When the Crowds Have Gone
'Crowds' Producer's Exclusive Session Notes!

Peter Bennett, the man who engineered not only the recording equipment but also tempered Billy's worst utterances, made a few notes during the making of 'When The Crowds Have Gone'. Recorded over four 'sittings' at Peter's Simpletone Studios in SE London, Mr Bennett not only takes the weather into account, but also reveals what was recorded on what day. The notes accurately reflect his spontaneous thoughts as to what was going down on tape.

    Sessions:
  • BJ1 9-Aug-03 Heatwave Sat 11.00am - 1.30pm
  • BJ2 10-Aug-03 Heatwave Sun 11.00am - 1.30pm
  • BJ3 26-Aug-03 Inspired weeknight session with acapellas 7.00 - 9pm
  • BJ4 11-Sep-03 With Steve Watts (d.bass) and Dylan Bates (violin) 10.00am - 2pm
  1. In My Bones BJ3
    Is this a tribute to a granddad or the selfish gene made flesh?
  2. I Like Rain BJ4
    A devotional song to drizzle, I Like Rain sparkles with comedy but still manages to frighten the children in the middle eight. Steve Watts on bass setting up a neat groove.
  3. Get The Poison Out BJ3
    'Asleep in life, awake in bed', no, not Southwark Council's mission statement but hard-hitting contemporary blues from son Jenkins. We've pricked a voodoo doll and shaken many a mojo over him, but man, there's still some bad stuff in there.
  4. If I Were A Lollipop Man BJ1
    A sonorous and sublime improvisation recorded during a heatwave in London. The 'session guitar' gets its ancient church-salvaged wood, bone and steel humming sweetly.
  5. The Tide Is Out BJ3
    Introducing Dylan Bates, with sympathetic violin additions to Bill's cry for help.
  6. Blues Is Calling Me BJ3
    And we're hearing, good buddy, don't you worry. Chilling blues with a dissonant droning beat, spiced up with bottleneck splashes. The spirit in the sky felt compelled to bring this to you.
  7. When Money's Really Tight BJ4
    Bedroom guitarists take note - a mother of a guitar solo on this one, biting and twanging, the strings noodled and caressed, and progressing beautifully over two verses. Hard to believe you're just listening to a guitar and bass duo, playing live, with just a little harp added. Steve gets a real spring into the beat.
  8. 8 Come Round and See Me BJ3
    Acid melancholy - recorded in the third and spookiest session. Some nice Himalayan mountain grunting at the end. Go round, but take your own Prozac.
  9. Sitting On The Dock Of Ebay BJ1
    Man meets guitar - this is the first track of the album sessions, tape rolling straight after the sound check - pure improvisation. Nice breathing sounds.
  10. Trouble in Mind BJ2
    Wow, Dylan sounds like he's hitting a k hole on this one, no train required.
  11. Everything's Too Fast BJ3
    Spammers beware, Bill tells you where to stick your penis enlargement on this ode to chillin'.
  12. This Room BJ4
    'Go! Get out of this house! Now!!'. Bill, Dylan and Steve got into full dress for This Room with much pacing up and down and head banging to get the right ambience. Dylan flying on the solo, the method acting really paying off.
  13. Cry Your Eyes Till They're Red BJ3
    An optimistic cri de couer, walk tall and look the world right in the redeye.
See the Babel Label Crowds page for reviews and further details

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