LINER NOTES
It was an extraordinary experience putting the show together. It was a huge amount of work, a lot of fun and an enormous privilege to work with such an incredibly talented team. This is the audio document. I hope that this can stand alone as a piece of music in its own right and that it can be enjoyed by people who knew nothing about the shows as well as those who were there.
I never expected the overwhelming response of the audiences, every night filling the show with life and excitement. They are there in every beat of the recorded music. Even when you can’t hear them, you can feel them.
Nothing at all has been re-recorded or overdubbed on this live album, just two or three sound FX added to help with the atmosphere.
On the first disc the track, Never Be Mine, is the only take that exists, and was recorded when the show was being filmed without an audience. It was cut because the show was too long but is now back in its original position. Everything else runs as was, with only a few edits to help the flow of the music.
On stage, the main feature of The Ninth Wave was a woman lost at sea, floating in the water, projected onto a large oval screen - the idea being that this pre-recorded film was reality. The lead vocals for these sequences were sung live at the time of filming in a deep water tank at Pinewood. A lot of research went into how to mic this vocal. As far as we know it had never been done before. I hoped that the vocals would sound more realistic and emotive by being sung in this difficult environment. (You can see the boom mic in the photo on the back of the booklet. This had to be painted out of every shot in post-production although very little of the boom mic recording was used. The main mic was on the life jacket disguised as an inflator tube!) The rest of the lead vocals on this disc were sung live on stage as part of the dream sequences. The only way to make this story work as an audio piece was to present it more like a radio play and subdue the applause until the last track when the story is over and we are all back in the theatre again with the audience response.
Unlike The Ninth Wave which was about the struggle to stay alive in a dark, terrifying ocean, A Sky Of Honey is about the passing of a summer’s day. The original idea behind this piece was to explore the connection between birdsong and light, and why the light triggers the birds to sing. It begins with a lovely afternoon in golden sunlight, surrounded by birdsong. As night falls, the music slowly builds until the break of dawn.
This show was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever been involved in. Thank you to everyone who made it happen and who embraced the process of allowing it to continually evolve.
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[Photos]:
I took this photo from the stage after a sound check. Not during a performance on a quiet night! Note the parked helicopter at the top.
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The sound of tolling bells feature in different parts of the show such as in Joanni, a song about Joan 0f Arc. These bells were recorded and played by Kevin McAlea. He happened to have recording equipment with him when he visited the Rouen Cathedral where they ring the bells for her on Joan of Arc Day. Coincidentally they were in the right key for the song.
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Mino is such a versatile percussionist. We called him Le Prestidigitateur. In the closing bars of King Of The Mountain he commanded front of stage with the bullroarer, a sacred aboriginal instrument which is traditionally forbidden to be heard by women. Made from a carved piece of wood tied onto the end of a rope, the player circles it above their head. It is a very physical instrument to play. This was the moment when Mino summoned a great storm that pulled everyone on stage into The Ninth Wave.
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All the singers changed from handheld mics to headsets to allow movement around the stage during The Ninth Wave. This made the audio engineering much more challenging. Three of the Chorus climbed up onto the roof of a moving, bobbing room to deliver their vocals in Watching You Without Me.
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During the choir sections, Jo could choose whether to sing an octave below everyone else or an octave above. He has such a staggeringly wide vocal range.
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“What a lovely afternoon. What a lovely afternoon. Oh can you hear the birdsong: the mistle thrush and wood pigeon, the chaffinch and the robin, the blackbird and the siskin, like golden light dripping and golden bells? Ding dong, ding dong.”
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“Ring it, shake it down, bring it on, let it in. Summer has come Summer be long. What a lovely afternoon. What a lovely afternoon. Oh will you come with us to find the song of the oil and the brush?”
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“It was a lovely afternoon. Such a lovely afternoon. Sinking down into the hills. The pillows in the hills. Tesoro mio. Gioiellomio. Il sole. Il cielo.”
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“Every swimming pool will shiver with excitement. I made the wind blow and the starry heavens hang. I ache from head to toe, I’ve got blisters on my hands. Oh man, I’m painting the moon tonight.”
ACT I
1. LILY
2. HOUNDS OF LOVE
3. JOANNI
4. TOP OF THE CITY
5. NEVER BE MINE
6. RUNNING UP THAT HILL (A DEAL WITH GOD)
7. KING OF THE MOUNTAIN
ACT II
1. ASTRONOMER’S CALL (SPOKEN MONOLOGUE)
2. AND DREAM OF SHEEP
3. UNDER ICE
4. WAKING THE WITCH
5. WATCHING THEM WITHOUT HER (DIALOGUE)
6. WATCHING YOU WITHOUT ME
7. LITTLE LIGHT
8. JIG OF LIFE
9. HELLO EARTH
10. THE MORNING FOG
ACT III
1. PRELUDE
2. PROLOGUE
3. AN ARCHITECT’S DREAM
4. THE PAINTER’S LINK
5. SUNSET
6. AERIAL TAL
7. SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN
8. TAWNY MOON
9. NOCTURN
10. AERIAL
11. AMONG ANGELS
12. CLOUDBUSTING
MUSICIANS
ACT I
Lily
Lead Vocal (LV): Kate Bush
Drums:Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
Fujare: Paddy Bush
Backing vocals (BVs): Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Hounds of Love
LV: Kate Bush
drums: Omar Hakim
percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Joanni
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Top of the City
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Never Be Mine
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Piano: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Running Up That Hill
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
King of the Mountain
LV: Kate Bush
drums: Omar Hakim
percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
ACT II
Ninth Wave
Astronomer's Call
Guest artist, Solo spoken word: Kevin Doyle
And Dream of Sheep
LV: Kate Bush
Piano: Kate Bush
Under Ice
LV: Kate Bush
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
Harmonic voices: Paddy Bush
Featured Choir: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Waking the Witch
LV: Jo Servi
Featured spoken vocal (helicopter pilot): Paddy Bush
Piano: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi, Kate Bush
Watching Them Without Her
Featured spoken word: Albert McIntosh
Featured spoken word: Bob Harms
Watching You Without Me
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi, Kate Bush
Little Light
Piano: Kate Bush
Featured Choir: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Jig of Life
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Featured spoken word: John Carder Bush (Narrator of poem)
Hello Earth
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
Featured Choir: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Morning Fog
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Featured acoustic guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Acoustic guitar: Jon Carin
Accordion: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
ACT III
Prelude
Featured spoken word: Albert McIntosh
Synth, BVs: Kate Bush
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Piano: Kevin McAlea
Prologue
LV: Kate Bush
Piano: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
An Architect's Dream
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Painter's Link
LV: Albert McIntosh
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Piano: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Kate Bush, Bob HarmsJacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Sunset
LV: Kate Bush
Featured vocal: Albert McIntosh
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards and acoustic guitar: Jon Carin
Accordian: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Aerial Tal
LV: Kate Bush
Piano: Kate Bush
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Somewhere In Between
LV: Kate Bush
Featured vocal: Albert McIntosh
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Tawny Moon
LV: Albert McIntosh
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
Synth: Kate Bush
Nocturn
LV: Kate Bush
drums: Omar Hakim
percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi
Aerial
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar and charango: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
Among Angels
LV: Kate Bush
Piano: Kate Bush
Cloudbusting
LV: Kate Bush
Drums: Omar Hakim
Percussion: Mino Cinelu
Bass: John Giblin
Guitar: David Rhodes
Guitar: Frissi Karlsson
Keyboards: Jon Carin
Keyboards: Kevin McAlea
BVs: Albert McIntosh, Bob Harms, Jacqui Dubois, Sandra Marvin, Jo Servi