The Weston Sessions, Vol.IV - Electric BoogaLou.
This is an album of completely improvised guitar duets.
We figured it was about time we made an electric instrumental album, so we have.
We loaded our 3 Hamstead amps and more guitars than was necessary into Lou’s place, plugged into one each and shared the middle one. No pedals though, just the reverb and tremolo in the amps.
Lou made everything look good, as he always does, then we worked through our collection of guitars - Gordon Smith, Macpherson, Frank Brothers, Cromwell, Gibson and Rees.
As you can imagine, it was no fun whatsoever...
*THERE IS STILL NO SINGING ON THIS RECORD.*
As with Vol.I and Vol.II, there was no discussion of what we were going to play before we played it, and this is everything we recorded on the day, in the order that we recorded it.
We made this record on the 9th October 2020. It was a bit cold to do anything outside, so we lit a fire and decided to record in Lou’s flat.
Before we get into that, who is Lou? If you’ve seen a picture of us anywhere, the chances are that Lou took it. He and Ben have been friends for over 20 years, and he has been our photographer and lighting designer since before we started playing together. We even listed him as our spiritual advisor on our first album. He’s a great friend of ours, and he doesn’t mind us turning up to make a racket in his house from time to time, which is very nice of him, and we really appreciate it, and him.
His flat used to be the kitchen of Weston Hall, and has the original parquet floor, a fireplace, and a wonderful high ceiling and big windows for lots of natural light. It is also the home to Biba, his faithful hound, who also tolerates us disturbing her sleep on regular occasions.
Lewis Howell - @Cant_Argue_with_Nature
The Weston Sessions Vol.II - The Woods
LIMITED EDITION (50) SIGNED AND
NUMBERED CDs AVAILABLE NOW!
CLICK HERE
***There is no singing on this record.*** (But you know that now...)
We made this record on the 10th August 2020. It was a Thursday, and it was HOT. We nearly set up to record in meadow, but even in the shade of an old oak tree, with no breeze it was just too damn hot, so we decamped to the woods...
As with the last recordings, there was no discussion of what we were going to play before we played it, and this is everything we recorded that day, in the order that we recorded it.
To be honest, it wasn't much cooler in the woods. But it was in the shade of the old oaks, and there was a small breeze to keep us from getting too hot. Although it was really humid, and there were a lot of wasps. Jimmy got stung by a wasp. (I think it was during track two.) We suffer for our art. ;-) There are also guest appearances by various birds, cows, flies, and the aforementioned wasps, who make a particularly noticeable appearance to those listening on headphones on more than one occasion.
We were having fun. We played a bit of ragtime. We also played our first ever game of what we've named 'Tuning Roulette'
Let me explain the rules - TUNING ROULETTE
1. Turn each tuning peg a few turns in a random direction WITHOUT listening to the string. As many as you dare.
2.Tune each string to the nearest 'true' note
3.WITHOUT PLAYING THROUGH THE STRINGS OR WORKING ANYTHING OUT
Hit record and then release the track on an album. It's track six, by the way.
You can tell by the way we wish each other luck at the start.
Yet again, thanks to our great, talented friend, photographer and lighting designer, Lewis Howell, who made it possible, and took yet another beautiful cover shot for us.
We'll do CDs again, but in the meantime, check it out on Spotify and all other places on the internet.
We have so much fun making recordings, and we're so pleased that people like listening to us just doing what we do. It means a lot, Thank You.
Ben & Jimmy
***There is no singing on this record.***
Not a word.
There is a lot of guitar playing though - this is an album of improvised acoustic guitar duets.
There was no discussion of what we were going to play before we played it, and this is everything we recorded that day, in the order that we recorded it.
But, this is what we do. It’s what we’ve always done. When we’re waiting around, drinking coffee, writing songs; when we’re backstage, at soundchecks, between sets, after gigs, in hotel rooms, when we’re waiting for trains and sleeping in airports.
We play.
Lockdown had been the first time since we met, 5 years ago, when we hadn’t been able to do that for an extended period of time, and it’s fair to say that we both missed it.
So we’ve decided that now we’re allowed to, (and following our impeccable business sense) we want to make improvised instrumental guitar records in interesting, great sounding spaces, and it seemed apt to start with…
Weston Park - The Squash Court.
The squash court is where we recorded our first demos. It was built at some time in the 1920s or 1930s, has huge, high ceilings, the original parquet floor, and amazing natural reverb. (There is no added reverb on these recordings, it’s all from the room mics)
At sunset on a good day, like when we made these recordings, the light filters through the trees in front of the building and spreads flickering shadows of the leaves on the side wall of the court, as the slim shafts of light between them spotlight the dust in the air. It’s the kind of room that makes it seem like every note you play can last as long as you want it to.
Yet again, thanks to our great, talented friend, photographer and lighting designer, Lewis Howell, who made it possible.
We hope you enjoy listening to these recordings as much as we enjoyed making them. We’re going to keep doing it either way, but you know, it helps if people listen ;-)
*By the way, if, for some unfathomable reason acoustic guitar jams aren’t your thing, DON’T WORRY! - We’re still writing and singing songs with ‘proper’ tunes and words, and will be getting back into the studio to record them as soon as we can. ;-)
Available now for streaming or digital download from pretty much everywhere you can. (If enough people really want CDs we might do a limited run...)
