In the summer of 2005, The Villains of Verona headed back into the studio to record their third EP. Influenced by the nostalgic sounds emulated by diamond in the rough 1960's pop bands, blinded by their sixteen year old foresight (or lack there of), embracing the potential of their future, and blanketed in the comfort of their familiar surroundings, The Villains of Verona produced a four song EP called "With The Twist of a Lime" that clocked in just around ten minutes.
The EP was recorded in a recently constructed studio known as Gallery of Carpet. The studio had not yet had the privilege of having AC installed, and of course The Villains wanted to record to two-inch tape. Between the lack of air and the tape machine that also doubled as a furnace, the control room maintained a cool temperature of over ninety degrees for most of the sessions. Despite the smoldering atmosphere and pools of sweat, The Villains were able to track and mix the EP in a little over a week. Listening back to the "With the Twist of a Lime" EP now, I can hear the temperature of the studio, and feel my sweaty hands trying to maintain grip on my Ric's neck.
I bring up "With the Twist of a Lime," for a reason that was often forgotten by myself while in the band: Music expresses, in some way, the movement of feelings that cling to the unconscious processes. Although "With the Twist of a Lime" showcased an idealistic vision of musical potential that the band always had and was never able to execute properly or coherently, it is candidly charming because of it. I am proud of "With the Twist of a Lime" not because I feel it has the best songwriting (it most certainly does not), or because it has the most sonic presence (it most certainly does not), but because it maintains a wistful sense of sincere youthfulness. It captures many subconscious feelings on my part, and comes off in a childish way due to its mature efforts. In an endless quest to find the line between a novelty pop band and a post modernistic art project, "With the Twist of a Lime" was recorded in the most pristine circumstances: a group of confused sixteen year old vagabonds pounding out a four song EP in a half completed suburban studio; exhausted in the heat of an impelling tape machine, but unwilling to sacrifice antique, revivalist methods for physical comfort.
There is a moment at the end of "Thoughts of The Sun" – a song off of "With the Twist of a Lime." The song concludes abruptly, and after a brief instance of silence there is manic laughter. While we were working on the song, Drew began laughing at something our engineer, Brian Zieske, was doing. Whether it was the result of cabin fever or heat exhaustion or anxiety, Drew could not stop laughing. The band all began laughing because Drew was laughing, and our guitarist at the time, Bill Friel, wound up laughing just as ferociously We threw Friel and Drew out into the live room, and set up a room mike. Brian began doing bizarre dances in the control room, and Drew's laugh turned more feverish, and Friel began giggling in the background. We recorded it, and wound up tacking it onto the end of "Thoughts of The Sun." To me, that moment sums up the essence of the band, and is one of the best things we ever recorded.
Sure, we wrote better melodies and progression, and we recorded with better equipment and gear, but when it comes down to it what I love most about music is not melodies or progressions or gear or equipment, but the emotions that are conveyed, and how those emotions trigger emotions within me when I hear the elements of composition and sound come together. "Thoughts of the Sun" produces a blissful sense of exultant within me, and exhibits what I always wanted The Villains of Verona to be: a pop band that did not take itself too seriously.
We started this band when we were all between 15 and 16. Today, most of us are under 21. A few of us are still under 20. After four years of being a band, we are breaking up. Our last show will be at The Orphanage in Chicago on June 28th. We would really love to see you all there, for we will never see you again as The Villains of Verona. We have met a lot of people, and played with a lot of bands over the course of the past few years, and it would be really nice to see as many of them as possible there. It would mean a lot to us.

Eric Hehr and The Villains of Verona