JABALPUR:
Based on an Indian sounding sequence that Spencer had created. The lyrics came together after watching a documentary on Bombay street musicians. One,just a small boy singing over and over "life is only a place to stop for the traveller." In the studio every musician came in one after another to over dub their parts. It was quite frenetic. By the time we had finished we were all speaking Urdu - I think. Gerry and John Giblin put the drums and bass on together- the track came alive..! Still untitled, we decided to look at an atlas for inspiration, in the end my son Matt stuck a pin in the map, the place was Jabalpur.
JACQUI: vocals , GERRY: drums, percussion and backing vocals, SPENCER: keyboards and backing vocals, JOHN GIBLIN: acoustic bass, JERRY UNDERWOOD;soprano sax, MIKE PIGGOTT: violin, RAVI: kora and berimbau. PETER LOCKET: tabla and percussion, KEVIN MacPHERSON: backing vocals.
LOVELY JOAN:
Spen and Gerry had only heard the Vaughan Williams version, when I played them Martin Carthys' arrangement they were knocked out. We decided that it needed violin, Mike Piggott came in and did us proud. Miles Bould excelled on percussion. JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums, SPENCER: keyboards and programming, JOHN GIBLIN: electric upright bass,MIKE PIGGOTT: violin and mandolin, RAVI: kora, JIM RILEY: harmonica, SCOTT FIRTH: acoustic guitar, MILES BOULD: percussion.
THYME:
I've sung many versions of traditional songs concerning Thyme/Time, I like this one a lot. Spencer was not happy with his piano solo, he did several takes. The first take was brilliant, but he wasn t convinced. Matt Butler took Gerry aside and said " go on Gerry he'll listen to you". After three severe blows to the head, he came round to our way of thinking. Poor Peter Locket had to tune the tabla so high to be in with the track we thought they were going to explode, but thankfully he made it.
JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums, SPENCER: piano, keyboards and programming, JERRY UNDERWOOD: sop. sax. MIKE PIGGOTT: violin, RAVI: kora, MILES BOULD: percussion, PETER LOCKET: tabla and percussion.
FACTORY GIRL:
I first heard this sung by the Bothy Band, a beautiful version. It was Gerry's idea to ask Ralph to sing the duet. He'd been very supportive, offering to play guitar or harmonica, or help in any way. However, on the day he forgot to turn up, he was out jogging. as soon as he realised he was straight over. We sung the song together, it was quite strange looking at him across the studio. We used to sing in a jug band when we were both about seventeen. It was the first time we'd sung together since then. It was also great to work with Tony Roberts again.
JACQUI: vocal, RALPH McTELL: vocal, GERRY: drums and percussion, SPENCER: keyboards and programming, JOHN GIBLIN:fretless bass, TONY ROBERTS: northumbrian pipes, SCOTT FIRTH: acoustic guitar.
WOULD YOU:
Just a gentle love song. When we put down the basic track, we discoverd that Albert Lee had just arrived in London.Gerry gave him a call, they're old friends, even though he was suffering from jet lag ( our call woke him up!) he said he would be glad to come round to the studio the next day. What a great chap.
JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums, SPENCER: keyboards and programming, SCOTT FIRTH: fretless bass, JERRY UNDERWOOD: sop. sax. ALBERT LEE: guitar, MILES BOULD: percussion.
LITTLE VOICES (Leahs' song):
Written after a conversation with my daughter when she was about five or six. She was having trouble sleeping because she could hear people talking to her in her head. It was worrying her a lot. She was fine when I explained that it happens to us all. She discovered her conscience.
JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums, SPENCER: piano, keyboards programming and backing vocals, JOHN GIBLIN: fretless bass, SCOTT FIRTH: acoustic and electric guitars, MILES BOULD: percs. SANDWOOD DOWN TO KYLE:
Dave Goulder is one of my favourite song writers, I love this one. Dave Heath came in to play flute, it was magical.
JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums and percussion, SPENCER: keyboards and programming, SCOTT FIRTH: fretless bass, DAVE HEATH: flute. MILES BOULD: percs.
INDISCRETION:
My parents had this on an old 78. I used to mime to it in front of the mirror when I was about 7 or 8 years old. It was originally sung by Jo Stafford with Liberace on piano. The song was written by Sammy Cahn and Paul Weston, from an original score by Alessandro Cicognini. It was for a film called "The Indiscretions of an American Wife". This track was recorded live in the studio with no over dubs. It was a great atmosphere.
DON'T TURN ON THE LIGHT:
This song was written after spending time with someone who lived in a war zone. She spoke about her fears of returning home at night, and not wanting the wrong people to know she was there. I found the conversation very disturbing.
JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums, SPENCER: piano, keys and programming SCOTT FIRTH: bass and guitar, MIKE MAINIERI: vibes, JOHN MARTYN: guitar, ALBERT LEE: guitar, MILES BOULD: perc.
THE WIFE OF USHERS WELL:
This is an American version of a traditional Scottish song, I've wanted to record it for a long time. We couldn't believe our luck when we discoverd that, Mike Mainieri's Steps Ahead were playing at Ronnie Scott's jazz club the same week that we started mixing the album. Spencer has known Mike for some time,he collaborated on one of his own compositions that Steps Ahead recorded on the album Yin Yang. Mike agreed to come in and play , but we had to find a set of vibes. We managed to borrow a set from Roger Beaujolais a vibes player, but we hadn't a clue how to set them up. I thought the three of us managed very well!! and Mike had no complaints with our handiwork. He played like a dream. We all piled down to Ronnie's later that night to see the band fantastic.
JACQUI: vocals, GERRY: drums and perc, SPENCER: keys and programming, JOHN GIBLIN: acoustic bass, MIKE MAINIERI: vibes, JIM RILEY: harmonica.
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The whole experience of making this album is something that the three of us will not forget. The generosity and support of friends who played with us was overwhelming. We could not have done it without Matt Butler a great engineer, and his trusty side kick Peter Mason who mended everything electrical in the studio,much to the gratitude of Graham T. Sharpe, the studio owner,and his cat Stereo. Everyday we managed to feed everyone including the cat, by cooking pasta with a variety of sauces, on a two ring cooker. It was great fun, and we experienced some amazing coincidences. Even the album cover was a fluke. The studio, in Wapping, was directly opposite a pub called The Angel, where James Mc Neill Whistler used to drink, and paint "the low life of Wapping. Spen had gone to a Turner exhibition at the Tate Gallery, and by chance had picked up a book of Whistlers' paintings, the first one he looked at was "The Thames at Wapping". And there we were three very dodgy looking characters, conspiring and drinking and planning the album 150 years ago!!!