Free Tracking

November 13, 2012 12:36 AM

‘On May 24th, 2012, I set out on a musical and physical challenge. My aim was to find inspiration for the recordings on this album. I cycled to the four furthest points of mainland Britain, a journey of more than 2000 miles.On my bike I carried a mobile recording rig and, as I discovered locations along the way that provided inspiration for my songs, I was able to record (free-tracking) performances you can hear on these tracks.’
posted by RegMcF (4 comments total)

I thought this was going to be about Eno's new album and I was hoping for more elaborate details. "When I arrived at each point, I would acquire the 1972 edition of the local telephone directory and open it to a random page, at which I would throw a pellet freshly regurgitated by Albatross, my companion owl, to determine the number I must call. A recording of the conversation that followed would form the basis of the lead vocal track for that location. I would then establish a conference call to the numbers at the previous locations; these calls would form the basis of the backing vocals. Then I would set about hiring a local wedding band to play the melody defined by the rise and fall of the buildings along the main thoroughfare. To this tune, I would marry the oldest willing local widow, dance with her unhappiest child round the village pump, and live with her as husband and wife for a season, after which time I would reveal to my "wife" that the officiating clergyman was only Derek, my sound engineer and masseuse. In the end, I retired to Standing Stone, my Goonhilly Downs cottage, to refresh my senses and mix down. I have called it Sharp Gold Tooth for reasons that may once have been transparent to me."
posted by pracowity at 1:38 AM on November 13, 2012 [14 favorites]

Whatever happened to practicing scales?
posted by three blind mice at 1:50 AM on November 13, 2012

Not much capacity in those panniers. I can only assume that he had a support van, as there doesn't even appear to be space for spare clothing.
posted by jaduncan at 2:42 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm now slightly obsessed by the idea of persuading Eno to go on a biking tour.
posted by RegMcF at 3:34 AM on November 13, 2012