Some of those other 80's recordings.
Much of the detail regarding these recordings and sessions is either super vague or lost in the haze of time. But, having talked about some of the other 80's bands I worked with in the Terminal 37 story, it seemed only fair to add tracks (where they exist) and some explanatory notes.
Track 1 - Keep on Moving On.
Rick & me wanted to call ourselves Seven-Twenny-Seven after we fell in love with Lenny White's Twennynine albums, but this track recorded in a little 8-Track studio (Audiogenic) in 1980 shows little of that influence. I like to think this was more an experiment, than something serious, but I'd imagine we took it super seriously at the time. TBH I'd forgotten all about this track until I discovered it on an old tape, but listening in 2020, I do remember the handclaps were literally hand made and hearing them again made me laugh. I'm also fairly sure the bass player was Miles Hawkins, son of local 'name' sax player Jeff Hawkins. Finally, the engineer, Phil Tennant, went to work at Martin Rushent's Genetic studios which is how I got my fist invite there.
Track 2 - Clouds.
The band was called Anonymous Mice and this was one of several tracks recorded in the the Rotherhithe studio I talked about before. Indeed, the flat we stayed in belonged to one of the two Tony's in the band who was studying at a medical college. I can't remember their names because they used nicknames and mine was the only real name that appeared on the credits. As a consequence, years and years later I was approached by someone who'd found the track in a charity shop and wanted to know more about it. It turned out this person ran a label specialising in releasing rare 80's tracks and via Dale I was able to put him in touch with one Tony. I don't know if anything came of it.
Track 3 - Look Now
Out To Lunch was Dale and Jonty's band and this was one of several recordings that came from that camp. Again, I'd not listened to this for aeons and was pleasantly surprised to find both Rick's rhythm guitar, and Terminal 37's Dick on here too.
I don't remember too much about the recording except that it was in a small garage studio. The drums were programmed (the lack of dynamics reveal that) and I simply played the hi-hat part and the keyboards.
Track 4 - Stay
Back with me and Rick in the mid to late 80s. Listening back to this, I now realise that a half decent song was killed by the use of too many machines and not enough personal editing. Being a synth-head I know the DX was used too much and that bloody drum machine (a Roland TR-505 IIRC) is just incessant.
Not long after this me and Rick decided to fund and build a commercial studio to put out 'white labels'. I can't help but feel if that decision was made on the back these recordings its no wonder it all ended in tears. Nonetheless, it's an interesting journey from Track 1 to this.
Track 5 - Dancing Days (Instrumental)
An instrumental rehearsal version of Dancing Days with Dale, Zal and me, recorded in a dodgy 8-Track in Reading. A brilliant example of how meek Alastair turned into super-Zal as soon as it came to his take, plus that Rockman sound being very evident.
Track 6 - It's Our World - Techno
It's the 80s and Paul Hardcastle is No1 and Kev, Dick & yours truly have a sampler, a drum machine, a synth with a sequencer, a digital delay pedal, plus a whole day to muck about. Recorded on-the-fly with an old friend Mark Jepson on additional vocals
Track 7 - We Were Born Together
Another jam session with the machines and Kev's fertile imagination.
Track 8 - The Long Parade
The best 80s band, bar none.
