Had to get in a little earlier than usual as we had Sally(string arranger and violinist) and her husband Ian (cellist) coming in to put strings on "Last Words". Mike Hedges (producer of some of the man who, and some the boy with no name) introduced us to Sally while we were making the man who. She played on writing to reach you and did the arrangement on slideshow and has been a godsend on many occasions since.
Her and Ian played beautifully today and came up with some fantastic parts for the song. The whole thing just came together and lifted off.
We also got them to sprinkle a little magic on "song to self". Not too much mind. Just a little of that. It's powerful medicine. This is all getting very exciting you know.
After Ian and Sally left we started on "Friends". This is the last backing track to do before the overdubs start in earnest. We have to hold fire on tracking "Before You Were Young" as the gong doesn't arrive until monday.
"Friends" is a rather lovely thing and has to be played in a very laid back fashion. It sounds a little uptight until Franny comes up with the direction. "Think the doors". We do. And it works a treat.
I think we may even leave it overdub free. Just a pure performance. After dinner i have a very nice chat with Alex from the arctic monkeys, who are in the studio across the hall. Lovley fella.
Franny decides he is in the mood to sing and let's rip on "Chinese Blues". Two takes and a quite extraordinary vocal is in place. Andy puts on a good hooky guitar and then the three of us pile in to do a bunch of backing vocals. Emery does a quick rough mix and I have to say spines are tingling all around.
We move on to "Long Way Down" around midnight. F does 4 takes of the vocal with me and Andy waiting in the wings to put backing vocals on at the same time. This is a throat shredder for Franny and involves perhaps one of the most blood curdling screams on record. Sitting in the room while he's doing it I'm reminded how loud his voice is. Frightening.
We eventually call it a night around 1.30 and leave the song on the reels so that Claes can put his piano solo on in the morning.
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