The buzzing in the brain of new songs

Just having a couple of days off in Prague to see Genesis on their Turn it on Again tour. I'm hoping the band will do something to wipe the Invisible Touch era forever from my mind with a set which re-unifies the different eras. Hoping but not hopeful. If I get the chance I'll post a review of the gig on the English Electric Review site.

In the meantime, Sean has been checking out the mixes before we complete the album next week and Andy is working on some last minute additions to the songs (mainly some extra sound effects.)

As for me, I had a nice new song on the boil at home. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring a guitar or keyboard with me so I'm left with to trying to finish it off in my head. I do a lot of songwriting in my head, but it can become a bit irritating (like being locked in a room with an angry bee.) It can also make me seem very pre-occupied, and I do tend to drift off in the middle of sentences. Not a very sociable activity, songwriting.

Studio tan

A couple of 12 hour days in the studio and different parts of our personalities start to come to the fore. For example, Andy, who can be a bit of a worrier when preparing for the mixing , becomes horizontally laid back during the later phases of the studio sessions. He just ends up sitting there with a beatific grin on his face as if he hasn't a care in the world.

We are just finishing a second (and hopefully final) mix of Perfect Cosmic Storm and I'd recorded a new guitar section in our own studio after doing the first mix (we're still recording right up to the wire on this album.) This new part needed to be transferred onto the computer in Rob's studio so it could be included in the mix.

Just as the mix is nearing completion, Andy's voice pipes up from the sofa:

'I'm just wondering where that new guitar part is.'

I turn round. 'Where is it?'

'It's around somewhere.'

'Well, where? Have you left it in the other studio?' My voice suggests the suppression of a rising tide of panic.

Andy beckons towards a portable computer drive 'It's probably on that big hard drive.'

And he smiles the unflappable smile.

Last few days of mixing

Back in the studio and almost there now - just getting the first mixes of Summer's Lease and Salt Water together and doing the snagging list for Pick Up If You're There and Perfect Cosmic Storm.

It's all sounding rather good and we can't wait to get the album released. Some long extracts from two of the songs (about 20 minutes' worth) will be available for free download from the website from early July.

Rob is also busy with the new IQ album at the moment and Martin Orford popped in this morning. IQ are due to finish their album in September and I hear that there will be at least one epic song on there.

Better get back to the music now, my favourite bit in Salt Water is coming up.

Greg

ps - before I go, should leave you with a couple of Rob's quotes from today:

"I'd like to scoop some shit out of the way." Meaning my guitar parts.

And, after I enquired whether I needed to adjust my technique on one of the parts:

"I think you need to stop playing."

Two members of BBT vapourised by stage explosion

I like this illuminating photo of Spock's Beard sound check. Sean and Andy observe.

Spock's Beard at the Mean Fiddler

Four members of the BBT team converged on London last Sunday for the Spock's Beard gig. It was a splendid show and Nick, Dave, Alan and Ryo are very fine fellows indeed. It was also a pleasure to meet Chris Squire, who was in attendance as Ryo's guest, and a number of Big Big Train supporters.

Rob Aubrey was the sound engineer for the gig and kindly played Perfect Cosmic Storm and Pick Up if You're There as the pre-gig music. Greg's photographs above show Nick D'Virgilio silhouetted under spotlight at the afternoon sound check, Rob Aubrey (also in silhouette) in his cage during the show, Rob and Andy deep in conversation about the size of the knobs on Rob's mixing desk, Ryo Okumoto and Nick sharing a serious moment during the gig, and Alan Morse and Dave Meros in full flight.

Cover artwork for the Difference Machine

We're just sorting out the cover design at the moment. Here are the two main images which will be on the booklet, the lower image is Perfect Cosmic Storm by Jim Trainer and the other one is The Difference Machine by Andy Poole.

My Space pages

For those of a My Space persuasion, there are some new photos on the Big Big Train My Space page:

Big Big Train My Space page

Jim Trainer, our official artist, now has a My Space page dedicated to his artwork for Big Big Train. Jim's page has artwork for past and future releases and is well worth a visit:

Jim Trainer's Big Big Train Artwork page

Our gregarious singer, Sean Filkins, now has his own page at:

Sean Filkins My Space page

And our eccentric drummer, Steve Hughes, has his space at:

Steve Hughes My Space page

Still mixing...

We should finish the first mix of Perfect Cosmic Storm - the longest and most difficult song on the album - tomorrow.

We hoped to finish yesterday, but ran out of time. We were still hopeful at 9pm (an hour before the studio closes) when Rob leant back in his chair and said:

'We've got a long fucking way to to go with this track, I can tell you.'

So, tomorrow it is then.

Heathaze with Mellotron

Somebody added Mellotron to Genesis' Heathaze - and quite right too! Check this out:

Heathaze with Mellotron by Andy Kinch

Mixing the pudding

We're currently in the studio, mixing the fruits of our labours into what will hopefully be a very enjoyable and interesting album.

The songs have been through a number of phases: firstly, tiny unformed ideas, captured on a mini-disc player, then the construction stage, where I try to get a group of ideas into the foundations of a song which is recorded as a demo, which then evolves into a work in progress as drums, bass, voclas and other parts are developed and recorded. Finally, when nothing more of value can be changed or added, it is time to mix.

Mixing is a very skilled and painstaking job. At this stage all of our creative work, broken down into its various elements, is exposed to the scrutiny of a fresh and highly trained set of ears. Generally speaking, we'll sit in the background while Rob Aubrey works on Pro-Tools. This is detailed work: Rob may spend an hour sorting out, for example, the reverb setting on an individual floor tom.

Occasionally we'll get to a section where Rob expresses reservations about what we're trying to achieve. In Pick Up If You're There, for example, there is a short section with a bit of a Steely Dan / Van Der Graaf influence, where a number of different instruments seem to be doing there own things. Rob heard this bit, turned around and said:

'It's a fucking mess.'

'It needs some careful mixing' I ventured.

'It's a fucking mess' he said.

Our involvement becomes more crucial as the mix gets closer to the final version. After agreeing on a mix, the recordings are taken away and listened to in various environments before final changes are made.

The pictures show Rob and Andy at yesterday's mixing session.

Greg

Jem Godfrey of Frost

Just wanted to say many thanks to Jem Godfrey for mentioning us on his weblog:

Jem Godfrey Weblog

Jem very kindly states that:

'I've been quietly keeping an eye, these last few years, on a band called Big Big Train Check out the Salt Water edit on their MyMurdoch page. I think they could be this year's dark horses prog wise. I really hope so.'

Jem's progressive rock band, Frost, released an excellent album, Milliontown, last year.

Milliontown

Jem is an Ivor Novello award winner and has written and produced several number one singles.

Greg
BBT

Pete Trewavas

A photo of Pete Trewavas recording Pick Up If You're There, from the new BBT album, The Difference Machine.

Dave Meros

Dave Meros plays bass on Perfect Cosmic Storm on The Difference Machine

The Difference Machine

Poster for the new album. Artwork by Jim Trainer.

About The Difference Machine

We're just putting the finishing touches to the new album and all recording work will be completed by the end of this month.

At the present time, the track listing is:

Hope This Finds You
Perfect Cosmic Storm
Breathing Space
Pick Up If You're There
From the Wide Open Sea
Salt Water
Summer's Lease

This is, of course, subject to change, but is likely to be the final order of things.

We have edited together some parts of one of the songs, Salt Water, to give a little taster and this can be downloaded from our My Space page.

Don't worry if it sounds disjointed - it's a longer song edited down to five minutes.

We'll announce a release date and pre-order deals as soon as we have details.

Recording The Difference Machine

Rob Aubrey, Andy Poole and Nick D'Virgilio at Aubitt Studios.

Nick D'Virgilio - The Difference Machine

Nick D'Virgilio from Spocks Beard joins BBT for two songs on the new album. This is a picture of him at Aubitt Studios.

Steve Hughes - The Difference Machine

A photo of Steve at Aubitt studios, recording Salt Water for the new album.

Sean Filkins - recording The Difference Machine

A new photo of Sean adding the finishing touches to one of our new songs, Pick Up If You're There.

New website design, new weblog and new My Space site

Dear all,

Thank you for visiting our site. We hope you enjoy the new design which includes this weblog, making it easier for the band to provide more regular updates than previously.

As well as the improved website, we have also set up a My Space page which provides some additional features to our home site including free downloads of songs from the Gathering Speed release and a taster from the new album, The Difference machine. Our My Space site is at:
www.myspace.com/wwwmyspacecombigbigtrain

You won’t be able to access it if you’re not a My Space member, but it’s easy to sign up and it’s free (and My Space is also a lot of fun, in a dumb sort of way.)

Gregory Spawton

BBT
BBT My Space website (Link to BBT My Space website)
Oceansize My Space website (Link to Oceansize My Space website)
Mew My Space website (Link to Mew My Space website)