Who would have thought? @gerardway mentioned last night that we made this one “right around the corner.” He was referring to Bay 7 Studios in Valley Village, where we recorded #threecheersforsweetrevenge back in 2004. Thanks to @mikeyway who always takes care of us for the local shows. Halloween with these guys is gonna be mad... I think I'll stay at home for that one. It already looked like Halloween last night! #mychemicalromance #imnotokay #hollywoodbowl #musicproducer

With the 20th anniversary of @Daughtry_News 1st album, “Daughtry,” here’s how I ended up working on that project. I’d just produced @MCRofficial , @therejects and @threedaysgrace. I was probably overthinking it, worried an @AmericanIdol record might affect my career 🤷. I didn’t even watch the show. One evening, my wife Monica had Idol on, and this voice comes rockin’ out of the TV. She said, “You have to produce this guy.” He was singing Fuel’s “Hemorrhage”... and killin’ it. Chris came in 4th, but this is where @CliveDavis ’ genius came in: he wanted to make a record anyway. His A&R team, Pete Ganbarg and Ashley Newton, were looking for material. The kicker... Chris could write strong songs, unusual for an American Idol contestant. I took the meeting. At Bay 7 Studios, Chris played “Home” for me on the patio. Paul DeCarli and others walked by telling me how much their wives LOVED him. My small sample set adored him. He could write, and the team was top-shelf. Since he didn’t win, the label was less inclined to meddle. I signed on. Then came the whirlwind. Chris had the Idol tour, but @Sony needed the record. He recorded the songs acoustically to a click. His voice and songs were so strong that the rest was easy. @joshfreese , Paul Bushnell, @TheRealPhilX and Debbie Lurie (string arrangements) fleshed out the music. We recorded the basics in a week. Chris returned for guitars, vocals and harmonies. Chris Lord-Alge mixed. Fun fact: Some Sony suits wanted Rob Thomas to rewrite “Home.” Pete and I were horrified. I think even Rob was! His version opened the chorus on the relative minor. Pete almost had a heart attack. It got shut down. Then I added a honky-tonk piano on “Over You.” Pete almost had another heart attack. It got shut down. YIKES The record came out on Black Friday. That Monday, Clive called: “How many records do you think we sold?” I had no idea (I never do!). 304,000 the first week! It became the fastest-selling debut rock album in Nielsen SoundScan history, @billboard top-selling album of 2007, and 6x platinum!