"Tree"

[Slim Shaney]

songs written, demos to be procured, lottery win - fingers crossed.

There are nine or ten absolutely ripping tunes lined up and rehearsed in the small band format so far. Some old, some new, some rejuvenated. Slightly less Helen this time round, but a few of the songs are likely to be previewed live at a venue near you shortly. Obviously we should really be plugging the current album full time, but where's the fun in that?

[Mix]

Ooh Ooh a venue near me? really? WAY HAY!!!!

Seriously though... Tree.... I can't wait

Mix

[James SftBH]

Okey-doke....so here's how it stands. The lovely people at The High Barn have agreed to record us doing songs to put out as 'Tree'.

So that's the good news, we've finally got someone else to join us in putting money where our mouth is. Hurrah! And recording starts in just 3 weeks time! Hurrah!

But.....we will be recording piecemeal, as it where, in our usual style...doing a bit of recording; cogitating; doing some more recording; cogitating some more; etc etc; and perhaps releasing 'Tree' in about sort of August-September-ish. Which is ages away...Boo!

In the meantime, we must sell more 'Too', so lie to your friends and tell them they can't live without it. We look forward to treeing you soon. ;D

[Slim Shaney]

Wahey! Board meeting tomorrow (in the pub, natch) as a sort of last-chance-to-suggest before we start recording next week

[booth]

Ah, tree, yes. I hear tree is to feature some part time percussionist type bloke of a very good aloneme band indeed. Can't wait to shake that thing.
xx

[Slim Shaney]

A part-time purveyor of sumptuous, mellifluous percussion, no less....

[Slim Shaney]

Another day, another sturdy session. Engineer Simon is proving to be an affable and patient compadre in arms, we've got the skeletons of thirteen songs down and the bouzouki has behaved itself admirably. It's a mix of old, new, improvised and inspired so far and we are most impressed with the chill out lounge, post-recording chill out pub and the sandwich van that calls every lunchtime. Oh, and the songs. Oh, the songs....

[Slim Shaney]

We're quickly finding out who is a one take expert these days - Kilbey, for one, who popped into the studio and was out again before his tea was even lukewarm. A day to go on initial recording and we're well on track to finish the basics on a monster sixteen new songs - some anthems, some pop and some stripped-down acoustic genius, largely courtesy of Mr Partridge and his magic mind and fingers. Mr Gibbon has made his songwriting debut, and very nearly completed The Guardian suduko puzzle while simultaneously monitoring a very tricky Parters fingerpicking performance. Clever boys all. Kudos is again due to engineer Simon - patient, precise and clever, and with splendid ears. The rest of him's not too shabby either.

[Slim Shaney]

Just in case you thought we'd forgotten about the elbun, we have confirmation of a couple of sessions this month where fairy dust will be liberally sprinkled by what we like to refer to as 'The Talent'. One featuring overly-talented Fish-centric ivory-botherer Mr Tony 'TT' Turrell next week, and a second involving <gasp> a drummer - our close personal friend and one-time Outfield snare-monkey Mr Paul 'Reado' Read, the only man we know who's played on 'Wogan' (even though Sue Lawley was presenting that week). We've also had a 'yes' from the worryingly talented Nick 'Not BJ Cole' Zala who's promised to come in once he's had time to finish the Deadstring Brothers tour and move house, and Paul 'the man with no nickname' Mosley, out of that Moses, has kindly agreed to lend us his throat as soon as he can find a suitable window in his busy schedule of conducting a hectic day-to-day life and working on his Clangers-themed solo album. No, really! We extend our respect and appreciation to all these fine musicians, and we hope they pass the audition.
Chin Chin!
Skirky

[Slim Shaney]

A splendid day in the company of Tony 'TT' Turrell and his magic fingers yesterday. Ten songs magically enlightened and then he fixed the studio piano for an encore before whisking himself off into the balmy Essex afternoon. A wizard, a true star.

[James SftBH]

There has been a bit of progress with 'Tree' these last few days, with Paul Read hitting some drums and percussion, and Tony Turrell putting down some marvellous piano and hammond organ. Tony Winn is in on Wednesday doing some banjo, then on June 6th Tony Turrell will be back with some string arrangements. Phew!

I think it's fair to say that the thing has turned into somewhat of a monster, for instance we spent over an hour on Monday trying desperately to find exactly the right 'tabla' sounds for 'Incredible' before giving up and putting tom-toms, triangle, and then a kettle drum and a gong on it. Paul also spent a while triple-tracking various combinations of cutlery which we probably won't even use...it was that sort of day. Many, many thanks to Paul for putting up with us and our ridiculous insistence on putting drums on halfway through the recording process rather than at the beginning so he can keep everyone in line.

Warm glow moment - the engineer turns to us and says "This is going to be a very good album."

[daron]

skirky said:

...but a few of the songs are likely to be previewed live at a venue near you shortly.

That's great! When will you lot be arriving in the U.S. then...?

[James SftBH]

I've got rough mixes......and they're sounding pretty damned large. It ain't folkycountrybluegrass but it's good stuff.

Sad news - David 'pitterpatter' Booth has retired from the Blue House ranks because as much as he loves us (and he swears he does), he just can't fit us in any more, what with his proper band 'AloneMe' (www.aloneme.com) and other stuff on the way. I'm very sad about this, but many thank yous to David for all his contributions.

[Slim Shaney]

With the sad departure of TNDB, Parters and I spent last night sheltering from storms of frankly biblical proportions coaxing High Barn studio-monkey James through some percussion, shaking, snare-drumming, bad jokes and shoe-gazing (he asked for a size eleven in Clarks but got size tens - they fit though, you'll be relieved to hear). At one point he turned the lights out in the booth (how appropriate) all the better to catch the Blue House vibe, and we did have to bribe him with jaffa cakes in order to get him to lay off the splash cymbal, but a sterling job, professionally despatched, as far as I recall. Ta James.
And in other 'Tree' news, prospective guest vocalist Paul Mursley has received his rough mix of "Come On" with unseemly enthusiasm and is looking forward to clearing a space in his diary for us. Huzzah!

[James SftBH]

It's a common feeling, it happens every time there's a new CD in the offing...I've lived, breathed and dreamed the damn thing for weeks...months...so now I'm in the middle of the 'hiatus' period, where I just avoid listening to (and analysing) it at all costs for about 10-14 days, before returning to it fresh and with a bit more clarity, and start the final mixdown in my head.

I dunno what the other fellas do, but that's how I work it. All those little bits to take out, plus the bits we have yet to add/repair. Yes it would be nice if music was just four people plonking away in a room somewhere, and sometimes it is of course, but when it comes to gestating one of these beasts, that's just not how it works.

"How are we going to do it live?" asked Russ the other day. "No idea and not really bothered yet" I replied, "I expect we'll have to rearrange things a bit." I'm so proud of what we've done so far, I'm not worrying yet about the live performances, and I really want to listen to it again...but I can't - it's the hiatus period.