(MBM) 35 years ago Babylon A.D. released their self-titled debut album. Lead singer Derek Davis looks back on getting signed and their showcase performance for Arista Records Clive Davis...
Getting a record deal and releasing our first record was one of the greatest highlights of my life. I had dreamed about getting "The Deal" and being in a recording artist since I was 8 years old. It just proved to me dreams can come true.
I remember it like it was yesterday, The band had just moved to Hollywood in a one bedroom apartment at the infamous "Saint James" off Hollywood Blvd. There was 6 of us living there for less than a week when our manager called and said that Clive Davis the President of Arista Records wanted to see the band on that Saturday and they had arranged a showcase for us at SIR studios on Sunset Blvd. We had not practiced in a while do to the move from the Bay Area but we were ready! I mean this is "Clive Fukin Davis" The Music Mogul" the man who signed "Janis Joplin", "Aerosmith", Simon and Garfunkel", "The Grateful Dead", "Santana","Whitney Houston" and many more world renown artists and he wanted to see - US!!! WTF??????????
That Saturday morning we practiced a 7 song set and Clive showed up around noon with two New York A&R guys and Randy Gerston the head of the West Coast A&R department. Our manager Jay Malla was there also and that was it! Five guys wearing suites, sitting on a big long couch right in front of the band. We were on stage and we blew through our set and nailed it, and the second we finished the last song "The Kid Goes Wild", 'Clive Davis' jumps up off the couch and opens his arms real wide and says, "Welcome To The Family Boys"! I will never forget the rush of that moment, We had been working for a moment like this our whole career. We signed a 10 album deal and the dream began with our first album the self titled "Babylon A.D." which was released 35 years ago on October 3rd 1989!
What a fantastic ride it has been and we plan to keep on going. There is no stoping us, "Babylon A.D." is creating new music and we still get that rush every time we play together on stage and in the recording studio. The music and the fans keep us alive and let us live the dream we still have! We are truly grateful and blessed to be able to still do what we love!
Stay tuned because we are just warming up!!!
Babylon A.D. recently released their latest album "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day". The third single "Sometimes Love Is Hell" is active right now on radio.
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