from Changing, released July 18, 2021
John Sage: music, lyrics. guitar, vocals.
Tine Nussbaum: cello

Recorded and mixed by Brian O'Shaunghessy at Bark Studio London

This sound recording is owned by BlackDogHat
© Copyright 2021 
All rights reserved.

Changing

Another Man

Previously released hit-single, here remixed and remastered for CD purpose. 

Music based on P. Tchaikovsky - The Seasons Op. 37, no. 6 "June: Barcarolle"

Betty studied classical piano. One evening she tried to learn this piece by Tchaikovsky over and over again, for hours on end.
Then, very tired, she went to bed.
The next morning, the structure and lyrics of the song suddenly came to her, along with this incredible bass line.

To this day, none of the bass players who have been involved with the Portobellos have been able to reproduce this bass line.

B.P.M.

Unique Remix 23

The music of "Sorrow & Pain" is inspired by the classical piano piece "Sonata for Piano No. 20 in A major, D 959" by Franz Schubert and is Betty's own arrangement.
Portobello Express will once again venture into the interpretation of a piano classic, as they did with 'Unique' - inspired by Tchaikovsky. One of Betty's favourite classical composers is the Austrian romantic Franz Schubert (1797-1828).
This piece is from the composer's last collection of sonatas, written in the last months of his life, between the spring and autumn of 1828. He died of siphilis at the age of 31.  
As so often in the past, 'Sorrow & Pain' was born from a bass line that Betty had dreamed up in the night after studying Sonata No. 20 the previous evening.

____________

LondonPeaky (find him on X @LondonPeaky) said: 

"For me, I absolutely love 'Sorrow & Pain' It's really got under my skin.
Upon hearing the first few seconds, I thought, "here we go, it's going to have a touch of goth..." 
How wrong I was, although I can imagine Siouxsie singing it. But then again, Grace Jones would also do it justice - in a kind of pre-war, Parisian La Vie en Rose style.
There's some blues floating in there ever so gently too. But the song is 'Betty's,' her vocals are a mix of strength and tenderness/vulnerability and I doubt there will be many better releases within the 'indie/unsigned' community this year"

MAL HALLETT (Transvisions Vamp/ Rotten Hill Gang) said:

"My initial impression is that it’s very Germanic, torch song and vaguely expressionistic"
___________________________________________________________________
released May 10, 2024
Bass, vocals, backing vocals: Happy Betty
Guitar: Patrick Slowhand
Guitar: Andy Abraham
Drums: Bertl Baumgartner

Words and Music by Happy Betty

A big shout out to Matthew for all the help, inspiration and friendship he has given me!

Arranged and produced by Happy Betty, Patrick Slowhand, Andy Abraham

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Andy Abraham at farbTon Studio,
© Vienna 2024

Copyright Ⓒ & ℗ 2024 Happy Betty

Sorrow & Pain

I don’t know where I am and then
Light, beckoning, its frozen embrace

So far away…

I feel it calling 
Tearing me 
From this life
Taking everything 
This distant cold light

Never ending In the dark
So cold and distant, its icy gaze

So far away...

I feel it calling
 Tearing me 
From this life
Taking everything 
This distant cold light

Tethered to mother
Let go

Can’t you see
I am not agony
I was sent to 
deliver you on high
My child of light

I feel it calling 
Breaking me 
From these chains
Changing everything 
This distant cold…

I feel it calling
Embracing me 
Freeing me 
From these chains
Changing everything 
This distant cold light

Cold Light

The sound of survival is running wild
Through these streets of decay
This evil city isn’t so pretty
When you’ve got nowhere to stay
The sound of survival no doubt will blind you,
So you just look away
In a state of denial your mind running wild
You can’t escape from the fear

Twilight’s descending over the city,
Evil’s out on the street
Don’t ask where I’m going ’cause I still don’t know yet,
Or what will become of me
My mind’s on fire burning with desire
Hoping that I’ll find my way
I hope I’ll be dreaming from the twilight’s last gleaming
Till the stroke of dawn

The sound of survival is running wild
In a world that’s gone mad
And deep in your mind you know that you won’t survive, girl,
If you don’t get away
So don’t get trapped here and you may escape from
A fate worse than death
Only the sound of survival, running wild,
Is left ringing in your ears


Scott Ferguson - Guitars, Bass, Drums, Vocals

Words and Music by Scott Ferguson
© ℗ 2024 ScottyDog Music International

June 23, 2024 - Released

Sound Of Survival

Mid tempo song written and arranged by John Hardman and co-produced with Gus Dudgeon

Life On A Wire

All For Love

a great tune by Chris Isaak. hope you enjoy my take on it

Wicked Ways

Through All The Beautiful Storms

The studio version always sounded too slow to me, so what did I do? I upped it by 10% and now it's the speed that I do it live. Also added a bit of delay and brightened things up but I did NOT remaster it. It sounds like the original, only...a little quicker!

Quicker_Than_The_Devil-(A Little Quicker)

Coming out of the archives, this unreleased track shows a slightly darker side to the Pixie Palace on all Hallow's Eve. 

I am super pleased that Nakedverse joins me in this spooky synth pop jam as we return for this wicked beat. 

Listen if you DARE! ;)

Shadow Steps

Another modular synth creation, expressing the beauty of nature with the sunshine & our connection with it.

Verdant Pulse

Vienna-based band Portobello Express are like a time portal into the golden age of the Psychedelic Heavy Blues Rock , exploring a sound that has its roots in the late 60s and early 70s and harnessing that era’s unique, raw energy whilst paying homage to their multicultural roots. “Portobello” is both a reference to London’s famed Portobello Road, the psychedelic mushrooms of the same name and singer Betty’s Italian heritage, whereas “Express” is a neat reference to “espresso” - an Italian staple - and trains and their sheer power. The band has evolved to become a force that reminds us what it was like when Psych & Heavy Rock were in their heyday, with a powerful stage presence that unites the room.

Unique Remix 23

Portobello Express

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