Limited Edition 'Breaking Cover' Original vinyl LP

Original 1981 Vinyl with hand printed front covers using 'tri colour' so colours subtly change throughout the limited print run of 1000. Each cover is unique shading. This ‘Tri colour’ method was invented by artist designer Miles Walker. 500 had black surrounding art, 500 blue. These have blue surrounds.

Tracks

A 1. 20^th Century

A2. Warsore

A3. Water and Stone

A4. Kelda

B1. Someone at the Door

B2. River of Love

B3. No Human Interference ...

       ... Angels over Water

B4. Breaking Cover (The Hare’s Leap)

Players

NMJ – 6 and 12 string guitars, vocals, keys, santour, percussion, synths. Guy Evans – Drums , percussion, santour, inspirations spoons. Kevin McLea – Sax, synths. Colin Brown – Fretless bass, synth, vocals. Chris Kerridge – Bass, electric guitar. Angus Lamond – Recorders. Colin Boyd – Fretless bass. Eric Hansen (Navyo) – Viola, synth. Rob Lloyd – Ebow guitar. Bodmin Youth Op Scheme – Vocals, percussion – ‘Warsore’. Human Species – Illusions. Engineers – NMJ, Guy Evans.

Production - NMJ, G. Evans, John Acock. Front cover hand printed photo – Olympic Hall Munich 1980

 Details

I met Guy Evans, seminal drummer percussionist with Van der Graaf Generator in 1980. This album is full of Guy’s influence and approach to recording including experimentation and oblique strategies with instruments, equipment and recording techniques.

I met Kevin McLea and Colin Brown when they where sessioning with Barclay James Harvest on their 3 month Euro tour in 1980. Rob Lloyd also featured on both Ship and Sentinel, the first two albums. I co- engineered and was mentored by producer John Acock. He took great care taking the album through its cutting and pressing processes. I used London based P.R. Records famous for high quality pressings for classical music. They taught me the variations of vinyl reproduction and the manufacturing limitations. Taking a recording through to its manufacturing processes helped me get the sonic qualities from recording to the listener’s turntable. Met some fine cutting engineers but that's for later.

The title song ‘Breaking Cover’ is also known as ‘The Hare’s Leap’. This is a reference to the habit of Hares who sit for hours unmoving and silent in fields but if threatened bolt at lightning speed giving away their hidden presence.

“Working alongside Guy was a seminal lesson in experimentation. Colin and Kevin wove multi instrumental spells along with Eric (known as Navyo) on unearthly viola. Old friend Rob featured on the instrumental ‘Kelda’. Chris Kerridge, Colin Boyd and Colin Brown brought in various bass styles. We recorded in Hidden Drive, an ancient wooden assembly hall in the wilds of Devon where Guy was living and working on his first solo album ‘The Long Hello’ which features players from Van der Graaf Generator and Gong.

 I spread the recording days out to allow time for reflection on finished mixes to gain over view. This period became my chance to break cover and make a dash for musical freedom. Guy introduced me to the power of instrumental composition where textures could sometimes say more than lyrics. This liberation led to playing live and recording with inspiring musicians and later to commissions for various radio and tv. An accidental meeting with artist Miles Walker led to the experimental printing process of the album cover. Looking back on it now this period was a revolution for me “ NMJ

These original copies are in pristine condition. We post all vinyl albums very carefully boxed and packaged. Postage is by Royal Mail ‘Signed for’.