C86
April 4th: C86
Every now and again things from the past crop up. "Cut Me Deep" was put out on some compilation called C86 recently and somebody let me know about it via e-mail. Ah cyber space communications, what efficiency it brings, instantaneous knowledge transfer (aye right - given that it was released last October and I hear about it now). Nae that I'm bothered though. I don't particularly want or need a copy of this compilation. C86 - what a load of pish.
It was just an NME propaganda exercise for the dodgy hair brigade back in the day. We were never a part of it then and shouldn't be classified as a part of it now. Loads of bands jumped on that particular bandwagon at the time if I remember correctly. All of those self promoting "look at me" types, "give me a listen", "I have something to say" whooo hooo get me aff this indie wheel onto a major deal as soon as you like types.
We were never one of those bands though. Which is why we probably never cut it commercially at the time. We were misfits. We worked our weird and worked it well. Don't get me wrong like, we might have grabbed it with both hands if offered, after all we were happy enough to be on Creation or Poptones samplers. But that was as a part of our labels identity and why we were there, it had nothing to do with the fickle NME.
"Cut Me Deep" is a truly great track though. I think that this is possibly the most pop song Jim ever wrote. I still have fresh memories of driving up from London and recording in Edinburgh with Wilf Smarties, who was also working with a diverse array at the time including Wet Wet Wet, Goodbye Mr. McKenzie and our own pals in APB.
I recall driving to the studio and seeing the Proclaimers at a photo shoot just off Prince's street, us doing a u-turn and shouting to them from the van, "Bathgate no more" our fists clenched and them creasing it and us accelerating off. They had been on the tube just the week before with their stunning debut and Tom and I had watched it in awe in South Norwood over a couple of beers. Jim and they others joined in the fun and then said "fa's at like"?
During recording, other Aberdeen chums, The Shamen dropped in by, sticking their heads into the studio and them digging the key change towards the end. Looking back it's brilliant that we recorded "Cut Me Deep" in Scotland. Cause that's what Scotland has done for me, contributed artistically to my life, memories and working my weird.
It was originally meant to be Ian Broudie producing but he'd called off being too busy with the Bunnymen at the time. I chatted with him at Alan McGee's Radio 4 club in Nottinghill many years afterwards and he couldn't recall. I did though. I also remember Alan telling me he would never work with Wilf again. Something about percentage points and royalties. Don't know if he ever did Ah well. Happy days.
All Jim's stuff was great though. In my mind he's a genius. Tom is a legend. Martin should have made a million, Derek receive a gold trumpet, whilst wee Stumpy got a vintage Wurlitzer for his efforts. But as Adam would say, all of this was a lifetime ago.
I've posted a montage of some personal photo's to show what it was like around that time. It's an RAF production (ruff as f*ck) but if you have stumbled across it then you might just like it and see thon Ricky, it was a brammer of an axe man!
Every now and again things from the past crop up. "Cut Me Deep" was put out on some compilation called C86 recently and somebody let me know about it via e-mail. Ah cyber space communications, what efficiency it brings, instantaneous knowledge transfer (aye right - given that it was released last October and I hear about it now). Nae that I'm bothered though. I don't particularly want or need a copy of this compilation. C86 - what a load of pish.
It was just an NME propaganda exercise for the dodgy hair brigade back in the day. We were never a part of it then and shouldn't be classified as a part of it now. Loads of bands jumped on that particular bandwagon at the time if I remember correctly. All of those self promoting "look at me" types, "give me a listen", "I have something to say" whooo hooo get me aff this indie wheel onto a major deal as soon as you like types.
We were never one of those bands though. Which is why we probably never cut it commercially at the time. We were misfits. We worked our weird and worked it well. Don't get me wrong like, we might have grabbed it with both hands if offered, after all we were happy enough to be on Creation or Poptones samplers. But that was as a part of our labels identity and why we were there, it had nothing to do with the fickle NME.
"Cut Me Deep" is a truly great track though. I think that this is possibly the most pop song Jim ever wrote. I still have fresh memories of driving up from London and recording in Edinburgh with Wilf Smarties, who was also working with a diverse array at the time including Wet Wet Wet, Goodbye Mr. McKenzie and our own pals in APB.
I recall driving to the studio and seeing the Proclaimers at a photo shoot just off Prince's street, us doing a u-turn and shouting to them from the van, "Bathgate no more" our fists clenched and them creasing it and us accelerating off. They had been on the tube just the week before with their stunning debut and Tom and I had watched it in awe in South Norwood over a couple of beers. Jim and they others joined in the fun and then said "fa's at like"?
During recording, other Aberdeen chums, The Shamen dropped in by, sticking their heads into the studio and them digging the key change towards the end. Looking back it's brilliant that we recorded "Cut Me Deep" in Scotland. Cause that's what Scotland has done for me, contributed artistically to my life, memories and working my weird.
It was originally meant to be Ian Broudie producing but he'd called off being too busy with the Bunnymen at the time. I chatted with him at Alan McGee's Radio 4 club in Nottinghill many years afterwards and he couldn't recall. I did though. I also remember Alan telling me he would never work with Wilf again. Something about percentage points and royalties. Don't know if he ever did Ah well. Happy days.
All Jim's stuff was great though. In my mind he's a genius. Tom is a legend. Martin should have made a million, Derek receive a gold trumpet, whilst wee Stumpy got a vintage Wurlitzer for his efforts. But as Adam would say, all of this was a lifetime ago.
I've posted a montage of some personal photo's to show what it was like around that time. It's an RAF production (ruff as f*ck) but if you have stumbled across it then you might just like it and see thon Ricky, it was a brammer of an axe man!
posted by wattie mink at 12:26 pm
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