Sound decision
26 Apr 2001
After two long days in the studio earlier this week, the recording and mixing of the next Regulars single are finished.
But a last-minute u-turn saw the expected a-side track October we take it back dropped in favour of the live barnstormer This is the sound.
The two songs came in almost neck-and-neck in a poll on this site to help choose the second single; but the band decided to go with This is the sound last Saturday - the day before work on the recording began.
A variety of factors combined to influence the decision.
The sessions were engineered and produced at Redditch's Smallwood Studios by Mat Webster, whose excellent live work with The Regulars as Zoot Promotions soundman stood him in fine stead for the job.
And the band's initial reaction to his work is that it sounds absolutely bloody fantastic - enough so to have justified treating him to a curry when the sessions concluded on Monday night.
The recording saw the final contribution to The Regulars by outgoing bassist Stu Fletcher - and also an unexpected debut for his potential replacement Mr Richard Banner.
Mat's suggestion of a group vocal for the chorus of This is the sound meant the dragooning to the mike of non-singers Chris and Paul; and the boy Banski - who sat in on Sunday's session - was likewise considered fair game.
The other track to feature on the single - a follow-up to last year's debut Lie down and fight - will be Lincolnshire skies, featuring an excellent backing vocal from Chopper and some experimental organ playing from Pete.
Incidentally, after failing on Sunday to locate a copy of the Observer in the entire town of Redditch, the woolly-minded wimp of a singer was pleasantly surprised to discover veggie sausages on offer in the greasy-spoon right next to the studio.
Pencilled in for release on Bearos Records, the single is in a queue for the pressing plant behind other new Bearos material, and a release date, therefore, is yet to be determined.
An announcement will be given here as soon as this is known, along with details of the sleeve design and possible launch gigs. So, er - don't go away.
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