We don’t work at weekends
How civilized.
I am however doing other work away from recording.
I’m also reading a book called ‘Under the Skin’ by Michel Faber and listening to the new album by Chairlift a bit, and a Nina Simone record I found for 99p in Oxfam. That, my friends, is a bargain.
I haven’t mentioned to you yet, and mainly because it’s massively boring, but I gave up loads of things for the New Year. Yep, I’m that predictable.
These include: Booze, Sugar, Complex Carbs and Fat. All the fun shit basically.
So during these album sessions I’m grazing on adorable miniature carrots (so damn precious) and roast chicken. And sometime celery and Greek Yogurt.
I’ve just read this post back and promise you all that I will never write about my dietary adventures again.
More from the chapel on Monday
The route to Record
So…
I started writing the songs for this album at the end of 2010, just after I returned to the UK from France.
Robert Stevenson, who occasionally plays piano and drums in my live band, and I began demoing the tracks while on tour, doing quick versions in dressing rooms and hotels, just grabbing the cetral elements of the songs and keeping them aside as blueprints for the big build.
Over the year that followed LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENED.
Rob, who is the main songwriter and singer in the excellent band A Silent Film, went off on some incredible musical adventures around the world. I stay in England and carry on writing songs, panicking about my general direction in life, parting ways with significant parties in my professional life (i.e. everyone) and generally daydreaming. I also quit smoking, found contentment (Annie), and adopted a cat (Edith).
During this time various scenarios for recording the album were discussed and looked into by Rob and myself: a variety of producers were penciled in to assist in the process, and dates were set aside…then scrapped. We found a beautiful, incredible studio in a Church in Hudson, NY which was booked…then cancelled.
The problem was always time, schedules…and of course finances.
Then, at the tail end of 2011 we found mutual blanks in our diaries and the decision was made.
And here we are: in a tiny chapel in the middle of England.It’s cold outside and we have to turn off the heating to do vocal takes (the pipes rumble under the floorboards and sound like a cave dwelling something on the recordings). But we have visits from friends, lots of wonderful and weird instruments and a set of songs I’m very very proud of.
I couldn’t be happier.
The Escape Artist
Tie my hands behind my back
I’ll close my eyes and think of England
Bring the sack down, pull the ropes round
Push me into crates and boxes
As you always do
Call the papers, radio stations
Flashbulb blind me, make me famous
Build a temple of my body
Chase me down in hotel lobbies
As I need you to
I’ve just finished reading an astonishing book by Michael Chabon called ‘The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay’ which has pretty much directly inspired this new song.
Rob bought this incredible 1970’s Vox amp on Denmark Street the day before we started the sessions.
We’re currently sending EVERYTHING back through this - vocals, piano, keys - (which is making a racket in the echo chamber of the kitchen) and a space echo, which is creating the most curious but brilliant sounds I’ve ever heard.
A video of this will follow tomorrow.
Action plan
Doodles
Tomorrow Begins
All the instruments are in place, but more arrive everyday.
The idea is to make the room have no spare, empty corners, wherever we walk there is potential to play something…be it a stylophone or a double bass.
Plenty of builders, green and ginger tea has been consumed, and there is a fine looking bottle of scotch winking at me from the top of the mixing desk.
Being a strong, and January-sober individual, I will of course resist the ‘Monkey Shoulder’.
