S01 E09: Abbey Road Studios
One night, in Bristol, after Simon had supported The Fall with a 3-piece band called The Weeds, Mark E Smith asked Simon to join the band. Smith gave Si a contract on the back of a fag packet! After Simon had done a few gigs with The Weeds, he ended up getting spotted by Mark E Smith from The Fall. Also on tour, Mark signed Simon up at a gig in Bristol. In this episode, we join Si outside the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Simon is there to visit his friend Andy Rourke at Abbey Road Studios, where his new band Blitz Vega are recording. He reminisces about the sessions that took place here when he first joined the Fall in the summer of 1986 for the Bend Sinister album. Abbey Road Studios bring back many great memories for Si in The Fall. At a beautiful time of year, the band would be chauffeur driven to Abbey Road Studios from Swiss Cottage. The Fall recorded several records with world famous producer, John Leckie (Lennon, Pink Floyd, The Stone Roses). Leckie actually began work at Abbey Road Studios on 15 February 1970 as a tape operator. He later graduated to balance engineer and record producer. With the studio clock ticking and in true rock n roll fashion, Mark E Smith would often turn up hours late for each session! He would rubbish the work John Leckie and the band had made in his absence. He disliked modern recording techniques, often kicking mics away from drums, preferring the live sound over a U2-sounding rock track! There was always the energetic power of Studio Two and Mark obviously fought well to get his sound just as he wanted it. The Bend Sinister album was the band’s ninth offering. It was a recording period that Smith would later describe as the band’s glory years. A period in which The Fall’s commercial success was matching the brilliance of their song writing. The music seemed to perfectly echo a certain mood of the time.
Season One of The X Generation brings you key moments in a musical career that have influenced some of the greatest Manchester bands of all time. Credits: Digital Blanket | Video Chain Producers: James Delargy | John Steven Locke | Simon Wolstencroft
Season One of The X Generation includes: Simon Wolstencroft, The Smiths, The Stone Rose, The Weeds, The Fall, Johnny Marr, Ian Brown, James Delargy, John Steven Locke, Video Chain, Digital Blanket, The Clash, Bankrobber, Granby Row, Manchester, Manchester Apollo, Pluto Studios, Keith Hopkins, Derek ‘Lek’ Leckenby, Herman’s Hermits, Rafters Club, The Patrol, Altrincham Grammar, Abbey Road, Wembley, John Squire, Dunham Massey Village Hall, Apsley Cottage, Ray Winstone, There’s a Ghost in my House, Pluto, Granby Row, Rafters Club, Andy Rourke, Freak Party, The Vine Pub, Morrissey, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Suffer Little Children, Decibelle Studios, Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Ancoats, Salford, Terry Hall, The Specials, Fun Boy Three, The Tube, The Colourfield, ABC, Prefab Sprout, Corbières Wine Bar, The Weeds, Andrew Berry, The Happy Mondays, Anthony H Wilson, Tony Wilson, The Mondays, The Woodthorpe Pub, Prestwich, Andy Rourke, Blitz Vega, Bend Sinister, Bridgewater House, The Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, I Am Kurious Oranj, Edinburgh, Michael Clark & Company, I Am Curious, Orange, hoi polloi, The Harlequin Pub, Kevin Rowland, Dexys Midnight Runners, buzzing, The Haçienda, Noel Gallagher, Harry S. Fairhurst, India House, Whitworth Street, The Haçienda, Cog Sinister Records, The Harp & Shamrock, New Mount Street, The Inspiral Carpets, Carl Douglas, Kung Fu Fighting, Broadway, NY, legend, Barry White, New York baby, New York, Love Unlimited Orchestra, George Washington, Lisa Stansfield, Divide and Rule, Karl Burns, Golden Gaze, SARM Studios, Basing Street, Notting Hill, Chris Blackwell, Island Records, Basing Street Studios, Island Studios, Borehamwood, Elstree Studios, BBC, TOTP, Top Of The Pops, Grange Hill, Tina Turner, Bryan Adams, Sterophonics, Jez Kerr, The Family Bizarre, Wembley Stadium, The G.O.D.
