there and keep trying things" can separate the men from the boys as far as making a good record is concerned. In retrospect I should add that we were always on guard to not let the song become too "clinical" and/or "homogenized" sounding. That can easily happen. It had to remain a "live band" sound as much as possible, and it did. Although Richie Podolor is a perfectionist, he was usually the one to bring us back to "center" by stressing that we just focus on the performance and try not to make things too thought out. Sometimes a less than "perfect take" will have an attitude that is far more important than precision, although not always. Precision brings an automatic groove with it when done correctly, but we always kept an eager eye open for what we called "happy accidents." Some of these same techniques apply to vocal performances, as well. Chuck and Cory had also done some previous recording. Chuck, as Chuck Rondell with Columbia Records and Cory with The Enemy's. Jimmy had already been in and out of studios for a number of years and had a cornucopia of styles and approaches to offer.

   I stifled myself in those early years, due to not knowing how to listen to my inner self. Therein laid the unique musical things that I had to offer. Things that may or may not be what they had envisioned, but my best offerings were to come from there. A hard thing to do when someone is analyzing your every sound and guitar lick, before they've even given it a chance to be fully developed. Still, this was a time of great growth for me, a time of opportunity, a wonderful testing environment that I loved from the first moment and a time to "put up or shut up." An opportunity to go for it. I jumped in with both feet and a smile on my face. I was home, where I was meant to be. In complete happiness, I frequently put up a silent prayer of thanks, for those around me, for my own talent, for the opportunity at hand, but more than anything else, for the chemistry we had. This was something to be preserved and respected, understood or not. Kind of like finding a gold nugget in a stream and then patting yourself on the back for spotting it. Oh, we could plot a map describing our abilities, making great sense of why it all worked, as well as giving due credit to the singers for putting it all together, but there was an element of mystery in it, even for us. It invigorated us. We can tell stories of "HOW" we did it that will make it sound incredibly calculated, step by step, but in fact, the elements of mystery and magical surprise were constantly there, too. Learning to recognize the "hot licks" that were not part of the original concept or plan became our forte'. Not our only forte, but something very unique and important that helped define us.

   Cory Wells was also demanding in his own way. Cory spoke the language that I was accustomed to, that of a rhythm and blues, rock n roll club background. We both had James Brown and Ray Charles under our skin. In his case, the Beatles were fresh in his experience. That could be said of all of us, though. What a band they were. Cory was easier to please, not because his requests were less lofty, but due to his experience in working up songs for live performances in clubs, he was able to get down on the grass roots level of the arrangements. He didn't pretend to be our equal in the musicianship department, but he had no problem with specifics when it came to axing something that didn't fit with his conception of a song. He was and is, a great talent. If I haven't mentioned it before, Cory has had a lasting influence on me, over the years, concerning what the pace should be throughout a song, to gradually build it. Understand? Take "Try a little Tenderness" for example. The entire song builds from beginning to end, both musically and vocally. A very interesting thing to try and pull off, to not "UNLOAD" to quickly, so you leave yourself another level or 2 to give the listener. Just when it feels like you can't go any more, you shift gears and smoke it. Joe Schermie and Floyd Sneed were the Kings of that implementation. It became my forte, as well. (Mister modest). I give Cory and Joe Schermie the main credit for that. In reality, we all depended on each other. Don't ask us when we're mad, though. We can get embarrassingly ignorant at times. If I'm making this sound too much like it was a complete collaborative venture, allow me to insert this clarification. The singers were definitely the leaders of the group and they set the tone for what songs we would do. It did, however, become much more of a collaborative effort in the next few years. Particularly, 1969 through 1973.

   As time went on, things became, quite naturally, a little competitive between the three lead singers. Add the "bucking for recognition in the promo and photos" from the musicians and you have the package. It was inherent to the structure of the group. That "jockeying for position" went on throughout our "hit" years of recording. You can see it in the historical variance in publicity and album design. Featuring just the 3 singers on the covers of "One" and "Suitable for Framing," to the albums which featured 7 of us like, "Naturally," "Harmony" and "Seven Separate Fools." Having been the ones that secured the record deal initially, the name 3 Dog Night was meant to have a subliminal "3 singer" inference. Actually, early on, I was a believer in the need to have the singers featured. Not that it mattered, but fans just don't relate personally to large, new groups. Much better to have a focus on a few. It was that way in the beginning, but it changed early on. As more time passed we became known as a 7 man unit, especially in live performances. Some of the television appearances brought that across, as well. That conception has varied over the years, due in part to changing members and music politics. There was always a "competition" between the singers and a push and shove relationship from the musicians. Was it good or was it bad? Depends on your personal view. If "hits" are the final test, then it got better. You can even make a case for that being a driving force in our success, our inability to get along, with nobody getting their own way completely. It was certainly part of the mix. At least in the old days of the late 60's and 70's. Over the years, that has become a point of disagreement among the group members, but in my opinion, it remains true none the less. It is my opinion that Cory, a little more than Danny or Chuck, had an appreciation for a band that could cop a deep groove. Rock, rhythm and blues roots meant a lot to him. I would say that Danny and Chuck may have been a little more receptive to the "unexpected magic" that began to happen when the musicians were given the opportunity to toss it around a bit. An unexpected source of creativity from the musicians, that added depth to the group. A bonus, if you will. Cory was not blind to it, though. He, also, could spot a hot lick. He had his working method and wanted things done "his own way." In truth, we all began to take on each others attributes, to some degree, over the years. We all began to take the best from each other and apply it, with our own interpretation. We began to think alike. As I said before, a wonderful gene pool of talent. Only a fool would ignore the opportunity to absorb as much as possible. We ALL learned from each other.

   Due to Chuck Negron being out of the group now, and all the reoccurring litigation that has transpired in recent years, it is not prudent of me to be too candid in any references made to him. This is not to say that I don't have respect for Chuck, nor to diminish his contribution to our success during the 1970s. He most certainly was an important figure in the band. No doubt about it. I wish him well, and with that, I will end this. I hope you understand. I hope Chuck and his daughter, Shaunti, understand. I hope Danny and Cory understand. I hope everybody understands and are not slighted by anything said or left unsaid here. I hope for a lot of things.

   An unsung hero in the song finding department is Jimmy Greenspoon. That rascal, having grown up in Hollywood with all its musical offerings, has a habit, no, an ongoing quest, of searching out obscure songs. Hundreds of them. Album cuts from other artists or dubs from a local group that did a demo, but broke up. All kinds of sources. Jimmy is amazing and integral to 3DN in that respect. He hasn't received the recognition due him in that department. At least, not publicly. (Maybe this little blurb will change that, oh swami of smut!) Jimmy is loved by everyone in the group, except when he's a pain in the ass at about 5:00 a.m. because he's already been up for an hour and a half. He's had breakfast, packed, walked downtown and is waiting for you in all his "morning wirey-ness," when you stumble, half asleep, through the lobby of the hotel to catch a plane. Therein lies his true joy in life, being the keeper of the wand that stirs the shit. You can't help but love him. You'd love to kill him, but he's just too funny to stay mad at. We call him the V.O.I.D. (voice of impending doom). Kind of like Chicken Little and "the sky is falling" routine. That's Jimmy. Oh, he'll deny it, but he'll own up to it when he considers how much he loves the title, any title and he has many. You'll never meet a another person that even resembles Jimmy Greenspoon. He's even more unique than he aspires to be. A natural wonder, that boy. Amazing.