I thought I'd blog a little about my back catalogue, since some of you round here may be new (hello! do introduce yourselves). This post is about "Name in Lights" which came out in 2009.

We recorded the album "live" to capture a bit of the vibe of an actual gig, with the crowd responding and getting involved. So it's a "live" album, but all the songs were new.

The story began some time in the middle of 2008, when I was starting to gather together a collection of songs that would become a record. Playing live, I'd started to do a few more "funny" songs, and I wanted to get some of them down on record, but the idea of singing about "biscuits" and doing a full studio arrangement didn't seem quite right, so it was decided to do a live recording, and the date was set for 8th November 2008 - its proximity to bonfire night perhaps didn't make it the ideal choice, and if you listen closely, you can hear a few fireworks going off in the background.

Dan from dB Studios brought a load of gear in a van and set up in the community centre down the road, and we hit record and played everything you hear on the record (and some things you don't hear too!).

James Middleton, drummer and percussionist brought lots of things to hit and shake, and added a lot to the songs. We only had one rehearsal in my living room, and so things were certainly fresh, but I've always loved James' playing, and he excelled himself on this one.

The plan was for Mark Prentice to join us on bass that night, but due to a diary clash, he couldn't be with us, but he added his bits later, as did Mark Edwards who played some gorgeous hammond, piano and rhodes, both very tasteful and in keeping with the feel of the evening.

I added a few guitar bits too, and then we mixed the recording. All the vocals were the ones from the night though, and although there are the odd croaky moments, I think we really captured something special.

As a songwriter, the thing that really has to stack up for a record like this is the songs - and when the arrangements are simpler, you really have to be confident in the songs. This record has the first recordings of songs that are still in my live set, including fun stuff like "The need for biscuits" and "Should have learned", as well as things like "Time is right" and "Thursday night" which have a real energy to them.

The quieter songs like "Tuvalu" and "Unnoticed" still stand up for me as well. I occasionally hear from people who have been touched by some of the tracks on the record, like "Keep me going" which has inspired them in their life, or given them encouragement, and that means a lot.

This is also the album with "What I call romance" on it, which always seems to resonate with couples when I sing it live. They sometimes come and ask about it, and call it "the one about throwing up" which it isn't really, but I know which one they mean.

With a bit of distance, I get to appreciate what's right with a record, rather than hearing all the things that aren't quite how they should have been, and I guess I'm proud of it. The thing that gets the most criticism is that jumper, but hey, you can't please everyone...

 

Have a listen and download if you'd like to, or order the CD here.