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STARDUST FIVE

“Every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you” – Walt Whitman

The members of Stardust Five play, and have played, in other bands including The Last Gasp, The Alpha Males, Max Q, The Blackeyed Susans and Michelle Shocked. They came together, naturally, without a master plan, because they enjoyed tossing ideas around. Rehearsals often developed into something that took on a life of their own where diverse ideas were explored and collectively worked on.

A number of the recordings were prompted by different requests for film/TV soundtrack submissions. This gave the Stardust Five its underlining theme – songs with a visually evocative feeling. Whilst the films that accompany the tracks may never be conceived, maybe it doesn’t matter. Listen, and invent your own.

Some notes on the tracks (mixed by Tchad Blake) including quotes from various starry ones…

Last Orders

Ode to the-end-of-a-long-day’s-surfing. Moon rising over the water. With a wink and a nod to Santo & Johnny, or the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac.

Nightwatchman

Glenn Branca meets Burt Bacharach in this ode to the lonely night watchman, swinging his torch as he whistles a tune. Prepared guitars (borrowing from John Cage’s “prepared piano”), and the crickets chirping outside the studio, set the scene for this one.

Things We Said In The Dark

A homage to Alan Vega and Suicide who recorded some great electro-rockabilly in the late 70s.

“The first Suicide record is our guitar player’s all time favourite album. Once in the Tarago, he sang along with it so closely there wasn't a “woo” or a “ugh” out of place. I was very impressed.”

Pussy Got Your Tongue

“We got singer/songwriter/actress, Loene Carmen, to do the vocal on this one. The title of the song was originally the title of a short film that was in Tropfest a few years back.

Mi Camion Mi Casa

The title is Spanish for ‘My truck, my home’. Imagine a lorry tearing down to the lowlands out of Mexico City at night trying to get to Veracruz on time. Ken Gardiner (of the Disappointments) on trumpet gives the song its Mariachi feel.

Everybody Loves You Baby

“This is our big upbeat pop number though it’s a payback anthem for fed-up partners of the famous who are sick of the bullshit they have to put up with.”

Zoe

“Zoe” is the Greek word for “life”, and the words play around with that. We came up with the tune after being challenged to write a song starting with Z. We were going for a Roy Orbison, dramatic ballad vibe, with a touch of Dean Martin. Sian Prior helps out with a high soprano vocal up the back.”

Road To The North

“The 17th Century haiku poet, Basho, and his book, Narrow Road To The Deep North, are the inspiration for the title. We were contacted by a French film director who wanted us to submit music for his next film. We recorded the piece in Glasgow on a day off. We were all quite proud of it but the director hated the track and we didn’t get the gig.”

Lady With Dog

Archetypal figures in a nightmarish domestic scene. Starts as straight-up, dry rhythm and blues (the old use of the term). Then becomes stranded in rising, black floodwaters of despair and insanity, Egyptian style.

Lovers’ Field

Starts in one place and ends up sonically somewhere else: layers of bowed, acoustic bass; detuned 12-string guitar; and backwards loop-station electric, take this sad song to a place Daniel Lanois might visit on a cold night.

Los Cucumbros

“We wrote this tune for a TV series. It was inspired by a late night phone service ad in Madrid featuring a confident lady in a swimming costume singing to a cucumber. In the third verse she transcends the mire of humanity and becomes a siren. Sian Prior adds the siren touches.”