The album “Loved” was recorded in one
day at Berry Hill studio in the Forest of Dean, England. The group
set up in a circle and played the songs completely live. Any technical
mistakes, musical glitches or slip of hand or word were overlooked
in preference of a good performance of the songs. The album was to
be a document expressing how it feels to find oneself at the time
and place in life that they, the band, had found themselves. Focussing
only on emotion, and of how life has a different complexion when
you are on either side of relationships, some successful, others
less so, but all leaving their shadow and scars or “a mark
across my heart” as the lyrics of ‘Me and You’ say.
|
|
|
Click the
picture to zoom
|
Inspired by the early recordings of The Band, instruments
were swapped around between members – Peter and Rebekah swapping
piano duties, Nick and Peter swapping vocal duties, sometimes mid-song
like on the cover version of The Faces ‘Debris’ where
the lead vocal is swapped between them to allow harmonies to have
more edge. The only rule was if it couldn’t be played live
it wouldn’t be on the tape.
The feel of the album was to be rooted somewhere
next to ‘Pink Moon’ by Nick Drake, ‘Nebraska’ by
Springsteen and ‘Master and Everyone’ by Bonny Prince
Billy. The cover and title were to come from a painting by friend
of the band, Michelle Whiting. Michelle had given the painting to
Peter as a present for contributing the song ‘Surrender to
the flood’ for her film about lonely hearts. The back and inside
cover photos see a collection of
random items (see above) collected
from the lives of the band members. Items which have been ‘loved’ or
represent some place, time or person. The physical CD contains
two extra tracks - 'Don't Say It's Over' and 'Debris'.
