Bob speaks to us on the recording process of Head First.

Q: Bob, tell us about "Head First" ...

 

A: Well, the album is about to be released officially on Snapper Records soon, along with a huge number of bonus tracks, and it represents the realization of many efforts (and the overcoming of many problems) over a long period of time.  Listening to the tracks now and bearing in mind the circumstances, I think that we achieved a remarkable standard.  Remember that this came around the height of the band's problems, everyone was in a precarious state of mind.  We had next to no time to get everything together.  Joey was confident in a new direction away from the band, and had decided that he didn't want to take part.

 

The big thing we lacked was time but we had a job to do and we got on with it.  The band worked on a very democratic basis (and no leader emerged), each of us making suggestions as and when.

Despite all the surrounding pressures, we kind of worked in a bubble and the atmosphere in the studio was convivial and relaxed between us all, and I think that it shows in the finished product. In some ways the making of the album was a focus, a kind of escape from all of the other problems outside.  In between sessions, we would all go to the pub around the corner and just relax.

 

I can remember the studio pretty well. I played the house grand piano, situated bottom left as you walked in. The Hammond was at the top end, far right, with a Leslie that I got into the back of to crank up the preamp.  I also used a couple of synths.  One was a Solina - a string machine that was polyphonic!!  Believe me, that was a big deal in those days, and so was my ARP Odyssey. This had two ( yes, two !!) oscillators and about a two-octave keyboard and, generally, was only capable of playing one note at a time.  It did have one or two tricks up its sleeve though, including a powerful wind / surf effect that had come in handy for "Give it up" on the earlier Man tour. 

 

Against the odds the boys came through.  It was a productive and, when we were busy, happy time.  Too bad that circumstances overtook us and (of course, the biggest regret), that this was to be Pete's last album.  There was so much still to do...

 

Anyway, go and have a listen - the album still stands up and it's the missing piece of the jigsaw - a little piece of history, really.      

Bob J