Into the studio, mid-December 2009

The main reason why we have been relatively quiet over the final quarter of 2009 is that we have been preparing to go into the recording studio and record our current repertoire. Some might wonder why it has taken us so long to do this. We are passionate about our music and our ‘project’ and devote a lot of our free time to it. However, both of us have full-on, full-time, work and family commitments. As such, we are ‘time poor’ and finding the requisite amount of time to go into a studio and do things properly is very hard to do. So, in early summer, we contacted Blue Moon studios in Banbury, run by the very experienced and excellent Mark Sideleigh, and booked a decent amount of time with him for mid-December.

In the interim, Rob and I have been rehearsing hard and, using the limited but potentially recording gear I have access to, we have been trying to ‘rehearse recording’. The disciplines of recording are so much more onerous than those for performing – that fluffed note or throaty warble in gone in an instant on the stage – but on a CD will haunt you forever!

So, we took some time off work and did some work over the weekend to lay down the 11 tracks for what will eventually become our next CD. Romantically, we had a notion that we might have something ready and available for our forthcoming set of ‘full gigs’ at St Neots, Cambridge and Bishop’s Stortford. In truth, we managed to get all of the words and notes down but, quite rightly, we are being advised that we still have quite a substantial mixing job to do. We are also considering further augmenting a couple of the tracks – possibly asking one or two others to come and lay an extra track over what we have done. Returning to our earlier theme, this all requires time and that is what we are short of. So, coming right up to date, we are staring hard at our diaries and trying to figure our when we can manage it – but manage it, we will!

Mark has given us some ‘monitor mixes’ for half a dozen of the tracks – and, to be clear, we did do a fair amount of work on them over the time we spent in Banbury. However, (if I am allowed to) I’m pleased to report that, albeit acknowledging some further mixing work will certainly be required, a number of the tracks are sounding really good. With Mark’s advice and the advice of Craig Methven from our record label Rightback Records, we are going to take our time and ‘do it right’. We feel we have the scope to do something very nice here – why rush it?

We have a name for the CD – which we will reveal in due course - and we are looking to commission some artwork through Rightback Records. All the sleeve notes are now done and ready to go. With all the song and tune descriptions, all the lyrics and all the copyright notices, this is no mean feat! However, it has led us to get in contact with members of some of our favourite bands and, albeit still waiting for one response (and that is because of my tardiness not theirs), everyone has been incredibly supportive. Thank you to members and friends of Tejedor and Niundes, both of whom have been very kind to us. Thank you also to Fiona Cuthill (and congratulations to her and her colleagues in Rallion for an excellent new album!) for her positive response.
So, watch this space - and we hope to have a new CD with you soon.

Finally, we would like to send all our best wishes to our friends both in St Albans and across the clubs we have been performing in – you have been wonderfully supportive over 2009. 2010 looks really exciting. In addition to the full gigs mentioned above, we have full gigs at Redbourne, Watford and Herga, and are hopeful of more. Audiences seem to like what we do – the challenge for us now is to continue to develop. We are brim full of ideas and we must make time to realise them in musical form.