Album Work Continues

It's been a busy Sunday, as I've been preparing a few more tracks for the album. Fran has been at work so I had a clear run at being able to play the same thing over and over without getting on her nerves!

I start off with keyboard tracks - backing, drums and basic chord backing. Then any other keyboard tracks that may be required. That can include strings, brass, synthesizer, choirs or almost any other instrument.

Then I add guitar parts. Normally I add strummed guitars one to either side of the stereo image at the extreme edge, neither guitar audible through the opposite speaker. That creates quite a full sound. Then I might add other guitars closer to the centre with any lead or solo parts coming centre stage. I play both electric (Fender Stratocasters) or accoustic. If playing the accoustic I mic that up and have to turn off the fan on the central heating to ensure no background noise!

At this stage the track is ready for David to add his vocals after which I'll add any harmony parts. Finally Bob will add the bass and possibly extra accoustic guitar or mandolin parts.

Today "You're My Best Friend" has had an electric guitar part added and is now ready for Bob, whilst "Picture of You", "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" and "My Life" have been started from scratch and are ready for vocals to be added.

I was at a party last night and several people came up to say they had heard and enjoyed the band. Thanks for all the kind comments - we hope to firm up some more dates for public gigs soon - keep an eye on our home page.

The Green Fields of France

One of the few totally serious spots in a Creeping Bentgrass gig will be when we play The Green Fields of France, a beautiful and very moving song about a visitor to a World War One cemetary talking to a young long-dead soldier.

We have included this track on the forthcoming album and I spent some time on it today putting my vocal parts on it. I only sing harmonies on the final chorus but we put a speaking part over the chorus which adds to the solemnity and raises the audience emotions a little bit.

We always have to sing something cheerful afterwards but I'm sure it will be one you remember when the album is released!

John's Solo Album

An email has flooded in wanting to know the track list of my solo album. Rash fool... Anyway, with apologies to David and Bob for the blatant self promotion here it is!

Track List

The Tracks of My Tears
Stormy Down
Blue Bayou
Diesel On My Tail
Sixteen Tons
Good Morning Sun
Blame It On Your Heart
Flower of Magarallio
Poor Me
The First Cut Is The Deepest
Johnny B. Goode
Lay Down Sally
The Voice Within
Louisiana Lady
Reason To Believe

Yes, quite a mixture there! From "Tennessee" Ernie Ford to Christina Aguillera! The album is simply called "John Burke" and is available from this page.

And yes, I know "Johnny B. Goode" appears on the new CBG album (see previous post) but we started playing it with the band after I'd recorded it on this album.

New Albums - Sound and Vision!

There's a new album of photos of the band available at Picasa. If you fancy a spot of laughing at us without the torture of an actual gig, then that's the place to go!

I've done a bit more work on the third album. Guitars have been added to a couple of tracks and backing tracks for a couple of others are now waiting for vocals to be added. Only one song (my solo effort) is finished as yet but there are a few now only waiting for Bob to add a bass track.

It's going to be a mix of styles again - we've more or less agreed all the tracks now but apart from opening with "Last Night Was Made for Love" to be followed by Joe Brown's "Picture of You" and knowing it will build up to a raucous finish with "Johnny B. Goode" the running order may change a bit!

Track List:

Last Night Was Made For Love
Picture of You
I've Just Seen A Face
You're My Best Friend
The Rose
Constantly
My Life
The Green Fields of France
Dirty Old Town
Whisky In The Jar
Help Me Rhonda (or California Girls)
It Doesn't Matter Anymore
I Try To Think About Elvis
The Night I Called The Old Man Out
Johnny B. Goode

Which in all makes 15 tracks. We haven't yet decided whether to add an instrumental to this album.