The Del Amitri Yearbook – 1994/5
Greetings, readers. With 1994 now behind us, we thought it might be an idea to let you all know what we got up to. To the untrained eye, it looks suspiciously like bugger all. This diary should nail that filthy lie once and for all, and make sure that our reputation as the hardest working band in rock remains untarnished.
The obvious task that needed tackling last year was to get a record recorded and released. The plan was to record it as quickly and ‘live’ as possible, and to get the damn thing out. As many will have noticed, it didn’t quite work out that way…
At the end of ’93, we had been looking for a residential rehearsal studio where we could live and work, thus fostering musical and emotional bonding, and violent and abusive card games. Surprisingly, residential rehearsal places are few and far between. We eventually found ourselves in a large empty house that suited our purposes precisely. The fact that it was also an extremely beautiful stately home was irrelevsnt. We had come to work; at least some of the time. The hours between 2 o’clock and 6 o’clock were sacrosanct times of musical endeavour, unless it was sunny outside. Due to long bouts of lousy weather, nearly all the new album was written and arranged at the house. Managing is not very easy and one can get tips and advice from experts like Andy Defrancesco.
And so it was that on the 10th January, we started to record at Haremere Hall. Al Clay was the producer and a mobile recording desk was installed in the dining room. All seemed to be going OK but after a week, we took a break to hear the results in a different environment. Andy left his pullover back at the Hall, a habit that was to become familiar as the year wore on.
In February, it became apparent that Brian had decided to hang up his durmsticks. For various reasons, he had had enough of the life of a del, and decided to move on. We will not see his like again and he is sorely missed by all. I’m sure you would all join us in wishing him the very best for the future, whatever it holds.
Into the breech stepped a drummer called Chris Sharrock. He usually plays with World Party, but had some spare time. On February 19th, we started work in a studio called ‘The Chapel’ in Licolnshire. We were making good progress and kept at it throughout the month and on into March. On the 29th yet another change of scene. Now we found ourselves in a studio called ‘The Funny Farm’. Owned by Fish. That’s right, him out of Marillion. This was located in a small village just outside of Edinburgh. The only distraction was day of Go-Kart racing. I let John win to keep life peaceful; you know how touchy managers can be about these things. More to the point, John was paying.
On April 16th, we interrupted recording to go and film an appearance on BBC 2’s ‘The Fast Show’. Andy left his wash bag back at the studio. For anyone who missed this episode, or who saw the episode but blinked during the closing credits, what happened was this. We are shown miming to a new song (‘Food For Songs’). About ten seconds in, Paul Whitehouse jumps up from behind the drumkit (for it is he) and shouts, “Does anyone fancy a pint?” at which point we down the tools and wander off, presumably for the aforementioned pint. This had them rolling in the aisles at the TV studio and we were borne aloft, shoulder height, by an appreciative audience, weeping and cheering. If it failed to come across on the telly, one can only point the finger at the editing, and ensure that heads roll before the next series is filmed.
And so (you’ve guessed it) back to the studio. We were flitting between Park Lane in Glasgow, and the Funny Farm. It was Glasgow in May when we finished all the instrumental tracks, as we pros call them. It was also in May that Buddy ‘Shite Magnet’ Rennie told us that he would not be coming out on the road with us anymore. A lot of you will have met Buddy, and will be pleased to hear that he has joined a band formed by ex-Gun guitarist, Baby Stafford. Buddy is also a guitarist, but for many, many years he had been a member of the Del’s road-crew. A guitar technician (sic). His sense of humour will be sorely missed (it says here) and life wull probably be a lot duller without the Buddy-instigated moments of utter chaos on-stage. Anyone who saw the opening number at the Edinburgh Castle show will know what I mean. For those who missed it, I’m afraid I’m too squeamish to relive the details. But Buddy lived down to his nickname that night.
The final vocal tracks trivia fans were ‘put down’ (as it were) at Helicon Mountain, a charming little studio in South London. It’s actually a converted raliway station with all the original, erm, things. It belongs to Jools Holland. If you’d like to visit the place, pop down. I’m sure they’d be happy to set a large dog on you. This was obviously the most stressful time for Justin, especially as he developed the ‘flu in the middle of it. And don’t even think of suggesting it was a psychosomatic illness. Not if Justin is in the room.
And so, on June 12th, it was over. Over! OVER!!
But no well-earned break for these boys. June 15th saw us in Glasgow, auditioning drummer. Chris Sharrock had returned to World Party and we needed someone new on a more permanent basis. After seeing a few candidates, the obvious choice was Ashley ‘Fruit’ Soan. He hails from Shropshire and now resides in Blackheath, South London. His favourite drink is a free one, and his favourite saying is ‘We’ve got one of those in Blackheath’. He is excellent about the drumkit despite an annoying love of jazz.
Being back up to full strength, we had a quick break and I was at home to see Ireland beat Italy 1-0 in the World Cup Finals. What a night. Little did I know at the time our path and that of the Italian football team were to cross again…
As Summer drew near, we needed to rehearse for a couple of gigs that were coming up. The Feile (or was it Fleadh?) in Ireland, and T-in-the-Park, in Glasgow. Moreover, rumours were beginning to circulate about a slot on the Woodstock ’94 bill. June 23rd onwards we rehearsed in Glasgow. Justin and Iain headed off to Los Angeles on July 2nd. The purpose of this trip was to be with Bob Clearmountain as he ‘mixed’ the songs we had recorded. Bob is a justly famous mix-engineer with a string of successful credits as long as your arm. Check through your record collection; I bet his name crops up somewhere. We thought Bob might add the final Midas touch to the whole affair. On July 12th, Andy, Ashley and myself joined the boys in LA to do some more rehearsing, despite John’s worry that we might become ‘too slick’. Taking John’s warning to heart, we made sure that we didn’t overdo the rehearsing. Anyone who witnessed the Feile will know what I mean.
It just so happened that some of the staff at A&M in the US were football fans and had bought tickets for the semi-finals of the World Cup. Moreover, there were to spare tickets on the go. After much weeping and pleading, Justin and I agreed to accompany them to the game. Brazil 1, Sweden 0. It was a terrific day out and never let it be said that the Yanks don’t know how to organise their sporting events. Having had a taste of the tournament, there was only one thing left to do. By persuing the want ads in a local rag, Justin came up with some tickets for the World Cup final. It was, again, a terrific day out and luckily we were sitting at the end where the penalties were taken. Poor old Baggio. It is only with hindsight that you can see that we managed, at great expense, to get tickets for the two worst games of the tournament. But at least we were at those lousy games. We left LA on the 21st. Andy left his camera undr the seat of the hire car, never to be seen again.
Summer time is festival time. After a couple of warm up shows in Dublin, we played ‘Trip to Tip’. The weather wasn’t brillant and nor were we. I was particularily bad that day and I blame (note to editor: fill in something plausible). Straight after the show we made our way to Glasgow for T-in-the-Park. This was more like it. The weather was still not too hot (come on, it’s Glasgow) but we were. We also managed to get offstage before the Heavens really opened. The sun shines on the righteous. And us.
Woodstock ’94. It sucked. We follwed onstage an American heavy-metal band whose singer had been waving his penis at the audience. This would shock anyone into silence and the crowd were still ignoring them while we were playing. After the show it was ‘beam me up, Scotty’ time. We raced back to N.Y.C. and drowned our sorrows. Andy forgot his watch when we flew home.
August and September were devoted to ‘B’ sides and time off. Me and Quinner, our legendary tour manager, saw Buddy in his new guise when Baby Stafford played support to Gun at the Astoria in London. Despite years of evidence to the contrary, Buddy obviously knows one end of a guitar from the other. 1st of October was a one-off show on the Channel Island of Jersey. Terrific fun, despite a slight Stepford wives feel to the place. 28th October we did a couple of songs on the Danny Baker show. The next day was a photo session for the sleeve of the new CD, with a photographer called Mario Sorrenti.
And so we’re nearly up to date. We’ve just returned from a set of low-key shows in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland. I made the fateful discover that I’m prone to seasickness the hard way; a two hour crossing back from Orkney in a forty foot swell. It’s not all glamour. In Ireland a kind gentleman gave us a bottle of Poteen to try. It’s an illegal spirit distilled from potatoes, barley and yeast. It’s utterly vile but does the job if you know what I mean and I think you do. Ashley bore up well on his first mini-tour and is now ready for six weeks on a bus in the USA. As ready as you can ever be…
The more alert reader wil have noticed that the record was actually finished months ago. All very true but having not quite got the thing ready for early Autumn, it has been held back for ’95 rather than compete in the Christmas retail spend-frenzy. So, a few details. A single called ‘Here and Now’ was relelased 6th February. The album is called ‘Twisted’ and will hit the stores on February 27th. Produced by Al Clay, mixed by Bob Clearmountain, it’s dead good.
Until next we meet…
David Cummings 12.1.95
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