When Phil told me he was going to bring out his next CD as a blues suite I had what I thought would be a brilliant idea for the cover: Recently in the neighbourhood quite a few houses / flats had been bought and sold and the usual piles of hitchen cupboards, ripped out worktops, carpets and various pieces of unwanted furniture had been littering the front gardens, including old, battered sofas and easy chairs that had seen better days.
My idea was to take some black and white photographs of a distressed three piece suite in such a situation and change their colour to a bright blue: Blue Suite! Sadly, by the time I got round to it, most of the debris has been cleared away and I never saw an abandoned three piece again.
Then Hag came up with some of his wonderful photographic creations – sadly the smallness of a CD cover really do not do them justice – they are absolutely amazing in their intricate detail and make you feel quite sea sick in the way they morph from one sea/landscape to another.
When I was putting the cover together in Photoshop, the blue I chose for the lettering sang out on my screen with such vibrancy against the black and white photography that I was sure I was onto a winner! Why I never thought to print it out before sending it off I can’t imagine.
So I was subsequently really brought down by the way the cover looked – dull as ditchwater! Should know when to leave these things to the professionals.
The other thing I want to look at is the cock up that was made in the “pressing” of the CD. Despite the explicit instructions that Phil gave: that there should be 7 tunes on the CD:
1 Early Days 9:08
2 No More Mr Nice Guy 9:00
3 Delta Borderline 13:00
4 Phrygian Blues Intro 2:15
5 Phrygian Blues 10:20
6 Open Sea
7 Slime Divas 13:00
This is indeed what is printed on the actual disc.
The reason that Phil specified that Phrygian blues should be shown as 2 pieces was because the keyboard intro was entirely the work of Pete Lemer, whereas the rest of the performance was Phrygian Blues as written by himself. The distinction is important for royalty payments: Pete would claim royalties for the intro and Phil would claim them for the rest of the titles on the CD.
I know for a fact that the instructions Phil gave were precise as regards this and are printed on the Disc itself as he specified. However when the disc is put into the CD player only 6 entries shown, not seven. The solo intro and the band performance of Phrygian Blues are treated as one number.
It must be very confusing for everybody who bought the CD when 7 numbers are shown on the disc itself but only 6 numbers are shown on the CD player and difficult for PRS purposes. Fortunately Phil gives credit to Pete on the back cover of the CD where it states:
4. PHRYGIAN INTRO 2.15 pete lemer – acoustic piano.
All titles (except Phrygian Blues intro) by Phil Miller.
Having said all that, the listening experience is far better than it would have been if Phil’s instructions had been followed, simply because Pete’s introduction leads so naturally into Phrygian Blues. So much better than hearing them separated.
Phil had originally intended his brother Steve to play piano on this CD. He was after all a superb blues player. When Phil was writing the opening number – Early Days – he was, for sure, thinking of Steve and their days in Delivery. Although Pete plays superbly throughout the recording, I can’t help but image how much enjoyment Steve would have got – playing with Phil on this CD. Sadly he died of pancreatic cancer before the time for recording came.
The second number No More Mr Nice Guy is is an absolutely brilliant piece, superbly played by the sextet. When I listen to the opening bars they seem so fast, so intricate, that I can hardly beleive anyone could play them, let alone play them with such ease and panache. It is a spectacular number.
Delta Borderline showcases the immense talent of Doug Boyle. Phil wrote this piece for him. DB: Doug Boyle get It?
Phrygian Blues always made me cry when played in concert. Such an emotional piece.
And Open Sea! I know it is so named because the C string on the guitar is left open but it so feels like travelling at speed under sail on a glorious sunny day.
Slime Divas: Phil’s tribute to Miles Davies. You all got it, didn’t you? Slime Divas – Miles Davis.
Here it is, play it, enjoy it, download it.
