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MISC TRACKS FROM '80S, '90S & '00S
During the eighties, I recorded various tracks in studios when I could afford it (I couldn't share the cost with my bandmates because there were none). These sessions were usually just a couple of hours at a time so getting everything recorded and mixed was pretty tight.
Many of these studio songs were recorded on reel to reel tape. Time has not been kind to them, they don't sound brilliant and there is some deterioration (they are over 30 years old) but huge thanks to Chris Stevenson at Manchester Audio Renovation for transferring them into the digital world. 1980s
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IT'S ALL OVER
Recorded at Sound Lab Studio, Westhoughton, 1986, Engineered by Pete Makin.
This tape is pretty shot at and the sound quality reflects that.
I managed to find a cheap studio in Westhoughton, who offered an hour of 16 track recording time for something like £10. My dad drove myself and my girlfriend there. It was bit gloomy inside and looked a little unfinished...but it had 16 lovely tracks to play with! I borrowed the guitar and effects pedal from friends.
The studio owner, Pete Makin, was a nice chap and reminded me of a hippyish Jimmy Hill. The studio had a Roland Juno 6 so I ended up using that instead of my one-note Jen SX1000. I didn’t have a sequencer at the time so I had to play each part in turn, track by track. Jane spoke a little line and did some handclaps.
Paul: Vocals, guitar, Roland Juno 6, Soundmaster Stix ST305 drum machine
Jane Berry: voice, handclaps
Recorded at Sound Lab Studio, Westhoughton, 1986, Engineered by Pete Makin.
This tape is pretty shot at and the sound quality reflects that.
I managed to find a cheap studio in Westhoughton, who offered an hour of 16 track recording time for something like £10. My dad drove myself and my girlfriend there. It was bit gloomy inside and looked a little unfinished...but it had 16 lovely tracks to play with! I borrowed the guitar and effects pedal from friends.
The studio owner, Pete Makin, was a nice chap and reminded me of a hippyish Jimmy Hill. The studio had a Roland Juno 6 so I ended up using that instead of my one-note Jen SX1000. I didn’t have a sequencer at the time so I had to play each part in turn, track by track. Jane spoke a little line and did some handclaps.
Paul: Vocals, guitar, Roland Juno 6, Soundmaster Stix ST305 drum machine
Jane Berry: voice, handclaps
WE'LL BE THERE
Recorded at CRS Records, St Annes, 1988. Engineered and mixed by Phil Waddington.
Again, the tape has suffered a lot and the stereo imaging in particular is poor.
I’ve always had a soft spot for this song. It was about escaping the humdrum of normal life and was no doubt a reflection of how I felt about my day job at the time. I even had an idea in my head for the video to accompany it! It was around this time that Siren Records were showing ‘some’ interest in me and I thought that I might just have found a way out of the nine to five...but nothing came of it.
Paul: Vocals, synths (Casio HZ600, CZ230s, possibly a Yamaha DX21, RZ1 Drum machine and Akai S612)
Michael Ratcliff: Guitar
Recorded at CRS Records, St Annes, 1988. Engineered and mixed by Phil Waddington.
Again, the tape has suffered a lot and the stereo imaging in particular is poor.
I’ve always had a soft spot for this song. It was about escaping the humdrum of normal life and was no doubt a reflection of how I felt about my day job at the time. I even had an idea in my head for the video to accompany it! It was around this time that Siren Records were showing ‘some’ interest in me and I thought that I might just have found a way out of the nine to five...but nothing came of it.
Paul: Vocals, synths (Casio HZ600, CZ230s, possibly a Yamaha DX21, RZ1 Drum machine and Akai S612)
Michael Ratcliff: Guitar
SHE'S GONE TO LONDON TOWN
Recorded at IBR studios in Blackpool, 1988. Engineered and produced by Mark Lalgee.
The reel of tape was so poor that I've used a recording from when it was played on Red Rose Radio (thanks Andrew Walmsley for digging this out).
Girl bored with small town life. Wants to see the bright lights. Boy wants to bring her back. Cheesy lyric, yes...but I was desperate to get a record deal. This studio - above a pram shop on Queen Street - was owned by a very talented chap called Mark Lalgee. He had lots of great gear including many of the latest synths and samplers. I remember playing him my rough demo of the song a week or two before and he was very polite about it, even though he probably thought it was naff.
On the recording day, he basically suggested I ditch my own gear - bar the basic hi-hat and synth bass track – and use his collection of expensive gear. I was fine with that. Halfway through the session, he picked up his guitar and started effortlessly adding these wonderful licks and slides. As far as I was concerned, he was a genius, and if he’d suggested adding a bagpipes section, I’d have gone with it.
I released this song together with 'We'll be there' as a cassette single called City Lights which was available through a local record shop, Sinfonia.
Paul: Vocals, synths (thisincluded my CZ1000 and RZ1 Drum machine plus Mark’s Roland D50, Yamaha TX802 and Prophet 2000 sampler)
Mark Lalgee: guitar
Recorded at IBR studios in Blackpool, 1988. Engineered and produced by Mark Lalgee.
The reel of tape was so poor that I've used a recording from when it was played on Red Rose Radio (thanks Andrew Walmsley for digging this out).
Girl bored with small town life. Wants to see the bright lights. Boy wants to bring her back. Cheesy lyric, yes...but I was desperate to get a record deal. This studio - above a pram shop on Queen Street - was owned by a very talented chap called Mark Lalgee. He had lots of great gear including many of the latest synths and samplers. I remember playing him my rough demo of the song a week or two before and he was very polite about it, even though he probably thought it was naff.
On the recording day, he basically suggested I ditch my own gear - bar the basic hi-hat and synth bass track – and use his collection of expensive gear. I was fine with that. Halfway through the session, he picked up his guitar and started effortlessly adding these wonderful licks and slides. As far as I was concerned, he was a genius, and if he’d suggested adding a bagpipes section, I’d have gone with it.
I released this song together with 'We'll be there' as a cassette single called City Lights which was available through a local record shop, Sinfonia.
Paul: Vocals, synths (thisincluded my CZ1000 and RZ1 Drum machine plus Mark’s Roland D50, Yamaha TX802 and Prophet 2000 sampler)
Mark Lalgee: guitar
DRIVE IT FAST ('89 VERSION)
This version was recorded at CRS Records in St Annes. Engineered and mixed by Phil Waddington.
Originally recorded in 1985 at Sunset Sound near Blackpool and it was terrible (the song, not the studio). I’m glad I can’t find a copy of the ‘85 version. And while the revamped version sounded 100 times better, that really isn't saying very much. The slap bass sound, the orchestral stabs, the not-so thinly veiled innuendo of the lyrics and the poppy chorus designed to grab A&R people’s interest (it didn’t) were all just a terrible idea. God, what was I thinking?
Paul: vocals, synths (possibly a Casio CZ101, an Akai S612, Casio RZ1 and Roland TR707 for the toms)
Michael Ratcliff: Guitar
This version was recorded at CRS Records in St Annes. Engineered and mixed by Phil Waddington.
Originally recorded in 1985 at Sunset Sound near Blackpool and it was terrible (the song, not the studio). I’m glad I can’t find a copy of the ‘85 version. And while the revamped version sounded 100 times better, that really isn't saying very much. The slap bass sound, the orchestral stabs, the not-so thinly veiled innuendo of the lyrics and the poppy chorus designed to grab A&R people’s interest (it didn’t) were all just a terrible idea. God, what was I thinking?
Paul: vocals, synths (possibly a Casio CZ101, an Akai S612, Casio RZ1 and Roland TR707 for the toms)
Michael Ratcliff: Guitar
RADIO AMERICA
Recorded at CRS Records, St Annes, 1989. Engineered and mixed by Phil Waddington.
Overdubbed 'missing bits' recorded June 2020.
The song was about young people in eastern Europe/Soviet Union listening to illegal recordings of radio stations in the west as a means of emotional escape, or at least I think that’s what I had in mind when I wrote it. It was around the time the Berlin Wall fell so maybe that had an influence.
I ran out of time when I was recording this. I was hoping to add a synth lead to the middle eight and some other fancy stuff, so I've overdubbed the original and added the 80s style bits I had intended back then. This was released as a cassette single with 'Drive it fast' '89 and called 'The Throwback'. It had a cartoon of me on the front - by Roy Lewis, I think - but I can't find a copy anywhere.
Paul: Vocals, CZ230s, Dave's Roland JX8p, Roland MT32, RZ1 Drum machine (2020: Omnisphere and Halion Sonic VSTs)
Dave Kilshaw: Guitar
Recorded at CRS Records, St Annes, 1989. Engineered and mixed by Phil Waddington.
Overdubbed 'missing bits' recorded June 2020.
The song was about young people in eastern Europe/Soviet Union listening to illegal recordings of radio stations in the west as a means of emotional escape, or at least I think that’s what I had in mind when I wrote it. It was around the time the Berlin Wall fell so maybe that had an influence.
I ran out of time when I was recording this. I was hoping to add a synth lead to the middle eight and some other fancy stuff, so I've overdubbed the original and added the 80s style bits I had intended back then. This was released as a cassette single with 'Drive it fast' '89 and called 'The Throwback'. It had a cartoon of me on the front - by Roy Lewis, I think - but I can't find a copy anywhere.
Paul: Vocals, CZ230s, Dave's Roland JX8p, Roland MT32, RZ1 Drum machine (2020: Omnisphere and Halion Sonic VSTs)
Dave Kilshaw: Guitar
1990s
FOREVER
Music recorded at home studio, 1998. Vocals recorded at the Music Factory, Blackpool (engineer Kelvin Futers).
This was the first time I’d been to a studio in a while (I’d long since given up hope of getting signed and was now a dad). I only needed a studio to add the vocals as all the music had been sequenced on an Atari ST and then recorded at home on to DCC (a poor man’s alternative to DAT tape). I also had two decent synths now.
This song was one of the first I wrote after my mum died so the lyrics are pretty reflective and philosophical in tone. I also think I’d been listening to Seal quite a bit around this time. I loved Seal's vocals and thought the production (by Trevor Horn, I think) on songs like ‘Crazy’ and ‘Future Love Paradise’ was great, so that probably influenced the slightly trippy style of the track.
Paul: Vocals, Korg Wavestation SR, Yamaha SY55
Music recorded at home studio, 1998. Vocals recorded at the Music Factory, Blackpool (engineer Kelvin Futers).
This was the first time I’d been to a studio in a while (I’d long since given up hope of getting signed and was now a dad). I only needed a studio to add the vocals as all the music had been sequenced on an Atari ST and then recorded at home on to DCC (a poor man’s alternative to DAT tape). I also had two decent synths now.
This song was one of the first I wrote after my mum died so the lyrics are pretty reflective and philosophical in tone. I also think I’d been listening to Seal quite a bit around this time. I loved Seal's vocals and thought the production (by Trevor Horn, I think) on songs like ‘Crazy’ and ‘Future Love Paradise’ was great, so that probably influenced the slightly trippy style of the track.
Paul: Vocals, Korg Wavestation SR, Yamaha SY55
SMALL WORLD
Music recorded at home studio, March 1998.
Vocals recorded at the Music Factory, Blackpool
The second of three songs that I recorded the vocals for at the Music Factory. Further proof I had given up hope of a record deal as this track had no drums or percussion and was nearly six minutes long. The vocals are a bit low in the mix and those high notes are a bit flaky. Lyrically, I think it was semi-autobiographical about not achieving what I wanted to in music and coming to terms with it. Deep stuff, and I was only 31.
Paul: Vocals, Korg Wavestation SR, Yamaha SY55
Music recorded at home studio, March 1998.
Vocals recorded at the Music Factory, Blackpool
The second of three songs that I recorded the vocals for at the Music Factory. Further proof I had given up hope of a record deal as this track had no drums or percussion and was nearly six minutes long. The vocals are a bit low in the mix and those high notes are a bit flaky. Lyrically, I think it was semi-autobiographical about not achieving what I wanted to in music and coming to terms with it. Deep stuff, and I was only 31.
Paul: Vocals, Korg Wavestation SR, Yamaha SY55
FALLING DOWN
Music recorded at home studio, March 1998.
Vocals recorded at the Music Factory, Blackpool
Thanks to Kelvin Futers who somehow managed to unearth both this and 'Small World' from his archives after 22 years.
The third song from the Music Factory session. Musically, it's an odd one. The chorus 'guitar' is almost like a funk lick yet the synths are very much 80s. Sort of Nile Rodgers meets Ultravox, if you can imagine such a strange beast.
This was written from the perspective of someone in A&E whose heart has stopped. Not dead or alive but at that moment of 'in-between'. Cheery stuff...and pretty much setting the tone for almost everything else that I've written ever since.
Paul: Vocals, Korg Wavestation SR, Yamaha SY55
Music recorded at home studio, March 1998.
Vocals recorded at the Music Factory, Blackpool
Thanks to Kelvin Futers who somehow managed to unearth both this and 'Small World' from his archives after 22 years.
The third song from the Music Factory session. Musically, it's an odd one. The chorus 'guitar' is almost like a funk lick yet the synths are very much 80s. Sort of Nile Rodgers meets Ultravox, if you can imagine such a strange beast.
This was written from the perspective of someone in A&E whose heart has stopped. Not dead or alive but at that moment of 'in-between'. Cheery stuff...and pretty much setting the tone for almost everything else that I've written ever since.
Paul: Vocals, Korg Wavestation SR, Yamaha SY55
2000s
REQUIEM
Music recorded at home studio, 2003.
'Requiem' is actually a very rough demo recording that for some reason I'd kept rather than erasing (I hardly ever keep demos of tracks, so in that respect it's a rarity). I recall writing it not long after the terrible Soham murders and is about a parent who refuses to accept that they would never see their missing child again and how basic everyday things would make them more certain that everything would be okay, even though it almost certainly wouldn't: 'watch the leaves, they fly like angels... but I don’t see you falling. Watch the trees and the breeze play. That should be you and I' .
I sort of forgot about the track soon after, only to rediscover it five years later in 2008 when looking through old unused lyrics. I reworked it from the grungy guitar track of this demo into something a bit faster and more synth based - and called it 'I will be with you', the opening track from the album 'Slow Motion pictures'.
Paul: Vocals, guitar, Korg N364, a few VST synths
Music recorded at home studio, 2003.
'Requiem' is actually a very rough demo recording that for some reason I'd kept rather than erasing (I hardly ever keep demos of tracks, so in that respect it's a rarity). I recall writing it not long after the terrible Soham murders and is about a parent who refuses to accept that they would never see their missing child again and how basic everyday things would make them more certain that everything would be okay, even though it almost certainly wouldn't: 'watch the leaves, they fly like angels... but I don’t see you falling. Watch the trees and the breeze play. That should be you and I' .
I sort of forgot about the track soon after, only to rediscover it five years later in 2008 when looking through old unused lyrics. I reworked it from the grungy guitar track of this demo into something a bit faster and more synth based - and called it 'I will be with you', the opening track from the album 'Slow Motion pictures'.
Paul: Vocals, guitar, Korg N364, a few VST synths
RED SILHOUETTES, LABYRINTH, WE ARE THE DEAD
Recorded at home circa 2005.
I'd previously composed a track for Brian Barnes' Nokia Shorts film '8 million reasons not to die' and the director's new project 'Origin: Unkown' was a sci fi film. Brian gave me a brief outline of some scenes and I recorded three demos based on this: 'We are the dead', 'Labyrinth' and 'Red Silhouettes'. Somebody else got the gig but the film never progressed anyway. It was interesting to work on though and I'm always up for doing similar work in the future.
Paul: Various VST synths (Atmosphere, Albino, RM3 etc)
Recorded at home circa 2005.
I'd previously composed a track for Brian Barnes' Nokia Shorts film '8 million reasons not to die' and the director's new project 'Origin: Unkown' was a sci fi film. Brian gave me a brief outline of some scenes and I recorded three demos based on this: 'We are the dead', 'Labyrinth' and 'Red Silhouettes'. Somebody else got the gig but the film never progressed anyway. It was interesting to work on though and I'm always up for doing similar work in the future.
Paul: Various VST synths (Atmosphere, Albino, RM3 etc)
BROKEN WINGS THAT FLY
Recorded at home, circa 2008.
Features the voice of Late Lounge presenter Claire Anderson near the end.
This track is based on the melody from the 'Parallel' track 'This is how you feel' and the title 'Broken wings that fly' is one of the lines from the track. I wrote this half thinking that I may use it as a moody and atmospheric live intro track, if I ever got the chance to play a gig again. When I found out I was playing live late in 2009, I did briefly think 'yes, that might sound cool,' but then it dawned on me that I was playing the Tower Lounge in Blackpool in front of a hundred people, not Wembley in front of 80,000 fans, so I promptly ditched the idea and hired a laser instead, though there's a Spinal Tap-esque story behind the laser. The hire company did warn me that - when the laser starts - it may project a few images of dinosaurs into the venue for a few seconds before kicking in to its proper 'serious' settings. Luckily, I don't think anyone noticed...or maybe they did and just didn't have the heart to tell me.
Paul: Omnisphere, Predator, Maschine and possibly some Arturia Minimoog V
Claire Anderson: voice
Recorded at home, circa 2008.
Features the voice of Late Lounge presenter Claire Anderson near the end.
This track is based on the melody from the 'Parallel' track 'This is how you feel' and the title 'Broken wings that fly' is one of the lines from the track. I wrote this half thinking that I may use it as a moody and atmospheric live intro track, if I ever got the chance to play a gig again. When I found out I was playing live late in 2009, I did briefly think 'yes, that might sound cool,' but then it dawned on me that I was playing the Tower Lounge in Blackpool in front of a hundred people, not Wembley in front of 80,000 fans, so I promptly ditched the idea and hired a laser instead, though there's a Spinal Tap-esque story behind the laser. The hire company did warn me that - when the laser starts - it may project a few images of dinosaurs into the venue for a few seconds before kicking in to its proper 'serious' settings. Luckily, I don't think anyone noticed...or maybe they did and just didn't have the heart to tell me.
Paul: Omnisphere, Predator, Maschine and possibly some Arturia Minimoog V
Claire Anderson: voice
CAN YOU HEAR THE WAVES?
Recorded at home studio, 2009.
Not a cassette release but a bit of a curiosity, I guess. This came about after the local council ran a competition of sorts to give a few local bands and musicians the chance to have their tracks played as part of the ‘Glam Rocks’ artwork on south promenade in Blackpool. The rule was that it had to be 90 seconds in length, so I came up with this track and it got selected.
I had a bass guitar at the time (I had grand plans of learning to play like the late, great super-talented Mick Karn of the band Japan), so this is one of the few tracks I ever played bass on (I think 'You can cry now' and 'Forbidden world' are the others).
Paul: Vocals, bass, various VST synths (probably Omnisphere, Halion Sonic and RMIV)
Recorded at home studio, 2009.
Not a cassette release but a bit of a curiosity, I guess. This came about after the local council ran a competition of sorts to give a few local bands and musicians the chance to have their tracks played as part of the ‘Glam Rocks’ artwork on south promenade in Blackpool. The rule was that it had to be 90 seconds in length, so I came up with this track and it got selected.
I had a bass guitar at the time (I had grand plans of learning to play like the late, great super-talented Mick Karn of the band Japan), so this is one of the few tracks I ever played bass on (I think 'You can cry now' and 'Forbidden world' are the others).
Paul: Vocals, bass, various VST synths (probably Omnisphere, Halion Sonic and RMIV)
