I am going on the road to play some new songs from my new record LOVE IS THE WAY.
This record was made over three sessions in a little recording room down an abandoned alley in a few sunny hours and thundery hours in Glasgow, last summer.
It was one of my ambitions to find a brilliant, warm environment to play live in and record in. I also wanted to meet an engineer who would be empathetic to my desire for capturing mood and feeling over technical trickery.
Mark Freegard had been working as an engineer in London and America successfully for years. Working on recordings by: Justin Currie and Del Amitri, The Breeders, Manic Street Preachers, Marilyn Manson, Maria McKee, Madder Rose and many more.
He left London to move up to Glasgow because he fell in love. He found this little room above the Glasgow to Helensburgh train line where he has installed his recording system.
It’s a rented place that was a former rehearsal/ writing space for The Blue Nile. Boo Hewerdine had worked with him and encouraged me to check out Mark and the space. I didn’t bother. I was depressed and dark about not having a lot of money to record a new record. I had talked to Geoff Travis at Rough Trade earlier in the year about perhaps doing a 'best of' record and having a couple of extra tracks. The boys in the band wanted a record of some kind so that we could tour later in the year. So I was looking for somewhere to record two tracks.
Boo yet again told me of Mark so, reluctantly, I investigated it. I walked up the alley past the wild cats and tripping over the potholes. I walked in highly sceptical and angry, burned out, hopeless. Feeling I would never find anyone who would help me. I noticed that Mark had his recording desk unusually in the middle of the recording room. I saw lots of windows that let in light and the noise of Argyle Street never mind the train that kept on coming under the floor. I noticed the wall full of winking burlesque girls from the sixties.
I told him that I would like to try a session with the live band thinking I would hear something negative about how not possible it was in that place. But Mark was so positive, excited even, and when Roy arrived after driving from London all night he and Mark hugged each other because they were old friends.
As the boys arrived everything got mic'd up. Boo had a couple of new songs I wanted to try and I remembered Jack Maher from Sharon Shannon’s band had a beautiful tune, so I called him up and got him to come over from Dublin. I had a few others that might sound good so I had sent little demos of the songs to everyone. Boo and John and Jack taught the chords to each other and we set sail. Mark recorded everything and I don’t know how he got the clear real sound he did. I think it might be a secret.
After the first day’s session I realised we had five tracks and I thought I had the beginnings of a new record. I sent the first day’s recordings to Geoff Travis of Rough Trade and he set me a budget to record a full album.
My history is well known and if you happen not to know it, GOOD! Forget it. I am starting from here.
I have a passionate love of instinctive, beautiful songs. Also a slightly insane attachment to romantic chord structures. Words that speak of some universal humanist truth. That can be 'thrown away' with no regrets. This can be summed up in most of the songs on this record.
That’s it... I hope you like it. It’s personal to me and maybe nothing to do with corporate commercialism nor is it meant to be. There is only something ambitious in the hope that whoever hears it will use it as I have used it, to soundtrack life a little bit. To dance with bare feet to yourself singing along with me.
And if you listen carefully you will hear the Helensburgh train. Always came in on time…
Hiya Eddi Thanks for add i love your music have done for years ' so your playing in my home town of sunny Paisley 'kool drop by say hello & check out my lyrics & poetry ' i wrote a poem about 'Burns ' i must dig it out and send you it 'take care 'Fred xox
Are you only doing Womand in NZ next year? Could you not squeeze in a gig in the Martinbourgh vinyards or at the botanic gardens wellington, I fancy another open air relax gig I can bring the kids along to and then you can have a giggle at their dancing, especially to charlie me darling!
Was listening to Fairground Attraction the other night- your voice sounded absolutely amazing- great tunes that stand the test of time!
Check out my page if you get the chance- Im quite new to myspace, just starting out gigging and recording this year. If you like melodies with a bit of cello thrown in, hopefully my music will be up your street.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 162 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): TEES TO TYNE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS - SUMMER 2001
Where traditions are not so rare; Sea, country and works scent the air; A multitude of monuments, Planted tubs and patterned pavements.
The longish pedestrian malls; The remnants of defensive walls; Historic buildings are a gauge Of the respect for heritage.
Wheat, rape and pines in the fields; Estuaries guarded by shields; Long sandy beaches and wide scenes; Romantic-ruin go-betweens.
Rivers in parts licked by trees, Or fringed by boat clubs, wharfs, gantries, And crossed by practical delights - Varied spans, forming pleasing sights.
Fine churches headed at Durham; Football kits ad infinitum; Kept castles - one for study; Masonry behind masonry.
And, with moulding-works out that way, It’s somewhere for a longer stay..?
Hi Eddi, Its been a while and we thought it was about time we updated you on what we've been up to. Our debut EP Little World is now available at our gigs and will soon be available from our myspace and facebook pages, you will also be able to download it from itunes, but we don't have a release date for this as yet. To celebrate the fact that we have now reached 25,000 plays on myspace, we are giving you a free MP3 of Rockabye Baby. All you have to do is send your email address to queen.elvis@yahoo.ie and we will send it to you. We have spent the last year rehearsing with a full band and are now ready to bring it on the road. You can get a look at us when we appear on Balcony TV this week with the full line up. We are currently taking bookings for gigs/concerts/festivals and can be contacted on the email above, or through our myspace and facebook pages. Thankyou for your continued support in what has been a great year for us! Best Wishes Caroline and Colin
Have had a tiresome day-job-related task to do tonight... made that little bit easier by listening to four of your older albums in row... like catching up with old friends... isn't Follow My Tears an absolutely gorgeous song???? Good fun seeing you on Jools last week... and lovely vocals on Julie's new album!! xx
Eddi Reader! Hi! Have an entertaining day! If you YouTube sign on and Vote for my short animation by October 5th…Thank you. I’m learning as I go, but rating or commenting on this video is not voting on it. One must click on under the video where it says “I LIKE IT.” If you have to scroll for it on the site with the 98 other videos the title is all in caps: SHAKIRA – SHE WOLF ANIMATION CONTEST…but the link below will take you to my animation. Thank you. After signing on YouTube, click here: http://www.youtube.com/group/shewolfcontest#play/all/45/ws-QUm3yDwo