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September Newsletter

Good day to you!

I hope you've had a great summer.

Unlike some of my bandmates, I'm not big on really hot weather so I'm embracing the coming of Autumn and looking forward to working on new releases, new music and these last shows of the year.

October 2nd - Summer's End Festival - Chepstow - info

November 29th - PB4X25 - Glasgow - info

Silent Dance 2025 Remaster

Now we've completed the 'Sia Trilogy' it feels like a good time to take a little break before working on the next studio album and make a start on reissuing the back catalogue. Many of you have asked about this so I hope you'll be pleased with this release.

Whilst working with Richard Swan at Wild Thyme Records on the last two vinyls, we've discussed the possibility of back catalogue releases on many occasions. Obviously 'Silent Dance' has to be the place to start but, if I'm honest, I think my dissatisfaction with the album held me back.

So it was a poignant moment for me to find that, as I remastered, I was finally appreciating the album in a way many have for decades. The results just make all the difference to me and, in a moment of considerable guilt, I understood what Nigel Mazlyn Jones had achieved with an 8-track tape machine. I don't believe the original was ever actually mastered and, of course, the digital tools now available to us have transformed the mastering process. No longer is it necessary to spend a fortune on mastering if you have a good ear for it.. Suffice to say, I'm delighted with the result and I know Richard is too.

So here we are with a limited edition gatefold album in the original Martin Higgs artwork on 180gm coloured vinyl. I know from previous experience that Richard will make every effort to ensure the very best quality product and a timely delivery.

It's available for pre-order now from Fairsound and will release on November 14th

https://fairsound.com/product/solstice-silent-dance/

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So 'what about a CD' I hear you say 😁

Of course Silent Dance has been reissued on CD before, first through Progressive Records then A New Day Records and finally on David Robinson's F2 Music as the 'Definitive Edition', but tthey sold out years ago and have only been available S/H through the likes of Discogs for well over a decade now.

And this of course is the 2025 Remaster and, believe me, it makes a difference. I've also added Steven Wilson's excellent remixes as bonus tracks. As with Clann and Return To Cropredy, this comes in a six panel digisleeve in 350 gsm card.

Again, this releases on November14th but I'm pretty confident I'll be mailing out pre-orders well beforehand.

I'm excited to say that this will also be the very first release on our very own 'Clann' label 🌞

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Making this little promo video was such a trip down memory lane for me. Went all warm and fuzzy 😁

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The Stables

Oh man, what a night!! The venue was completely packed out with the best audience in the world. The sense of friendship among those gathered was such that you knew were we in for a good night whatever happened... and plenty did 😁

Leoni kicked of the evening with what was intended as an informal acoustic set while people arrived. No, no, not with this audience 🥰

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Then it was into the Jim Marshall Auditorium to see Ebony with her amazing band!

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And finally to a two hour set with Solstice and still no time for Bulbul Tarang, Guardian and several others we'd like to have played.

Despite all the prep, the first 20 minutes were beset with tech issues but the brave audience stayed with us and by the time our first guest joined us onstage everything was working... and what a guest! It turns out that our webmaster, Chris Elliott, also looks after a certain Theo Travis and so introductions were made. I first realised how extraordinary Theo is when I heard the last three minutes of The Overview, just the most sublime playing! So the conversation started with a chat about playing on our next album and an invite to the Stables show if he wasn't busy. Next thing, with encoragement on both sides from Chris, Theo's agreed to jump up and play on both Earthsong and Cheyenne. No rehearsals, just gets up and completely blows our minds.

And there was more... not only did we have Ebony, Dyane and Leoni onstage with us but, for 'Plunk', a four piece brass section too! Top trumpet player, Phil Bainbridge, who played on the Clann album, was joined by George Farrell on trombone, Laurie Glass on trumpet (who some may remember stood in on violin for Jenny on a short tour a few years back) and my daughter, Aoife Glass on sax. I've got to say, they really nailed those funk horn parts, epic!

Love and thanks to Howard Rankin for capturing these moments!