Probably the most enjoyable musical experience of the last month was the near completion of No-Man’s forthcoming album, ‘All The Blue Changes’.
Roger Eno recorded some righteous harmonium for the album while the heavens roared (torrential rain hammering against attic windows). Lending aspects of the album an almost 19th Century evangelical feel, Roger’s playing was subtle and inspired and provided a gorgeous organic counterpoint for Ben (son of Roy) Castle’s clarinet leaps of imagination.
A day later, I finished off my vocal parts and we embarked on No-Man’s first official photo shoot for two years.
Using London’s evocative South Bank as a backdrop, the shoot (with ace lensman and designer Carl Glover) was amongst the most relaxed and successful that we’ve ever done. Early on, to add an air of danger to the proceedings, we were unceremoniously thrown out of the Royal Festival Hall by security guards (taking photos without permission). Wilson, Bowness and Glover, very nearly in the dock for crimes against Queen and country, carried on regardless and proceeded to illegally abuse many other fine interiors for the next few hours.
So far we have fifty minutes of new No-Man material. The debate about what should stay and what should be consigned to b-side ignominy has begun in earnest. Expect the album sometime in 2006.
Elsewhere, I did some more studio work with Henry Fool (a delightful tune called ‘Ian McShane’) and Bowness/Chilvers (who are gracing London’s 12 Bar Club on November 14th).
Of interest to Krimson News is that the Burning Shed ‘shop’ section will soon be stocking the 21st Century Schizoid Band CD and the new Mastica release. The label’s ‘new’ signing of the month was veteran bass-playing genius and ex-Soft Machiner, Hugh Hopper (who will also be playing at the Shed live events in December). Someone I’ve admired for a long time, in my opinion, he’s given us one of the best albums of his career (also featuring Robert Wyatt, John Marshall and Elton Dean in sampled and mutated form!).
Until next year?