The project was created by David Foster and Jay Graydon in 1979 after working on many sessions together starting in the mid 1970s.

[1] They started writing songs that would inevitably end up on the album as early as 1978, such as "After the Love Has Gone", which was recorded by Earth, Wind & Fire that same year (the original title for the track was "After the Love Is Gone", which is the title they used on this album).

Even when we were shooting the album cover and all that, It felt weird that we were actually trying to be the real artists."

Graydon noted that they were highly influenced in their decision to form the group by Toto, who, as session musicians, had formed a similar group a few years earlier in 1977 (members of Toto also contributed to this album).

He explained that he and David had written this power track and asked if I could finish the song by coming up with a melody & lyrics.

It was such a strong, driving track that I immediately got inspired and wrote the whole thing very quickly.

"[4] Graydon recalls Jeff Porcaro's drum part on the track: "Absolutely.

Foster asks about the horns on the track, to which Graydon responds: "We started at midnight and went until 6 am.

American vocal group The Manhattan Transfer recorded a version of the song on their 1979 album Extensions, produced by Graydon.

In reference to their version, Graydon notes: "You know it's funny, I think I sounded way better than Alan, and he's a singer.

Graydon talks about the cover art and photoshoot in the same interview: "First of all, here we are making a record.

"[4] They shot the photos at the Hollywood Burbank Airport and used Earth, Wind & Fire's Bicam airplane that was used on their tours.