FREE
     
Music and Lyrics by: Michael Foster
Written:  December, 1978.
Copyright 1979, 2005 by Crystal Magic Music (ASCAP)
 

                                                       1st Verse
                      I'm leaving in the morning... heading down the road...
                      Wondering where my life is leading...I've got such a heavy load.
                      I don't know where I'm going....or who I'm gonna be...
                      But I hope through all the changes...I'll be able to stay free...
                                                                                            ....able to stay free.

                                                2nd Verse
                 You never know when trouble is gonna head your way...
                  Until it's all around you... and you just can't run away.
                  And facing up to problems....is not an easy thing for me...
                  But facing up to life is really learning...learning to be free
                                                                                      ... It's learning to be free.

                                               BRIDGE
       Free to live the way I choose...free to sing my song
       Free to change my point of view.... whether it be right or wrong.
       Free to live from day to day...free to wonder why.
       Free to find a better way....fre

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE RECORDING OF FREE
 
The song FREE was written in December of 1978 by guitarist-vocalist Michael Foster, when AVALANCHE was still in intensive rehearsals to complete the band's goal of having three complete sets of all-original music ready for recording and performance...before ever playing a live gig. Both he and Mark Easton, the band's other very talented guitarist-songwriter-vocalist, were going through an amazingly creative period...when excellent music and lyrics were being cranked out at an almost unbelievable rate. This song came into existence right around the time AVALANCHE went into the recording studio to record the band's first single..." LITTLE MISS SAD EYES"... written by Michael...and (I'm Gonna) "GIVE MY LOVE" ...which was written by Mark. That record was released on January 24,1979, and both songs received extensive radio airplay on thirteen of New England's most prominent hard-rock stations for over twelve weeks. Avalanche played its first gig in front of over 3500 people on July 2, 1979.

     Although the original band's performance of FREE was extremely powerful, the band never got the opportunity to record a version of that song before the band broke up in 1980. This version of FREE was recorded about six months after the band's  breakup...as an attempt by Michael to get as many songs from the AVALANCHE repertoire recorded while the arrangements and the energy was still fresh...and relatively intact. Although the original members all made significant contributions to all the songs which are unfortunately absent from this solo effort, the essence of what AVALANCHE was is clearly apparent on the songs that did get recorded during these sessions...and FREE is an excellent example. The arrangements and end results are very faithful to what the band sounded like live. Nothing was changed, except for the acoustic guitars, which were added in the studio. Those parts were performed on electric guitars when the band performed  FREE live...in concert.    
                                         

            Michael Foster: All Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Vocals.

             Michael Corsini : Bass

             Tommy Dion: Drums 

 Music, Lyrics, and Arrangement by: Michael Foster

 Copyright 1979, 2005 by Crystal Magic Music Publishing (ASCAP)

 Produced and Mixed by: Michael Foster for Golden Sun Records

 Engineering, Production and Mixing assistance: Peter Solak

 Recorded at: The Gallery Studio, East Hartford, Conn. Sept. 1981