As the title suggests, this is a collection of musical pieces that tries to demonstrate my somewhat eclectic tastes in music.
You may find some of my influences easy to spot and others not so easy!
I've tried to explain how these tracks came into existence and how they evolved over the period of time it took to make this album. Click on the 'view' button on each of the tracks on the track listing on this page or go to :
I quite often have musical ideas come to me through the night and when they do I just have to get up and get the idea recorded there and then or it WILL be gone in the morning. This track is one of those. The subject, chorus, drumbeat and bass came first and I later hung the chords and verse melody on it. The lyrics are taken from the dream I was having at the time.
I had recorded a guide vocal myself with the view that it would be re-recorded later by someone who could actually sing, but people that heard it seemed to like my voice. I had been working with Robert Bruce (not that one) on his own solo album and asked him if he would like to give Ascension a go. It is his voice singing the higher part on the chorus.
I had also been working with a guy called Gerry Jablonski (local blues legend) who wanted to try putting vocals on it as well. I really loved what he did, as he took the track to a different place all together. That version will be released as a bonus track.
lyrics
I have a question, you have no answer,
I don’t need a reason, why I'm pulling the anchor
Adrift on the water, in a boat on a sea
I don’t know where I’m going; I don’t know where I’ve been
Is this the beginning, or is it the end
Will I rise up, or will I descend
Ascension
OHH OHH OHH OHH!
Ascension
There’s a horizon, at the end of the sea
There’s someone out there, is it you or is it me
I'm walking the shore line, will take my hand?
Burning turning earth is churning, its time to ascend
Ascension
OHH OHH OHH OHH!
Ascension
No time for reflection, in the eye of the storm
I look in the mirror, is it time to move on
There’s an oasis, at the end of the line
There’s a dream just out of reach, is it yours or is it mine
Ascension
OHH OHH OHH OHH!
Ascension
credits
from Eclectic Electric Volume 1,
released October 1, 2015
Vocals - Niall Mathewson,
Backing Vocals- Robert Bruce , Gerry Jablonski
Instrumentation - Niall Mathewson
The first official outing of the "what would be" Steve Rothery Band. Riccardo Romano was missing with his keyboard wizardry and no singer at all (later Martin Jakubsky of Stillmarillion). Marillion's catalogue was represented by excerpts of instrumental sections where Steve had his solo spot. This is a milestone in the forming of a great band that later became the spokesman of early Marillion era and of course of Steve's solo material. If you want to hear how it all started you have to get this Alessandro Carmassi
BBT are standard bearers for modern prog, with a sound that evokes the spirit of those legendary 70s bands whilst managing to also be thoroughly contemporary. It's astonishing that over 30 minutes of music of this quality, with such high production values, is being made available for free - and their full albums are also very reasonably priced... Eleventh Earl of Blah