We were gradually playing larger venues and in the early days PA systems were kind of non-existent. So to play loud, we had to use louder equipment. The PA systems back then didn`t mic the instruments - only the vocals.
This band makes sure that we have whole sections of stuff that are free form so that they don`t know what we are doing next, that is the fun part of playing. You are playing something that you haven`t ever played before.
The first eight songs we were using someone else`s monitors and it is hard to follow the changes when you are jamming if you can`t hear those who you are jamming with.
That was the producer who produced a couple of my solo albums. He produced my second, third and fourth solo albums. It was his project and I just joined him on it. I sang on one and played bass on another one.