Lucerne Valley elementary kids use vocal talents to record with former Billy Idol rocker
It’s not every day that elementary students get to record vocal tracks with Billy Idol’s former guitarist at a High Desert recording studio that once hosted rock singer Bruce Springsteen.
A group of aspiring singers from Lucerne Valley Elementary School recently lent their singing talents to a song recorded at Fireside Sound recording studio in Joshua Tree.
The invitation to record came via Joshua Tree guitarist and recording artist Bob “Derwood” Andrews via a connection with Lucerne Valley Unified School District’s longtime Board Member Jim Harvey.
School of rock
At the studio, the students sang “an atmospheric song” called “All The Brave Souls,” which begged for a children’s chorus a la Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2,” district spokesman Peter Day told the Daily Press.
“The students were absolutely amazed by their recording session, feeling like rock stars for the day,” Day said. “They relished witnessing the intricate process of music recording and editing. Their highlight was donning the studio headphones and hearing their own voices during playback.”
The recording session experience on May 10 also expanded the students’ awareness of possible career choices in the arts, Day stated.
Harvey, Andrews connection
When Harvey isn’t working on school district duties or overseeing his web design business, he often follows his passion — singing.
While Harvey recorded vocals for Andrews, the guitarist mentioned to him the idea of adding children’s voices to the song. That’s when the idea of asking the Lucerne Valley students came about, Day said.
Harvey shared the recording idea with Lucerne Valley Superintendent Peter Livingston, who thought it was a fantastic idea and spoke with elementary school Principal Joanna Mora.
Stephanie Klinger and Carissa Brander, teachers and advisers of the school’s drama club, recruited several students to record, including Annaleigh Locarnini, Jazlyn Avila-Barajas, Jessie Avila-Barajas, Jackson Klinger, Ryder Rodrigues, Gabby Peralta, and Melina Alejadro-Martinez.
The caravan to the remote 35-acre Joshua Tree property owned by musician Christopher Thorn included the teachers and students in a school van, while Harvey rode his Harley-Davidson and Livingston and Assistant Superintendent Nate Lambdin drove separate vehicles.
‘All The Brave Souls’
When the “All The Brave Souls” children’s vocal recording session began, Andrews and Thorn’s son, Devlin, who engineered the session, gathered the students around several studio microphones and then took them through the song.
The first few takes were a little rough, but after several more, they had their parts down, Day said.
“We can’t stand up/ So put your hands up for all the brave souls. Brave souls!” sang the children, who later recorded a second track with them stomping their feet in unison to the song.
Andrews explained that he was struck with how the students poured their heart into the project, saying, “The kids sang beautifully, with their innocence shining through.”
Andrews expects the song to be released by year’s end. It will be part of an album “Solid Gold Timepiece,” he said.
‘Experience proved priceless’
Klinger said the recording session presented an excellent chance for the school’s drama club students to witness the real-world relevance of their learning.
“In drama club, we instill skills like reading music, grasping beat counts, manipulating tone, and evoking emotions in performances,” Klinger said. “Through this recording session, they had a firsthand encounter with all these elements. Witnessing these lessons in action during the recording process left quite an impact on them.”
“This experience proved priceless for our students, offering them a firsthand look into the intricate process of music recording. They discovered that this seemingly fun career encompasses various elements taught in school, from literacy skills to technological proficiency. Moreover, it provided invaluable insight into the diverse techniques employed to breathe life into a set of lyrics.”
Klinger added that undoubtedly, the students gained a wealth of knowledge from the recording encounter, calling it “just the tip of the iceberg.”
“I am thrilled that a group of our elementary school students were given the incredible opportunity to sing backup vocals for a rock music professional,” Lambdin said. “This experience not only provided them with a unique and memorable learning opportunity, but it also may have inspired and motivated them to pursue their passion for music. I am proud of their hard work and dedication, and I am elated that they represented our school with excellence.”
“It was amazing to partner with Derwood Andrews and allow LVUSD students an opportunity of a lifetime to experience a professional recording studio and recording vocals with a world-renowned musician,” said Livingston. “Our kids will remember this for the rest of their lives! They are now truly rock stars!”
Derwood Andrews
In late 1976, Andrews, a British rock guitarist, played lead with an amateur rocker band called Paradox. While performing at a gig, he was spotted by punk-rocker Billy Idol, who recruited him for his newly formed band, Generation X.
After joining Generation X, the band’s self-titled “Generation X” album reached No. 29 in the UK Albums Chart and followed that with “Valley of the Dolls.”
After that, Andrews formed the post-punk band Empire. In the late 1980s, he was in the Americana-style band Westworld whose debut single “Sonic Boom Boy” reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart.
Andrews moved to Los Angeles in the ‘90s and made the transition to the Joshua Tree area in the early 2000s.
Christopher Thorn
Thorn was the guitarist for the alternative rock group Blind Melon, which had a 1993 Top 10 hit “No Rain” followed by four Grammy nominations, Day stated.
Thorn started Fireside Sound in the artsy Silver Lake section of Los Angeles, where he worked with the likes of Post Malone. He later moved his vintage 32-channel API console, vintage instruments and recording equipment to an expansive dig at Joshua Tree.
Thorn has recorded a host of music acts in his desert studio, including the Deftones, Afghan Whigs, Joshua Bassett and many more.
In 2019, Bruce Springsteen, known as “The Boss,” used Thorn’s property to shoot parts of the title track video for his 2019 album “Western Stars.”
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Lucerne Valley elementary kids record with former Billy Idol rocker
