L'Histoire:
In 1993, Ron Hagadone and Sharine Borslien joined forces in songwriting, recording and performing throughout Los Angeles, California. Searching for their signature sound, they crafted the "Songs of Secret Devotion" brand and soon thereafter, recruited cellist Michael Duron from the UCLA symphony to complete Sharine and the Hot 'n' Swirl Ensemble. The group performed sometimes several times each week in clubs and concert halls from the Amazon Bar & Grill to Fais Do Do to Genghis Cohn to the Alligator Lounge, while Ron arranged material for their debut recording -- to be titled, of course, "Songs of Secret Devotion."
Recording began in September 1995 in the Santa Monica bedroom ADAT studio of Guy Marshall (Pat Benatar, BayWatch, et al). Sessions were held monthly, with pre-production done off the clock, and the recording of eleven songs was completed in November of the same year. Guy referred the project to Pat Sullivan, then on the team at A&M Records, who mastered the CD and prepared it for professional duplication.
During downtime between recording and productions sessions, the ensemble continued to perform on a lighter schedule while Sharine started working on graphic design for the CD art. With a vast array of photographs by Darek Banasek and the design assistance of Robin at Access Print & Copy, she created the jewel case insert artwork based on a concept from Steve Nixon. Oddly, the cover photograph had been a lab mistake made when Darek accidentally poured the wrong chemical into the bath, creating the satin-like look. He had tried to hide it from Sharine, but she insisted on seeing it, instantly recognizing the brilliance in his "shameful mistake."
Sharine, along with Jennifer Shergold, promoted the CD to over 100 radio stations in the U.S., sparking a coast-to-coast tour. While Ron and Michael stayed home to meet other obligations, Sharine and songwriting partner Al Villanueva toured during autumn 1996 from California to New York City and back. Homeless on her return, Sharine eventually landed in a guest house in Venice, California and began writing songs again.
