Fast forward to 2025: all 4 members of the group would finally reunite at a small College reunion in Manitoba. The Enns’ flew in from British Columbia, the Friesens were on furlough from their mission work in Africa, with the Moores and Kruses still in the Winnipeg area.
As had happened on multiple occasions in their College days, Moore has a flash of inspiration, pitching the idea of, if they could somehow pull it off, recording their first new song in 35 years!
As always, Friesen, Kruse, and Enns were willing to take their best shot at what often seemed like Moore’s overreaching imagination, and the plans rapidly fell into place.
With tongue firmly planted in-cheek, Moore wrote “(we should know) Better by Now”, what he describes as a “middle-aged anthem”. In keeping with the 4Fun story, Moore took Friesen’s suggestion to tie the “Hand of Providence” into the lyric of the acapella pop tune.
Without the former luxury of hours of rehearsal, Moore sang and recorded the other member’s parts and sent rehearsal tracks to them ahead of time. Whereas, in the analogue days they had to limit their pay-by-the-hour recording and mixing to an almost non-existent budget, this time Moore could spend as much time as he wanted in his personal studio on the mix and master (hoping and praying that Enns would be over his bronchitis enough to record a few good takes).
They surprised and delighted their college friends by playing the demo of “Better by Now” at the reunion, after which they were called upon to sing something “live”.
Gulp!
They stepped outside for a few minutes to get their bearings, came back and, with only a couple glitches, performed the first song they ever learned, “Gotta Do Right”, Enns’s bronchial residue managing to mostly hold off until the end of the song.
Not bad after well over twenty years and definitely…
4Fun!