Thanks for your message D.
or those who may have missed it.....
CRUSH UK (1999)
CHANGING BY DEGREES
The long awaited new album featuring Captain Damian Black, Rick Bell, Dave
Cameron Dudley and special guest star Pete Groves
Seventy minutes of music - sixteen songs - plus a few other bits.
The Album Track By Track, Blow By Blow
The Captain's log
Changing by Degrees - I wrote this in 1986 about my experiences at that time.
My band 'Staring into Space' got a chance to live, play and record in Cyprus.
We spent all day in the studio rehearsing and recording and at night we'd either be playing or partying.
It was a fantastic few months and this song developed in the studio. People used to drop by all day long and 'look at us through the glass' in the control room.
This is about the fourth time that this has been recorded and I've lost count of how many musicians have played it with me.
It was a 'hit' off the 'FRAMPTONWELLER' album, and it
seemed like an apt title for an album that reflects some of the music that I've written over the last fourteen years and the continuous process of
change.
Chowbox (4534 SE Belmont) - Inspired by John 'dude' Kathman and Will at the Horsebrass in Portland. A lifetime's ambition to go and play in the States
was realised in February 1999 thanks to Don and Terry. Chowbox came from a conversation between myself and John, and Will showed us the inspirational
nightlife sights of Portland. Could it be the new Horsebrass anthem?
Whatever, it goes out to the party animals who we hope to see again and again.
Kicks on 66 - I was reading a book by Bill Bryson, one of his journeyman oventures. It got to the part where he was looking for route 66 and found it
was buried beneath a superhighway. Mixing in a few other bits and pieces gave me the basis for this one. Route 66 revisited you might say.
Rest in Pieces - I really can't remember who invoked such anger and disgust in me, but the venom still flows when I sing it. Not every band members'
favourite, but it deserved to be on the album.
I wanna be - This was one of the last songs we were working on before Pete left. No idea where it came from, but there are a few of my influences in
there for sure.
Comment - Kind of an appropriate song for the end of the millennium with its commentary on where I was in my life and where the world was in my view. I
finished this one just after Pete left, so I guess it's also about the band at a place in time. Some rock and roll for all you young people.
Strange Love - This baby's been around for two or three years and has always worked really well live as a good old singalong. It has the unusual feature
of two bass guitars on the track. Pete and Dave played it their own ways and it worked out well.
Gill says - started life at one of our legendary after show parties at Di's place. I mixed in a few references to some old friends and it just grew from
there. It was great fun to record and Dave gave it the reggae treatment it deserved.
Anthem - One of my favourite songs. I put the finishing touches to Anthem when a close friend of mine finally fell in love. Clive came up with the
classic guitar solo. It was a bitch to sing in the studio without the live atmosphere, but in the end it worked.
Coke-ed - I love the Jam and this just came right out of my Jam tribute songbook. It's a heavy theme and a great live track. The fizzy drink
manufacturers'll probably ban it, or perhaps they'll buy it as an ad theme.
Who knows?
Black - Tough one this. I always envisaged it having a dance back beat. It's loosely about mixed racial relationships. I love the groove. A bit of a
grower, not a regular in the live set, 'cos I tend to save it for special occasions.
Gem - Probably the most unusual track on the album. I wrote this a couple of years ago during one of those turbulent periods in life. By chance the
chorus sounds a little like Frampton's 'by your side' which I've always liked. It was a tough number to put together. I wanted to avoid the formula
trap so I kept the drums to the chorus and made it as moody as possible.
With regard to the arrangement, I had those 70's classics in mind by Eric Carmen, Randy van Warmer, etc.
Reach - This started out as a slow ballad. I couldn't get on with it at all so I sped it up and it turned into a 'gospel' song. It's about what it says.
Coming home from work angry, tired and frustrated. It makes you appreciate the loved ones that are there for you.
Is love really ever enough? - The title says it all.
Royal Blues - Although I've been a 'blues' fan all my life this isn't about them. We were playing in Holland a few years ago and both Clive and I lost
our voices, through our own stupid faults I hasten to add. We were faced with a four hour gig that night and I thought, man I've got to write more
instrumentals. They love their blues over there, so this was the answer. It didn't help us out then, but it's grown and it's great to really let it rip.
Bollox alert - aka Pacific Ocean view / Pacific City / Ode to the Mountain Man. A song of observations, hence the working title which in the end I couldn't bring myself to change. The chorus was influenced by the fact is that we travel so much and meet such wonderful people that it is quite
unbelievable. This one will always take me back to my first awe-inspiring view of the Pacific Ocean.
Acknowledgements
Just to get this record together was somewhat of a triumph. I couldn't have done it without Bing, Rick, Dave and Pete. My desire to play music drives me on and the support that I get fuels that fire - burn baby burn.
Thanks to Ricky for the loan of his amp and to Neil for the Gibson.
All the songs on the album were written by Martin Weller and performed by Crush uk.
Cover by Neil Dixon Cthree Design.
Photographs by Bing and the mysterons.
Recorded at Mo's place by Mo, tel 020 8640 8057.
How to get it
The album is on our own label - 'So English Records' and you can get your CD or cassette at gigs, or order from our Merchandise page www.crushuk.com/album.html
Delight guaranteed