Love any cut with Maurice White.  He was a true genius and is missed.

Who's decision was it to drop the key on the final cut?

Welcome to the feathered brotherhood who join me today for Episode 47 of the Radio Owlsnest syndicated blockbuster world dominating songwriter podcast series … Ahhh - not really.  In truth, it’s remained an intimate, small, close knit village concern which has been lovely for me to host over the last few years.  So thank you to you “OwlHeads” who have given me your ears so consistently and graciously.

 I’ll start proceedings off by playing a very rare demo I wrote with fine female lyricist Terry Cox, which surprised me how ‘Elton John’ it sounded after all these years.  I was beginning to write with Bernie Taupin at that time and I think the aesthetic was rubbing off on me a little.  Dusting this demo off after all these years was illuminating to me.

I’ll spin a track I’m preparing for volume 3 of my, “The Poetry of Collisions” demo/odds and sods compilation series/releases; a song title that refers to the suffering-laden cyclic nature of death and reincarnation - no beginning no end … Bugger me, that sounds heavy and fun!  But have no fear my friends, my song relates to a beautiful woman and lover.

And it’s my great pleasure to play a track in progress - an unheard song I was writing with the great Wang Chung man Jack Hues.  I was watching the Beatles, “Get Back” documentary recently (again), and was fascinated at how Paul McCartney conjured up the song, “Get Back”, from nowhere; It made me remember a track I was writing with Jack - how we were creating it ‘live’ and organically on the spot.  It’s called “Big Cathedral” and it’s a great track we never finished; I’ll play you it’s very birth, warts and all.  It’s a great illustration of how inspiration hits as you jam - improvise - perform.

My motivational talk this month is about just that, ‘Motivation’!  What motivated me to be a songwriter?  What drove me on,  what inspired me to dig deep and to make my dream materialize;  what made me never give in when disappointment reigned - what was the essence of my desire.  I think a few of you budding song crafters out there might find this section of the show a touch interesting.

Scurrying around the dark song archives, I found a terrific demo I wrote and recorded with the mighty Clif Magness, a track eventually recorded by Eric Martin for a movie soundtrack.  It’s hard to believe it’s an 8 track analog demo - such is Clif’s magnificent production values and lead singing.  Sometimes the demo beats the master!

And amongst other ditties from my demo song vaults, I’ll play a brand new song I’ve just finished for a forthcoming solo album I’m preparing.  I’m very proud of this new piece - it has a personal psychological spirit about it ... I hope you like it.

It’s time for you to become an “OwlHead” again.
Settle back - enjoy the show.
Martin 🦉

Radio Owlsnest Episode 47 - On Air with Martin Page

Hello my lovely “Fowlheads” - I mean “OwlHeads” (I didn’t mean to offend you).  We’re back for another journey into my deep song archives.  I’m quite amazed how many rarities are still to be found in the dusty vaults ... and I start the show by playing a movie song I wrote way back in the day, which for the life of me, I can’t recall what bloody blockbuster I wrote it for!  I just know it was for a Jerry Bruckheimer film, so I had to have explosions in the song every 30 seconds or so.

I’ll spin a song I wrote with Bernie Taupin that helped land him his solo recording deal with RCA records in the 80s.  There are terrific John Mellencamp vibes to be found here.  When Bernie’s solo album, “Tribe”, came out, it eventually appeared as a B-side for a single release.

And I can’t resist playing you a Gaelic/Celtic-tinged demo from the naughty 90s that espouses the thrill of returning home to one’s birthright country - in this case, the Bonny highlands of Scotland.  I was thinking Rod Stewart, Simple Minds, Big Country when I began this unfinished ditty.

While scouring the bounced files of my overused studio computer, I found a pre-mix of a track featured on my 2008 solo album, “In the Temple Of The Muse” - a song called “Try”.  I’ll play it here to illustrate the subtle nuances of how a song I’m producing makes its final journey towards being the “Master”.

And I touch up a favorite song of mine with added new percussion, drum and bass guitar overdubs.  I love the process of “re-painting/re-visualizing” an old song of mine.  I want to share its new visage with you here.

And bugger me, I bring back the “Martin Page Quiz” on this month’s episode.  I’ll be asking you six incredibly hard questions about my musical career.  If you get at least four of these right, well then you are truly a divine “OwlHead” of mighty countenance!

I’ll spin a track that promotes tolerance, empathy and open-mindedness: As Shakespeare once said, “Un Sex Me”….

And, as I sometimes absolutely adore to do, I’ll play a brand new fresh spanking track that’s in the making as we speak.  A song called “Dearest Hope”, wherein I imagine “hope” as an old, wise, world-weary man who has gone missing from the long suffering community.  When he eventually returns, tired and with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he’s welcomed with desperate open arms and hearts.  For hope … is life’s victory.

So join old man Hope by the fire for a while and throw away those cares and tribulations.  It’s time to fly away with the “OwlHeads”.
Martin x 🦉

Radio Owlsnest Episode 48 - On Air with Martin Page

A Radio Owlsnest Halloween Special - The Making Of “Ghostbusters” With Martin Page and Brian Fairweather.

I had only been in LA for two weeks with my “Q.Feel” songwriting partner, Brian Fairweather, when we unexpectedly found ourselves in a valley studio with Ray Parker, Jr., recording the iconic smash, “Ghostbusters”!  We’d gone to Ray’s studio to say hello and present ourselves as songwriters when - out of the blue - we suddenly found ourselves playing on a track he’d just-that-minute written for a movie … Brian on electric guitar and me on a cheap Synthesizer.  What was this strange thing we were contributing musical parts to - what the hell did “Ghostbusters” mean?  We hadn’t planned for this at all …

Ray went to lunch and said, “you guys just do your thing; I’ll be back later”.  So, for two hours, we laid down overdubs on this strange creature of a song.  Ray came back from lunch, loved what we had played, and a few weeks later the song was number one in the American charts and the movie Ghostbusters was becoming an instant classic.  Both Brian and I didn’t know what had hit us … or quite what had just happened; it was a whirlwind of the strangest, but most wondrous kind.

So, to honor Halloween, Brian and I got together to record this Radio Owlsnest podcast special, “The Making of Ghostbusters”.  We attempted to remember the details of that odd day when we went innocently along to introduce ourselves to the great Ray Parker, Jr. as young songwriters, and ended up somehow being musicians and improvising on one of the most renowned and loved hits of our time. It’s a crazy, bizarre story, but that’s perfect for Halloween, isn’t it?

Enjoy!
Martin and Brian.

A Radio OwlsNest Special - The Making Of Ghostbusters

Greetings oh feathered beauties!  I am back with more hidden bounty from my ancient song archives.  More rare demos, sonic experiments and even a brand new track will hopefully charm your “OwlHead” ears.

It was wonderful to work back in the day with the fine singer/songwriter/guitarist Hamish Stuart of the iconic band, “The Average White Band”.  I’ll start off the show by playing you a track we wrote together that became a single for his band, “Easy Pieces”; A cool psychedelic soul number that I now think was somewhat influenced by the “Prince” aesthetic.  Of course, Hamish went on to work with Paul McCartney and is now presently with Ringo Starr … so it was lovely to discover and spin this little gem from our past.

For the songwriters out there, I’ll play two demos I was working on with Robbie Williams - two rough home demos of the same idea, which illustrates quite well how I develop a concept.  I think you’ll find it very interesting how my demos were presented and constructed for Robbie … to inspire and encourage him to engage and develop an idea with me.

And here’s a treasure for all Jack Hues (Wang Chung) fans:  I’ll play the cassette demo of a song we were writing together for his (so far) unreleased renowned solo album  “The Anatomy Lesson”.  It’s a very, very COOL track … and, although we are loosely jamming and it’s just rough and ready, the potential of this song is self evident.

Because the re-ignition of the “Pagey Quiz” lit up the internet and caused traffic to stop during last month’s episode, I will be asking you three more incredibly hard brain curdling “Pagey” questions.  These are conundrums from which I believe even the most wise OwlHead will cower away - fearing that investigating these questions could cause neural problems.  Beware - approach with extreme caution.

I’ll spin a terrific London-recorded demo - a song I wrote and performed with Brian Fairweather that Kim Carnes eventually heard and recorded on her album, “Cafe Racers”.  It became “Fairweather/Page’s” first top ten adult/contemporary hit in America … and listening to it today, I’m very proud of the Doobie Brothers/Pointer Sisters swing and irresistible groove we achieved on this particular demo.

I always like to include a new song I’ve just written if I can on these shows, and I’m happy this month to present a song called, “How”.  I hope you like it and that it speaks to you.

Bloody hell, this is the penultimate episode 49, we are nearly at the final 50th show; who would have thought, “I’d ever get my feet this far”. 🦉

Enjoy.
Martin X

Radio Owlsnest Episode 49 - On Air With Martin Page

“The Wreckless Eric 1980 Sessions” - A Radio Owlsnest Special.

I’ve been wanting to record this show for a very long time, and after re-mastering some precious vintage cassette demos, I feel the time is right to tell the story of working with iconic punk legend “Wreckless Eric” in 1980. Along with my songwriting partner of that period, Brian Fairweather, the three of us wrote and demoed 6 brand new cracking songs for a potential Wreckless Eric album to be released on the infamous Stiff records. The demos were recorded in my little London bedsit flat on a rudimentary analog 4 track tape machine set-up - as raw and primitive as you could imagine … but I believe these tracks have a very special undeniable power about them that reflect the zeitgeist of that era. And Wreckless (Eric Goulden) was in fine form lyrically and vocally on these (up to this point, never heard or released) extremely rare demos. We wrote and recorded these songs over a frantic period of three weeks in my minuscule bedsit featuring Brian on multiple guitars and effects and backing vocals, me on bass guitar and sparse keyboards and backing vocals, and Eric on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. And we used a first generation Roland CompuRythmn 68 drum machine for our drums. Dave Robinson, the head of Stiff records, was very excited and encouraged by our homemade efforts and set dates in a professional studio to record the songs (with Brian and I in the band) for the prospective new “Wreckless” album. But alas, tragically, it was not to be …

Although full band rehearsals took place, and a producer (Bob Andrews of Graham Parker and the Rumour fame) was selected, and we even found ourselves set up in Battery Studios, London, waiting to record the album master tracks, Eric didn’t turn up for the final sessions!

After all these years, I still hear the potential of these raw songs. And I believe they portray the unique artistry of one of England’s greatest eccentric punk artists and poets, at the very height of his creative ability. It’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for a very long time.
 Martin


Wreckless Eric Demos - All songs written by Eric Goulden/Fairweather/Page;
 Recorded by Martin Page (1980). 
 ℗ 2023 Martin Page.  All rights reserved.

Photo: courtesy of William White.

“The Wreckless Eric 1980 Sessions” - A Radio Owlsnest Special - On Air with Martin Page

Well, I never did truly think “I’d ever get my feet this far”! We have arrived at the final 50th episode of my Radio Owlsnest songwriter podcasts. It’s been a fantastic and lovely journey for me, playing my rare demos from my archives and sharing the stories behind the songs. I labeled you listeners as “OwlHeads” quite early on in the proceedings, and that label has stuck over the ensuing years … and so I’d like to take a moment here to wholeheartedly thank all the “noble OwlHeads” who listened, encouraged, consoled, shared, liked, commented - and above all, became my friends during the recording of these hour or so long episodes. I feel I know a few of you quite intimately. Thank you.

In today’s on-line society, when speed is everything, it’s painfully obvious that gaining someone’s attention for sixty minutes or more is a gargantuan and rather fruitless task - particularly when the premise of the show is “retro” and “adult” ... But all in all, I feel “Radio Owlsnest” gained a core underground and finely-tuned audience; so again, thank you for your diligence - against all the odds.

Who said the album was dead? Certainly not me or you …

I’ve tried to give a few of you OwlHeads out there shout-outs during this show; tried to remember most of your names; forgive me if I didn’t mention a few of you lovelies, but as you know, I “wing it’” and improvise as I go on these freewheeling shows. But know this ... I luvs ya.

What has been a revelation for me personally while recording these shows, is gaining an overview of my songwriting career, a kaleidoscopic big view, as such, of my progression, my development, my influences, my strengths and my weaknesses, etc., over the years. It’s not often that a songwriter/artist gets a chance to look back on his or her creative journey. Radio Owlsnest helped me re-evaluate my creative instinct and motivations; It was like looking back at a younger, turned-on, highly enthused version of myself. Certainly a kind of “time travel” took place for me … invaluable and fortunate at this late stage of the game.

But mostly it’s been incredible FUN for me; I had a grand old time of it - searching for rare demos in the “Pagey” song archives and remembering, re-living and imparting the hazy stories behind the songs. I was in the “Museum of Myself!”

So thank you all for giving me your ears and good spirit, for giving me a platform to express myself - and a damn good reason to dust off those old ditties from the vault and give them life once again. You OwlHeads have been a powerful MOTIVATING force!

And massive thanks to our very own Vanessa Leavitt for keeping these shows coming to you.

I hope you enjoy the 50th and final episode of Radio Owlsnest.

Fly high
Martin X

Radio Owlsnest Episode 50 - (The Final Episode) - On Air With Martin Page

Going Down The Rabbit Hole With Martin Page.  One.

Going Down The Rabbit Hole With Martin Page.  Two.

Join me for Vinyl Times and Retro Radio.  Three.

Going Down the Rabbit Hole with Martin Page. Three.

'Throwback Thursday - MAURICE WHITE - 'Adventures Of The Heart' (Demo)

In 1985 I was preparing song ideas for Maurice White's upcoming solo album. Maurice and I had built up a trusting working relationship … and he asked me to knock up some new ideas for him at my home. After a couple of weeks of writing on my own, I brought him various concepts and grooves.
Along with the song 'Switch On Your Radio - Breakout' and 'Children Of Afrika' I had started up a mesmerizing little mood … a tentative idea called 'Adventures Of The Heart'. I knew Maurice wanted to stretch himself - experiment with synthesizers and different chordal musical forms. So as I was starting 'Adventures Of The Heart' I was trying to bring a European lilt to the proceedings… something a little different for him -  a mysterious mid-Atlantic feel. There were overtones of jazz in my chords - and I was thinking of his RnB groove … but the top layering I was discovering seemed to have a distant Euro romanticism about it. Well that was my take on it. I was thrilled when Maurice was attracted to my idea. We brought in Brian Fairweather my Q.Feel partner and we arranged it all together. I finished off writing the lyrics with Maurice. We were becoming a good team lyrically. I knew how he sang and what suited him. We had a flow together. Then we went into a little cheap studio in the Valley - just the three of us with a young engineer and recorded the demo you hear here for the first time. For the technical heads out there we used a Roland Juno 60 synth for the dominant arpeggiator part - that gives it that Euro feel. The rest was done on a Roland Jupiter 8 synth. Brian programmed some great Linn drum machine and I played Aria bass guitar. The three of us did the harmony singing. All done in an evening's work. Maurice brought his unmistakable vocal style to the proceedings. I have never been in a studio with a man who has come up with so many vocal arrangement ideas - on the spot - genius of voice. He saw his voice as a rhythmic force - not only melodic but percussive. Truly - for me, he remains one of the most underrated singers of the popular RnB age. A genius of concept and arrangement. I thought you'd like to hear the quick demo we did that night…. it brings back such warm memories for me of Maurice - I miss him.
 The song was attempted for the actual solo album back then, but didn't quite make the cut  … shame. Although it did appear on the recent deluxe extended re-release of the album. When I listen to the demo - I feel the time, the 80's … and I feel Maurice's gift - his spirit.
Cheers, Martin

Excavations the Demos Vol.2

Adventures Of The Heart - (Demo)

Join MARTIN PAGE, world-renowned hit songwriter and singer/solo artist (“We Built This City”; “These Dreams”; “King Of Wishful Thinking”; “In The House Of Stone And Light”), for this revealing hour-long “behind-the-scenes” songwriter podcast. Martin delves into his extensive song archive to play you rare versions of his hit songs, as well as previously unheard demos, various “odds and sods”, wild sonic experiments and even brand new material! Hear all the stories behind the songs and the intriguing tales of his collaborations with the “who’s who” in the music business - from the 80’s right up until now.
 
A must for any serious fan of the “craft of songwriting” and the sheer joy of creating, come hibernate with Martin in the OwlsNest.

Adventures Of The Heart - (Demo)

Martin Page Music

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