Mike's shoulder was wet when he woke up. El had been sleeping on it. It contained a mixture of drool and tears. The tears were still soaking him.

"I missed a year with you Mike. I'm never going to forgive myself for that. I keep saying that don't I? I keep saying I'll never forgive myself for something awful I did, but then I turn right around and do something awful again. Only this time, I really did it. I lost you for a year."

"I lost you too, El."

XXXXX

Something is up. That's all we're going to say [big smiles here]

- Rock Music Magazine

"Come into the recording room. I want to show you something." El curled her finger at Mike. He followed her to their home recording studio.

"What's up Pixie?"

"I'm going to point out a piece of equipment, I want you to tell me what it is. And what it does if you can remember."

"You know I'm not that good with equipment. I fiddle with them until I get the sound I want, or more importantly what you want."

El pointed.

""That's a 1965 JMP Marshall Head. Still works, it's your go to amp… customized to work with a separate power amp feeding two custom 6x12 cabinets. You've got each driver angled to fire in a different directions"

She did a series of rapid fire pointing.

"Uh, those heads, um, Ampeg SVT-2PRO, an SWR Bass 350. The E-Mu ESI 2000... I think you use those to blend some pedal tones."

"Ooh, Mike, you are good! Ok, change of pace." She started pointing again.

"These are easy, that's a Boss Base Overdrive ODB-3, great for that crunch sound, that one is the Boss Loop Station RC-3, and that one is Boss Chorus, CEB-3. Boss make great pedals… but um, that one isn't a Boss, it's a Donner Harmonizer, it's one you use as an octave divider because… let me think… right, you didn't like the tracking on the Boss Octave Divider."

"Yes, yes, yes, and yes."

"I like it when you keep saying yes… as…"

"Later mister. I want you to listen to this."

She pushed a button, and then moved a few sliders on the Mackie.

Mike heard a bass run that sounded like it might lead into a solo.

"Nice. Something new you are working on?"

"Maybe, ok listen to this." El moved two more sliders.

"Ok, same bass run, but it sounds different… mmm… better I think. I assume you wanted my opinion."

"I did, first recording was from a ten thousand plus dollar rig setup, second one was from the pedals. I don't care what pretentious wankers think of them, they are producing the best sound for me."

Mike started nodding his head. "You are going to go old school. Is this leading up to something I should know?"

"We have an RMR interview tomorrow. I'll fill you in."

XXXXX

RMR: Ok, folks, I have to admit I'm super effing thrilled that today we have an exclusive interview with none other than El and Mike Wheeler. If you don't know what band they are from, your rock is still waiting for you to crawl under.

EW: [laughes]

RMR: They asked if we wanted to interview them, at first we said, no bloody way… just kidding… they have an open invite to any Rock Music forum, the magazine, the TV show and of course the radio show. Every member of the staff here was stoked to know they'd be here, and most of them are crammed on the other side of the glass to watch… we do pipe the sound throughout the office… but it's El and Mike Wheeler… Ok I'm gushing. What's on your mind?

EW: This is a project I've been working on a long time. Mike doesn't know about it. So this is very exclusive.

MW: What?!

EW: [laughes] I didn't tell anyone because I needed a greenlight from everyone who might be involved, [she hangs her head] sadly, one of them is no longer with us. [she's back to her smile]. In nineteen-eighty-six Liona Boyd, that's the Canadian classical guitars in case your listeners are curious, put out what she called a "pop album". It was probably more commercially accessible than the rest of her albums. She had a list of very talented people on it, not the least of which is David Gilmour and Eric Clapton. She toured the album, but neither of those two guitarist were interesting in playing in NewFoundland in the winter. KISS can tell you what Canadian winters are like when they toured with Rush up in Winnipeg. They call that place "Winterpeg" just to give you an idea. Behind the scenes there are a lot of other who's who of the music industry on that album. She has cachet.

I wanted to do something similar, but of course, bass and voice. So I hand wrote letters, no email here folks… to Chris Squire, Jaco Pastorius, Geddy Lee, Stanley Clarke, Gene Simmons, Billy Sheehan… let's see… Glenn Cornick, Jeffrey Hammond, Geezer Butler.

RMR: There are notable omissions and choices there. Sadly Jaco is no longer with us, did you ever hear back from him?

EW: Just from the band, that he had passed. I'm curious to know which you think are omissions? You just know I'm going to speak my mind here. [she smiles slyly]

RMR: Michael Anthony?

EW: He has a bass on stage, during his, oh let's call it a solo, he drinks and hammers his bass a lot. I was actually interested in musicians.

RMR: Ouch! Ok, Gene Simmons, but not Roger Waters?

EW: Gene Simmons is underrated because he's in KISS, he's outspoken. His bass fits their songs perfectly. I'd be crazy not to take any advice he has. He's one of the few players who uses a pick, like Chris Squire, by the way. Roger Waters? Everyone knows that all the good bass lines on the Floyd albums are played by David Gilmour.

RMR: Two bassists from Jethro Tull?

EW: Jethro Tull has a very unique sound. You instantly know a Tull song when you hear it. Part of that are the bass lines.

RMR: Billy Sheehan? Most people don't even know who he is.

EW: He was in a band with Paul Gilbert, called Mr. Big, they only really had one hit and it didn't show any of the talent those two had. I saw my first Mr. Big concert, Mike took me, Gilbert is one of those guitar players that is in a league of his own, so Mike was more interested in watching him, but he took me for Billy Sheehan's bass solo. If you've never seen it, you should, it's insane. I stole some of his techniques in my solo. It's no secret to bass fans but nobody has really called me on it.

RMR: Did any of them get back to you?

EW: They all did!. Word got around and producers and engineers started calling me.

RMR: Like?

EW: Tony Visconti, Alan Parsons, Bob Ezrin… list goes on,

RMR: That's a lot of different styles, I noticed that, David Foster isn't included.

EW: [she takes a deep breath] This is the guy who told Neil Young and Joni Mitchel how to do their parts in "Tears Are Not Enough" . Young, I think was frustrated enough to say "It's my style man", later Joni said the same thing trying to be funny. He tried to change their sound? He once said in an interview that Mick Jagger wouldn't last two minutes in the studio with him. Seriously, one of the biggest rock bands in the world can't live up to your genius? David Foster shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a studio, or a musician. He's a [bleeped] idiot.

RMR: Uh oh. We were supposed to interview him later this week.

EW: Want me to stick around and say that to his face? Gladly. [she is very very angry here] Anybody who tells an artist how to perform their work to should be kicked in the head. Exceptions obviously if you are trying something new. You don't change Neil Young's sound. It's not done unless he wants it. Foster completely missed what that supergroup was all about. Completely. [Bleeped again] idiot.

MW: El is very passionate about her music and the rights of musicians. It's why the criminals who run the RIAA don't get to listen to our music.

RMR: Wow folks, this is why we love El Wheeler. She speaks her mind. So who did you pick to work with?

EW: All of them! We are going to take our time with this album. I wanted to give you guys the interview because I'll be heads down for a bit.

RMR: We really do appreciate this. The worst part is knowing we all have to wait for it.

EW: If we do it right. It'll be the best part.

XXXXX

"You aren't mad at me are you Mike? For not telling you sooner."

"Pixie, you can still surprise me. I know you wanted to have everything in place, and I know your last year has been hard. I'm not mad… um… do you want me working on the album at all? I would if you wanted, but I'd be nervous as hell with all that talent in the room."

"I was specifically asked if you would be… call it… consulting. This was when we were… apart."

Mike watched her eyes water up. "It's ok Pixie."

"They asked because they know that you know my sound. You get it. The very fact that I didn't even have to insist let's me know the caliber of musicians I'll be working with. It will be scary as hell. But it's going to be fun, epic, monumental, and hopefully not a massive Hindenburg." El sounded nervous.

Mike hadn't seen her quite this nervous in a long time.

"Ok then. Let's get to work."