Zombieguide has learned that there were plans for Dolores O’Riordan to record two duets for an independent movie called “Catching the Stars” in 2003 — however, the film was scrapped due to budget problems.

The film’s soundtrack was to include two tracks with Dolores duetting with American rock singer Dusty Hughes. The first was to be a new version of The Cranberries’ “This is the Day” with Hughes on several verses, and the second was to be a Hughes-penned song called “Worthwhile” with Dolores on backing vocals.

“Back in 2003, I was contacted by a film producer, producing an independent film called ‘Catching The Stars,'” Hughes told Zombieguide this week. “I had written two songs for a previous movie of his. He sent me a track that I ignorantly thought was brand new called ‘This Is The Day.’ I was asked to sing verse 2 and background vocals on it, and harmony on the bridge. We were also supposed to duet another song together, which I wrote. I waited six months without hearing anything, then the guy wrote me back saying there was licensing problems with ‘This Is The Day,’ Mrs. O’Riordan wouldn’t be available to sing on the other song, etc. Then two months after that, he confessed to me that the film had been grossly over-budgeted, filming was brought to a halt, and it was going to be put on the shelf indefinitely.”

“I was a great bit disappointed,” he admits.

“The producer was already in contact with Dolores and had apparently been for a while. He asked if I would be willing to contribute two songs to this NEW movie — at that time — and I said gladly. He then asked if I would be comfortable singing with Dolores, and, even though I was very nervous about it, just starting out, I wasn’t about to refuse the offer! I never directly contacted her, although there was ‘small talk’ through the go-between. I can imagine her being a very cautious individual, not wanting her contact info leaked out, especially to a relatively unknown singer. I would really like to work on something like this now, where I’ve developed my sound, started finally actually receiving national attention, national air-play, etc.”

“When he first contacted me, I was very honoured, of course, but I confess I didn’t know much at all about the Cranberries. I remembered the Linger, Dreams, and Free To Decide videos, and of course Analyze from the radio, all of which I loved, but didn’t know much else,” he added.

While O’Riordan never recorded the vocals to “Worthwhile,” Hughes did manage to lay down tracks for “This is the Day.”

“I will say that I think it was a bit of injustice to replace her vocals in those parts with mine, especially at that stage of my ‘singing career’ if you will. I had only just started singing that year. I think if I had the chance to do it again now, I could definitely do it a little more justice. But that’s life!” he said.

This collaboration, like Dolores’s recent collaborations with Angelo Badalamenti, would have been long-distance.

“Incidentally, I never actually met Mrs. O’Riordan, but I did complete vocals on the first song. Listening back now, it’s pretty cringesome, but it was fun nonetheless… I think that’s a really great thing, the long-distance studio relationships. You can get so much done, without the huge costs of flying around in jets.”

We’d like to thank Dusty for the info!

Source: Exclusive