For those in the UK reading this, I hope you enjoyed the summer – looks like it’s all over bar the shouting. I have to say that the current dribbly, thundery weather is a bit of a surprise to me because we’ve been taking turns recording the finishing touches to the album over the last few days. Typically, whenever any of us mention the words ‘studio’ or ‘recording’ the weather turns it on big time and it’s either the hottest day on record or a heat wave.
Ivor is the second band member to have completed all his parts having put down guitar and mandolin last night. Russ was done aaaaaaaaaages ago and I’ve been shaking and hitting things today and will finish them off tomorrow. Ali is doing vocals for the rest of the week and Andrew…God knows what he’s got left to do.
One of the songs I worked on today was ‘Ain’t nothing like a shame (to bring it all back home)’ which is still my personal fave. The arrangement is oddly sparse, by Lucky Soul standards at least, and will have some brass added to the mix some time soon. Can’t wait !
Till next time, see ya in the soup.
Mr A
Hello just back from Sweden and must blog or incur the wrath of Ivor (not a pretty sight, similar to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan but with more amps).
I was there to record The (incredibly talented and lovely people) Stockholm Strings again for the other 11 tracks that we’ve been working on for the last six weeks.The results were phenomenal. That makes a massive 16 whole tunes up for album selection. We’re all pretty firm that it should be a concise piece of work so that we’ll have the difficult task of dropping some great songs. Last time it was a case of “oh we can’t leave that one off” but this time it’s a case of trimming off all the fat to leave a lean, mean soul machine.
I will say this now: (although it’s probably not my call) I firmly believe we’ve got a classic on our hands. Sitting in Mandarine Studios and listening to the strings’ magic go down only reaffirmed my belief.
I had a typical dash to the studio. My day started at 7am, (I tried to get up earlier but found I was seeing double from to much screen staring and had to go back to bed) I immediately leaped onto the computer, frantically trying to finish writing the dancing strings for ‘Our Heart’.
Then a dash to Mr Atkins’ house for him to notate the scores (did you know Mr. Atkins doesn’t just hit things but is an all round musical genius who can play anything?)
After a few back and forth trips of this nature it was to the Ruffa Lane office to print out an un-environmentally tree’s worth of scores and back to mine to finish prepping the files. I hit save at 2:30am ripped the hard drive out and pedalled as fast as possible to the coach station on ‘Lady’ my trusty bike, then it was a run, a coach ride, plane, another coach, underground, bus, car and finally collapsed sweating, into Mandarine studios at about 1:30pm Swedish time and was recording within 15 minutes. Wow.
As I think I’ve said previously, Mandarine is a beautiful world-class studio in the countryside about an hour from Stockholm. It is the most tranquil studio I’ve been to. Last time the river was frozen, but of course in June it’s beautiful sunlight and a powerful river, very little traffic and much bird song. The difference between this place and when we did Ivor’s guitars down in Brixton is polar. Much as I love London, I know where I’d rather record.
So a little about the music, which I suppose is why you’re reading this and some songs I think we haven’t told you about.
There’s ‘Warm Water’ which would probably die if it ached anymore, I would say it’s something close to Carole King sing Neil Young’s ‘Birds’ with lush tremolo guitars and Scott Walker Death strings. When Ali did the vocals, the tears were streaming down my face – always a good sign.
‘Could Be I Don’t Belong Anywhere’ I may have mentioned last time with it’s weird Sam Cooke vs. Edif Piaf thing has now evolved an intense outro which has hints of ‘Mrs O’ Leary’s Cow’ from the Beach Boys/Brian Wilson. That’s the song where Brian made the orchestra wear fire helmets in the session, then a building burnt down nearby and he became convinced that he’d started it and canned the album His mental breakdown after that is well documented. Now I’m not saying I’m going crazy but listening to that outro, over and over again gave me the heebie-jeebies some much that I tore the headphones off and threw them out the door. It’s pretty menacing. You will enjoy it but my advice is to try not to listen to it for a solid eight hours. Ivor’s delay pedal frenzy was great fun to record though.
It’s not all dark and brooding though because ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Like A Shame (To Bring It All Back Home) is so much fun. Stax and shades of The Clash in there and probably the grooviest number we’ve ever done.
I think the jewel in the crown though is ‘A Coming Of Age’. Much more will be written on this but it’s the biggest baddest epic we’ve done whilst still coming in at 3mins. We’ve got Stephen ‘Lord’ Large playing the Hammond on it. It’s immense but I still haven’t finished the lyrics. It deserves brilliance.
Well I better get back to my thousands of hours of editing ahead, I didn’t have time to tell you about the Soul Bunker, or Robyn, or a few of the other songs but we’ll leave that till another, hopefully sooner time.
Andrew x
Forgive me, Father for I have sinned. It has been three months since my last blog.
Time is doing funny things to me. Whilst the recording seems to be taking an age, the days and weeks and months are whizzing by. I guess it’s because we’re taking such enormous painstaking care over this record, and like Frankenstein’s monster, it’s beginning to take on a life of its own, getting bigger and grander and more lush by the day. It seems we keep upping the ante, and the brilliant thing about making a second record is that suddenly, some really good musicians want to work with you. I mean world class. Really. Not so brilliant is that you start to question your own abilities, and after 14 hour sessions, singing non-stop guide vocals, you don’t sound too hot!
It’s my second cup of strong black coffee and Sounds of the Sixties on Radio 2, and then it’s down to the practice studio. I’ve started collecting vintage sheet music on eBay – Dionne, Bacharach, Sandie – that kind of thing, and apart from the scores looking really pretty and framable, I’m going to sit down with Barbara, our dusty old upright, and see if I can’t bash out a few tunes (on the proviso, of course, that reading music is a lot like riding a bike, and you never forget…). The gee-tar boys are in the big studio today and I need to keep singing.
I had a quick listen to ‘Ain’t Nothing Like a Shame’ last night, with Art Terry on keys and Steve Large on Hammond, and I got a proper shiver. Wow, I can’t believe this is our record, it sounds amazing. And really danceable – always a good sign if your feet can’t keep still. This keeps me going through these dark days of studio hibernation. It’s going to be immense. According to Andrew’s colourful spreadsheet (Andrew? Spreadsheets?), we’ll be done by the end of June, and then, dear friends it’s lastminute.com and the first plane out of here to lie comatose on a sunny beach.
Thank you for sticking with us – it’ll be worth it, really.
Right, I have a date with Burt, and I’ve now had three black coffees. I’m buzzing.
Ivor here on the blog this week reporting to you direct from a hidden location deep in the wilds of North London.
We’re currently working hard on the final tracks for what will become the new album, tentatively titled “Lucky Soul’s Hoxton Electro Party Vol. 2” including the new songs which we showcased at the gig at the Camden Barfly and also a whole bunch which are so top secret and new that I don’t even know them by name just how the drums start!
As ever recording with Lucky Soul is a bit of a roller coaster experience with some tracks being nailed down in two or three takes and some other bits (like the tricky end of newbie, “Coming of Age“) which take a while to concoct the perfect mix of groove/hypnotic trance/helicopter taking off/other Andrew metaphors.
Yesterday in search of the perfect snare drum sound we went on a trip to the local music instrument rental place. This place is a bit like that scene in the Matrix where they say “we need guns, lots of guns” and then masses of shelves appear. Picture that but replace it with all manner of musical geekery. Suffice to say we had to drag Mr. Atkins away.
Other highlights of the session so far include, but are not limited to:
1. Mr Atkins claiming that “Honky Dory” is an actual phrase that is used. I think it just applies in Kiwi-Land
2. Rusty’s bass amp not blowing up (see here for full details from the last recording session)
3. Me purchasing jammy doughnuts for everybody, at the heart of any nutritious breakfast.
4. Rusty creating signs to try and portray his feelings. (Examples include “Eh?”, “WTF?” and more bizarrely “Potato”
5. Getting Pizza at 10:30 and the pizza delivery man appearing on a take by pressing the buzzer at the studio
I’m sure there’ll be more to report shortly and maybe even a sneeky video peek of the goings on inside the studio!
Rusty here. It was while I was sitting in the studio the other day that I decided to let you all into a few secrets of how a Lucky Soul song comes together in all its glory and lushness.
From where I sit in my corner by the door, I have Art, our new ‘king of funk’, to the right of me, then Doll in her little booth (usually frantically ‘twittering’ away during verses). Next is Andrew on the Gretsch Nashville who is always sporting a well cut Fred Perry or, more recently, a Neil Young style checked shirt. Over in the opposite corner is the wall of amps known as Ivors Evil Lair, (turned up to 11 of course) which contains a host of very nice vintage Fenders and then closest to me on the left is Mr Atkins, pounding out an immovable beat on the drums. Of course, there are also the all important, even essential tea and coffee making facilities and our selection of mugs which includes alot of Mr T and Flight of the Conchords. With each rehearsal stretching to the 6 hour mark, coffee IS the only way forward.
So, prior to rehearsing, Andrew would’ve usually sent out a rough demo to us via the magic of the internet and will then present us with chord sheets upon arrival to the session. Recently, these have been a fetching yellow and provide a rough chord structure for what we’re going to play. After that, we’ll set a tempo and jam through the song, feeling our way tentatively around the more jazzier chords that Andrew has invented, listening for the magic groove to present itself. After that, its a case of playing it through until we’re happy, working on the good stuff and kicking out the bad. There is always a spark of genius in all of Andrews songs, whether thats an uplifting chorus or a killer hook or a lyrical climax and we always try to play on the strength of that magic moment. Usually Mr Atkin and myself will pay particular attention to where the groove locks in between the bass and the kick drum like the crunch of a good biscuit..Ivor will come through with a guitar line that zings in your mouth like a Sherbet Dib-Dab, where-as Andrew will play the sparsest line but the one that holds everything together, like nougat sticking in your teeth . Art will sprinkle some sweet piano over the top like 100′s and 1000′s on your favourite dessert and Doll will be the icing sugar on the top, delicate and oh so enticing..
After this, we’ll record a scratch version on Ivors iPhone which will later be mp3′d out (oh how I bet you’d love to get your hands on these) so we can listen back and make suggestions. Often, you can’t hear exactly what’s right or wrong in an arrangement until you step away so this is a great exercise. We’ll then re-group at the studio where Andrew will change the key, tempo, structure and lyrics of the song until he’s completely happy, and thats how we arrive at the version that then gets demo’d in full on our pro-tools system. Now this may all seem over the top but its just that we at Lucky Soul Ltd want you to know that we care so much about the new record that we made a test one first just to see if it was good enough. Attention to detail is crucial and we need you all to rest assured that there isn’t a single note, drum fill, harmony, lyric or string-line on this new record that hasn’t be agonised over.
We’re back into the final rehearsal tomorrow before the big studio again to record the final 11 songs for you so it’s Oh so near to completion. We hope you’ve been able to catch a taster of Whoa Billy and you like it as much as we do and hope to see you at Blow Up on the 6th June..
Hi all. I was planning on writing a blog on Wednesday about our Tuesday night Barfly gig, but I sweated soooooo much while playing that it’s taken me until Friday afternoon to re-hydrate myself sufficiently. Now that I can muster the strength to move my fingers I’d like to say thanks to all of you who came along, and a very well played to Nick Evans and Theoretical Girl who opened for us.I hadn’t been to the Barfly before and while it has a nice sounding room, comfortable size stage, seemingly adequate sound system, friendly staff, trendy location and great dressing rooms (and a secret upstairs recording studio which I mistook for the gents…oops), the lack of air conditioning meant we might have all been cooler if the gig was on Mercury ! If I hadn’t been sitting down behind the drum kit I think I may have withered, and possibly expired. But thanks to my trusty throne and the healing powers of lager I managed to get through. How my fellow band mates and our adoring audience coped with it I’m not really sure. Poor Rusty looked like he’d been for a swim fully dressed in his Sunday best.
But enough about the weather, it was a great gig none the less. We had a blast, and judging by the amount of singing, clapping and friendly banter I think the audience did too. Which, after all is what really matters.
There was a lot of new songs in the set, and even a world premier of my current favorite, ‘Ain’t nothing like a shame (to bring it all back home)’. It’s a groover, and reminds me a lil’ bit of an old Paul Simon song, the name of which currently escapes me.
So, our sights are now firmly set on our next London outing which is Saturday the 6th of June at Blow Up @ Bar Rumba.
As I’m not familiar with the average temperature of Bar Rumba on any given Saturday I recommend a strict and regimented training program to help everyone cope with a possible repeat of the tropical micro-climate that was Camden. Begin with the usual type of thing, a few press ups, perhaps a sit up or two, followed by some light jogging in the midday sun wearing either an old fashioned diving suit or a Gorilla costume. A few weeks of this and you’ll be ready and raring to go.Until then ‘Souldiers.
Ciao
Mr Atkins
I’ve been twittering (tweeting?) a bit lately but this is the place for more in-depth stuff so I just though I’d tell you a) how the album’s coming along and b) how excited we are to be playing again.
So we’ve now completed the recording of the first five tracks as previously mentioned and editing is well underway. If you ain’t heard Woah Billy! (that’s Woah! not Whoa!- my perogative) you can listen on myspace or ruffalane.com etc. Thanks for all the lovely feedback we’ve had so far.
I went to Sweden to record a string quartet for all five. The quartet is part of The Stockholm Strings‘ who played on Brian Wilson’s Smile and That Lucky Old Sun albums and also with Love and Arthur Lee on their final tour (R.I.P. Arthur).
I can’t begin to tell you what a wonderful day it was. The studio was about an hour outside Stockholm next to a river so frozen that cars were drag racing up and down it. It was, as the pilot of my arriving jet said “a nice day outside about -11 degrees C”. Trust me to have had to run through London having finished editing 15 mins after I was supposed to leave, without any kind of winter clothing (light jacket/ no scarf/ one glove). I went through security at Stansted exactly one minute before my gate closed and have never been so relieved to see a queue at the gate before. Phew!
Anyhow, freezing temperatures aside it was unbearably beautiful at the studio and stood outside, after hearing the pastoral strings go down on Upon Hilly Fields I felt so wonderfully lucky to be there. The string players said to me “Yeah…(Swedish pause) you’ve got some really (Swedish pause) great songs. For someone who has played with bona fide geniuses (genii?)to say that, well, for me there is no greater praise and I felt very honoured and very humble. I can’t even read music for goodness sake and most of the time I don’t know what chords I’m playing.
The studio is owned by a top Swedish producer who mixed Britney Spears Toxic I hope some of the desk’s magic rubbed off on us.
Of the other songs, Up In Flames is fast becoming majestic courtesy of some marvellous piano playing from my good friend and possibly the coolest man you will meet: Art Terry. That’s When Trouble Begins really powers along now thanks to a quite brutal lyrical re-jig and White Russian Doll (henceforth WRD) is exactly halfway between The Smiths and Motown.
We’re back in BIG studio next month to do the rest.
So onto to the gig and I’m very excited and ever so slightly nervous about it. Our last gig was in a huge conference hall in the La Coruna back in November, and we havenae played a proper one in the UK since July, so it’ll be great to see all our old friends again but also a little scary for me- back in the day I used have to walk rounf the block for an hour before a gig just to stop me throwing up (I’m much better these days, mind)
We’re gonna play a fair amount of new stuff I think this time, some absolutely brand spanking new. There’s a Sam Cooke meets Edith Piaf one (if you can get your head round that) called Could Be I Don’t Belong Anywhere. Also hot of the press and the band’s current fave Ain’t Nothing Like A Shame (To Bring It All Back Home) which is a we-ird mix of Stax, Talking Heads, Dolly Parton and The Specials. It’s fantastic and so much fun to play. I’d almost go so far as to say it’s got a similar feel to The Violent Femmes Blister In The Sun but that still doesn’t really nail it. Oh, see for your self.
This is my favourite picture by Modigliani,my favourite artist.I thought there should be some colour to liven up my dull post!
Well hello there. What can a boy say that ain’t been said between the lines already, when there is gaping holes and reams left unwritten?
Been too long since I last blogged and originally it was my best laid plan to properly document the evolution of our latest record. As ever though, my best intentions fall when there’s too many stars to clutch at at once.
I will, however, try to correct these mistakes both here and in the near future.
Recording has been going well, our first batch nearly finished and the single all but done. I think those faithful few of you that have weathered the storm of non-communication will be in for a treat when you hear what’s been brought to life in these last few months.
We’ve done five songs so far, all possible singles. Any of you that have kindly come to see us play over the last eight months or so may remember our opener ‘Up in Flames’ (toying with some brackets for this one)(I love song titles with brackets)(it’s like pass the parcel).Anyway ‘Up In Flames (What you gonna do?) is pretty much as modern Motown as you far as you can go has a killer piano riff and dancing strings akin to ‘This Ol’ Heart Of Mine’ by the Isleys. It’s almost exactly 3mins long.
Then we’ve got ‘White Russian Doll’ which for me is pretty much as close as you can get to my perfect Smiths/Northern Soul cross over. man, you should hear Mr Atkins and Rusty groove on this one. And then you should hear Ivor’s guitar tapestry. And then you should hear Ali’s multi layered sexy vocals. and that’s before for we get to the almost Baroque piano and strings (the best strings I’ve written, i reckon). Believe me, when you hear this, it’ll knock your socks off. It’s a dancer.
I think some previous bloggers have mentioned ‘Woah Billy!’ which I can revealwill be our next single.probably the biggest sound we’ve achieved so far and a big ballsy step forward for us. I’ll look forward to hearing what you’ve got to say about it.
What’s left? Oh yeah, ‘That’s When Trouble Begins’, which is quite west coast pop but also stomping in the chorus.’Probably the most straight forward pop we’ll get (good weird chords in the middle, mind).
And lastly ‘Upon Hilly Fields’ which is quite Neil Young and quite Wichita Lineman and quite Dirrrrrrty Old Town and immensely pretty and there’s newsflash in my chest and and what’s breaking is my heart ten times a minute.
So there’s my quick update,I expect us back in the Studio pretty damn soon to do the darker side of the album.
I think you’ll be pleased.This time we’ve tried to be a lot more direct, I’ve tried to write much better songs and everyone’s playing has improved ten-fold. When we started this, the intention was always to be classic and lasting and we’re some way towards that now.I don’t don’t really expect us to be cutting edge or particularly groundbreaking, but I do expect us to be brilliant and mean something to people.
Next time I’ll tell you about Brian Wilson’s strings, frozen rivers and Britney’s desk.
I’m listening to the Staple Singers on the old Dansette, larynx-friendly peppermint tea in hand, preparing for another day of vocals.
So… having spent an evening at Britannia Row singing the same verse and chorus a hundred times and testing out every mic in the joint, I have fallen in love with The Neumann Model U 67 Multi-Directional Tube Condenser Microphone, made in ‘Western Germany’ (1960-1971). I love him so much I’m going to knit him a little stripy jumper and call him Gary. Alas, he’s not mine quite yet, because if I had that kind of money, I’d put a deposit down on a house, but he’s mine for the album, and so Gary and I are getting to work this week. He’s got a beautiful , warm but gritty bottom end, which works wonders on my girly voice – the theory going; soft voice, gritty mic – and vice versa. And after a couple of years on the road with the boys, I am indeed embracing my inner Stevie Nicks on this album and getting gritty. Rock ‘n’ Roll!
I’m doing lead vocals today – hopefully getting both first and second singles in the bag, and if I do, then it’s fun, fun, fun all the way with the BVs (hence the Staple Singers reference…) I’m also a huge fan of backing vocals that are utterly inane lyrically, but sung like you damn well mean it, Sister!
Just got back from the studio and I can’t feel my toes. Brrrr! It feels like London is about to freeze over in time to see in a beautiful, crisp white New Year’s Day and I’m getting excited. Not least because the new tracks are sounding ace, even with all the unruly guitars, guide vocals and over-zealous end-of-session hand clapping going on. The boys are sounding scarily good at the moment – not unlike the ‘Stones circa Sticky Fingers. Wicked!
Christmas was the usual indulgent affair involving eating too much, drinking too much and sitting through a triple bill of Casablanca, Pirates of the Caribbean and Dr Zhivago. And comrades, it’s so cold that I too am rocking the (fake) fur hat and leather knee high boots look just like Julie Christie. All I need now is the incongruous sun tan and a moustachioed hunk hanging off my arm and I’m sorted.
I can’t believe it was over a year ago that we were in Japan. This year has flown by so frighteningly quick, we must have been having fun or something…
Here are some of my Lucky Soul highlights of ‘08:
Lying on the beach in Russia listening to Rusty and Paul’s rendition of Peaches booming over the PA
Toasting Obama loudly at 3am, ridiculous cocktail in hand, in pre-election New York
Swimming over to the rocks and back again, with Andrew in the Black Sea
Going out for late night tapas in Vigo with twelve indie boys (he he!)
Surviving our internal Russian flight in row thirteen on Friday 13th, having fantasised about Nat’s solo album, ‘Soul Survivor’ had we gone down
That magical night in Joe’s Pub, New York
Post-gig sunbathing in Barcelona
And of course, Lemur spotting in Red Square… (don’t ask!)
It’s nearly time to get the Champagne out of the fridge and go and face the cold London air again. Happy new year my lovelies. I promise you only exciting things to come in ’09. It’s onwards and upwards for the ‘Soul and we really can’t wait for you to hear the new stuff. You won’t be disappointed.
I’ll be raising a glass to absent friends tonight. I miss you.
