 Tha apocalyptic wall of sound you hear here is Chris Watts playing an acoustic  mandolin through a Vox AC30 turned up to 11. We blew the tweeter out of one studio speaker in the process. They were not best pleased!

Producer Tim Bradshaw made me play this acoustic guitar part over and over again until I did it in time - then we double tracked it and then we added a capo part - the results speak for themselves so thanks Tim.

Steve Creese drummed on this track and here pulls off a stunning one-handed buzz roll which was the nemesis of many a drummer I have worked with since. I was thrilled to have Steve playing because he had been in one of my fave bands World Party and also drummed on Julian Cope's WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH LP. So dedicated was he to his art that he carried a stop-watch around his neck to make sure that he put in a certain amount of drumming every day. He started and stopped said timepiece each take.

Here you get to hear the backing vocals in all their glory performed by Eva who at the time had a band called Eva-Lution. I've lost touch with Eva who was a great singer and songwriter - if you're out there say "hi".

"Valentine" Track notes & credits:

Words and Music by David Fisher

"Valentine" started out as a clumpy Tom Waits-style blues until drummer Steve Creese (Julian Cope / Thrashing Doves / Fat Lady Sings / Tom Robinson Band / The Lotus Eaters) and producer Tim Bradshaw (David Gray / John Mayer Band) transformed it into a sparkling 6/8 masterpiece during sessions in a Clapham attic studio.

Chris Alchin - Piano
Tim Bradshaw - String Sequencing
Steve Creese - Drums
Eva - Backing Vocals
David Fisher - Lead Vocal, Acoustic Guitars
Dermot Lynch - Bass
Chris Watts - Electric Guitar, Mandolin
Simon Woodham - Accordion

Produced by Tim Bradshaw

Engineered by Ben Hillier

Recorded at Falconer 2, Camden

Mixed at Eden, Chiswick

Cover Photography: Lucy Ashdown

Design: Chris Watts


Valentine

My name is David Fisher. I'm a singer-songwriter from South London in the UK. I am a music addict. Say "hi" if you like my stuff. Favourite artists list too long for here but includes (in no particular order): Beatles, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Patti Smith, Slade, Waterboys, Paul Weller, Elvis, Kinks, Doors, Who, Monkees,  Zappa, T Rex, Chuck Berry, Sinatra, Rickie Lee Jones, Ink Spots, Velvet Underground, Hendrix, Roy Wood, Serge Gainsbourg, Prince, Sex Pistols, Yoko Ono, Marvin Gaye, Smiths, Van Morrison, Iggy Pop, Tiny Tim, Bauhaus, Mano Negra, James Brown, Traffic, Perfect Children, Mungo Jerry, Peter Bruntnell, Kate Bush, Talking Heads, Jacques Brel, Jonathan Richman, Violent Femmes, Beach Boys, Faces, Mary Hopkin, Byrds, Spygenius, Neil Young, Captain Beefheart, Sly & the Family Stone, Carole King, Manfred Mann, James Taylor, XTC, Dick Gaughan, Turtles, King Crimson, Lulu, Small Faces, Flanders and Swann, Pixies, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Thin Lizzy, Pretty Things, Midnight Oil, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder,Hank Williams, Grateful Dead, Hollies, Television, Ornette Coleman, Isaac Hayes, Mott the Hoople, Seekers, Simon & Garfunkel, Stray Cats, Betty Boo, Zombies, Lovin' Spoonful, Mountain

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David Fisher

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David Fisher

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