Small Town
For the most part, the backing tracks were laid down by Andy and Trish. Then the group would convene to record vocals and saxophone. Any additional instruments would be added later. There were some exceptions to this formula, which are noted below in the track-by-track breakdown.
For Shame of Doing Wrong (Richard Thompson)
Lead vocal, 12-string guitar: Trish
Bass, keyboards, electric guitar, drum programming: Andy
Tenor sax: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Deb, Andy, Trish
Small Town (Andy Bassett) MP3 Sample
Lead vocal: Sandy
12-string guitar: Trish
Bass, mandolin, drum programming, additional guitar: Andy
Lead guitar: Peter
Backing vocals: Trish, Andy, Deb
Harmonica: Mike Harding
Lead vocal, 12-string & bass recorded live, along to the drum track. Everything else overdubbed.
All Because of You (Clive Gregson)
Lead vocal: Deb
Guitar & harmony vocal: Andy
Soprano saxophone: Peter
Recorded live to DAT using two microphones.
Spring of '74 (Andy Bassett)
Lead vocal, guitar, bass, keyboards, drum programming, FX: Andy
Soprano saxophone: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Deb, Trish
Stamping & clapping: Andy, Sandy, Deb, Trish, Peter
Flute: Sue Maxwell
The schoolyard noises were recorded at West End School, New Plymouth.
Putting On The Squeeze (Andy Bassett /Trish Kane)
Lead vocals: Sandy (verse 1), Deb (verse 2), Trish (verse 3)
12-string guitar: Trish
Bass, drum programming: Andy
Tenor saxophone: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Deb, Trish, Andy
The Runaway (Benny Gallagher /Graham Lyle)
Lead vocals: Trish (verse 1), Sandy (verse 2)
Harmony vocal (verse 2): Deb
12-string guitar: Trish
Keyboards, bass, drum programming: Andy
Soprano saxophone: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Deb, Trish, Andy
Middle Aged Blues Boogie (Gaye Adegbalola)
Lead vocals (in order of appearance): Sandy, Trish, Deb
Bass: Andy
Tenor saxophone: Peter
Recorded live to DAT - one mic for vocals, one for sax, with the bass DI'd into the desk.
Different Dreams (Andy Bassett) MP3 Sample
Lead vocal, mandolin, double-tracked 6-string guitar: Andy
Soprano saxophone: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Deb, Trish
Lowlands (Nick Laird-Clowes /Gilbert Gabriel)
Lead vocals: Deb, Andy
Keyboards, drum programming, FX: Andy
Chorus vocals: Andy, Deb, Sandy, Trish, Peter
The backing track for this predates this CD project by about four years. Initially, Deb was going to use it on a planned solo project on the theme of emigration.
The aeroplane noise at the end posed a problem. Concorde was all roar and no whine and the Boeing 707 didn't go on long enough. So we blended the two. When Alan Muggeridge first heard the backing track, he told me I had to move the studio further away from the airport.
Speak (Maggie Roche)
Lead vocals (in order of appearance): Sandy, Trish, Deb
Guitar, backing vocal: Andy
Quacks: Cassie the duck & friends
All four vocals were recorded live into one microphone. The ducks were recorded on location at the Bowl of Brooklands, except for Cassie, who had her own session in her New Plymouth home (the ducks at the Bowl wouldn't quack!), making her possibly the first duck in the world ever to be overdubbed onto another other duck track.
Bad Woman (Trish Kane / Andy Bassett) MP3 Sample
Lead vocal, 12-string guitar: Trish
Bass, electric guitar, drum programming: Andy
Tenor saxophone: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Deb, Andy
The guitar and sax solos were recorded together - hence Peter's laugh at the big power chord at the end.
Galileo (Emily Saliers)
Lead vocal: Deb
12-string guitar: Trish
Bass, drum programming: Andy
Soprano saxophone: Peter
Backing vocals: Sandy, Trish, Andy
Face Down at Folk City (Maggie, Terre & Suzzy Roche)
Lead vocals: Sandy, Trish, Deb, Andy
12-string guitar: Trish
Bass, keyboards, drum programming: Andy
Soprano saxophone: Peter
Again, all four vocals were recorded live into one microphone.
Blues Stay Away From Me (Alton Delmore/Wayne Ranney/Henry Glover/Rabon Delmore)
Lead vocals: Sandy, Trish, Deb, Andy
Electric & acoustic guitars, drum programming: Andy
Bass: Trish
Alto & tenor saxophones: Peter
Once again, all four of us singing into one microphone. During the "I got teardrops…" verse, Peter arrived and our dog Buffy greeted him with a single bark. Miraculously, it came between lines and that was the take we used (minus the bark!).