This album is dedicated to my wife Sonja Phillips who, for many years, was my only audience. She would encourage me to work on my music and record it which I didn’t do until after she died in 2017. The first song I wrote, It’s a Shame, was inspired by Sonja who, after being told that there was no cure for her condition replied, practical as always, “well that’s a shame”. She was always upbeat and positive despite all the difficulties and always found time to smile and laugh and had a wonderful sense of humour.
All the songs are inspired by events and moments where writing turns out to be the best remedy. I can’t take it anymore was written on a day when an insignificant something, I can’t remember now (I think it was a bill), happens to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Bitchin was written after a long drive from Viareggio to the North Tip of Lake Como. During the trip, my friend – and I – and the kids in the back, seemed to be on a mission to complain or argue about everything. I wrote the song the next morning.
Home is about a friend’s journey through a very difficult twenty year period and how although now battered and bruised by life is now free to live. Just another day is about an amazing group of people (The Triple M Coffee Group), that kept me sane and positive during a very difficult time. I can’t imagine what life would have been like without them.
I tried was written by my daughter Diohandi who brought me the lyrics scribbled on a sheet of paper and sang the tune. We wrote the second part together and my friend Jeffrey added a few touches.
All the songs have a story to tell and mean something to me. I hope you enjoy them.
There are so many who have helped in the making of this record and I thank you all.
A special thanks goes to Laura from St John’s Nova Scotia who I met in 2001 after being diverted there due to 9/11. Laura turned up, with her guitar, at the stadium where we were staying. We wrote a song together, I still have the lyrics, and performed it. Laura was the first person I trusted to send my songs to and her support, help, and encouragement inspired me to make this record.
A very special thanks to my friend who wrote cry and who also the inspiration for Home. She has been a constant source of inspiration and support over the last few years and I can’t imagine how this project would have been completed without her.
Jeffrey, an old friend, wrote and sang “Turning”, “The C4 Blues”, did the “howling” on Bitchin and helped with most of the songs. Jeffrey was a constant source of encouragement and support during the whole process. We spent many of the funnest days together in the studio recording, it was his idea to record Home on The range – one of my favourite songs.
A big thank you to Adi the monk (www.adithemonk.com) added his brilliant inspired lead guitar to most of the songs. I can’t thank him enough as it would have taken me years, if it was even possible, to learn to play well enough to do it myself (I tried). Adi immediately understood the mood of the songs and his playing was amazing.
Of course the mothers of St Mary’s coffee group deserve a very special mention. Each one is an amazing person. Although life always goes on I can’t imagine how life would have been without their support and friendship in the years after my wife died. There is no way I can really thank them enough for being there and I can’t wait to go out for coffee again when the world allows us. A special thanks to Peta who regularly channels Sonja and brings me back down to earth when my head goes too far up into the clouds…
Thanks to Brian, the sound engineer, at Bonafide Studio in Muswell hill who, from the first time I met him, has been honest and practical and encouraging. I love the atmosphere at Bonafide and always feel, at the end of a day’s recording, that it was over too quickly. I love recording at Bonafide Studio.
Thanks to Sam Smith who stepped in and added backing vocals to “Just Another Day”.
Thanks to Max Saidi at www.wantdrums.com who played drums on all the tracks and thanks to Peter Bakaja who added the bass, both are a pleasure to work with.