Edmonton-born, Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Blake Havard has released “Wave Goodbye,” a song co-written and produced by Seattle musician Pete Droge, who has toured with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and co-founded The Thorns with Matthew Sweet and Shawn Mullins. The two connected after a mutual friend saw Droge perform and told Havard he reminded him of the artist; Havard subsequently attended a Droge show and the pair began working on Havard’s demos together.
The track was recorded live off the floor at Droge’s studio on an island near Seattle, following an initial demo Havard made in a studio space in a Vancouver mansion. Havard played Wurlitzer electric piano and electric guitar, with Droge’s bandmates Rob Brill on drums and David Hull, who has filled in for Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton, on bass. Vocals were overdubbed afterward.
The song, which Havard describes as a wry take on moving on from heartbreak, had been shelved before Havard decided to revisit and release it. According to the announcement, Havard has built a career in Vancouver as a songwriter, producer and musician who has worked with players from Foo Fighters, Bryan Adams’ band and Bob Dylan’s band, and the single blends Americana, roots, indie and classic pop influences, including a nod to Elton John’s piano style.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.