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With radio friendly hooks a rock edge and pop sensibilities,
Clive Davis knew that Splender was the rock act he wanted
for his new label, J Records. "(Davis) believed
that we were like the perfect piece in his company (J
Records). He didn't have any other rock bands or anything
like us at all and still doesn't, so we fill in that
piece of the pie," gushed Splender front man Waymon
Boone on his bands signing with J Records. "Signing
with Clive is just a real surreal experience. He assured
us that his label would be committed to us and that
he believed that we were the perfect piece in his company."
Davis, the legendary talent scout, music master and
former president of Arista Records discovered and signed
a coterie of talent that reads like a Who's Who of recent
music history. He discovered such legendary artists
as Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Prince and Whitney
Houston. With his new label, J Records, he helped put
Alicia Keys on the map who ultimately went on to win
a Grammy in 2001, he is also responsible for boy-band
O-Town who have also been dominating the pop music charts.
Now the hit-king, Davis has his sights set on Splender,
a New York based pop-rock outfit who he hopes will have
what it takes to bring home their fair share of hits
to the J Records family.
 Davis'
record of success is legendary and for a band that is
handpicked by the man himself is certainly an outstanding
compliment. As the only rock band on the label and with
Davis' shadow over the entire project, the pressure
is certainly on for Splender and their J records debut,
"To Whom It May Concern." "There was a lot of pressure,"
admits bassist, James Cruz. "Because we were on Clive
Davis' new label, we had to be up to his standards as
well as ours. We had tons of songs, but we hadn't tested
any of them on gigs. We had to rely on our instincts
in the studio to find which ones were the best and make
them work."
The story begins a few years ago when Splender had their
first official meeting with Davis. "Meeting Clive was
a very Godfather-like experience," says Boone, "It was
wondrously terrifying. He brought us into his office
and at the time that we signed with him he didn't have
an official office and they hadn't released anything
yet. So, it was just Clive and James Diener, our A&R
man, and that was good enough. The meeting was hours
long and it was kinda odd to sit there and it was very
humbling, to think, 'wow, I was just writing some songs
and now I sitting here on top of a high-rise talking
to Clive Davis.' It was incredible, we didn't walk out
of there, we floated out of there." Sure meeting Mr.
Clive Davis, the man who discovered some of the biggest
names in music history can be a surreal experience,
but working with him is even more surreal. "He's a very,
very artist friendly man, you wouldn't think so but,
he's a real sweet man towards his artists, He's very
hands on, very band friendly," Said Boone. Clive has
always been known to be artist friendly and with a golden
ear for music nobody can deny his ability to choose
a hit.
Not only did Clive Davis sign the band but also served
as a vital member of the creative process as well. "We
didn't realize how hands on he actually is," says Boone,
"for better or for worse, he truly is, I'm not just
saying that. The reality of it is very true. From the
music, to the songs, to the presentation, the photos
the video, everything, he plays a big part of the team."
Davis was so involved in that project that he and Boone
would come to odds over song ideas. For example, when
working on the track "The Loneliest Person I know" Davis
noticed that the song lacked a bridge. He mentioned
it to the band and they ignored his request. "He was
like, there's no bridge, we need to have a bridge,"
Boone explains, "we were like 'okay, whatever,' and
just never did it." As time went on Davis began to get
more serious about the bridge in the song and became
insistent, he soon would pull rank and demand a bridge
be added or else. "That was probably the only moment
on the record that got kinda hairy and it was to the
point where we almost stopped recording and flights
were being booked to take us back home unless the bridge
to that song was written. He kinda put the fear of God
in us. (laughs)" Boone adds, "That was the one thing
that he was a very big stickler on because he really
loved that song, it's one of his favorites on the album."
The bridge eventually was written for "Loneliest Person
I know" and as a result says Boone, "He was right, the
song is better now. In the end I came through and wrote
the bridge and its one of my favorite bridges on the
album and it was just interesting to see how far (Davis)
could take it if he really wanted to. But, now it's
a better song because of that, so he was right."
Being personally chosen by Davis as the only rock band
for J Records is an incredible honor and Boone and the
boys are ready to make good on their end of the deal.
They released their first single "Save It For Later"
and it has gotten a good reaction form pop radio and
is expected to become a modest hit. Boone wrote that
song about a friend who was living the life his father
wanted him to live and not the life he really wanted
for himself. In a sense he was putting off his hopes
and dreams and 'saving it for later.' The song tells
the listener to live your own life and not someone else's.
Explains Boone, "The last lyric of that song I say,
'Don't save it for later,' to kinda say, deal with your
life now and take responsibility for it."
Splender certainly isn't saving anything for later as
they move ahead on a mission to take over the pop-rock
music charts. Their album, "To Whom It May Concern"
is in record stores now and their single "Save It For
Later" is currently in radio rotation.
For tour info and more news on Splender log to:
http://
www.splender.com
Photos by Matt A. Bechtold
Don Sill for Crud Magazine© 2002
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