STEVE PARRY + COLIN POTTER
WOMB
Credits:
Recorded: (1981) at Integrated Circuit Studio, Sutton–on-the-Forest, York & Wern Studio, York.
Field recordings (1981) by Steve Parry on a Sony portable cassette tape recorder.
• Engineered by: Colin Potter
• All Instruments / sounds – Steve Parry & Colin Potter
• Produced by Steve Parry & Colin Potter
Notes: Instruments/devices used in the recording included; saw, plastic bucket and plastic tube, water, alarm clock, cotton rags, metal bars, electric drill, drum machine, bongo drums, analogue synth & sequencer, field recordings, electric, acoustic & bass guitars, flute, keyboards, found sounds, comb & voice.
All tracks mastered by Colin Potter at ICR, London 2021
Artwork concept: Jason B.Bernard & Steve Parry
Design: Oleg Galay
© Hwyl Records / ICR
Peripheral Minimal Records 2023.
PM34
p 2023
A History of the Recordings
STEVE PARRY
Steve Parry:- “In 1981 I moved north to York having spent the latter part of the 1970s living in South London. During the time I worked with the likes of Post-Punk bands Matt Johnson/TheThe and Neu Electrikk. Neu Electrikk released two independent 45’s and contributed to The Some Bizzare Album. An album was recorded but not released. Neu Electrikk continued to be a fractious affair, ultimately the band self-combusted and went their separate ways. I had over the years created experimental sounds on an old reel to reel tape recorder – avant-garde, musique concrète – sounds of automata, damaged audiotape, noise, nature, everyday objects, the tape would be edited, looped, layered, played at various speeds. I built various stringed devices and developed a non-standard guitar technique that made use of prepared guitar (e.g. putting a nail file and screws on the strings, playing the guitar with pliers, meat skewers, nail files and a dinner fork) the key features being unconventional tunings, timbres, drone, distortion and noise – often treating the guitar purely as a sound source rather than a musical instrument. In addition I developed a stringed musical instrument essentially based on the violin which is further linked to a series of effects pedals. The sounds are generally described as experimental / avant-garde music. Around this time I would visit Red Rhino, a local independent record store started by Tony Kostrzewa aka Tony K. Tony gave me the contact details of Colin Potter who had a small recording studio at his home in Sutton-on-the-Forest, north of York. The recording sessions for Womb took place sporadically over a period of a few months. I would enter the studio armed with all manner of traditional instruments and devices including; guitar, flute, Drum machine, home-built glockenspiel, bongo drums, a saw, drill, hammer, bucket, an alarm clock, Casio organ, metal bars, length of hose pipe etc. plus home recordings I’d made of birds and other sounds recorded on a portable cassette player – During this time Colin and I also recorded two tracks “Ssroi’asitjk” and “Later That Same Night” for what was to become Colin s album “The Where House” originally released on cassette in 1981. Womb remained unreleased other than a few cassette tapes given to friends. In 2014 I re-discovered the album master tapes while having a house clear-out. The Ampex 406 master tapes were severely damaged due to natural deterioration, the original tape had to undergo a time-consuming restoration process. Thankfully the project was salvageable and the music was transferred to digital. I must admit listening now to these recordings I am reminded of the creative surge and ebullient enthusiasm for making the music. It was indeed an exciting time. Since 1998 Steve Parry has recorded numerous projects as Hwyl Nofio.
Steve Parry. York 2021
COLIN POTTER
ColIn Potter:- Back in the early 80s I had built a small studio in an outbuilding at my house in a village just north of the city of York. It was pretty basic, just one room with 4 & 2 track tape machines, a small mixer & a few basic effects units. There was also a Korg MS20 synth & SQ10 sequencer, a crude drum machine, a Casio keyboard & various guitars & microphones. Most of the work I did involved relatively conventional music, whereas I was more interested in something more unconventional. So I was very happy when Steve contacted me & asked if I would be interested in collaborating on an ‘experimental’ project. Over a number of sessions we tried all sorts of odd instrument combinations, sound sources & treatments. As it’s so long ago, my memory is a little hazy, but I think it’s fair to say that improvisation was an important element. I clearly remember that we had a lot of fun. When it was mixed, I don’t think either of us knew what to do with it, as it was unlike any other music that was around at that time. So it languished….
Due to various house moves, Steve & I lost touch & I eventually moved away from Yorkshire, my favourite part of the world. A few years ago, on a short holiday in York I wandered into a pub that I’d never visited before & there was Steve, who I hadn’t seen for around 20 years. Full circle. We decided that the lost album should be released & Steve had the original ¼’’ tapes baked & I’ve now remastered the original recordings. Listening to it was a strange experience. Many times I had to try to remember what some of the strange sounds were, or why we did this or that. The sound of convention & caution being thrown to the wind.
I’m glad we did it & I hope you like it.
Colin Potter, London 2021
WOMB is available from the following outlets:-
ICR Distribution
Peripheral Minimal Records
