TESTIFY PROLOGUE

t may seem extraordinary to many in this .com driven age, but I only entered the 'musical computer' world a couple of years ago. Music for Films had persuaded me to abandon writing, recording and demoing to tape until the last minute. Directors whims of "lets hear that without this bit, or that bit", or "three seconds shorter" prompted me to go 'technical'!.

The happy side effect of this different way of working jump started my writing in many different ways. The odd happy accident and the flexibility of being able to try anything you wanted was new to me and enabled me to expand little musical loops into fully fledged songs. Of course, in the end it all has to breathe and feel human, and though I used my demos as usual, I had "real" musicians come in and chip in where appropriate. I hope you enjoy the songs.

SONG SYNOPSIS

WAKE UP CALL - Based on a 16 bar doodle I wrote a while ago, it remained homeless 'til I started with the computer! There is an optimism and anticipation in the lyric I like a lot. We sometimes forget that its us who shape our lives and how we live. One of my favourite tracks.

COME WITH ME - This started life as a lullaby for Lily when she was a baby travelling on tour. Years later I was humming it to our god-daughter Justine and she fell asleep, so I thought I'd make a tape of it to give to our friends, many of whom were having babies at the same time. As I was making the tape, this song developed. The lyrics came after Nicholas was born. It's gentle and hypnotic.

TESTIFY - One of the most up front and personal love songs I've written. Like most of the songs, the lyrics were improvised while I was recording - writing - re-recording the songs at home. These are the most direct words I've written. A testament of love to my partner.

DON'T GET ME STARTED - It seems we are constantly denied the truth and fed falsehoods in the media. From JFK and beyond the truth is buried and we are given alternatives. Most of us know it goes on but we hardly ever stand up and shout, like Peter Finch in "Network", "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore"!!. The truth is out there, you've just got to find it and rattle a few cages.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE - This lyric turned out to mirror an idea from a 40's film "On Borrowed Time" where Mr Brink (aka Death) comes to call. By avoiding him, death is postponed. It's never too late to realise those dreams you've had. We should all try.

SWING LOW - Written during the end of Orianne's pregnancy with Nicholas, it seemed the closer we got, the longer it took. The waiting, the anticipation. Credit to James Sanger on this, who came up with some creative programming and championed the song.

THIS LOVE, THIS HEART - A love song. Musically, the key changes are crucial to this song. It's quite European, as opposed to English. The French do these kind of key changes in their big ballads.

DRIVING ME CRAZY - This is about that thin line between love and dangerous obsession. The lover who is just over the edge enough to be a threat.

LEAST YOU CAN DO - Daryl Stuermer wrote the music for this a while back, and I fell in love with it. When the opportunity came I finished the words and we cut it live with a band. Eric Rigler played the ulleann pipes.

CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - I heard the Leo Sayer version of this while I was on holiday and it struck me what a great melody it was. I tried to breath new life into it with a different feel. It came up from behind and surprised us, as a track.

THRU MY EYES - Love is not always where you expect to find it. If you do find it, hold it very carefully in your hands. A heart breaks easily.

YOU TOUCH MY HEART - This was written on a walk with Nicholas and Jack our dog. I had to keep singing it over and over so I wouldn't forget it. It was finished and recorded super quickly. It's for Nic.

 

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