Haul Away Joe

Closing the album with a lilting, Caledonian vibe, Absent Friends is a song from the heart. It's for all those friends not with us, or long distant. The main message of the verses is to make the most of life while you can, and that we shouldn't take for granted how much of the world is open to us.

Since this is the last song, here's a few studio facts from recording Absent Friends: Rockfield Studios has an awesome drum room, with wooden panels that can either be opened or left flat against the walls to create roomier sound. We wanted the drums to sound big for Absent Friends, so went with the roomiest setup we could. In a typical show of rock excess we also switched between two different snare drums, with a tight piccolo snare for the brushes, and James's usual snare for when the sticks come in.

For the "pipe and drum" section of the song, we gave the bodhran its only outing of the album, then pitch shifted it down to the depths. Bob and Joe's grandad was a Pipe Major in the Scots Guards, so we had a lot to live up to with that section!

Alex's guitar solo is one of the only things on the whole album that we overdubbed later on (at a secret location we can't mention). It's a Fender Strat through a bonkers amp built in the style of an old TV (called the TV Tone or Teletone?). We had it cranked pretty high so Joe had to hold the valves in place to stop them from rattling during the takes!

Sail Pattern

Absent Friends

For all its faults, our home town of Halifax holds a very strong place in our hearts. It's where we met, grew up and spent most of our adolescence honing our musical skills throughout school and between terms at university.

However, anyone from a northern post-industrial town will understand that growing up there has it's challenges. This song reflects some of the more difficult times we've all faced trying to find work, places to play, places to live etc. but ultimately has a positive message that you can succeed wherever you've come from. It's a reminder to be proud of your roots, which we certainly are!

All The Way From Nowhere

Fast becoming one of our favourite songs, York draws inspiration from the history of Richard the Third who fell at the battle of Bosworth, his downfall having been prophesised after he caught his spur crossing a bridge on the way to the battle. This track is represented by the white rose, symbol of the house of York and also of our home county.

The song also references how much the writings of Richard's Tudor contemporaries has swayed our perceptions of these historical events. After all, history is written by the victors.

York

The Good Light

Spanish Ladies

Based on the English folk song, which was famously recorded by Steeleye Span, we've recorded Hard Times of England.

The end of the song is our own. Things can get better, if we make them!

Hard Times of England

Point of No Return

Folk rock, but not as you know it. Seven Years is the latest EP from Sail Pattern, featuring English folk songs with a unique twist, and original songs with a traditional storytelling feel.

Hard Times Of Old England (A Better Land)

Wonky's

The Chemical Worker's Song (Process Man)

Rio Grande

The title track Seven Years is based on the true story of my namesake, a young Joseph Alderson (no relation) who in 1836 was caught allegedly stealing a handkerchief in London. He was put on trial at the Old Bailey, convicted on some pretty spurious evidence and sentenced to 7-years transportation for his crime. Shipped off to Tasmania aboard the Royal Sovereign, he carried out hard labour at the notorious Port Arthur prison, before finally earning his freedom and settling down in Australia. He met his wife, had kids, and I bet there are a few Aldersons in Australia now who might be related. A lot of prisoners never made it out of the horrible conditions they were kept in, and it took a lot of research to figure out what had happened to him, including delving through Aussie records. I was researching this as I wrote the song and didn't know that it had a happy ending until I'd written a couple of verses! It's essentially a transportation ballad, but a modern take on one.

Seven Years

High Germany

The Sail Pattern offer up a raucous broadside of folk, encompassing original work, plus new arrangements of shanties and other traditional songs. We love playing live, and breathing new life into near forgotten songs!
	
We share a passion for folk music and have gigged relentlessly delivering energetic and memorable performances. With an ever increasing repertoire of home spun melodies and our own arrangements of traditional songs The Sail Pattern always put everything into our music, whether it's recording or our live shows.

The Sail Pattern sampler "Hold Fast" is now available at thesailpattern.bandcamp.com or for the full CD come see us at a gig and pick one up!


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