The Recording of Urban Hymns day by day

13-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Simon Jones personally delivers some Verve equipment to Olympic Studios, including his bass guitar, on which the electrics were somewhat rusted - cue maintenance department.
 

14-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

The first session commencesat Olympic Studio 1 and lasts until 8th November. The band recorded 17 backing tracks from which 7 made it to the album.
 

17-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

The Drugs Don't Work backing track is cut. Vocal captured first take.
 

18-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Sonnet backing track is cut.
 

22-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

One Day backing track is cut (got it first take).
 

23-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Velvet Morning and Lucky Man backing tracks cut.
Velvet Morning - Richard had bought a broken megaphone from a car boot sale. After 3 days in the maintenance intensive care unit, a microphone implant was performed. After a successful post-op recovery, it made it onto the album.

Lucky Man was a first take vocal.
 

25-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Bitter Sweet Symphony and This Time backing tracks cut.
This Time had an original working title of "Discordant".
 

09-Nov-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Six days of overdubs in Olympic Studio 2. Session ends 14th November.
 

25-Nov-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Overdubs. Session ends for Christmas on 20th December.
 

02-Dec-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

On this day and 3rd December, strings were recorded in three sessions of three hours. When down to an eight piece (from twenty two), there was a bit of spare time on the second day and Richard asked Wil Malone to listen to Bitter Sweet Symphony as he had an idea for it. Wil scored out two different string arrangements on the spot. They were later chopped up and looped.
 

05-Jan-1997 - Nick rejoins

Richard phones Nick to ask him to rejoin the fold. They have not spoken since the split. Nick agrees and The Verve are in full effect once more.
 

06-Jan-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Monitor mixes were done (Olympic Studio 2) for three days as Nick was about to re-join the band.
 

21-Feb-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Between this date and 16th March the band were back in Olympic Studio 2 where Nick recorded guitar overdubs, the lads did some new takes of existing songs and some new, untried songs were cut.
 

01-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Space & Time cut.
 

06-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

The Rolling People cut.
 

10-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Come On cut.
 

11-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Three Steps cut. It's working title was 'Randy California'.
 

17-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

The band arrived at Metropolis Studio B for sessions that lasted until 11th May.
They recorded overdubs on The Rolling People, Space & Time and Come On, vocals on those three and This Time and overdubs on New York (unreleased). Recorded and mixed So Sister and Echo Bass, completed Lord I Guess I'll Never Know and Country Song and mixed all album tracks except Catching The Butterfly, Neon Wilderness and Weeping Willow.
 

24-May-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

26th May until 4th June - the big jam session at Olympic Studio 2. Many tracks cut including Weeping Willow, Catching The Butterfly, Stamped & The Longest Day and others.
 

26-May-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Cut Weeping Willow.
 

28-May-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Cut Catching The Butterfly.
 

16-Jun-1997 - Bitter Sweet Symphony is released

The first release from the The Verve as a five piece. It goes straight into the UK top 40 at number 2 and stays on the chart for over two months before being temporarily deleted because there is a version (the James Lavelle remix) on the next single and chart rules dictate that the same song cannot be present on two different chart releases. Bitter Sweet Symphony becomes a worldwide smash.
 

23-Jun-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Back to Metropolis Studio B. Recalled The Rolling People and Come On to get better mixes, more mixing on Sonnet, overdubs on Lucky Man, overdubs and mixing of Catching The Butterfly and Weeping Willow. Recorded and mixed Neon Wilderness and Deep Freeze.
B-sides for The Drugs Don't Work: finished Stamped, The Crab and Three Steps.
 

04-Aug-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions

Urban Hyms sessions completed.