John finds accommodation at Mercury and in the first half of the year he records his next solo album in New York, on which he collaborates with the same musicians like on „Temple Bar“. He produces himself again. On September 23, 1997 „When You Were Mine“ appears -- like its predecessor -- only in the USA. Actually it should have been called „Suicide Life“, like the same titled song on that album, but... „My manager argued me out of doing that. Too dark. Too pessimistic.“ „When You Were Mine“ is another balancing act with which John proves a high standard of song writing. So might the listener just got used to „Temple Bar“, this album hardly has anything in common with his earlier works. The fans probably have been pretty surprised by listening to it the very first time...

During a long lasting jeep tour through the United States, the idea for „When You Were Mine“ takes shape. Recording it takes only four weeks. „When I lost 'Temple Bar' I jumped into the jeep and drove across America. My head is working constantly and I had the music of Bob Dylan and Hank Williams. Then, finally I reached New Orleans and on my way to there I began to think about of doing kind of a country album“

And it seems that he didn´t get Bob Dylan out of his head because beside the ten remaining tracks that album contents another cover version: „Just Like a Woman“, a Dylan song which John describes as a big challenge. „He is just brilliant“, lionizes John. „'Blonde on Blonde' is one of my favourite albums and when we began to work on
'When You Were Mine' I wanted exactly that sound. One morning Shane (Fontayne) and I were sitting in that coffee shop and I looked at the cover of that record. We´ve already tried some Dylan songs but nothing seemed to be right and Shane leaned over and said: 'Why don´t we try this?' And he pointed on 'Just Like A Woman'. It was his idea and I´m glad that someone else relieved me of that decision. It´s great to take a song that´s not yours to see what you can do with it.“

So the link to Vince Gill´s (photo below) „Whenever You Come Around“ comes easy. It is to blame for the origin of „Imaginary Girl“ and contributes considerably the creation of two further breathtaking pieces of music. „Whenever You Come Around“ - When John hears it the very first time it is certain to him that he wants to work with Pete Wasner who co-wrote that wonderful country song. John arranges a meeting and little later in a time period of only three hours and a half, „Imaginary girl“ and another work of art arise to perfection: „Masterpiece of Loneliness“.  oth of them are suggested for the album „When You Were Mine“ but only one of them makes the race: „Imaginary Girl“. „It was one of these very special moments where everything matched“, John describes his work with Pete Wasner. „It doesn´t work with everybody and it doesn´t always work . But when it works it´s magical.“ The yearning „Whenever You Come Around“, however, he is going to give his very own touch and he performs that one with such devotedness that the impression accrues he deals with own experiences. Together with „Masterpiece of Loneliness“, however, it will be released four years later.

Photo Courtesy of  Evelyn Whiteley

„Suicide Life“ tells a sadder story. The inspiration to that had already begun in 1977. „When THE BABYS first arrived
in Hollywood, there was this guy - a burnt out guy about 30, maybe younger. He had a big beard and shaggy hair. He lived on the streets with no shoes and dressed in ragged clothes and it was pouring with rain. He wasn´t crazy, schizophrenic maybe. He was living in his own world. Whenever I came back to L.A. - he was there. Really! His story must be unbelievable.“

„...and you begin to wonder, where these people exist, how they survive and what might have happened that made them get on this strange trip. I think a lot of it has to do with drugs and a lot of it has been just wrecked. ‚Suicide Life’ is about people that took this trip and never came back.“

The title track „When You Were Mine“ recalls old memories and describes John´s life in England when he was a teenager. „Actually it´s like looking back over my shoulder, it´s about my hometown in England“, he says. „There is a very special place that looks like… the most peaceful place in England. And every time I´m there it reminds me back when I was 17 and in love.“

John explains why the record „When You Were Mine“ sounds like it sounds. „I wanted to have a clear sound“, he says. „No effects. All the vocals sound very dry in 'black and white' terms. I don´t care about somebody else's vision of what I should sound like. I wanted to keep even the imperfections in my voice because it´s a part of me. It´s part of the expression of being a singer. To me great singing is about authenticity. On this album I wanted the unvarnished truth.“ About the unusual country influence, he says: „I was going for something that wasn´t going to be rock so much, like blazing guitar solos and sort of thing. I wanted to direct the attention to the songs itself. I wanted to let the songs speak for themselves. I have played straight ahead Rock´n Roll nearly all my life, and mixed ballads into it. If something like that works, some bands tend to repeat themselves again and again and hope it´d the same success. I just think that I owe the public something else.“ So Mr. Waite sums up: „ ‚When You Were Mine’ is kind of a flashback, like the characters in ‚Suicide Life’ ‚Bluebird Cafe’ or even ‚When You Were Mine.’ It´s an American album through the perspective of an Englishman.“

The album release party takes place on September 30, 1997 at a quite unusual location, the Siberia Bar, which is a small, tiny bar at some underground station in New York. The band rather performs on the steps that lead to the subway and John sings, while the passengers went by to catch their trains, wherever they may go.

A short promotion tour through the United States follows in the second half of 1997 and with Shane Fontayne, John does some informal acoustic gigs. The title track is supposed to be released as a single but Mercury doesn´t. However, „Imaginary Girl“ comes out as a promo in February ´98.

In the same month John Waite turns his back to New York. It was his adopted country for almost 18 years. Now John moves to Santa Monica. Los Angeles is not really the preferred place to be, but it´s much easier to work there.
„I don´t fit in here“, he admits. „I love the seasons. The wind, the cold and the rain, too. I would not hesitate to go back to England, if my music would sell better there. At least, Los Angeles is nearby the ocean so that´s okay.“