time in a hotel or the airport lounge. Outside music. Under the
stars and by the waves. Created as a passing partnership between myself
and a place. . . and when that partnership divides it becomes a silent memory. All about Water's Edge
"Many times in the past I have visited a place, a special
place and played some music... making up tunes and songs.. . different music.
Not the sounds of the clubs, festivals and the rock stage. Not the passing of
time in a hotel or the airport lounge. Outside music. Under the
stars and by the waves. Created as a passing partnership between myself
and a place. . . and when that partnership divides it becomes a silent memory.
Many times I have tried to get it back, taking the songs in my head to a recording studio near my home in Liverpool. Repeating line after line but always the vital partnership missing, the result sometimes dull and lifeless. An empty shell. So I would try to be my own partner and would bring in pianos, synthesisers, complex musical arrangements and try and try. Still the shell would be empty, though polished and shiny. Polished and shiny recordings but empty shells.
Water's Edge is different. I brought the studio to my
partner. My partner the sea, wind, insects and birds that make silence
impossible. I didn't want silence. The sessions were long but
pleasant. Sometimes a gust of wind overpowered a take and repositioning of a
microphone was necessary. A microphone taped to a palm tree or sticking out of
the sand. Sometimes folks walking on the beach got too close, sometimes
they came over and chatted. Once, the tide came in too close (wet feet)
After recording with my dulcimer close to the sea in Antigua, The Dominican Republic and Jamaica I had about forty takes to listen to. Listening was a joy because even though I was back in the Northwest of England as soon as the sea came through the speakers in my little home studio, I was back. Back with my partner. It was only then did I understand the rhythm of the sea. It beats time, it's own pace, but definite time. Listening back I realised that I had been unconsciously playing between the waves and phrasing my voice with the surf fizzling on the sand.. In other words I was playing in a duo.
I love those stark recordings and they take me back. I knew I had to add things to make these sessions accessible to ears that were not on that beach that night. I added sounds and layers and then took a lot away. Then I added more and took much away. You get my point. Every time I "went off on one" (the lap steel trip lasted two whole months) it left behind an addition and hopefully not a distraction. Sooner or later after twelve tracks and two years I had to say it was finished. It wasn't, but I was finished with it.
I played it to friends on their home hi fi's and in cars. A few friends really got into it. After a lay off of a couple of months I listened again. Re-mixed it and here it is. Don't forget, it isn't all my own work. If you ever walk across Dickinson Bay, Antigua close to the water's edge at sunset you'll know what I mean."
Martin Pleass 2006
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